Trump starts his foreign trip with a crush of problems — and outsized certainty he has the answers

• May 13, 2025

By AAMER MADHANI and DARLENE SUPERVILLE

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump set out on a three-nation visit to the Middle East on Monday, a trip he had originally intended to use to focus on his efforts to press wealthy Gulf nations to pour billions in new investment into the United States.

But now Trump finds himself navigating a series of geopolitical crises — and searching for glimmers of hope in the deep well of global turmoil — that are casting greater import on the first extended overseas trip of his second term.

“This world is a lot safer today than it was a week ago,” Trump crowed to reporters as he sized up the foreign policy challenges he’s facing as he heads to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. “And a lot safer than it was six months ago.”

The president was brimming with an overabundance of confidence about some of the world’s most intractable problems, from tensions in South Asia to the future of sanctions in Syria to the war in Ukraine.

But behind closed doors, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim al-Thani, and Emirati President Mohammed bin Zayed will be looking to get a bead on how Trump intends to push ahead on resolving the war in Gaza, dealing with Iran’s rapidly progressing nuclear program and addressing India-Pakistan tensions.

And after weeks of threats and cajoling, it remains to be seen if Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will listen to Trump, who is demanding they meet in Istanbul this week to discuss ending Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Trump, for his part, projected confidence that the meeting will happen and even seemed somewhat optimistic that the end to the conflict is near. He floated the idea of making a detour from his itinerary to visit Turkey if he thinks his presence would be constructive.

“I was thinking about flying over. I don’t know where I am going be on Thursday,” Trump said. “I’ve got so many meetings. … There’s a possibility there, I guess, if I think things can happen.”

But Ukraine’s allies remained deeply skeptical Monday about prospects for talks and whether Putin was serious about peace.

“If there is no ceasefire there cannot be talks under fire,” European Union commission vice president Kaja Kallas told reporters at a meeting on Ukraine in London. “We want to see that Russia also wants peace. It takes two to want peace, it takes only one to want war, and we see that Russia clearly wants war.”

Trump sees opening in Gaza

Just as Trump was preparing to depart Washington for the Saudi capital of Riyadh, the last living American hostage in Gaza, Edan Alexander, was released.

Trump and administration officials framed the moment — a goodwill gesture toward Trump by Hamas — as a chance to get foundering peace negotiations between Israel and Hamas back on track.

“This was a step taken in good faith towards the United States and the efforts of the mediators — Qatar and Egypt — to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved one,” Trump posted on social media after Hamas extended the offer Sunday. “Hopefully this is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict.”

While Trump pumped up Alexander’s release as a potential turning point, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was far more subdued. Israel, notably, has not stepped back from plans to expand its war in Gaza.

Netanyahu’s office, in a statement Monday, underscored it had “not committed to a ceasefire of any kind or the release of terrorists” in exchange for Alexander.

“The negotiations will continue under fire, during preparations for an intensification of the fighting,” the prime minister’s office statement said.

Trump takes a different tone on Syria

As he prepared to leaved Washington, Trump also said he’s weighing removing sanctions on the Syrian government. It’s an issue that’s top of mind for the three Gulf leaders, who have rallied behind the new government in Damascus and will want Trump to follow through.

“We may want to take them off of Syria, because we want to give them a fresh start,” said Trump, adding that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged him to do so.

The comments marked a striking change in tone from Trump, who has been deeply skeptical of Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa.

Al-Sharaa took power after his Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led an offensive that toppled former President Bashar Assad in December.

The Trump administration has yet to formally recognize the new Syrian government. Sanctions imposed on Damascus under Assad also remain in place.

Cajoling India and Pakistan with trade

Trump also took credit for his administration keeping India and Pakistan from returning to a state of all-out war amid the deadliest fighting in six years between the nuclear armed neighbors.

The president said he and aides were ultimately able to talk sense to India and Pakistan’s leadership and guide them away from further escalation by dangling carrots, while also threatening both nations with sticks.

“I said, ‘Come on, we’re going to do a lot of trade with you guys,’” Trump said. “’If you stop it, we’ll do trade. If you don’t stop it, we’re not going to do any trade.’ People never use trade the way I used it.”

The situation remains tenuous. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Monday that his country has only “paused” its military action and will “retaliate on its own terms” if there is any future terror attack on the country.

Big differences remain in Iran nuclear talks

The president will arrive in the region after his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, held the fourth round of nuclear talks Sunday in Oman with Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi.

As the talks continue, the Trump administration has sent mixed messages about what nuclear work Iran would be allowed to do under a potential deal.

