UKRAINE is reporting some progress in the struggle for Bahkmut (Shutterstock).

Ukrainian forces seeking to oust Russian troops from the strategic city of Bakhmut are having some success, but victory remains a long way off.

According to The New York Times, the invaders still control about 90 percent of the city, which is widely devastated by combat that’s raged since last fall.

Ukrainian officials say that where their forces have pushed into the city’s suburbs from two sides they have had some success. But inside the city, the Russians are resisting fiercely, even when surrounded.

El Nino could heat things up

EL NINO could heat us up (Shutterstock/Ed Connor).

The El Nino weather condition that has usually brought hotter temperatures is forming near the Equator, which could portend record highs later this year.

USA Today, quoting officials of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is reporting that El Nino could hit by July, raising daily highs by as much as five degrees above normal throughout summer and fall.

Also in the news …. The presidential election in Turkey will likely go to a runoff. With nearly all ballots counted, long-time incumbent Recep Tayyip Edrogan had 49.6 percent of vote, while challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu had 44.7 percent. If no candidate gets a majority, a runoff election will be held on May 28.

Sports: Angels lose late again, Dodgers roll

Losing close and late seems to be the pattern for the Los Angeles Angels lately, and it continued on Sunday against the Cleveland Guardians. With the score tied 1-1 in the middle of the eighth, the home team scored three runs on a home run by Josh Naylor and took a 4-1 lead.

The Angels rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth but fell short and lost 4-3. The team is now 21-20 and fell into third place in the American League West. They’ve lost five of their last seven games.

Next on the road trip are four games in Baltimore (Monday to Thursday) and then back to Anaheim on Friday, May 19 to start a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins.

The Los Angeles Dodgers swept their three-game series with the San Diego Padres with Sunday’s 4-0 win at Chavez Ravine. It was also the Blue Crew’s fifth straight win, improving the team’s record to 26-15.

Mookie Betts hit a two-run homer and Miguel Vargas drove in a pair of runs. Tony Gonsolin (1-1) got the win, working five innings and yielding two hits and no runs. He struck out six batters and walked one.

The Dodgers will close out their home stand with three games – Monday through Wednesday – hosting the Minnesota Twins.

Weather: Sunny … eventually ….

The forecast for the West Orange County area for the next few days calls for a slow transition from cloudy to sunny. Monday is expected to have morning clouds and afternoon sun with a daytime high of 72 and an overnight low of 59. Tuesday will similar with a high of 73 (58). Wednesday is expected to be partly cloudy but mostly sunny conditions should move in by Thursday.