Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Diversifying income with planting for wood products at Grascott Farm

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Case study

    Diversifying income with planting for wood products at Grascott Farm

    Find out how Grascott Farm diversified their business to generate income through timber, biomass, wood products and recreation.

    Forester Sam Whatmore reflects on his 85 hectare woodland creation project that has allowed local wildlife to thrive whilst also bringing long-term value to his business.

    Grascott Farm facts

    • location: Devon
    • size: 212 acres
    • type: conifer woodland with areas of broadleaf
    • species: predominantly Douglas fir, together with Sitka spruce, field maple, ash, chestnut and oak
    • date established: 1998-2000
    • grants: Forestry Commission woodland grant and South West Forest grant
    • main objective: grow high-quality Douglas fir to produce timber and wood fuel, combined with delivery of multi-objective and continuous cover management principles

    An aerial view of woodland on Grascott Farm. Copyright Grascott Farm.

    Establishing a thriving forest

    Set in over 85 hectares within the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Grascott Farm boasts a thriving woodland that is home to barn owls, badgers and elusive otters, as well as providing a steady income through timber, biomass, and recreation. But it hasn’t always been like this – so what is the story behind Grascott Farm’s success?

    Over 25 years ago, expert forester Sam Whatmore was determined to create his own forest. Having spent years managing other people’s woodlands with short-term objectives, Sam wanted to focus on a longer-term goal: maintaining continuity of forest management to see the fruits of his labour in the years to come. When the opportunity arose to purchase an initial 25 acres of woodland in 1993, Sam jumped at the chance, supplementing his holding with the addition of a larger mixed farm in 1998.

    The primary objective of the forest was to grow high-quality Douglas fir to produce timber and other wood products. Following extensive woodland planning, trees were planted during the 1998-99 and 1999-00 planting seasons, as part of the then South West Forest, taking advantage of Forestry Commission grants and local incentives.

    With over 150,000 trees to put in the ground, this was no mean feat. Devon has ideal growing conditions for Douglas fir with the warm and wet climate, and the landholding has sloping freely draining soils to support establishment. Slightly wetter soils around the site were more appropriate for Sitka spruce, and broadleaves were planted to complement and diversify the conifer species. Careful management was critical particularly in the first 5 years of establishment, with a lot of time dedicated to weeding, pest control, and beating up, to ensure full stocking.

    Sam Whatmore, Owner, Grascott Farm said:

    The most important thing for forestry is continuity of management.

    Watch the video on how Sam Whatmore diversified his business to generate income from timber.

    Opportunity and innovation

    Establishing a woodland brings challenges, with innovative thinking required to fill the income gap between tree establishment and future returns to turn those challenges into opportunities. Holiday cottages were built in the early years on Grascott Farm to generate revenue through recreation. Deer stalking led to the creation of a successful venison business, selling high-quality burgers and sausages at shows across the county.

    In 2000, the biomass renewable energy market was only just emerging, and with it the development of a whole new avenue for the forestry sector. Aiming to be ahead of the curve, Sam installed a biomass boiler in 2003 – the third in the UK – providing heat to the holiday cottages. From this point onwards, Sam was at the forefront of wood fuel development as it grew into an established market, changing the face of the UK forestry economy. Alongside delivering hundreds of seminars across the country, Sam set up his own wood fuel business in 2006.

    This start-up evolved into the biggest biomass supply company in the UK, and has since merged with an international energy company that continues to flourish to this day.

    Sam Whatmore, Owner, Grascott Farm said:

    I absolutely love the woodland! It is my total pleasure in life and key to my wellbeing.

    Top tips for timber production

    1. Consider stocking density if you’re looking to grow high-quality timber, a greater density will result in straighter trees.
    2. Woodland management is essential for creating a well-stocked forest: the more work you put in during establishment, the greater your future returns.
    3. Think outside the box to generate income, anything is possible.
    4. Remember the impact trees have on wellbeing!

    Delivering value through woodlands

    The principle of using woodlands to deliver long-term value to people and society is central to Sam’s management plan; generating products that people need and use. Grascott Farm now has a healthy turnover as a successful business, incorporating:

    • timber and firewood: no part of the tree goes to waste, with saw logs going to the sawmill, smaller roundwood being used as firewood, and the canopy woodchip feeding the biomass boiler, which in turn is used to heat both the holiday cottages and the kiln to dry the firewood
    • biomass, supported by the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme
    • 4 prospering holiday lets for recreation and tourism
    • innovative forest products: from wooden poles for glamping tepee construction and window displays for large retailers, to a ship’s mast and foliage for florists, to sawdust for horse bedding and pokers for the steel industry – the opportunities are endless

    Alongside delivering economic benefits and valuable wood products, Grascott Farm has boosted local biodiversity, with springtime carpets of bluebells and orchids, and even a family of lively otters.

    A bridleway running through the heart of the woodland provides public access for the local community to enjoy and explore, and visitors to the holiday cottages are spoilt with nature trails, lakes, and cycle paths on their doorstep.

    The enterprise is also involved in delivering wider benefits such as educational activities and seminars, and working in collaboration with Forest Research through ongoing sample plots and experiments across the forest.

    View the brochure for this case study: Grascott Farm: innovating with timber, biomass, and wood products (PDF, 1.02 MB, 3 pages).

    Find out how the Forestry Commission can help you create woodland, visit our Tree planting and woodland creation overview.

    Updates to this page

    Published 13 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Firefighters battle Bayswater factory fire

    Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

    Firefighters are currently battling a factory fire in Jersey Road at Bayswater.

    CFA and FRV crews were called to the scene at 12.38am and found the 20 by 50 metre factory well alight.

    The factory is believed to contain recycling waste materials.

    CFA issued an Advice message at 1.51am and then a Watch and Act message at 2.19am due to smoke in the area.

    Anyone located in the area bordered by the Dandenong Creek, Dorset Road and Malvern Street and Scoresby Road in Bayswater should take shelter indoors immediately.

    Residents in that area are advised to close all exterior doors and windows, close vents and ensure heating and cooling systems are turned off.

    Around 24 CFA and FRV units are on scene with several other supporting agencies.

    The fire was brought under control at 2.25am but has not yet been declared safe.

    Firefighters are expected to remain on scene for several hours.

    The cause of the fire will be investigated in daylight.

    Submitted by CFA Media

    MIL OSI News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Lamont Announces $12.8 Million in Small Cities Grants Awarded to Eight Municipalities To Modernize and Rehabilitate Housing

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Housing Commissioner Seila Mosquera-Bruno today announced that the Connecticut Department of Housing is awarding $12.8 million in grants to eight municipalities for infrastructure upgrades that will modernize and rehabilitate housing for low and moderate-income residents.

    The grants are being awarded as part of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Small Cities program, which is administered by the Connecticut Department of Housing with funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Eligible projects are required to be in a municipality with a population of fewer than 50,000 residents.

    “These housing grants go a long way to improving neighborhoods so that we can make our communities more attractive and encourage continued growth for the benefit of all our residents,” Governor Lamont said.

    “Connecticut has both large and small cities that contribute to its unique culture and quality of life,” Commissioner Mosquera-Bruno said. “Whether it’s helping families make essential renovations to their homes, ensuring senior living facilities are ADA compliant, or providing a fire truck for increased services, these grants are essential to upgrade and enhance our smaller towns. We’re aware that this funding is crucial and improves the day-to-day-lives of our residents.”

    The grants are being awarded to the following recipients:

    • Ashford – Pompey Hollow Senior Housing ($2,000,000): The Town of Ashford will use funds to renovate Pompey Hollow Senior Housing, a 32-unit low and moderate-income housing complex for elderly and disabled individuals. The proposed scope of work includes interior renovations replacing all common doors and hardware, installing automatic entry doors, full kitchen and bathroom upgrades, installing new mailboxes for the tenants, adding blown-in insulation, elevator upgrades, installing LED lighting, updates to the attic sprinklers, updates to emergency lighting, and replacement of all smoke detectors with hardwired combination smoke/carbon monoxide systems. All interior upgrades will focus on ADA compliance, where applicable. The exterior renovations include replacing the existing vinyl siding, replacing AC condensers, roof and chimney repairs, pathway and driveway repairs, sloping the existing patio for better drainage, installing a handrail at the front sidewalk, and installing new fuel tanks for the existing generator. Additionally, there will be mechanical upgrades including a new fire pump with transfer switch, new hot water circulating pumps, new expansion tanks, a new furnace air handler, and changing the heating system from oil to propane.
    • Canton – 21 Dowd Avenue ($2,000,000): The Town of Canton will use the funds to rehabilitate an SSHP property located at 40 Dowd Avenue in Canton. The property was built in 1979 with 40 residential units and a community building. The renovations include replacing roofing materials, installing new doors and windows, and replacing siding. ADA compliance improvements will be made to four residential units and the community building. The fire alarm and call-for-aid systems will be upgraded and replaced. Asphalt roofing systems will be installed in four of the six buildings. All windows will be replaced with Energy Star-rated windows. Improvements will include sidewalks, site railings, and parking areas.
    • East Windsor – Park Hill ($2,000,000): The Town of East Windsor will use the funds for capital improvements to the existing affordable housing development located at Park Hill, an 84-unit affordable housing development located at 1A Park Hill in Broad Brook. This phase will prioritize the oldest buildings, which include five buildings totaling 30 units. The remaining nine buildings (54 Units) will be addressed with SSHP funds to complete a similar scope. The improvements included in the proposed scope are energy efficiency upgrades through new heat pump heating systems (mini-splits); improved envelope with new siding, insulation, windows, and doors; and new kitchens, stoves, and flooring throughout units (excluding bathrooms). Additionally, handicapped accessibility upgrades to bathrooms through tub to shower conversions for elderly and disabled residents will be made.
    • Southington – General Pulaski Terrace ($2,000,000): General Pulaski Terrace consists of eleven buildings, including ten residential buildings with a total of 40 units and a community building. The project aims to modernize the property by replacing roofing materials, installing seamless aluminum gutters and leaf screens, replacing the existing heat pumps, and installing a monitored fire alarm system (call-for-aid) including a closed-circuit television system and the replacement of inefficient heat pumps with more energy-efficient units.
    • Stonington – Housing Rehabilitation Program ($400,000): The Town of Stonington will use the funds to complete up to 10 housing units, and the future use of any program income to be used to continue the Stonington Housing Rehabilitation Program (SHRP) into the future. It is the town’s goal to establish SHRP as a continuous town service for its residents and serve as a catalyst to improve the properties and the living conditions of the residents.
    • Tolland – Old Post Village ($2,000,000): Old Post Village was constructed in 1977, before the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Currently, the housing complex does not have any fully ADA accessible units available for its residents. The scope of this project proposes to achieve full ADA compliance on three units. This conversion will not only benefit the tenants who need it most, it will also make the property fully compliant by meeting the minimum 10% “Type A” barrier-free handicapped- accessible units’ requirements. The proposed scope of work focuses on ADA improvements, energy efficiency, and safety. This will be achieved through renovations to the exterior building envelope, which includes replacing the roof, gutters, windows, entry and storm doors, as well as the entry door stoops; interior kitchen, bathroom and community room renovations, including ADA accessibility; new interior doors, water closets, sinks, showers, and flooring; blown-in attic insulation; replacement of all mini split units throughout the complex; electrical upgrades, including interior and exterior lighting, emergency lighting, smoke/carbon monoxide detectors, as well as building service panels and meter cans; and site work, including improving drainage, parking lot repairs and expansion, as well as ADA ramp additions and improvements.
    • Watertown – Country Ridge ($2,000,000): The proposed renovations for the complex include replacement of roofing materials, installation of new Energy Star-rated triple pane windows, and installation of new entry doors and storm doors. These renovations aim to improve the long-term sustainability and independence of the property.
    • Windsor – Housing Rehabilitation Program ($400,000): The Town of Windsor will use the funding to continue its Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program to help low and moderate-income homeowners rehabilitate their homes. Ten housing units are expected to be rehabilitated. Upgrades will include roof replacement, heating systems, window replacement, lead paint and asbestos removal, and electrical and code upgrades.

    For more information about the CDBG Small Cities program, visit portal.ct.gov/doh/doh/programs/small-cities-program.

     

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Staff Completes SMP Discussion Mission to Zimbabwe

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    February 13, 2025

    End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. This mission will not result in a Board discussion.

    Harare, Zimbabwe: Following the request for a Staff-Monitored Program (SMP) by the authorities in 2023, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team led by Mr. Wojciech Maliszewski conducted a mission to Harare from January 30 to February 13, 2024, to advance discussions on the SMP.

    At the conclusion of the IMF mission, Mr. Maliszewski issued the following statement:

    “Zimbabwe’s economic activity has started recovering after the El Niño-induced drought. Growth slowed from 5.3 percent to an estimated 2 percent in 2024, as the drought lowered agricultural output by 15 percent. This was compounded by reduced electricity production and declining prices for key mineral exports (platinum and lithium). That said, strong remittances continued supporting activity in domestic trade, services, and construction, and improved the current account surplus to an estimated US$500 million (1.4 percent of GDP) in 2024. The ZiG willing-buyer willing-seller (WBWS) exchange rate was stable from the ZiG’s introduction in April 2024—with the ZiG month-on-month inflation averaging 2.3 percent—until September, when the currency weakened. Relative stability returned with the tightening of monetary policy since September, and the WBWS and parallel market exchange rates have stabilized, and the gap between these rates has narrowed. Meanwhile, fiscal pressures intensified—owing, in large part, to the transfer of the RBZ’s quasi-fiscal operations to the Treasury. Strong revenue collection helped limit the 2024 budget deficit to an estimated 1 percent of GDP, but fiscal pressures resulted in an accumulation of domestic expenditure arrears, leading to the government implementing emergency spending cuts. Going forward, growth in 2025 is projected to increase to 6 percent, with the recovery in agriculture output due to better climate conditions and the projected improvement in the terms-of-trade.

    “Against this background, the Zimbabwe authorities had requested an SMP to support their efforts to stabilize the economy and re-engage with the international community on the arrears clearance and debt resolution process. The main objective of the SMP would be to durably anchor macroeconomic stability, building on policy recommendations from the 2024 Article IV consultation.

    “Building on progress achieved during the mission on the ongoing SMP discussions, Fund staff will continue working closely with the authorities on defining the key parameters and modalities of the program. Discussions include (1) adjusting the fiscal position to avoid a recourse to monetary financing and new arrears and building foundations for a durable fiscal consolidation; (2) fiscal risks residing off-budget (including from the operations of the Mutapa Investment Fund); (3) the effectiveness of the monetary policy framework for the ZiG; and (4) reforms to strengthen economic governance.

    “International reengagement remains critical for debt resolution and arrears clearance, which would open the door for access to external financing. The authorities’ reengagement efforts, through the Structured Dialogue Platform (SDP), are key for attaining debt sustainability and gaining access to concessional financial support. In this context, the SMP will help in enhancing policy credibility and advancing the reform agenda embedded in the SDP.

    “The IMF continues to provide policy advice and extensive technical assistance in the areas of revenue mobilization, expenditure control, financial supervision, debt management, economic governance, as well as macroeconomic statistics. However, the IMF is currently precluded from providing financial support to Zimbabwe due to its unsustainable debt situation—based on the IMF’s Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA)—and official external arrears. An IMF financial arrangement would require a clear path to comprehensive restructuring of Zimbabwe’s external debt, including the clearance of arrears and a reform plan that is consistent with durably restoring macroeconomic stability; enhancing inclusive growth; lowering poverty; and strengthening economic governance.

    “The IMF mission held meetings with the Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Hon. Professor Mthuli Ncube, his Permanent Secretary Mr. George Guvamatanga; the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr. John Mushayavanhu; the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr. Martin Rushwaya, other senior government and RBZ officials, honorable members of Parliament, representatives of the private sector, civil society, and Zimbabwe’s development partners.

    “The IMF staff wishes to express its gratitude to the Zimbabwean authorities and stakeholders for the constructive and open discussions and support during the mission.”

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Kwabena Akuamoah-Boateng

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/02/13/pr-2535-zimbabwe-imf-completes-smp-discussion-mission

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Security: High-Ranking Member of Sinaloa Cartel Charged in Chicago with Drug Conspiracy

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    CHICAGO — A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico on a drug conspiracy charge for allegedly manufacturing and distributing fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and other drugs and importing them into the United States.

    According to an indictment returned Monday in the Northern District of Illinois, CEFERINO ESPINOZA ANGULO, 43, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Mexico, employed dozens of gunmen in Mexico to protect and support the leadership of the Guzman faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, including Ivan Guzman-Salazar, Jesus Alfredo Guzman-Salazar, Ovidio Guzman-Lopez, and Joaquin Guzman-Lopez, collectively known as “the Chapitos.”  The indictment alleges that Espinoza Angulo worked with others to obtain fentanyl precursor chemicals and to manufacture fentanyl for importation into the United States.  Espinoza Angulo allegedly worked with others to transport the fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and ecstasy toward the U.S. border for importation into the country.  The indictment accuses Espinoza Angulo of illegally using a machine gun in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime.

    The Chapitos are the sons of Joaquin Guzman Loera, also known as “El Chapo,” who led the Sinaloa Cartel before being convicted by a federal jury in Brooklyn, N.Y., and sentenced to life in prison.  The Chapitos allegedly assumed their father’s role as leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel.  The Chapitos have been charged with drug trafficking in other U.S. indictments.

    The indictment against Espinoza Angulo charges him with drug conspiracy and a firearm offense, which are punishable by a maximum sentence of life in federal prison and a minimum of 30 years.  Espinoza Angulo is believed to be residing in Mexico.  A U.S. warrant has been issued for his arrest.

    The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Antoinette T. Bacon, Supervisory Official of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Tara K. McGrath, United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, and Chad Yarbrough, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division.  Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations Field Offices in Arizona and Spokane, Wash.; DEA Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit; FBI Field Offices in Washington, San Diego, and Los Angeles; and the Portland, Ore. Police Bureau, Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit, HIDTA Interdiction Taskforce.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle J. Parthum and Andrew C. Erskine of the Northern District of Illinois, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sutton of the Southern District of California, and Trial Attorney Kirk Handrich of the Criminal Division’s Narcotics and Dangerous Drug Section at the Justice Department.

    The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force operation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local enforcement agencies.

    “Our nation’s fentanyl crisis has devastated individuals and families in northern Illinois and throughout the country,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual.  “Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to disrupt the production and trafficking of fentanyl and other dangerous narcotics before they can reach more victims.”

    “As alleged, the defendant conspired to traffic dangerous drugs, including fentanyl, into the United States — and employed dozens of gunmen to protect his drug trafficking operation and the leadership of the Guzman faction of the Sinaloa Cartel,” said Supervisory Official Bacon.  “Stopping Mexican cartels from poisoning our communities with fentanyl and other narcotics is a top priority of this Administration.  Today’s indictment demonstrates that the Criminal Division is relentless in its pursuit of the drug traffickers who profit at the expense of the American people.”

    “From San Diego to Chicago to D.C., we are united to bring down the traffickers pushing these poisons into American communities,” said U.S. Attorney McGrath. “We are attacking at every level — from street dealers to cartel leaders.”

    “This indictment reinforces the FBI’s unwavering commitment to hold accountable those who endanger our communities and traffic violence and drugs across our borders,” said Assistant Director Yarbrough.  “Let this serve as a clear message: if you engage in cartel activity, we will pursue you and bring you to justice.  Together with our law enforcement partners at every level, we remain fully committed to protecting the American people and stopping the flow of these dangerous drugs into our nation.”

    The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Orlando Man Sentenced To One Year And Six Months In Federal Prison For Possessing A Machinegun

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Jeremiah Cundiff (19, Orlando) to one year and six months in federal prison for possessing a machinegun. Cundiff pleaded guilty on October 31, 2024.

