WASHINGTON (AP) — The Education Department will begin collection next month on student loans that are in default, including the garnishing of wages for potentially millions of borrowers, officials said Monday.
Currently, roughly 5.3 million borrowers are in default on their federal student loans.
The Trump administration ‘s announcement marks an end to a period of leniency that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. No federal student loans have been referred for collection since March 2020, including those in default.
“American taxpayers will no longer be forced to serve as collateral for irresponsible student loan policies,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said.
Beginning May 5, the department will begin involuntary collection through the Treasury Department’s offset program, which withholds payments from the government — including tax refunds, federal salaries and other benefits — from people with past-due debts to the government. After a 30-day notice, the department will also begin garnishing wages for borrowers in default.
In 2020, President Donald Trump paused federal student loan payments and interest accrual as a temporary relief measure for student borrowers. The pause in payments was extended multiple times through 2023, and a final grace period for loan repayments ended in October 2024. That meant tens of millions of Americans had to start making payments again.
Borrowers who don’t make payments for nine months go into default, which is reported on their credit scores and can go to collections.
In addition to the borrowers already in default, around another 4 million are between 91 to 180 days late on their loan payments. Less than 40% of all borrowers are current on their student loans, department officials said.
President Joe Biden oversaw the cancellation of student loans for more than 5 million borrowers. Despite the Supreme Court’s rejection of his signature proposal for broad relief, he waived more than $183.6 billion in student loans through expanded forgiveness programs.
In her statement Monday, McMahon said Biden had gone too far.
“Going forward, the Department of Education, in conjunction with the Department of Treasury, will shepherd the student loan program responsibly and according to the law, which means helping borrowers return to repayment — both for the sake of their own financial health and our nation’s economic outlook,” she said.
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NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street weakened Monday as investors worldwide get more skeptical about U.S. investments because of President Donald Trump’s trade war and his criticism of the Federal Reserve, which are shaking the traditional order.
The S&P 500 sank 2.4% in another wipeout. That yanked the index that’s at the center of many 401(k) accounts 16% below its record set two months ago.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 971 points, or 2.5%, while losses for Tesla and Nvidia helped drag the Nasdaq composite down 2.6%.
Perhaps more worryingly, U.S. government bonds and the value of the U.S. dollar also sank as prices retreated across U.S. markets. It’s an unusual move because Treasurys and the dollar have historically strengthened during episodes of nervousness. This time around, though, it’s policies directly from Washington that are causing the fear and potentially weakening their reputations as some of the world’s safest investments.
Trump continued his tough talk on global trade as economists and investors continue to say his stiff proposed tariffs could cause a recession if they’re not rolled back. U.S. talks last week with Japan failed to reach a quick deal that could lower tariffs and protect the economy, and they’re seen as a “test case,” according to Thierry Wizman, a strategist at Macquarie.
“The golden rule of negotiating and success: He who has the gold makes the rules,” Trump said in all capitalized letters on his Truth Social Network. He also said that “the businessmen who criticize tariffs are bad at business, but really bad at politics,” likewise in all caps.
Trump has recently focused more on China, the world’s second-largest economy, which has also been keeping up its rhetoric. China on Monday warned other countries against making trade deals with the United States “at the expense of China’s interest” as Japan, South Korea and others try to negotiate agreements.
“If this happens, China will never accept it and will resolutely take countermeasures in a reciprocal manner,” China’s Commerce Ministry said in a statement.
The Fed has been resistant to lowering rates too quickly because it does not want to allow inflation to reaccelerate after slowing nearly all the way down to its 2% goal from more than 9% three years ago.
Trump talked Monday about a slowdown for the U.S. economy that could be coming unless “Mr. Too Late, a major loser, lowers interest rates, NOW.”
A move by Trump to fire Powell would likely send a bolt of fear through financial markets. While Wall Street loves lower rates, largely because they boost stock prices, the bigger worry would be that a less independent Fed would be less effective at keeping inflation under control. Such a move could further weaken, if not kill, the United States’ reputation as the world’s safest place to keep cash.
