College sports commissioners laud $2.8B antitrust settlement, call for Congress to act

College sports commissioners laud $2.8B antitrust settlement, call for Congress to act

By ERIC OLSON AP College Football Writer

Conference commissioners lauded a judge’s approval of a $2.8 billion antitrust lawsuit settlement as a means for bringing stability and fairness to an out-of-control college athletics industry but acknowledged there would be growing pains in implementing its terms.

In a 30-minute virtual news conference Monday, commissioners of the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC renewed their call for congressional action to supplement and even codify the settlement and emphasized that cooperation at every level of college sports would be necessary to make it work.

They said it was too early to address how violators of rules surrounding revenue sharing and name, image and likeness agreements would be punished and noted newly hired College Sports Commission CEO Bryan Seeley would play a major role in determining penalties.

The new era of college athletics has arrived after U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken gave final approval Friday night to what’s known as House vs. NCAA. Beginning July 1, each school can share up to about $20.5 million with their athletes and third-party NIL deals worth $600 or more will be analyzed to make sure they pay appropriate “market value” for the services being provided by athletes.

Some of the topics addressed Monday:

Binding conferences to terms

The conferences drafted a document that would bind institutions to enforcement policies even if their state laws are contradictory. It would require schools to waive their right to pursue legal challenges against the CSC. It also would exempt the commission from lawsuits from member schools over enforcement decisions, instead offering arbitration as the main settlement option.

Consequences for not signing the agreement would include risking the loss of league membership and participation against other teams from the Power Four conferences.

Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark said the document remains a work in progress but that he’s gotten no pushback from his schools.

“I look to get that executed here in short order,” he said, “and know it will be very necessary for all the conferences to execute as well.”

Directives on revenue sharing

There has been no directive given to individual schools on how to determine the allocation of revenue-sharing payments, commissioners said. It’s widely acknowledged that athletes in football and basketball are expected to receive the majority of the money.

“I know for all five of us no one is forgetting about their Olympic sports and continuing to make sure we’ve invested a high level for all of our sports,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said.

College Sports Commission CEO

The commissioners said Seeley, as Major League Baseball executive vice president of legal and operations, was uniquely qualified to lead the CSC, which is charged with making sure schools adhere to the rules.

“Culture doesn’t change overnight,” Seeley told The Athletic over the weekend. “I don’t expect that to happen overnight, but I do think that the schools that have signed on to the settlement want rules and want rules to be enforced. Otherwise they wouldn’t have signed on to the settlement. I think student-athletes want a different system. So I think there is a desire for rules enforcement. There’s a desire for transparency.”

Sankey said Seeley is well-versed in areas of implementation, development and adjustment of rules and in NIL disputes requiring arbitration.

Yormark said: “You want people not to run away from a situation but to run to a situation. He ran here, and he’s very passionate to make a difference and to course correct what’s been going on in the industry.”

Skepticism about enforcement

Deloitte’s “NIL Go” program and LBI Software will track NIL deals and revenue-sharing contracts, and the commissioners shot down skepticism about the ability of those tools to enforce terms of the settlement. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said football and basketball coaches he spoke with in February were unanimous in wanting regulation.

“They have the responsibility to make what they asked for work,” he said.

Congressional action

NCAA President Charlie Baker has been pushing Congress for a limited antitrust exemption that would protect college sports from another series of lawsuits, and the commissioners want a uniform federal NIL law that would supersede wide-ranging state laws.

“We’re not going to have Final Fours and College Football Playoffs and College World Series with 50 different standards,” Sankey said, “so that’s a starting point.”

Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti said the willingness of administrators to modernize the college athletics model should prompt federal lawmakers to move on codifying the settlement.

Sankey’s meeting with Trump

Sankey confirmed a Yahoo Sports report that he and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua played golf with President Donald Trump on Sunday. Sankey said he appreciates Trump’s interest in college sports and that it was helpful to share perspectives on the path forward. Trump reportedly considered a presidential commission on college sports earlier this year.

Sankey declined to disclose details of their talks.

“I think those are best left for the moment on the golf course,” he said.

