Saturday

The walk-on took his place next to USC’s quarterback, the last man standing in a battered backfield. In the midst of a bruising Big Ten battle with Michigan, where brawn and ball control were at a premium, both of the Trojans’ top two running backs had already been carted up the Coliseum tunnel. Two of their top linemen, meanwhile, started Saturday in street clothes. The circumstances were anything but ideal for a team whose season hung in the balance.

King Miller, though, was already familiar with beating long odds. Not long ago, the redshirt freshman was buried on the depth chart, a preferred walk-on from Calabasas High without any obvious path to playing time at USC.

But that was before Saturday, before Miller saw a crease in the Michigan defense, before he took off on a breakaway, game-changing run that broke open the game and eventually lifted USC to a statement-making, 31-13 win over No. 15 Michigan.

It was a resounding victory for the Trojans, given how poorly they’d played in their loss to Illinois two weeks earlier, and for Lincoln Riley, who was just 3-11 against ranked teams prior to Saturday.

That the win came behind a back who pays his own way at USC only made it all the more impressive.

Miller had just two carries for 10 yards to his name, when Waymond Jordan, the Trojans’ leading rusher, hopped off the field in the second quarter, unable to put any weight on his foot. His next 16 carries, though, would go for 148 yards.

His outburst began with that breakaway early in the third quarter, as Miller slipped through a hole and took off, stutter-stepping his way past one Michigan defender and into the open field. Miller ultimately was tackled, only to punch in a touchdown two plays later.

USC tight end Walker Lyons makes a first-down gesture after catching a pass in the first half of the Trojans’ win over Michigan at the Coliseum on Saturday night.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

The score gave USC a 21-7 lead that it would never relinquish. But Miller wasn’t done with his breakout performance. He sprinted away for a similar, 47-yard gain on the very next drive.

The most encouraging developments came on defense, where USC bounced back from a disastrous defeat at Illinois to dominate Michigan and its standout freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood. After weeks of their secondary being picked apart, the Trojans held Underwood to just 207 yards on 15-of-24 passing. It was similarly stifling against the run, holding Michigan’s top rushing attack to a meager 3.5 yards per carry.

There were other positive signs Saturday too. For one, USC committed just three penalties, a season low.

Its offense, outside of Miller, has seen better days. Quarterback Jayden Maiava threw a bad interception in the red zone, when USC could have put the game away in the third quarter. Still, he finished with 265 yards and two touchdowns.

But this was the star walk-on’s night, begging the question: How long will it take USC to offer him a scholarship?

USC quarterback Jayden Maiava passes in front of Michigan defensive end Derrick Moore in the first half.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Before Miller burst onto the scene, it wasn’t clear how USC would look coming off the Illinois loss. But USC wasted no time asserting itself.

The Trojans marched down the field with ease on their opening possession. Jordan touched the ball six times, and Maiava completed all five of his passes, capping a seamless 11-play drive by hitting a wide open Ja’Kobi Lane in the end zone on a two-yard slant.

USC kept rolling on its next drive, until disaster struck and the momentum suddenly shifted. Just as the Trojans crossed into the red zone, threatening to bust the game open, tight end Lake McRee caught a pass over the middle and was popped by Michigan defensive back Jyaire Hill, who jarred the ball loose. The Wolverines recovered.

USC managed to withstand Michigan’s initial response, stopping an 11-play drive with a well-timed safety blitz on third down that pushed the Wolverines out of field-goal range. But a 14-play followup proved too much for the Trojans’ defense, which couldn’t stop Michigan’s ground game and gave up a tying touchdown to receiver Donaven McCulley.

With three minutes remaining in the half — and Michigan set to receive the third-quarter kick — USC finally kicked into high gear. It faced just one third down as it marched the length of the field. But with precious seconds ticking away, Maiava looked to the end zone where he found Makai Lemon, who leaped skyward to snag the pass between two defenders, then held on as he landed on his back for the go-ahead score.

USC, however, paid a price for that final scoring drive before the half. Jordan, the Trojans’ leading rusher, hopped off the field after a single carry, unable to put weight on his foot. He was eventually carted off the field, joining Eli Sanders, the Trojans’ other top back, who left the game in the first quarter.

But Miller seamlessly stepped into that void in the second half. He ripped off one big run, then another, sprinting his way into Trojan infamy in the midst of a statement victory.

USC wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane celebrates after scoring a on a touchdown reception in the first quarter against Michigan.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Oct. 11 (UPI) — On this date in history:

In 1811, the first steam-powered ferry in the world, the Juliana, started its run between New York City and Hoboken, N.J.

In 1868, Thomas Alva Edison filed papers for his first invention: an electrical vote recorder to rapidly tabulate floor votes in the U.S. Congress. Edison’s device was issued U.S. Patent 90,646 on June 1, 1869. Members of Congress rejected the apparatus and it was never utilized.

In 1906, the San Francisco Board of Education banned Japanese-American students from attending public schools, ordering that instead they were to be taught in racially segregated schools. A compromise was reached in February 1907, allowing the students back into the schools with the Japanese government accepting new immigration restrictions for its citizens wishing to travel to the United States.

In 1910, President Theodore Roosevelt became the first U.S. president to take flight in an airplane. Piloted by Arch Hoxsey, Roosevelt would stay aloft for 4 minutes in a Wright brothers-built plane at Kinloch Field in St. Louis, Mo.

In 1947, the United States agreed to the United Nations Partition Plan of Palestine, which recommended the creation of independent Arab and Jewish States with the city of Jerusalem placed under direct trusteeship of the United Nations. The resolution was adopted by the General Assembly on Nov. 29, 1947, though a civil war, which would last nearly six months, erupted the next day between Arabs and Jews, resulting in the partition plan failing to be implemented.

File Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI

In 1950, the Federal Communications Commission gave CBS the first license to broadcast color television.

In 1975, Saturday Night Live premiered on NBC with George Carlin as host and musicians Janis Ian and Billy Preston on the bill.

In 1984, Kathryn Sullivan, flying into orbit aboard the space shuttle Challenger, became the first American woman to walk in space.

In 1986, President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev met in Reykjavik, Iceland, to discuss arms control and human rights. While the talks collapsed at the last minute, work would continue, resulting in the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty between the two nations.

In 2000, Congress designated Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area as a national park, making it the first national recreation area to receive the upgrade in the United States.

In 2002, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to former U.S. President Jimmy Carter “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.”

In 2002, Congress gave U.S. President George W. Bush its backing for using military force against Iraq.

Surrounded by members of Congress, President George W. Bush signs the congressional resolution authorizing U.S. use of force against Iraq if needed, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House on October 16, 2002. File Photo by Chris Corder/UPI

In 2008, the U.S. State Department removed North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism. In return, North Korea agreed to give international inspectors access to its nuclear facilities and to continue disabling its plutonium processing project.

In 2013, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons won the Nobel Peace Prize. The United Nations-backed OPCW, which has headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands, was overseeing the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile at the time it won the prize.

In 2024, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo, an organization made up of atomic bomb survivors in Japan for their actions opposing the use of nuclear weapons.

File Photo by Paul Treadway/UPI

A look at how the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland fared this week:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game

1. ST. JOHN BOSCO (7-0) def. Orange Lutheran, 48-0; vs. Santa Margarita at Trabuco Hills, next Friday

2. SIERRA CANYON (7-0) def. Chaminade, 45-14; vs. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, next Friday

3. CORONA CENTENNIAL (5-1) def. Vista Murrieta, 63-14; at Murrieta Valley, next Friday

4. MATER DEI (5-2) lost to Santa Margarita, 7-6; vs. Servite at Santa Ana Stadium, Oct. 18

5. MISSION VIEJO (6-1) did not play; vs. San Clemente, next Friday

6. SANTA MARGARITA (5-2) def. Mater Dei, 7-6; vs. St. John Bosco at Trabuco Hills, next Friday

7. LOS ALAMITOS (7-0) did not play; vs. Edison at SoFi Stadium, Thursday

8. ORANGE LUTHERAN (3-4) lost St. John Bosco, 48-0; vs. JSerra at Saddleback Coll., next Friday

9. CORONA DEL MAR (6-0) vs. Newport Harbor, Saturday; at Villa Park, next Friday

10. SERVITE (5-2) def. JSerra, 43-26; vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium, next Friday

11. BEAUMONT (5-2) lost to Cajon, 25-23; vs. Yucaipa, next Friday

12. OXNARD PACIFICA (6-0) vs. St. Bonaventure, Friday; at Camarillo, next Friday

13. MURRIETA VALLEY (6-1) def. Chaparral, 56-42; vs. Corona Centennial, next Friday

14. VISTA MURRIETA (5-2) lost to Corona Centennial, 63-14; at Eastvale Roosevelt, next Friday

15. DAMIEN (6-1) def. Etiwanda, 49-31; vs. Upland, Thursday

16. SAN JUAN HILLS (5-2) def. Yorba Linda, 41-17; at Newport Harbor, next Friday

17. JSERRA (3-4) lost to Servite, 43-26; vs. Orange Lutheran at Saddleback Coll., next Friday

18. GARDENA SERRA (3-4) lost to Loyola, 13-10; vs. Chaminade, next Friday

19. DOWNEY (6-1) def. La Mirada, 67-7; at Paramount, next Friday

20. YORBA LINDA (5-2) lost to San Juan Hills, 41-17; vs. Tesoro, next Friday

21. LEUZINGER (5-1) def. Palos Verdes, 40-14; vs. Culver City, next Friday

22. EDISON (5-2) did not play; vs. Los Alamitos at SoFi Stadium, Oct. 16

23. PALOS VERDES (4-3) lost to Leuzinger, 40-14; at Lawndale, next Friday

24. CREAN LUTHERAN (7-0) def. El Dorado, 50-7; vs. La Habra, next Friday

25. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (4-3) lost to Bishop Amat, 36-29; at Sierra Canyon, next Friday

