
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas won the Big 12 title in 2023 on its way out the door to the Southeastern Conference. It was still swinging open when Arizona State waltzed in and won the league title in its debut season. And now the old Big 12 champs meet the new Big 12 champs on the path toward a potential national title. The fifth-seeded Longhorns and fourth-seeded Sun Devils play News Years Day in the Peach Bowl in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff . Both had their doubters they could get here. Texas (12-2) still had to prove is was “ready” for the SEC. Arizona State (11-2) was picked to finish last in the Big 12. But the Sun Devils quickly started winning and having fun in some new road environments in college towns smaller than some of their stops in the more cosmopolitan old Pac-12. All-American running back Cam Skattebo led the barnstorming tour. “We were not used to getting tortillas thrown at us at Texas Tech. You're not used to some of these environments," Sun Devils coach Kenny Dillingham said Monday. “When you're in the Pac-12, you're playing in Seattle, you're playing in L.A., you're playing in Salt Lake City. We got to face a lot more small college town football with really, really great environments. ... It was definitely fun to join a new league," Dillingham said. And Dillingham laid down some Texas roots. The Sun Devils are recruiting Texas players out of high school, and the current roster has six transfers who started their college careers in burnt orange in Austin. “The guys we’ve gotten from Texas and coach (Steve Sarkisian's) program have been unbelievable,” Dillingham said. “We know what we’re getting when we’re getting a guy from that program, and that’s a guy who has worked really hard, competed and been pushed. Those are the things that we like to bring in.” Safety Xavion Alford was named All-Big 12 . Defensive end Prince Dorbah is another Sun Devils starter. Defensive lineman Zac Swanson, who has two sacks this season, is another former Longhorn who said he relished a chance to beat his former team. Recruited by Texas out of Phoenix, Swanson was a reserve in 2022 and 2023 behind future NFL draft picks T'Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy. “That's a team who kicked me out and said I'd never I was never going to be good enough to play there,” Swanson said last week. “That's something that has been on my agenda for a while.” Dillingham joked he'd like to get more Texas transfers this week. Sarkisian simply noted that he wished he'd signed Skattebo, a Californian who transferred from Sacramento State after the 2022 season. “I was unaware, so kudos to them. They found him, he's a heckuva player,” said Sarkisian, who also is a California native. Sarkisian said he was impressed by the Sun Devil's first-year success in the Big 12. “We were in that Big 12, what, for 27 years? We won four. This is their first year in and they won a Big 12 Championship. It’s a really hard thing to do,” Sarkisian said. “They’re playing with a ton of confidence right now. The last two months, I think they’re playing as good a football as anybody in the country.” Despite wining that last Big 12 title and a playoff appearance in 2023, Texas still faced skeptics that the Longhorns would take their lumps in the SEC this year. Texas was more than ready for the league and the Longhorns made it to the SEC championship game. Their only two losses have been to Georgia, the No. 2 seed in the playoff. Sarkisian still remembers his 5-7 Texas debut in 2021. The program wasn't ready for the SEC and the playoff back then, but it certainly is now. Texas is the only one of last year's four playoff teams to make the expanded 12-team field this year. “There’s a lot to be proud of, but mostly I’m proud of our veterans, our leaders, our seniors, because those guys went from 5-7 in year one, they went through 8-5 in year two, and they didn’t jump ship. They hung in there with us. They believed in what they were doing,” Sarkisian said. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey gambling regulators have handed out $40,000 in fines to two sportsbooks and a tech company for violations that included taking bets on unauthorized events, and on games that had already ended. In information made public Monday, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement fined DraftKings $20,000. It also levied $10,000 fines on Rush Street Interactive NJ and the sports betting technology company Kambi. According to documents released by the state, Rush Street accepted 16 bets worth $1,523 in Nov. 2021 on a college basketball game between the University of North Carolina-Asheville and Tennessee Tech University after the game had already concluded with a UNC victory. Kambi told the enforcement division that a trader had failed to manually remove that game from its betting markets, saying it had stopped receiving messages from its own sports data provider due to a network connectivity error. Kambi said it has updated its guidelines and retrained its traders to prevent a recurrence. Kambi, which is based in Malta, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Monday. Rush Street declined comment, and DraftKings had no immediate comment Monday. DraftKings stopped using Kambi in 