All the uncertainty striking pillars at the center of financial markets means some investors say they’re having to rethink the fundamentals of how to invest.
“We can no longer extrapolate from past trends or rely on long-term assumptions to anchor portfolios,” strategists at BlackRock Investment Institute said in a report. “The distinction between tactical and strategic asset allocation is blurred. Instead, we need to constantly reassess the long-term trajectory and be dynamic with asset allocation as we learn more about the future state of the global system.”
That in turn could push investors outside the United States to keep more of their money in their home markets, according to the strategists led by Jean Boivin.
Tesla sank 5.7%. The electric vehicle maker’s stock has more than halved from its record set in December on criticism that the stock price had gone too high and that CEO Elon Musk’s role in leading the U.S. government’s efforts to cut spending is damaging the brand.
Nvidia fell 4.5% for a third straight drop after disclosing that U.S. export limits on chips to China could hurt its first-quarter results by $5.5 billion.
They led another wipeout on Wall Street, and 92% of the stocks within the S&P 500 fell.
Among the few gainers were Discover Financial Services and Capital One Financial, which climbed after the U.S. government approved their proposed merger. Discover rose 3.6%, while Capital One added 1.5%.
All told, the S&P 500 fell 124.50 points to 5,158.20. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 971.82 to 38,170.41, and the Nasdaq composite tumbled 415.55 to 15,870.90.
Gold also climbed to burnish its reputation as a safe-haven investment, unlike some others.
In the bond market, shorter-term Treasury yields fell as investors expect the Fed to cut its main overnight interest rate later this year to support the economy.
But longer-term yields rose with doubts about the United States’ standing in the global economy. The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 4.40%, up from 4.34% at the end of last week and from just about 4% earlier this month. That’s a substantial move for the bond market.
The U.S. dollar’s value, meanwhile, fell against the euro, Japanese yen, the Swiss franc and other currencies.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — Leaders across North Carolina are reacting to the news that Pope Francis has died at the age of 88, as confirmed by the Vatican on Monday morning. Many are reflecting on Pope Francis’ impact of life and how his preaching’s had a transformative effect on Catholics around the world and here at home. Among the comments…
Senator Thom Tillis “Pope Francis dedicated his life to faith, compassion, and service to God. His passing is a loss felt around the world. Susan and I join Catholics and non-Catholics across North Carolina in honoring his legacy of service.”
Senator Ted Budd “Amy Kate and I are praying for all who mourn the passing of Pope Francis. May he rest in peace.”
Governor Josh Stein “Anna and I join the world in mourning the loss of Pope Francis. His leadership inspired and taught us to serve with love, faith, and compassion. May his memory be a blessing.”
Bishop Luis Zarama of the Catholic Diocese of Raleigh “I was blessed to have opportunities to meet with Pope Francis many times and was amazed by his warmth and compassion and sense of humor. I will always be amazed when I recall how he demonstrated that same humility and humanity in every interaction, with every person he met.”
Duke Divinity School Professor of Theology Peter Casarella “Pope Francis was a stark critic of a self-referential Catholic Church and preferred to preach apostolic zeal and the model of a church as a field hospital. Even in the move to Rome, Pope Francis remained a Latin American priest of great humility and simplicity. He chose not to live in the papal apartments but instead to reside in the Vatican guesthouse. He has been noted for his personal connections with people, his willingness to listen, and his down-to-earth nature. As pope, he confounded the Swiss guards in charge of his security by venturing outside of the Vatican to visit a record shop owned by an elderly couple whom he had befriended as a young priest.”
Bishop Michael Martin of the Catholic Diocese of Charlotte “I am deeply saddened by the death of Pope Francis and join with Catholics of the Diocese of Charlotte and around the world in mourning of the loss of our shepherd. I am certain that all people of good will rejoice with us that this man of faith has “finished the race” (2 Tim 4:7), and we pray that he will receive the reward which we have all been promised by our merciful God who has saved us from the finality of death. There will be time to celebrate the life and legacy of Pope Francis in the days ahead, but for now I invite anyone and everyone to join us in prayer this evening at 7 p.m. in every Roman Catholic church in the Diocese of Charlotte for a time of prayer, reflection, and mourning. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him!”