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

CITY SECTION

Bell 27, Garfield 14

Bernstein 27, Hollywood 6

Eagle Rock 7, L.A. Marshall 0

L.A. Hamilton 36, Fairfax 12

L.A. Wilson 26, Franklin 12

Legacy 12, L.A. Roosevelt 6

Panorama 26, Granada Hills Kennedy 6

Roybal 22, Mendez 13

South East 18, Huntington Park 0

Sylmar 31, Van Nuys 6

Venice 20, L.A. University 0

SOUTHERN SECTION

Beverly Hills 12, Immaculate Heart 0

Brentwood 19, Providence 7

Cerritos 40, Whitney 0

Mira Costa 18, Peninsula 7

Orange County Pacifica Christian 41, Garden Grove Santiago 6

Torrance 19, North Torrance 8

St. Bonaventure 28, Del Sol 14

SATURDAY’S RESULTS

SOUTHERN SECTION

Ayala 19, Highland 6

Bellflower 31, Corona 7

Bellflower 19, Fullerton 12

Castaic d. Fillmore, forfeit

Castaic 18, Knight 6

Corona 25, Crean Lutheran 0

Corona del Mar 27, Inglewood 18

Corona del Mar 35, St. Paul 0

Corona Centennial 13, Riverside Poly 6

Fullerton 25, Corona del Mar 19

Hart 12, Ayala 6

Hueneme d. Canyon Country Canyon, forfeit

Hueneme 6, Lompoc Cabrillo 0

Huntington Beach 46, Buena 0

Huntington Beach 41, Channel Islands 7

Knight d. Fillmore, forfeit

Knight 19, Castaic 6

Lompoc 20, Windward 18

Lompoc Cabrillo 19, Saugus 7

Oxnard Pacifica 18, Saugus 13

Segerstrom 20, Garden Grove 6

Segerstrom 20, St. Paul 18

Simi Valley 34, Hueneme 12

Simi Valley 28, St. Bonaventure 12

Simi Valley 26, Valencia 12

Ventura 39, Ayala 0

INTERSECTIONAL

Fullerton 18, San Pedro 14

Gilbert (Ariz.) Campo Verde 34, Western Christian 7

Huntington Beach 23, LA Marshall 0

L.A. Marshall 27, Hart 7

L.A. Marshall 18, Ventura 14

King/Drew 21, Buena Park 13

King/Drew 42, Nuview Bridge 7

Madera 12, Windward 7

Narbonne 31, Destiny Christian Academy 0

San Pedro 27, Corona 7

San Pedro 34, Inglewood 13

Segerstrom 20, King/Drew 6

Vacaville 27, Narbonne 7

A federal judge has temporarily blocked a new Trump administration policy to keep migrant children in detention after they turn 18, moving quickly to stop transfers to adult facilities that advocates said were scheduled for this weekend.

U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras on Saturday issued a temporary restraining order to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement not to detain any child who came to the country alone and without permission in ICE adult detention facilities after they become an adult.

The Washington, D.C., judge found that such automatic detention violates a court order he issued in 2021 barring such practices.

ICE and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security didn’t immediately respond Saturday to emails seeking comment.

The push to detain new adults is yet another battle over one of the most sensitive issues in President Trump’s hard-line immigration agenda — how to treat children who cross the border unaccompanied by adults.

The Associated Press reported Friday that officials are offering migrant children age 14 and older $2,500 to voluntarily return to their home countries. Last month a separate federal judge blocked attempts to immediately deport Guatemalan migrant children who came to the U.S. alone back to their home country. Some children had been put on board planes in that late-night operation before a judge blocked it.

“All of these are pieces of the same general policy to coerce immigrant youth into giving up their right to seek protection in the United States,” said Michelle Lapointe, a lawyer for the American Immigration Council, one of the groups that asked Contreras to intervene in a filing made early Saturday, just after midnight.

Unaccompanied children are held in shelters run by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, which isn’t part of ICE. Contreras’ 2021 order instructed federal officials to release minors who turn 18 from those shelters to “the least restrictive setting available.” He ruled that that is what’s required by federal law as long as the minor isn’t a danger to themselves or others and isn’t a flight risk. Minors are often released to the custody of a relative, or maybe into foster care.

But lawyers who represent unaccompanied minors said they began getting word in the last few days that ICE was telling shelters that children who were about to turn 18 — even those who had already-approved release plans — could no longer be released and would instead be taken to detention facilities, possibly as early as Saturday. One email from ICE asserted that the new adults could only be released by ICE under its case-by-case parole authority for “urgent humanitarian reasons” or “significant public benefit.” From March through September, ICE has paroled fewer than 500 people overall.

The plaintiffs argued that “release on parole is all but a dead letter” and that children aging out of shelters would experience lasting harm from unnecessary and inappropriate adult detention” in jails that might be overcrowded or in remote locations. The plaintiffs said that was especially true because some of the clients they cited had been victims of trafficking or had been abused, neglected or abandoned by their parents.

U.S. border authorities have arrested children crossing the border without parents more than 400,000 times since October 2021. A 2008 law requires them to appear before an immigration judge before being returned to their countries.

Children have been spending more time in government-run shelters since the Trump administration put them under closer scrutiny before releasing them to family in the United States to pursue their immigration cases.

The additional scrutiny includes fingerprinting, DNA testing and home visits by immigration officers. Over the summer, immigration officers started showing up and arresting parents.

The average length of stay at government-run shelters for those released in the U.S. was 171 days in July, down from a peak of 217 days in April but well above 37 days in January, when Trump took office.

Amy writes for the Associated Press.

The Foreign Office (FCDO) said there could be problems for two reasons

Anyone jetting off to Italy this weekend has been warned of potential disruption. The Foreign Office (FCDO) has announced that a 24-hour national strike on Friday is set to cause issues.

The strike was scheduled to impact trains from 9pm on Thursday, October 2, and all transport from midnight and then throughout Friday, October 3.

Travellers have been advised to check schedules with transport providers.

Additionally, the FCDO has flagged up potential issues in Rome on Saturday, October 4.

It said: “Demonstrations are planned in Rome for Saturday, October 4. This is likely to attract a large number of protestors and cause disruption to roads and transport in the city centre. Plan your day and avoid any demonstrations.”

The FCDO has directed travellers to its safety and security page for more information about industrial action and demonstrations.

Jubilee 2025 – Holy Year

The FCDO also reminded travellers that The Jubilee, also known as the Holy Year, will be taking place in Rome from December 24, 2024, to January 6, 2026.

It added: “The city is expected to be very busy, if you are planning to travel to Rome during this time, see our Jubilee 2025 – Holy Year information in safety and security.”

Liverpool manager Arne Slot says goalkeeper Alisson will miss the game against Chelsea on Saturday after the Brazilian was injured against Galatasaray.

