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Reporting from Washington — Some of President Obama’s most disputed judicial nominations — including UC Berkeley law professor Goodwin Liu and San Francisco federal Magistrate Edward M. Chen — are about to expire without getting a vote in the Senate.

Dozens of Obama’s judicial nominees have languished, but in the past four days, the Senate has approved 12 of them without opposition. Another seven are expected to be confirmed before the lame-duck session of Congress ends. Four others, including Liu and Chen, aren’t expected to get a vote.

Their nominations will lapse after this congressional session. Although Obama could renominate them, their chances of confirmation would be even slimmer because Republicans will hold several more seats in the next Senate.

Liu, nominated to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, is well-regarded among liberals and legal scholars and won a “well qualified” rating from the American Bar Assn. But several Republicans contend that his liberal views put him “outside the mainstream.”

They also criticize his 2006 testimony against Samuel A. Alito’s confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court. “Judge Alito’s record envisions an America where police may shoot and kill an unarmed boy to stop him from running away with a stolen purse … where a black man may be sentenced to death by an all-white jury for killing a white man,” Liu said then. “I humbly submit that this is not the America we know. Nor is it the America we aspire to be.”

The 9th Circuit has jurisdiction over California and eight other Western states.

Chen, nominated to be a U.S. district judge in San Francisco, also ran into solid Republican opposition. Some conservatives complain about his former affiliation with the American Civil Liberties Union. He was an ACLU attorney before becoming a magistrate.

Liberal activists pointed out that Republicans during the George W. Bush administration argued that the president’s nominees deserved an up-or-down vote.

“If Republicans kept to their old playbook and allowed the Senate to vote on Goodwin Liu, he’d be a shoo-in given his stellar qualifications,” said Nan Aron, president of the Alliance for Justice.

Two other district court nominees — Louis Butler of Wisconsin and Jack McConnell of Rhode Island — also face Republican opposition and are unlikely to be confirmed.

Obama will finish his first two years in office with far fewer judges confirmed than any recent chief executive.

As of Monday, the Senate had confirmed 53 of Obama’s 103 judicial nominees to the federal district or appeals courts in the last two years. Another seven approvals would bring the total to 60.

By contrast, President Clinton won approval for 126 lower court judges in his first two years, when his party controlled the Senate. One hundred judicial nominees were confirmed during George W. Bush’s first two years, even though Democrats narrowly controlled the Senate for most of that time.

Democrats have held a strong Senate majority in the last two years, and a judge can be confirmed with a simple majority vote. But a single senator can block a vote. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has done just that to prevent votes on nominees opposed by most Republicans.

Opponents also can filibuster nominees, and it takes 60 votes to cut off debate and set a final vote. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has been reluctant to tie up the chamber in a prolonged debate over a lower-court judgeship.

Nominees confirmed in the last four days include Albert Diaz, a North Carolina state judge who won a unanimous vote of the Judiciary Committee in January. He will join the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va.

Sacramento Magistrate Kimberly Mueller was confirmed to be a federal district judge there, and Chicago prosecutor Edmond E. Chang was confirmed as a federal district judge for northern Illinois.

david.savage@latimes.com

DEVON is one of the most popular counties in the UK to visit for a staycation – so when looking at where to explore it can be hard to find somewhere that only locals know about.

Nestled within the coastline, between Dawlish and Torquay, you’ll find Babbacombe.

While it is often skipped for its larger neighbours on the English Riviera, Babbacombe deserves a spotlight of its own.

What used to be just a humble fishing village in the 16th century, has turned into a much-loved local gem.

In records, the area was previously known as ‘Babbecumbe’ meaning ‘Babba’s Valley’ and by 1775 there were only a few cottages littered across the area.

In the late 19th century, John ‘Babbacombe’ Lee survived three attempts to hang him at Exeter Prison for a murder he had committed in Babbacombe.

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He became known as ‘the man they could not hang’ and has become a story told by locals.

In the Victorian era, the region grew in popularity for tourists as it was recognised for its dramatic cliff scenery.

The small town is home to Babbacombe Beach, which is made up of shingle and sits below the towering red cliffs that form Babbacombe Downs.

One recent visitor said: “Babbacombe Beach is a very peaceful, attractive place; the views from the top of the cliff are stunning.”

At Babbacombe Downs, you’ll find a promenade which is thought to be the highest in England, boasting amazing views across the bay.

And from there you can head to Oddicombe Beach, by walking down a picturesque lane – but be warned it is rather steep.

Alternatively, you can catch the funicular down to the beach.