Apple unveils software redesign while reeling from AI missteps, tech upheaval and Trump’s trade war

Apple unveils software redesign while reeling from AI missteps, tech upheaval and Trump’s trade war

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP Technology Writer

CUPERTINO, Calif. (AP) — After stumbling out of the starting gate in Big Tech’s pivotal race to capitalize on artificial intelligence, Apple tried to regain its footing Monday during an annual developers conference that focused mostly on incremental advances and cosmetic changes in its technology.

The presummer rite, which attracted thousands of developers from nearly 60 countries to Apple’s Silicon Valley headquarters, was more subdued than the feverish anticipation that surrounded the event during the previous two years.

Apple highlighted plans for more AI tools designed to simplify people’s lives and make its products even more intuitive while also providing an early glimpse at the biggest redesign of its iPhone software in a decade. In doing so, Apple executives refrained from issuing bold promises of breakthroughs that punctuated recent conferences.

In 2023, Apple unveiled a mixed-reality headset that has been little more than a niche product, and last year WWDC trumpeted its first major foray into the AI craze with an array of new features highlighted by the promise of a smarter and more versatile version of its virtual assistant, Siri — a goal that has hasn’t been achieved yet.

Apple had intended the planned Siri upgrade to herald its long-awaited attempt to become a major player in the AI craze after getting a late start in a phenomenon that so far has been largely led by OpenAI, Google, Microsoft and an array of cutting-edge startups.

“This work needed more time to reach our high-quality bar,” Craig Federighi, Apple’s top software executive, said Monday at the outset of the conference.

The showcase unfolded amid nagging questions about whether Apple has lost some of the mystique and innovative drive that turned it into a tech trendsetter during its nearly 50-year history.

Instead of making a big splash as it did with the Vision Pro headset and its AI suite, Apple took a mostly low-key approach that emphasized its effort to spruce up the look of its software while also unveiling a new hub for its video games and new features like a “Workout Buddy” to help track physical fitness on its smartwatch.

Apple executives promised will make its software more compatible with the increasingly sophisticated computer chips that have been powering its products while also making it easier to toggle between the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

“Our product experience has become even more seamless and enjoyable,” Apple CEO Tim Cook told the crowd as the 90-minute showcase wrapped up.

Even though it might look like Apple is becoming a technological laggard, Forrester Research analyst Thomas Husson contends the company still has ample time to catch up in an AI race that’s “more of a marathon, than a sprint. It will force Apple to evolve its operating systems.”

Besides redesigning its software. Apple will switch to a method that automakers have used to telegraph their latest car models by linking them to the year after they first arrive at dealerships. That means the next version of the iPhone operating system due out this autumn will be known as iOS 26 instead of iOS 19 — as it would be under the previous naming approach that has been used since the device’s 2007 debut.

The iOS 26 upgrade is expected to be released in September around the same time Apple traditionally rolls out the next iPhone models.

In an early sign that AI was going to be a focal point of this year’s conference, Apple opened the proceedings with a short video clip featuring Federighi speeding around a track in a Formula 1 race car. Although it was meant to promote the June 27 release of the Apple film, “F1” starring Brad Pitt, the segment could also be viewed as an unintentional analogy to the company’s attempt to catch up to the rest of the pack in AI technology.

While some of the new AI tricks compatible with the latest iPhones began rolling out late last year as part of free software updates, Apple still hasn’t been able to soup up Siri in the ways that it touted at last year’s conference. The delays became so glaring that a chastened Apple retreated from promoting Siri in its AI marketing campaigns earlier this year.

While Apple has been struggling to make AI that meets its standards, the gap separating it from other tech powerhouses is widening. Google keeps packing more AI into its Pixel smartphone lineup while introducing more of the technology into its search engine to dramatically change the way it works. Samsung, Apple’s biggest smartphone rival, is also leaning heavily into AI. Meanwhile, ChatGPT recently struck a deal that will bring former Apple design guru Jony Ive into the fold to work on a new device expected to compete against the iPhone.