Senior administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have said that Tehran would be required to import enriched material to run nuclear reactors for civilian purposes. Trump, however, said this past week that his administration hasn’t made a decision on the issue.

It’s also unclear if Trump will insist that Tehran give up support of Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthi militants in Yemen as part of any nuclear deal.

Whatever his negotiating frame may be, Trump seemed confident that Iran is engaging rationally, and that he will cement a deal soon.

“You can’t have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said of his demand for Iran. “But I think that they are talking intelligently.”

However, the two sides still appear a long way from any deal, even as time passes on a two-month deadline imposed by Trump.

Madhani reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. AP writer Jill Lawless contributed from London.

​ Orange County Register 

Man gets 35 years to life for 2019 killing of USC student

• May 13, 2025

A man who killed a USC jazz student during an attempted robbery just blocks from the university campus six years ago was sentenced on Monday, May 12, to 35 years to life in state prison.

Ivan Hernandez, 29, pleaded no contest in January to first-degree murder in the March 10, 2019, killing of 21-year-old Victor McElhaney, whose mother was a member of the Oakland City Council.

McElhaney was shot in the head just after midnight near Maple Avenue and Adams Boulevard and died at a hospital.

A student at USC’s Thornton School of Music, he was with friends when they were approached by three or four men in their 20s during an attempted robbery that led to the shooting, authorities said.

McElhaney mentored young musicians and taught at the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music.

Shortly after the killing, his mother, Lynette Gibson McElhaney, said her son “believed that music could heal the world of violence and sickness and addiction.”

The year after his death, USC announced the creation of the Victor McElhaney Memorial Jazz Drumming Endowed Scholarship, awarded annually to support an undergraduate drummer who reflects the spirit and ideals he represented.

McElhaney was an active member of USC’s Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs, a member of the USC Thornton’s Afro Latin American Jazz Ensemble and various student combos.

​ Orange County Register 

Civil rights agency moves to fire judge fighting Trump directives

• May 13, 2025

By CLAIRE SAVAGE

The federal agency tasked with protecting workers’ civil rights has moved to terminate a New York administrative judge who has resisted compliance with directives from the White House, including President Donald Trump’s executive order decreeing male and female as two “immutable” sexes.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in response to Trump’s order has moved to drop at least seven of its own pending cases representing transgender workers alleging discrimination, and is classifying all new gender identity-related discrimination cases as its lowest priority, signaling a major departure from its prior interpretation of civil rights law.

EEOC Administrative Judge Karen Ortiz, who in February criticized the agency’s Trump-appointed head, Acting Chair Andrea Lucas, in an email copied to more than 1,000 colleagues, on Wednesday was placed on administrative leave. She also received notice that the EEOC leadership sought to fire her, accusing her of “profoundly unprofessional” conduct.

“Of particular concern, your February email was ultimately circulated to multiple press outlets, potentially resulting in significant reputational harm to the agency,” according to the notice, which included a PDF of a March 10 article by The Associated Press about Ortiz, along with other materials.

An EEOC spokesperson said on Monday that the agency had no comment on Ortiz’s termination proceedings. But in its notice to Ortiz, the agency said its action “does not pertain to the content of your disagreement with the Agency policy, but rather the disrespectful and disparaging manner in which you have conveyed your message.”

In her February mass-email criticizing the agency’s efforts to comply with Trump’s order, Ortiz wrote to Lucas that “You are not fit to be our chair much less hold a license to practice law,” adding: “I will not compromise my ethics and my duty to uphold the law.” The letter was leaked on Reddit, where it gained more than 10,000 “upvotes.” Many users cheered its author.

The EEOC subsequently revoked her email privileges for about a week and issued her a written reprimand for “discourteous conduct.”

Ortiz’s actions were cited in an April 18 White House proposal aimed to make it easier to fire some federal workers. It listed Ortiz as an example of bureaucrats who “use the protections the system gives them to oppose presidential policies and impose their own preferences.”

Ortiz said she was unfazed after being called out by the nation’s highest office. Trump “just gave me an even bigger platform,” she said in an April 19 message to The AP.