Laura Townsend Jones, Refugee Resettlement Director, Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte “Pope Francis was consistently a beacon of hope and love in a tumultuous world. His support for refugees and immigrants – and those of us who have dedicated our lives to supporting them and welcoming these strangers into our community – was inspirational and gave us strength and clarity that we are, in fact, serving God’s will regarding preserving the dignity of the human person. Pope Francis’ words set the example, to ‘live in solidarity and fraternity, to build bridges that bring us ever closer together, to avoid walls of ignominy and to learn to give our lives as Jesus Christ gave his for the salvation of all. We will miss his compassionate spirit and his guidance.”
The death of a pope initiates a centuries’ old ritual to elect a new pontiff (AP Video)
Sister Rose Marie Tresp of Sisters of Mercy “From the moment that Pope Francis stepped out onto the balcony of Saint Peter’s to give his first blessings to the crowd gathered below, his simpler dress, his request for prayers, his humility and simplicity were an inspiration to me. At his first Holy Thursday the Pope washed the feet of 10 male and two female juvenile offenders, not all Catholic. This immediately indicated that change was coming…Then the Pope’s first visit outside the Vatican was to Lampedusa to greet the migrants landing on the shore. Since I was heavily involved in advocacy for reform of the U.S. immigration laws, this gave me hope. I will deeply miss Pope Francis but as I am nearer the end of my life than the beginning, I hope to follow him in continuing to be engaged with people, with service and humor.”
North Carolina Representative Deborah Ross “Pope Francis reminded all of us that we all have the duty to do good. His passing is a profound loss, not just for the Catholic Church, but for humanity and decency everywhere. May we all strive to lead with the grace he lived by.”
North Carolina Representative Valerie Foushee “I join the millions around the world in mourning the passing of Pope Francis. Pope Francis was a moral and visionary leader who challenged us to always treat others with compassion and care. May he rest in eternal peace.”
“I mean, it’s been an incredible year with a really great group of people,” Flagg told the AP in March after winning national player of the year.
The 6-foot-9, 205-pound forward from Newport, Maine, averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals to lead the Blue Devils in each category. He’s a versatile threat who showed the ability to thrive as a scorer, playmaker and defender.
“His highlights, his statistics, the ways he impacted the game on both ends of the floor, really in every category, was off the charts — as good of a freshman season that a guy has had here,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said in a social media video from the program about Flagg’s NBA declaration.
“But to me the separator and the joy of coaching Cooper is the person he was every day, the teammate that he was — never about statistics or anything other than creating an environment and helping his team to win.”
Still, he was an elite and hypercompetitive force for one of college basketball’s top teams all season with a game far more advanced than his age, capable of making an impact from baseline to baseline and sideline to sideline. He won’t turn 19 until December, which would be roughly two months into his rookie season.
By VANESSA GERA and NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at the age of 88. Here are the key things to know about the death of the Argentine pontiff, history’s first from Latin America, who presided over the Catholic Church for more than 12 years.
The timing of Pope Francis’ death
The death of Francis was announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Irish-born Vatican camerlengo, a position that will be important in the coming weeks as he takes charge of the administration of the Holy See until a new pope is elected.
“At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father,” Farrell said. “His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church.”
Farrell made the announcement just over two hours after Francis had died. Farrell spoke from Domus Santa Marta, the apartment on Vatican grounds where Francis lived and where he had returned to recover less than a month after being hospitalized for double pneumonia.
A final farewell on Easter Sunday
Francis made his final public appearance a day earlier on Easter Sunday. He appeared very frail, and had delegated the celebration of the Easter Mass to another cardinal. But though his voice was weak, he blessed a crowd of faithful from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica.
“Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter,” he said from the same loggia where Jorge Mario Bergoglio was introduced to the world on March 13, 2013 as the 266th pope.