    According to court documents, on October 23, 2023, law enforcement apprehended Cundiff, who had an active warrant for his arrest. During the apprehension, Cundiff fled and made a stealthy movement. At the area of Cundiff’s movement, a loaded firearm with a machinegun conversion device installed (pictured below) was recovered. Cundiff’s DNA was found on the firearm.

    The type of machinegun conversion device in this case is commonly referred to as a “switch,” and is designed and intended, solely and exclusively, to convert a semiautomatic pistol into a machinegun, causing the pistol to fire more than one shot with the single pull of the trigger.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with valuable assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Boston Woman Sentenced for Fraudulently Obtaining COVID-Relief Funds

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Boston woman was sentenced in federal court in Boston for a scheme to fraudulently obtain pandemic-related relief funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

    Jameela Gross, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to time served (one day) to be followed by three years of supervised release. Gross has also been ordered to pay $18,750 in restitution. In September 2024, Gross pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Gross was arrested in February 2024 along with over 40 Heath Street Gang members/associates, who were charged with racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking, firearms charges and financial frauds, including COVID-related fraud.

    Among other relief programs, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act created the PPP, a temporary loan program directed at small businesses. PPP loans were processed and funded by participating lenders and guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration. If the small business used the loan funds for permissible expenses, the loan could be forgiven.

    In April 2021, Gross submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application on behalf of her purported photography business. The application contained multiple false statements, including false representations regarding the fictitious business’s income in 2020 and the purpose of the loan. Gross also submitted false tax records in support of her loan application. Based on the fraudulent application, Gross received approximately $18,750.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Hoefle and Lucy Sun of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

    Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI: Trillion Energy Announces SASB Field Operational Update

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Vancouver, B.C., Feb. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Trillion Energy International Inc. (“Trillion or the “Company”) (CSE: TCF) (OTCQB: TRLEF) (Frankfurt: Z62), is pleased to announce an operational update for the SASB offshore gas project, Turkey.

    During January 2025 the Company completed installation of new velocity string tubing in two wells located on tripods (Alapli-2 and Bayhanli-2) in an operation that took approximately two weeks’ time.

    Previously, the Company completed installation of new tubing in four wells on the Akcakoca platform during the fall of 2024. A total of 6 wells have now received the new smaller tubing size to mitigate water loading conditions.

    The tripod wells continue to receive nitrogen injections to stimulate production, however, operations have been delayed over the past few weeks due to stormy winter weather conditions. Both Alapli-2 and Bayhanli-2 initially responded positively to the ongoing operational efforts, however, stable long-term flow rates have yet to be sustained.

    The Company is currently preparing to stimulate the Akcakoca-3 and South Akcakoca-2 wells in the upcoming week using nitrogen, upon suitable weather conditions arriving.

    The Company has sourced a gas lift compressor system for the Akcakoca platform which will provide continuous gas lifting injection to certain wells to assist in production.

    Additionally, the Company plans to enhance production by installing:

    • A Progressive Cavity Pump (PCP) in a well
    • Two slim-hole Electric Submersible Pumps (ESPs) attached to the new tubing in two wells

    These strategic interventions involving artificial lift are critical to sustaining long-term production rates and optimizing well performance and are expected to occur in the upcoming months.

    About the Company

    Trillion Energy International Inc is focused on oil and natural gas production for Europe and Türkiye with natural gas assets in Türkiye. The Company is 49% owner of the SASB natural gas field, a Black Sea natural gas development and a 19.6% (except three wells with 9.8%) interest in the Cendere oil field. More information may be found on www.sedar.com, and our website.

    Contact
    Sean Stofer, Chairman
    Brian Park, VP of Finance
    1-778-819-1585
    E-mail: info@trillionenergy.com
    Website: www.trillionenergy.com

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This news release may contain certain forward-looking information and statements, including without limitation, statements pertaining to the Company’s ability to obtain regulatory approval of the executive officer and director appointments. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information and such information involves various risks and uncertainties. Trillion does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

    These statements are no guarantee of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, delay, change of strategy, and assumptions that are difficult to predict and which may change over time. Accordingly, actual results and strategies could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. These factors include unforeseen securities regulatory challenges, COVID, oil and gas price fluctuations, operational and geological risks, changes in capital raising strategies, the ability of the Company to raise necessary funds for development; the outcome of commercial negotiations; changes in technical or operating conditions; the cost of extracting gas and oil may increase and be too costly so that it is uneconomic and not profitable to do so and other factors discussed from time to time in the Company’s filings on www.sedar.com, including the most recently filed Annual Report on Form 20-F and subsequent filings. For a full summary of our oil and gas reserves information for Turkey, please refer to our Forms F-1,2,3 51-101 filed on www.sedar.com, and or request a copy of our reserves report effective December 31, 2022 and updated January 31 2023.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Imperial Petroleum Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Twelve Months 2024 Financial and Operating Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ATHENS, Greece, Feb. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. (NASDAQ: IMPP, the “Company”), a ship-owning company providing petroleum products, crude oil and dry bulk seaborne transportation services, announced today its unaudited financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and twelve months ended December 31, 2024.

    OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

    • Fleet operational utilization of 86.0% in Q4 24’ versus 68.5% in Q4 23’.
    • Almost 180% increase in Q4 24’ time charter days compared to Q4 23’, as two of our product tankers and one newly acquired bulk carrier were under time charter (“TC”) employment for the whole period.
    • For the 12M 24’ period our operational utilization was 78.3%. 69% of our fleet calendar days were dedicated to spot activity, while 29% to time charter activity.
    • Delivery of the product tanker, Clean Imperial on January 10, 2025. With this vessel addition, our tanker fleet totals nine ships.
    • Revenues of $26.2 million in Q4 24’ compared to $29.9 million in Q4 23’, representing a 12.4% decline due primarily to decreased spot market rates.
    • Net income of $3.9 million in Q4 24’ compared to $6.5 million in Q4 23’. In Q4 24’ we incurred a $3.3 million foreign exchange loss.
    • Cash and cash equivalents including time deposits of $206.7 million as of December 31, 2024, compared to $124.0 million as of December 31, 2023, representing a 66.7% increase.
    • For the 12M 24’ period our net income was $50.2 million, while our operating cash flow amounted to $77.7 million.
    • Recurring profitability and a debt-free capital structure facilitate robust cash flow generation and low breakeven points.

    Fourth Quarter 2024 Results:

    • Revenues for the three months ended December 31, 2024 amounted to $26.2 million, a decrease of $3.7 million, or 12.4%, compared to revenues of $29.9 million for the three months ended December 31, 2023, primarily due to a decrease in the spot market rates.
    • Voyage expenses and vessels’ operating expenses fo        r the three months ended December 31, 2024 were $8.5 million and $6.7 million, respectively, compared to $13.8 million and $5.7 million, respectively, for the three months ended December 31, 2023. The $5.3 million decrease in voyage expenses is mainly attributed to increased time charter activity leading to a decline of spot days by 10.3%. The decline in spot days along with the decrease in the Suez Canal transits compared to the same period of last year, led to decreased bunker consumption by 15.6% and lower port expenses by 44.9%. The $1.0 million increase in vessels’ operating expenses is primarily due to the increased size of our fleet by an average of 2.0 vessels between the two periods.
    • Drydocking costs for the three months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 were $0.2 million and $2.5 million, respectively. This decrease is due to the fact that during the three months ended December 31, 2024, no vessel underwent drydocking and charges related only to a drydocking which took place at the end of the third quarter of 2024, while one of our suezmax tankers and one of our handysize dry vessels underwent drydocking in the fourth quarter of last year.
    • General and administrative costs for the three months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 were $1.0 million and $1.2 million, respectively. This change is mainly attributed to the decrease in stock-based compensation costs.
    • Depreciation for the three months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 was $4.5 million and $3.5 million, respectively. The change is attributable to the increase in the average number of vessels in our fleet.
    • Management fees for each of the three months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 were $0.4 million.
    • Interest and finance costs for the three months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 were $0.3 million and $0.01 million, respectively. The $0.3 million of costs for the three months ended December 31, 2024 relate mainly to accrued interest expense – related party in connection with the $14.0 million, part of the acquisition price of our bulk carrier, Neptulus, which is payable by May 2025.
    • Interest income for the three months ended December 31, 2024 was $2.3 million as compared to $2.0 million for the three months ended December 31, 2023. The $0.3 million increase is mainly attributed to a higher amount of funds placed under time deposits.
    • Foreign exchange gain/(loss) for the three months ended December 31, 2024 was a loss of $3.3 million as compared to a gain of $1.4 million for the three months ended December 31, 2023. The $3.3 million foreign exchange loss for the three months ended December 31, 2024, is mainly attributed to the decline in the euro/dollar exchange rate and to the higher amount of funds placed under time deposits in euro.
    •    As a result of the above, for the three months ended December 31, 2024, the Company reported net income of $3.9 million, compared to net income of $6.5 million for the three months ended December 31, 2023. Dividends paid on Series A Preferred Shares amounted to $0.4 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024. The weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding, basic, for the three months ended December 31, 2024 was 32.7 million. Earnings per share, basic and diluted, for the three months ended December 31, 2024 amounted to $0.10 and $0.10, respectively, compared to loss per share, basic and diluted, of $0.02 and $0.02, respectively, for the three months ended December 31, 2023.
    • Adjusted net income1 was $4.6 million corresponding to an Adjusted EPS1, basic of $0.12 for the three months ended December 31, 2024 compared to an Adjusted net income of $7.2 million corresponding to an Adjusted EPS, basic, of $0.01 for the same period of last year.
    • EBITDA1 for the three months ended December 31, 2024 amounted to $6.4 million, while Adjusted EBITDA1 for the three months ended December 31, 2024 amounted to $7.1 million.
    • An average of 11.0 vessels were owned by the Company during the three months ended December 31, 2024 compared to 9.0 vessels for the same period of 2023.

    Twelve months 2024 Results:

    • Revenues for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 amounted to $147.5 million, representing a decrease of $36.2 million, or 19.7%, compared to revenues of $183.7 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, primarily due to softer market spot rates. As of the end of 2024, daily spot market rates were about $22,000 for standard product tankers versus $33,000 as of the end of the same period of 2023 and $30,000 for standard suezmax tankers as opposed to $60,000 as of the end of the same period of 2023.
    • Voyage expenses and vessels’ operating expenses for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 were $52.0 million and $26.4 million, respectively, compared to $62.5 million and $25.6 million, respectively, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. The $10.5 million decrease in voyage expenses is mainly attributed to a reduction in port expenses due to decreased transits through the Suez Canal and a decrease in voyage commissions resulting from lower market rates and consequently softer revenue generation. The $0.8 million increase in vessels’ operating expenses was primarily due to the increase in the average number of vessels.
    • Drydocking costs for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 were $1.7 million and $6.6 million, respectively. This decrease is due to the fact that during the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 two tanker vessels underwent drydocking, while in the same period of last year three of our product tankers, one of our suezmax tankers and two of our drybulk carriers underwent drydocking.
    • General and administrative costs for each of the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 were $4.9 million.
    • Depreciation for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 was $17.0 million, a $1.4 million increase from $15.6 million for the same period of last year, mainly due to the depreciation of the vessels added in the fleet during 2024.
    • Management fees for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 were $1.7 million and $1.6 million, respectively. The increase of $0.1 million is attributable to the slight increase in the average number of vessels in our fleet.
    • Other operating income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 was $1.9 million and related to the collection of a claim in connection with repairs undertaken in prior years.
    • Net loss on sale of vessel/ Net gain on sale of vessel – related party for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 was a loss of $1.6 million and related to the sale of the Aframax tanker Gstaad Grace II to a third party whereas net gain on sale of vessel for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 was $8.2 million and related to the sale of the Aframax tanker Afrapearl II (ex. Stealth Berana) to C3is Inc., a related party.
    • Impairment loss for the twelve months period ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 stood at nil and $9.0 million, and related to the spin-off of two drybulk carriers to C3is Inc. in 2023. The decline of drybulk vessels’ fair values, at the time of the spin off, compared to one year before when these vessels were acquired resulted in the incurrence of impairment loss.
    •    Interest and finance costs for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 were $0.4 million and $1.8 million, respectively. The $0.4 million of costs for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 relate mainly to accrued interest expense – related party in connection with the $14.0 million, part of the acquisition price of our bulk carrier, Neptulus, which is payable by May 2025. The $1.8 million of costs for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 related mainly to $1.3 million of interest charges incurred up to the full repayment of all outstanding loans concluded in April 2023 along with the full amortization of $0.5 million of loan related charges following the repayment of the Company’s outstanding debt.
    • Interest income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 was $8.3 million and $5.8 million, respectively. The increase is mainly attributed to the interest earned from the time deposits held by the Company as well as the interest income – related party for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 in connection with the $38.7 million of the sale price of the Aframax tanker Afrapearl II (ex. Stealth Berana) which was received in July 2024.
    • As a result of the above, the Company reported net income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 of $50.2 million, compared to a net income of $71.1 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. The weighted average number of shares outstanding, basic, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 was 29.9 million. Earnings per share, basic and diluted, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 amounted to $1.54 and $1.40, respectively, compared to earnings per share, basic and diluted, of $3.22 and $2.93 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023.
    • Adjusted Net Income was $55.1 million corresponding to an Adjusted EPS, basic of $1.70 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 compared to adjusted net income of $74.4 million, corresponding to an Adjusted EPS, basic of $3.39 for the same period of last year.
    • EBITDA for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 amounted to $59.2 million while Adjusted EBITDA for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 amounted to $64.2 million.
    • An average of 10.4 vessels were owned by the Company during the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 compared to 10.0 vessels for the same period of 2023.
    • As of December 31, 2024, cash and cash equivalents including time deposits amounted to $206.7 million and total bank debt amounted to nil.

    1 EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EPS are non-GAAP measures. Refer to the reconciliation of these measures to the most directly comparable financial measure in accordance with GAAP set forth later in this release. Reconciliations of Adjusted Net Income, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA to Net Income are set forth below.

    Fleet Employment Table

    As of February 13, 2025, the profile and deployment of our fleet is the following:

                             
    Name    Year
    Built
      Country
    Built
      Vessel Size
    (dwt)
      Vessel
    Type
      Employment
    Status
      Expiration of
    Charter(1)
    Tankers                         
    Magic Wand    2008   Korea   47,000   MR product tanker   Spot    
    Clean Thrasher    2008   Korea   47,000   MR product tanker   Time Charter   May 2025
    Clean Sanctuary (ex. Falcon Maryam)    2009   Korea   46,000   MR product tanker   Spot    
    Clean Nirvana    2008   Korea   50,000   MR product tanker   Spot    
    Clean Justice    2011   Japan   46,000   MR product tanker   Time Charter   August 2027
    Aquadisiac   2008   Korea   51,000   MR product tanker   Spot    
    Clean Imperial   2009   Korea   40,000   MR product tanker   Time Charter   January 2026
    Suez Enchanted    2007   Korea   160,000   Suezmax tanker   Spot    
    Suez Protopia    2008   Korea   160,000   Suezmax tanker   Spot    
    Drybulk Carriers(2)                         
    Eco Wildfire    2013   Japan   33,000   Handysize drybulk   Time Charter   February 2025
    Glorieuse    2012   Japan   38,000   Handysize drybulk   Time Charter   February 2025
    Neptulus   2012   Japan   33,000   Handysize drybulk   Time Charter   March 2025
    Fleet Total                 751,000 dwt            
                             
    (1) Earliest date charters could expire.
    (2) We have contracted to acquire seven Japanese built drybulk carriers, aggregating approximately 443,000 dwt, which are expected to be delivered to us between February 2025 and May 2025.
       

    CEO Harry Vafias Commented

    For yet another year Imperial Petroleum demonstrated exceptional results; we continued to be consistent with profitability, cash flow generation and fleet growth across the quarters. Market conditions in 2024 were somewhat softer than 2023 when tanker rates oscillated around all time high levels. Nevertheless, our debt free fleet of eleven vessels managed to generate $50 million of profit and maintain an enviable cash base of $207 million. In the period ahead our key focus is to materialize our already announced fleet growth plans, sustain our profitable momentum and as always, seek opportunities to enhance the value of our Company.

    Conference Call details:

    On February 13, 2025 at 10:00 am ET, the company’s management will host a conference call to discuss the results and the company’s operations and outlook.

    Online Registration:

    Conference call participants should pre-register using the below link to receive the dial-in numbers and a personal PIN, which are required to access the conference call.

    https://register.vevent.com/register/BI127dcd86b3bd4efc8d71152e3b8a8800

    Slides and audio webcast:

    There will also be a live and then archived webcast of the conference call, through the IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. website (www.ImperialPetro.com). Participants to the live webcast should register on the website approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the webcast.

    About IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC.        

    IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. is a ship-owning company providing petroleum products, crude oil and drybulk seaborne transportation services. The Company owns a total of twelve vessels on the water – seven M.R. product tankers, two suezmax tankers and three handysize drybulk carriers – with a total capacity of 751,000 deadweight tons (dwt), and has contracted to acquire an additional seven drybulk carriers of 443,000 dwt aggregate capacity. Following these deliveries, the Company’s fleet will count a total of 19 vessels. IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC.’s shares of common stock and 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market and trade under the symbols “IMPP” and “IMPPP,” respectively.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Matters discussed in this release may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance and may include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, management’s examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. Although IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. cannot assure you that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. Important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the strength of world economies and currencies, geopolitical conditions, including any trade disruptions resulting from tariffs imposed by the United States or  other countries, general market conditions, including changes in charter hire rates and vessel values, charter counterparty performance, changes in demand that may affect attitudes of time charterers to scheduled and unscheduled drydockings, changes in IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC’s operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, ability to obtain financing and comply with covenants in our financing arrangements, actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, domestic and international political conditions, the conflict in Ukraine and related sanctions, the conflicts in the Middle East, potential disruption of shipping routes due to ongoing attacks by Houthis in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden or accidents and political events or acts by terrorists.

    Risks and uncertainties are further described in reports filed by IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

    Fleet List and Fleet Deployment        
    For information on our fleet and further information:
    Visit our website at www.ImperialPetro.com

    Company Contact:
    Fenia Sakellaris
    IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC.
    E-mail: info@ImperialPetro.com

    Fleet Data:
    The following key indicators highlight the Company’s operating performance during the periods ended December 31, 2023 and 2024.

    FLEET DATA Q4 2023   Q4 2024   12M 2023   12M 2024  
    Average number of vessels (1) 9.00   11.00   10.00   10.39  
    Period end number of owned vessels in fleet 9   11   9   11  
    Total calendar days for fleet (2) 828   1,012   3,650   3,801  
    Total voyage days for fleet (3) 789   1,010   3,481   3,700  
    Fleet utilization (4) 95.3 % 99.8 % 95.4 % 97.3 %
    Total charter days for fleet (5) 160   446   1,058   1,092  
    Total spot market days for fleet (6) 629   564   2,423   2,608  
    Fleet operational utilization (7) 68.5 % 86.0 % 75.1 % 78.3 %
                     

    1) Average number of vessels is the number of owned vessels that constituted our fleet for the relevant period, as measured by the sum of the number of days each vessel was a part of our fleet during the period divided by the number of calendar days in that period.
    2) Total calendar days for fleet are the total days the vessels we operated were in our possession for the relevant period including off-hire days associated with major repairs, drydockings or special or intermediate surveys.
    3) Total voyage days for fleet reflect the total days the vessels we operated were in our possession for the relevant period net of off-hire days associated with major repairs, drydockings or special or intermediate surveys.
    4) Fleet utilization is the percentage of time that our vessels were available for revenue generating voyage days, and is determined by dividing voyage days by fleet calendar days for the relevant period.
    5) Total charter days for fleet are the number of voyage days the vessels operated on time or bareboat charters for the relevant period.
    6) Total spot market charter days for fleet are the number of voyage days the vessels operated on spot market charters for the relevant period.
    7) Fleet operational utilization is the percentage of time that our vessels generated revenue, and is determined by dividing voyage days excluding commercially idle days by fleet calendar days for the relevant period.

