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Trump ‘Pain’ Can Help Europe to Focus on Change, RWE CEO SaysSAN 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. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

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Mystery drone sightings continue in New Jersey and across the U.S. Here's what we knowConstruction Sector’s Digital Makeover Includes Easier Working Capital Access

IRISET building a ₹41.11-crore ‘Kavach’ Centre of ExcellenceORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — In a season that began with many questions and lowered expectations , it was apt watching Bills quarterback Josh Allen join coach Sean McDermott lay on the cold, wet sideline to make snow angels in celebrating Buffalo’s earliest clinching of a division title in team history. That Allen took part was no surprise. The newly engaged 28-year-old has maintained the happy-go-lucky approach he brought with him to Buffalo as a raw-talented athlete in 2018, while gradually blossoming into one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks. For McDermott, it was a pleasant surprise to see the usually reserved eight-year coach finally let his hair down — figuratively, because the few jokes he does make are usually about being bald. With his latest do-it-all three-TD outing — one rushing, one receiving and, the coup de grace, being credited with receiving his own pass for a score off a lateral from Amari Cooper — in a 35-10 win over San Francisco on Sunday night , Allen continued making his strongest NFL MVP case. What’s also becoming apparent is how much McDermott deserves consideration for coach of the year honors. Without the two, the Bills (10-2) wouldn’t be in this position in becoming just the eighth NFL team — and first since Indianapolis in 2009 — to clinch a division title with at least five games remaining in their schedule. It’s reflective of how the two have grown together in what, on the outside, could be perceived as an odd couple relationship between an offensive-minded, swashbuckling quarterback and a defensive-minded coach, too often knocked for being too conservative. Perhaps, it’s Allen’s boyish nature that has brought out the risk-taker in McDermott, who has carried over the aggressive approach he takes to defense by placing trust in his quarterback. It’s become apparent in everything the Bills have accomplished so far in having at least 10 wins through 12 games for just the fifth time in team history, and first since 1991, when Buffalo was led by eventual Hall of Famers in coach Marv Levy and quarterback Jim Kelly. Buffalo has won seven straight since consecutive losses to Baltimore and Houston. And the Bills have scored 30 or more points in six straight outings, matching the team record set in 2004. Allen is doing more with less on an offense that was supposed to be hampered following the offseason departures of receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis and center Mitch Morse. The Bills are more balanced in leaning on their running attack, while Allen has also curtailed his turnover-prone ways. He's lost two fumbles and thrown just five interceptions after being picked off a career-worst 18 times last season. Meantime, McDermott has taken a different approach to fourth down situations. The Bills have converted 13 of 15 fourth down attempts after going 9 of 16 last season and 7 of 13 in 2022. The most fourth down attempts during McDermott’s tenure came in 2021, when Buffalo converted just 11 of 22. This is but an example of the bond the quarterback and coach have built in a shared objective of overcoming past playoff failures. Clinching a division title is but one step, with the Bills now focused on catching the Kansas City Chiefs (11-1), whom they’ve beaten already , for the AFC’s top seed. In calling it the team’s next goal, McDermott went off script from his usual game-at-a-time message by noting the importance of celebrating a division-clinching win, if only for one day. “Being 50 years old and 20-plus years in this league, I’ve learned to try and enjoy the moments,” McDermott said. “And this is a moment, right?” It certainly was. What’s working Turnover differential. Buffalo’s defense forced three fumbles, including one at its goal line, while the offense didn’t commit a giveaway. The Bills upped their league-leading turnover differential entering Monday to plus-17. What needs help Run defense. Though the conditions were snowy and slick, the Bills allowed 119 yards rushing in the first half before the 49ers were forced to start passing the ball once the score became lopsided. Buffalo particularly struggled in stopping Christian McCaffrey, who had 53 yards on seven carries before leaving the game with a potential season-ending knee injury . Stock up LB Matt Milano was in on five tackles while playing 37 of 48 defensive snaps in his first outing in nearly 14 months after being sidelined by a broken right leg and torn left biceps. Stock down CB Kaiir Elam, the 2022 first-round pick was a healthy inactive for a second straight outing, and still having difficulty finding a regular role. Injuries None reported. Key number 9-0 — The Bills' home record going back to last season, marking their second-longest run in team history. Next steps Hit the road for two outings, starting with a trip to face the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl John Wawrow, The Associated PressFBI Director Christopher Wray