Besides grappling with innovation challenges, Apple also faces regulatory threats that could siphon away billions of dollars in revenue that help finance its research and development. A federal judge is currently weighing whether proposed countermeasures to Google’s illegal monopoly in search should include a ban on long-running deals worth $20 billion annually to Apple while another federal judge recently banned the company from collecting commission on in-app transactions processed outside its once-exclusive payment system.

On top of all that, Apple has been caught in the cross-hairs of President Donald Trump’s trade war with China, a key manufacturing hub for the Cupertino, California, company. Cook successfully persuaded Trump to exempt the iPhone from tariffs during the president’s first administration, but he has had less success during Trump’s second term, which seems more determined to prod Apple to make its products in the U.S.

“The trade war and uncertainty linked to the tariff policy is of much more concern today for Apple’s business than the perception that Apple is lagging behind on AI innovation,” Husson said.

The multi-dimensional gauntlet facing Apple is spooking investors, causing the company’s stock price to plunge by nearly 20% so far this year — a decline that has erased $750 billion in shareholder wealth. After beginning the year as the most valuable company in the world, Apple now ranks third behind longtime rival Microsoft, another AI leader, and AI chipmaker Nvidia.

Apple’s shares slipped by more than 1% in Monday’s late afternoon trading — an early indication the company’s latest announcements didn’t inspire investors.

Warner Bros. Discovery to split into two companies, dividing cable and streaming services

Warner Bros. Discovery to split into two companies, dividing cable and streaming services

By MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Warner Bros. Discovery will calve off cable operations from its streaming service, creating two independent companies as the number of people “cutting the cord” brings with it a sustained upheaval in the entertainment industry.

HBO, and HBO Max, as well as Warner Bros. Television, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, DC Studios, will become part of the streaming and studios company, Warner Bros. said Monday.

The cable company will include CNN, TNT Sports in the U.S., and Discovery, top free-to-air channels across Europe, and digital products such as the Discovery+ streaming service and Bleacher Report.

Shares jumped 11% at the opening bell.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav will become serve as CEO of the company that for right now is called Streaming & Studios. Gunnar Wiedenfels, chief financial officer of Warner Bros. Discovery, will be CEO of the cable-focused entity, for now known as Global Networks.

“By operating as two distinct and optimized companies in the future, we are empowering these iconic brands with the sharper focus and strategic flexibility they need to compete most effectively in today’s evolving media landscape,” Zaslav said in a statement.

Just days ago Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders in a vote that was symbolic as it’s nonbinding, rejected the 2024 pay packages of some executives, including Zaslav, who will make more than $51 million.

Warner Bros. Discovery said in December that it was implementing a restructuring plan in which Warner Bros. Discovery would become the parent company for two operating divisions, Global Linear Networks and Streaming & Studios. That was seen as a preview of the separation announced Monday.

Warner Bros. Discovery was created just three years ago when AT&T spun off WarnerMedia and it was merged with Discovery Communications in a $43 billion deal.

The cable industry has been under assault for years from streaming services like Disney, Netflix, Amazon and Warner Bros. own HBO Max. The industry is also being pressured by internet plans offered by mobile phone companies. Comcast, which is of nearly equal size to Charter, spun off many of its cable television networks in November, seeing so many customers swap out their cable TV subscriptions for streaming platforms.

Last month Charter Communications offered to acquire Cox Communications, a $34.5 billion merger that would combine two of the top three cable companies in the U.S.

So-called “cord cutting” has cost the industry millions of customers and left them searching for ways to successfully compete.

The Warner Bros. Discovery split is expected to be completed by the middle of next year. It still needs final approval from the Warner Bros. Discovery board.

California governor plans to file lawsuit against Trump over National Guard deployment to protests

California governor plans to file lawsuit against Trump over National Guard deployment to protests

By JASON DEAREN, JAIMIE DING and JAKE OFFENHARTZ Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he planned to file a lawsuit Monday against President Donald Trump in response to the administration’s extraordinary deployment of the National Guard to confront immigration protesters who took to the streets in Los Angeles.

“Commandeering a state’s National Guard without consulting the Governor of that state is illegal and immoral,” Newsom, a Democrat, told MSNBC on Sunday.