    Reconciliation of Adjusted Net Income, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EPS:

    Adjusted net income represents net income before impairment loss, net (gain)/loss on sale of vessel and share based compensation. EBITDA represents net income before interest and finance costs, interest income and depreciation. Adjusted EBITDA represents net income before interest and finance costs, interest income, depreciation, impairment loss, net (gain)/loss on sale of vessel and share based compensation.
    Adjusted EPS represents Adjusted net income attributable to common shareholders divided by the weighted average number of shares. EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income and adjusted EPS are not recognized measurements under U.S. GAAP. Our calculation of EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income and adjusted EPS may not be comparable to that reported by other companies in the shipping or other industries. In evaluating Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted net income and Adjusted EPS, you should be aware that in the future we may incur expenses that are the same as or similar to some of the adjustments in this presentation.

    EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income and adjusted EPS are included herein because they are a basis, upon which we and our investors assess our financial performance. They allow us to present our performance from period to period on a comparable basis and provide investors with a means of better evaluating and understanding our operating performance.

    (Expressed in United States Dollars, except number of shares) Third Quarter Ended December 31st,   Twelve Months Period Ended December 31st,  
      2023   2024   2023   2024  
    Net Income – Adjusted Net Income                
    Net income 6,463,943   3,917,661   71,134,002   50,157,772  
    Less/Plus net (gain)/loss on sale of vessel     (8,182,777 ) 1,589,702  
    Plus impairment loss     8,996,023    
    Plus share based compensation 752,407   665,062   2,434,855   3,397,082  
    Adjusted Net Income 7,216,350   4,582,723   74,382,103   55,144,556  
                     
    Net income – EBITDA                
    Net income 6,463,943   3,917,661   71,134,002   50,157,772  
    Plus interest and finance costs 11,139   276,622   1,821,908   398,320  
    Less interest income (2,004,611 ) (2,268,975 ) (5,833,756 ) (8,305,517 )
    Plus depreciation 3,485,073   4,466,447   15,629,116   16,991,900  
    EBITDA 7,955,544   6,391,755   82,751,270   59,242,475  
                     
    Net income – Adjusted EBITDA                
    Net income 6,463,943   3,917,661   71,134,002   50,157,772  
    Less/Plus net (gain)/loss on sale of vessel     (8,182,777 ) 1,589,702  
    Plus impairment loss     8,996,023    
    Plus share based compensation 752,407   665,062   2,434,855   3,397,082  
    Plus interest and finance costs 11,139   276,622   1,821,908   398,320  
    Less interest income (2,004,611 ) (2,268,975 ) (5,833,756 ) (8,305,517 )
    Plus depreciation 3,485,073   4,466,447   15,629,116   16,991,900  
    Adjusted EBITDA 8,707,951   7,056,817   85,999,371   64,229,259  
                     
    EPS                
    Numerator                
    Net income 6,463,943   3,917,661   71,134,002   50,157,772  
    Less: Cumulative dividends on preferred shares (462,225 ) (435,246 ) (2,130,254 ) (1,740,983 )
    Less: Undistributed earnings allocated to non-vested shares   (122,899 ) (2,508,399 ) (2,311,172 )
    Less: Deemed dividend from the conversion
    of the Series C Preferred Shares
    (6,507,789 )   (6,507,789 )  
    Net (loss)/ income attributable to common shareholders, basic (506,071 ) 3,359,516   59,987,560   46,105,617  
    Denominator                
    Weighted average number of shares 23,566,153   32,729,505   18,601,539   29,933,920  
    EPS – Basic (0.02 ) 0.10   3.22   1.54  
                     
    Adjusted EPS                
    Numerator                
    Adjusted net income 7,216,350   4,582,723   74,382,103   55,144,556  
    Less: Cumulative dividends on preferred shares (462,225 ) (435,246 ) (2,130,254 ) (1,740,983 )
    Less: Undistributed earnings allocated to non-vested shares (12,908 ) (146,370 ) (2,638,768 ) (2,549,216 )
    Less: Deemed dividend from the conversion
    of the Series C Preferred Shares
    (6,507,789 )   (6,507,789 )  
    Adjusted net income attributable to common shareholders, basic 233,428   4,001,107   63,105,292   50,854,357  
                     
    Denominator                
    Weighted average number of shares 23,566,153   32,729,505   18,601,539   29,933,920  
    Adjusted EPS, Basic 0.01   0.12   3.39   1.70  
                     

    Imperial Petroleum Inc.
    Unaudited Consolidated Statements of Income
    (Expressed in United States Dollars, except for number of shares)

        Quarters Ended December 31,
        Twelve Month Periods Ended December 31,
     
        2023     2024     2023     2024  
                          
    Revenues                        
     Revenues   29,881,814     26,211,665     183,725,820     147,479,980  
                              
    Expenses                        
     Voyage expenses   13,470,678     8,122,190     60,276,962     50,168,529  
     Voyage expenses – related party   348,535     338,262     2,253,979     1,856,361  
     Vessels’ operating expenses   5,541,258     6,561,878     25,295,851     26,044,734  
     Vessels’ operating expenses – related party 117,500     89,500     346,583     328,000  
     Drydocking costs   2,454,960     195,418     6,551,534     1,691,361  
     Management fees – related party   364,320     445,280     1,606,440     1,672,440  
     General and administrative expenses   1,173,120     994,777     4,934,468     4,894,070  
     Depreciation   3,485,073     4,466,447     15,629,116     16,991,900  
     Other operating income               (1,900,000 )
     Impairment loss           8,996,023      
     Net gain on sale of vessel – related party           (8,182,777 )    
     Net loss on sale of vessel               1,589,702  
    Total expenses   26,955,444     21,213,752     117,708,179     103,337,097  
                              
    Income from operations   2,926,370     4,997,913     66,017,641     44,142,883  
                              
    Other (expenses)/income                        
     Interest and finance costs   (11,139 )   (3,508 )   (1,821,908 )   (16,269 )
     Interest expense – related party       (273,114 )       (382,051 )
     Interest income   1,260,971     2,268,975     4,470,396     6,668,877  
     Interest income – related party   743,640         1,363,360     1,636,640  
     Dividend income from related party   191,667     191,667     404,167     762,500  
     Foreign exchange gain/(loss)   1,352,434     (3,264,272 )   700,346     (2,654,808 )
    Other income/(expenses), net   3,537,573     (1,080,252 )   5,116,361     6,014,889  
                             
    Net Income   6,463,943     3,917,661     71,134,002     50,157,772  
                             
    Earnings per share                        
    – Basic   (0.02 )   0.10     3.22     1.54  
    – Diluted   (0.02 )   0.10     2.93     1.40  
                             
    Weighted average number of shares                      
    -Basic   23,566,153     32,729,505     18,601,539     29,933,920  
    -Diluted   23,566,153     34,704,542     22,933,671     33,008,816  
                             

    Imperial Petroleum Inc.
    Unaudited Consolidated Balance Sheets
    (Expressed in United States Dollars)

      December 31,     December 31,  
      2023     2024  
               
    Assets          
    Current assets          
     Cash and cash equivalents 91,927,512     79,783,531  
     Time deposits 32,099,810     126,948,481  
     Receivables from related parties 37,906,821      
     Trade and other receivables 13,498,813     13,456,083  
     Other current assets 302,773     652,769  
     Inventories 7,291,123     7,306,356  
     Advances and prepayments 161,937     250,562  
    Total current assets 183,188,789     228,397,782  
                 
    Non current assets          
     Operating lease right-of-use asset     78,761  
     Vessels, net 180,847,252     208,230,018  
     Investment in related party 12,798,500     12,798,500  
    Total non current assets 193,645,752     221,107,279  
    Total assets
     
    376,834,541     449,505,061  
                 
    Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity          
    Current liabilities          
     Trade accounts payable 8,277,118     5,243,872  
     Payable to related parties 2,324,334     18,725,514  
     Accrued liabilities 3,008,500     3,370,020  
     Operating lease liability, current portion     78,761  
     Deferred income 919,116     1,419,226  
    Total current liabilities 14,529,068     28,837,393  
                 
    Total liabilities 14,529,068     28,837,393  
                 
    Commitments and contingencies          
                 
    Stockholders’ equity          
     Common stock 332,573     382,755  
     Preferred Stock, Series A 7,959     7,959  
     Preferred Stock, Series B 160     160  
     Treasury stock (5,885,727 )   (8,390,225 )
     Additional paid-in capital 270,242,635     282,642,357  
     Retained earnings 97,607,873     146,024,662  
    Total stockholders’ equity 362,305,473     420,667,668  
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity 376,834,541     449,505,061  
               

    Imperial Petroleum Inc.
    Unaudited Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
    (Expressed in United States Dollars

      Twelve Month Periods Ended December 31,
     
      2023     2024  
           
    Cash flows from operating activities          
    Net income for the year 71,134,002     50,157,772  
               
    Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash          
    provided by operating activities:          
    Depreciation 15,629,116     16,991,900  
    Amortization of deferred finance charges 474,039      
    Non – cash lease expense 62,609     71,237  
    Share based compensation 2,434,855     3,397,082  
    Impairment loss 8,996,023      
    Net gain on sale of vessel – related party (8,182,777 )    
    Net loss on sale of vessel     1,589,702  
    Unrealized foreign exchange (gain)/loss on time deposits (426,040 )   1,983,810  
    Dividend income from related party (404,167 )    
               
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities:          
    (Increase)/decrease in          
    Trade and other receivables (6,477,912 )   42,730  
    Other current assets (62,771 )   (349,996 )
    Inventories (1,908,513 )   (15,233 )
    Changes in operating lease liabilities (62,609 )   (71,237 )
    Advances and prepayments (181,990 )   (88,625 )
    Due from related parties (2,940,967 )   2,206,821  
    Increase/(decrease) in          
    Trade accounts payable 118,523     (2,173,926 )
    Due to related parties     3,091,759  
    Accrued liabilities 1,383,841     361,520  
    Deferred income (54,903 )   500,110  
    Net cash provided by operating activities 79,530,359     77,695,426  
               
    Cash flows from investing activities          
    Dividends income received 241,667      
    Proceeds from sale of vessel, net 3,865,890     41,153,578  
    Acquisition and improvement of vessels (28,145,103 )   (74,672,266 )
    Increase in bank time deposits (167,501,480 )   (247,603,451 )
    Maturity of bank time deposits 203,827,710     150,770,970  
    Proceeds from seller financing     35,700,000  
    Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities 12,288,684     (94,651,169 )
               
    Cash flows from financing activities          
    Proceeds from exercise of stock options     475,000  
    Proceeds from equity offerings 29,070,586      
    Proceeds from warrants exercise     8,600,000  
    Stock issuance costs (1,492,817 )    
    Issuance costs on warrants exercise     (22,178 )
    Stock repurchase (5,885,727 )   (2,504,498 )
    Warrants repurchase (1,521,738 )    
    Dividends paid on preferred shares (2,130,254 )   (1,736,562 )
    Loan repayments (70,438,500 )    
    Cash retained by C3is Inc. at spin-off (5,000,000 )    
    Net cash (used in)/provided by financing activities (57,398,450 )   4,811,762  
               
    Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 34,420,593     (12,143,981 )
    Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 57,506,919     91,927,512  
    Cash and cash equivalents at end of year 91,927,512     79,783,531  
    Cash breakdown          
    Cash and cash equivalents 91,927,512     79,783,531  
    Total cash and cash equivalents shown in the statements of cash flows 91,927,512     79,783,531  
               

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: NPS Develops AI Solution to Automate Drone Defense with High Energy Lasers

    Source: United States Navy

    To counter the rapidly mounting threats posed by the proliferation of inexpensive uncrewed autonomous systems (UAS), or drones, Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) researchers and collaborators are applying AI to automate critical parts of the tracking system used by laser weapon systems (LWS). By improving target classification, pose estimation, aimpoint selection and aimpoint maintenance, the ability of an LWS to assess and neutralize a hostile UAS greatly increases. Enhanced decision advantage is the goal.

    The tracking system of an LWS follows a sequence of demanding steps to successfully engage an adversarial UAS. When conducted by a human operator, the steps can be time consuming, especially when facing numerous drones in a swarm. Add in the challenges of an adversary’s missiles and rockets traveling at hypersonic speeds, efforts to mount proper defenses become even more complicated, and urgent.

    Directed energy and AI are both considered DOD Critical Technology Areas. By automating and accelerating the sequence for targeting drones with an AI-enabled LWS, a research team from NPS, Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division, Lockheed Martin, Boeing and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) developed an approach to have the operator on-the-loop overseeing the tracking system instead of in-the-loop manually controlling it.

    “Defending against one drone isn’t a problem. But if there are multiple drones, then sending million-dollar interceptor missiles becomes a very expensive tradeoff because the drones are very cheap,” says Distinguished Professor Brij Agrawal, NPS Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, who leads the NPS team. “The Navy has several LWS being developed and tested. LWS are cheap to fire but expensive to build. But once it’s built, then it can keep on firing, like a few dollars per shot.”

    To achieve this level of automation, the researchers generated two datasets that contained thousands of drone images and then applied AI training to the datasets. This produced an AI model that was validated in the laboratory and then transferred to Dahlgren for field testing with its LWS tracking system.

    Funded by the Joint Directed Energy Transition Office (DE-JTO) and the Office of Naval Research (ONR), this research addresses advanced AI and directed energy technology applications cited in the CNO NAVPLAN.

    During a typical engagement with a hostile drone, radar makes the initial detection and then the contact information is fed over to the LWS. The operator of the LWS uses its infrared sensor, which has a wide field of view, to start tracking the drone. Next, the high magnification and narrow field of view of its high energy laser (HEL) telescope continues the tracking as its fast-steering mirrors maintain the lock on the drone.

    With a video screen showing the image of the drone in the distance, the operator compares it to a target reference to classify the type of drone and identify its unique aimpoints. Each drone type has different characteristics, and its aimpoints are the locations where that particular drone is most vulnerable to incoming laser fire.

    Along with the drone type and aimpoint determinations, the operator must identify the drone’s pose, or relative orientation to the LWS, necessary for locating its aimpoints. The operator looks at the drone’s image on the screen to determine where to point the LWS and then fires the laser beam.

    Long distances and atmospheric conditions between the LWS and the drone can adversely affect the image quality, making all these identifications more challenging and time consuming to conduct.

    After all these preparations, the operator cannot just simply move a computerized crosshair across the screen onto an aimpoint and press the fire button as if it were a kinetic weapon system, like an anti-aircraft gun or interceptor missile.

    Though lasers move at the speed of light, they don’t instantaneously destroy a drone like the way lasers are depicted in sci-fi movies. The more powerful the laser, the more energy it delivers in a given time. To heat a drone enough to cause catastrophic damage, the laser must be firing the entire time.

    But there’s a catch. The laser beam must be continually held at the same spot. If the drone turns and the laser beam doesn’t adjust, the initial spot it was targeting will no longer heat up. Whatever new spot now hit by the laser beam will start to heat, but it might not be the aimpoint.

    If the drone continuously moves, then the laser beam will wander along its surface if not continuously re-aimed. In this case, the laser’s energy will be distributed across a large area instead of concentrated at a single point. This process of continuously firing the laser beam at one spot is called aimpoint maintenance.

    In 2016, construction of the High Energy Laser Beam Control Research Testbed (HBCRT) was completed by the NPS research team. The HBCRT was designed to replicate the functions of an LWS found aboard a ship, such as the 30-kilowatt, XN-1 Laser Weapon System operated on USS Ponce (LPD 15) from 2014 to 2017.

    Early on, the HBCRT was utilized at NPS to study adaptive optics techniques to correct for aberrations from atmospheric conditions that degrade the quality of the laser beam fired from an LWS. Later, the addition of state-of-the-art deformable mirrors built by Northrup Grumman allowed NPS researchers to investigate further impacts of deep turbulence.

    Over the years, 15 masters and 2 PhD degrees have been earned by NPS officer-students contributing their interdisciplinary research into hardware and software related to the HBCRT. Investigations by U.S. Navy Ensigns Raymond Turner, MS astronautical engineering in 2022, and Raven Heath, MS aeronautical engineering in 2023, added to this research. Turner helped integrate AI algorithms into the HBCRT for aimpoint selection and maintenance, and Heath used deep learning to research AI target key points estimation.

    Now the HBCRT is also being used to create catalogs of drone images to make real-world datasets for AI training.

    Built by Boeing, the HBCRT has a 30 cm diameter, fine-tracking, HEL telescope and a course-tracking, mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) sensor. The pair is called the beam director when coupled together on a large gimble that swivels them in unison up-and-down and side-to-side.

    “The MWIR is thermal,” says Research Associate Professor Jae Jun Kim, NPS Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, who specializes in optical beam control. “It looks at the mid-wavelength infrared signal of light, which is related to the heat signature of the target. It has a wide field of view. The gimbal moves to lock onto the target. Then the target is seen through the telescope, which has very small field of view.”

    A 1-kilowatt laser beam (roughly a million times more powerful than a classroom laser pointer) can fire from the telescope. If the laser beam were to be used, it’s generated by a separate external unit and then directed into the telescope, which then projects the laser beam onto the target. However, its use with the HBCRT isn’t required for the initial development of this research, which allows the work to be easily conducted inside a laboratory.

    With a short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) tracking camera, the telescope can record images of a drone that is miles away. Although necessary, replicating the view of a distant drone in a small laboratory is impossible. To resolve this dilemma, researchers mounted 3D-printed, titanium miniature models of drones fabricated by AFRL into a range-in-a-box (RIAB).

    Constructed on an optical bench, the RIAB accurately replicates a drone flying miles away from the telescope by using a large parabolic mirror and other optical components. This research used a miniature model of a Reaper drone. When a SWIR image is taken of the drone model by the telescope, it appears to the telescope as if it were seeing an actual full-sized Reaper drone.

    The drone model is attached to a gimble with motors that can change its pose along the three rotational flight axes of roll (x), pitch (y) and yaw (z). This allows the telescope to observe real-time changes in the direction that the drone model faces.

    Simply put, pose is the orientation of the drone that the telescope “sees” in its direct line of sight. Is the drone heading straight-on or flying away, diving or climbing, banking or cruising straight and level, or moving in some other way?

    By measuring the angles about the x-, y- and z-axes for a drone model in a specific orientation, the pose of the drone can be precisely defined and recorded. This important measurement is called the pose label.

    The NPS researchers created two large representative datasets for AI training to produce the AI model for automating target classification, pose estimation, aimpoint selection and aimpoint maintenance. The AI training used convolutional neural networks with deep learning, which is a machine learning technique based on the understanding of neuropathways in the human brain. A recent journal article in Machine Vision and Applications by NPS faculty Leonardo Herrera, Jae Jun Kim, and Brij Agrawal describes the datasets and AI training in detail.

    Each piece of data in the dataset contained a 256´256-pixel image of a Reaper drone in a unique pose with its corresponding pose label. Lockheed Martin used computer generation to create the synthetic dataset, which contained 100,000 images. Created with the HBCRT and RIAB at NPS, the real-world dataset contained 77,077 images.

