A CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL in Mariupol (Wikipedia/Ukrainian army photo).

The extended and bloody battle for the last Ukrainian redoubt in the besieged port city of Mariupol could be coming to an end.

Associated Press is reporting that the defenders of a smashed steel plant – the final point of resistance – are close to capitulation or death.

“They won’t surrender,” said a woman whose husband was one of defenders. They will “stand till the end.”

In addition to the estimated 2,000 soldiers there, several hundred civilians may be present.

In the eastern parts of the country Ukrainian troops were reported to be retaking some of the small towns conquered last week by Russians.

Is abortion murder? This state may say so

A bill is making its way through the Louisiana state legislature that would ban all abortions without exceptions and declare deliberate pregnancy termination to be felony homicide.

The legislation is being considered in anticipation of an expected U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortions nationwide.

Also in the news ….

Tornadoes hammered Oklahoma and Texas on Thursday, causing much damage as they moved along, but no deaths or serious injuries were reported. The winds were as strong as 135 miles an hour.

Sports: Late arriving offense lifts Angels

Shohei Ohtani threw seven superb innings for the Los Angeles Angels against the Red Sox Thursday, but the game was still in doubt – a scoreless tie – until the Halo offense woke up in the late innings gave the visitors an 8-0 victory.

Ohtani (3-2) scattered six hits, struck out 11 batters and walked none. He helped his own cause by going 2-for-4, scoring a run and driving one in.

Jared Walsh hit a two-run homer and ended with four RBIs.  Brandon Marsh also homered and scored twice.

With the victory, the Angels are 17-10 and remain atop the American League West. They lead the Houston Astros by 1.5 games.

The Angels come home on Friday to start a three-game series with the Washington Nationals.

Weather: Sunny arrival delayed

The weatherpeople have been forecasting the arrival of a long streak of sunny days, but Mr. Sun is behind schedule. Partly cloudy conditions are now expected to linger through Sunday, with sunny skies not returning until Monday. Friday’s expected daytime high is 76, with an overnight low of 60. Saturday should hit 72 (59) and Sunday is 70 (55),

Business: Wall Street changes its mind

One day after showing record gains in stock values, the market plunged on Thursday, reversing Wednesday’s gains.  After expressing confidence in the Federal Reserve’s plan to cool inflation by raising interest rates by a half-percent, doubts began to surface. Concerned that such a move might depress consumer spending and other components of the economy, the S&P 500 dropped 3.6 percent and the Nasdaq fell by 5 percent.