2021. In March 2022 Rush Street took seven bets totaling just under $2,900 on three Magic City Jai Alai games after the results were already known. Kambi told the division it experienced a connectivity issue that allowed the bets to be accepted after the games were over. An explanation of what Kambi did to address the situation was blacked out in documents released by the division. A month earlier Rush Street took 13 wagers worth $8,150 with pre-match odds on a Professional Golf Association match after the event had already begun. In this case, Kambi told the division a newly hired trader failed to enter the correct closing time time for bets on the event. The trader and a supervisor underwent retraining. DraftKings was fined for taking bets on unapproved events including Russian basketball for nine months in 2020 and 2021. It eventually voided over $61,000 in bets and returned the money to customers after being directed to do so by the state. In this case, Kambi told the division it misidentified this particular Russian basketball league as one that was approved for wagering in New Jersey. DraftKings told the state it did not catch the error, either. In 2020, DraftKings accepted 484 wagers on unapproved table tennis matches. Kambi incorrectly enabled the events for wagering without conditions required by the state, the division said. In Feb. 2022, the division said DraftKings took pre-season NFL bets involving specific players but did not give the state specific information on what information was to be included in the bets, drawing 182 wagers worth nearly $7,000 that were later voided and refunded to customers. Follow Wayne Parry on X at www.twitter.com/WayneParryACMaharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is already facing pressure from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) to sack his food and civil supplies minister Dhananjay Munde of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, accused of shielding the killer of a village official in Beed district, is now in a spot after even BJP MLAs attacked Munde openly. This led to Fadnavis’s confidant and Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule stepping in and expressing his displeasure over remarks made by BJP MLA Suresh Dhas in public, targeting NCP minister Dhananjay Munde, in connection with the murder of Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. Dhas has been criticising Munde indirectly alleging that Valmik Karad, the main accused in the murder case has been evading arrest due to his links with food and civil supplies minister Dhananjay Munde, who assumed charge of his post very recently. Advertisement “I will ask Suresh Dhas to share any information he possesses directly with the Chief Minister rather than going public. I will tell him not to make any comments which will hamper the (murder) probe,” Bawankule told reporters in Shirdi. Advertisement However, Bawankule’s efforts failed when BJP MLA Abhimanyu Pawar, who was previously an aide to CM Fadnavis before becoming a BJP MLA from Ausa, publicly stated on Saturday that the pain caused by the murder of Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh has been felt throughout Maharashtra, as evidenced by a protest march organised in Beed district against the murder. The silent march, held in Beed to protest the murder of Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, was attended by politicians across party lines. BJP MLA Suresh Dhas, Sharad Pawar-led NCP MP Bajrang Sonawane, Sharad Pawar-led NCP MLA Sandeep Kshirsagar, Ajit Pawar-led NCP MLA Prakash Solanke, Sharad Pawar NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad, and BJP MLA Abhimanyu Pawar participated in the march. All the political leaders present demanded the arrest of the main accused at the earliest. Despite Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule’s statement in Shirdi earlier, BJP MLA Suresh Dhas alleged at the protest march on Saturday that Valmik Karad, who is considered close to food and civil supplies minister Dhanajay Munde, has been “terrorising the district and is working to extort ransom to deliver it to his boss”. BJP MLA Abhimanyu Pawar also attacked food and civil supplies minister Munde, saying, “Similar protest marches will be held across Maharashtra against the murder of Santosh Deshmukh. The culprits should be given the death penalty. Be it Valmik Karad or anyone else, no matter how big the accused is, he should be punished. The government should take note of this march,” BJP MLA Abhimanyu Pawar said. Sharad Pawar-led NCP MLA Sandeep Kshirsagar said that the main accused, Valmik Karad, considered close to food and civil supplies minister Dhananjay Munde, must be arrested. “Dhananjay Munde must resign until the investigation is over,” Kshirsagar said at the protest. Significantly, Prakash Solanke, who is from food and civil supplies minister Dhananjay Munde’s own Ajit Pawar-led NCP, also demanded that Munde must be removed from his ministerial post until the Santosh Deshmukh case is solved and the culprits are arrested. Advertisement