    “If we train on only clean pictures, it won’t work. That is a limitation,” says Agrawal. “We need a lot of data with different backgrounds, intensities of the sun, turbulence and more. That’s why when using AI, it takes a lot of work to create the data. And the more data you have, the higher the fidelity.”

    For the AI model, three different AI training scenarios were generated and compared to determine which scenario performed the best. The first scenario only used the synthetic dataset, the second used both the synthetic and real-world datasets, and the third only used the real-world dataset.

    Because the large sizes of datasets and their individual pieces of data required enormous amounts of computational power for the AI training, the researchers used an NVIDIA DGX workstation with four Tesla V100 GPUs. NPS operates numerous NVIDIA workstations. And in December 2024, to continue advancing AI-based technologies, NPS formed a partnership with NVIDIA to become one of its AI Technology Centers.

    “Once we’ve generated a model, we want to test how good it is,” says Agrawal. “Assume you have a dataset with 100,000 data. We’ll train on 80,000 data and test on 20,000 data. Once it’s good with 20,000 data, we’re finished training it.”

    U.S. Navy Ensign Alex Hooker, a Shoemaker Scholar who recently earned his M.S. in astronautical engineering from NPS and is now a student naval aviator, contributed to testing the pose estimations of the AI model.

    “A way to improve the reliability of the model at predicting the pose of a UAS in 3D space by taking 2D input images is detecting what’s called out of distribution data,” he says. “There are different ways to detect whether an image can be trusted or whether it is out of distribution.”

    By feeding the test data images from the dataset into the existing AI model and then comparing the output poses from the AI model to pose labels of the test data images, Hooker could continually train and refine the AI model itself.

    Working now with Agrawal is NPS Space Systems Engineering student U.S. Navy Ensign Nicholas Messina, who graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in aerospace engineering last year and is a Boman Scholar headed for the Nuclear Navy career track after NPS.

    “My thesis is a little bit of a sidestep in the way that I am working with artificial intelligence and optics, but Dr. Agrawal and Dr. Herrera have been great,” said Messina. “My research is specifically working on optical turbulence prediction and classification. I train my AI models off large image datasets and am working to improve accuracy in how the model predicts the wavefronts from a picture.”

    One of the biggest challenges that has faced automated image-based drone identification and classification is pose ambiguity. This occurs when the pose of the actual drone in the distance is indistinguishable from one or more of its other poses.

    Because an LWS views the 3D drone flying far away as 2D images in the infrared spectrum, the features of the drone’s shape effectively disappear into a silhouette. For example, the silhouette of a drone flying directly head-on would look the same as if it were flying away in the exact opposite direction.

    The researchers solved pose ambiguity for the AI model by introducing radar cueing. Tracking data from a radar can reveal if a drone is approaching, withdrawing or moving in some other way. For the AI training, the pose labels of the drone images were used to mimic real radar sensor output. The team also developed a separate method to simulate the radar data and provide radar cuing during LWS operation if actual radar data is not available.

    Overall, the AI model from the scenario using only the real-world dataset performed best by producing the least amount of error. 

    For the next phase of the research, the team transferred the AI model to Dahlgren for field testing on its LWS tracking system.

    “Dahlgren has our model, which we trained on the dataset collected indoors on the HBCRT and complemented with synthetic data,” says Leonardo Herrara, who runs the AI laboratory at NPS and is a faculty associate in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. “They can collect live data using a drone and create a new dataset to train on top of ours. That’s called transfer learning.”

    Creating more data under additional conditions and of other drone types will also continue at NPS. Just because the AI model is already trained on a Reaper doesn’t mean it’s reliable for other drones. But even before the AI model can be deployed, it must first be integrated into Dahlgren’s tracking system.

    “We now have the model running in real-time inside of our tracking system,” says Eric Montag, an imaging scientist at Dahlgren and leader of a group that developed an LWS tracking system currently in use by High Energy Laser Expeditionary (HELEX), which is an LWS mounted on a land-based demonstrator.

    “Sometime this calendar year, we’re planning a demo of the automatic aimpoint selection inside the tracking framework for a simple proof of concept,” Montag adds. “We don’t need to shoot a laser to test the automatic aimpoint capabilities. There are already projects—HELEX being one of them—that are interested in this technology. We’ve been partnering with them and shooting from their platform with our tracking system.”

    When field testing occurs, HELEX will start tracking from radar cues and use pose estimation to automatically select an aimpoint. The tracking system of HELEX will be semi-autonomous. So, instead of manually controlling aspects of the tracking system from in-the-loop, the operator will oversee it from on-the-loop.

    Besides LWS, this research also opens other possibilities for use throughout the fleet. Tracking systems across other platforms could also see potential benefit from this type of AI-enabled automation. At a time when shipboard defenses can be threatened by massive waves of drones, missiles and rockets, a jump in the efficiency of determining friend or foe, and engaging hostile threats, could be a game-changer to speed decision-advantage.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Global: How to cope with romantic rejection – a psychologist’s advice

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Veronica Lamarche, Senior Lecturer of Psychology, University of Essex

    Romantic rejection can be very painful. Nomad_Soul/Shutterstock

    Has a romantic partner, or someone you had a crush on, ever hurt your feelings? You’re far from alone. Very few people can boast a 100% success rate when it comes to attracting love interests. And even for those who have more “hits” than “misses”, no partner is capable of always being attentive to our needs, leading to conflicts, disappointments and breakups.

    Given the ubiquity of romantic rejection, why is it often so challenging to respond in adaptive rather than destructive ways?

    Humans are social creatures. Millennia of relying on our family and broader social communities for survival means that we have evolved complex psychological monitoring systems to track whether we are safely connected with others – or at risk of being pushed out of groups.

    The evolutionary importance of social connection with others is so significant that some researchers have gone so far as to argue that people have a fundamental need for acceptance through positive and satisfying relationships.

    If you’ve recently been rejected by someone you had feelings for, or a partner has ended your relationship, these psychology-backed tips will help you to move on.


    Looking for love this Valentine’s Day? Whether you want to improve your relationship with others or with yourself, The Quarter Life Glow-up can help.

    This six-week newsletter course from The Conversation will bring you research-backed advice and tools to help improve your relationships, your career, your free time and your mental health – no supplements or skincare required. Sign up here to start your glow-up at any time.


    Why does rejection hurt so much?

    In many societies, romantic relationships typically offer the strongest forms of connection – and consequently opportunities for rejection. From being rebuffed or ghosted by prospective partners, to having your emotional needs ignored in your relationship, through to recurring conflicts, breakups and divorces, romantic rejection can manifest at all stages of romantic life.




    Read more:
    From ghosting to ‘backburner’ relationships: the reasons people behave so badly on dating apps


    These moments of rejection amplify our need to belong. They motivate us to respond in a way that restores of feelings of safety and connection because they shine a spotlight on the psychological risks of being cast out and left vulnerable.

    While romantic rejection is always unpleasant, not everyone notices or reacts to rejection in the same way.

    People who are higher in rejection sensitivity more actively monitor for signs of rejection from their loved ones. This hypersensitivity often backfires, leading them to over-anticipate rejection and prevent others from behaving in ways that would provide reassurance.

    Different people have different sensitivity levels when it comes to rejection.
    Farknot Architect/Shutterstock

    Consider, for example, that you find out a group of friends met for coffee and didn’t invite you. It is natural to feel slighted even if this was not their intention. People lower in rejection sensitivity are more likely to conclude that the harm was unintentional, and focus instead on the positives. Perhaps, suggest that “it looks like you had a great time, I’d love to join next time”.

    People higher in rejection sensitivity are more likely to conclude that the exclusion was not only intentional, but indicative that the friend group is harbouring some kind of resentment. These assumptions can lead to withdrawal. Instead of opening the door for an invite in the future or reassurance that their presence was missed, they close it behind them.

    People who are sensitive to rejection are more likley to interpret friends getting coffee without them as a slight.
    Annika Knight/Dupe, CC BY-SA

    This preoccupation with protecting the self from rejection often contributes to self-fulfilling prophecies. For example, people with lower self esteem often over-anticipate rejection from others. Consequently, they are more likely to believe that a potential romantic partner is disinterested.

    This assumption of disinterest prevents them from even attempting to initiate a relationship with the object of their affection. Their potential partner may misinterpret reticence as disinterest, or may never even realise the door for connection was open, thus guaranteeing a “rejection”.

    The only way to break this cycle is by trying to connect, rather than hoping or assuming the other person will always make the first move.

    By contrast, people with high self esteem are less preoccupied with avoiding rejection and are therefore more likely to continue to see loved ones through rose-tinted glasses, even after experiencing rejection.

    How to cope with romantic rejection

    Being more sensitive to the warning signs of rejection does not mean that someone is immune to its sting. Experiencing rejection leads most people to feel worse about themselves and others. This can lead to aggressive and selfish actions.

    Research has even shown that some people are more likely to say that being sexually coercive against a partner is permissible if they have been reminded about time they had been recently hurt by a close other. Therefore, in a cruel twist of fate, these hurt people often hurt others, thereby reducing the likelihood of reconnection.

    So, how can you find more adaptive ways of coping with rejection? An important first step is self-reflection. People with low self-esteem or an insecure attachment style (people who have less positive self-regard and expect others to have poor regard for them as well) are more likely to be rejection sensitive. Ask yourself if this might describe you.

    Spend time reflecting on your self esteem and attachment style to understand how you cope with rejection.
    Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

    Recognising that this is something you struggle with can help you be mindful in how you respond to experiences. Even people particularly sensitive to rejection benefit from being nonjudgmental about their inner experiences, and are less likely to report negative feelings following rejection.

    Another strategy you can work on is constructive, rather than destructive, approaches to communication. Because rejection makes us feel defensive, it can lead us to express ourselves in overly negative and indirect ways. Try to avoid focusing on your love interest’s intent.

    In a relationship, focus on how a transgression made you feel and what it would take to make it up to you now, and in the future. These sorts of positive, yet direct, approaches are more productive and increase the likelihood that your partners will be responsive to your needs in the future.

    It is not necessary to run away from rejection. It is an important social cue that can motivate you towards self-improvement and connection with others. The people who can fully embrace the potential benefits the comes from connecting with others, in spite of any potential risks, are more likely to reap the rewards.

    Veronica Lamarche has received funding from the ESRC, the British Academy, and the Royal Society.

    ref. How to cope with romantic rejection – a psychologist’s advice – https://theconversation.com/how-to-cope-with-romantic-rejection-a-psychologists-advice-246707

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: The heart is symbol of love – things weren’t always like that

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Michelle Spear, Professor of Anatomy, University of Bristol

    Valentine’s Day is all about the hearts: heart-shaped chocolates, cards, balloons and even pizza. But the heart hasn’t always just been a symbol of romance.

    Across cultures and centuries, the heart has been revered as the seat of the soul, a source of supernatural power and a vessel of identity. From ancient Egyptian afterlife beliefs to medieval relics, from necromantic rituals to modern heart transplants, this organ has been at the centre of both scientific curiosity and deep-seated mysticism.

    Why has the heart, more than any other organ, been imbued with such deep symbolism and power? While anatomy tells us it is a muscular pump controlled by electrical impulses, history tells a more complex story – one of rituals, relics and even dark magic.

    The human heart is a remarkably efficient pump, beating about 100,000 times a day and circulating about 7,500 litres of blood. It is driven by the sinoatrial node, a cluster of pacemaker cells that spontaneously generate electrical impulses independently of the brain.

    As this intrinsic electrical system does not rely on direct nervous input but is influenced by it, the heart can continue beating for a short while even when removed from the body – provided it has an adequate supply of oxygen and electrolytes. This uncanny quality only reinforced superstitions that the heart was more than just a muscle and may explain why many early cultures viewed the heart as possessing a life force of its own.

    But to present the heart as merely a pump ignores wider influences. The heart functions as an endocrine organ, releasing hormones that regulate blood pressure, fluid balance and cardiovascular health.

    The connection between the heart and “love hormones”, such as oxytocin, extends beyond metaphor, as research suggests the heart not only responds to oxytocin but may also play a role in its release.

    Oxytocin is primarily produced in the brain by the hypothalamus and released from the pituitary gland, flooding the body during moments of affection, trust and bonding. It is the chemical catalyst behind the deep emotional connections that define human relationships.

    The heart is equipped with oxytocin receptors, and studies show that the hormone promotes vasodilation (widening of the blood vessels), reducing blood pressure and improving circulation. Beyond this, oxytocin may protect the heart, helping it repair itself and reducing inflammation after injury, such as during a heart attack.

    However, the heart’s function was not always understood. The ancient Greeks believed it was the seat of intelligence, while Aristotle dismissed the brain as a mere “cooling fluid” for the heart’s divine fire.

    Galen, a Greek physician, surgeon and philosopher who lived during Roman times, described the heart as the body’s furnace, while William Harvey’s 1628 discovery of circulation reshaped our understanding of this important organ. Even so, its symbolic and mystical significance never fully waned.

    The seat of the soul

    The ancient Egyptians preserved the heart during mummification, believing it would be weighed by Anubis against the Feather of Truth, the divine measure of justice. Ironically, the brain was discarded as totally useless. An excerpt from the Book of the Dead, an ancient Egyptian funerary text, reads:

    O my heart which I had from my mother! which I had from my mother! O my heart of my different ages! Don’t stand up as a witness against me. Do not be opposed to me in the tribunal.

    This spell is intended to pacify the heart and assert dominion, ensuring it remains loyal when weighed.

    The idea that the heart carried more than just blood persisted into the Renaissance, with scholars debating whether it was the true locus of identity.

    “If indeed from the heart alone rise anger or passion, fear, terror, and sadness; if from it alone spring shame, delight, and joy, why should I say more?” Andreas de Laguna, a Spanish physician wrote in 1535.

    Even today, heart transplants fuel questions about whether a transplanted heart carries something of its donor. Some recipients report changes in personality, memories or food preferences, raising speculation about cellular memory. While no definitive scientific basis exists, such cases continue to intrigue.

    Heart of darkness

    The heart’s power was not only revered, but feared. In folk magic and necromancy, people believed that the hearts of executed criminals retained energy from their violent deaths. Some thought consuming, burning or preserving a heart could grant knowledge or strength.

    In Scotland and England, people reportedly boiled the hearts of murderers to prevent their ghosts from haunting the living. Dried hearts were sometimes ground into powders for potions, while in occult traditions, they were burned in rituals to banish spirits or bind enemies.

    More disturbing are accounts of unbaptised infants’ hearts in witchcraft traditions. Some sources claim they were used in hexes, flying ointments or dark pacts. While probably exaggerated during witch trials, such stories reflect a deep-rooted belief in the heart as a conduit of power.

    The heart has been a vessel of the soul, a source of magic and a point of conflict between science and superstition. While modern medicine has demystified much of its function, its symbolism remains deeply ingrained in human culture.

    This Valentine’s Day, as we exchange stylised hearts in celebration of love, we might pause to remember that the power of the heart has been a symbol of life, death and everything in between for millennia.

    Michelle Spear does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. The heart is symbol of love – things weren’t always like that – https://theconversation.com/the-heart-is-symbol-of-love-things-werent-always-like-that-249211

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Eight of the most romantic poems to read to your love this Valentine’s Day

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ellen Howley, Assistant Professor in the School of English, DCU, Dublin City University

    Grinbox/Shutterstock

    For many of us, the run-up to Valentine’s Day is spent seeking out the least cringe-worthy card in the shop to gift to our significant other, and show them how we really feel. But, unfortunately, Hallmark rhymes rarely mine the depths of love and desire.

    So, if you’re looking for the perfect words for your loved one this year, why not share one of these poems, which attempt to express the wonder and complexities of romantic love.

    1. Sonnet 106 by William Shakespeare (1609)

    Portrait of William Shakespeare by John Taylor (1611).
    National Portrait Gallery

    If you make a list of love poems, you’re obliged to include a Shakespearean sonnet, so I’ll start with a lesser known one, Sonnet 106.

    In the poem, the bard compares the beauty of his lover to ancient poems that described beautiful knights and ladies. He declares that these older writers must have been prophets to know his lover’s true beauty. In fact, his lover is even more beautiful than these descriptions because the poets “had not skill enough your worth to sing”.

    Here, Shakespeare addresses a problem that has plagued love poets throughout the ages: how to write of the love and beauty they feel and see when words may never match up.


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    2. From the Irish by Ian Duhig (1997)

    British-Irish poet, Ian Duhig confronts the same problem as Shakespeare in From the Irish. It is a poem that thinks as much about language as it does about love, but resolves in a sincere but frustrated attempt to tell his lover how he feels.

    In trying to be precise in his use of language, he ends up telling his lover that their face “is like a slice of half-boiled turnip”.

    This attempt to compare his lover’s face to the moon is not an insult, but instead part of his serious attempt to, as he says, “love you properly, according to Dinneen”.

    3. Heart to Heart by Rita Dove (2004)

    Rita Dove’s Heart to Heart likewise contemplates the relationship between love and language. In the poem, Dove, the former US poet laureate dismisses the clichéd ways in which we talk about the heart:

    It doesn’t melt

    or turn over,

    break or harden.

    The poet cannot tell her lover from “the bottom of it / how I feel” but gives it to them all the same.

    Rita Dove reads her poem Heart to Heart.

    4. He Seemed to Me Equal to the Gods by Sappho (translated by Anne Carson in 2002)

    Closely aligned to the theme of romantic love is that of desire, and across the centuries poets have written about the torture of yearning. The Greek poet Sappho knew this even 2,600 years ago. Women are the objects of desire in her erotic poetry.

    Sappho by Enrique Simonet (1864).
    Wiki Commons

    This poem, translated by the Canadian poet, Anne Carson, finds the poet watching her lover, which, says Sappho, “puts the heart in my chest on wings” but also renders her speechless. She describes the intensity and agony of desire:

    fire is racing under skin

    and in eyes no sight and drumming

    fills ears.

    These lines are a surviving fragment of a larger, lost poem, so what the poet might have “dared” at the end remains a mystery.

    5. His Mistress Going to Bed by John Donne (circa 1590)

    John Donne by Isaac Oliver (1622).
    National Portrait Gallery

    Perhaps more daring is John Donne’s His Mistress Going to Bed. Donne, an English poet who began writing in the 16th century, is considered one of the great love poets.

    His Mistress Going to Bed is his attempt at seduction, undressing his lover across the poem’s lines: “Now off with those shoes, and then safely tread / In this love’s hallow’d temple, this soft bed.” The sexual act is seen as one of union: “As souls unbodied, bodies uncloth’d must be, / To taste whole joys.”

    So prepared is the poet, we discover by the poem’s end, that he is already naked and ready to go to bed with his love.

    6. Poem II by Adrienne Rich (1978)

    As partnerships evolve, the initial intensity of sexual passion morphs into a more everyday, although no less exciting kind of love.

    Poem II from Adrienne Rich’s sequence Twenty-One Love Poems describes the poet waking in her lover’s bed following a dream. She tenderly writes: “You’ve kissed my hair / to wake me.”

    Adrienne Rich (right) with Audre Lorde (left) and Meridel Lesueur in 1980.
    K. Kendall/flickr, CC BY

    The poem is a warm and intimate portrait of the love between two women, with Rich declaring:

    I laugh and fall dreaming again

    or the desire to show you to everyone I love,

    to move openly together.

    In this, the poet acknowledges the ease and depth of her love but also makes subtle reference to the lack of acceptance of homosexual relationships in the 1970s, when the poems were first published.

    7. An Amish Rug by Michael Longley (1991)

    Michael Longley, the Irish poet who passed away in January, presents a similarly private scene of an established relationship in his poem, An Amish Rug.

    Describing the handmade rug he gifts to his wife, the poet contrasts the simplicity of the Amish lifestyle with its vivid woven colours.

