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In this podcast, Motley Fool analyst Asit Sharma and host Ricky Mulvey discuss: Microstrategy 's entrance into the Nasdaq-100 . How Apple is trying to kick-start growth. A burgeoning competitor to Uber and Lyft . Then, Motley Fool analyst Anthony Schiavone joins host Mary Long for a look at UPS and its frenemy relationship with Amazon . Sign up for Breakfast News, The Motley Fool's free daily market email newsletter: www.fool.com/breakfastnews To catch full episodes of all The Motley Fool's free podcasts, check out our podcast center . To get started investing, check out our beginner's guide to investing in stocks . A full transcript follows the video. This video was recorded on Dec. 16, 2024. Ricky Mulvey: What's it going to take for you to buy a new iPhone? You're listening to Motley Fool Money. I'm Ricky Mulvey, joined today by someone who has a salesperson texting him to purchase a brooch. Really enjoy our pre recordings before the recordings. It's Asit Sharma. Thanks for being here, man. Asit Sharma: Ricky, it's so much fun to be here and to take my mind otherwise off of Monday morning. Ricky Mulvey: We got a lot to talk to, Asit. Asit Sharma: I'm paying attention. Ricky Mulvey: First up, welcome to the NASDAQ 100 to MicroStrategy. The former enterprise software company turned Bitcoin holding company has gained mainstream acceptance by the Index. This is something that a lot of investors thought this company was going to blow up. Myself included thought that there was a lot of risk in terms of putting the amount of Bitcoin this company put onto its balance sheet, and now it is in the mainstream NASDAQ. Asit, help me make sense of this news. What do you make of this holding company being added to the Index? Asit Sharma: Well, I look over at the S&P 500 , Ricky, and they do have at least one miner. I think still in the index one gold miner. That's a proxy for the price and value of gold. If you use that logic over here on the NASDAQ side, maybe it makes some sense. Now, technically, the NASDAQ 100 is supposed to focus on non financial instruments, and MicroStrategy gets a little bit of a pass because it actually has a small operating business within it. But this is actually adding a financial company to the NASDAQ 100. It is a company, though, that has garnered a lot of attention as that proxy for the value of Bitcoin. You could say, look, overall, this is about technology, how technology changes. I have mixed feelings. Ricky Mulvey: Here's what I don't understand. You analyze stocks for a living, so we're going to lean on that expertise here. According to Bloomberg, MicroStrategy owns about $45 billion worth of Bitcoin. This company's market cap is $100 billion. I know the enterprise software business is not a $55 billion company. Asit, help me make sense of that premium. What's going on there? Asit Sharma: No one has told some investors that they can actually buy Bitcoin on regulated exchanges. Ricky Mulvey: Next question. Asit Sharma: I don't mean to be so sarcastic here. Let me give you a fair shot at that answer. Ricky Mulvey: Asit, you can be whatever you want, as long as you're Asit. Thank you for being on today's show. Asit Sharma: My second grade teacher told me that, and it was so inspiring. I really appreciate you reminding me of that. That's so great. I'll take another quick shot at this answer. Ricky Mulvey: Go for it. Asit Sharma: It's an easy way for some investors to buy into Bitcoin. There is the possibility that the yield that the company talks about, it's Bitcoin yield could be a thing in the future. As it builds this huge base of Bitcoin on its balance sheet and Bitcoin rises in value, that future yield, lending out its Bitcoin for a return is going to be worth something big. I think the ability of MicroStrategy in the future, perhaps to sell some of its Bitcoin and invest in other things that might be crypto related is enticing to some people, but all in all, it's just a bet on the future value of Bitcoin. I'd be careful. Ricky Mulvey: Oh, I don't think Michael Saylor has any intention of ever selling Bitcoin. If you listen to him in any conversation, interview, or communication, Mr. Asit, he's a great salesperson, among other things. Maybe he's a great. That is a really good qualifier. Asit Sharma: You have hobby as a CEO in this day and age. That, again, sounds a little sarcastic, but it's not. Let's play the logic out. If you're running a company that's in the NASDAQ 100 index, you should be a good salesperson for your products and/or services. Ricky Mulvey: Maybe not to the extent of MicroStrategy, which has really gone all in on Bitcoin. Do you expect to see more companies as we see this mainstream acceptance among investors, among regulators, even among politicians, the incoming administration likes its Bitcoin. Do you expect to see more companies putting more Bitcoin onto their balance sheet in the years ahead? Asit Sharma: I do. MicroStrategy wants to be the company known as a complete treasury company for Bitcoin. That means it reserves, its balance sheet, its liquid assets as a function of its treasury. How it manages its stuff is all in Bitcoin. But other companies are going to want to hedge the financial assets on their balance sheets. It's one way to look at participating in both new technology and an instrument that could store some value. We'll see more of this, not in huge measures by sensible companies that have very diversified business models, but we'll see a small trend in this direction. Ricky Mulvey: Let's go to this Apple story. The Wall Street Journal reporting that Apple is rethinking the iPhone and getting some details into how they're doing so. Step 1, Apple is planning to introduce a thinner, cheaper phone with a simplified camera system, hoping that a cheaper price is going to draw more people to buy a new iPhone. Then step 2, which is that Apple is planning two foldable devices from the Wall Street Journal. "A larger device intended to serve as a laptop would have a screen that unfolds to be nearly the size of some desktop monitors at 19 inches and a smaller model would unfold to a display size that would be larger than an iPhone 16 Pro Max, but this would be intended to serve as a foldable iPhone." I know you're going back. You want phones to be less distracting, but are either of these interesting to you as a buyer? Do you want a foldable smartphone? Asit Sharma: I think you have to compete if you're Apple as an innovator to keep that mantle of being the Ford device company. There's one argument that even if Apple doesn't think that a foldable phone is the best business proposition, now they almost have to come to the market with some. I like thinner myself in form factors, and I do like cheaper. What Apple is doing here is really expanding on its ability to entice customers to have to trade up, and trading up in the future might mean just trading into something that you're more comfortable with now that we've seemingly exhausted, all that innovation excitement. We've seen this petering out with every iPhone release. I like this strategy, and I think Apple should be doing this. I think they should be serving up a choice of form factors and settle on the one that the mass of consumers who are going to upgrade start to really adopt and enjoy. Ricky Mulvey: Well, there's some significant engineering challenges here, and I wouldn't want to bet against the engineers over at Apple, but there is an issue with a lot of the a foldable phones, which is that the more that you use them, the more that you have a creased screen in the middle at the folding point. For a company like Samsung , it's seen