NEW YORK — A Giants locker room under Ben McAdoo, Pat Shurmur and Joe Judge never called out its coaches and players after a game the way Brian Daboll’s did on Sunday. Brian Burns was asked: Is the coaches’ message still getting through? “Um,” he said. Then he paused for a few seconds. “I would like to think that,” Burns said. “The reason I say I would like to think that is because everybody has the right answers, but it’s not showing up where it needs to show up.” Maybe the players are venting louder than ever because the locker room has never been provoked this directly by management. GM Joe Schoen might have let both the NFL MVP and Defensive Player of the Year leave the Giants in the same offseason for nothing. As Burns, Malik Nabers, Dexter Lawrence and other Giants players struggled to contain their frustrations, former Giants teammate Xavier McKinney was moving into the Defensive Player of the Year conversation with his seventh interception to tie for the league lead. The Giants defense as a whole has just one. McKinney’s Green Bay Packers are now 8-3. Hours later, former Giants teammate Saquon Barkley charged ahead as the NFL MVP frontrunner with 255 rushing yards, 302 total yards and two touchdowns of 70 and 72 yards, respectively. Barkley credited his “fresh start” with the 9-2 Eagles for his resurgence after the game. “I’ve never seen a running back like Saquon Barkley,” Rams pass rusher Jared Verse said. Barkley’s talent isn’t just what’s missing with the Giants, though. As wide receiver Darius Slayton told the New York Daily News this week, Barkley’s role with the Giants was “bigger than football.” Three-time Super Bowl champion Tedy Bruschi took it step further Sunday morning on ESPN when describing the Giants’ decision to sign Daniel Jones and let Barkley walk. “Schoen chose quarterback over culture, because Saquon was the culture,” Bruschi said. “He even let McKinney go. I think Schoen is fractured from this locker room. He doesn’t know what’s going on in there, because how could you not know how important this player was to not only your team but to your culture?” Three-time Pro Bowler Alex Smith said on ESPN that “there’s a lot of dysfunction on the personnel side, and Saquon’s obviously highlighting it. “If it’s not tanking, it’s incompetency,” he said. “You can’t identify and develop talent, and there’s a real problem there.” The loss of culture and leadership doesn’t stop at Barkley and McKinney. Jones was a key leader, taking teammates out to weekly dinners and setting an example with his work ethic. Seahawks safety Julian Love and defensive lineman Leonard Williams were tied directly to the leadership and fabric and camaraderie of the locker room, too. Now, Dexter Lawrence is rocking himself back and forth on the sidelines as the leader of this team, trying not to blow a gasket again. The Jones shut down due to a salary cap penalty in 2025 for injury sent a destructive message, and the players are responding in turn. “You don’t want us to win, and that’s what you think if you’re in that locker room right now,” Bruschi said. “This is a tank job, I would be thinking if I was in that locker room — that you don’t care to put the best players on the field because it’s too much money for you. “So now, how do we feel in the locker room?” Bruschi said. “I’m just gonna do my job, try to stay healthy, do the best I can to survive this season, and we’ll see what happens if this is even our coach next year.” How fed up is Burns with results like Sunday’s 30-7 embarrassment? “I’m gettin’ there,” he said. More like the Giants’ players are already there. ©2024 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
President issues pardon for son Hunter WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter, sparing the younger Biden a possible prison sentence for federal felony gun and tax convictions and reversing his past promises not to use the powers of the presidency for the benefit of his family. The Democratic president previously said he would not pardon his son or commute his sentence after convictions in the two cases in Delaware and California. The move last Sunday night comes weeks before Hunter Biden was to be sentenced. In a statement released Sunday evening, Biden said, “I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice.” LEADERSHIP VOTE: Senate Democrats reelected Chuck Schumer as party leader on Tuesday. Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin was also reelected to the No. 2 spot and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar became the new No. 3. People are also reading... Paige Hubl, former Nebraska volleyball player and Lincoln Southeast coach, dies at age 34 Man found dead in north Lincoln, police say Lincoln Southwest vs. East boys basketball game briefly suspended due to 'unsafe environment' 'It could be very special': Why signs point to strong match between Nebraska, Pinstripe Bowl Andi's Ascent: She didn't want to play volleyball. Now Andi Jackson is the sport's next best thing Wisconsin officer grabbing Donovan Raiola's arm a 'misunderstanding,' UW police say 'Straight up theft': Lincoln craft fair organizer under fire after canceling event Nebraska defensive lineman announces he’ll return for 2025 season Tony White leaves Nebraska for Florida State defensive coordinator job 140 layoffs hit Lincoln immigration services center; more likely Taco restaurant started by brothers in Grand Island expands to Lincoln Lincoln Public Schools chief Gausman announces plans to retire Matt Rhule, Luke Fickell both downplay postgame encounter between Fickell, Donovan Raiola 'Not what we want to do': Nebraska's Matt Rhule talks pregame handshake snub with Iowa Nebraska volleyball aces first test, sweeps Florida A&M in first round of NCAA