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SAN DIEGO — U.S. Magistrate Judge Benjamin Cheeks, a former San Diego prosecutor and defense attorney, is tracking toward becoming one of the last two federal judges appointed by President Joe Biden, though it remains uncertain if he’ll make it across the finish line that is the Senate confirmation needed for the life-tenure position. Nominated by Biden in October for a U.S. district judge seat in the Southern District of California, Cheeks has become a political pawn in Washington, D.C., where Senate Democrats and Republicans are battling over more than a dozen federal judgeships in the waning days of the Biden administration. Both Biden and President-elect Donald Trump during his first term made judicial nominations a priority, as federal courts often have the final say on the legality of a president’s policies and the constitutionality of state and federal laws. During Trump’s first term, he appointed a total of 245 federal judges, including three Supreme Court justices, 54 appeals court judges and 174 district court judges, according to the U.S. Courts . Trump appointed just one judge to the federal bench in the Southern District of California. Biden will likely end his term having appointed about 230 federal judges, including at least six in the San Diego area. Cheeks would be his seventh appointee. Despite a Republican-led Senate confirming 19 of Trump’s nominees after he lost the 2020 election, Trump recently urged the Senate not to do the same for Biden by confirming his last slate of nominees, including Cheeks. “The Democrats are trying to stack the courts with radical left judges on their way out the door,” Trump claimed on social media. “Republican senators need to show up and hold the line — no more judges confirmed before inauguration day!” A few days later, after Senate Republicans promised to try to fulfill Trump’s wishes by stalling and preventing any more confirmations, Senate Democrats and Republicans reached a compromise . The terms of the deal allowed the Senate to confirm at least 12 more district judges without Republican roadblocks but will leave vacant four openings on appellate courts that Trump can fill. Cheeks was not among the 12 nominees included in the compromise, so Senate Republicans could still try to block his confirmation without reneging on the deal. But with a Democratic majority still in power, his confirmation rests more on whether the Senate has time to push his confirmation through, according to Carl Tobias, the Williams Chair in Law at the University of Richmond School of Law. “I’m cautiously optimistic,” said Tobias, who tracks federal judge and U.S. attorney appointments. “It’s certainly possible, but whether it’s probable, I can’t say.” Cheeks and Serena Murillo, a candidate for U.S. district judge in the Los Angeles area, got past a key hurdle just hours before the Senate compromise when they had a hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee now must approve their nominations and send them to the full Senate for a vote. The Senate is on recess this week for Thanksgiving. But Tobias said that if the Judiciary Committee votes to approve the duo in the first or second week of December, it would give the full Senate enough time to confirm the two judges before going on a final recess. When the Senate returns from that recess, a new Republican majority will take power and would almost certainly vote against the Biden nominees. There are currently two federal judgeship vacancies in the Southern District of California, which covers San Diego and Imperial counties. The last-minute rush to confirm Cheeks stands in stark contrast to the nominee for the other vacant seat. San Diego Superior Court Judge Rebecca Kanter was nominated in January but never got a hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Her nomination will expire when the new Senate convenes next year. Neither Kanter nor Sen. Alex Padilla responded to recent questions about why her confirmation process stalled. “I’m bewildered by it,” Tobias said. “It’s so rare something like that happens ... It makes no sense.” Kanter was a federal prosecutor in San Diego for 16 years before winning a contested election to become a state court judge. Tobias said there was no indication of any red flags in her background. “The only people who may know what happened are the senators,” Tobias said, referring to Padilla and Laphonza Butler. Each state’s senators are typically responsible for vetting and recommending nominees to the president. Meanwhile, San Diego U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath, a Biden nominee confirmed by the Senate last year , appears unlikely to resign before Trump takes office. “The U.S. Attorney is proud to serve this district and will continue in the role as long as she is needed,” spokesperson Kelly Thornton said in a statement Monday. If history holds, the new Trump administration will request the resignations of McGrath and other Biden-appointed U.S. attorneys shortly after inauguration day. It’s a customary process that occurs for most of the 94 U.S. attorneys across the nation each time a presidential administration from a different party takes office. Trump’s U.S. attorney in San Diego, Robert Brewer, resigned on the last day of February 2021 , about a month after President Joe Biden’s inauguration. Weeks earlier, the Biden administration had requested the resignations