One recent visitor said: “Oddicombe beach is a wonderful suntrap with a micro climate of its own.”

If with little kids, I would recommend taking the Babbacombe Cliff Railway, which has been operating for 100 years, this year.

The funicular runs from Babbacombe Downs to Oddicombe Beach, which neighbours Babbacombe Beach.

The Babbacombe Cliff Railway was built in 1926 and over that time has shuttled hundreds of holidaymakers to and from Oddicombe Beach.

The funicular did have to close for some time though between 1941 and 1951 due to wartime restrictions.

The carriages were later replaced in the early 2000s and painted in the original maroon and cream colours, with Torbay’s coat of arms on either side.

I remember as a child using the 200-metre cliff railway, with it feeling like stepping back in time, as if I was entering a part of history that I had been learning in school.

Nothing quite compares to the views either, the steepness of the track nestled between red sandstone and grey Devonian limestone 73metre-high cliffs means you can see the beach below with nothing disturbing the picture.

Because the railway and beaches below are hidden in the cliffside, not many tourists know about it.

It’s also away from the main hubbub of the main towns on the coastline.

If you’re wanting somewhere special to eat, head to Babbacombe Bay Cafe.

They serve freshly made toasties with salad and warming cups of tea that are ideal after being buffeted by the coastal winds.

You can also take a walk to the high street, which is about three minutes from the Downs.

One place to visit here is Bygones, a museum with a full-scale replica Victorian street.

The museum has over 2,000 artefacts to discover and your four-legged friend can even join you on a visit.

Tickets cost from £13.95 per adult and £9.75 per child.

Another nearby attraction is Babbacombe Model Village, which is over 60 years old.

Spread across four acres, visitors can feel like a giant as they explore hundreds of scenes depicting British life, including iconic landmarks.

I used to visit once or twice a year growing up and particularly remember going at Christmas when all of the park’s models become covered in ‘snow‘.

The attraction has a sense of humour too, great for keeping parents entertained.

For example, there’s an ‘unaffordable housing development’ and a celebrity mansion with the Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Incredibles family playing in the garden.

Included in your admission ticket, you also get the chance to watch a film in the attraction’s 4D cinema.

It was always a laugh being jolted around in your seat as puffs of air and water were sprayed at you.

Every Friday evening from April to October, the whole park is illuminated with multi-coloured lights as well.

Tickets cost £21.95 per adult and £17.95 per child.

If you are looking for somewhere to stay, there are several options.

For example, you could stay at the Babbacombe Palms Guest House from £65 per night.

Fancy something a little more luxury? Then opt for the Cary Arms Hotel and Spa costing from £195 per night.

For more places to explore in Devon, here are the top 15 boozers in the county.

Plus, there’s a ‘wonderfully unspoilt’ seaside town in Devon and it is one of the UK’s best hidden spots.

March 24 (UPI) — NASA on Tuesday announced plans to spend $30 billion on a permanent lunar base and send astronauts to the moon every six months after the Artemis V mission.

Speaking at a so-called “Ignition” event at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C., Administrator Jared Isaacman discussed plans to accelerate construction of a moon base.

“There will be an evolutionary path to building humanity’s first permanent surface outpost beyond Earth,” he said.

“NASA is committed to achieving the near-impossible once again: to return to the moon before the end of President [Donald] Trump’s term, build a moon base, establish an enduring presence, and do the other things needed to ensure American leadership in space.”

NASA’s plan was initially to focus on what it called the Gateway program — a space station that was going to orbit the moon. Then the agency would build a base on the moon.

Carlos Garcia-Galan, the program executive for NASA’s Moon Base program, said the systems and hardware already established for the Gateway program would be repurposed to build the moon base.

Isaacman said the moon base plan will comprise three phases.

The first phase would include a series of missions to send small robotic landers and vehicles astronauts can drive on the surface to the moon. It would also encompass communications and scientific instruments.

The second phase would involve the construction of a “semi-habitable infrastructure” for astronauts on the lunar surface.

The third phase would start construction of a more permanent structure.

The first two phases would involve an investment of $20 billion over the next seven years and dozens of missions to the moon. The third phase would cost another $10 billion.

“The moon base will not appear overnight,” Isaacman said.

Isaacman said NASA also plans to launch a nuclear-propelled spacecraft to Mars by 2028.

NASA’s launch window for Artemis II is set to open April. The crewed mission is expected to send the Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft to orbit the moon over 10 days and return to Earth. The crew will test whether the spacecraft operates in deep space.

The long-term goal of the Artemis program is to re-establish a human presence on the moon in preparation for the ultimate aim of putting a human on Mars.