The streets of the sprawling city of 4 million people were mostly quiet Monday morning, the day after crowds blocked off a major freeway and set self-driving cars on fire as law enforcement responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades.

Tensions in Los Angeles escalated Sunday as thousands of protesters took to the streets in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s extraordinary deployment of the National Guard, blocking off a major freeway and setting self-driving cars on fire as law enforcement used tear gas, rubber bullets and flash bangs to control the crowd. (AP Video)

Sunday’s protests were centered in several blocks of downtown and a handful of other places. It was the third and most intense day of demonstrations against Trump’s immigration crackdown in the region, as the arrival of around 300 Guard troops spurred anger and fear among many residents.

Many protesters dispersed as evening fell and police declared an unlawful assembly, a precursor to officers moving in and arresting those who don’t leave. Some of those who stayed threw objects at police from behind a makeshift barrier. Others hurled chunks of concrete, rocks, electric scooters and fireworks at California Highway Patrol officers and their vehicles parked on the closed southbound 101 Freeway. Officers ran under an overpass to take cover at one point.

The Guard was deployed specifically to protect federal buildings, including the downtown detention center where protesters concentrated.

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said officers were “overwhelmed” by the remaining protesters. He said they included regular agitators who show up at demonstrations to cause trouble.

Several dozen people were arrested throughout the weekend. One was detained Sunday for throwing a Molotov cocktail at police and another for ramming a motorcycle into a line of officers.

Trump responded to McDonnell on Truth Social, telling him to arrest protesters in face masks.

“Looking really bad in L.A. BRING IN THE TROOPS!!!” he wrote.

Governor says Guard not needed

Newsom called on Trump to rescind the Guard deployment in a letter Sunday afternoon, calling it a “serious breach of state sovereignty.”

The governor, who was was in Los Angeles meeting with local law enforcement and officials, also told protesters that they were playing into Trump’s plans and would face arrest for violence or property destruction.

“Trump wants chaos and he’s instigated violence,” he said. “Stay peaceful. Stay focused. Don’t give him the excuse he’s looking for.”

The deployment appeared to be the first time in decades that a state’s National Guard was activated without a request from its governor, a significant escalation against those who have sought to hinder the administration’s mass deportation efforts.

McDonnell pushed back against claims by the Trump administration that the LAPD had failed to help federal authorities when protests broke out Friday after a series of immigration raids. He said his department responded as quickly as it could and had not been notified in advance of the raids.

Newsom, meanwhile, has repeatedly said that California authorities had the situation under control. He mocked Trump for posting a congratulatory message to the Guard on social media before troops had even arrived in Los Angeles, and he told MSNBC that Trump never floated deploying the Guard during a Friday phone call. He called Trump a “stone cold liar.”

The admonishments did not deter the administration.

“It’s a bald-faced lie for Newsom to claim there was no problem in Los Angeles before President Trump got involved,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement.

Clashes escalate as National Guard troops arrive

National Guard troops stood shoulder to shoulder Sunday morning in LA, carrying long guns and riot shields as protesters shouted “shame” and “go home.” After some demonstrators closely approached the Guard members, another set of uniformed officers advanced on the group, shooting smoke-filled canisters into the street.

Minutes later, the Los Angeles Police Department fired rounds of crowd-control munitions to disperse the protesters, who they said were assembled unlawfully. Much of the group then moved to block traffic on the 101 freeway until state patrol officers cleared them.

Nearby, at least four self-driving Waymo cars were set on fire, sending large plumes of black smoke into the sky and exploding intermittently. By evening, police had shut down several blocks of downtown Los Angeles.

Flash-bang grenades echoed out every few seconds into the evening.

Deployment follows days of protest

The arrival of the National Guard followed two days of protests that began Friday in downtown Los Angeles before spreading Saturday to Paramount, a heavily Latino city south of the city, and neighboring Compton.

Federal agents arrested immigrants in LA’s fashion district, in a Home Depot parking lot and at several other locations on Friday. The next day, they were staging at a Department of Homeland Security office near another Home Depot in Paramount, which drew out protesters who suspected another raid. Federal authorities later said there was no enforcement activity at that Home Depot.