The 32-year-old had to be replaced by Giorgi Mamardashvili in the 56th minute of the 1-0 Champions League defeat in Istanbul.

Alisson limped off after saving from goalscorer Victor Osimhen, while striker Hugo Ekitike then pulled up after stretching for the ball and also had to be replaced.

Slot said the Brazil international had felt something when “sprinting back”.

“If my player is on the floor, nine out of 10 times I fear the worst and with the worst I mean that he cannot continue,” Slot said.

“It’s never positive if you go off like this. You can be sure he is not playing Saturday.”

Mamardashvili is in line for a Premier League debut at Stamford Bridge. The Georgian was signed from Valencia in the summer for £29m.

Alisson missed 10 Premier League games last season with a hamstring injury.

There is also a doubt over Ekitike, who limped off during the second half.

“I wasn’t really thinking that we had an injury, but Hugo felt something,” Slot added.

“He said he couldn’t continue, so we had to take him off. Let’s see how he is for the weekend.”

DES MOINES — Officials put the leader of Iowa’s largest school district on administrative leave Saturday, a day after federal immigration agents arrested him because they said he was in the country illegally.

The Des Moines school board voted unanimously to place Supt. Ian Roberts on paid leave. The board said during a three-minute meeting that Roberts was not available to carry out his duties for the 30,000-student district and that officials would reassess his status after getting more information.

After the meeting, school board President Jackie Norris read a statement saying that word of Roberts’ arrest Friday made for a “jarring day,” but noting that board members still didn’t have all the facts.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said agents detained Roberts because he was in the country illegally, didn’t have authorization to work and was subject to a final removal order issued in 2024. ICE agents stopped Roberts while he was driving a school-issued vehicle, and the agency said he then fled into a wooded area before being apprehended with help from Iowa State Patrol officers.

He was held in the Woodbury County Jail in Sioux City, in northwest Iowa, about 150 miles from Des Moines.

“I want to be clear, no one here was aware of any citizenship or immigration issues that Dr. Roberts may have been facing,” Norris said. “The accusations ICE had made against Dr. Roberts are very serious, and we are taking them very seriously.”

Norris said Roberts has retained a Des Moines law firm to represent him. Lawyer Alfredo Parrish confirmed his firm was representing Roberts, but declined to comment on his case.

Norris also repeated that the district had done a background check on Roberts before he was hired that didn’t indicate any problems and that he signed a form affirming he was a U.S. citizen. A company that aided in the search for a superintendent in 2023 also hired another firm to conduct “comprehensive criminal, credit and background checks” on Roberts that didn’t indicate any citizenship problems, Norris said.

Also Saturday, the Iowa Department of Education released a statement saying Roberts stated he was a U.S. citizen when he applied for an administrator license. The department said the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners conducted a criminal history check with state and federal authorities before issuing a license.

The department said it is reviewing the Des Moines district’s hiring procedures for ensuring people are authorized to work in the U.S.

Roberts had previously said he was born to immigrant parents from Guyana and spent much of his childhood in Brooklyn, N.Y. He competed in the 2000 Olympics in track and field for Guyana.

ICE said he entered the U.S. on a student visa in 1999.

A former senior Guyanese police official on Saturday remembered Roberts as a middle-distance runner who could have risen through the ranks of the South American country’s police force had he not emigrated to the U.S. decades ago. Retired Assistant Guyana Police Force Commissioner Paul Slowe said Roberts entered the police force after graduating from the country’s standard military officers’ course.

“He served for a few years and then left. He was not dismissed or dishonorably discharged at all; he just moved on,” Slowe told the Associated Press. “He was a good, promising and disciplined man.”

McFetridge writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Bert Wilkinson in Georgetown, Guyana, contributed to this report.