The EEOC has undergone tumultuous change since Trump took office. He fired two of the three Democratic commissioners of the federal agency in an unprecedented move that swept away what would have been a key barrier to his campaign to dismantle diversity and inclusion programs, end protections for transgender and nonbinary workers and other priorities. One of the dismissed commissioners, Jocelyn Samuels, filed a lawsuit challenging her termination, arguing her removal was a violation of the Civil Rights Act that created the agency to be an independent and bipartisan protector of the rights of workers. The move also left the agency without the quorum needed to make key decisions. But last week, Trump tapped an assistant U.S. attorney in Florida, Brittany Panuccio, to fill one of the vacancies. If Panuccio is confirmed by the Senate, the EEOC would regain a quorum and establish a Republican majority 2-1, clearing the path to make major policy changes, including revising agency guidance on how to implement existing civil rights laws.

Since February, Ortiz said she has continued to “raise the alarm” and convey her opposition to the agency’s actions, including in an April 24 email to Lucas and several other internal email groups with the subject line, “If You’re Seeking Power, Here’s Power” and a link to Tears for Fears’ 1985 hit “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.”

“Take in the lyrics,” Ortiz wrote to Lucas. “Ponder what you’re allowing yourself to be a part of.”

Her ability to send emails was again promptly revoked.

Ortiz said she plans to fight the termination, and is strategizing with her attorneys and union on how best to respond. She may reply to the dismissal notice within 15 days, and has the right to request a time extension, an attorney, a union representative, or another representative of her choosing, according to the document, which was acquired by The AP. A final decision will be issued after the reply period has passed.

“I’ve been quite the thorn in the agency’s side,” Ortiz said Monday in a phone interview with The AP. “But, you know, it’s warranted.”

The Associated Press’ women in the workforce and state government coverage receives financial support from Pivotal Ventures. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County scores and player stats for Monday, May 12

• May 13, 2025

Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now

Scores and stats from Orange County games on Monday, May 12

Click here for details about sending your team’s scores and stats to the Register.

The deadline for submitting information is 10:45 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 p.m. Saturday.

MONDAY’S SCORES

BOYS TENNIS

CIF-SS PLAYOFFS

Quarterfinals

DIVISION 1

Marina 9, Notre Dame/SO 9 (Marina wins on games, 73-64)

DIVISION 5

Capistrano Valley 10, Mark Keppel 8

Fullerton 14, Rosemead 4

​ Orange County Register 

Tustin man gets more than 17 years in prison for leading a drug trafficking ring active in Australia and Papua New Guinea

• May 13, 2025

LOS ANGELES — An Orange County man was sentenced Monday to more than 17 years behind bars for leading a drug trafficking ring that ran bulk quantities of methamphetamine to Australia and Papua New Guinea concealed in shipments of car parts and instant noodles.

Hoang Xuan Le, 43, also known as “Big Bro,” of Tustin, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner, who ordered him to pay a fine of $50,000 along with the 210-month prison sentence, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Le pleaded guilty in November 2024 in Los Angeles federal court to one count of conspiracy to export controlled substances.

From July 2020 to October 2021, Le and co-defendant Tri Buinguyen, 40, known as “Bro,” of Garden Grove arranged for the export of the drugs via air cargo and ocean freight, falsifying the shipments on manifests and customs documents, federal prosecutors said.

By relying on “military-grade” encryption software and messaging apps to coordinate shipments, the defendants communicated with vendors and customs officials under fake names and email accounts to disguise the drugs as legitimate commercial products, according to federal prosecutors.

In his plea agreement, Le admitted to overseeing at least two shipments of narcotics from the United States to the Indo-Pacific region. In August 2020, he directed the shipment of nearly 66.1 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in metal boxes to Australia. From April 2021 to September 2021, Le directed the shipment to Papua New Guinea of about 330.7 pounds of the drug concealed in food storage buckets. Law enforcement intercepted both shipments.

On Feb. 24, Buinguyen was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison and fined $50,000 for his role in the conspiracy. He pleaded guilty in November 2024 to one count of conspiracy to export controlled substances, admitting his role in the two drug shipments, plus additional shipments of methamphetamine concealed in ready-to-eat meal packets that were delivered to New Zealand and intercepted by law enforcement there, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Co-defendants Trung Buinguyen, 41, of Lakewood, and Narongsak Champy, 29, of Long Beach, were charged with one count of conspiracy to export controlled substances and one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Law enforcement was seeking both defendants.

​ Orange County Register 

Mavericks win NBA draft lottery with 1.8% odds

• May 13, 2025

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

CHICAGO — The ping-pong balls have spoken: Cooper Flagg might be headed to Dallas to start his NBA career.

And a fan base that lost Luka Doncic this season might have a new star to cheer for.