its folding phones decline in sales as it's tried to introduce them. But when you're looking at this concept, what do you think Apple needs to figure out before presenting it to a mass market? Asit Sharma: It might be working on that line. Apple is known for the clarity of its output. They've always been a leader in that the spectacular colors that we seem to get with subsequent generations of their devices. I think for them, this is a supply chain problem, Ricky, and it's one that we used to think Apple could solve overnight back in the day. I do think that the company has still so much it can bring to consumers in terms of innovation. I'd be working on this problem, and that would be fantastic if they could solve that. They'd immediately have an advantage over Samsung and rekindle the interest in this form factor. Ricky Mulvey: The other way that it's trying to rekindle growth is with that Vision Pro, but it's still trying to figure out an exact path forward, the Wall Street Journal reporting that it's undecided on figuring out that exact path forward. I think it's an interesting question because there are some I would say bears on the Apple Vision Pros saying that this will be remembered in the Hall of failures. This will be a big mistake. But maybe it can work. I think there are some interesting use cases. I got to try one on myself. If you go to an Apple store, you can sign up for a demo and they give you a little fireworks show. It's pretty cool. But let's say Tim Cook, CEO has hired you, Asit, is a consultant to figure out this path forward. We need to find some growth, and your department is the Apple Vision Pro. Asit, what is going in your consultant's PowerPoint for what they can do with the Apple Vision Pro? Asit Sharma: Tim, you have two big problems with the Vision Pro. Hello Mr. Cook, sir. We have two big opportunities with the Vision Pro. The first is we have a weight opportunity. The technology is dazzling, but I got tired after a very short trial and so I think to bring this to a mass market for consumers, we need to work on the weight factor. The second opportunity is we have a compute opportunity here. I don't think we have really kept up with bringing AI to devices. This is an opportunity for us to leverage the AI expertise the world has yet to see to be competitive with some models that will probably be introduced by Meta even by Alphabet in the near future. I think these two opportunities are ones we can capitalize on. Thirdly, I would say we need to focus a little bit more on the business market. We should bring down the price point just a hair as we improve the technological quotient of the Vision Pro and start using it for business collaboration. That's been Meta's plan all along, and I think they will be soon pushing the gas on this idea within the next two years. Ricky Mulvey: I'll give you a free one, which is that you set up some Apple kiosks at different airports and then you let people rent the Vision Pro for different airplane flights, so they can watch a movie, play around with it while they're on a flight. That one is free, the next one is not. Asit Sharma, this comes from Breakfast News, which is our free email that you can sign up for, we'll include a link in the description. Each day, there's a question to get the people talking. Today's question is about this story, asking what will be Apple's next big revenue generator and why? Vision Pro, smart glasses, which we haven't gotten to yet, the a foldable iPhone, something else, or maybe it doesn't have one. This is a mature business. Asit Sharma: In a smaller team research meeting at the Motley Fool, I brought up the idea of Apple losing yet a little bit more of its competitiveness when Jony Ive left the business. I was fiercely challenged by many of my fellow analysts saying that Apple still has a lot of design power and a lot of innovation power the market has yet to see, so I'm going to go with something else because obviously my friends know something that I don't about the company. Ricky Mulvey: Let's go on to this feature story in the New York Times. I think this is interesting because it will encourage you, hopefully, as an investor, to think about how could the companies you own get disrupted? There's a new ride hailing service that's rolling out in Washington, DC that is really trying to basically out Uber. The New York Times reporting that Empower, yes, the company is called Empower now does 100,000 rides per week in Washington, and that is now more than the city's taxis. Here's the premise. Drivers pay a flat subscription fee to the company each month, which is around 350 bucks. Then they can set their own rates for rides and take home 100% of the fare. This is a very different model than Uber and Lyft, which likes to take a chunk of each fare you pay them. I think, for me, at least as a customer, ride hailing and driving is kind of a commodity game. If I'm a rider, I want the best price, and if you're a driver, you want to make the most money. But there's a lot of regulatory challenges here. Asit, when you were parsing through this story, are you seeing a real disruptor to Uber and Lyft? Asit Sharma: I'm not sure if it's real. It is a disruptor. It is a challenger, and this is the fate of all things which aren't unique. You may be onto something, Ricky, if this is a commodity, here's the business model challenge to say, prove to me this isn't a commodity. Now, you'd mentioned to me that they've racked up $100 million in unpaid fines. I think just within Washington, DC where they began because they're pulling an Uber and a Lyft that is to go into a market, not worry about the regulations and build out the model. But whether this is real, to answer your question, that depends on when they grow up. If they can make enough money at 350 odd bucks per driver to cover all the costs that are associated with a business like this. They haven't had to grow up yet and worry about someone who had a bad experience in an empower drive and having to enforce different types of behaviors with their drivers. The regulatory piece is a big one. We'll see. I didn't know that they've raised a bunch of money yet, a bunch of capital, the capital they would need to truly compete. But what it's interesting to see how fast they've been able to grow in just one metropolitan area. I understand that some of our colleagues have started using this as well. Ricky Mulvey: Dylan is out in DC, and he basically looked at what a ride from his house to our headquarters in Alexandria was; Lyft, 47 bucks, Uber 26 bucks and Empower 23 bucks. The average that's mentioned in the New York Times story was, like, a 20-30% discount to use Empower rather than the big two here. But I'm telling you, if I need to get to the airport, I'm looking for price pretty immediately, and I think that if Empower comes to Denver, I would be a pretty happy customer of it. You mentioned the regulatory frameworks, Asit and yes, the start-up has racked up $100 million in fines. It is trying a legal defense, which is essentially that we are not a ride hailing company. We are like a reservation app system because the drivers are the ones doing that. Basically, that framing is trying to absolve it from the registration requirements that basically guarantee that the drivers have commercial insurance. In DC, there's a taxi ride hailing agency that I think gets 6% of the money that goes through and Empower would rather not pay that, and that's why you're seeing the rack up in fines, also a judge ordering the company to cease operations, the company continuing on anyway. Now, Asit sometimes the end of that story is a company like Uber and Lyft, which did a similar playbook. We're