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

CITY SECTION

Chavez 49, Westbrook 6

L.A. Wilson 60, Los Angeles 0

Lincoln 60, Hollywood 0

New Designs University Park 12, Chavez 0

New Designs University Park 42, Westbrook 0

Stern 13, Sotomayor 7

SOUTHERN SECTION

Artesia 25, Whitney 13

Cypress 27, Edison 26

Cypress 32, Tesoro 12

Edison 38, Channel Islands 0

El Toro 28, Villa Park 19

Fullerton 50, Tustin 0

Gahr 7, El Toro 0

Godinez 20, Garden Grove Santiago 6

Huntington Beach 41, Northwood 13

Northwood 21, Western Christian 6

Tesoro 27, Channel Islands 13

Torrance 21, El Segundo 0

Ventura 42, Madera 0

Villa Park 12, Gahr 9

INTERSECTIONAL

Camarillo 26, LA Marshall 13

Etiwanda 13, LA Marshall 6

Etiwanda 30, Torrey Pines 20

Huntington Beach 27, McClatchy 11

Redondo Union 7, Wilmington Banning 6

SATURDAY’S RESULTS

CITY SECTION

Van Nuys 6, Sun Valley Poly 0

Van Nuys 13, Chatsworth 0

SOUTHERN SECTION

Corona Centennial 13, Ramona 12

Cypress 34, El Toro 30

Cypress 16, Edison 14

Dana Hills 31, Fairmont Prep 6

Del Sol 18, Bishop Diego 0

Edison 37, Channel Islands 18

Edison 14, Villa Park 0

El Toro 14, Tesoro 0

Etiwanda 20, Western Christian 12

Hemet 8, Murrieta Valley 6

Hemet 14, Riverside Poly 8

Huntington Beach 33, Etiwanda 31

Huntington Beach 20, Camarillo 18

Mater Dei 35, San Ysidro 21

Mission Viejo 6, Corona Centennial 0

Mission Viejo 7, Temecula Prep 6

Monrovia 26, Temple City 6

Northview 20, Victor Valley 6

Ramona 24, Temecula Prep 0

Rancho Cucamonga 24, West Covina 13

Riverside Poly 19, Murrieta Valley 6

San Dimas 14, Northview 0

San Dimas 33, Victor Valley 2

South El Monte 21, El Rancho 0

South Hills 30, Rancho Cucamonga 14

South Hills 21, San Dimas 0

South Hills 42, West Covina 8

Ventura 14, Los Gatos 12

INTERSECTIONAL

Eagle Rock 35, Castaic 6

Huntington Beach 43, LA Marshall 7

Ventura 20, Milpitas 13

Ventura 27, San Jose Independence 6

Ventura 27, San Jose Presentation 6

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Bad Bunny fans drowned out memories of Hurricane Maria in one booming voice on the anniversary of the devastating storm.

Saturday was a concert for Puerto Ricans by Puerto Ricans to remind the world about the power of la isla del encanto — the island of enchantment.

“We’re not going to quit. The entire world is watching!” Bad Bunny thundered into his microphone as he looked into a camera streaming his last show in Puerto Rico this year to viewers around the world, concluding a historic 30-concert residency in the U.S. territory.

The crowd roared as thousands watching via Amazon Music, Prime Video and Twitch joined them, marking the first time Bad Bunny was streamed across the globe.

The residency was more than just a series of concerts. Saturday marked the end of an extended love letter that Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio sang to his homeland. He tapped into what it means to be Puerto Rican, to delight in the island’s beauty, to defend its land and fight for its people.

“This is for you,” Bad Bunny said from the rooftop of a famed Puerto Rican house installed at the concert venue as he raised his glass and the crowd raised their glasses in return.

‘We are still here’

Saturday marked the eighth anniversary of Hurricane Maria, which slammed into Puerto Rico as a Category 4 storm on Sept. 20, 2017.

An estimated 2,975 people died in the sweltering aftermath of the storm that crippled the island’s electric grid, leaving some communities without power for up to a year. Anger and frustration over the pace of reconstruction continues to simmer as chronic power outages persist.

In a report issued Sept. 11, the U.S. Office of Inspector General found that 92% of approved and obligated projects related to Puerto Rico’s crumbling grid were incomplete and that $3.7 billion of available funds had not been obligated.

“Over seven years after Hurricane Maria, FEMA does not know when Puerto Rico’s electrical grid will be completely rebuilt. The grid remains unstable, inadequate, and vulnerable to interruptions,” the report stated.

On Saturday, the number of estimated deaths was printed on the backs of T-shirts and written on Puerto Rican flags that the crowd waved.

“We are still emotional and carry the trauma of having gone through a horrible thing,” said Marta Amaral, 61, who attended Saturday’s concert. “Beyond the sadness and remembering the negativity of having gone through a traumatic event, this is a celebration that we are still here, standing.”

A surprise guest

At every concert this summer, Bad Bunny invited new celebrities — among them LeBron James, Penélope Cruz, Darren Aronofsky, DJ Khaled and Kylian Mbappé — and sang with different musicians, including Rubén Blades, Residente, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Rai Nao and Jorge Drexler.

But Saturday, the noise from the crowd hit new levels as Bad Bunny rapped with Puerto Rico heavyweights Ñengo Flow, Jowell y Randy, Dei V and Arcángel and De la Ghetto. Thousands of fans flexed their knees in unison to thumping rap and reggaetón.

Then, the crowd gasped in disbelief as Marc Anthony appeared on stage after Bad Bunny pleaded with his fans to join him because he was going to sing a song he hadn’t sung in public in some 20 years.

“Yo te quiero, Puerto Rico!” the crowd cried as the two singers embraced at the end of the iconic “Preciosa,” whose lyrics say, “I love you, Puerto Rico.”

‘An emotional night’

Thousands gathered outside the concert venue Saturday hours before the concert, with Puerto Rico’s national flower, the flor de maga, tucked behind their ears and the traditional straw hat known as a pava set at a jaunty angle on their heads.

But not all were celebrating.

Darlene Mercado milled around, asking strangers if they knew of anyone with tickets she could buy for herself and her daughter, who had flown in from New Jersey.

They were around number 122,000 in a virtual waiting line to buy tickets for Saturday’s sold-out concert and weren’t able to get any after waiting eight hours online.

“This is not only the anniversary of the hurricane, but it’s also the anniversary of me no longer having cancer and it’s my birthday. We wanted to celebrate everything with a bang,” Mercado said.

Saturday’s concert was open only to residents of Puerto Rico, as were the first nine concerts of Bad Bunny’s residency, but the others were open to fans around the world.

Overall, the concerts attracted roughly half a million people, generating an estimated $733 million for Puerto Rico, according to a study by Gaither International.

Most foreign visitors came from the Dominican Republic, Colombia and Spain, with an average stay of nearly nine nights, the study found. Overall, about 70% of concertgoers were female, with an average age of 33, according to the study.

Among those attending was Shamira Oquendo. “It’s going to be an emotional night,” the 25-year-old said, noting that Hurricane Maria was her first hurricane. “It was very sad. A lot of people around me lost their things.”

‘Yo soy boricua!’

Puerto Rico’s party with Bad Bunny ended early Sunday, but the superstar who recently clinched 12 Latin Grammy nominations will go on a worldwide tour in December, with concerts planned in Costa Rica, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, Spain, France and Sweden. Notably, he is skipping the mainland U.S., citing concerns over the federal government’s immigration arrests.