    If hung on the wall, the rug will become a stained-glass “cathedral window”. Or, it may be placed on the floor so that “whenever we undress for sleep or love / We shall step over it as over a flowerbed”.

    There’s a Valentine’s gift to live up to.

    8. The Orange by Wendy Cope (1992)

    Wendy Cope’s The Orange almost unexpectedly turn into a love poem, as the poet describes the increasing “peace and contentment” that comes from sharing a “huge orange” with her colleagues. This, she says, “made me so happy, / As ordinary things often do”.

    The Orange by Wendy Cope.

    Its description of a lovely but ordinary day ends with the affirming line “I love you. I’m glad I exist,” revealing that profound reflections can come from small moments.

    Ellen Howley does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Eight of the most romantic poems to read to your love this Valentine’s Day – https://theconversation.com/eight-of-the-most-romantic-poems-to-read-to-your-love-this-valentines-day-248479

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Hate speech on X surged for at least 8 months after Elon Musk takeover – new research

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Michael Jensen, Associate professor, Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis, University of Canberra, University of Canberra

    Kemarrravv13/Shutterstock

    Hate speech on X was consistently 50% higher for at least eight months after tech billionaire Elon Musk bought the social media platform, new research has found.

    The research looked at the prevalence of overt hate speech including a wide range of racist, homophobic and transphobic slurs.

    The study, published today in PLOS ONE, was conducted by a team of researchers led by Daniel Hickney from the University of California, Berkeley.

    It clearly demonstrates how a platform initially invented to help friends and family stay in touch has now metamorphosed into a place where hate speech is prolific. This is especially concerning given hate speech online has been linked to violent hate crimes offline.

    A long list of promises

    On October 27 2022, Musk officially purchased X (then known as Twitter) for US$44 billion and became its CEO. His takeover was accompanied by promises to reduce hate speech on the platform and tackle bots and other inauthentic accounts.

    But after he bought X, Musk made several changes to the platform to reduce content moderation. For example, in November 2022 he fired much of the company’s full time workforce. He also fired outsourced content moderators who tracked abuse on X, despite research showing social medial platforms with high levels of content moderation contain less hate speech.

    The following month, Musk also disbanded the platform’s Trust and Safety Council – a volunteer advisory group of independent human rights leaders and academics formed in 2016 to fight hate speech and other problems on the platform.

    Previous research has shown hate speech increased on X immediately after Musk took over. So too did the prevalence of most types of bots.

    This new study is the first to show that this wasn’t an anomaly.

    Hate speech including homophobic, racist and transphobic slurs was significantly higher on X after Elon Musk bought the platform. The black lines represent standard errors.
    Hickey et al., 2025 / PLOS One

    More than 4 million posts

    The study examined 4.7 million English language posts on X from the beginning of 2022 through to June 9 2023. This period includes the ten months before Musk bought X and the eight months afterwards.

    The study measured overt hate speech, the meaning of which was clear to anyone who saw it – speech attacking identity groups or using toxic language. It did not measure covert types of hate speech, such as coded language used by some extremist groups to spread hate but plausibly deny doing so.

    As well as measuring the amount of hate speech on X, the study also measured how much other users engaged with this material by liking it.

    The researchers’ access to X data was cut off during the study due to a policy change by the platform, replacing free access to approved academic researchers with payment options which are generally unaffordable. This significantly hampered their ability to collect sample posts. But they don’t mention whether it affected their results.

    A clear increase in hate

    The study found “a clear increase” in the average number of posts containing hate speech following Musk’s purchase of X. Specifically, the volume of posts containing hate speech was “consistently” 50% higher after Musk took over X compared to beforehand – a jump from an estimated average of 2,179 to 3,246 posts containing hate speech per week.

    Transphobic slurs saw the highest increase, rising from an average of roughly 115 posts per week before Musk’s acquisition to an average of 418 afterwards.

    The level of user engagement with posts containing hate speech also increased under Musk’s watch. For example, the weekly rate at which hate speech content was liked by users jumped by 70%.

    The researchers say these results suggest either hate speech wasn’t taken down, hateful users became more active, the platform’s algorithm unintentionally promoted hate speech to users who like such content – or a combination of these possibilities.

    The study also detected no decrease in the activity of inauthentic accounts on X. In fact, it found a “potential increase” in the number of bot accounts partly based on a large upswing in posts promoting cryptocurrency, which are typically associated with bots.

    An important data-driving deep dive

    There were a number of limitations to the study. For example, it only measured hate speech posts in English, which accounts for only 31% of posts on the platform.

    Even so, the study is an important, data-driven deep dive into the state of X. It shows it is a platform where hate speech is prolific. It also shows Musk has failed to fulfil his earlier promises to address problems on X such as hate speech and bot activity.

    As Musk himself said at the White House earlier this week: “Some of the things I say will be incorrect and should be corrected”.

    Michael Jensen receives funding from the Australian Research Council, Bayer, and the Australian Department of Defence Science and Technology Group.

    ref. Hate speech on X surged for at least 8 months after Elon Musk takeover – new research – https://theconversation.com/hate-speech-on-x-surged-for-at-least-8-months-after-elon-musk-takeover-new-research-249603

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Hinds County Sheriff Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Soliciting Bribes and Providing Ammunition to a Convicted Felon

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    Jackson, Miss. – Former Hinds County Sheriff Marshand Crisler was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for soliciting and accepting bribes and for knowingly providing ammunition to a convicted felon. Crisler was also ordered to pay a $15,000 fine. 

    Crisler, 55, was appointed as Sheriff of Hinds County in August 2021. The evidence at trial showed that shortly after becoming Sheriff, Crisler solicited and accepted $9,500 in cash bribes from a convicted felon over three months, from September through November of 2021.  In exchange for that money, Crisler agreed to provide favors through his position as Hinds County Sheriff.  These favors included sharing information concerning future criminal investigations involving the bribe payor, moving a jailed family member to a better place within the Hinds County Jail, and hiring the bribe payor to work at the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office. Crisler also gave ammunition to the bribe payor, knowing that the person was a convicted felon.

    On November 8, 2024, a federal jury found Crisler guilty on all counts, following a three-day trial in U.S. District Court in Jackson.

    It is against federal law for a public official to solicit or accept bribes, and it is also against federal law for anyone to provide firearm ammunition to a known convicted felon.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.

    The FBI investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bert Carraway and Charles W. Kirkham prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Bipartisan Lawmakers Demand Trump Reinstate NLRB Member Wilcox

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders

    WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), Congressional Labor Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Donald Norcross (D-N.J.) and Steven Horsford (D-Nev.), and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) led every Democratic senator and a bipartisan group of 213 Representatives in urging President Trump to immediately reinstate National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Member Gwynne Wilcox. The lawmakers called on the president to restore the NLRB’s ability to protect the rights of American workers to organize and collectively bargain, which were already impaired by understaffing at the agency, and are now effectively lost the lack of quorum on the NLRB.

    “We are writing to express our deep frustration at the unprecedented and illegal firing of National Labor Relations Board Member Gwynne Wilcox and the negative impact this will have on working people across the country,” wrote Sanders and the lawmakers. “This firing violates the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), renders the Board unable to effectively enforce federal labor law, and profoundly undermines the independence of the agency.”

    Congress created the NLRB nearly 90 years ago as an independent, non-partisan federal agency to protect workers nationwide by enforcing the NLRA, which guarantees the rights of workers to join together in collective action, including by organizing unions, negotiating contracts, and going on strike. The lawmakers pointed to specific federal statute that restricts the president’s ability to remove NLRB members for reasons other than neglect of duty or malfeasance. They also clarified that Wilcox’s firing without a hearing or cause expressly violated that law.

    “Workers rely on the NLRB to safeguard their rights to organize and collectively bargain to better their working conditions,” continued the lawmakers. “However, by firing Member Wilcox and leaving the five-seat NLRB with only two Members, you have left the Board without a quorum and effectively shut down its decision-making ability. This simply encourages bad employers to violate the law and trample on workers’ rights, while workers subjected to illegal union-busting will face significant delays in receiving the justice to which they are entitled.”

    Since Trump fired Wilcox, grocery store workers in Philadelphia have already seen their labor rights eroded as large corporations are allowed to violate labor law with no recourse available for their employees. After Whole Foods workers voted overwhelmingly to form a union, the company, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, is “attempting to exploit some of the disruption Trump has caused,” according to the Washington Post, by not abiding by the outcome of the union election.

    “We urge you to reverse your decision and to immediately reinstate Member Wilcox to the NLRB to ensure that working people are afforded the protections to which they are entitled under the law,” concluded Sanders and the lawmakers.

    Read the full text of the letter here. 

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FORT WAYNE – Yesterday, Hamed A. Martin, 42 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly Brady after pleading guilty to distributing methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

    Martin was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.

    According to documents in the case, in July 2022, Martin distributed methamphetamine on several  occasions.  A search warrant executed at his residence in August 2022, resulted in the recovery of a firearm along with evidence of drug distribution.   

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fort Wayne Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which includes the FBI, the Indiana State Police, the Allen County Sheriff’s Department, and the Fort Wayne Police Department.  Also assisting in the investigation were the Drug Enforcement Administration and the DEA’s North Central Laboratory.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.

    This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    This case was also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tomorrow Today: Reimagining the College Experience at HackUConn 2025

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Imagine a campus the size of a city.

    Wouldn’t it be great if there were an easier way to get from one end to another when you only have 15 minutes between classes?

    Or, if there were a better way of knowing when you were registering for classes that you would have to sprint from one end of campus to the other – in the rain, sleet, snow, or hail – to get from one class to the next on time?

    Or, if there was something that could be done to fix that college-life problem that you just haven’t been able to stop thinking about since your first day on campus?

    Because as much as you might love being a college student, no matter how great a university might be, there’s always something – be it something big, or just something small – that you hope could be done just a little bit better. A little bit smarter. A little bit more efficiently.

    Chances are that UConn undergraduates have a lot of ideas about what some of those things could be, which is why student organizers are inviting all undergraduate students to help imagine the “Universities of Tomorrow” at HackUConn 2025 – a hackathon event that aims to bring together young innovators and industry experts for a non-stop, fast-paced innovation and invention competition focused on improving the college experience for students all across the globe.

    “In the past year leading up to HackUConn, I’ve heard several suggestions from peers and friends about how to further improve their college experience,” says Preethika Rao ’27 (BUS), planning team co-lead for HackUConn. “We wanted to give many a chance to expand on these ideas with HackUConn this semester.”

    A hackathon is a chance for creative thinkers, problem solvers, and anyone eager to make a difference to come together for the greater good. Students of all majors and backgrounds are invited to collaborate and innovate solutions to real-world challenges, whether you’re into design, business, marketing, or simply passionate about creating positive change.

    First launched in 2016 as a way to help contribute to the University’s now thriving and collaborative entrepreneurial culture, HackUConn is the University’s flagship hackathon and an annual tradition – supported by the Werth Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation – that offers an opportunity for students to step outside of their comfort zone and gather ideas, attend workshops, gain insight from mentors, and compete for prizes during the 20-hour in-person event.

    “If you have an idea, if you want to create change within your local community, then this is the innovation competition for you,” says planning team co-lead Julian “Juju” Setiadi ’25 (ENG).

    This year’s HackUConn will begin at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 28 (with check-in starting at 4:00 p.m.), and will run until noon on Saturday, March 1, at the Peter J. Werth Residence Tower on the UConn Storrs campus.

    Students are encouraged to register by Friday, February 21. Students can register individually and then join a team at the event, or have the option of building a team before the event and registering together, though teams cannot bring in prior work – hacking can only be done during the event’s announced hacking period.

    “Many have this misconception that HackUConn is only for comp sci and engineering majors, but this isn’t the case – no matter what your major is, you can definitely contribute to HackUConn and the team you eventually will become a part of,” Rao says. “It’s a great opportunity to make entrepreneurial ideas a reality. It’s also a good way to gain exposure to various fields and make long-lasting connections with others participating in HackUConn as well as the judges.”

    Over the course of the 20 consecutive hours, the student teams will brainstorm, prototype, and pitch their solutions to a panel of judges, who then select the winning ideas.

    Some previous HackUConn winners have gone on to pitch their ideas to UConn’s Get Seeded, which gives students opportunities to earn seed funding and mentorship through the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Education, or CCEI, to help launch an entrepreneurial idea.

    “Student participants can expect to learn more about themselves, figuring out how they can really challenge their minds to come up with innovative solutions,” Setiadi says. “With HackUConn, there is nothing to lose and everything to gain. The event is a roller coaster of emotions, but I believe that you’ll come out of it knowing more about yourself than you did before. If you manage to win the event, that will also be a great accomplishment to add onto your résumé.”

    Each year, the planning team’s hope for the event, according to Aaron Rosman ’16 (CAHNR) ’21 MBA, operations manager for the Werth Institute and advisor for the student organizing team, is to find a theme that students relate to, so they can take part in coming up with innovative ideas for change.

    “You are not alone in your thoughts and feelings!” says Rosman. “There are so many other students that share a similar viewpoint as you, and our goal is to connect you with them. Excitingly, you’re already an expert on this year’s HackUConn theme. By having step foot on our campus, you are prepared to be a part of our event. Help take your thoughts to the next stage and innovate what the university of tomorrow will look like with us!”

    HackUConn is free, and food is provided for all participants. For more information, or to register for this year’s HackUConn, visit werth.institute.uconn.edu/events/hackuconn.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI China: Hamas says to implement Gaza ceasefire agreement

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Hamas confirmed on Thursday that it would continue implementing the ceasefire agreement with Israel as signed, including the exchange of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages according to the agreed timetable.

    In a statement, Hamas said its delegation had held talks in Cairo with mediators to discuss the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and the prisoner-for-hostage exchange, especially in the wake of what it described as “the successive Israeli violations” of the deal.

    The discussion focused on the necessity of implementing all provisions of the agreement, especially with regard to securing housing for Gazans and the urgent entry of prefabricated houses, tents, heavy equipment, medical supplies, fuel, and the continued flow of relief, as well as other things as stipulated in the agreement, it said.

    The statement added that mediators from Egypt and Qatar had confirmed their commitment to addressing obstacles and closing gaps to ensure implementation.

    Hamas announced on Monday that the handover of the hostages who were scheduled to be released on Saturday would be postponed until further notice.

    In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that his country would resume “intense fighting” if Hamas fails to meet the deadline, without specifying the number of hostages to be released.

    Hamas’ decision prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to suggest that Israel cancel the agreement entirely, saying all hostages must be freed by noon on Saturday or he would “let hell break out.”

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI Video: Cam Hamilton PSA for Communities Impacted by the LA Wildfires

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    FEMA teams are on the ground providing support to those that are impacted from the Los Angeles wildfires. If you need help, visit disasterassistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362 to learn more about all the resources that are available.

    Stay safe & take care of each other.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYMP1bKYqT4

    MIL OSI Video

  • MIL-OSI USA: Smoke Billows From Bushfires in Tasmania

    Source: NASA

    In early February 2025, bushfires ignited in northwestern Tasmania, where they have continued to burn on the island for more than a week amid windy, warm, and dry conditions.
    Smoke from the fires is visible in this image, acquired at about 4 p.m. local time (05:00 Universal Time) on February 12, 2025, by the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) instrument on NASA’s Aqua satellite.
    Starting on February 3, lightning strikes from dry thunderstorms ignited multiple fires in the state’s North West region, according to news reports. By February 12, more than a dozen fires had burned around 50,000 hectares (190 square miles).
    An emergency warning, updated on February 13 by the Tasmanian government, indicated that one of the fires was progressing toward Sandy Cape, a popular spot for beach camping, and was expected to be “uncontrollable, unpredictable, and fast-moving.” (Note that Sandy Cape is covered with smoke in this view.)
    Fire was also approaching the town of Corinna, where a “watch and act” warning remained in effect on February 13. Beekeepers have already abandoned hives near the town, according to news reports, where leatherwood trees supply nectar for bees that support much of the region’s honey industry.
    According to a heatwave warning from Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), much of the state’s west coast saw severe heatwave conditions on several days during the week of February 10. The region has also been exceptionally dry. For example, the past 12-month period has been the driest on record (since 1900) along the coastal areas near Sandy Cape.
    Forecasts called for damaging winds with gusts of up to 90 kilometers (55 miles) per hour ahead of an approaching cold front. Cooler, wetter weather was expected toward the end of the week.
    NASA Earth Observatory image by Michala Garrison, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview. Story by Kathryn Hansen.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom announces appointments 2.12.25

    Source: US State of California 2

    Feb 12, 2025

    Kate Hoit, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Secretary of Communications at the California Department of Veterans Affairs. Hoit has been the PACT Act Enterprise Program Management Office Communications and Outreach Lead at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs since 2023. She was a Communications Lead in the Veteran Experience Office, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs from 2021 to 2023. Hoit was the California State Director at the Vet Voice Foundation from 2018 to 2021. She was the Military Marketing Manager at National University from 2017 to 2018. Hoit was the Director of Content and Communications at Got Your 6 from 2014 to 2017. She was a Public Affairs Specialist at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs from 2011 to 2014. Hoit served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 2001 to 2009. She is a Pat Tillman Scholar and a member of the Truman National Security Project. She earned her Master of the Arts Degree in Non-Fiction Writing from Johns Hopkins University, and a Bachelor of the Arts in Journalism from the University at Albany, State University of New York. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $154,860. Hoit is a Democrat.

    Shaun Spillane, of Gold River, has been appointed Chief Deputy Inspector General at the Office of the Inspector General, where he has been Chief Counsel since 2023, and was Attorney IV from 2013 to 2023. Spillane was Labor Relations Counsel II at the California Department of Human Resources from 2009 to 2013. He was a Graduate Student Assistant in the Office of the Inspector General from 2007 to 2009. Spillane earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Michigan. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $201,972. Spillane is registered without party preference.

    Michael “Mike” Detoy, of Hermosa Beach, has been appointed to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System Board of Administration. Detoy has been Councilmember and Mayor of the City of Hermosa Beach since 2019. He has been Fire Captain for the City of Riverside since 2011. Detoy is President of the Riverside City Firefighters Association. He earned a Master of Public Administration degree from California Baptist University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Santa Clara University. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Detoy is a Democrat.

    Christopher Gonder, of Brawley, has been appointed to the Commission on Correctional Peace Officer Standards and Training. Gonder has been a Correctional Officer at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation since 2016. He is the Vice President of the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, Calipatria Chapter and President of the Chicano Correctional Workers Association, Calipatria Chapter. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and there is no compensation. Gonder is registered without party preference.

    Hellen Hong, of Los Angeles, has been reappointed to the Civil Rights Council, where she has served since 2021. Hong has been Chief Executive Officer at CalBar Connect since 2020. She was the Director at the Office of Access and Inclusion at the State Bar of California from 2019 to 2020. Hong held multiple executive positions at First Place for Youth from 2014 to 2019. She was the Executive Director of the Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice from 2007 to 2014. Hong was a Public Interest Attorney from 2004 to 2007. She was Assistant Director of State Government Relations at the University of California from 2002 to 2004. Hong earned her Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Hong is a Democrat

    Hugh Crooks, of Los Angeles, has been reappointed to the California Veterans Board, where he has served since 2017. Crooks was a Human Resources Operations Manager at the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk from 2000 to 2005. Crooks was Head of Administrative and Facility Services at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History from 1991 to 2000. He was Safety Police Chief III for the Protective Services Division at the Los Angeles County Safety Police from 1969 to 1991. Crooks was a Rifleman in the U.S. Army from 1967 to 1969. He is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, 9th Infantry Division Society, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Advisory Group. Crooks was a National Executive Committeeman and Chief Financial Officer of the American Legion, Department of California. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Crooks is a Democrat. 