Tournament MEMPHIS PD: The Memphis Police Department uses excessive force and discriminates against Black people, according to a U.S. Department of Justice investigation report released Wednesday. The inquiry was launched after the police beating death of Tyre Nichols in 2023. CEO KILLED: A gunman killed UnitedHealthcare’s CEO, 50-year-old Brian Thompson, on Wednesday morning in a “brazen, targeted attack” outside a Manhattan hotel where the health insurer was holding its investor conference, police said, setting off a massive search for the assailant. Trump’s lawyers: Toss hush money conviction NEW YORK — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction, arguing that continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.” In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that anything short of immediate dismissal would undermine the transition of power, as well as the “overwhelming national mandate” granted to Trump by voters last month. BOEING RULING: U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor rejected a deal Thursday that would have allowed Boeing to plead guilty to a felony conspiracy charge and pay a fine for misleading U.S. regulators about the 737 Max jetliner before two of the planes crashed, killing 346 people. TRANSGENDER HEALTH: The Supreme Court on Wednesday appeared likely to uphold Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The justices’ decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts to regulate the lives of transgender people. EMPLOYMENT: The Labor Department reported Tuesday that the number of job postings in the United States for October rose 5% to 7.7 million from 7.4 million in September. The increase suggests that job gains could pick up in the coming months. Still, the latest figure is down significantly from 8.7 million job postings a year ago. — Associated Press 3.09M Travelers screened by the Transportation Security Administration last Sunday, breaking the previous record by about 74,000 as the holiday weekend drew to a close. Here in California, we’re not going to spend our time, our money or our resources going backward. Immigrants are the backbone of our nation. Immigrants make America great.” — Rob Bonta, California attorney general, who said Wednesday he was preparing to protect immigrants from President-elect Donald Trump’s mass deportation plans. TAYLOR SWIFT: After more than 150 shows across five continents over nearly two years, the global phenomenon that is Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour will come to an end Sunday in Vancouver, Canada. The 31⁄2-hour concert, showcasing 44 songs representing 10 “eras” of her career, kicked off in March 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. By the end of 2023, it became the first concert tour to gross over $1 billion and saw hundreds of millions of dollars spent on merchandise. EMINEM: Debbie Nelson, the single mother of Detroit rapper Eminem whose rocky relationship with her son was known widely through his hit song lyrics, died Monday. She was 69. No cause of death was given, although Nelson had battled lung cancer. BRAIN ROT: Many of us have felt it, and now it’s official: “Brain rot” is the Oxford dictionaries’ word of the year. Oxford University Press said Monday that the phrase “gained new prominence in 2024,” with its frequency of use increasing 230% from the year before. ELTON JOHN: Elton John says he struggled to watch his new musical because he has lost his eyesight after contracting an infection. The 77-year-old singer-songwriter attended the opening night of “The Devil Wears Prada” in London last Sunday and told the audience about the condition. John wrote the score for the stage musical based on the 2006 movie about a young journalist navigating the glamour and egos of a glossy fashion magazine. MAJOR WINTER STORM POUNDS GREAT LAKES REGION
CHANGSHA, China , Dec. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Modern China's rural revitalization strategy is crafting a remarkable narrative of transformation across the countryside, while progressive opening-up policies encourage foreign visitors to delve deeper into the nation's heartland. On December 26th , VOC.com.cn premiered the second season of its acclaimed series, I Am in Rural China. The show follows Teona Kvartskhava, an international guest, as she explores the villages of Hunan Province , offering viewers a firsthand look at the dynamic implementation of comprehensive rural revitalization. This captivating series invites a global audience to witness the dawn of a new era in China's rural landscapes, showcasing the country's evolving countryside to viewers worldwide. Rice field came as the first surprise. Hunan is the largest rice grower and producer in China . Hunan provides the high-quality and tasty rice. Teona Kvartskhava, a foreigner hardly feeding on rice, was tempted to have plenty of it. In Qunle Village, Lixian County, Changde, she also experienced "Double Rush", which is a time-honored agricultural event in China . An event that used to call for the joint efforts of all family members, has now become much easier thanks to technology. Departing from Lixian County for the moment, Teona Kvartskhava embarked on an exciting trip of tastes in Rucheng, Chenzhou , Southern Hunan . Hunan people are keen and expert on peppery food and spicy taste dominates the Hunan cuisine. Hunan is also rich in varieties of peppers. Jingpo town, a well-known town where spicy food prevails. It is a producer of red cluster pepper, officially one of the hottest peppers in China . From the crowded market, to the red and yellow pepper planting base, and then to the modern processing pepper workshop, the small cluster pepper strung up all corners of the town, so that the original ordinary