All posts tagged: Brace

Military Families Once Again Brace for a Knock

Military Families Once Again Brace for a Knock

Published by Sam Flores

Even before his son was in high school, Mylo Simmons told me, there was something about flying that fascinated him. Some days, Simmons and his son, Tyler, would sit in the car together, pulled over on a street with a clear view of an airport runway, watching planes take off and land. Tyler was “looking up at the sky all the time,” his father said. “He wanted to be up there.” It was that desire that led Tyler first to a youth program sponsored by the Tuskegee Airmen, the first Black aviators to serve in the U.S. armed forces during World War II, then to the National Guard, and then to the Air Force, where he worked up to being a technical sergeant, responsible for refueling tanker aircrafts midflight. When Tyler Simmons died earlier this month—he and five other American service members were killed in a plane crash over Iraq—his family became one of the 13 American families to receive the news that their loved one had died since the war in Iran began. “The …

With Trump’s ultimatum to Iran, Americans brace for gas price surge

With Trump’s ultimatum to Iran, Americans brace for gas price surge

Published by Sam Flores

As the war between the United States, Israel and Iran escalates, Donald Trump has issued a stark new ultimatum demanding Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours or face U.S. strikes on its energy infrastructure. The threat marks a significant escalation in a conflict already reshaping global markets. The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil passes, has been effectively disrupted for weeks, choking supply and sending prices sharply higher. Oil markets are already reacting. Crude oil has surged above $110 per barrel, with analysts warning that prices could climb further and possibly double if the standoff continues or expands. The disruption has removed hundreds of millions of barrels from global supply, while shipping traffic through the strait has collapsed and thousands of seafarers remain stranded. At the same time, the rhetoric is escalating on both sides. As part a posting stream on social media this weekend, Trump included a threat to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if the strait is not reopened, while Iranian officials …

Futures Flat, Erase Overnight Losses As Nervous Traders Brace For Key Week

Futures Flat, Erase Overnight Losses As Nervous Traders Brace For Key Week

Published by Jenni Sidey

S&P futures are unchanged, erasing all overnight losses, extending last week’s choppy price action focused on AI repercussions; Nasdaq 100 futures underperform slightly ahead of an important week that has both the January jobs and CPI report on deck (at least the firehose of earnings is slowing down). As of 8:15am ET, S&P futures are unchanged, and Nasdaq futures dip 0.2% with tech the biggest laggard as Semis come back under pressure and Mag7 names are all weaker.  The yield on 10-year Treasuries rose three basis points to 4.24% after BBG reported that China tells state and local banks to limit/reduce Treasury exposure (does not affect Federal holdings) which according to JPM may raise risk of a “Sell America” trade esp with Japan / APAC poised to rip in the near-term. The dollar dipped 0.3%, supporting gold and silver. Bitcoin slipped below $69,000. Commodities are big with precious metals and gasoline the upside standouts. Today’s macro data focus is on the NY Fed’s inflation expectations release. In premarket trading, Mag 7 stocks are mixed (Microsoft +0.6%, Amazon …

England and Wales brace for downpours with more than 200 active flood alerts | UK weather

England and Wales brace for downpours with more than 200 active flood alerts | UK weather

Published by Jenni Sidey

More than 200 flood alerts were active across the UK on Sunday as parts of England and Wales braced for more downpours after the Met Office issued a fresh yellow warning for rain. The warning spans noon to midnight on Monday, covering parts of southern Wales as well as south-east and south-west England. The Met Office said that “10-15mm of rain is likely fairly widely with 20-30mm in some places exposed to the strong south to south-easterly winds”. Monday’s weather warning covers parts of England where communities are still recovering from extensive flooding caused by heavy downpours in the wake of Storm Chandra. The Environment Agency issued 96 flood warnings across England on Sunday evening, indicating flooding was expected. A further 219 flood alerts were issued in areas where flooding was possible. Four more flood alerts were issued by Natural Resources Wales. Homes, businesses and roads could be flooded in areas covered by Monday’s warning for rain, the Met Office said, adding that travel disruption was expected. Temperatures were expected to reach double figures across …

Spain and Portugal brace for more floods

Spain and Portugal brace for more floods

Published by Sam Flores

A view of flooded streets after Storm Leonardo passed by Alcacer do Sal, Portugal, February 6, 2026. PEDRO NUNES / REUTERS Spain and Portugal on Saturday, February 7, faced fresh storms and torrential rain just days after floods caused by Storm Leonardo proved fatal in both countries and caused significant damage. In Portugal, the latest depression – christened Storm Marta – has prompted the deployment of more than 26,500 rescuers and led three municipalities to postpone a presidential vote by a week, which was scheduled for Sunday. The Iberian Peninsula is on the front lines of climate change in Europe. It has been experiencing increasingly prolonged heat waves and more frequent, intense episodes of heavy rainfall for several years. Both Spain and Portugal have issued warnings over potential fresh floods, after inundations that have blocked hundreds of roads, disrupted trains and forced thousands to evacuate from the rising waters. Read more Subscribers only 2025 ranks among the three hottest years ever recorded In Spain, much of the south, particularly the region of Andalusia, was placed …