announced on Wednesday that he will resign in January before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. "After weeks of careful thought, I've decided the right thing for the bureau is for me to serve until the end of the current administration in January and then step down," Wray told bureau employees in remarks released by the FBI. Trump, who is to be sworn in as president on January 20, has announced the nomination of staunch loyalist Kash Patel to replace Wray as the head of the top US law enforcement agency and he welcomed the FBI chief's resignation. Wray was named by Trump in 2017 to head the 38,000-strong Federal Bureau of Intelligence but the incoming president has since soured on his choice. Wray had three more years remaining in his 10-year term as FBI director but faced potentially being fired by Trump. "The resignation of Christopher Wray is a great day for America as it will end the Weaponization of what has become known as the United States Department of Injustice," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. "Under the leadership of Christopher Wray, the FBI illegally raided my home, without cause, worked diligently on illegally impeaching and indicting me, and has done everything else to interfere with the success and future of America," Trump said. The FBI raided Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in August 2022 to recover top secret documents taken without authorization from the White House. Trump was indicted for mishandling classified documents and obstruction of justice but the case was dismissed by a Trump-appointed judge. Wray, in his remarks to the FBI workforce, said stepping down "is the best way to avoid dragging the bureau deeper into the fray, while reinforcing the values and principles that are so important to how we do our work." "In terms of how we do the work, we've got to maintain our independence and objectivity -- staying above partisanship and politics," he said. "That's what the American people expect of us and that's what they deserve." Patel, a former Trump advisor and Pentagon official, has been critical of the FBI and is known for his controversial views. A fierce defender of the incoming president, Patel supports the Republican hardliner notion of an anti-Trump "deep state" of allegedly biased government bureaucrats working to stifle Trump from behind the scenes, even having written a book on the subject. A son of Indian immigrants, Patel served in several high-level posts during Trump's first term including as a national security advisor and as chief of staff to the acting defense secretary. Trump, in his Truth Social post, accused law enforcement officials of using "their vast powers to threaten and destroy many innocent Americans, some of which will never be able to recover from what has been done to them." "Kash Patel is the most qualified Nominee to lead the FBI in the Agency's History, and is committed to helping ensure that Law, Order, and Justice will be brought back to our Country again, and soon," he said. "I look forward to Kash Patel's confirmation, so that the process of Making the FBI Great Again can begin." Attorney General Merrick Garland praised Wray's "principled leadership" of the FBI, saying he had served "honorably and with integrity." "The director of the FBI is responsible for protecting the independence of the FBI from inappropriate influence in its criminal investigations," Garland said in a statement. "That independence is central to preserving the rule of law and to protecting the freedoms we as Americans hold dear." cl/dw

Cabinet ministers have been warned they must find more savings in their departments as the Chancellor said “every pound” of Government spending will be scrutinised in a major budget review. Secretaries of State are being told that any outgoings which are not contributing towards one of Labour’s “priorities” must be cut as Rachel Reeves vows to wield “an iron fist against waste.” In letters sent by Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones, departments will be told to brace for “difficult” spending decisions in order to restore trust in the Government’s handling of the public finances. Every pound of departmental spending will be face a “line-by-line review” involving external finance experts from banks and think tanks in order to ensure it represents good value for money, the Treasury said. The Chancellor will on Tuesday launch the next round of Government spending, and is expected to warn departments that they “cannot operate in a business-as-usual way when reviewing their budgets for the coming years”. She will insist that areas focused on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s “plan for change”, which includes targets to improve living standards across the country and build 1.5 million homes, must be prioritised. Ms Reeves said: “By totally rewiring how the Government spends money we will be able to deliver our plan for change and focus on what matters for working people. “The previous government allowed millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money to go to waste on poor value for money projects. We will not tolerate it; I said I would have an iron grip on the public finances and that means taking an iron fist against waste. “By reforming our public services, we will ensure they are up to scratch for modern day demands, saving money and delivering better services for people across the country. That’s why we will inspect