On Saturday, Bad Bunny thanked his fans for their love.

“I’m going to miss you a lot. I’m going to miss this energy,” he said as he urged the crowd to embrace love no matter the situation.

At that moment, friends and family in the crowd began to hug one another, some with tears in their eyes.

After more than three hours of singing with Bad Bunny, fans were not quite ready to let go. As the crowd filed down the stairs and into the night, one man yelled, “Yo soy boricua!” and the crowd responded, “Pa’ que tú lo sepas!”

It’s a traditional cry-and-response yell that lets people around them know they’re Puerto Rican and proud of it.

Coto writes for the Associated Press.

Christopher Nolan was elected president of the Directors Guild of America on Saturday, taking over leadership of the union that represents more than 19,500 members.

Nolan, 55, is among the most successful directors of his generation. His previous film, 2024’s “Oppenheimer,” made more than $975 million worldwide and won seven Academy Awards, including best director and best picture for Nolan. His next film, a star-studded adaptation of Homer’s “The Odyssey,” opens July 16, 2026, and sold out shows a year in advance.

In a statement, Nolan said, “To be elected President of the Directors Guild of America is one of the greatest honors of my career. Our industry is experiencing tremendous change, and I thank the Guild’s membership for entrusting me with this responsibility.”

Nolan takes over leadership of the guild from Lesli Linka Glatter, who has served two terms since 2021.

Nolan added in a statement, “I also want to thank President Glatter for her leadership over the past four years. I look forward to collaborating with her and the newly elected Board to achieve important creative and economic protections for our members.”

Also announced on Saturday were Laura Belsey as national vice-president and Paris Barclay, a former president of the DGA, as secretary-treasurer. Additional vice-presidents include Todd Holland, Ron Howard, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Seith Mann, Millicent Shelton and Lily Olszewski.

Nolan has been a member of the DGA since 2001 and served as a member of the national board since 2015. He is chair of the guild’s theatrical creative rights committee and its artificial intelligence committee.

He won the DGA award for outstanding directorial achievement in theatrical feature film for “Oppenheimer” and was previously nominated for his films “Dunkirk,” “Inception,” “The Dark Knight” and “Memento.”

Next year the DGA is expected to enter into new negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, who represent the studios and streaming services, over its basic agreement.

In a statement, the AMPTP said, “We look forward to partnering with President Nolan to address the issues most important to DGA members while ensuring our member companies remain competitive in a rapidly changing industry.”

SATURDAY’S RESULTS

SOUTHERN SECTION

Nonleague

Webb 66, Channel Islands 7

Aquinas 69, Riverside Notre Dame 6

8-MAN

SOUTHERN SECTION

Nonleague

Cate 40, Coast Union 20

Flintridge Prep 20, Faith Baptist 14

INTERSECTIONAL

Florida School for the Deaf 32, California School for the Deaf Riverside 14

Fresno Christian 68, Santa Clarita Christian 32

Trona 50, PAL Academy 18

In response to the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration raids that have roiled Southern California, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday signed a package of bills aimed at protecting immigrants in schools, hospitals and other areas targeted by federal agents.

Speaking at Miguel Contreras Learning Complex in Los Angeles, Newsom said President Trump had turned the country into a “dystopian sci-fi movie” with scenes of masked agents hustling immigrants without legal status into unmarked cars.

“We’re not North Korea,” Newsom said.

Newsom framed the pieces of legislation as pushback against what he called the “secret police” of Trump and Stephen Miller, the White House advisor who has driven the second Trump administration’s surge of immigration enforcement in Democrat-led cities.

SB 98, authored by Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Alhambra), will require school administrators to notify families and students if federal agents conduct immigration operations on a K-12 or college campus.

Assembly Bill 49, drafted by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Rolling Hills Estates), will bar immigration agents from nonpublic areas of a school without a judicial warrant or court order. It will also prohibit school districts from providing information about pupils, their families, teachers and school employees to immigration authorities without a warrant.

Sen. Jesse Arreguín’s (D-Berkeley) Senate Bill 81 will prohibit healthcare officials from disclosing a patient’s immigration status or birthplace — or giving access to nonpublic spaces in hospitals and clinics — to immigration authorities without a search warrant or court order.

Senate Bill 627 by Sens. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and Jesse Arreguín (D-Berkeley) targets masked federal immigration officers who began detaining migrants at Home Depots and car washes in California earlier this year.

Wiener has said the presence of anonymous, masked officers marks a turn toward authoritarianism and erodes trust between law enforcement and citizens. The law would apply to local and federal officers, but for reasons that Weiner hasn’t publicly explained, it would exempt state police such as California Highway Patrol officers.

Trump’s immigration leaders argue that masks are necessary to protect the identities and safety of immigration officers. The Department of Homeland Security on Monday called on Newsom to veto Wiener’s legislation, which will almost certainly be challenged by the federal government.

“Sen. Scott Wiener’s legislation banning our federal law enforcement from wearing masks and his rhetoric comparing them to ‘secret police’ — likening them to the gestapo — is despicable,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

The package of bills has already caused friction between state and federal officials. Hours before signing the bills, Newsom’s office wrote on X that “Kristi Noem is going to have a bad day today. You’re welcome, America.”

Bill Essayli, the acting U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, fired back on X accusing the governor of threatening Noem.

“We have zero tolerance for direct or implicit threats against government officials,” Essayli wrote in response, adding he’d requested a “full threat assessment” by the U.S. Secret Service.

The supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution dictates that federal law takes precedence over state law, leading some legal experts to question whether California could enforce legislation aimed at federal immigration officials.