The death of a pope initiates a centuries’ old ritual to elect a new pontiff (AP Video)
Francis also made a surprise ride in the square in his popemobile, drawing wild cheers and applause.
“I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill,” Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, said on Monday during a visit to India.
Reactions and global mourning
Even before the great bells of St. Peter’s Basilica began tolling to mark Francis’ death, messages of tribute began pouring in from across the world.
Catholic and non-Catholic leaders alike honored a spiritual leader who was a voice for the marginalized and the weak, for migrants and LGBTQ+ people, and for environmental protection.
He “cared about the great global challenges of our time — migration, climate change, inequalities, peace — as well as the everyday struggles of the one and all,” European Council President António Costa said.
The outgoing German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, said that the world had lost “an advocate for the weak, a reconciling and a warm-hearted person.”
Other religious leaders also praised him for seeking dialogue. The head of the Church of England remembered him for his commitment to improving relations among the world’s religions, while Rome’s chief rabbi described Francis’ pontificate as an important new chapter in relations between Judaism and Catholicism.
The pope’s last months, and final day
Francis, who suffered from chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, was admitted to Gemelli hospital in Rome on Feb. 14, 2025, for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia. He spent 38 days there, the longest hospitalization of his papacy.
For the faithful, those were weeks of fear that his illness could be fatal or lead to another papal resignation after that of Pope Benedict XVI, a surprise move that led to the election of Francis.
Francis’ death now sets off the process of allowing the faithful to pay their final respects, first for Vatican officials in the Santa Marta chapel and then in St. Peter’s for the general public.
A precise sequence of events will include the confirmation of death in the pontiff’s home, the transfer of the coffin to St. Peter’s Basilica for public viewing, a funeral Mass and burial.
The dates haven’t been announced yet, but the burial must take place between the fourth and sixth day after his death.
After the funeral, there are nine days of official mourning, known as the “novendiali.”
During this period, cardinals arrive in Rome to participate in a conclave to elect the next pope.
To give everyone time to assemble, the conclave must begin 15-20 days after the “sede vacante” — the “vacant See” — is declared, although it can start sooner if the cardinals agree.
The cardinals will vote in secret sessions, and after each voting sessions, the ballots will be burned in a special stove. Black smoke will indicate that no pope has been elected, while white smoke will indicate that the cardinals have chosen the next head of the Catholic Church.
His legacy
Even as Francis was being remembered as a humanitarian and defender of the weak, there were those who said he could have done better in other areas.
In recent years he faced criticism for what seemed to be an unclear position on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Francis tried to maintain the Vatican’s traditional diplomatic neutrality, but that often was accompanied by apparent sympathy with Russia’s rationale for invading Ukraine — like when he said NATO was “barking at Russia’s door” with its eastward expansion. And last year he called on Ukraine to show the “courage” to negotiate peace, which seemed to suggest it should capitulate to Russian aggression.
Russian President Vladimir Putin in a condolence message praised Francis as a “consistent defender of the high values of humanism and justice.”
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, said his country was grieving and recalled how the pope often prayed for peace in Ukraine.
Francis also had critics who argued that he failed to bring justice to victims of clergy sex abuse or to bring the needed reforms to the church.
“In this realm, where Francis had supreme power, he refused to make the necessary changes. This choice is having devastating consequences for the Church’s most powerless members. It will forever tarnish the legacy of this remarkable man,” said Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of BishopAccountability.org, a United States-based watchdog.
The Women’s Ordination Conference also lamented Francis’ unwillingness to push for the ordination of women. “This made him a complicated, frustrating and sometimes heart-breaking figure for many women,” it said.
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Vanessa Gera reported from Warsaw, Poland. Colleen Barry contributed to this report from Milan.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court acted “literally in the middle of the night” and without sufficient explanation in blocking the Trump administration from deporting any Venezuelans held in northern Texas under an 18th-century wartime law, Justice Samuel Alito wrote in a sharp dissent that castigated the seven-member majority.