As Springfield’s 15,000 Haitians brace for deportations, local churches train to resist ICE

As Springfield’s 15,000 Haitians brace for deportations, local churches train to resist ICE

Published by Sam Flores

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (RNS) — “We have orders of deportation,” said a volunteer in a raised voice, posing as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent and pounding on the sanctuary door. “What you’re doing is harboring.” Inside the sanctuary, hundreds of trainees blocked the large wooden double doors. One called out, “We’re exercising our First Amendment right to freedom of worship.”   The handful of faux ICE agents moved to a different entryway. As they pried open the side door to the sanctuary, some trainees held up phones to record the encounter while others blew whistles. The scenario was part of a roleplay exercise at a rapid response training in Springfield, Ohio, on Saturday (Jan. 24). Despite the winter storm in the forecast, nearly 200 people from in and around Springfield gathered at Central Christian Church for the event organized by G92, a new Springfield-based coalition of pro-immigrant churches and advocates named after the 92 times the Hebrew word “ger,” which means stranger or sojourner, appears in the Hebrew Bible. “For many people, this isn’t just …

Millions brace for snow, ice and dangerous cold

Millions brace for snow, ice and dangerous cold

Published by Sam Flores

Across the United States, millions are bracing for a sprawling winter storm that is disrupting travel, threatening power infrastructure and sending temperatures plunging well below freezing. From Texas and Oklahoma to the Midwest and Northeast, roads are slick, flights are canceled and energy grids are under stress, exposing vulnerabilities in systems long taken for granted. In New York City, residents are waking up to temperatures in the single digits, with wind chills making conditions feel even harsher. In Minneapolis, where ICE incidents continue to escalate, the regular temperatures that are usually below freezing, are currently sitting comfortably in the negatives, though they not hindering any protests or federal operations. Major airports, including those in Dallas, Chicago and New York, have canceled or delayed hundreds of flights, leaving travelers scrambling and stranding some far from home. The storm is notable for its timing: it is hitting hard in mid‑January, when traffic is lighter than the holiday season, demonstrating that even routine winter travel can be thrown into chaos. As of this posting, at least 22 states …

Trusts’ finances improve, but leaders brace for rainy days

Trusts’ finances improve, but leaders brace for rainy days

Published by skeptic

More from this theme Recent articles Dozens of academy trusts have bolstered their reserves by up to 900 per cent, as leaders tighten their belts ahead of the coming financial storm. But some continue to be saddled with hefty deficits as they count the cost of sudden government funding cancellations, and in one case, a major cyber attack. Schools Week investigates… Deficit to surplus We analysed the latest accounts for 51 trusts ranging in size from one to 62 schools. The chains in the sample run, on average, 16 schools each. Thirty-seven of the trusts registered improved reserves by the end of 2024-25, up from 20 the year before. Trusts improve their reserves by running in-year surpluses. Those with deficits have to dip into reserves to pay for them. Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust (DNEAT) went from posting a deficit of £178,000 in 2023-24 to a surplus of £1.4 million by the end of August – a 900 per cent gain. Oliver Burwood, its chief executive, said the MAT – which runs 40 …

‘Protect the vote’: Bobi Wine, opposition brace for tense Uganda election | Elections News

‘Protect the vote’: Bobi Wine, opposition brace for tense Uganda election | Elections News

Published by Sam Flores

Kampala, Uganda – When Bobi Wine, a singer-turned-politician whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, launched his campaign to become Uganda’s next president in October, he appeared in tailored suits, greeting crowds with a familiar smile. The mood, at least at first, felt cautiously hopeful. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list But by December, that image had disappeared. As campaigning comes to an end on Tuesday, Bobi Wine, who is the main opposition candidate looking to unseat long-serving President Yoweri Museveni, now only appears in public wearing a bulletproof vest and helmet. For many Ugandans, his change in attire – and the state violence that led to it – are symbols of a foregone political outcome: An incumbent victory likely to be rejected by his competitors. Since he was cleared to run in the election in September, Bobi Wine’s campaign convoy has frequently been met with tear gas, roadblocks and arrests of supporters. Campaign events are regularly disrupted, with people abruptly dispersing and roads sealed off. While the violence has not reached the deadly …