rolling in, and we're going to disregard these taxi regulations. Sometimes the company ends up being like a bird scooter, where you see them everywhere, and then now you don't see them so much anymore. Is this the best way to do a disruptive start up? Do you think it's better to just thumb your nose at the regulatory frameworks and whatever happens happens? Asit Sharma: I think if you have a direct line to Masayoshi Son in Japan, who loves just a crazy, nutty idea a punch you in the face, crazy idea. This is not a bad way. If you don't have that, though the problem is getting other investors to come in after that first wave of capital. If I'm a venture capitalist and you're pitching me this idea and you've got a contingent liability on your books for $100 million, and there's a total of 19 or $20 million invested in the business so far with an uncertain outcome. If I try to help you grow, I'm not that interested, so I don't think it's the best way for most people, but if you've got friends with deep pockets who will ride with you there, why not? Ricky Mulvey: Asit, who doesn't have baggage. Everyone has got some problems, and you just got to work through it. I think that's a good place to end it. I appreciate you being here. Thank you for your time and your insight. Asit Sharma: Thanks so much. This was a great fun Ricky. Ricky Mulvey: Up next, my colleague Mary Long continues her conversation series about shipping companies. This time catching up with Motley Fool Senior Analyst Anthony Schiavone about UPS, which has a major competitor and its biggest customer. Mary Long: The holidays have gotten me thinking a lot more about shipping and how gifts that I might order online get from point A to point B. I talked to Lou Whiteman about FedEx a couple of days ago, and now you're here to shine a light on a competitor of FedEx, UPS, United Parcel Service. Maybe let's start there on this competition piece. It's tempting, especially from a consumer side, to lump all of these logistics companies into a single bucket and say. Hey they all do the same thing. Are there differentiators here, but does UPS, we'll focus on them first, do they have a moat? If so, what is it? Anthony Schiavone: Yeah, so I think UPS definitely has a moat around its business. We can argue about whether that moat is growing or shrinking, but this business definitely has some competitive advantages. I think the big one is barriers to entry in this business. Think about how many billions of dollars would need to be spent just to replicate their network of trucks, planes, warehouses, even their labor force. We're talking, like, hundreds of billions of dollars, and that doesn't even include the brand equity that UPS has really built throughout its 100 plus year history. I know we'll talk about Amazon in a bit, but Amazon spent more than $100 billion building out their delivery network over the last call it 15 plus years. They're still one of UPS's largest customers. I don't think there's many companies with $100 billion just waiting around, waiting to be invested. That barrier to entry is very real. Then if you look at the competitive landscape today, it's essentially UPS, FedEx and Amazon US, and then you have DHL in Europe, so these are all really strong competitors. They're all kind of in the same business. I like UPS, though, because they have their integrated ground and express network. You have the same driver delivering both express and ground deliveries, whereas FedEx is still a little bit their networks don't necessarily talk to each other as much anymore. I think I listened to your podcast with Lou and he talked about how they're combining that over the past year. That's potentially a competitive threat to watch moving forward. But, I think this market is huge, and I think all these companies have some form of moat. Mary Long: For those who maybe have heard these words but don't fully know what they mean in practice, what is the difference between express and ground? Anthony Schiavone: Ground is essentially like your standard shipping. It'll arrive in 3-5 business days, that sort of thing. It's being delivered on a truck, from warehouse to a truck. Express is more like I need that package the next day, so it's flying on a plane, and then to your house. Express how that sounds, is a quicker form of that delivery. Mary Long: If you're a business that's looking to strike a deal with any of these logistics companies, are there any factors that you're looking at, apart from speed and price, or is it really that simple? Anthony Schiavone: I think those are two big ones. I also think that one thing a business looks at is the reliability of the service provider. I was at Costco last week, and I promise I'll tie this in and answer your question. But there was an employee holding up a sign advertising gold bars. I did a little bit of research, and it turns out that you can buy these gold bars in store or you can buy them online. If you buy them online, guess who shipping the gold bars. It's UPS. They are the trusted logistics partner to move high value goods like gold bars. The fact that Costco, which is a company that always puts its members first, chooses UPS to deliver that product. I think that's a pretty good sign that they're the trusted partner in this space. That's a reputation, a brand equity that, again, has been built for 100 plus years. I would say reliability, along with price and speed is definitely what businesses are looking for. Mary Long: Amazon is obviously a big player in this logistics game and has carved that space out for themselves over the past several years. Amazon is UPS's largest customer. They're responsible for about 12% of UPS's revenue. Is that a positive? Is that a strength for UPS, or does that present a potential existential risk for the company? Anthony Schiavone: Is it a risk? Yes, it's definitely a risk. Is it existential? I don't believe so. Like we talked about earlier, Amazon spent out more than $100 billion to build their delivery network, yet they're still UPS's largest customer. While they're definitely competitors, they're still partners one good example of that is Amazon's fulfillment centers. They're not really designed to process returns. They rely on UPS, and I think FedEx is getting involved with this as well, but they rely on those companies for returns. I think that's one example. Then like Lou said in the podcast, this market is so big for all of these competitors. I think that's spot on. Amazon is best in class for last mile delivery, but there's other forms of delivery, like cold changed logistics, returns, like we just mentioned, high value goods, like the gold bars from Costco. I think Amazon has maybe less expertise in those areas and its supply chain isn't necessarily equipped to handle things like that. Amazon has definitely a risk, but I don't think it's necessarily existential, at least at this point. Mary Long: UPS got a new CEO in 2020, Carol Tome, and she's got quite an impressive track record in the business community. She labeled her strategy upon arrival at UPS better not bigger. What does better, not bigger look like in practice? Anthony Schiavone: One thing she talked a lot about is that not all packages are created equal. You think about UPS over the past. Success was always predicated on increasing package volumes because if you generate more sales and you have the same fixed cost structure, you generate more cash. You would think, like the rapid growth in e-commerce over the last 15 years would be a huge tailwind for this business, but that hasn't necessarily been the case because a lot of that e-commerce growth has been package volume growth from last mile