The weeklong tally of immigrant arrests in the LA area climbed above 100, federal authorities said. Many more were arrested while protesting, including a prominent union leader who was accused of impeding law enforcement.

The last time the National Guard was activated without a governor’s permission was in 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson sent troops to protect a civil rights march in Alabama, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.

Trump says there will be ‘very strong law and order’

In a directive Saturday, Trump invoked a legal provision allowing him to deploy federal service members when there is ”a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States.”

He said he had authorized the deployment of 2,000 members of the National Guard.

Trump told reporters Sunday as he prepared to board Air Force One in Morristown, New Jersey, that there were “violent people” in Los Angeles “and they’re not going to get away with it.”

In San Francisco, officers arrested dozens of protesters Sunday night after a group refused to disperse, police said in a statement on social media.

Officers monitoring one protest declared an unlawful assembly when people in the group became violent, the San Francisco Police Department said. Many protesters left the scene, but some remained while others moved to another area where they vandalized buildings and a police vehicle.

___

Offenhartz reported from New York. Associated Press Writer Michelle Price contributed to this report from Bridgewater, New Jersey.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Photo by Getty Images

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Recipe from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 1hour & 5 minutes

Serving size: 12 servings

Ingredients

  • Single crust pie dough

Filling:

  • 2 ¾ to 3 cups (340-455 g) diced rhubarb about 1/4-inch thick, about 5-6 medium stalks
  • 2 cups (about 455 g) sliced strawberries
  • ⅔ cup (141 g) granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons (28 g) cornstarch

Streusel Topping:

  • 1 cup (142 g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (106 g) brown sugar
  • ½ cup (113 g) cold butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lin a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and set aside.
  2. For the filling, in a large bowl, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar and cornstarch. Mix well; the mixture will start to thicken and become syrupy as it is stirred. Set aside.
  3. Roll out the pie crust to 12 inches and place in a 9-inch pie plate, easing the pie crust into the edges of the pie plate without stretching. Trim, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Tuck the overhanging pie crust underneath so it is even with the edge of the pie plate. Flute the edges.
  4. Scrape the strawberry rhubarb mixture evenly in the pie shell.
  5. For the streusel, combine the flour and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Add the butter and use a pastry blender or two knives to cut it into the flour mixture until crumbly.
  6. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the top of the pie filling.
  7. Place the pie on the prepared baking baking sheet (to catch any drips), and bake for 65 to 75 minutes, until the streusel is golden and the filling has thick (not runny) bubbles popping at the edges. Cover the pie crust edges with a pie crust shield or tent the top with foil to prevent over browning, if needed. It’s important to bake the pie fully so it sets properly.
  8. Let the pie cool completely to allow the filling to thicken. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or sweetened, whipped cream, if desired.
From Ditch Lilies to Showstoppers: Growing Daylilies in North Carolina

From Ditch Lilies to Showstoppers: Growing Daylilies in North Carolina

By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend Gardener

Our loyal Weekend Gardener listener and friend Steve is the pot master of the universe when it comes to daylilies (Hemerocallis). You may have heard them referred to as “ditch lilies. These perennials originated in China. I must say though, they just love the climate here in North Carolina.

There are over 60-thousand varieties with lots of colors from pale yellow to pink to lavender to maroon. They are extremely popular in North Carolina and there are active daylily clubs all over the state including Raleigh. Our friend Steve’s club meets at the Ralston Arboretum. Once upon a time Rufus entered a daylily from his landscape in the club’s marvelous show and won a blue ribbon. You would have thought he had been handed the Nobel prize.

The daylily is easy to grow and has many uses in the landscape. As you might expect, daylilies need a full sun exposure for the best blooming. That translates into at least 6 hours. They prefer well-drained soil which means level ground is good, however daylilies work well on slopes. They can adapt to most soils and are drought tolerant. Due to their ginormous root system, they can help stabilize the soil to help prevent erosion. They also look good in mixed borders. If you like reliable, this is your plant.

As the name indicates, each individual daylily bloom only lasts a day. Of course there are numerous buds on any healthy plans so you will get weeks of blooming pleasure. There are also reblooming varieties available too.