Joined by fellow conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, Alito said there was “dubious factual support” for granting the request in an emergency appeal from the American Civil Liberties Union. The group contended that immigration authorities appeared to be moving to restart such removals under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.
The majority did not provide a detailed explanation in the order early Saturday, as is typical, but the court previously said deportations could proceed only after those about to be removed had a chance to argue their case in court and were given “a reasonable time” to contest their pending removals.
“Both the Executive and the Judiciary have an obligation to follow the law,” Alito said in the dissent released hours after the court’s intervention against Republican President Donald Trump’s administration.
The justices’ brief order directed the administration not to remove Venezuelans held in the Bluebonnet Detention Center “until further order of this court.”
Alito said that “unprecedented” relief was “hastily and prematurely granted.”
He wrote that it was not clear whether the Supreme Court had jurisdiction at this stage of the case, saying that not all legal avenues had been played out in lower courts and the justices had not had the chance to hear the government’s side.
“The only papers before this Court were those submitted by the applicants. The Court had not ordered or received a response by the Government regarding either the applicants’ factual allegations or any of the legal issues presented by the application. And the Court did not have the benefit of a Government response filed in any of the lower courts either,” Alito said.
Alito said the legal filings, “while alleging that the applicants were in imminent danger of removal, provided little concrete support for that allegation.” He noted that while the court did not hear directly from the government regarding any planned deportations under the Alien Enemies Act in this case, a government lawyer in a different matter had told a U.S. District Court in a hearing Friday evening that no such deportations were then planned to occur either Friday or Saturday.
“In sum, literally in the middle of the night, the Court issued unprecedented and legally questionable relief without giving the lower courts a chance to rule, without hearing from the opposing party, within eight hours of receiving the application, with dubious factual support for its order, and without providing any explanation for its order,” Alito wrote. “I refused to join the Court’s order because we had no good reason to think that, under the circumstances, issuing an order at midnight was necessary or appropriate. Both the Executive and the Judiciary have an obligation to follow the law.”
The administration has filed paperwork urging the high court to reconsider its hold.
On Friday, two federal judges refused to step in as lawyers for the men launched a desperate legal campaign to prevent their deportation. Early Saturday, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals also refused to issue an order protecting the detainees from being deported.
The ACLU had already sued to block deportations of two Venezuelans held in the Bluebonnet facility and sought an order barring removals of any immigrants in the region under the Alien Enemies Act.
In the emergency filing early Friday, the ACLU warned that immigration authorities were accusing other Venezuelan men held there of being members of the Tren de Aragua gang, which would make them subject to Trump’s use of the law.
It has only been invoked three previous times in U.S. history, most recently during World War II to hold Japanese-American civilians in internment camps. The administration contends it gives them the power to swiftly remove immigrants they identified as members of the gang, regardless of their immigration status.
Following the unanimous high court order on April 9, federal judges in Colorado, New York and southern Texas promptly issued orders barring removal of detainees under the law until the administration provides a process for them to make claims in court.
But there had been no such order issued in the area of Texas that covers Bluebonnet, which is 24 miles north of Abilene in the far northern end of the state.
Some Venezuelans subject to Trump’s use of the law have been sent to El Salvador and housed in its notorious main prison.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Logan Stankoven provided an immediate jolt in his first playoff game with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The 22-year-old forward scored twice in the second period Sunday to help the Hurricanes beat the New Jersey Devils 4-1 in the opener of their first-round playoff series. It was part of a strong debut that included his work on the Hurricanes’ top defensive forward line with captain Jordan Staal and Jordan Martinook.
“I love playing in the big games and meaningful hockey. I’m motivated to try to contribute in any way possible,” Stankoven said. “Yeah, it’s always a nice feeling to get on the scoresheet.”
“He’s got a little more skill than me and Marty, and obviously he can put the puck in the net,” Staal said. “He’s a good little player obviously: finds holes, he’s got good speed, and he can shoot the puck. So he’s just getting warmed up.”