delivery, small package delivery. Think of like your typical Amazon purchase. That's a very low margin delivery for UPS, because the driver needs to drive down each driveway. They need to walk to each doorstep, deliver each package. Then on top of that, you need to build more warehouses and hire more employees to handle the higher package volumes. Over that time, UPS got bigger, but their profitability didn't necessarily increase. It actually declined. When Carol Tome took over, she refocused the company on higher quality revenue or higher margin package volumes. That's things like growing healthcare delivery volumes, growing package volumes to small and medium sized businesses, consolidating warehouses, divesting underperforming businesses, all that stuff aimed at increasing profitability, not necessarily increasing revenue or volume growth. The big idea was get more efficient and generate more cash flow. Mary Long: Tome has called the UPS dividend a hallmark of the company's financial strength. What is her approach to capital allocation and returning value to shareholders? Does that represent a change in direction from previous leadership? Anthony Schiavone: Yeah, so I think building off the better or not bigger idea, I think Tome thinks about capital allocation the same way. Before she became CEO of UPS, she was the CFO at Home Depot for about 20 years. If you look at Home Depot's history in the early 2000s, they were a company that was mainly focused on store growth. But around that time, she and the team there, they pretty much stopped new store openings, and they really started cranking up the cash generation machine that we know in Home Depot today. They started returning a lot of capital shareholders through dividends and buybacks and so I think she's following the same playbook here at UPS. They're not looking to grow package volume at any cost. They pay out a huge dividend now, which Tome and the board increased pretty substantially right after she took over. I think they increased it by 50% within the first year after she took over. They're repurchasing some shares here and there. I'm not sure the capital allocation approach has changed too much from her predecessors, but really the big change is the focus on quality growth, quality revenue growth, quality volume growth. I think that's really the big change here. Mary Long: If you look at a stock chart of UPS and compare it to the returns of the S&P 500, the two track each other over the long term until you get to 2023 last year, and they sharply diverge. In the past 10 years, the S&P 500 has returned over 250%. UPS has returned 62%. Again, a lot of that divergence happened within the past year. What's the reasoning behind that gap? Anthony Schiavone: I think it's been a perfect storm for UPS's business and stock over the last 2-3 years, call it. You've had the pandemic era. You had a package surge, volume surge during the pandemic when everybody was home buying packages. Now that's flipped and UPS is now delivering fewer packages per day than they did a few years ago. You've also had the new labor agreement that UPS signed with the Teamsters last fall, so that's increased their costs pretty substantially. You've had higher interest rates, which impacts a capital intensive business like UPS. Plus the 5% dividend yield doesn't look as attractive to income investors as it did when interest rates were closer to zero. I think that's played in effect. But I think really over the last year, year and a half, two years, I think the big thing from a stock performance perspective, and you mentioned 2023, that's when AI came on the scene, and a lot of investors capital left mature dividend paying companies and found a home in big tech AI stocks. I think that might be part of the divergence there. Not sure if it's the driving force. But it's definitely been a challenging period for UPS's business, but I think there's a lot of negativity already baked into the stock price right now. Mary Long: Earlier this year, UPS sold Coyote Logistics, a third party logistics provider. They sold it to RXO . What exactly is third party logistics, and why did UPS want to get out of that business? Anthony Schiavone: Third party logistics, it's essentially refers to a business that outsources logistics services to another company. That was Coyote Logistics. It's a cyclical, capital intensive, lower margin business, and that's ultimately why UPS decided to get out of that business. It's part of their larger, better, not bigger strategy. That was a part of that. I got to say, as far as capital allocation goes, if there's one thing I would look at, I love dividends as a dividend investor, but if there's one thing I really want to look at, it's companies that divest underperforming businesses. I think that is something that creates a lot of value that really doesn't get a lot of attention, but is very important to long term value creation. Mary Long: Anthony Schiavone thanks as always for joining us on Motley Fool Money. I really appreciate the time and the look at UPS. Anthony Schiavone: Thanks for having me. Ricky Mulvey: As always, people on the program may have interests in the stocks they talk about, and the Motley Fool may have formal recommendations for or against, so don't buy or sell anything based solely on what you hear. All personal finance content follows Motley Fool editorial standards and are not approved by advertisers. The Motley Fool only picks products that I would personally recommend to friends like you. I'm Ricky Mulvey. Thanks for listening. We'll be back tomorrow.0.1 jili 。

DALLAS and VANCOUVER, British Columbia and ROME, Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AleAnna, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, “AleAnna” or the “Company”), an emerging leader in Italy’s energy landscape, announced the completion of the previously announced business combination (the “Business Combination”) between Swiftmerge Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: IVCP) (“Swiftmerge”), a special purpose acquisition company, and AleAnna Energy, LLC (“AleAnna Energy”). Concurrent with the completion of the Business Combination, Swiftmerge has changed its name to AleAnna, Inc. Commencing at the open of trading on December 16, 2024, the Class A shares of common stock and warrants of AleAnna are expected to begin trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the ticker symbols “ANNA” and “ANNAW”, respectively. The transaction was unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of Swiftmerge and was approved at an extraordinary general meeting (the “Shareholders Meeting”) of Swiftmerge’s shareholders on December 12, 2024. Former equity holders of AleAnna Energy rolled 100% of their equity interests into the combined company. Prior to the execution of the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated June 6, 2024, AleAnna Energy's equity holders contributed over $60 million in cash, bringing the company's total cumulative investment to nearly $175 million. This infusion of capital enabled the completion of the Longanesi Field tie-in and the acquisition of initial renewable natural gas (“RNG”) assets, both finalized in Q3 2024. Additionally, the investment covered expenses related to the business combination and provided funding for general corporate liquidity. As of the transaction close, AleAnna had approximately $28 million in cash and cash equivalents on its balance sheet and no debt. This disciplined approach to financial management has empowered AleAnna to allocate significant capital to innovative exploration and development projects while preserving financial flexibility. Long History In Developing Resources