Your local nursery and plantsmen at the state farmers market will have plenty of information about dayliles and some popular varieties.

When you find the perfect spot in your yard, break up the soil and add some organic matter. If you have your own backyard compost, that will work well for your purpose. The daylily folks recommend planting a foot apart as the foliage and root system both need room. Set each plant’s crown about an inch below the surface. Tamp the soil down to secure your plant and to prevent air pockets. Water the daylilies after planting. Add a couple of inches of hardwood mulch or pinestraw. Continue watering deeply as needed until well established. Daylilies like slightly moist soil. Pay close attention if you plant in the early summer when you are likely to be inspired by the beauty of the flowers. They are usually near their peak around here in mid to late June.

I don’t fertilize anything in my landscape except for the small patch of fescue I have and the one grandiflora rose I maintain because it has extraordinary blooms and is totally reliable. For daylilies, some folks use a balanced fertilizer with low nitrogen and higher potassium and potash, something like Plantone from Espoma in the spring. Generally don’t go overboard with fertilizer especially with a blooming plant.

Daylilies are of course a bulb, so you may want to divide them once in a while to revitalize, move to other parts of your landscape or share with a neighbor. The folks at the Hemerocallis society recommend dividing your plants right after they bloom. Just dig up the whole plant, separate the clumps and get as much soil off the roots as possible. Pull the clumps apart, separate by the roots.

It’s always a good idea to do a little maintenance to your day lilies during and after the blooming season. Remove spent blooms after flowering. In winter, get rid of dead foliage and cut the stakes to the ground.

There are lots of daylily experts around the state. You can check the North Carolina Hemerocallis Society and many local clubs like the Raleigh Daylily Club. Everyone should find a sunny spot in their landscape for these beauties. Don’t be the only person in your neighborhood to be without daylilies, you hear!

Trump deploys California National Guard to LA to quell protests despite the governor’s objections

Trump deploys California National Guard to LA to quell protests despite the governor’s objections

By ERIC THAYER, MORGAN LEE and MICHELLE L. PRICE Associated Press

PARAMOUNT, Calif. (AP) — President Donald Trump is deploying 2,000 California National Guard troops to Los Angeles over the objections of Gov. Gavin Newsom after a second day of clashes between hundreds of protesters and federal immigration authorities in riot gear.

Confrontations broke out on Saturday near a Home Depot in the heavily Latino city of Paramount, south of Los Angeles, where federal agents were staging at a Department of Homeland Security office nearby. Agents unleashed tear gas, flash-bang explosives and pepper balls, and protesters hurled rocks and cement at Border Patrol vehicles. Smoke wafted from small piles of burning refuse in the streets.

Tensions were high after a series sweeps by immigration authorities the previous day, including in LA’s fashion district and at a Home Depot, as the weeklong tally of immigrant arrests in the city climbed past 100. A prominent union leader was arrested while protesting and accused of impeding law enforcement.

Tear gas and smoke filled the air on the southern outskirts of Los Angeles on Saturday as confrontations between immigration authorities and demonstrators extended into a second day and top Trump administration officials vowed to prosecute anyone who interferes with enforcement. (AP video shot by Eugene Garcia)

The White House announced that Trump would deploy the Guard to “address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester.” It wasn’t clear when the troops would arrive.

Newsom, a Democrat, said in a post on the social platform X that it was “purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions.” He later said the federal government wants a spectacle and urged people not to give them one by becoming violent.

In a signal of the administration’s aggressive approach, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth threatened to deploy the U.S. military.

“If violence continues, active-duty Marines at Camp Pendleton will also be mobilized — they are on high alert,” Hegseth said on X.

Sporadic confrontations broke out again Saturday in the heavily Latino satellite city of Paramount, south of Los Angeles, the second day of clashes between hundreds of protesters and federal immigration authorities in riot gear. Agents unleashed tear gas, flash-bang explosives and pepper balls, and protesters hurled rocks and cement at Border Patrol patrol vehicles. (AP video shot by Eric Thayer)

Trump’s order came after clashes in Paramount and neighboring Compton, where a car was set fire. Protests continued into the evening in Paramount, with several hundred demonstrators gathered near a doughnut shop, and authorities holding up barbed wire to keep the crowd back.