Travelling often brings the joy of exploration, but it can also come with the challenge of finding convenient, nutritious, and delicious snacks. For those who can't imagine a journey without some tasty treats, the humble thepla is a game-changer. This traditional Indian flatbread, made primarily from whole wheat flour, spices, and various vegetables, is not only flavorful but can also last for several days, making it an ideal travel snack. Whether you're embarking on a long road trip, a hiking adventure, or a flight across time zones, theplas can be the perfect travel companion. Also read: Give A Healthy Spin To Gujarati Thepla By Adding Lauki To It; Find Easy Recipe Of Lauki Thepla Here What Makes Theplas Ideal for Travel? Theplas are known for their remarkable shelf life, which makes them a top choice for travel snacks . Unlike soft breads or delicate pastries, thepla dough contains ingredients that help retain moisture without causing the bread to spoil quickly. When made correctly, theplas can stay fresh for up to a week, especially if stored in an airtight container. The key ingredients in thepla include whole wheat flour, yoghurt, oil or ghee, spices like turmeric, cumin, and coriander, and often vegetables such as fenugreek leaves (methi), spinach, or carrot. This combination not only enhances the flavour but also adds a level of nutrition that makes thepla a satisfying and energizing snack on the go. How To Make Theplas In Bulk For Travel Making theplas at home is straightforward and requires minimal ingredients. Here's a simple recipe that will yield soft, flavorful theplas perfect for travel: Ingredients: Instructions: Also Read: 5 Foods To Avoid Eating Before You Board A Flight Tips for Long-Lasting Theplas Also Read: Enjoy Your Vacation to the Fullest: 7 Foods to Avoid While Traveling Why Theplas Are Perfect for Travel Theplas are portable, nutritious, and easy to pack. They provide a good balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fibre, ensuring you stay energized during your travels. Unlike many other snacks that require refrigeration or can become soggy or stale quickly, thepla's sturdy texture makes it a reliable snack for long trips. Additionally, the combination of spices can help with digestion, which is especially helpful if you're consuming them during long flights or road journeys. Next time you plan a trip, skip the usual processed snacks and bring along homemade theplas. Whether eaten plain or paired with a side of yoghurt, pickle, or chutney, thepla is sure to make your travel experience more flavorful and satisfying.WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said her agency will need to start taking “extraordinary measures,” or special accounting maneuvers intended to prevent the nation from hitting the debt ceiling , as early as January 14, in a letter sent to congressional leaders Friday afternoon. "Treasury expects to hit the statutory debt ceiling between January 14 and January 23," she wrote in a letter addressed to House and Senate leadership, at which point extraordinary measures would be used to prevent the government from breaching the nation's debt ceiling — which was suspended until Jan. 1, 2025. The department in the past deployed what are known as “extraordinary measures” or accounting maneuvers to keep the government operating. Once those measures run out, the government risks defaulting on its debt unless lawmakers and the president agree to lift the limit on the U.S. government’s ability to borrow. People are also reading... "I respectfully urge Congress to act to protect the full faith and credit of the United States," Yellen said. The news came after Democratic President Joe Biden signed a bill into law last week that averted a government shutdown but did not include Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s core debt demand to raise or suspend the nation’s debt limit. Congress approved the bill only after a fierce internal debate among Republicans over how to handle Trump's demand. “Anything else is a betrayal of our country,” Trump said in a statement. After a protracted debate in the summer of 2023 over how to fund the government, policymakers crafted the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which included suspending the nation's $31.4 trillion borrowing authority until Jan. 1, 2025. Notably however, Yellen said, on Jan. 2 the debt is projected to temporarily decrease due to a scheduled redemption of nonmarketable securities held by a federal trust fund associated with Medicare payments. As a result, “Treasury does not expect that it will be necessary to start taking extraordinary measures on January 2 to prevent the United States from defaulting on its obligations," she said. The federal debt stands at about $36 trillion — after ballooning across both Republican and Democratic administrations. The spike in inflation after the COVID-19 pandemic pushed up government borrowing costs such that debt service next year will exceed spending on national security. Republicans, who will have full control of the White House, House and Senate in the new year, have big plans to extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts and other priorities but are debating over how to pay for them. How many credit cards do you have? US consumers now carry fewer than 4 credit cards on average Many consumers may remember receiving their first credit card, either years ago in a plain envelope, or months ago from a smartphone app. Still