The Mavericks won the NBA draft lottery on Monday night, giving them the No. 1 pick in next month’s draft – and the first chance to take Flagg, the freshman who led Duke to the Final Four in his lone college season and the consensus player of the year.

Dallas bucked huge odds to get it done, with only a 1.8% chance to win the lottery coming into Monday. A Mavs team that reached the NBA Finals in 2024, then scorned its fans by trading away Doncic to the Lakers, left Chicago with the biggest prize.

San Antonio – with back-to-back Rookies of the Year in Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle – will pick second, Philadelphia will pick third, and Charlotte will pick fourth.

Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists while leading Duke to the Final Four in his lone college season. He shot 48% from the field, 39% from 3-point range, 84% from the free-throw line and was The Associated Press’ national player of the year.

And he’s had success against NBA players already. Last summer, when the U.S. Olympic team was holding its training camp in Las Vegas in advance of the Paris Games – where the Americans won gold yet again – Flagg was part of the select team brought in to scrimmage against the Olympians.

Flagg, who was 17 years old at the time, more than held his own in those workouts.

Utah will pick fifth, Washington sixth, New Orleans seventh, Brooklyn eighth, Toronto ninth, Houston 10th, Portland 11th, Chicago 12th, Atlanta 13th and San Antonio 14th.

More to come on this story.

​ Orange County Register 

Preakness Stakes: Journalism opens as 8-5 morning line favorite

• May 13, 2025

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Sports Writer

HALETHORPE, Md. — Journalism is the morning line favorite for the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes.

The Kentucky Derby runner-up to Sovereignty opened at odds of 8-5 on Monday when post positions were drawn for the middle leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown. Journalism is again set to be ridden by jockey Umberto Rispoli and leave the starting gate from the No. 2 post.

Post time is set for Saturday at 4:01 p.m. PT.

No. 7 Sandman is the 4-1 second choice in the field of nine, which does not include Sovereignty after his owners and trainer decided not to run the Derby winner two weeks after his triumph at Churchill Downs. The Preakness goes on without a true shot at a Triple Crown winner for a fifth time in seven years since Justify swept all three races in 2018.

Bob Baffert, who trained Justify and 2015 Triple Crown champion American Pharoah, is entering Goal Oriented looking for a record-extending ninth victory in the race. Fellow Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas can tie Baffert if he wins the Preakness back to back, this time with American Promise a year after Seize the Grey ended Mystik Dan’s Triple Crown bid.

There are three Derby horses running in the $2 million Preakness at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore: Journalism, American Promise and Sandman, the latter of whom will be ridden by John Velazquez for trainer Mark Casse. American Promise drew the No. 3 post and opened at odds of 15-1.

New to the Triple Crown trail, along with No. 1 Goal Oriented (6-1) are No. 4 Heart of Honor (12-1), No. 5 Pay Billy (20-1), No. 6 River Thames (9-2), No. 8 Clever Again (5-1) and No. 9 Gosger (20-1).

​ Orange County Register 

Rilo Kiley adds Greek Theatre date to Reunion Tour with Waxahatchee

• May 12, 2025

Fresh off their first live performances in over a decade—including a headlining kickoff in San Luis Obispo and a Just Like Heaven festival set at Brookside at the Rose Bowl this past weekend—beloved indie rock outfit Rilo Kiley has expanded their Reunion Tour with a new batch of dates, including a highly anticipated stop at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on Oct. 18.

The added West Coast dates, set for Los Angeles and a San Diego stop at Gallagher Square on Oct. 17, will feature Waxahatchee as the opener. The two indie forces are set to take the stage together in what’s sure to be one of the season’s most nostalgic and powerful bills.

Alongside the Los Angeles announcement, Rilo Kiley also revealed additional stops on the East Coast, including two NYC-area dates in Asbury Park on Aug. 30 and Port Chester on Aug. 31. They join the band’s previously announced shows at Pier 17 on Sept. 5 and Central Park SummerStage on Sept. 8. Special guests vary by city, with Natalie Bergman, Dean Johnson, and Ben Gibbard among the rotating support.

Tickets for the general public will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, May 16 at Ticketmaster.com. There will also be a Rilo Kiley fan presale starting at 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 13.

The tour follows an emotional reunion at Just Like Heaven festival this past weekend, where the band delivered a nearly perfect set for fans, marking its third live performance in 17 years. Opening with “The Execution of All Things,” the band leaned heavily on its beloved 2002 album, treating fans to tracks like “Wires and Waves” and “The Moneymaker.”

This marks the band’s first official tour since going on hiatus in 2011.

​ Orange County Register