Essayli noted in another statement on X that California has no jurisdiction over the federal government and he’s directed federal agencies not to change their operations.

“If Newsom wants to regulate our agents, he must go through Congress,” he wrote.

California has failed to block federal officers from arresting immigrants based on their appearance, language and location. An appellate court paused the raids, which California officials alleged were clear examples of racial profiling, but the U.S. Supreme Court overrode the decision and allowed the detentions to resume.

During the news conference on Saturday, Newsom pointed to an arrest made last month when immigration officers appeared in Little Tokyo while the governor was announcing a campaign for new congressional districts. Masked agents showed up to intimidate people who attended the event, Newsom said, but they also arrested an undocumented man who happened to be delivering strawberries nearby.

“That’s Trump’s America,” Newsom said.

Other states are also looking at similar measures to unmask federal agents. Connecticut on Tuesday banned law enforcement officers from wearing masks inside state courthouses unless medically necessary, according to news reports.

Newsom on Saturday also signed Senate Bill 805, a measure by Pérez that targets immigration officers who are in plainclothes but don’t identify themselves.

The law requires law enforcement officers in plainclothes to display their agency, as well as either a badge number or name, with some exemptions.

“Ensuring that officers are clearly identified, while providing sensible exceptions, helps protect both the public and law enforcement personnel,” said Jason P. Houser, a former DHS official who supported the bills signed by Newsom.

After years of weathering the #AfterDark absurdity of the Pac-12 Conference, USC hoped moving to the Big Ten might help kick most of those bizarre midnight romps from its calendar.

Of course, geographic sense only matters so much in college football when there’s millions to be made from broadcast rights. Fox had the third choice this week among the networks and chose the best available game. That’s why USC and Michigan State will kick off at 8 p.m. Saturday. Which means, in East Lansing, Mich., the game should wrap somewhere around 2:30-3 a.m.

There were two such kickoffs in the Big Ten last season, and only one that included a team hopping three time zones to the west. USC won that 8 p.m. game against Rutgers in quarterback Jayden Maiava’s debut.

The Spartans arrived in L.A. on Thursday to give them plenty of time to acclimate. Jonathan Smith, who previously coached at Oregon State, understands what such a late kickoff requires. Still, you could understand why Michigan State might not be thrilled at the prospect of playing so late.

USC will have its own time-zone trouble to deal with next week, when it kicks off at 9 a.m. PDT in a road matchup with Illinois. This weekend, the bigger question for USC will be if the fans arrive well-rested — or at all.

“Both teams gotta deal with it,” coach Lincoln Riley said. “We gotta handle it well, our crowd needs to handle it well. At the end of the day, it’s a game, it’s being played, it’s being played in the Coliseum, and we expect to win and we expect to have a really good crowd behind us. We’re not going to make excuses about it.”

Here are four things to watch as USC takes on Michigan State:

Trojans take to the air

Few quarterbacks in college football have started the season at the breakneck pace that Jayden Maiava has managed through three weeks. Maiava is averaging more than 14 yards per attempt — the most of any quarterback in the nation by three full yards — while completing 68% of his passes, almost a 10% improvement from last season.

There’s no reason to think that trend won’t continue against Michigan State.

The Spartans rank 118th in the nation — and worst in the Big Ten — in pass defense, and that’s after playing teams like Youngstown State and Western Michigan. They haven’t seen anything yet like USC’s passing offense, and especially receiver Makai Lemon, who ranks behind only Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith in receiving yards (315-311) this season in the Big Ten.

Michigan State has been stingy this season against the run, so it could be tough to find much of a rhythm on the ground. That means a potential big game for Maiava.

Will USC’s pass rush keep rolling?

Through three games, USC’s rejuvenated pass rush actually leads the nation in sacks with 14. Michigan State, meanwhile, has allowed the second-most sacks of any Big Ten team this season.

That formula could mean a long afternoon for Spartan quarterback Aidan Chiles, who Riley said this week poses “the biggest challenge we’ve faced up to this point” at the position. The Long Beach native appears to be putting it all together as a passer, but it’s Chiles’ dual threat ability that could be especially dangerous against a front four that’s been aggressive early in the season..

He’s tied for the conference lead in rush attempts among quarterbacks at 10 per game.

“When you add in Chiles’ athleticism, that definitely adds an entirely new element,” Riley said. “So it’ll be a big focus point for us to be able to keep him in the pocket, to contain him in there.”

When under heavy pressure, Chiles has been much less effective. His completion percentage drops from 79% in a clean pocket to 48% in a pressured one.

Stud receiver status

Both teams could be without their most dynamic pass catcher on Saturday.

USC wideout Ja’Kobi Lane, last year’s Big Ten leader in touchdown receptions, is questionable after he sat out practice on Wednesday. Riley wouldn’t comment on whether he’d be available for the game.

Similarly, the status of Spartan receiver Nick Marsh was up in the air as of Friday. Marsh made the trip to L.A., in spite of dealing with a lower leg injury. He’s by far Michigan State’s most dynamic weapon on offense and his absence would be significant, if he’s unable to go.

Tanook Hines breakout game incoming?

With Lane hobbled, keep a close eye on freshman Tanook Hines, who pulled down a stunning acrobatic catch last Saturday at Purdue.

Riley raved about the freshman earlier this week.

“He goes after the ball with a unique mindset for a freshman,” Riley said. “You talk about a guy who really attacks the ball. He’s played physical. He’s a really good blocker. He’s done a good job of picking up our system. … He’s an all-ball guy. There’s no fluff to this guy. He’s an edgy, tough competitor.”

