FirstFT: 100mn Americans living in ‘dangerous’ heat in 3 decades

Good morning. A quarter of the US land area, home to more than 100mn people, will face temperatures of more than 125F (52C) in three decades, including states with rapid population growth such as Texas, a report forecasts.

Analysis by First Street Foundation, a New York-based non-profit climate risk research group, found this “extreme heat belt” will expand from 50 counties next year to more than 1,000 by 2053.

“Extreme danger” is the term used by the National Weather Service for a heat index — a combination of temperature and humidity — of 125F or greater. A heat index above that threshold increases the risk of heatstroke, cardiovascular problems and death. The number of people in the US exposed to such temperatures is expected to grow from 8mn in 2023 to 107mn in 2053, First Street said.

In other news, we are watching Capitol Hill closely as violence looms over the hot-tempered fallout following the FBI search of Donald Trump’s home. The former president and his Republican allies have lashed out at the nation’s law enforcement agencies and US attorney-general Merrick Garland. Writing on Truth Social, Trump maintains the search was a politically motivated stunt, which was “all so out of control [with] great simmering anger”. Mike Turner, the top Republican on the House intelligence committee, questioned whether Garland had “abused his discretion”.

Amid growing concern these comments would further inflame Trump’s conservative base, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI issued a joint bulletin on Friday about the potential for attacks on law enforcement personnel and facilities. The bulletin, obtained by the New York Times, warned of increasing threats on social media, including the “threat to place a so-called dirty bomb in front of FBI headquarters” and calls for “armed rebellion”.

Meanwhile, Democrats have demanded an “assessment” on the potential national security threat posed by the classified documents seized at Mar-a-Lago. Speculation over the motivations behind the raid — and what the Department of Justice and Garland will do next — has only increased after the the search warrant was released last week. What was Trump being investigated for?

Did you take out a loan to pay for college in the US? Please tell us via a short survey how student loan debt has shaped your life. We might feature your experience in an upcoming story. Thanks for sharing part of your day with FirstFT Americas. We hope you have a lovely week — Georgina

Five more stories in the news

1. Antony Blinken condemns ‘despicable’ Iranian response to Salman Rushdie attack The US secretary of state has denounced Iranian state institutions for inciting violence against Sir Salman Rushdie and then gloating about the author’s attempted murder as he remained in critical condition. Rushdie was stabbed on Friday at a literary event.

2. China cuts lending rate as economic data disappoint and Covid-19 cases rise The central bank cut the medium-term lending rate, through which it provides one-year loans to the banking system, by 10 basis points to 2.75 per cent, as it tries to combat a months-long decline in consumer demand triggered by its zero-Covid policy.

3. Saudi prince made $500mn Russia bet Kingdom Holding, one of Saudi Arabia’s highest-profile investors that is majority owned by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, disclosed yesterday that it poured hundreds of millions of dollars into Russian energy companies shortly before and after the invasion of Ukraine.

4. Brazil’s Centrão: the political kingmakers propping up Bolsonaro For more than a year, an amorphous group known as the Centrão, has propped up Bolsonaro’s administration, staving off more than 100 impeachment requests and pushing big government spending packages through Congress. How will the bloc react if the political status quo is overturned with the October election?

5. Germany must cut gas use by 20% to avoid winter rationing Businesses and households are bracing themselves for Europe’s biggest energy crisis in a generation, with Germany’s top network regulator warning that gas use must be reduced by a fifth to avoid a crippling shortage after Russia’s Gazprom throttled supplies mid-June.

The day ahead

Economic data Federal Reserve board member Christopher Waller delivers opening remarks to the 2022 Summer Workshop on Money, Banking, Payments and Finance, hosted by the central bank. (Bloomberg, FT).

The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo housing-market index, which measures building confidence, is due this morning.

Nigeria publishes monthly inflation data after the rate of rising prices and goods in June reached its highest level in five and a half years.

One year of the Taliban in Afghanistan It is the first anniversary of the Islamist group regaining control of Afghanistan. The FT has published a series about how society and the economy have changed since.

What else we’re reading

Why the Fed might be at ‘neutral’ already on monetary policy Fed chair Jay Powell has been skewered by his critics for claiming that the federal funds rate was now at “neutral” at his July 27 press conference. But there is a conceivable way that Powell might be right, says Edward Yardeni.

How it all turned sour for Tiger Global Tiger Global’s punchy bets on the growth of tech firms helped it become one of the world’s most successful hedge fund and private equity firms. But its winning streak is fading, explains FT hedge fund correspondent Laurence Fletcher in this FT film.

Afghan roads once menaced by the Taliban are now safer — for men After toppling the western-backed government 12 months ago, the insurgents who previously imperilled travel routes in the country are now largely unchallenged, leading to a marked drop in violence on roads. But for women, draconian restrictions have severely curbed movements.

We’re getting closer to a world without animal testing Experiments on animals have long been the only permissible way to test drug safety — but many treatments that are effective in mice don’t work well in humans, and vice versa. Scientists are using new technology to grow miniature human organs for more accurate and humane research.

Arctic warming four times faster than rest of planet: study Scientists have for a long time known that the Arctic is heating faster than the rest of the planet, but have not agreed on a rate. The warming effect and long-term sea ice decline are considered two main indicators of climate change.

Film

Actor Aamir Khan on making a Hindi adaptation of the Oscar-winning Hollywood hit Forrest Gump:

What I liked about the original and want people in India to experience is the innocence of the character. He’s a hero who doesn’t beat up people. He’s not fighting for any strong convictions either. He’s just a very innocent guy.

Khan’s movie, Laal Singh Chaddha, is in US and UK cinemas now.