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It looked like a recipe for disaster. So, when his country's swimmers were being accused of doping earlier this year, one Chinese official cooked up something fast. He blamed it on contaminated noodles. In fact, he argued, it could have been a culinary conspiracy concocted by criminals, whose actions led to the cooking wine used to prepare the noodles being laced with a banned heart drug that found its way into an athlete's system. This theory was spelled out to international anti-doping officials during a meeting and, after weeks of wrangling, finally made it into the thousands of pages of data handed over to the lawyer who investigated the case involving 23 Chinese swimmers who had tested positive for that same drug. The attorney, appointed by the World Anti-Doping Agency, refused to consider that scenario as he sifted through the evidence. In spelling out his reasoning, lawyer Eric Cottier paid heed to the half-baked nature of the theory. “The Investigator considers this scenario, which he has described in the conditional tense, to be possible, no less, no more,” Cottier wrote. Even without the contaminated-noodles theory, Cottier found problems with the way WADA and the Chinese handled the case but ultimately determined WADA had acted reasonably in not appealing China's conclusion that its athletes had been inadvertently contaminated. Critics of the way the China case was handled can't help but wonder if a wider exploration of the noodle theory, details of which were discovered by The Associated Press via notes and emails from after the meeting where it was delivered, might have lent a different flavor to Cottier's conclusions. “There are more story twists to the ways the Chinese explain the TMZ case than a James Bond movie,” said Rob Koehler, the director general of the advocacy group Global Athlete. "And all of it is complete fiction.” Something in the kitchen was contaminated In April, reporting from the New York Times and the German broadcaster ARD revealed that the 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for the banned heart medication trimetazidine, also known as TMZ. China's anti-doping agency determined the athletes had been contaminated, and so, did not sanction them. WADA accepted that explanation , did not press the case further, and China was never made to deliver a public notice about the “no-fault findings,” as is often seen in similar cases. The stock explanation for the contamination was that traces of TMZ were found in the kitchen of a hotel where the swimmers were staying. In his 58-page report , Cottier relayed some suspicions about the feasibility of that chain of events — noting that WADA's chief scientist “saw no other solution than to accept it, even if he continued to have doubts about the reality of contamination as described by the Chinese authorities.” But without evidence to support pursuing the case, and with the chance of winning an appeal at almost nil, Cottier determined WADA's “decision not to appeal appears indisputably reasonable.” But how did the drugs get into the kitchen? A mystery remained: How did those traces of TMZ get into the kitchen? Shortly after the doping positives were revealed, the Institute of National Anti-Doping Organizations held a meeting on April 30 where it heard from the leader of China's agency, Li Zhiquan. Li's presentation was mostly filled with the same talking points that have been delivered throughout the saga — that the positive tests resulted from contamination from the kitchen. But he expanded on one way the kitchen might have become contaminated, harkening to another case in China involving a low-level TMZ positive. A pharmaceutical factory, he explained, had used industrial alcohol in the distillation process for producing TMZ. The industrial alcohol laced with the drug “then entered the market through illegal channels,” he said. The alcohol "was re-used by the perpetrators to process and produce cooking wine, which is an important seasoning used locally to make beef noodles,” Li said. “The contaminated beef noodles were consumed by that athlete, resulting in an extremely low concentration of TMZ in the positive sample. "The wrongdoers involved have been brought to justice.” New information sent to WADA ... eventually This new information raised eyebrows among the anti-doping leaders listening to Li's report. So much so that over the next month, several emails ensued to make sure the details about the noodles and wine made their way to WADA lawyers, who could then pass it onto Cottier. Eventually, Li did pass on the information to WADA general counsel Ross Wenzel and, just to be sure, one of the anti-doping leaders forwarded it, as well, according to the emails seen by the AP. All this came with Li's request that the noodles story be kept confidential. Turns out, it made it into Cottier's report, though he took the information with a grain of salt. “Indeed, giving it more attention would have required it to be documented, then scientifically verified and