every pound of Government spend, so that it goes to the right places and we put an end to all waste.” Under the Treasury’s plans, departments will ensure budgets are scrutinised by “challenge panels” of external experts including former senior management of Lloyd’s Banking Group, Barclays Bank and the Co-operative Group. These panels, which will also involve think tanks, academics and the private sector, will advise on which spending “is or isn’t necessary”, the ministry said. The Treasury said work has already begun, with an evaluation of the £6.5 million spent on a scheme that placed social workers in schools finding “no evidence of positive impact on social care outcomes”. “Departments will be advised that where spending is not contributing to a priority, it should be stopped,” it said. “Although some of these decisions will be difficult, the Chancellor is clear that the public must have trust in the Government that it is rooting out waste and that their taxes are being spent on their priorities.” Ms Reeves had already announced efficiency and productivity savings of 2% across departments in her autumn Budget as she seeks to put the public finances on a firmer footing. In a speech in east London, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden hinted at a further squeeze. “At the Budget the Chancellor demanded efficiency and productivity savings of 2% across departments – and there will be more to come,” he said. “As we launch the next phase of the spending review at its heart must be reform of the state in order to do a better job for the public.” The Liberal Democrats accused the Government of “missing opportunities and making self-defeating decisions” in the Budget, and urged it not to “make the same mistakes” in the spending review. The party’s Treasury spokeswoman, Daisy Cooper, said: “Leaving the social care sector in crisis is a false economy that will only put people at risk and damage the public finances. “The Government cannot afford to make the same mistakes in the spending review as they did with the Budget, missing opportunities and making self-defeating decisions. “The Government must use this Review to invest to save, taking into account the billions of pounds that could be saved in the NHS budget by investing.”TJX is the for Monday as shares climbed in a buy zone on the back of its earnings last week. Meanwhile, other retailers continue to report results as the holiday shopping season gets underway. ( ) on Nov. 20 reported about an 11% increase in Q3 2025 earnings to $1.14 per share, which beat FactSet estimates for $1.09 per share. Net sales increased 6% to $14.06 billion, also topping expectations for $13.95 billion. Consolidated comparable sales for the quarter rose 3% to match analyst views. Same store sales for TJX International increased 7%. Net sales for Marmaxx, which includes TJ Maxx and Marshalls, rose 4% to $8.44 billion. HomeGoods sales rose 7% while TJX Canada sales rose 5%. International sales for TJX, including Europe and Australia, popped 16% to nearly $1.9 billion. "Across the company, customer transactions drove our comp sales increases, which tells us that our values and treasure-hunt shopping experience are appealing to a wide range of customers," CEO Ernie Herrman said in the earnings release. TJX lifted its full-year earnings outlook to range from $4.15 to $4.17 per share, up from its prior guidance for $4.09 to $4.13 per share. However, the updated guidance still fell short of FactSet estimates for $4.19 per share. TJX maintained its comparable sales forecast for 3% growth. The company expects its Q4 earnings to range from $1.12 to $1.14 per share, also below analyst expectations for $1.16 per share. Despite the guidance miss, a number of firms modestly raised price targets on TJX stock after results. Baird on Thursday raised its price target by $5 to 133 and kept an outperform rating on shares, noting that TJX continues to demonstrate strong merchant execution and the appeal of value. Evercore ISI said that TJX's Q4 is off to a "strong" start, which should override any concerns about Q3 results. The firm raised its price target on TJX by $4 to 142 and maintained its outperform rating. Evercore also noted that it doesn't expect other retailers reporting before Black Friday to reflect that same strength. TD Cowen also raised its price target for TJX stock on Monday by $2 to 132 and kept a buy rating on the shares. Retail Earnings Among other retailers, ( ) popped more than 14% Monday on its earnings beat. ( ) retreated nearly 4% after delaying its quarterly report. The legacy department giant announced it is conducting an internal investigation after discovering an employee "intentionally" hid $132 million to $154 million in delivery expenses dating back to Q4 2021. ( ) and ( ) both report on Tuesday. FactSet expects Burlington to report a 58% increase in earnings to $1.55 per share on about 12% revenue growth to $2.55 billion. Burling stock is at the top of a buy range following a breakout on Friday. Analysts see Kohl's earnings nearly halving to 28 cents per share while revenue slides more than 5% to $3.64 billion. TJX Stock TJX stock swung 2.7% higher Monday, climbing further in a buy zone for an 11-week . Shares closed just above the 121.13 on Friday after testing the entry in mid-November. The current , which stretches 5% beyond the buy point, extends to 127.19. TJX stock rallied more than 32% so far this year and is trading at record highs.