in Italy AleAnna has a distinguished history in Italy, having been a leader in energy exploration and development for over a decade. Since its founding in 2007, the company has been dedicated to unlocking the significant potential of Italy’s natural gas reserves through the application of cutting-edge seismic imaging and environmentally responsible practices. AleAnna holds one of the largest portfolios of exploration permits and production concessions in Italy, spanning over 2.3 million acres. By combining advanced technology with a deep respect for Italy’s cultural and environmental heritage, AleAnna is expected to play a pivotal role in bolstering the nation’s energy independence and economic growth, earning its reputation as a trusted partner in Italy’s energy future. Positioning itself as a leader in both onshore conventional natural gas and renewable natural gas (RNG) production, AleAnna is at the forefront of building a secure and reliable domestic energy supply for Italy and the broader European market. The company stands on the cusp of a major milestone, with the first phase of natural gas production from the Longanesi Field projected to commence in Q1 2025. Alongside this, additional gas discoveries at Gradizza and Trava, 13 development prospects in various permitting stages, and leases covering approximately 2.3 million net acres underscore AleAnna’s commitment to future exploration and development. AleAnna is also helping drive the European Union's clean energy transition through its innovative approach to RNG. Leveraging the strategic overlap between its conventional and renewable assets in the Po Valley, AleAnna is transforming agricultural waste into renewable energy. With three RNG facilities operational and over 100 additional opportunities identified, AleAnna is poised for significant expansion in this sector. Guided by a commitment to corporate responsibility and a vision for a sustainable future, AleAnna integrates conventional and renewable energy solutions to reduce Europe’s carbon footprint and advance its clean energy objectives. By delivering innovative energy solutions, AleAnna continues to shape Italy’s energy landscape and support the EU’s transition toward a greener future. Experienced Management And Board Of Directors The combined company will be led by William Dirks as Executive Director and Marco Brun as Chief Executive Officer, supported by a seasoned and highly skilled executive team. AleAnna’s leadership team brings extensive expertise gained from top-tier energy companies, including Shell, Eni, and Exxon. This seasoned group combines in-depth knowledge of energy technology, operations, and business development with well-established regulatory and industry networks in Italy. Their collective experience equips AleAnna to effectively navigate the dynamic and rapidly evolving energy landscape. The Board of Directors, which will include Graham van’t Hoff, William Dirks, Marco Brun, Duncan Palmer, and Curtis Hébert, collectively brings a wealth of experience spanning global energy markets, technical and operational expertise, European energy development, financial management, governance, and regulatory policy. This diverse set of skills and perspectives ensures comprehensive strategic oversight and positions AleAnna for sustained growth and success. With over 15 years of investment and operational experience in Italy, AleAnna has a competitive advantage in securing critical permits and approvals, positioning it ahead of its peers. The company’s approach integrates cutting-edge technologies and industry-leading practices with strategic capital allocation to maximize the value of its conventional and renewable natural gas (RNG) assets. AleAnna is dedicated to sustainable, low-cost growth while maintaining strict capital discipline. By prioritizing innovation, efficiency, and long-term shareholder value, AleAnna is well-positioned to lead the next phase of Italy’s energy transformation. Management Commentary Bill Dirks, Executive Director of AleAnna, commented, “Our investment in state-of-the-art subsurface technology has been a game-changer for AleAnna. By leveraging advanced seismic imaging and cutting-edge data analysis, we have achieved unparalleled accuracy in identifying and developing Italy’s natural gas resources. This technology not only enhances our operational efficiency but also ensures that our exploration and development activities are conducted in an environmentally responsible manner, aligning with our commitment to sustainability and innovation in the energy sector.” Marco Brun, AleAnna’s Chief Executive Officer, added, “We stand at a pivotal moment in AleAnna's journey. As we gear up for production at Longanesi and scale our renewable natural gas (RNG) operations, we are proud to be at the forefront of driving a sustainable energy future. This strategy not only delivers value to AleAnna shareholders but also plays a key role in reshaping the energy landscape for generations to come.” About AleAnna, Inc. AleAnna is an innovative energy company dedicated to unlocking Italy's extensive natural gas reserves and advancing renewable energy solutions to address the country's energy needs and support Europe's sustainability and energy security goals. With a vast portfolio encompassing over 2.3 million acres of potential resources and state-of-the-art technologies, AleAnna is poised to lead Italy's energy transition. Guided by a commitment to environmental responsibility and operational excellence, AleAnna is shaping a sustainable and secure energy future. The company operates regional headquarters in Dallas, TX, and Rome, Italy, serving as strategic hubs for its global and local initiatives. Forward-Looking Statements The information included herein contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Certain statements, other than statements of present or historical fact included herein, regarding the Business Combination, the anticipated benefits of the Business Combination, AleAnna’s future financial performance following the Business Combination, as well as AleAnna’s strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. When used herein, including any statements made in connection herewith, the words “could,” “should,” “will,” “may,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” the negative of such terms and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. However, not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based on AleAnna management’s current expectations and assumptions about future events. They are based on current information about the outcome and timing of future events. You should not place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, AleAnna disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statements, all expressly qualified by the statements in this section, to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. AleAnna cautions you that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the control of AleAnna. These risks include, but are not limited to, general economic, financial, legal, political and business conditions and changes in domestic and foreign markets; the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the Business Combination and any transactions contemplated thereby, which may be affected by, among other things, competition, the ability of AleAnna to grow and manage growth profitably and retain its management and key employees; AleAnna’s need for additional capital to execute its business plan and support its anticipated growth; costs related to the Business Combination; the risks associated with the growth of AleAnna’s business and the timing of expected business milestones; AleAnna’s ability to identify, develop and operate new projects; the reduction or elimination of government economic incentives to the natural gas market; delays in acquisition, financing, construction and development of new projects; decline in public acceptance and support of renewable energy development and projects; the ability to obtain necessary regulatory and governmental permits and approvals; uncertainty regarding the EU’s clean energy transition, including existing regulations and changes to regulations and policies that affect AleAnna’s operations; the ability to maintain the listing of AleAnna’s securities on a national securities exchange; and the effects of competition on AleAnna’s future business. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, and should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described herein and in any statements made in connection in addition to these occur, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and plans could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that AleAnna does not know or that AleAnna currently believes are immaterial that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning these and other factors that may impact AleAnna’s expectations and projections can be found in filings it makes with the SEC, including the definitive proxy statement/prospectus filed by Swiftmerge and AleAnna Energy with the SEC on November 21, 2024, including those under “Risk Factors” therein, and other documents filed or to be filed with the SEC by AleAnna. SEC filings are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov . Investor Relations Contact For AleAnna, Inc.: Bill Dirks wkdirks@aleannagroup.comHeat say Jimmy Butler will miss 2 more games before rejoining team next weekPodeli : Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Friday that the United States are going to blacklist the Serbian Oil Industry (NIS) in the next few days. Speaking live on the pro-regime Informer TV, Vucic said that the US would impose sanctions against NIS because it is partly Russian-owned. He added that the UK would also impose sanctions on NIS. He said that he does not know exactly when the sanctions would be imposed. “They have to give us a deadline.... We expected this a year and a half ago from the European Union. That didn’t happen but it’s coming from America. ... This creates problems with our Russian friends, political and every other kind,” he said. Vucic said one solution is to reduce the Russian stake in NIS to less than the current 50 percent. According to official records, Russia’s Gazpromneft owns 50 percent of NIS, Serbia owns 29.87 percent and the Russian Gazprom 6.15 percent.

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Turmoil in Trump's Tech Talks: Immigration Debate UnravelsCreighton downs Horns, ends Texas' 3-peat questHICKSVILLE, N.Y. , Dec. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Flagstar Financial, Inc. (NYSE: FLG) (the "Company") today announced the appointment of Brian Callanan , Senior Managing Director and General Counsel at Liberty Strategic Capital ("Liberty"), to its Board of Directors, effective December 16, 2024 . Commenting on the appointment, Joseph M. Otting , Chairman, President, and CEO said, "I'm pleased to have Brian join our Board. His proven track record and expertise in financial services, along with his strategic insights will be instrumental as we continue to execute on our transformation and long-term vision. Brian's perspectives will provide valuable guidance, and his leadership will play a critical role in driving sustainable growth, ensuring we achieve long-term success and maximize the value we deliver to our shareholders, employees, and clients." Callanan is a distinguished lawyer with extensive experience in financial regulation, regulatory compliance, and financial technology. At Liberty, Callanan leads the firm's legal function, serves on its Investment Committee, and focuses on financial sector investments. Prior to joining Liberty, he served as General Counsel of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, overseeing 2,000 lawyers across the department. As Chief General Counsel, he played a key role in major initiatives such as economic rescue programs during COVID-19, the design of new economic sanctions, and the implementation of tax reform. While serving as Deputy General Counsel, Callanan managed major litigation and advised on regulatory reform efforts, among other responsibilities. For his service, he received the Alexander Hamilton Award, the department's highest honor. This appointment aligns with the $1.05 billion equity investment in March 2024 , which stipulated that two Board seats would be granted to lead investor Liberty Strategic Capital. With Callanan's addition, the Company's Board of Directors, which was reconstituted earlier in 2024, expands to nine members, including Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Joseph M. Otting , Milton Berlinski , Alessandro P. DiNello , Alan Frank , Marshall Lux , Lead Independent Director Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin , Allen Puwalski , and Jennifer Whip. About Flagstar Financial, Inc. Flagstar Financial, Inc. is the parent company of Flagstar Bank, N.A., one of the largest regional banks in the country. The Company is headquartered in Hicksville, New York . At September 30, 2024, the Company had $114.4 billion of assets, $73.0 billion of loans, deposits of $83 .0 billion, and total stockholders' equity of $8 .6 billion. Flagstar Bank, N.A. operates over 400 branches, including a significant presence in the Northeast and Midwest and locations in high growth markets in the Southeast and West Coast. In addition, the Bank has approximately 80 private banking teams located in over 10 cities in the metropolitan New York City region and on the West Coast, which serve the needs of high-net worth individuals and their businesses. Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This release may include forward‐looking statements by the Company and our authorized officers pertaining to such matters as our goals, beliefs, intentions, and expectations regarding (a) revenues, earnings, loan production, asset quality, liquidity position, capital levels, risk analysis, divestitures, acquisitions, and other material transactions, among other matters; (b) the future costs and benefits of the actions we may take; (c) our assessments of credit risk and probable losses on loans and associated allowances and reserves; (d) our assessments of interest rate and other market risks; (e) our ability to execute on our strategic plan, including the sufficiency of our internal resources, procedures and systems; (f) our ability to attract, incentivize, and retain key personnel and the roles of key personnel; (g) our ability to achieve our financial and other strategic goals, including those related to our merger with Flagstar Bancorp, Inc., which was completed on December 1, 2022, our acquisition of substantial portions of the former Signature Bank through an FDIC-assisted transaction, and our ability to fully and timely implement the risk management programs institutions greater than $100 billion in assets must maintain; (h) the effect on our capital ratios of the approval of certain proposals approved by our shareholders during our 2024 annual meeting of shareholders; (i) the conversion or exchange of shares of the Company's preferred stock; (j) the payment of dividends on shares of the Company's capital stock, including adjustments to the amount of dividends payable on shares of the Company's preferred stock; (k) the availability of equity and dilution of existing equity holders