    Press Releases, Recent News

    Recent news

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:Karen Morrison, of Sacramento, has been appointed Director at the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Morrison has held multiple positions at the Department of Pesticide…

    News What you need to know: Across all of state government, highly-specialized personnel and response equipment are on the ground working to protect communities statewide from storm impacts.  Los Angeles, California – With another significant winter storm system…

    News What you need to know: Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order today ordering the state to ensure that childcare providers impacted by the recent wildfires in Los Angeles are aware of their potential eligibility for Disaster Unemployment Assistance and…

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: Brookfield Wealth Solutions Announces Year End 2024 Results and Declares Quarterly Distribution Increase

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BROOKFIELD, NEWS, Feb. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Brookfield Wealth Solutions (NYSE, TSX: BNT) today announced financial results for the three months and year ended December 31, 2024.

    Sachin Shah, CEO of Brookfield Wealth Solutions, stated, “Our strong results for 2024 underscore our growth over the past year having doubled the size of the business in that time. Our scalable North American annuity platform, coupled with our leading investment capabilities, will serve as the foundation for our business as we expand internationally in 2025.”

    Unaudited
    As of and for the periods ended December 31
    (US$ millions, except per share amounts)
    Three Months Ended   Year Ended
      2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Total assets $ 140,460     $ 61,643     $ 140,460     $ 61,643  
    Adjusted equity1   12,872       8,969       12,872       8,969  
    Distributable operating earnings1   427       258       1,374       745  
    Net income   576       453       1,247       797  
    Net income per each class A share $ 0.08     $ 0.07     $ 0.32     $ 0.28  

    1.   See Non-GAAP and Performance Measures on page 6 and a reconciliation from net income and reconciliation from equity on page 5.

    2024 Highlights

    • Completed the acquisition of American Equity Investment Life Holding Company (“AEL”), doubling the size of our business
    • Deployed more than $17 billion across our investment portfolio at strong risk-adjusted returns
    • Generated $19 billion in annuity and pension risk transfer (“PRT”) sales across the business, consisting of approximately $14 billion of retail annuity sales, inclusive of a full twelve months of activity at AEL, and $5 billion of PRT deals
    • We closed our first U.K. reinsurance transaction, reinsuring £1.0 billion ($1.3 billion) of pension liabilities

    Operating Update
    We recognized $427 million and $1.4 billion of distributable operating earnings (“DOE”) for the three months and year ended December 31, 2024, respectively, compared to $258 million and $745 million in the prior year periods. The increase in earnings for the current period reflects contributions from our acquisition of AEL as well as higher net investment income resulting from progress made in repositioning assets into higher yielding investment strategies. DOE further benefitted from strong annuity sales during the year.

    We recorded net income of $576 million and $1.2 billion for the three months and year ended December 31, 2024, respectively, compared to net income of $453 million and $797 million in the prior year periods. Net income in the current period is the result of strong operating performance and contributions from our DOE, as well as favorable movement on reserves due to interest rate and equity market movements.

    Today, we are in a strong liquidity position, with approximately $31 billion of cash and short-term liquid investments across our investment portfolios, and another $21 billion of long-term liquid investments. These liquid assets will support the ongoing rotation of our portfolio into higher yielding investment strategies, while ensuring we have sufficient liquidity coverage for our liabilities in the case of any stress events impacting the broader market.

    Regular Distribution Declaration
    The Board declared a 13% increase in the Company’s quarterly return of capital to $0.09 per class A share and class B share (representing $0.36 per annum), payable on March 31, 2025 to shareholders of record as at the close of business on March 14, 2025. This distribution is identical in amount per share and has the same payment date as the quarterly distribution announced today by Brookfield Corporation on the Brookfield class A shares.

    Brookfield Corporation Operating Results
    An investment in class A shares of our company is intended to be, as nearly as practicable, functionally and economically, equivalent to an investment in the Brookfield class A shares. A summary of Brookfield Corporation’s fourth quarter and full year operating results is provided below:

    Unaudited
    For the periods ended December 31
    (US$ millions, except per share amounts)
    Three Months Ended   Years Ended
      2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Net income of consolidated business1 $ 101     $ 3,134     $ 1,853     $ 5,105  
    Net income attributable to Brookfield shareholders2   432       699       641       1,130  
    Distributable earnings before realizations2,3   1,498       1,209       4,871       4,223  
    – Per Brookfield class A share2,3   0.94       0.76       3.07       2.66  
    Distributable earnings2,3   1,606       1,312       6,274       4,806  
    – Per Brookfield class A share2,3   1.01       0.83       3.96       3.03  

    1.   Consolidated basis – includes amounts attributable to non-controlling interests.
    2.   Excludes amounts attributable to non-controlling interests.
    3.   See Reconciliation of Net Income to Distributable Earnings on page 5 and Non-IFRS and Performance Measures section on page 8 of Brookfield Corporation’s press release dated February 13, 2025.

    Brookfield Corporation net income above is presented under IFRS. Given the economic equivalence, we expect that the market price of the class A shares of our company will be impacted significantly by the market price of the Brookfield class A shares and the business performance of Brookfield as a whole. In addition to carefully considering the disclosure made in this news release in its entirety, shareholders are strongly encouraged to carefully review Brookfield Corporation’s letter to shareholders, supplemental information and its other continuous disclosure filings. Investors, analysts and other interested parties can access Brookfield Corporation’s disclosure on its website under the Reports & Filings section at bn.brookfield.com.

    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

    Unaudited     December 31
                December 31  
    (US$ millions)       2024               2023  
    Assets                  
                       
    Insurance invested assets                  
    Cash and cash equivalents $ 12,243         $ 4,308      
    Investments   92,966           39,838      
    Reinsurance funds withheld   1,517           7,248      
    Accrued investment income   860       107,586       280       51,674  
    Reinsurance recoverables and deposit assets       13,195               3,388  
            120,781               55,062  
                       
    Deferred policy acquisition costs       10,696               2,468  
    Other assets       8,983               4,113  
    Total assets       140,460               61,643  
                       
    Liabilities and equity                  
                       
    Policy and contract claims       7,659               7,288  
    Future policy benefits       14,088               9,813  
    Policyholders’ account balances       83,079               24,939  
    Deposit liabilities       1,502               1,577  
    Market risk benefits       3,655               89  
    Unearned premium reserve       1,843               2,056  
            111,826               45,762  
                       
    Corporate borrowings       1,022               1,706  
    Subsidiary borrowings       3,329               1,863  
    Funds withheld for reinsurance liabilities       3,392               83  
    Other liabilities       7,815               3,380  
                       
    Junior preferred shares                     2,694  
    Non-controlling interest   850           146      
    Class A and class B   1,470           1,591      
    Class C   10,756       13,076       4,418       6,155  
    Total liabilities and equity     $ 140,460             $ 61,643  

    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

    Unaudited
    For the periods ended December 31
    US$ millions
    Three Months Ended   Year Ended
      2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Net premiums and other policy revenue $ 4,307     $ 1,432     $ 9,048     $ 4,550  
    Net investment income, including funds withheld   1,325       621       4,440       2,121  
    Net investment gains (losses), including funds withheld   115       176       615       241  
    Total revenues   5,747       2,229       14,103       6,912  
                   
    Benefits and claims paid on insurance contracts   (4,003 )     (1,194 )     (8,162 )     (3,939 )
    Interest sensitive contract benefits   (710 )     (355 )     (1,874 )     (687 )
    Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs   (370 )     (180 )     (1,237 )     (632 )
    Changes in fair value of insurance-related derivatives and embedded derivatives   396       210       234       41  
    Changes in fair value of market risk benefits   299       85       (107 )     166  
    Other reinsurance expenses   (6 )     (5 )     (26 )     (21 )
    Operating expenses   (332 )     (244 )     (1,356 )     (777 )
    Interest expense   (96 )     (68 )     (362 )     (249 )
    Total benefits and expenses   (4,822 )     (1,751 )     (12,890 )     (6,098 )
    Net income before income taxes   925       478       1,213       814  
    Income tax recovery (expense)   (349 )     (25 )     34       (17 )
    Net income for the period $ 576     $ 453     $ 1,247     $ 797  
                   
    Attributable to:              
    Class A and class B shareholders1 $ 4     $ 2     $ 14     $ 5  
    Class C shareholder   559       453       1,200       791  
    Non-controlling interest   13       (2 )     33       1  
      $ 576     $ 453     $ 1,247     $ 797  

    1.   Class A shares receive distributions at the same amount per share as the cash dividends paid on each Brookfield class A share.

    SUMMARIZED FINANCIAL RESULTS

    RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME TO DISTRIBUTABLE OPERATING EARNINGS

    Unaudited
    For the periods ended December 31
    US$ millions
    Three Months Ended   Year Ended
      2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Net income $ 576     $ 453     $ 1,247     $ 797  
    Unrealized net investment gains, including funds withheld   (115 )     (176 )     (615 )     (241 )
    Mark-to-market on insurance contracts and other net assets   (367 )     (104 )     589       105  
        94       173       1,221       661  
    Deferred income tax expense (recovery)   260       47       (195 )     14  
    Transaction costs   32       24       213       40  
    Depreciation   41       14       135       30  
    Distributable operating earnings1 $ 427     $ 258     $ 1,374     $ 745  

    RECONCILIATION OF EQUITY TO ADJUSTED EQUITY

    Unaudited
    As of December 31
    US$ millions
      2024       2023  
    Equity $ 13,076     $ 6,155  
    Add:      
    Accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss   (204 )     120  
    Junior preferred shares         2,694  
    Adjusted equity1 $ 12,872     $ 8,969  

    1.   Non-GAAP measure – see Non-GAAP and Performance Measures on page 6.


    Additional Information

    The statements contained herein are based primarily on information that has been extracted from our financial statements for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2024, which have been prepared using generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“US GAAP” or “GAAP”).

    Brookfield Wealth Solutions’ Board of Directors have reviewed and approved this document, including the summarized unaudited consolidated financial statements prior to its release.

    Information on our distributions can be found on our website under Stock & Distributions/Distribution History.

    Brookfield Wealth Solutions Ltd. (NYSE, TSX: BNT) is focused on securing the financial futures of individuals and institutions through a range of wealth protection and retirement services, and tailored capital solutions. Each class A exchangeable limited voting share of Brookfield Wealth Solutions is exchangeable on a one-for-one basis with a class A limited voting share of Brookfield Corporation (NYSE, TSX: BN). For more information, please visit our website at bnt.brookfield.com or contact:

    Communications & Media:
    Kerrie McHugh
    Tel: (212) 618-3469
    Email: kerrie.mchugh@brookfield.com
      Investor Relations:
    Rachel Schneider
    Tel: (416) 369-3358
    Email: rachel.schneider@brookfield.com

    Non-GAAP and Performance Measures

    This news release and accompanying financial statements are based on US GAAP, unless otherwise noted.

    We make reference to Distributable operating earnings. We define distributable operating earnings as net income after applicable taxes excluding the impact of depreciation and amortization, deferred income taxes related to basis and other changes, and breakage and transaction costs, as well as certain investment and insurance reserve gains and losses, including gains and losses related to asset and liability matching strategies, non-operating adjustments related to changes in cash flow assumptions for future policy benefits, and change in market risk benefits, and is inclusive of returns on equity invested in certain variable interest entities and our share of adjusted earnings from our investments in certain associates. Distributable operating earnings is a measure of operating performance. We use distributable operating earnings to assess our operating results. We also make reference to Adjusted equity. Adjusted equity represents the total economic equity of our Company through our class A, B and C shares, excluding Accumulated other comprehensive income, and the junior preferred shares issued by our Company. We use adjusted equity to assess our return on our equity.

    We provide additional information on key terms and non-GAAP measures in our filings available at bnt.brookfield.com.

    Notice to Readers

    Brookfield Wealth Solutions Ltd. (“Brookfield Wealth Solutions” or “our” or “we”) is not making any offer or invitation of any kind by communication of this news release and under no circumstance is it to be construed as a prospectus or an advertisement.

    This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of Canadian provincial securities laws, “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Canadian provincial securities laws, “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and in any applicable Canadian securities regulations (collectively, “forward-looking statements”). Forward-looking statements include statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future results, events or conditions, and include, but are not limited to, statements which reflect management’s current estimates, assumptions and expectations regarding the operations, business, financial condition, expected financial results, performance, prospects, opportunities, priorities, targets, goals, ongoing objectives, strategies, capital management and outlook of Brookfield Wealth Solutions, Brookfield Corporation and their respective subsidiaries, as well as the outlook for North American and international economies for the current fiscal year and subsequent periods. Particularly, statements regarding international expansion plans and future capital markets initiatives, including statements relating to the redeployment of capital into higher yielding investments constitute forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “seeks,” “intends,” “targets,” “projects,” “foresees,” “forecasts” or negative versions thereof and other similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “would” and “could.” In particular, the forward-looking statements contained in this news release include statements referring to the growth of our business, international expansion, investment opportunities and expected future deployment of capital and financial earnings. Although we believe that our anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and information are based upon reasonable estimates, assumptions and expectations, the reader should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Brookfield Wealth Solutions or Brookfield Corporation to differ materially from anticipated future results, performance or achievement expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and information.

    Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated or implied by forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (i) investment returns that are lower than target; (ii) the impact or unanticipated impact of general economic, political and market factors in the countries in which we do business; (iii) the behavior of financial markets, including fluctuations in interest and foreign exchange rates and heightened inflationary pressures; (iv) global equity and capital markets and the availability of equity and debt financing and refinancing within these markets; (v) strategic actions including acquisitions and dispositions; the ability to complete and effectively integrate acquisitions into existing operations and the ability to attain expected benefits; (vi) changes in accounting policies and methods used to report financial condition (including uncertainties associated with critical accounting assumptions and estimates); (vii) the ability to appropriately manage human capital; (viii) the effect of applying future accounting changes; (ix) business competition; (x) operational and reputational risks; (xi) technological change; (xii) changes in government regulation and legislation within the countries in which we operate; (xiii) governmental investigations and sanctions; (xiv) litigation; (xv) changes in tax laws; (xvi) ability to collect amounts owed; (xvii) catastrophic events, including but not limited to, earthquakes, hurricanes, epidemics and pandemics; (xviii) the possible impact of international conflicts and other developments including terrorist acts and cyberterrorism; (xix) the introduction, withdrawal, success and timing of business initiatives and strategies; (xx) the failure of effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls over financial reporting and other risks; (xxi) health, safety and environmental risks; (xxii) the maintenance of adequate insurance coverage; (xxiii) the existence of information barriers between certain businesses within our asset management operations; (xxiv) risks specific to our business segments; and (xxv) factors detailed from time to time in our documents filed with the securities regulators in Canada and the United States.

    We caution that the foregoing list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive and other factors could also adversely affect its results. Readers are urged to consider the foregoing risks, as well as other uncertainties, factors and assumptions carefully in evaluating the forward-looking information and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking information. Except as required by law, Brookfield Wealth Solutions undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether written or oral, that may be as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    Past performance is not indicative nor a guarantee of future results. There can be no assurance that comparable results will be achieved in the future, that future investments will be similar to the historic investments discussed herein, that targeted returns, growth objectives, diversification or asset allocations will be met or that an investment strategy or investment objectives will be achieved (because of economic conditions, the availability of investment opportunities or otherwise).

    Certain of the information contained herein is based on or derived from information provided by independent third-party sources. While Brookfield Wealth Solutions believes that such information is accurate as of the date it was produced and that the sources from which such information has been obtained are reliable, Brookfield Wealth Solutions does not make any assurance, representation or warranty, express or implied, with respect to the accuracy, reasonableness or completeness of any of the information or the assumptions on which such information is based, contained herein, including but not limited to, information obtained from third parties, and undue reliance should not be put on them.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PARLIAMENT QUESTION: WEATHER AND CLIMATE SERVICES

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 13 FEB 2025 3:56PM by PIB Delhi

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has been actively working for the development and implementation of a national framework for climate services (NFCS) to strengthen climate change adaptation by integrating weather and climate services with sectoral policies and programs. The NFCS aims to support decision-making in critical sectors such as agriculture, water resources, health, and disaster management. Some examples of the sector-specific weather and climate services are:

    • Establishment of Agromet Advisory Services (AAS) for farmers.
    • Collaboration with the Central Water Commission (CWC) for flood and drought forecasting.
    • Climate-sensitive health risk mapping and early warnings for vector-borne diseases.
    • Strengthening climate resilience through the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and State Disaster Management Plans.
    • Establishing a climate data portal for researchers and stakeholders.
    • Organizing stakeholder consultation workshops with State Governments to identify the gap areas and possible solutions.

    In October 2023, Climate Research & Services (CRS), IMD, Pune, organized a stakeholder consultation workshop on the NFCS-India at Pune. In collaboration with key ministries, the IMD continues to expand sector-specific climate services to ensure a science-based, policy-driven, and impact-oriented approach to climate resilience.

    The Ministry continuously enhances and upgrades meteorological observations, communications, modeling tools, and forecasting systems. The IMD uses the latest tools and technologies to predict severe weather events. This includes sophisticated dynamical numerical weather prediction models at higher spatial and temporal resolution, multi-model ensemble methods, artificial intelligence, and machine learning (AI/ML) & data science methodologies, complemented with improved ground-based & upper air observations and advanced remote sensing network for real-time monitoring and predictions. IMD uses the latest dissemination tools, including Common Alert Protocol (CAP), mobile apps, websites, APIs, and other social media platforms, to provide efficient, effective, and timely early warning services. IMD is constantly working to improve and adapt to the latest technologies.   

    The Ministry is making continuous efforts to make advancements in cyclone prediction systems to minimize the impact of cyclones in the country. The India Meteorological Department has demonstrated its capability to provide high-precision early warning for cyclones in recent years. The IMD provides heatwave forecasts and warning information to stakeholders, including ministries of the Union Government, State Governments, and local Government bodies. The IMD issues various outlooks/forecasts/warnings for the public and disaster management authorities to prepare for extreme weather events, including cyclones, heat waves, etc. While issuing the alert, a suitable color code is used to highlight the impact of the severe weather expected and signal disaster management about the course of action to be taken regarding an impending disaster weather event.

    The Government of India recognizes that weather and climate extremes disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including the poor, women, children, and marginalized communities. Multiple initiatives focusing on adaptation, resilience-building, social protection, and inclusive policies have been implemented to address these challenges. Some of the work related to the Ministry of Earth Sciences in collaboration with other ministries are:

    • Impact-Based Forecasting (IBF) provides localized risk assessments for vulnerable populations before extreme events like cyclones, floods, and heatwaves.
    • Heat Action Plans (HAPs) are implemented in various cities to protect vulnerable groups such as daily wage workers, older people, and slum dwellers.
    • Training and capacity-building programs for women, children, and marginalized groups through local NGOs and government agencies
    • Disaster management authority programs include strengthening climate-resilient housing and infrastructure in coastal, flood-prone, and drought-affected areas.

    Apart from this, initiatives from the other ministries of the Government of India include:

    • Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) provides employment in climate-resilient infrastructure, such as water conservation, afforestation, and drought-proofing.
    • National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC) funds projects that enhance the adaptive capacity of rural and vulnerable communities in agriculture, water, and disaster-prone areas.
    • National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs) incorporate gender and social inclusion measures.
    • Jal Shakti Abhiyan & Atal Bhujal Yojana focus on water conservation, groundwater recharge, and access to clean drinking water in drought-prone regions.
    • Public Distribution System (PDS) Strengthening ensures food security for low-income communities during climate shocks such as droughts and floods.

