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Sunday's inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff bracket reveal officially set the stage for the most anticipated postseason the sport has ever seen. Eight more spots in the playoff field have created two extra rounds to determine a national champion, which could come from the Big Ten, the Southeastern Conference or even the Mountain West! Now that the initial matchups are set, it's time to examine the FanDuel odds for the first-round games and, of course, the latest national championship odds. CFP Bracket: Odds for First-Round Games Oregon's win over Penn State in the Big Ten championship locked the Ducks into the No. 1 seed, while Georgia's overtime triumph over Texas for the SEC crown moved the Bulldogs up to No. 2. Boise State slotted in at No. 9 in the final CFP rankings but is the No. 3 seed thanks to its win over UNLV in the Mountain West championship. With SMU losing to Clemson in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, No. 12-ranked Arizona State is the four seed after it throttled Iowa State to win the Big 12. The top four teams get a bye, with the 5-12 seeds meeting in the first round. 12-seed Clemson (+330) vs. 5-seed Texas (-11.5) Texas was favored to win the SEC and lock down a top-four seed, but Clemson was not expected to beat SMU for the ACC title. The Longhorns will therefore hunt redemption, while Dabo Swinney's team is essentially playing with house money. The winner will face Arizona State in the Peach Bowl. 9-seed Tennessee (+215) vs. 8-seed Ohio State (-7.5) The third-highest-ranked team from the SEC (No. 7 Tennessee) will face off with the third-highest-ranked squad from the Big Ten (No. 6 Ohio State). This game brings the Buckeyes a chance at redemption for their embarrassing loss to Michigan to end the regular season. The winner will travel to the Rose Bowl to play Oregon. 11-seed SMU (+240) vs. 6-seed Penn State (-7.5) Concerns over strength of schedule dog both teams. Both have 11-2 records and were runners-up in their respective conferences. Penn State's only win over a ranked opponent was against then-No. 19 Illinois in Week 4, while SMU has knocked off then-No. 22 Louisville and then-No. 18 Pittsburgh. The winner will meet Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. 10-seed Indiana (+230) vs. 7-seed Notre Dame (-7.5) The Hoosiers may be the biggest surprise in college football this season, although their inclusion came with a few concerns over the strength of their schedule. After falling flat in a potential statement game against then-No. 2 Ohio State on Nov. 23, Indiana can prove its might against a Fighting Irish squad that won its last 10 games. The winner will take on Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. National Championship Odds and Picks Oregon was the betting favorite (odds via FanDuel) prior to the final rankings reveal at +230. Post-reveal, Texas and Georgia are co-favorites at +360, followed by Oregon at +380, Ohio State at +500 and Penn State at +600. Boise State is the biggest long shot at +7500 despite having a first-round bye. Like Boise State, Arizona State saw its odds go from +3500 to +6000 even though it doesn't play until the quarterfinals. The Picks are In... First-Round Best Bet: Indiana-Notre Dame UNDER 51.5-both teams have solid offenses but will find it difficult to move the ball against the other's defense. Upset Special: Clemson (+340) over Texas-Cade Klubnik will have his hands full against the Texas secondary, but the Clemson defense could be up for the challenge against Quinn Ewers and the Longhorns offense. National Championship Winner: Favorite-Oregon +380; Dark Horse-Notre Dame +1200; Long Shot-Arizona State +6000 --Field Level MediaThe National Basketball Association (NBA) has suspended three players who were involved in an altercation between the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns on Friday. Mavericks forward Naji Marshall has been suspended four games without pay and Suns center Jusuf Nurkić has been suspended three games without pay for their “involvement in an on-court altercation,” Joe Dumars, executive vice president, head of basketball operations announced on Saturday. Mavericks forward PJ Washington was also suspended one game without pay for “escalating the on-court altercation.” In the third quarter of Dallas’ 98-89 win over Phoenix at the Footprint Center, Nurkić committed an offensive foul which led to a scuffle between him and Marshall. The 30-year-old Nurkić swung his arm at Marshall which led to Marshall throwing a punch at Nurkić. As officials and players of both teams tried to de-escalate the situation, Washington pushed Nurkić to the floor. Nurkić, Marshall and Washington were all assessed technical fouls and ejected from the game. According to the league, the altercation did not end on the court. Marshall “attempted to further engage Nurkić in a hostile manner in the corridor outside the locker rooms.” Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer criticized Nurkić for his role in the situation. “I think that level of altercation is not good for our team,” Budenholzer said to reporters after the game. “It’s not good for anybody individually, it’s not good for our league. I don’t know all the details of what got it to that point.” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd had a different take on the altercation. “Protecting each other, that’s what that was. Teammates, emotions can get high,” Kidd said. “For our guys to protect one another, we talk about it, it was displayed tonight. It was good to see those guys protect each other. Now we move on, gotta get ready for Portland.” Marshall will begin serving his four-game suspension and Washington will serve his one-game suspension on Saturday when the Mavericks visit the Portland Trail Blazers. Nurkić will also begin serving his suspension Saturday when the Suns visit the Golden State Warriors.free download casino slots 。