of Brewer and all but two Trump-appointed U.S. attorneys. If McGrath is asked to resign, it will be up to the Trump administration to nominate her replacement and up to the Senate to confirm that nomination. That could take years, based on recent history. Former San Diego U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy, an appointee of President Barack Obama, was not sworn in as U.S. attorney until May 2010, about 16 months into his presidency. Brewer took office in January 2019, halfway through Trump’s first term. McGrath was sworn in just a year ago, nearly three full years into Biden’s presidency. Until Trump’s nominee is in place, the Department of Justice will appoint an acting U.S. attorney to lead the office. In the recent past, that interim position has gone to the first assistant U.S. attorney, the No. 2 person in the office. Andrew Haden, who had previously served as first assistant before McGrath’s arrival, was elevated back to the No. 2 position in the office earlier this month. His serving as acting U.S. attorney in the event of McGrath’s resignation would appear to make sense, given that he briefly filled the same role last year before McGrath took office. But that will ultimately be the decision of the DOJ and the attorney general, which at the moment is slated to be former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. ©2024 The San Diego Union-Tribune. Visit sandiegouniontribune.com . 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US stock indices pushed to fresh records Tuesday, shrugging off tariff threats from President-elect Donald Trump while European equities retreated. Trump, who doesn't take office until January 20, made his threat in social media posts Monday night, announcing huge import tariffs against neighbors Canada and Mexico and also rival China if they do not stop illegal immigration and drug smuggling. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Supermarket giant Woolworths has asked the Fair Work Commission for a circuit-breaker to ban warehouse workers from blocking their distribution centres. or signup to continue reading United Workers Union members are blocking all entrances to a distribution centre in suburban Melbourne and three other sites over better conditions and pay. Plans to bring in staff on Monday never eventuated, but picketers at the Dandenong South site turned away logistics trucks trying to enter. Woolworths Group has filed an urgent application with the Fair Work Commission on Tuesday. "The application comes after the UWU refused to give any assurance of safe passage for team members seeking to return to work at our Melbourne South Regional Distribution Centre (MSRDC) yesterday and this morning," Woolworths said in a statement on Tuesday morning. The application to Fair Work alleges a breach of the Good Faith Bargaining requirements in the Fair Work Act. The matter has not yet been listed for hearing. Woolworth says the majority of staff at the Dandenong South site are not members of the union, and want to return to work and get paid. The supermarket giant confirmed it would again try to reopen the distribution centre again today but would follow advice from Victoria Police on whether it was safe to do so. The strike action has seen supermarket shelves across Victoria stripped, with scenes akin to the COVID-19 pandemic. One store, on Collingwood's Smith Street, had most of its toilet paper aisle emptied along with large portions of its bread and fridge sections. Those ordering grocery deliveries are also warned to allow substitutions to ensure they receive the products they want. The decision to go to Fair Work follows the company and union returning to the negotiating table on Monday. "We are hopeful of a breakthrough because our workers deserve to be safe at work," United Workers Union National Secretary Tim Kennedy said. Workers are protesting against "unrealistic performance expectations" which they claim lead to frequent injuries, demanding better wages, and an agreement that workers at different sites are paid the same amount. In late November, Woolworths insisted all stores were still receiving regular stock deliveries, but some were getting their goods less frequently than previously scheduled. No product limits were in place at the time apart from eggs, which have been rationed for months following bird flu outbreaks in NSW and Victoria. It's believed the strike is yet to affect Victorian farmers, whose produce normally hits supermarket closer to Christmas - but items such as nappies, toilet paper and drinks have been affected. Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . Advertisement