associated with amendments to the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan; (l) the effects of the reverse stock split; and (m) transactions relating to the sale of our mortgage business and mortgage warehouse business. Forward‐looking statements are typically identified by such words as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "outlook," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "should," "confident," and other similar words and expressions, and are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, which change over time. Additionally, forward‐looking statements speak only as of the date they are made; the Company does not assume any duty, and does not undertake, to update our forward‐looking statements. Furthermore, because forward‐looking statements are subject to assumptions and uncertainties, actual results or future events could differ, possibly materially, from those anticipated in our statements, and our future performance could differ materially from our historical results. Our forward‐looking statements are subject to, among others, the following principal risks and uncertainties: general economic conditions and trends, either nationally or locally; conditions in the securities, credit and financial markets; changes in interest rates; changes in deposit flows, and in the demand for deposit, loan, and investment products and other financial services; changes in real estate values; changes in the quality or composition of our loan or investment portfolios, including associated allowances and reserves; changes in future allowance for credit losses, including changes required under relevant accounting and regulatory requirements; the ability to pay future dividends; changes in our capital management and balance sheet strategies and our ability to successfully implement such strategies; recent turnover in our Board of Directors and our executive management team; changes in our strategic plan, including changes in our internal resources, procedures and systems, and our ability to successfully implement such plan; changes in competitive pressures among financial institutions or from non‐financial institutions; changes in legislation, regulations, and policies; the imposition of restrictions on our operations by bank regulators; the outcome of pending or threatened litigation, or of investigations or any other matters before regulatory agencies, whether currently existing or commencing in the future; the success of our blockchain and fintech activities, investments and strategic partnerships; the restructuring of our mortgage business; our ability to recognize anticipated expense reductions and enhanced efficiencies with respect to our recently announced strategic workforce reduction; the impact of failures or disruptions in or breaches of the Company's operational or security systems, data or infrastructure, or those of third parties, including as a result of cyberattacks or campaigns; the impact of natural disasters, extreme weather events, military conflict (including the Russia / Ukraine conflict, the conflict in Israel and surrounding areas, the possible expansion of such conflicts and potential geopolitical consequences), terrorism or other geopolitical events; and a variety of other matters which, by their nature, are subject to significant uncertainties and/or are beyond our control. Our forward-looking statements are also subject to the following principal risks and uncertainties with respect to our merger with Flagstar Bancorp, which was completed on December 1, 2022 , and our acquisition of substantial portions of the former Signature Bank through an FDIC-assisted transaction: the possibility that the anticipated benefits of the transactions will not be realized when expected or at all; the possibility of increased legal and compliance costs, including with respect to any litigation or regulatory actions related to the business practices of acquired companies or the combined business; diversion of management's attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities; the possibility that the Company may be unable to achieve expected synergies and operating efficiencies in or as a result of the transactions within the expected timeframes or at all; and revenues following the transactions may be lower than expected. Additionally, there can be no assurance that the Community Benefits Agreement entered into with NCRC, which was contingent upon the closing of the Company's merger with Flagstar Bancorp, Inc., will achieve the results or outcome originally expected or anticipated by us as a result of changes to our business strategy, performance of the U.S. economy, or changes to the laws and regulations affecting us, our customers, communities we serve, and the U.S. economy (including, but not limited to, tax laws and regulations). More information regarding some of these factors is provided in the Risk Factors section of our Annual Report on Form 10‐K/A for the year ended December 31, 2023, Quarterly Report on Forms 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2024 , June 30, 2024 , and September 30, 2024 , and in other SEC reports we file. Our forward‐looking statements may also be subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those we may discuss in this news release, on our conference call, during investor presentations, or in our SEC filings, which are accessible on our website and at the SEC's website, www.sec.gov . Investor Contact: Salvatore J. DiMartino (516) 683-4286 Media Contact: Nicole Yelland (248) 219-9234 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/flagstar-financial-inc-appoints-brian-callanan-to-board-of-directors-302331692.html SOURCE Flagstar Financial, Inc.

Moreover, the growing influence of Chinese technology companies has also played a significant role in driving up the value of Chinese concept stocks. Chinese tech giants, such as Alibaba, Tencent, and JD.com, have demonstrated strong performance and innovation, attracting a global investor base seeking exposure to China's booming tech sector. As these companies continue to expand globally and diversify their revenue streams, investors are increasingly bullish on the long-term growth prospects of Chinese concept stocks in the technology sector.However, Setien's tenure at Barcelona turned out to be a tumultuous one, filled with highs and lows. The defining moment of his brief stint at the Camp Nou came in the form of a disastrous 2-8 defeat to Hansi Flick's Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final. The loss sent shockwaves through the footballing world and raised serious questions about Setien's ability to lead a team of Barcelona's stature.Zelensky's refusal of Trump's peace talks initiative can be attributed to several key factors. Firstly, the Ukrainian President has expressed concerns that any negotiations with Russia, facilitated by the United States, may not prioritize Ukraine's interests and security concerns. Zelensky has repeatedly emphasized the need for a durable and comprehensive peace agreement that guarantees Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Trump, known for his aggressive handshakes that often involve yanking the recipient towards him, seemed to be in his element. Macron, on the other hand, has been on the receiving end of Trump's handshake tactics before and was clearly wary of what was to come.

Let this be a lesson to all that the safety and security of individuals are of paramount importance, and any violation of these fundamental rights will not be tolerated. We must remain vigilant, united, and committed to upholding the values of justice, integrity, and respect for all members of our society.