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Donald Trump nominates Ronald D. Johnson as US ambassador to MexicoNoneAUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Any Texas or Texas A&M player has heard the lore of the rivalry between the two schools, a grudge match that dates to 1894. But for more than a decade — two generations of college football players — that's all it has been: Ghostly memories of great games and great plays made by heroes of the distant past. That changes this week when one of college football's great rivalries is reborn. Third-ranked Texas (10-1, 6-1) and No. 20 Texas A&M (8-3, 5-2) meet Saturday night for the first time since 2011, with a berth in the Southeastern Conference championship game on the line . “Guys that have been in my position and bleed burnt orange, they have not gotten to play this game,” said Texas fourth-year junior safety Michael Taaffe, who grew up in Austin. “Remember them when you step on Kyle Field.” For Aggies fans, who have carried the misery of Texas' 27-25 win in 2011, getting the Longhorns back in front of a frenzied crowd in College Station is a chance for some serious payback. “I was born and raised an Aggie, so I’ve been dreaming about playing in this game my whole life,” Texas A&M offensive lineman Trey Zuhn III said. Zuhn played high school football in Colorado, but his parents and grandparents attended A&M. At SEC media days back in August, Zuhn said his family would turn Texas gear upside down in stores. He keeps a picture of a longhorn in his room, hanging upside down, of course. “It should be the most amazing atmosphere that I’ve ever experienced,” Zuhn said. "I can’t wait for that, and I feel bad for Texas having to play in that." Texas players said they are ready. “That place is going to be rocking,” Texas senior cornerback Jahdae Barron said. “It's good to go on the road and play in hostile environments.” The Longhorns have overcome big and loud road crowds before. They won at Alabama in 2023. They won at Michigan and Arkansas, another old rival, this year. The Longhorns have won 10 in a row on an opponent’s home field. “When the hate is on us, we love it. We enjoy it,” Taaffe said. But some former Texas players say the current group has faced nothing like what awaits them in College Station. Playing at Texas A&M is more than just noise and a lot of “Horns down” hand signals. The “Aggie War Hymn” fight song calls for Aggies to “Saw varsity’s horns off." Beating Texas is their passion, said former Longhorns All-American offensive lineman Dan Neil, who won at Texas A&M in in 1995. He calls that win one of the best of his career. “I was done showering and getting ready to leave, and their fans were still standing outside the locker room screaming and throwing things,” he said. “The (Texas) players have no idea what they are walking into. They have no clue. No one on that team has walked into that stadium in burnt orange.” The rivalry broke up when Texas A&M left the Big 12 for the SEC in 2012. The Aggies have twice finished tied for second but have otherwise found little success there. Texas is in its first year in the SEC and has smashed its way to the top. Texas is the only SEC team with one loss this late in the season, which would make beating Texas that much sweeter for A&M. “The hype is definitely saying it's a rivalry. History says it's a rivalry, but for us, it's the football game we have this week,” Texas senior center Jake Majors said. “It's important for us to not let the environment, the game, get the best of us. ... I get to go out there and play not only for me and my team, but for the guys who came before me, so that's a true honor to have.” Even though the game hasn't been played since 2011, there has always been an element of the rivalry simmering under the surface, Texas A&M coach Mike Elko said. Elko is in his first year as the Aggies' coach, but he was the Texas A&M defensive coordinator under Jimbo Fisher from 2018-2021. “Even though it hasn’t been played, it just doesn’t feel like it’s ever really left the fabric. I really don’t think it’s as removed from the psyche as maybe it feels,” Elko said. “I think our kids are very much aware of what this is all about.” Rieken reported from College Station, Texas. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

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Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s pick for intel chief, faces questions on Capitol Hill amid Syria falloutEven more Canadian passports are in limbo almost one month into the Canada Post strike. In early November, Service Canada put a temporary hold on mailing out passport packages after November 8, 2024. “By holding residential mail several days in advance of a work stoppage, Service Canada has reduced the risk of having any passports held in Canada Post distribution centres,” Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) spokesperson Maja Stefanovska told Daily Hive. Just days after 55,000 employees represented by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) , the agency said were already being held. In an update on Wednesday, Stefanovska told Daily Hive that as of December 1, approximately 185,000 passports that were printed and ready to be mailed are being held by Service Canada. In a release on Wednesday, Canada Post said it reviewed the latest offer from the CUPW and “determined that the union’s demands are unaffordable and unsustainable – adding billions of dollars in long-term fixed costs.” “Added up, all the demands in CUPW’s latest offers would cost more than $3 billion over four years, at a time when the postal service is already recording large financial losses,” stated the postal service. “Some of the big-ticket items include wage increases and staffing changes.” The union’s latest from Tuesday said it just wants its members to “have good collective agreements, with their rights protected.” ESDC said the hundreds of thousands of passports on hold will be mailed out once the labour disruption is over and regular mail service resumes. According to Canada Post, once operations resume, all mail and parcels in the postal network will be secured and delivered as quickly as possible on a first-in, first-out basis. However, services may take time to fully return to normal, no matter the length of the disruption. ESDC advises Canadians who have already submitted an application and are in urgent need of a passport to request to pick it up at a Service Canada location. You can do so by contacting the at 1-800-567-6868 or visiting a Service Canada Centre. “Passport offices may not be able to respond to requests on a first-come, first-served basis due to a high volume of requests and are therefore contacting clients based on the date of travel or need,” explained Stefanovska. For anyone requesting a transfer, the pickup date is arranged based on their travel date or need. ESDC says the pickup could even be arranged for the same day for urgent situations. “If the processing time for the application is now outside service standard, Canadians can request a file transfer at no additional fee,” said Stefanovska. “If the application is still within service standard, Canadians will need to pay the fees for a file transfer ($45) and standard pick up service ($20).” According to the agency, as of December 1, there have been requests for about 6,500 passports to be transferred for pick-up at a Service Canada office. This includes requests for passports being held due to the Canada Post strike and for other reasons. Canadians travelling in more than six weeks can visit a Service Canada Centre that offers 20-business-day service, or a scheduled outreach site to submit their application.