SACRAMENTO — In a bid to stabilize struggling crude-oil refineries, state lawmakers on Saturday passed a last-minute bill that would allow the construction of 2,000 new oil wells annually in the San Joaquin Valley while further restricting drilling along California’s iconic coastline.

The measure, Senate Bill 237, was part of a deal on climate and environmental issues brokered behind closed doors by Gov. Gavin Newsom, state Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister). The agreement aims to address growing concerns about affordability, primarily the price of gas, and the planned closure of two of the state’s 13 refineries.

California has enough refining capacity to meet demand right now, industry experts say, but the closures could reduce the state’s refining capacity by about 20% and lead to more volatile gas prices.

Democrats on Saturday framed the vote as a bitter but necessary pill to stabilize the energy market in the short term, even as the state pushes forward with the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy.

McGuire called the bills the “most impactful affordability, climate and energy packages in our state’s history.”

“We continue to chart the future, and these bills will put more money in the pockets of hard-working Californians and keep our air clean, all while powering our transition to a more sustainable economy,” McGuire said.

The planned April 2026 closure of Valero’s refinery in Benicia will lead to a loss of $1.6 billion in wages and drag down local government budgets, said Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City), who represents the area and co-authored SB 237.

Wilson acknowledged that the bill won’t help the Benicia refinery, but said that “directly increasing domestic production of crude oil and lowering our reliance on imports will help stabilize the market — it will help create and save jobs.”

Crude oil production in California is declining at an annualized rate of about 15%, about 50% faster than the state’s most aggressive forecast for a decline in demand for gasoline, analysts said this week.

The bill that lawmakers approved Saturday would grant statutory approval for up to 2,000 new wells per year in Kern County, the heart of California oil country.

That legislative fix, effective through 2036, would in effect circumvent a decade of legal challenges by environmental groups seeking to stymie drilling in the county that produces about three-fourths of the state’s crude oil.

“Kern County knows how to produce energy,” said state Sen. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield). “We produce 80% of California’s oil, if allowed, 70% of the state’s wind and solar, and over 80% of the in-state battery storage capacity. We are the experts. We are not the enemy. We can help secure energy affordability for all Californians while enjoying the benefits of increased jobs and economic prosperity.”

Environmentalists have fumed over that trade-off and over a provision that would allow the governor to suspend the state’s summer-blend gasoline fuel standards, which reduce auto emissions but drive up costs at the pump, if prices spike for more than 30 days or if it seems likely that they will.

Some progressive Democrats voted against the bill, including Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-San José), the chair of the Legislative Progressive Caucus. The bill, Lee said, was a “regulatory giveaway to Big Oil” that would do little to stabilize gas prices or refineries, which are struggling because demand for oil is falling.

“We need to continue to focus on the future, not the past,” Lee said.

The bill also would make offshore drilling more difficult by tightening the safety and regulatory requirements for pipelines.

Lawmakers also voted to extend cap-and-trade, an ambitious climate program that sets limits on greenhouse gas emissions and allows large polluters to buy and sell unused emission allowances at quarterly auctions. Lawmakers signed off on a 15-year extension of the program, which has been renamed “cap and invest,” through 2045.

The program is seen as crucial for California to comply with its climate goals — including reaching carbon neutrality by 2045 — and also brings in billions in revenue that helps fund climate efforts, including high-speed rail and safe drinking water programs.

Also included in the package was AB 825, which creates a pathway for California to participate in a regional electricity market. If passed, the bill would expand the state’s ability to buy and sell clean power with other Western states in a move that supporters say will improve grid reliability and save money for ratepayers.

Opponents fear that California could yield control of its power grid to out-of-state authorities, including the federal government.

CHELSEA travel up the road where they will face rivals Brentford in what is already their fourth London derby of the season – and SunSport can point fans in the right direction of where to tune in.

Joao Pedro’s header and Enzo Fernandez’s penalty helped the Blues overcome a furious Fulham side before the international break.

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But it was a victory that was surrounded by controversy as the PGMOL were forced to apologise for incorrectly ruling out Fulham forward, Josh King’s goal.

And Pedro’s opening strike was a major talking point with it coming in the NINTH minute of stoppage time despite only eight minutes being added.

Elsewhere, Brentford had drama of their own as they most recently lost to newly-promoted Sunderland courtesy of a 90+6 stoppage time Wilson Isidor penalty after leading the game up until the 77th minute.

So they’ll be itching to get back on track with a win and hand one of the only remaining undefeated sides a loss at the Gtech.

How can I watch Brentford vs Chelsea?

• Brentford vs Chelsea will be broadcast LIVE on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League.
• Fans can also stream the entire action via a compatible tablet or mobile device on NOW TV.
• Alternatively, SunSport will have minute-by-minute action through our live blog.
• This London derby takes place on Saturday, September 13 and kicks off at 8pm BST.
• The Gtech Community Stadium is the chosen venue for this thrilling clash and it can host approximately 17,250 supporters.
• There was nothing to separate the sides when they last met in April with the score ending 0-0.

What is the latest injury news?

Chelsea have been dealt an injury blow with Liam Delap‘s injury worse than first feared.

Delap, 22, hobbled off early on in the controversial win over Fulham on August 30.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca initially thought his £30million transfer from Ipswich would miss six to eight weeks.

But it is now clear he will miss significantly more than that.

The Athletic report Delap will not return to training until November.

Dario Essugo, Romeo Lavia and Benoit Badiashile are all set to the miss the London derby.

As for Blues talisman Cole Palmer, it is still unclear whether he’ll return after missing both the clash against West Ham and Fulham as well as pulling out of the England side.