validated,” he wrote. Neither Wenzel nor officials at the Chinese anti-doping agency returned messages from AP asking about the noodles conspiracy and the other athlete who Li suggested had been contaminated by them. Meanwhile, 11 of the swimmers who originally tested positive competed at the Paris Games earlier this year in a meet held under the cloud of the Chinese doping case. Though WADA considers the case closed, Koehler and others point to situations like this as one of many reasons that an investigation by someone other than Cottier, who was hired by WADA, is still needed. “It gives the appearance that people are just making things up as they go along on this, and hoping the story just goes away," Koehler said. “Which clearly it has not.” AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-gamesThis week, the superannuation industry gathered for its annual talkfest, and while these events can feel like an insider’s game, this year was different – everyday people were the real winners. The Albanese government announced some long-overdue reforms to the retirement phase of super – and the industry rallied around retirement for once. Together, the interest in, and the changes being made might actually make your life easier as you approach retirement. The changes announced this week could be good news for the size of your super balance. Credit: Simon Letch If you’re thinking, t his sounds like industry talk, not my problem , let me stop you right there. These changes are aimed squarely at solving real retirement problems for everyday Australians like you – problems you might not even realise can be fixed. For those approaching retirement in the next 10 years, there are three important shifts. 1. There will be changes to the retirement products offered by super funds Let’s be honest: most Australians today won’t retire with millions in super. For the majority, it’s about piecing together enough for a comfortable life, with the pension often the largest income layer. But the media still frames retirement as a “wealth management” problem – something reserved for the super-rich. The reality? Retirement isn’t about managing millions, it’s about managing enough . That’s where the reforms announced this week get interesting. One of the government’s key focuses is making an emerging category called lifetime income streams part of everyday retirees lives – a way to turn part of your super into a steady, guaranteed paycheck for life. For people worried about outliving their savings or being too exposed to the stock market, this could be a game-changer. Currently, retirement income usually comes from two main sources: the pension, which acts as a base income and an account-based pension from your super, which many people manage conservatively, afraid to spend or take risks in retirement. This approach has its challenges. Many retirees tiptoe through their savings, afraid of running out of money. Lifetime income streams change that by introducing a third layer – a secure, guaranteed income for life. The best part? You only need to invest a portion of your super to gain this added security. For years, we’ve been told super is like a conveyor belt: money goes in, grows steadily, and pops out a nice pile of cash when you retire. Here’s how it works. The pension provides a foundation. A lifetime income stream adds a guaranteed paycheck, covering essential expenses. The rest of your super stays invested for growth, allowing you to take more risks or boost your lifestyle with confidence. For some it’s a smarter, more secure way to stretch your retirement savings. Take Anne, who’s retiring at 67 with $300,000 in super. She’s worried about spending her savings too quickly. She’ll qualify for a full age pension now – almost $30,000 for a single person; and on top she will have two income layers – a lifetime income stream which she allocated a portion of her super to at age 60, and an account-based pension. At 67, the $100,000 of lifetime income stream secures an income every year of about $7500 unconditionally for the rest of her life. The rest of her super could stay invested in growth assets, giving her the flexibility to take on riskier investments, and achieve more upside over the long term without constant fear of running out of money to live on. But here’s the kicker: it’s not really just about the products changing in the market. These products, if implemented well, are about building confidence, helping retirees feel secure enough to actually spend the money they’ve got growing in super on living a better life. The big news this week is that the government’s reforms are focused on making these products easier to understand, safer to use, and directly available through your super fund – no longer tucked away behind confusing jargon or exclusive to financial advisers. If super funds get this right, lifetime income streams could transform how Australians approach retirement over the next 10 years. 