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NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Narin An handled the windy conditions with a hot putter on Thursday, making four straight birdies around the turn and finishing with an 8-under 64 for a one-shot lead in the CME Group Tour Championship. At stake for the 60-player field is a $4 million prize to the winner, the largest single-day payoff in women's golf. Nelly Korda already has won more than that during her sterling season of seven wins. Now she faces an eight-shot deficit over the next three days at Tiburon Golf Club if she wants to end her year in fitting fashion. Korda, coming off a victory last week, couldn't make amends for her three bogeys and had to settle for an even-par 72. She has come from behind in four of her victories, and still has 54 holes ahead of her. But it has made the task that much tougher. Everything felt easy for An, a 28-year-old from South Korea who has never won on the LPGA and has never cracked the top 10 in any of the 16 majors she has played. “Today my putt really good,” An said. “The speed was good and the shape was good. I just try to focus a little bit more.” She had a one-shot lead over Angel Yin, who shot 30 on the back nine, including an eagle on the par-5 17th hole that most players can easily reach in two. Former U.S. Women's Open champion Allisen Corpuz and Marina Alex were at 66, with Lydia Ko leading the group at 67. Despite the wind so typical along the Gulf Coast of Florida, 27 players — nearly half the field — shot in the 60s. “It's a good head start for the big ol' prize we get at the end of the week,” Yin said. Whoever wins this week is assured of breaking the 17-year-old LPGA record for most money earned in season. The record was set by Lorena Ochoa in 2007 at $4,364,994, back when the total prize money was about half of what it is now. Ochoa earned $1 million for winning the Tour Championship in 2007. The opening round followed a big night of awards for the LPGA Tour, where Korda officially picked up her first award as player of the year, which she clinched earlier this month . Ko was recognized for her big year, highlighted by an Olympic gold medal that put her into the LPGA Hall of Fame. She regained plenty of focus for the opening round on a course where she won just two years ago. “The course isn't easy,” Ko said. “I set a goal of shooting 3 under today, and somebody shot 8 under. I was like, ‘OK, maybe I need to make a few more birdies.’ It's a course that can get away from you as much as you can shoot some low scores, so I’m just trying to stick to my game plan and go from there.” Also in the group at 67 was Albane Valenzuela of Switzerland, already celebrating a big year with her debut in the Solheim Cup and her first appearance in the Tour Championship. She made a late run at her first LPGA title last week at Pelican Golf Club, and kept up her form. And she can see the finish line, which is appealing. “I everyone is looking at that $4 million price tag,” Valenzuela said. “I try not to look too much at the result. I feel like in the past I’ve always been stuck on results, and ultimately all I can do is control my own round, my own energy, my own commitment. “It's the last week of the year. It’s kind of the bonus week. No matter what, everyone is having a paycheck.” AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golfNoneDevelopers will face higher fees to build in Harford County; money will go to increase schools’ capacity

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Narin An leads with a 64 in the wind as Nelly Korda struggles in LPGA finaleA controversial TikTok blogger who organized pogroms in Warsaw and dreamed of living in Moscow was deported to UkraineGlobal Blood Bank Information Systems Market To Reach $1.08 Billion By 2028 With A Growth Rate Of 8.5%

Construction Sector’s Digital Makeover Includes Easier Working Capital AccessCitizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector gets release date and demo repriseBeirut: Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah are set to implement a ceasefire on Wednesday at 1pm (AEDT) as part of a US-proposed deal for a 60-day truce to end more than a year of hostilities. The text of the deal has not been published and Reuters has not seen a draft. Israeli soldiers organise equipment as stand on a tank near the border with Lebanon in northern Israel. Credit: Getty Images US President Joe Biden announced the deal, saying it was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities. Israel’s security cabinet has approved it and it will be put to the whole cabinet for review. Lebanon Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the deal, which Hezbollah approved last week. The agreement, negotiated by US mediator Amos Hochstein, is five pages long and includes 13 sections, according to a senior Lebanese political source with direct knowledge of the matter. Hezbollah fighters carry the coffin of a colleague. The Lebanese group is expected to leave its position in southern Lebanon to move north. Credit: AP Here is a summary of its key provisions. Halt to hostilities The halt to hostilities is set to begin at 4am local time (2am GMT) on Wednesday, Biden announced, with both sides expected to cease fire by Wednesday morning. The senior Lebanese source said Israel was expected to “stop carrying out any military operations against Lebanese territory, including against civilian and military targets, and Lebanese state institutions, through land, sea and air.” All armed groups in Lebanon – meaning Hezbollah and its allies – would halt operations against Israel, the source said. An Israeli Air Force F-15 jet fighter manoeuvres over northern Israel. Credit: AP Israeli troops withdraw Two Israeli officials said the Israeli military would withdraw from southern Lebanon within 60 days. Biden said the troops would gradually pull out and civilians on both sides would be able to return home. Lebanon had earlier pushed for Israeli troops to withdraw as quickly as possible within the truce period, Lebanese officials told Reuters. They now expect Israeli troops to withdraw within the first month, the senior Lebanese political source said. A Lebanese official told