Atlantic Ocean

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• Warrior Met Coal, Inc. (NYSE:HCC) (“Warrior” or the “Company”) today announced results for the fourth quarter and full-year 2023.
• Warrior reported fourth quarter 2023 net income of $128.9 million, or $2.47 per diluted share, compared to net income of $99.7 million, or 1.93 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2022.
• Sales volumes in the fourth quarter of 2023 were 1.5 million short tons, consistent with the fourth quarter of 2022.
• The Company produced 2.0 million short tons of met coal in the fourth quarter of 2023 compared to 1.5 million short tons in the fourth quarter of 2022.

• Total assets increased by $339.2 million, or 23.8%, to $1.8 billion at December 31, 2023, from $1.4 billion at December 31, 2022.
• Net interest income totaled $25.2 million for the three months ended December 31, 2023, as compared to $20.9 million for the three months ended December 31, 2022.
• We charged-off $312,000 during the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to charge-offs of $449,000 during the year ended December 31, 2022.
• The unrealized gain of $621,000 on equity securities during the three months ended December 31, 2023 was due to market interest rate volatility during the quarter ended December 31, 2023.

• Alternatively, a relative minnow like Angola or Cape Verde may emerge as the unexpected victor.
• Of the 630 players who were registered to play by teams competing in the 2023 edition, 200 weren’t born in Africa.
• Equatorial Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo have 17 and 16 diaspora squad members, respectively.

The phenomenon seems to be on the rise and has allowed some African teams (and several with very limited footballing history) to rise up the footballing ranks in recent years. But some people argue that diasporas are undermining the progression of African football, principally by engendering a culture of complacency.

Bolstering their ranks

• After all, there’s an intense talent battle taking place in world football.
• For instance, Mahrez was born in Paris to parents of Algerian and Moroccan origin.
• In 2022, Ziyech explained it thus: “Choosing one’s national team is not done with the brain but with the heart.
• For instance, former Arsenal starlet Alex Iwobi has gone from being a potential future England star to a sometimes criticised Fulham midfielder and Nigerian international.

But at what cost?

• At the Qatar World Cup in 2022, Morocco became the first African nation to reach the tournament’s semi-final stage.
• This has helped the country become the current highest-ranked team in Africa and the 13th-best team worldwide.
• Bell would no doubt approve, having previously called for Africa to develop its own solutions to talent identification and development.
• However, the birthplace of the captain who eventually lifts the trophy will probably fuel further debate about the importance of African football’s diasporas.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.