2. Retirement planning will finally get some attention For most Australians in midlife, questions about retirement start piling up: What are my goals? Have I saved enough? Will my super last? How much can I afford to spend? What happens if my health takes a turn? Lifetime income products could give you more comfort in retirement. Credit: Glenn Hunt These aren’t simple, automated decisions like super contributions during your working years. They’re messy, personal, and – let’s face it – stressful. For years, we’ve been sold the idea that superannuation is like a conveyor belt: money goes in, grows steadily, and pops out a nice pile of cash when you retire. But anyone who’s tried to navigate modern retirement knows that’s far from reality. Almost every step is clunky, complex and overwhelming. You’ve got to figure out how much you’ll need, how long your money will last, and what trade-offs to make, all without much support. Financial literacy gaps and the high cost of advice often leave ordinary Australians to fend for themselves. And with too few financial planners to go around, the “just get advice” mantra doesn’t solve the problem for everyone. This week, however, I saw a shift. The superannuation and financial advice industries are finally starting to acknowledge that retirement isn’t just about money – it’s about navigating life’s biggest transitions. It’s about understanding your options and making decisions that work for your personal circumstances. Thankfully, the government and some big super funds are stepping up. The government has committed to upgrading the MoneySmart website, our only independent, government-provided resource for tackling the complexities of retirement. The promise? Better calculators, practical projection tools, and clearer information on how super and the pension work together. Meanwhile, super funds are focusing on their own tools, encouraging members to use calculators that can boost confidence and improve drawdown strategies. In fact, they’ve found that people who take the time to learn about retirement – whether through government tools or fund-provided resources – are often better equipped to make informed, empowered decisions. For many, these tools will provide the actionable information needed to handle less complex decisions, even before seeking professional advice (if it’s needed at all). But here’s the catch: while the commitment to better tools is promising, an upgraded MoneySmart website isn’t expected until 2027, which is too late for more than 450,000 retirees who will have transitioned by then. Here’s hoping it delivers when it arrives. For the first time, though, it feels like the system is starting to meet people where they are: acknowledging that retirement is deeply personal and often overwhelming. That shift alone is worth celebrating. 3. Retirement has to be a system that evolves as retirees do Retirement today is vastly different from what it will look like in a decade. People retiring now have only had super contributions at 9 per cent or higher for part of their working lives, leaving them with modest balances averaging around $250,000. But in 10 years, retirees will have had 9 per cent or more for their entire careers, resulting in average balances exceeding $500,000 – and lifestyle expectations to match. This shift will redefine retirement as we know it. Currently, retirees control about $2.4 billion of Australia’s GDP. In 10 years, that figure will skyrocket, fundamentally reshaping the way we think about retirement and its impact on the broader economy. We’re about to witness a significant transformation – and the system needs to evolve to meet the needs of both today’s retirees who will need to rely on the age pension, and those in the future who will rely on superannuation – and will need a different mix of products to secure their income. With larger balances to manage, the system is being reshaped to offer better tools and tailored products that cater to their more complex financial needs. I’m impressed. The reforms we saw this week are all about fixing the everyday frustrations that come with planning and living your retirement: While some of the changes won’t arrive until 2027, the shift in focus is happening now. For the first time, it feels like the superannuation industry is listening to what people really need – and that’s a big deal. Bec Wilson is the author of the bestseller How to Have an Epic Retirement . She writes a weekly newsletter at epicretirement.net and is host of the Prime Time podcast. Expert tips on how to save, invest and make the most of your money delivered to your inbox every Sunday. Sign up for our Real Money newsletter .oc genie 4 。