The 5-foot-8, 165-pound Stankoven had five goals and four assists in 19 regular-season games with Carolina, with coach Rod Brind’Amour tinkering with the line groupings to find Stankoven’s best fit. That eventually led to Stankoven playing alongside the 6-4, 220-pound Staal and the 6-1, 208-pound Martinook more as the Hurricanes closed the regular season, even as they lost seven of eight after clinching their playoff spot on April 3 while resting key guys with the goal of being healthy for the postseason.
“It worked tonight,” Brind’Amour said. “But you’re right, it’s a safety net for players to play with two guys that do it the right way every shift — or at least certainly try to. there’s a lot of comfort there I think for any player that gets to play with guys like that.”
Stankoven’s first goal offered an example of the fit, coming when Martinook pushed up ice on the right side and tried to send a backhand feed across the ice back toward the crease. Devils center Nico Hischier knocked it down, but Martinook stayed on the forecheck and forced Hischier into a turnover behind the goal.
Martinook then slipped the puck to a trailing Stankoven, who sent the puck past Jacob Markstrom for a 2-0 lead. Stankoven slid to a stop as he bumped into Staal, the linemates facing each other as they raised both arms in victory before embracing with Martinook skating over to join them.
“I mean, I think they’ve got skill, too,” Stankoven said with a smile of his linemates. “It’s nice having a couple of big bodies on my line. They do such a good job of creating space for me, and I think we can thrive down low.”
Minutes later, Stankoven provided a needed punch to a power play. Fellow new addition Taylor Hall whipped a cross-ice pass to the right side to Stankoven, who had a clean lane from the faceoff dot with Markstrom. Stankoven whipped a rising shot past Markstrom’s right shoulder, the puck pinging off the inside of the left post and into the net for a 3-0 lead.
“I’m just trying to adapt to those players and be in the right spots to get pucks off,” Stankoven said. “Like you said, it takes a bit of time at first, but I think I’ve been adjusting pretty well. The guys have done a good job of communicating with me and helping me out.”
½ cup (100 g) brown sugar light or dark (I usually use light) tightly packed
10 pineapple slices patted dry (a 20oz can is typically enough)
maraschino cherries
Vanilla Cake
½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs room temperature preferred
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (195 g) all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (120 ml) whole milk room temperature preferred
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F (175C)
Pour melted butter into 9.5-10″ pie plate or deep cake pan, make sure it entirely covers the bottom of the pan and use a spoon or spatula to grease the sides of the pan.
Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter mixture. Arrange pineapple slices over the bottom of the pan, slice leftover slices in half and arrange up the sides of the pan, as seen in photo.
Place cherries in center of pineapple rings and as desired in empty spaces. Set aside.
To prepare vanilla cake, beat butter and sugar in medium-sized bowl until creamy and well-combined.
Add eggs, beating one at a time until combined.
Stir in vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
Alternate adding flour and milk to the wet ingredients, starting and ending with flour and mixing until just combined after each addition (I prefer to do this part by hand with a spatula to be sure not to overmix).
Pour batter evenly over prepared cake pan over the pineapple/cherry layer.
Bake on 350F (175C) for 30 minutes. At the 30 minute mark, loosely cover with foil and continue to bake (still on 350F/175C) for another 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with few crumbs (total cook time for cake will be 45 minutes).
Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes and then carefully invert cake onto serving platter (careful, it will still be very hot!).
2 sheets nori (dry seaweed), cut into 1/2-inch strips
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Directions
Wash rice in a mesh strainer until water runs clear. Combine washed rice and 4 1/2 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; cover, and simmer rice until water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Let rice rest for 15 minutes to continue to steam and become tender. Allow cooked rice to cool.
Combine remaining 1 cup water with salt in a small bowl; use to dampen hands before handling rice. Divide cooked rice into 8 equal portions. Use one portion of rice for each onigiri.
Divide one portion of rice in two. Create a dimple in rice and fill with a heaping teaspoon of bonito flakes. Cover with remaining portion of rice and press lightly to enclose filling inside rice ball. Gently press rice to shape into a triangle; wrap with a strip of nori and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Repeat with remaining portions of rice.