Crowds also gathered again outside federal buildings in downtown Los Angeles, including a detention center, where local police declared an unlawful assembly and began to arrest people.

Standoff in Paramount

Earlier in Paramount, immigration officers faced off with demonstrators at the entrance to a business park, across from the back of a Home Depot. They set off fireworks and pulled shopping carts into the street, broke up cinder blocks and pelted a procession of Border Patrol vans as they departed and careened down a boulevard.

U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said federal agents made more arrests of people with deportation orders on Saturday, but none were at the Home Depot. The Department of Homeland Security has a building next door and agents were staging there as they prepared to carry out operations, he said on Fox11 Los Angeles. He didn’t say how many people were arrested Saturday or where.

Paramount Mayor Peggy Lemons told multiple news outlets that community members showed up in response because people are fearful about activity by immigration agents.

“When you handle things the way that this appears to be handled, it’s not a surprise that chaos would follow,” Lemons said.

Some demonstrators jeered at officers while recording the events on smartphones.

“ICE out of Paramount. We see you for what you are,” a woman said through a megaphone. “You are not welcome here.”

More than a dozen people were arrested and accused of impeding immigration agents, Essayli posted on X, including the names and mug shots of some of those arrested. He didn’t say where they were protesting.

Trump calls up the Guard

Trump federalized part of California’s National Guard under what is known as Title 10 authority, which places him, not the governor, atop the chain of command, according to Newsom’s office.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that the work the immigration authorities were doing when met with protests is “essential to halting and reversing the invasion of illegal criminals into the United States. In the wake of this violence, California’s feckless Democrat leaders have completely abdicated their responsibility to protect their citizens.”

The president’s move came shortly after he issued a threat on his social media network saying that if Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass did not “do their jobs,” then “the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!”

Trump signed the order shortly before he went to attend a UFC fight in New Jersey, where he sat ringside with boxer Mike Tyson.

Newsom said in his statement that local authorities “are able to access law enforcement assistance at a moment’s notice,” and “there is currently no unmet need.”

The California Highway Patrol said Newsom directed it to deploy additional officers to “maintain public safety.”

In 2020, Trump asked governors of several states to deploy their National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., to quell protests after George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police. Many agreed and sent troops.

Trump also threatened at the time to invoke the Insurrection Act for those protests — an intervention rarely seen in modern American history. But then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper pushed back, saying the law should be invoked “only in the most urgent and dire of situations.”

Trump did not invoke the act during his first term, and he did not do so Saturday, according to Leavitt and Newsom.

Arrests in Los Angeles

Protests kicked off a day earlier in Los Angeles after federal authorities arrested 44 people for violating immigration law Friday.

DHS later said recent ICE operations in Los Angeles resulted in the arrest of 118 immigrants, including five people linked to criminal organizations and people with prior criminal histories.

David Huerta, regional president of the Service Employees International Union, was also arrested Friday while protesting. The Justice Department confirmed that he was being held Saturday at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles ahead of a scheduled Monday court appearance.

Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for his immediate release, warning of a “disturbing pattern of arresting and detaining American citizens for exercising their right to free speech.”

___

Lee reported from Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Price from Bridgewater, New Jersey. Associated Press writers Zeke Miller and Eric Tucker in Washington and Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho, contributed.

Baked Salmon Sushi Cups

Baked Salmon Sushi Cups

Baked Salmon Sushi Cups

Homemade salmon sushi cups

Baked Salmon Sushi Cups Recipe from Delish

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serving size: 12 servings

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray
  • 2 cups cooked sushi rice
  • 3 nori sheets, quartered
  • 1 (1 1/2-lb.) skinless salmon fillet, cut into 1/2″ cubes
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for serving
  • 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
  • 4 Tbsp. Japanese mayonnaise (such as Kewpie), divided
  • 2 1/4 tsp. sriracha, divided
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 tsp. black and white sesame seeds