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Iraq rejects US demand to dismantle popular forcesRidgewood High School basketball star continuing domination on court while battling cancerI want to give you a list of AI Christmas music to block in your major music streaming platform. I don’t think it’s comprehensive. I bet there’s a bunch of new ones that I am still unwittingly playing. I just want to feel festive for a moment sometimes, which is why I play this music. But now I know about artificial intelligence (AI) Christmas music, so I can’t be happy in December, either. AI sludge is already everywhere and now it’s here, too. Some stupid list won’t be enough to solve the problem. To be honest, I don’t really know how to fix this. Banning AI Christmas “bands” who receive millions of listens monthly is like killing individual flies coming from a massive open sewer situated right around my house. Well, Merry Christmas. Here is your gift. A little fly swat. (Screenshot via Spotify) AI Christmas songs sound like the real deal. Nothing funny or remarkable about them — the occasional odd instrumentalisation or off-sounding vocal, but little that sparks curiosity and absolutely nothing that sparks joy. That’s generative AI’s job. It thieves from real stuff and shoves it all into a tech mulcher to produce a reasonable aggregate of all the things that ever made you feel something. Now you can enjoy a tech-slop aggregate of those old feelings in your stupid Christmas hat. Like a digital mama bird that regurgitates your own nostalgia into your open beak for you to gulp up. You’ll hear this shit whether you want to or not. It will come up on auto-play if you fire up a lone Nat King Cole song. It’s also infesting all the largest Christmas playlists on streaming platforms. Some of these AI Christmas “bands” have been around for a year or two by now, so they’ve accumulated enough streams and shares to come up in the playlist right after Mariah . A popular bit of software used to make AI Christmas music is Suno . The app follows specific commands to create AI music and vocals accordingly. It also allows artists to hide the AI mulch behind a smattering of real lyrics, vocals and instrumentalisation they can choose to add. All of these AI slop Christmas artists appear to be controlled by the same person or group. There are a few tells. (Screenshot via Spotify) All their Spotify bios begin with a variant of the following statement: ‘ [Insert band name here] are working songwriters, artists and musicians who have joined forces to release holiday-themed cover music on their independent record label, distributed by Warner Music’s ADA.’ (Screenshot via Spotify) Distribution services like ADA and Distrokid accept AI music but are getting increasingly picky about what they allow through the gate. Not because they have morals. They do not. It’s due to the many legal battles cropping up currently around AI thievery. The merest uncredited sample can bankrupt artists and minor labels, so imagine the kind of payday an entirely thieved AI musical salad could deliver. As long as the content is deemed of high enough quality and perhaps spliced in Suno with real vocals or instrumentalisation to help disguise it, they’ll let it through. Another tell: the bios of these “bands” tell you to follow them for more music. But you can’t. The Instagram and Twitter accounts are always locked. (Screenshot via Instagram) They don’t really want people snooping around and verifying the AI-ness of the music. Or determining who is producing it. (Screenshot via Instagram) Oh, well. Another bit of AI slop to have to gulp down whenever I turn one of my hundred bits of shitty tech on for the day. Another shitty facet of the minefield of behaviour modification, guerilla marketing and AI mulch that is my digital life. Tech writer Ed Zitron was writing post-U.S. Election about this misery that is modern digital life: It's time to accept that most people's digital life fucking sucks, as does the way we consume our information, and that there are people directly responsible. Be as angry as you want at Jeff Bezos... but don’t forget Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Sundar Pichai, Tim Cook and every single other tech executive that has allowed our digital experiences to become rotted out husks dominated by algorithms. These companies are not bound by civic duty, or even a duty to their customers — they have made their monopolies, and they’ll do whatever keeps you trapped in them. Funny how recently one of the modern era’s most effective political assassinations appears to have been, in part at least, inspired by the inhuman outputs of AI algorithms. More or less across the political divide, we can all see people cheering the moment of the assassination of the UnitedHealthcare CEO. From that, I suspect we’re able to assess just how unhappy people really are about the encroachment of AI slop, AI thievery and AI-based decision-making into daily life, whether real or digital. AI is here to stay, so get used to it The consensus among experts and pundits on AI technologies such as ChatGPT seems to be that it’s like old age — inevitable, so get used to it. I don’t think that our mainstream discourse has bothered to give people the tools to voice this frustration. Zitron has often written about this as well. Tech writers are too busy breathlessly playing stenographer for the lies of AI snake oil salesmen to address the fact that it’s not really helping anyone. Just one more update! Please! Just one more! You’ll