    This information was given by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

    ***

    NKR/PSM

    (RS US Q NO. 1000)

    (Release ID: 2102746) Visitor Counter : 51

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PARLIAMENT QUESTION: DEEP OCEAN MISSION

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 13 FEB 2025 3:53PM by PIB Delhi

    The Ministry of Earth Sciences, through the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai, is developing a manned submersible ‘Matsya 6000’, which aims to carry three people to a depth of 6000 meters in the ocean with a suite of scientific sensors for ocean exploration and observation. The manned submersible Matsya 6000 is likely to be realised by 2026.

    The technologies developed under the Deep Ocean Mission will expand the country’s capability for deep-sea man-rated vehicle development and pave the way for sustainable deep-sea exploration and harnessing of deep-sea living and non-living resources. The deep-sea exploration includes biodiversity, survey and mineral resources. Apart from the benefits of scientific research and technological empowerment, this mission has immediate spin-offs in underwater engineering innovations, asset inspection and the promotion of ocean literacy.

    Under the Deep Ocean Mission, a manned submersible Matsya 6000 is being developed to house a 2.1-metre internal diameter Titanium alloy personnel sphere for safely carrying humans to a 6000 m depth. The Titanium alloy personnel sphere is being integrated in collaboration with ISRO.  The manned submersible is to be equipped with subsystems for buoyancy management enabling descent/ascent, power, and control systems, maneuvring propellers, subsea intervention manipulators, navigation and positioning devices, data and voice communication systems, on-board energy storage batteries, as well as systems for emergency support. It is designed to enable continuous operations at 6000 m depth for up to 12 hours with an emergency endurance of up to 96 hours for conducting deep water observation and exploration. Human Support and Safety System, which is a critical need for three humans, has been realized for the acclimatization and usage during routine and emergency scenarios. The deep-sea activities, exploration of deep-sea living and non-living resources, are being undertaken in accordance with the guidelines of UN governing bodies. The development of ocean climate change advisory services relies on robust data acquisition and analysis for deriving projections of sea level change, intensity of cyclone, storm surge, and waves and their impacts on associated coastal erosion and inundation in the projected climate. The acquisition of a multidisciplinary research vessel is in progress. Expansion of capacity building in marine biology in the country is also being prioritized by setting up a dedicated Advanced Marine Station for Ocean Biology (AMSOB).

    This information was given by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

    ***

    NKR/PSM

    (RS US Q NO. 998)

    (Release ID: 2102743) Visitor Counter : 59

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PARLIAMENT QUESTION: Earthquake preparedness

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 13 FEB 2025 3:50PM by PIB Delhi

    Current Status of Earthquake preparedness and Early Warning Systems in Earthquake Prone regions of the Country:

    India has a well-defined National Seismological Network, expanded in the length and breadth of the country, that monitors seismic activity 24×7 around the corner in real-time mode and disseminates earthquake-related parameters and reports  to various stakeholders and the public nationwide promptly through Bhukamp App and other unified Dissemination System (e.g. website; social media / whatsapp; twitter; telephone, Fax).

    National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has undertaken the Earthquake Disaster Risk Indexing (EDRI) project to systematically address the challenges of rapid urbanization and ensuring earthquake resilience in growing cities and assess earthquake risk across Indian cities. The results of the EDRI and risk assessment have far-reaching implications, particularly in cities experiencing rapid urbanization. By integrating the risk index into urban planning frameworks, cities can adopt risk-informed decision-making, ensuring safer infrastructure development and community resilience. This initiative underscores NDMA’s commitment to developing for proactive disaster risk reduction in urban India.

    To address the community-based preparedness and raise awareness in earthquake- prone regions, NDMA runs TV and radio campaigns focused on earthquake preparedness, highlighting critical do’s and don’ts during seismic events. Special programs like ‘Aapda ka Samna’, aired on Doordarshan, feature expert discussions on prevention and mitigation strategies, equipping the public with actionable knowledge to safeguard lives and property.

    Additionally, The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has developed a seismic zoning map of India to update stakeholders regarding earthquake precautionary measures.

    Status of earthquake early warning systems:

    Research efforts have started in India for developing an Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) System for Himalayan region, but these are still at a nascent stage. The National Centre for Seismology (NCS), Ministry of Earth Sciences has concerted efforts to develop an Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) System for the Himalayan region under its pilot project. However, National Centre for Seismology (NCS) under Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) is capable of recording any earthquake of M:2.5 and above in and around Delhi, M:3.0 and above for NE region, M:3.5 and above in Peninsular and extra-peninsular region, M:4.0 and above in Andaman region, and M:4.5 and above in border regions lying between 0 – 40 degree; N: 60 – 100 degree East. The details of the earthquakes reported by NCS are available in public domain through social media and on the website of NCS (seismo.gov.in).

    National Centre for Seismology (NCS), Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) monitors the earthquake activity in and around the country on 24×7 basis and this information is disseminated after the occurrence of the earthquake to all nodal state and central disaster management authorities in the least possible time. For this purpose, NCS maintains the National Seismological Network (NSN) comprising of 166 permanent seismological observatories spread across the country. The details of the earthquakes reported by NCS and the observatories of NSN are available in public domain through social media and on the website of NCS (seismo.gov.in).

    Additionally, probabilistic seismic hazard maps by BIS and Seismic Microzonation of strategic cities falling in the seismic Hazard Zone III, IV, and V by NCS-MoES and with its technical partner institutes a step towards earthquake risk mitigation of the country.

    The status of infrastructure resilience in earthquake-prone regions of India varies from “Poor to Moderate”, with significant concerns regarding non-compliance with building codes that were constructed earlier.

    Infrastructure resilience in earthquake-prone regions is a key aspect of risk management. Multiple organizations are already working in this regard. As also explained above, NDMA has undertaken the Earthquake Disaster Risk Indexing (EDRI) project to address the challenges of rapid urbanization and ensure earthquake resilience in growing cities. Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has published criterion for constructing of earthquake resilient structures. The design of structure should be such that the whole structure behaves as one unit at the time of vibration rather than assemblage of parts. However, it is not economical to demolish and reconstruct most of the poorly built structures; for such poorly built structures BIS has prepared guidelines for their retrofitting. Also, HUDCO & BMTPC have published guidelines and brochures for construction and retrofitting of buildings. Based on these guidelines, critical facilities like hospitals, schools and bridges may be typically reinforced to withstand seismic forces, ensuring they remain operational during an emergency.

    NDMA, has developed guidelines and formulates programs targeting earthquake risk mitigation to mitigate losses in a systematic and coordinated manner.

    These initiatives are:

    1. Home Owner’s Guide for Earthquake & Cyclone Safety (2019): The guide will make homeowners aware of various considerations and minimum requirements, which need to be taken care of while constructing and buying a house.
    2. Simplified Guidelines for Earthquake Safety (2021): It provides details based on the National Building Code of India 2016 (released by the Bureau of Indian Standards, Government of India) to those who are constructing a house and who are buying a flat in multi-storey buildings, which are made of either masonry or reinforced concrete (RC). This Guide focuses to address this aspiration of potential homeowners, and provides the basic information that they should have when constructing individual houses or buying flats in multi-storey buildings.

    The National Centre for Seismology (NCS), Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES)  conducts Seismic Microzonation of cities in India to generate integrated seismological, geological, and geotechnical parameters for earthquake risk resilient structures/infrastructures and buildings.

    This information was given by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh in a reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

    ***

    NKR/PSM

    (RS US Q NO. 92)

    (Release ID: 2102739) Visitor Counter : 17

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI: Brookfield Corporation Reports Record 2024 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Distributable Earnings Before Realizations Increased 15% to a Record $4.9 billion or $3.07 Per Share

    Quarterly Dividend Raised by 13%

    BROOKFIELD, NEWS, Feb. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Brookfield Corporation (NYSE: BN, TSX: BN) announced record financial results for the year ended December 31, 2024.

    Nick Goodman, President of Brookfield Corporation, said, “We delivered record financial results in 2024, with strong contributions from each of our businesses. Our asset management business had inflows of over $135 billion, our wealth solutions business is now firmly established as a top-tier annuity writer in the U.S., and our operating businesses continue to generate high-quality and stable cash flows.”

    He continued, “We expect the positive momentum in each of our businesses to continue this year. Our access to scale capital remains very strong and with transaction activity expected to pick up throughout 2025, we are well positioned to continue to generate strong growth in our cash flows and intrinsic value.”

    Operating Results

    Distributable earnings (“DE”) before realizations increased by 24% and 15% on a per share basis compared to the prior year periods.

    Unaudited
    For the periods ended December 31
    (US$ millions, except per share amounts)
    Three Months Ended   Years Ended
      2024     2023     2024     2023
    Net income of consolidated business1 $ 101   $ 3,134   $ 1,853   $ 5,105
    Net income attributable to Brookfield shareholders2   432     699     641     1,130
                   
    Distributable earnings before realizations2,3   1,498     1,209     4,871     4,223
    – Per Brookfield share2,3   0.94     0.76     3.07     2.66
                   
    Distributable earnings2,3   1,606     1,312     6,274     4,806
    – Per Brookfield share2,3   1.01     0.83     3.96     3.03

    See endnotes on page 8.

    Total consolidated net income was $101 million in the quarter and $1.9 billion for the year. Distributable earnings before realizations were a record $1.5 billion ($0.94/share) for the quarter and $4.9 billion ($3.07/share) for the year.

    Our asset management business generated a 17% increase in fee-related earnings compared to the prior year quarter, benefiting from strong fundraising momentum and the scaling of its credit platform through strategic partnerships.

    Wealth solutions earnings nearly doubled compared to the prior year, on the back of the acquisition of American Equity Life (“AEL”), organic growth and the attractive returns on our investment portfolio.

    Our operating businesses continue to deliver stable and growing cash flows, underpinned by the strong earnings of our renewable power and transition, infrastructure and private equity businesses and 4% growth in same-store net operating income (“NOI”) from our core real estate portfolio.

    During the quarter and for the year, earnings from realizations were $108 million and $1.4 billion, with total DE for the quarter and for the year of $1.6 billion ($1.01/share) and $6.3 billion ($3.96/share), respectively.

    Regular Dividend Declaration

    The Board declared a 13% increase in the quarterly dividend for Brookfield Corporation to $0.09 per share (representing $0.36 per annum), payable on March 31, 2025 to shareholders of record as at the close of business on March 14, 2025. The Board also declared the regular monthly and quarterly dividends on our preferred shares.

    Operating Highlights

    Distributable earnings before realizations were a record $1.5 billion ($0.94/share) for the quarter and $4.9 billion ($3.07/share) for the year, representing an increase of 24% and 15% on a per share basis over the prior year periods, respectively. Total distributable earnings were $1.6 billion ($1.01/share) for the quarter and $6.3 billion ($3.96/share) for the year.

    Asset Management:

    • DE was $694 million ($0.44/share) in the quarter and $2.6 billion ($1.67/share) for the year.
    • Fee-related earnings grew by 17% compared to the prior year quarter, driven by an 18% increase in fee-bearing capital over the prior year to $539 billion as at December 31, 2024. Total inflows were over $135 billion in 2024.
    • Our latest round of flagship funds have raised approximately $40 billion across our second global transition fund strategy, our fifth opportunistic real estate fund strategy, and our flagship opportunistic credit fund strategy. Heading into 2025, we expect to hold final closes for our latest flagship funds and continue to actively deploy capital, which should contribute to strong earnings growth.

    Wealth Solutions:

    • Distributable operating earnings were $421 million ($0.26/share) in the quarter and $1.4 billion ($0.85/share) for the year.
    • Insurance assets increased to over $120 billion, as we originated approximately $19 billion of retail and institutional annuity sales in 2024. We continue to diversify the business by growing our pension risk transfer capabilities and expanding into new markets. An example of this is the completion of our first reinsurance transaction in the U.K., at $1.3 billion which closed in the fourth quarter.
    • The average investment portfolio yield was 5.4%, 1.8% higher than the average cost of capital. As we continue to rotate the investment portfolio, annualized earnings for the business are well positioned to grow from approximately $1.6 billion today to $2 billion in the near term.
    • We are raising close to $2 billion of retail capital per month via our combined wealth solutions platforms.

    Operating Businesses:

    • DE was $562 million ($0.35/share) in the quarter and $1.6 billion ($1.03/share) for the year.
    • Operating Funds from Operations in our renewable power, transition and infrastructure businesses increased by 10% over the prior year. Our private equity business continues to contribute resilient, high-quality cash flows. Our core real estate portfolio continues to grow its same-store NOI, delivering a 4% increase over the prior year quarter.
    • In our real estate business, we signed close to 27 million square feet of office and retail leases during the year. Rents on the newly signed leases were approximately 35% higher compared to those leases expiring in the fourth quarter. Also during the fourth quarter, our DE benefited from monetizing a land parcel within our North American residential operations.
    • As real estate markets continue to recover in the coming years, we expect earnings and valuations of the business to strengthen.

    Earnings from the monetization of mature assets were $108 million ($0.07/share) for the quarter and $1.4 billion ($0.89/share) for the year.

    • During the year, we closed nearly $40 billion of asset sales at strong returns, which include a portfolio of U.S. manufactured housing assets and several renewable power and infrastructure assets globally. With the pick-up in transaction activity, we expect this momentum to accelerate into 2025.
    • Total accumulated unrealized carried interest was $11.5 billion at year end, representing an increase of 13% over the prior year, net of carried interest realized into income. We recognized approximately $400 million of net realized carried interest into income in 2024, and we expect to realize significant carried interest as we actively monetize assets in the coming years.

    We ended the quarter with a record $160 billion of capital available to deploy into new investments.

    • We have record deployable capital of approximately $160 billion, which includes $68 billion of cash, financial assets and undrawn credit lines at the Corporation, our affiliates and our wealth solutions business.
    • Our balance sheet is robust and remains conservatively capitalized. Our corporate debt at the Corporation has a weighted-average term of 14 years and today we have no maturities through to the end of 2025.
    • Over the year, we returned $1.5 billion to shareholders through regular dividends and share repurchases, with total share buybacks of approximately $1 billion. In 2025 so far, we have repurchased over $200 million of shares.
    • We had an active year in the capital markets. We executed approximately $135 billion of financings, including issuing $700 million of 30-year subordinated notes and a $1 billion, 7-year non-recourse loan to a large institutional partner of ours, the proceeds of which will mainly be directed towards share repurchases.

    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

    Unaudited
    (US$ millions)
      December 31   December 31
        2024     2023
    Assets        
    Cash and cash equivalents   $ 15,051   $ 11,222
    Other financial assets     25,887     28,324
    Accounts receivable and other     40,509     31,001
    Inventory     8,458     11,412
    Equity accounted investments     68,310     59,124
    Investment properties     103,665     124,152
    Property, plant and equipment     153,019     147,617
    Intangible assets     36,072     38,994
    Goodwill     35,730     34,911
    Deferred income tax assets     3,723     3,338
    Total Assets   $ 490,424   $ 490,095
             
    Liabilities and Equity        
    Corporate borrowings   $ 14,232   $ 12,160
    Accounts payable and other     60,223     59,011
    Non-recourse borrowings     220,560     221,550
    Subsidiary equity obligations     4,759     4,145
    Deferred income tax liabilities     25,267     24,987
             
    Equity        
    Non-controlling interests in net assets $ 119,406   $ 122,465  
    Preferred equity   4,103     4,103  
    Common equity   41,874   165,383   41,674   168,242
    Total Equity     165,383     168,242
    Total Liabilities and Equity   $ 490,424   $ 490,095


    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

    Unaudited
    For the periods ended December 31
    (US$ millions, except per share amounts)
    Three Months Ended   Years Ended
      2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Revenues $ 19,426     $ 24,518     $ 86,006     $ 95,924  
    Direct costs1   (11,977 )     (18,168 )     (58,199 )     (72,334 )
    Other income and gains   52       4,256       1,247       6,501  
    Equity accounted income   1,034       429       2,729       2,068  
    Interest expense              
    – Corporate borrowings   (183 )     (142 )     (727 )     (596 )
    – Non-recourse borrowings              
    Same-store   (3,474 )     (3,903 )     (14,889 )     (14,907 )
    Acquisitions, net of dispositions2   (136 )           (319 )      
    Upfinancings2   (186 )           (680 )      
    Corporate costs   (20 )     (16 )     (76 )     (69 )
    Fair value changes   (1,759 )     (1,326 )     (2,520 )     (1,396 )
    Depreciation and amortization   (2,417 )     (2,427 )     (9,737 )     (9,075 )
    Income tax   (259 )     (87 )     (982 )     (1,011 )
    Net income   101       3,134       1,853       5,105  
    Loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interests   331       (2,435 )     (1,212 )     (3,975 )
    Net income attributable to Brookfield shareholders $ 432     $ 699     $ 641     $ 1,130  
                   
    Net income per share              
    Diluted $ 0.25     $ 0.42     $ 0.31     $ 0.61  
    Basic   0.26       0.43       0.31       0.62  

    1. Direct costs disclosed above exclude depreciation and amortization expense.
    2. Interest expense from acquisitions, net of dispositions, and upfinancings completed for the year ended December 31, 2024.

    SUMMARIZED FINANCIAL RESULTS

    DISTRIBUTABLE EARNINGS

    Unaudited
    For the periods ended December 31
    (US$ millions)
    Three Months Ended   Years Ended
      2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Asset management $ 694     $ 649     $ 2,645     $ 2,554  
                   
    Wealth solutions   421       253       1,350       740  
                   
    BEP   107       102       428       417  
    BIP   84       79       336       319  
    BBU   8       9       35       36  
    BPG   351       218       855       733  
    Other   12       (8 )     (28 )     (43 )
    Operating businesses   562       400       1,626       1,462  
                   
    Corporate costs and other   (179 )     (93 )     (750 )     (533 )
    Distributable earnings before realizations1   1,498       1,209       4,871       4,223  
    Realized carried interest, net   108       100       403       570  
    Disposition gains from principal investments         3       1,000       13  
    Distributable earnings1 $ 1,606     $ 1,312     $ 6,274     $ 4,806  

    1. Non-IFRS measure – see Non-IFRS and Performance Measures section on page 8.

    RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME TO DISTRIBUTABLE EARNINGS

    Unaudited
    For the periods ended December 31
    (US$ millions)
    Three Months Ended   Years Ended
      2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Net income $ 101     $ 3,134     $ 1,853     $ 5,105  
    Financial statement components not included in DE:              
    Equity accounted fair value changes and other items   448       1,097       2,679       2,902  
    Fair value changes and other   1,685       1,549       2,652       1,952  
    Depreciation and amortization   2,417       2,427       9,737       9,075  
    Disposition gains in net income   (659 )     (4,424 )     (1,234 )     (6,080 )
    Deferred income taxes   82       (416 )     (341 )     (897 )
    Non-controlling interests in the above items1   (2,560 )     (2,064 )     (10,570 )     (7,941 )
    Less: realized carried interest, net   (108 )     (100 )     (403 )     (570 )
    Working capital, net   92       6       498       677  
    Distributable earnings before realizations2   1,498       1,209       4,871       4,223  
    Realized carried interest, net3   108       100       403       570  
    Disposition gains from principal investments         3       1,000       13  
    Distributable earnings2 $ 1,606     $ 1,312     $ 6,274     $ 4,806  

    1. Amounts attributable to non-controlling interests are calculated based on the economic ownership interests held by non-controlling interests in consolidated subsidiaries. By adjusting DE attributable to non-controlling interests, we are able to remove the portion of DE earned at non-wholly owned subsidiaries that is not attributable to Brookfield.
    2. Non-IFRS measure – see Non-IFRS and Performance Measures section on page 8.