mountain town has become extraordinarily lively and affluent. Of course, the "star" of the countryside here is not only agriculture, but also culture, which has also blossomed in this ancient land. As the birthplace of papermaking, China has preserved a unique handmade papermaking technique, which is used to make some "special" papers. In Shanghong Village, Liuyang, Teona Kvartskhava was lucky to meet two Chinese masters, who showed her hands-on experiences of "Gushan Tribute Paper" and "Floral Paper". As the process progresses, the paper took shape in her hands, as if history and culture were meeting in front of her eyes, and became the "first paper" in Teona Kvartskhava's life. So,What's rural China like? It's about hospitable peasants, about various agricultural produce, about profound history and culture, about colorful intangible cultural heritage. It's like a book telling numerous absorbing stories. Hopefully Teona Kvartskhava'll be luckier to visit more villages for their unique interest and charm. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/my-date-with-rural-chinavoccomcn-unveils-season-two-of-i-am-in-rural-china-302339884.html SOURCE voc.com.cnTrump offers support for dockworkers union by saying ports shouldn't install more automated systems
, /PRNewswire/ -- NexPoint Real Estate Opportunities, LLC (together with its affiliates "NexPoint") today issued a statement regarding the "adjournment" of the United Development Funding IV ("UDF IV" or the "Company") Annual Meeting of Shareholders ("Annual Meeting") due to a lack of quorum and the Company's statement that it will not reconvene the Meeting. NexPoint provided the following comment: "We are deeply alarmed by UDF IV's announcement that it will not reconvene the Annual Meeting after failing to meet the quorum threshold. This decision exemplifies UDF IV's governance failures and unwillingness to engage with shareholders. This outcome also raises serious concerns about the current Board's ability to protect shareholder interests in the context of the proposed acquisition by Ready Capital (NYSE: RC). UDF IV's decision appears predicated on the assumption that the Ready Capital deal will close before the next Annual Meeting, suggesting they may seek to avoid holding its first contested annual meeting and Trustee election in nine years. "We call on UDF IV to reconvene the Annual Meeting in accordance with the Company's bylaws within 120 days after the record date, but only after providing shareholders with the disclosures necessary to assess the proposed transaction, including previously omitted disclosure schedules, recent financials, the proxy statement and many other material details. We also call on UDF IV to obtain a non-objecting beneficial owners (NOBO) list to ensure greater shareholder oversight and engagement." As stated, NexPoint declined to appear at the Annual Meeting due to concerns over the Company's last-minute announcement of the proposed Ready Capital merger, which appeared to be an attempt to sway the Annual Meeting's outcome without providing shareholders the necessary information to evaluate the proposed transaction. NexPoint would support the acquisition if full disclosure is presented, including current financials, and the transaction terms are fair. Independent proxy advisory firm Glass Lewis shares NexPoint's concerns about UDF IV's disclosure deficiencies and the Ready Capital deal: "While we understand a transaction of this nature could be viewed as something of a panacea for investors dissatisfied with the Trust's longstanding lack of liquidity and poor corporate governance, we believe shareholders have ample cause to question the timing of the transaction, the absence of key disclosures and, most fundamentally, the board's ability to credibly negotiate and secure a transformative transaction of this nature. That such an agreement would be executed less than two weeks prior to the Trust's first substantive election of directors in nearly ten years is more alarming still, and, in our view, further stokes concern about the board's true commitment to good governance and shareholder feedback." NexPoint believes the Annual Meeting vote was a dead heat – certainly much closer than reported by UDF IV – demonstrating significant shareholder dissatisfaction with UDF IV's leadership. The Company exploited the purpose of the Annual Meeting and positioned it as a referendum on the merger to sway votes, which indeed caused some shareholders to change their vote in favor of the Company just days before the election. Glass Lewis states: "With the first meaningful board referendum in nearly a decade on the near-term docket — in this instance, seemingly only as a result of legal action in by NexPoint — UDF has notionally elevated the stakes by announcing a prospective acquisition of the Trust by Ready Capital in a partially contingent cash, stock and CVR transaction executed just eight days prior to the forthcoming AGM." UDF IV has actively suppressed shareholder engagement, refusing any constructive dialogue with NexPoint. To avoid accountability, the Company first spent significant shareholder funds to prevent this meeting from occurring. Then, once a court ordered it to hold this meeting, it took no steps to obtain the NOBO list representing approximately 24 million of UDF IV's 30 million shares, which would have enabled them to advise those shareholders directly about the first election of independent trustees in nine years. They later fought NexPoint's efforts to obtain such a list, but spent significant shareholder funds on high-priced attorneys and public relations firms to advance their agenda. NexPoint now calls on UDF IV to disclose the costs borne by shareholders related to the Annual Meeting (and efforts to