all see! Perhaps the worst thing that AI can do has already been mentioned. Is it the insurance stuff? Or is it Israel’s mass-murdering tech drone equipment ? I know it’s not AI Christmas music. There are greater evils in the world, yes. And I’m sure I’ll push on, drunk in December in my Santa hat. Perhaps in time, I’ll be willing to trade away yet more cynicism at an unending torrent of nostalgic AI mulch for just a little more cheer. But, from my layperson calculations and looking at the average streams of each of these AI “artists”, I believe this “AI art” earns whoever’s behind it hundreds of thousands of dollars every Christmas season. And I don’t like that. The list of AI Christmas music I've uncovered is as follows: Sleighbelle; The Humbugs; Dean Snowfield (come on); Snowdrift Sleighs; Daniel & The Holly Jollies; and North Star Notesmiths. If we’re negotiating how to take a more moral position you probably shouldn’t even be paying for Spotify or Apple Music at all. But you probably do. And you probably do Christmas-y stuff in December, as well. So join me in simply selecting ‘Don’t like this artist’ , or whatever similar function your streaming app offers. Join me as we content ourselves with starving some arsehole of $0.00001 cents this Christmas. Happy holidays. Tom Tanuki is a writer, satirist and anti-fascist activist whose weekly videos commenting on the Australian political fringe appear on YouTube . You can follow him on Twitter @tom_tanuki. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Australia License Support independent journalism Subscribe to IA. Related Articles Countering the influence of 'mass man' with AI Intelligent systems depend on fusion of biology and technology Nightshade empowers artists in the battle against unauthorised AI theft Intuition key to AI being a tremendous force for good AI holds promising future for quantum genetics BUSINESS CONSUMERS MUSIC ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AI Christmas music theft copyright Spotify Suno Apple Music ADA Distrokid Share Article

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HICKSVILLE, N.Y. , Dec. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Flagstar Financial, Inc. (NYSE: FLG) ( the "Company"), today announced the appointment of Lee Smith as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective December 27, 2024 . The appointment follows the decision of current CFO Craig Gifford to step down to reengage in personal endeavors outside of the banking industry. Gifford will remain with the Bank through March 31, 2025 , and work closely with Smith during the transition period, ensuring a seamless hand-over and continued support for the Bank's ongoing initiatives. "For more than a decade, Lee has been an instrumental member of Flagstar's executive team. He is a proven leader with a strong track record, has the requisite experience and expertise, and possesses deep knowledge of the Company. The Board of Directors and I have full faith and confidence in Lee to continue to help guide the Company in this financial leadership position," said Joseph M. Otting , Chairman, President, and CEO. Smith joined legacy Flagstar Bancorp, Inc. in 2013 as Chief Operating Officer and his transition to CFO comes after serving on Flagstar's executive management team for more than a decade, most recently as President of Mortgage. He has an extensive background in accounting, finance, mortgage, private equity, and operations, spanning more than 25 years. His experience in managing large-scale transactions, optimizing financials and operations, and working with regulators demonstrates a strong ability to drive financial performance, ensure compliance, and lead financial operations. Additionally, his leadership in M&A deals, capital markets, and financial management positions him well to oversee financial strategies, risk mitigation, and operational efficiency at a senior financial level. His prior roles include Partner at Matlin Patterson Global Advisers LLC, a private investment firm. He is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) since 1998 and has a BSc in Economics and Accountancy from Loughborough University in England . Otting added, "I want to express our sincere appreciation to Craig for his impactful contributions over the past year. His leadership during this time has been invaluable, and we wish him all the best. As all of our stakeholders know, we have been working relentlessly to elevate Flagstar to new heights. I also recognize the personal sacrifices and time commitment required away from our personal lives for this journey. Given the substantial progress we've made as a Company, I am comfortable that this is a good time for this transition, and I am confident the momentum we've gained will only strengthen as we move forward." 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: Steven Bodakowski (248) 312-5872 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/flagstar-financial-inc-names-lee-smith-as-chief-financial-officer-302331680.html SOURCE Flagstar Financial, Inc.