    3. Includes our share of Oaktree’s distributable earnings attributable to realized carried interest.

    EARNINGS PER SHARE

    Unaudited
    For the periods ended December 31
    (millions, except per share amounts)
    Three Months Ended   Years Ended
      2024       2023       2024       2023  
    Net income $ 101     $ 3,134     $ 1,853     $ 5,105  
    Non-controlling interests   331       (2,435 )     (1,212 )     (3,975 )
    Net income attributable to shareholders   432       699       641       1,130  
    Preferred share dividends1   (41 )     (43 )     (168 )     (166 )
    Net income available to common shareholders   391       656       473       964  
    Dilutive impact of exchangeable shares of affiliate   3       3       12       5  
    Net income available to common shareholders including dilutive impact of exchangeable shares $ 394     $ 659     $ 485     $ 969  
                   
    Weighted average shares   1,508.3       1,540.1       1,511.5       1,558.5  
    Dilutive effect of conversion of options and escrowed shares using treasury stock method2 and exchangeable shares of affiliate   81.1       40.8       73.1       29.7  
    Shares and share equivalents   1,589.4       1,580.9       1,584.6       1,588.2  
                   
    Diluted earnings per share3 $ 0.25     $ 0.42     $ 0.31     $ 0.61  

    1. Excludes dividends paid on perpetual subordinated notes of $2 million (2023 – $2 million) and $10 million (2023 – $10 million) for the three months and year ended December 31, 2024, which are recognized within net income.
    2. Includes management share option plan and escrowed stock plan.

    3. Per share amounts are inclusive of dilutive effect of mandatorily redeemable preferred shares held in a consolidated subsidiary.

    Additional Information

    The Letter to Shareholders and the company’s Supplemental Information for the three months and year ended December 31, 2024, contain further information on the company’s strategy, operations and financial results. Shareholders are encouraged to read these documents, which are available on the company’s website.

    The statements contained herein are based primarily on information that has been extracted from our financial statements for the periods ended December 31, 2024, which have been prepared using IFRS, as issued by the IASB. The amounts have not been audited by Brookfield Corporation’s external auditor.

    Brookfield Corporation’s Board of Directors has reviewed and approved this document, including the summarized unaudited consolidated financial statements prior to its release.

    Information on our dividends can be found on our website under Stock & Distributions/Distribution History.

    Quarterly Earnings Call Details

    Investors, analysts and other interested parties can access Brookfield Corporation’s 2024 Fourth Quarter Results as well as the Shareholders’ Letter and Supplemental Information on Brookfield Corporation’s website under the Reports & Filings section at www.bn.brookfield.com.

    To participate in the Conference Call today at 10:00 a.m. ET, please pre-register at https://register.vevent.com/register/BIf7f2f2b5bdd84f708b0fc3cd0fd714dd. Upon registering, you will be emailed a dial-in number, and unique PIN. The Conference Call will also be webcast live at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/5vbgiehc. For those unable to participate in the Conference Call, the telephone replay will be archived and available until February 13, 2026. To access this rebroadcast, please visit: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/5vbgiehc

    About Brookfield Corporation

    Brookfield Corporation is a leading global investment firm focused on building long-term wealth for institutions and individuals around the world. We have three core businesses: Alternative Asset Management, Wealth Solutions, and our Operating Businesses which are in renewable power, infrastructure, business and industrial services, and real estate.

    We have a track record of delivering 15%+ annualized returns to shareholders for over 30 years, supported by our unrivaled investment and operational experience. Our conservatively managed balance sheet, extensive operational experience, and global sourcing networks allow us to consistently access unique opportunities. At the center of our success is the Brookfield Ecosystem, which is based on the fundamental principle that each group within Brookfield benefits from being part of the broader organization. Brookfield Corporation is publicly traded in New York and Toronto (NYSE: BN, TSX: BN).

    Please note that Brookfield Corporation’s previous audited annual and unaudited quarterly reports have been filed on EDGAR and SEDAR+ and can also be found in the investor section of its website at www.brookfield.com. Hard copies of the annual and quarterly reports can be obtained free of charge upon request.

    For more information, please visit our website at www.bn.brookfield.com or contact:

    Media:
    Kerrie McHugh
    Tel: (212) 618-3469
    Email: kerrie.mchugh@brookfield.com
      Investor Relations:
    Angela Yulo
    Tel: (416) 943-7955
    Email: angela.yulo@brookfield.com
         

    Non-IFRS and Performance Measures

    This news release and accompanying financial information are based on International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”), as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”), unless otherwise noted.

    We make reference to Distributable Earnings (“DE”). We define DE as the sum of distributable earnings from our asset management business, distributable operating earnings from our wealth solutions business, distributions received from our ownership of investments, realized carried interest and disposition gains from principal investments, net of earnings from our Corporate Activities, preferred share dividends and equity-based compensation costs. We also make reference to DE before realizations, which refers to DE before realized carried interest and realized disposition gains from principal investments. We believe these measures provide insight into earnings received by the company that are available for distribution to common shareholders or to be reinvested into the business.

    Realized carried interest and realized disposition gains are further described below:

    • Realized Carried Interest represents our contractual share of investment gains generated within a private fund after considering our clients’ minimum return requirements. Realized carried interest is determined on third-party capital that is no longer subject to future investment performance.
    • Realized Disposition Gains from Principal Investments are included in DE because we consider the purchase and sale of assets from our directly held investments to be a normal part of the company’s business. Realized disposition gains include gains and losses recorded in net income and equity in the current period, and are adjusted to include fair value changes and revaluation surplus balances recorded in prior periods which were not included in prior period DE.

    We use DE to assess our operating results and the value of Brookfield Corporation’s business and believe that many shareholders and analysts also find these measures of value to them.

    We make reference to Operating Funds from Operations (“Operating FFO”). We define Operating FFO as the company’s share of revenues less direct costs and interest expenses; excludes realized carried interest and disposition gains, fair value changes, depreciation and amortization and deferred income taxes; and includes our proportionate share of FFO from operating activities recorded by equity accounted investments on a fully diluted basis.

    We make reference to Net Operating Income (“NOI”), which refers to the revenues from our operations less direct expenses before the impact of depreciation and amortization within our real estate business. We present this measure as we believe it is a key indicator of our ability to impact the operating performance of our properties. As NOI excludes non-recurring items and depreciation and amortization of real estate assets, it provides a performance measure that, when compared to prior periods, reflects the impact of operations from trends in occupancy rates and rental rates.

    We disclose a number of financial measures in this news release that are calculated and presented using methodologies other than in accordance with IFRS. These financial measures, which include DE, should not be considered as the sole measure of our performance and should not be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, similar financial measures calculated in accordance with IFRS. We caution readers that these non-IFRS financial measures or other financial metrics are not standardized under IFRS and may differ from the financial measures or other financial metrics disclosed by other businesses and, as a result, may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers and entities.

    We provide additional information on key terms and non-IFRS measures in our filings available at www.bn.brookfield.com.

    1. Consolidated basis – includes amounts attributable to non-controlling interests.
    2. Excludes amounts attributable to non-controlling interests.
    3. See Reconciliation of Net Income to Distributable Earnings on page 5 and Non-IFRS and Performance Measures section on page 8.

    Notice to Readers

    Brookfield Corporation is not making any offer or invitation of any kind by communication of this news release and under no circumstance is it to be construed as a prospectus or an advertisement.

    This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of Canadian provincial securities laws and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and in any applicable Canadian securities regulations (collectively, “forward-looking statements”). Forward- looking statements include statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future results, events or conditions, and include, but are not limited to, statements which reflect management’s current estimates, beliefs and assumptions regarding the operations, business, financial condition, expected financial results, performance, prospects, opportunities, priorities, targets, goals, ongoing objectives, strategies, capital management and outlook of Brookfield Corporation and its subsidiaries, as well as the outlook for North American and international economies for the current fiscal year and subsequent periods, and which in turn are based on our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. The estimates, beliefs and assumptions of Brookfield Corporation are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive and other uncertainties and contingencies regarding future events and as such, are subject to change. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “foresee,” “could,” “estimate,” “goal,” “intend,” “plan,” “seek,” “strive,” “will,” “may” and “should” and similar expressions. In particular, the forward-looking statements contained in this news release include statements referring to the impact of current market or economic conditions on our business, the future state of the economy or the securities market, the anticipated allocation and deployment of our capital, our fundraising targets, and our target growth objectives.

    Although Brookfield Corporation believes that such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable estimates, beliefs and assumptions, actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated or implied by forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (i) returns that are lower than target; (ii) the impact or unanticipated impact of general economic, political and market factors in the countries in which we do business; (iii) the behavior of financial markets, including fluctuations in interest and foreign exchange rates and heightened inflationary pressures; (iv) global equity and capital markets and the availability of equity and debt financing and refinancing within these markets; (v) strategic actions including acquisitions and dispositions; the ability to complete and effectively integrate acquisitions into existing operations and the ability to attain expected benefits; (vi) changes in accounting policies and methods used to report financial condition (including uncertainties associated with critical accounting assumptions and estimates); (vii) the ability to appropriately manage human capital; (viii) the effect of applying future accounting changes; (ix) business competition; (x) operational and reputational risks; (xi) technological change; (xii) changes in government regulation and legislation within the countries in which we operate; (xiii) governmental investigations and sanctions; (xiv) litigation; (xv) changes in tax laws; (xvi) ability to collect amounts owed; (xvii) catastrophic events, such as earthquakes, hurricanes and epidemics/pandemics; (xviii) the possible impact of international conflicts and other developments including terrorist acts and cyberterrorism; (xix) the introduction, withdrawal, success and timing of business initiatives and strategies; (xx) the failure of effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls over financial reporting and other risks; (xxi) health, safety and environmental risks; (xxii) the maintenance of adequate insurance coverage; (xxiii) the existence of information barriers between certain businesses within our asset management operations; (xxiv) risks specific to our business segments including asset management, wealth solutions, renewable power and transition, infrastructure, private equity, real estate and corporate activities; and (xxv) factors detailed from time to time in our documents filed with the securities regulators in Canada and the United States.

    We caution that the foregoing list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive and other factors could also adversely affect future results. Readers are urged to consider these risks, as well as other uncertainties, factors and assumptions carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are based only on information available to us as of the date of this news release or such other date specified herein. Except as required by law, Brookfield Corporation undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward- looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    Past performance is not indicative nor a guarantee of future results. There can be no assurance that comparable results will be achieved in the future, that future investments will be similar to historic investments discussed herein, that targeted returns, growth objectives, diversification or asset allocations will be met or that an investment strategy or investment objectives will be achieved (because of economic conditions, the availability of appropriate opportunities or otherwise).

    Target returns and growth objectives set forth in this news release are for illustrative and informational purposes only and have been presented based on various assumptions made by Brookfield Corporation in relation to the investment strategies being pursued, any of which may prove to be incorrect. There can be no assurance that targeted returns or growth objectives will be achieved. Due to various risks, uncertainties and changes (including changes in economic, operational, political or other circumstances) beyond Brookfield Corporation’s control, the actual performance of the business could differ materially from the target returns and growth objectives set forth herein. In addition, industry experts may disagree with the assumptions used in presenting the target returns and growth objectives. No assurance, representation or warranty is made by any person that the target returns or growth objectives will be achieved, and undue reliance should not be put on them.

    When we speak about our wealth solutions business or Brookfield Wealth Solutions, we are referring to Brookfield’s investments in this business that supported the acquisitions of its underlying operating subsidiaries.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Safeguarding the Historic Naval Hospital of Port Royal

    Source: United Nations

    The Historic Naval Hospital of Port Royal in Jamaica, a vital heritage site surrounded by a 19th-century sea wall, is threatened by coastal erosion, storm surges, and ship traffic. At the request of Jamaican national authorities and with the generous support of the Netherlands Funds-in-Trust, a new project has been launched to address these challenges.

    The Historic Naval Hospital of Port Royal, a vital heritage site surrounded by a 19th-century sea wall, is threatened by coastal erosion, storm surges, and ship traffic. As a key component of the heritage site “Archaeological Landscape of 17th Century Port Royal” submitted by Jamaica for the inscription to the UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the hospital and its surrounding archaeological grounds are at risk of significant deterioration.

    A 2022 Heritage Impact Assessment highlighted that continued erosion of the sea wall could severely impact the structural integrity of the Naval Hospital and the 17th-century streets that lie beneath the complex, jeopardizing the preservation of this iconic historic site. At the request of Jamaican national authorities and with the generous support of the Netherlands Funds-in-Trust, a new project has been launched.

    Such project aims to bolster the protection of the Naval Hospital and its archaeological grounds. The initiative will focus on reinforcing the sea wall, enhancing the site’s resilience to coastal erosion, and mitigating the effects of climate change. The project will also support the capacity-building of national institutions responsible for heritage conservation.

    Port Royal was once one of the most prosperous and notorious cities in the Caribbean during the 17th century, earning its infamous reputation as the “wickedest city on Earth.” Today, much of Port Royal lies submerged beneath the sea, with the Historic Naval Hospital serving as a key reminder of the city’s storied past.

    Key objectives of the project include:

    • Improving protection: Strengthening the protection of the Historic Naval Hospital of Port Royal from coastal erosion, climate change, and human activity.
    • Community engagement: Involving the local community in rehabilitation efforts and raising awareness about the vulnerability of cultural heritage.
    • Sustainable management: Ensuring the long-term conservation and daily management of the site by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust, with community participation.

    Expected project outcomes include:

    • Structural reinforcement: Identification and consolidation of the most vulnerable sections of the sea wall.
    • Capacity building: Strengthening the capacities of national institutions to manage and conserve cultural heritage.
    • Improved cooperation: Fostering better collaboration between heritage management stakeholders, tourism development organizations, and local communities.

    This project is part of a broader effort to safeguard Port Royal’s rich cultural legacy, ensuring its preservation for future generations. Jamaica’s initiative to propose Port Royal for inclusion on UNESCO’s World Heritage List marks a crucial step in recognizing and safeguarding its rich archaeological heritage, with the World Heritage Committee reviewing the nomination later this year. This endeavor reflects the country’s commitment to ensure that the stories and achievements of past generations endure for those to come.

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: CNC celebrates National Apprenticeship Week

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    In its first year, the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) apprenticeship programme has reached the 100-apprentice milestone.

    Chief Constable Simon Chesterman meeting AFOs.

    Announced last year during National Apprenticeship Week, the Level Four Non-Home Office Police Officer Apprenticeship (NHOPOA) trains recruits to the National Police Firearms Training Curriculum and takes place across our delivery centres in Oxfordshire and Cumbria.

    The first 19 weeks of the course is a residential Initial Foundation Programme which includes our highly regarded firearms training, and for the remaining 20 months of the course recruits are posted as Authorised Firearms Officers (AFOs) at nominated Operational Policing Units (OPUs) to complete a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate their policing ability. After passing an End Point Assessment, the apprentices are confirmed in rank. 

    The celebrations continue this week as the CNC can announce that it recently passed its first Ofsted inspection, receiving praise for its training, practices, and positive recommendations for the future. This achievement demonstrates the force’s commitment to the learning and development of our people.

    Chief Superintendent, Sheree Owen, Head of Training, reflects positively on the recent Ofsted inspection: “I am delighted with the outcome of the recent no-notice monitoring visit by Ofsted, the final grading for this will be published by Ofsted in the next two months.

    “The feedback from inspectors was very positive, and highlighted the huge effort put into delivering this from many across the CNC, those within the training division, from policing skills instructors and NFIs, the Professional Development Units and tutor constables to the HQ staff who supported the project, the planners, finance team and operational support colleagues.

    “We look forward to our full inspection in the next eighteen months.”

    Inspector Stuart Rodgers, Apprenticeship Manager, also said: “My thanks to the apprentices for their hard work and commitment to learning new knowledge and skills, everyone at our training venues and to all those tutors who volunteer their time and effort to ensure our new people settle in well and complete their work to a high standard.”

    Updates to this page

    Published 13 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City leaders join as ‘One Stoke-on-Trent’ following August protests

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Stoke-on-Trent today (Thursday 13 February) launches a major government-backed community campaign aimed at bringing together all communities as “One Stoke-on-Trent”.

    The year-long campaign unites leaders from the city council, police, fire services, NHS, schools and colleges, local football teams, the media, and faith and voluntary sectors.

    It is backed by £600,000 of funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Community Recovery Fund.

    Some £240,000 of that money will be made available through a community grant scheme to amplify initiatives that promote cohesion and bring people together. Three categories of grant will be on offer: small (£500-£1,000), medium (£1,000-£5,000) and large (£5,000-£10,000).

    Separately, the campaign will include a major engagement and “listening” exercise, working with residents and business to explore crucial questions about the city’s collective identity and what more needs to be done to make Stoke-on-Trent a place where everyone feels welcome, and can thrive.

    Key messages from the campaign will be promoted by partners, making clear that Stoke-on-Trent is committed to being a welcoming city, which believes in fair opportunity for everyone and sees diversity as a strength.

    The grants will be administered by the Community Foundation for Staffordshire and Shropshire, supported by VAST – a charity dedicated to helping to improve the quality of life for local communities – which will provide dedicated support to grassroot groups looking to apply for funding and deliver projects.

    One Stoke-on-Trent has been developed on the back of public disorder in August 2024, which saw hundreds of protestors and counter-protesters descend on Hanley city centre. The incident was one of several national protests which took place last summer following the devastating murder of three young girls in Southport.

    Councillor Jane Ashworth, the leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “We have made it clear that everybody in Stoke-on-Trent has a right to feel and be safe – and that prejudice and discrimination are not welcome here, but we know that more needs to be done to understand the individual challenges facing our local communities.

    “This will mean confronting some uncomfortable realities, engaging in difficult but necessary conversations and managing misinformation that can so easily spread hate and division.

    “As we mark our city’s Centenary, we also need to recognise the contributions our diverse communities are making to our city and celebrate our unique history, heritage and individual character of each of our six towns.

    “Our goal is to foster a greater sense of pride, trust and belonging among all residents regardless of their origin, background, race or religion.”

    Fahmida Rehman, CEO of Stepping Stones Community Organisation, said: “The clear message emerging from this partnership is one of inclusivity and respect.

    “Stoke-on-Trent is a city where everyone, regardless of their background, deserves to feel safe, valued, and heard. 

    “The multi-agency approach – bringing together council leaders, local services and community organisations like ours – signals a commitment to real, sustainable change.

    “This is about more than just addressing the immediate concerns; it is about fostering long-term resilience, ensuring that prejudice and discrimination have no place in our city, and nurturing a future where all communities can thrive equally.”

    Superintendent Dave Wain, of Staffordshire Police, said: “We know our communities in Stoke-on-Trent want to see more visible policing and for us to take robust action to address the issues that matter to them.  

    “We recognise that policing is only part of the solution and that is why we’re looking forward to working with our partners to tackle key community priorities.”

    Matt Hancock, Chief Executive at Port Vale, said: “As a football club at the very heart of a diverse community within Stoke-on-Trent, we are fully supportive of the One Stoke-on-Trent initiative and committed to continuing to bring people together.

    “We want our city to be a safe and welcoming environment for everyone, and are proud to be working collaboratively to deliver this strong message.”

    Leanne Macpherson, Head of Programmes at the Community Foundation for Staffordshire and Shropshire, said: “We are pleased to be able to work with so many partners across the city to launch the grants scheme to support our local communities. 

    “It will empower organisations to deliver impactful projects, to build social trust, and strengthen community resilience and cohesion. By supporting grassroots initiatives, we can create more connected, inclusive and resilient communities.”

    To learn more about the community grant scheme, or to apply, visit: https://staffordshire.foundation/grants/one-stoke-community-grants/

    MIL OSI United Kingdom