avoid it) the Company now suggests it may never hold. Shareholders are entitled to information from UDF IV to make their own decisions about the current Trustees and the proposed merger and deserve the opportunity to hold the Trustees accountable for years of value erosion and lost trust in favor of NexPoint's independent nominees. We encourage UDF IV shareholders to contact the Company to demand they reconvene the shareholder meeting, publish information on the merger, then meaningfully engage with NexPoint and other shareholders to answer their questions. NexPoint Real Estate Opportunities, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of NexPoint Diversified Real Estate Trust, Inc. (NYSE: NXDT), an affiliate of NexPoint Advisors, L.P. NexPoint Advisors, L.P. is an SEC-registered adviser on the NexPoint alternative investment platform. It serves as the adviser to a suite of funds and investment vehicles, including a closed-end fund, interval fund, business development company, and various real estate vehicles. For more information visit NexPoint Real Estate Opportunities, LLC ("NexPoint") has delivered a proxy statement with respect to its solicitation of proxies for nominees to be elected to the United Development Funding IV ("UDF IV") Board of Trustees at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of UDF IV. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE NEXPOINT PROXY STATEMENT (INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) IN ITS ENTIRETY. Copies of the documents are available free of charge from NexPoint by accessing the website . NexPoint, its affiliates, their directors and executive officers and other members of management and employees may be participants (collectively "Participants") in the solicitation of proxies by NexPoint. Information about NexPoint's nominees to the UDF IV Board of Trustees and information regarding the direct or indirect interests in UDF IV, by security holdings or otherwise, of NexPoint, the other Participants and NexPoint's nominees will be available in the proxy statement. NexPoint's disclosure of any security holdings will be based on information made available to NexPoint by such Participants and nominees. UDF IV is no longer subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Consequently, NexPoint's knowledge of significant security holders of UDF IV and as to UDF IV itself is limited. NexPoint has neither sought nor obtained consent from any third party to use previously published information in this press release, including any quotes used in this press release. / / (Okapi Partners): Email: Phone: (212) 297-0720 Website: Email: (NexPoint): / (Reevemark): : View original content: SOURCE NexPoint Advisors, L.P.
Political turmoil shakes South Korea's economy
I’ve long been a fan of journalist-turned-TV-producer Charlie Brooker. For those not in the know, he’s the man behind the phenomenally successful Black Mirror — he’s also indirectly responsible for Philomena Cunk. Don’t know who this is? You do. She’s that hilarious “documentarian” whose satirical special, Cunk On Earth, popped up seemingly out of nowhere last year on Netflix, confounding audiences — and several members of my family — in the process. Who was this strange, clueless woman? Was she a real person? Where had she come from? I had to know. Because although she’d apparently been a mainstay on British TV for several years, she hadn’t crossed my radar, and I was intrigued. My research told me Cunk is, in fact, the comic creation of British actor and comedian Diane Morgan, who introduced audiences to her deadpan documentarian character via Brooker’s comedy news program, Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe, which ran from 2013-2020. She’s back again this week, with a new special which follows her as she “confounds philosophers and academics in her quest to understand the meaning of life” — and excuse me, but yes please! Apparently she’ll be weighing in on all the big philosophical questions, seeking to better understand subjects as varied as quantum physics, existentialism, nihilism, hedonism “and at least four other isms”. This sounds utterly hilarious. And as if that isn’t exciting enough, I’ve just read Brooker created and wrote the special, with additional writing from Morgan and a host of other incredible writers. STILL not convinced? Give her name a quick google, or a search on social media — hilarious snippets regularly do the rounds, and you won’t be disappointed. Cannot WAIT for this one. Mitch McTaggart’s annual take-down of Aussie TV is the absolute highlight of my year. He’s back again this year, shining a light on all the absurdities of local television — it’s set to be triggering as all get-out for this little professional TV watcher. Mitch is pretty much the only other person I can think of that’s watched the same amount of truly questionable content as I have, and the fact he has the time (and the inclination) to skewer it for the rest of you is truly a community service. Mitch, once again, I salute you! This has New Year’s Day binge written all over it. It’s about a detective (played by Rosalind Eleazar, who I love) whose fiance disappeared 11 years ago. She suddenly sees his face “and her whole world explodes all over again” as she dives back into the mystery of what actually happened. Travis Fimmel returns as kooky detective Cormack, who this time is dispatched to a small country town to re-investigate the historical disappearance of a young woman on her 21st birthday. Love the dark, brooding feel of this. This sweet show is back for a second series — and not soon enough! Most of what I know about gardening (admittedly not a great deal) has been gleaned from watching this with my son. Stoked it’s back to give me more ideas.