Directions

  1. Arrange a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 400°. Lightly coat a standard 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
  2. Scoop 1 heaping Tbsp. sushi rice into the center of each piece of nori. Transfer nori to prepared tin rice side up. Using a spoon, gently pack rice into an even layer in bottom of cup.
  3. In a large bowl, toss salmon, scallions, oil, 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise, 2 tsp. sriracha, and 1/4 tsp. salt until combined. Divide salmon mixture among muffin cups (about 1/4 cup each), spooning on top of rice.
  4. Bake until salmon is almost cooked through, about 11 minutes.
  5. Turn on broiler and broil, watching carefully to ensure salmon doesn’t burn, until tops are charred in places and salmon is cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine remaining 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise and 1/4 tsp. sriracha.
  7. Arrange sushi cups on a platter. Drizzle with mayonnaise mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions.
101 dogs living in packed, filthy conditions removed from North Carolina home

101 dogs living in packed, filthy conditions removed from North Carolina home

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Dozens of dogs found living in packed, filthy conditions were removed from a North Carolina home.

Animal control officers responding to a complaint in Raleigh discovered 101 dogs crammed in stacked cages or roaming in confined quarters at the home on Wednesday, the Wake County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said on Facebook. Many of the dogs were small breeds. Among those rescued were several puppies and older dogs.

The homeowner agreed to relinquish the dogs, along with 21 chickens, news outlets reported. The dogs were taken in by eight different shelters and were undergoing medical assessments, the SPCA chapter said. Many dogs had matted fur as well as skin and dental issues.

It wasn’t known whether the homeowner faces charges. A telephone call to the Raleigh police department wasn’t immediately returned Friday.

On Friday, the chapter said that several dogs under its care were “getting the spa day of their lives — and their first taste of fresh air, possibly ever. We’re seeing a lot of smiles from these guys.

“This is the biggest moment in these dogs’ lives, and we are feeling so grateful to be a part of their healing.”

Video shows dolphin calf birth and first breath at Chicago zoo. Mom’s friend helped

Video shows dolphin calf birth and first breath at Chicago zoo. Mom’s friend helped

CHICAGO (AP) — A bottlenose dolphin at a Chicago zoo gave birth to a calf early Saturday morning with the help of a fellow mom, in a successful birth recorded on video by zoo staff.

The dolphin calf was born at Brookfield Zoo Chicago early Saturday morning as a team of veterinarians monitored and cheered on the mom, a 38-year-old bottlenose dolphin named Allie.

“Push, push, push,” one observer can be heard shouting in video released by the zoo Saturday, as Allie swims around the tank, the calf’s little tail fins poking out below her own.

A bottlenose dolphin at the Brookfield Zoo Chicago gave birth to a calf early Saturday morning with the help of a fellow mom. (AP Video)

Then the calf wriggles free and instinctively darts to the surface of the pool for its first breath. Also in the tank was an experienced mother dolphin named Tapeko, 43, who stayed close to Allie through her more than one hour of labor. In the video, she can be seen following the calf as it heads to the surface, and staying with it as it takes that first breath.

It is natural for dolphins to look out for each other during a birth, zoo staff said.

“That’s very common both in free-ranging settings but also in aquaria,” said Brookfield Zoo Chicago Senior Veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Langan in a video statement. “It provides the mom extra protection and a little bit of extra help to help get the calf to the surface to help it breath in those couple minutes where she’s still having really strong contractions.”

In a written statement, zoo officials said early signs indicate that the calf is in good health. They estimate it weighs around 35 pounds (16 kilograms) and stretches nearly four feet in length (115-120 centimeters). That is about the weight and length of an adult golden retriever dog.

The zoo’s Seven Seas exhibit will be closed as the calf bonds with its mother and acclimates with other dolphins in its group.

As part of that bonding, the calf has already learned to slipstream, or draft alongside its mother so that it doesn’t have to work as hard to move. Veterinarians will monitor progress in nursing, swimming and other milestones particularly closely over the next 30 days.

The calf will eventually take a paternity test to see which of the male dolphins at the zoo is its father.

Zoo officials say they will name the calf later this summer.

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