Reuters the deal included language that preserved both Lebanon’s and Israel’s rights to self-defence. Hezbollah pulls north, Lebanese army deploys Hezbollah fighters will leave their positions in southern Lebanon to move north of the Litani River, which runs about 30 kilometres north of the border with Israel. Their withdrawal will not be public, the senior Lebanese political source said. He said the group’s military facilities “will be dismantled” but it was not immediately clear whether the group would take them apart itself, or whether the fighters would take their weapons with them as they withdrew. The Lebanese army would deploy troops to south of the Litani to have around 5000 soldiers there, including at 33 posts along the border with Israel, a Lebanese security source told Reuters. “The deployment is the first challenge – then how to deal with the locals that want to return home,” given the risks of unexploded ordnance, the source said. More than 1.2 million people have been displaced by Israeli strikes on Lebanon, many of them from south Lebanon. Hezbollah sees the return of the displaced to their homes as a priority, Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah told Reuters. Tens of thousands displaced from northern Israel are also expected to return home. Monitoring mechanism One of the sticking points in the final days leading to the ceasefire’s conclusion was how it would be monitored, Lebanon’s deputy speaker of parliament Elias Bou Saab told Reuters. A pre-existing tripartite mechanism between the United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL), the Lebanese army and the Israeli army would be expanded to include the US and France, with the US chairing the group, Bou Saab said. Israel would be expected to flag possible breaches to the monitoring mechanism, and France and the US together would determine whether a violation had taken place, an Israeli official and a Western diplomat told Reuters. A joint statement by Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron said France and the US would work together to ensure the deal is applied fully. Unilateral Israeli strikes Israeli officials have insisted that the Israeli army would continue to strike Hezbollah if it identified threats to its security, including transfers of weapons and military equipment to the group. An Israeli official told Reuters that US envoy Hochstein had given assurances directly to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel could carry out such strikes on Lebanon. Netanyahu said in a televised address after the security cabinet met that Israel would strike Hezbollah if it violated the deal. The official said Israel would use drones to monitor movements on the ground in Lebanon. Lebanese officials say that provision is not in the deal that it agreed, and that it would oppose any violations of its sovereignty. Reuters Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here .

, ’s , has said that leftists are America’s “internal enemies” and suggested a Democratic victory could have ended in a civil war. the as his nominee for secretary of defense earlier this month. Now, reports the man who could lead the Pentagon once wrote in 2020 that the U.S. might undergo “civil war” if Democrats won. In his book , Hegseth laid out “the strategy we must employ in order to defeat America’s internal enemies” and called on the GOP to “mock, humiliate, intimidate, and crush our leftist opponents.” “America will decline and die,” Hegseth wrote, referring to a now-moot future where the Joe Biden won the election, according to . “A national divorce will ensue. Outnumbered freedom lovers will fight back.” The U.S. armed forces are similarly-minded freedom lovers who would have to “make a choice,” he continued. If confirmed, Hegseth would lead the Pentagon and assume the second-most powerful position in the military’s chain of command. “The military and police, both bastions of freedom-loving patriots, will be forced to make a choice,” Hegseth wrote. “It will not be good. Yes, there will be some form of civil war.” John Whitehouse, news director at Media Matters for America told the veteran has “always given off a proto-fascist vibe.” “The thing that appealed to him was going into Iraq as a crusader, and when that went wrong he started looking at America through the same lens,” Whitehouse told the outlet. has contacted Trump’s transition team for comment. In the days since Trump tapped him to lead the Pentagon, allegations against Hegseth of sexual misconduct and white supremacist associations have come to light. Hegseth . The woman said Hegseth took her phone, blocked the door to a hotel room and refused to let her leave before assaulting her, . The veteran has denied all wrongdoing. “The matter was fully investigated and I was completely cleared,” he said of the incident. Meanwhile, . "Deus Vult" is Latin for "God Wills It," and was a rallying cry for Christian crusaders in the Middle Ages. The tattoo previously resulted in Hegseth being flagged as a possible “Insider Threat” by a fellow service member due to its associations with white supremacy, the reported. “Mr. Hegseth has the necessary experience and qualifications to implement President Trump’s pro-America policies, and none of these left-wing media concocted falsehoods will work to stop that mission,” Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director, previously said in a statement regarding the tattoo.