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Themis Qi With US president-elect Donald Trump gearing to launch a fresh trade war, the mainland and Hong Kong should make changes more proactively and seek new opportunities in a multipolar world, Hong Kong leaders, scholars and economists say. The suggestions for growth were made at the 2024 China Macro Economy and Integration with the Greater Bay Area Forum organized by Sing Tao News Corporation (1105) in the city last Friday, which was attended by 500 government officials, business leaders and academics. Delivering a keynote speech, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said Hong Kong needs to transform itself by developing emerging industries including technology and healthcare while further strengthening its prowess in sectors such as financial services. Chan also said that the Northern Metropolis, which the government will work with the private sector to develop, will be the city's new collaboration base for technology and innovation with other cities from the Greater Bay Area. Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu highlighted the demand of emerging markets in a multipolar world, saying that Hong Kong can be an integrated service center to help global enterprises in financing, accounting and legal disputes, as the world's economy keeps growing. Commenting on Trump 2.0, Hui said: "As long as we do our best in Hong Kong 2.0, we are not afraid of any 2.0 or 3.0 form the outside." Sing Tao executive director and co-chief executive Cai Jin said Hong Kong, as the most international city in the GBA, needs to grasp the opportunities in the face of the ever-changing internal and external environment, and hoped the forum would help provide valuable insights to this end. Peking University vice president Wang Bo said careful thought must be given to ethics when accelerating the development and use of artificial intelligence. PKU Guanghua School of Management dean Liu Qiao pointed out that Sino-US rivalry is all about productivity, which is driven by the technology development, system reform and management improvements. He expects Trump's trade measures to be focused, but said China should still strengthen itself and should roll out more supportive policies in technology and innovation. As Beijing is set to make its 15th Five-Year Plan ending in 2030, Liu called on policymakers to think out of the box, pointing out that China is not a follower any more but an influencer, which means the country's industrial policy could impact the global economy. Moving on to the embattled property market, Liu proposed accelerating the conversion of commercial flats into subsidized homes which would free up about 30 percent more consumption power from people who would no longer be burdened by down payments and mortgages. Morgan Stanley chief China economist Robin Xing Ziqiang also forecast that more emphasis will be placed on consumption in the Central Economic Work Conference expected to kick off this Wednesday. He expects two major measures to be unveiled, including expanding the trade-in scheme to include more consumer goods such as smartphones, and more generous subsidies to childbearing families in a bid to stem the declining birth rate. Xing also called on China to roll out of more stimuli promptly instead of waiting for the National People's Congress in March, to maintain market confidence. If China wants to emerge out of deflation, Beijing may need to act more boldly with measures such as a 10 trillion yuan (HK$10.7 trillion) stimulus for social security and consumption, to help reduce living costs and boost prices, Xing told The Standard. China Construction Bank International managing director and head of macro research Cui Li said she is not too pessimistic about Trump's tariff threats, as any hikes in duties would impact US inflation while China's supply chain is flexible and cost-competitive. But in terms of technology, Cui said China has only one way to go: self-development. Within the GBA, Under Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Clement Woo Kin-man said the cities in the region must exploit the One Country Two Systems principle to make the market bigger, instead of worrying about internal competition. Ge Jun, the chief executive and co-chair of mainland enterprise resource-sharing platform operator Tojoy Holding, said Hong Kong holds the edge in its talent pool, which he thinks is vital in the high-quality development phase of the Belt and Road Initiative. The Airport Authority Hong Kong's commercial executive director Cissy Chan Ching-sze said Hong Kong aims to build an airport city to include shopping malls, an art ecosystem and a yacht bay to enrich the surroundings of the airport. Invest Hong Kong's global head of financial services, fintech and sustainability King Leung Hong-king highlighted that fund tokenization has been a huge market with the gains estimated to reach US$400 billion (HK$2.8 trillion) and he believed that associated innovation will help elevate Hong Kong's position as a top global market. Financial Services Development Council's director and head of policy research Rocky Tung Yat-ngok said Trump 2.0 will have an impact not only on Hong Kong but also other regions and nations, adding that the city should be well-prepared for the future to cement its role in global markets and grasp new opportunities.Why some brewing companies are producing more hop-forward ales and light-bodied lagers