Tesla, the electric vehicle (EV) pioneer, continued its strong momentum in November with robust sales figures. The company's Model 3 and Model Y vehicles maintained their popularity among consumers, contributing significantly to Tesla's overall sales growth. With the increasing demand for EVs and Tesla's innovative technologies, the company is well-positioned to achieve its ambitious annual sales targets.Seneca and Mount Vernon met in Week 2 of the regular season and the Indians earned a 35-14 victory at home. Now, they'll meet in Mount Vernon (9-3) at 1 p.m. Saturday for a state quarterfinal game. This makes three years of meeting in the playoffs but the first of those that's for a state quarterfinal game instead of a district championship. Seneca (11-0) was in Class 3 District 6 this year and Mount Vernon in District 5. They're playing for a spot in the semifinals now. Both coaches talked about that first meeting of the year. "I think both teams have changed a bunch. You can't really look at that first game," Seneca head coach Cody Hilburn said. "I think you'll see two totally different football teams this Saturday." "The good thing is we played them closer than anyone else this year. The bad thing is they beat us by 21 points," Mount Vernon head coach Tom Cox said. Not only did the Mountaineers play the Indians closer than any other team this year, they held Seneca to its lowest offensive output of the year. They were the only team to keep the Indians below 41 points and the only one to keep the final margin lower than 28 points. Seneca has outscored opponents by an average of 41 points per game. It averages 53 ppg offensively and its stingy defense only allows 11.5. Mount Vernon has been able to score 37.7 ppg and allows 25.4. No opponent has been able to score more than 21 on the Indians in 2024. The offense trying to do that on Saturday is led by two career leaders in Mount Vernon history. Quarterback Gavin Johnston is the program's best passer with a career best 65 passing touchdowns and 7,197 yards. He stepped into his starting role during a playoff game his freshman year of 2021 against Stockton and went on to become the Mountaineers' statistically best passer. Johnston has 2,608 yards and 25 touchdowns this year. Running back Braden Dodson is also a career leader for Mount Vernon with 5,435 yards and 77 touchdowns. He's run the ball for 1,485 yards this year and 25 more touchdowns. This shows the dual threat ability of the Mountaineers. "That makes them tough to defend," Hilburn said. Seneca is led offensively by the rushing attack of quarterbacks Kaden Clouse and Brodie Probert and running back Roman Miller. The trio has more than 3,400 yards and Clouse and Miller are both over 1,200. Clouse has also thrown for over 1,000 yards this year. Cox said he knows his team will have to win the line of scrimmage battle to slow down that run game. "They are big and physical up front on both sides. We will have to win that battle and get off their blocks. They block really well so we have to get off those blocks to slow them down. "They also get through blocks really well so we'll have to hold our blocks a little better this time."

Of course, at the heart of the show is the captivating performance of the actress in the role of Empress Xi. Her portrayal is multifaceted, conveying both strength and vulnerability, power and grace. Through her nuanced acting, she brings Empress Xi to life in a way that is truly unforgettable, earning her widespread acclaim and adoration from fans.Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time

The Japanese government has swiftly responded to the outbreak by implementing containment measures, including quarantine restrictions and intensified monitoring of poultry farms nationwide. Efforts are also being made to raise public awareness about the risks of avian influenza and the importance of practicing good biosecurity measures to prevent further spread of the virus.

The anticipation surrounding the BOJ's announcement has already had a notable impact on financial markets. The Japanese yen has strengthened against major currencies, while Japanese government bond yields have edged higher in anticipation of a tightening of monetary policy. Stock markets have also reacted to the news, with investors adjusting their positions in response to the possibility of higher interest rates.In the realm of the gaming industry, anticipation and speculation regarding the next big release often reach a fever pitch. One such highly-anticipated game that has captured the attention of many industry peers is the upcoming release of "GTA 6." As rumors swirl and excitement mounts, game developers and publishers are keeping a close eye on the potential release date to ensure that their own projects do not collide with the juggernaut that is the Grand Theft Auto series.KUWAIT CITY, Nov 24: Kuwait International Bank (KIB) announced the ongoing strengthening of its strategic partnership with the Union of Cooperative Societies in Kuwait. This collaboration aims to promote banking and financial literacy while making banking services and products easily accessible to customers as they shop at cooperative societies across Kuwait. This initiative supports the "Let's Be Aware" (Diraya) campaign, launched by the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) and the Kuwait Banking Association (KBA) in collaboration with local banks. In this regard, Musab Al-Shalan, Deputy General Manager - Retail Banking Department at KIB, met with the President of the Union of Cooperative Societies Musab Al-Mulla at the Union’s headquarters. Representatives from the cooperative societies participating in the Bank’s strategic agreement were also in attendance, including Mubarak Al-Kabeer Cooperative Society, Mishref Cooperative Society, Al-Shaab Cooperative Society, Farwaniya Cooperative Society, Abdullah Al-Salem and Al-Mansouriya Cooperative Society, Qurtuba Cooperative Society, Kaifan Cooperative Society, and Al-Shuhada Cooperative Society. Al-Shaalan highlighted that KIB aims to expand its partnerships with civil society organizations, including cooperative societies, aligning with the Bank’s vision and strategy to maintain a strong presence near its customers while they shop. He pointed out the significant role cooperative societies have played since their establishment in meeting the needs of citizens and consumers across various regions, positively contributing to the country’s economic and social development. “This success has even inspired other countries to learn from the Kuwaiti experience in this field,” Al-Shaalan stated. Al-Shaalan added that this initiative reflects KIB’s commitment to social responsibility, as the Bank consistently strives to craft its initiatives and activities with care, aiming to make a positive and sustainable impact on Kuwaiti society. He emphasized that supporting and developing civil society organizations is a key objective for the Bank in this regard, commending the outstanding performance of cooperative societies, which have become a successful model of productivity and efficiency. On his part, Al-Mulla expressed his gratitude for KIB’s distinguished role in supporting the cooperative sector, which serves a large segment of citizens. He praised the field training and part-time employment project for recent graduates, designed by the Bank for local youth in collaboration with the Union of Consumer Cooperative Societies and the participating cooperative societies. He expressed hope for continued successful cooperation in such social development initiatives. It is worth mentioning that KIB places great importance on promoting banking awareness within the community and consistently seeks to launch initiatives aimed at enhancing financial literacy. The Bank also actively participates in activities and events supporting the “Let’s Be Aware” financial awareness campaign, in line with its main slogan, “Bank for Life.”