other consumers may remember their newest card, maybe because it's the credit card they're now using exclusively to maximize cash back rewards or airline miles. But for most consumers, there's also a murky in-between where they add, drop and generally accumulate credit cards over time. Over the years, consumers may close some credit card accounts or leave some of their credit cards dormant as a backup form of payment, or perhaps left forgotten in a desk drawer. In the data below, Experian reveals the changes in consumers wallets in recent years. Average Number of Cards Has Declined Since 2017 U.S. consumers, on average, carry fewer cards today than they did in 2017, when the typical wallet held 4.2 active credit cards. As of the third quarter (Q3) of 2023, consumers carried 3.9 cards on average. This average is up slightly since the early days of the pandemic, when consumers reduced their average credit card debt and number of accounts as the economy slowed. Number of Credit Cards Carried Drops Throughout the Years As Experian revealed earlier this year, credit card balances are still climbing, despite (and partially because of) higher interest rates. And while average balances are increasing, they are spread across fewer accounts than in recent years. Alternative financing—including buy now, pay later plans for purchases—may account for at least some of this discrepancy, as consumers gravitate toward these newer financing methods. Residents of More Populous States Have More Credit Cards on Average In general, residents of higher-population states tend to carry more credit cards than those who live in states with fewer and smaller population centers. Nonetheless, the difference between the states is relatively small. Considering that the national average is around four credit cards per consumer, the four states with the fewest cards per consumer (Alaska, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming) aren't appreciably different, with "only" about 3.3 credit cards per consumer. Average Number of Credit Cards Per Consumer is Similar Across the U.S. Similarly, the four states on the higher end of the scale where consumers have 4.2 or more credit cards are Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, New Jersey and Rhode Island. Older Consumers Have More Active Credit Cards on Average The disparity in average credit card counts is more apparent when the population is segmented by age, thanks in part to Generation Z, many of whom have yet to receive their first credit card. The average number of credit cards for these consumers was two, less than half of what older generations keep on hand. Number of Cards Carried Increases Into Middle Age The average number of credit cards held by each generation follows the familiar pattern seen in credit card balances, which tend to increase in a consumer's middle age. It's not surprising that the number of credit card accounts follows a similar climb throughout young adulthood and middle age, then drops off in the retirement years. How Many Credit Cards Is Too Many? No matter how many credit cards you may have at the moment, keep in mind that the number of accounts has little if any bearing on one's FICO Score. Far more important is how consumers manage those accounts. This is easily demonstrable by quickly stepping through some of the factors that affect your credit scores . Longer credit histories do tend to have a positive effect on a consumer's credit score, but it's not something you can rush. Adhering to on-time payments and managing amounts owed will go far in improving credit scores, even absent a lengthy credit history. While accounts closed in good standing remain on your credit report for 10 years, canceling your oldest credit card account still has the potential to shorten your credit history when it is eventually removed. The impact of its removal depends on any other active credit cards in your credit file. The Bottom Line Ultimately, the number of cards a particular individual carries is a personal decision. Justifications can be found for carrying a travel rewards card, a cash back card, a balance transfer card, a card for business transactions and other types of credit cards that other consumers may not have either the need or qualifications for. However, keeping track of numerous credit cards, whether or not a consumer is actively using all of them, can be a mentally taxing exercise. Not only that, credit card fees can add up and dull the benefit of carrying several credit cards. Organized consumers can benefit greatly from a wallet full of specialized cards, but for those seeking a more zen-like financial future, some judicial pruning may be in order. Methodology: The analysis results provided are based on an Experian-created statistically relevant aggregate sampling of our consumer credit database that may include use of the FICO Score 8 version. Different sampling parameters may generate different findings compared with other similar analysis. Analyzed credit data did not contain personal identification information. Metro areas group counties and cities into specific geographic areas for population censuses and compilations of related statistical data. This story was produced by Experian and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.