Grindr director James Lu sells $20 million in stockHERENTALS, Belgium (AP) — Two-time Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel sustained multiple fractures, a dislocated collarbone and lung contusions when he crashed into a vehicle while training in Belgium on Tuesday. The 24-year-old Evenepoel broke his right shoulder blade, right hand and a rib, his Soudal Quick-Step team said. He was scheduled for surgery after further examinations revealed "contusions on both lungs and a luxation of the clavicle.” “The clavicle will be operated on this evening, which if successful, should allow Remco to leave hospital tomorrow,” the team said in an update Tuesday night. “There will then be a two-week period of immobilization required following this, after which a plan for his return to training can be made.” Evenepoel had been treated at a hospital in Anderlecht before being moved to a facility in Herentals. Belgian media reported Evenepoel was unable to avoid the door of a post office vehicle when it was swung open. He never lost consciousness, but the impact was heavy enough to break the frame of his bicycle. Photographs online showed Evenepoel sitting beside an ambulance, wrapped in a blanket and holding his arm. Evenepoel was the first cyclist to sweep the road race and time trial at an Olympic Games when he triumphed in both in Paris in August. A two-time world champion, Evenepoel also won the Spanish Vuelta in 2022 and finished third in the Tour de France this year. “He was lying on the ground for a while,” said Bart De Pelseneer, who has a butcher’s shop nearby. “It was clearly a heavy blow. The door of the postal car was also completely twisted. His bike was completely broken, they folded it up like a wheelchair. “When I went to look, he looked deathly pale. The emergency services gave him a Coke. His wife, Oumi, was here at about the same time as the emergency services.” AP cycling: https://apnews.com/hub/cycling

Former President Jimmy Carter has died at the age of 100. The 39th president of the United States was a Georgia peanut farmer who sought to restore trust in government when he assumed the presidency in 1977 and then built a reputation for tireless work as a humanitarian. He earned a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Carter died Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in Plains, Georgia. At age 52, Carter was sworn in as president on Jan. 20, 1977, after defeating President Gerald R. Ford in the 1976 general election. Carter left office on Jan. 20, 1981, following his 1980 general election loss to Ronald Reagan. Here's the latest: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer noted in a post on X the special contribution Carter made by brokering the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt and through his work with the Carter Center. “Motivated by his strong faith and values, President Carter redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad,” Starmer said. To commemorate Carter’s death, officials with the Empire State Building said in a post on social media that the iconic New York City landmark would be lit in red, white and blue on Sunday night, “to honor the life and legacy” of the late former president. In a statement issued Sunday, former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama said Carter’s beloved Maranatha Baptist Church “will be a little quieter on Sunday,s” but added that the late former president “will never be far away -- buried alongside Rosalynn next to a willow tree down the road, his memory calling all of us to heed our better angels.” Noting the “hundreds of tourists from around the world crammed into the pews” to see the former president teach Sunday school, as he did “for most of his adult life,” the Obamas listed Carter’s accomplishments as president. But they made special note of the Sunday school lessons, saying they were catalysts for people making a pilgrimage to the church. “Many people in that church on Sunday morning were there, at least in part, because of something more fundamental: President Carter’s decency.” The longest-lived American president died Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” The Carter Center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. Story continues below video In his 1975 book “Why Not The Best,” Carter said of himself: “I am a Southerner and an American, I am a farmer, an engineer, a father and husband, a Christian, a politician and former governor, a planner, a businessman, a nuclear physicist, a naval officer, a canoeist, and among other things a lover of Bob Dylan’s songs and Dylan Thomas’s poetry.” A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. After he left office and returned home to his tiny hometown of Plains in southwest Georgia, Carter regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world. Former Vice President Al Gore praised Jimmy Carter for living “a life full of purpose, commitment and kindness” and for being a “lifelong role model for the entire environmental movement.” Carter, who left the White House in 1981 after a landslide defeat to Ronald Reagan. concentrated on conflict resolution, defending democracy and fighting disease in the developing world. Gore, who lost the 2000 presidential election to George W. Bush, remains a leading advocate for action to fight climate change. Both won Nobel Peace Prizes. Gore said that “it is a testament to his unyielding determination to help build a more just and peaceful world” that Carter is often “remembered equally for the work he did as President as he is for his leadership over the 42 years after he left office.” During Gore’s time in the White House, President Bill Clinton had an uneasy relationship with Carter. But Gore said he is “grateful” for “many years of friendship and collaboration” with Carter. Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, remember Carter as a man who lived to serve others. “Hillary and I mourn the passing of President Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life. Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others — until the very end." The statement recalled Carter's many achievements and priorities, including efforts “to protect our natural resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, make energy conservation a national priority, return the Panama Canal to Panama, and secure peace between Egypt and Israel at Camp David." After he left office, the Clinton statement said, Carter continued efforts in "supporting honest elections, advancing peace, combating disease, and promoting democracy; to his and Rosalynn’s devotion and hard work at Habitat for Humanity — he worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world,” the statement said.

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