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Fast Company
a day ago
- Business
- Fast Company
With FEMA support disappearing, what should cities do to combat natural disasters?
When the Trump administration canceled the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, it pulled the plug on grant funds from hundreds of communities working to prevent catastrophes. BRIC wasn't flashy or perfect, but it was essential. Its competitive, complex process favored large, well-resourced cities. Smaller, more vulnerable places often couldn't keep up with the paperwork or wait out the delays. The program was bureaucratic, underfunded, and sometimes slow. But it did something that few else were designed to do: it gave localities from across the country access to federal dollars to proactively reinforce electrical grids, guard water lines, and prepare for floods, fires, and rising seas. In other words, it gave them a fighting chance to withstand increasingly destructive disasters. With more than 95% of Americans living in counties that have experienced extreme weather since 2011, the benefits were bound to be widespread. And fiscally prudent, too. Every $1 spent on disaster prevention saves $13 in recovery costs, according to a 2024 study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. That's not waste—that's smart policy to shore up schools, homes, and neighborhoods and safeguard lives. So, what now? We build anyway. A New Era of Public-Private Partnership Urban academic institutions like ours are uniquely positioned to provide applied research, technical expertise, and programmatic support that can help municipalities continue making progress. Universities can serve as innovation labs, testing emerging technologies before jurisdictions invest in full-scale deployment. Indeed, we need a new era of public-private partnership—not just with academic institutions, but collaborations where localities, businesses, and philanthropy also come together to do what government can't and shouldn't do alone: build vital facilities to withstand nature's increasingly powerful storms and floods. At Cornell Tech, we've spent the last two and a half years doing exactly that. Through the Local Infrastructure Hub —a national nerve center galvanized by Bloomberg Philanthropies with support from other funders (Ballmer Group, Emerson Collective, Ford Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, and Waverley Street Foundation), specialists, and policy leaders—we are helping city halls strengthen systems and integrate technology-based tools that bolster infrastructure plans, pro bono. Low-cost solutions Perhaps most promising, from where I sit, is the role of artificial intelligence in revolutionizing local resilience. Even amid funding uncertainty, municipalities can deploy low-cost solutions to streamline processes, identify problems, and look ahead. Consider New York University's Urban Systems Lab and its development of ClimateIQ. It's a free, open-source tool that uses artificial intelligence to map neighborhood-level risks from floods and heat, helping local officials make faster, smarter decisions to prepare for severe weather events. Likewise, digital twins —virtual replicas of physical infrastructure—allow planners to model impacts and interventions before committing precious capital to projects. Consider the benefits for municipal leaders in coastal towns susceptible to hurricanes and tropical storms. Instead of sketching evacuation routes and emergency responses on a paper map, they can use a digital twin to simulate what would happen if a bridge collapsed or a road flooded during a crisis. They can see how traffic might respond and adjust their plans proactively or in real time. That's exactly the kind of thinking behind a partnership between the city of Austin and the University of Texas. They deployed digital twin technology to respond to fast-moving grass fires, especially on the city's east side where dry land and high asthma rates overlap. The system uses drones and weather data to map smoke in real time, then warns schools and senior centers downwind. It started with 2D maps, but when the data moved into a 3D model, it changed everything—people could actually see the risk and take action. It's not just about shiny software; it's about leveraging the strengths of each collaborator, building trust among key players, and using real data to protect people. In Jacksonville, the University of Florida is piloting a digital twin project with the intent of scaling it statewide to model everything from wastewater treatment flows to outdoor areas especially prone to flooding. It will give officials an evidence-backed view of the future. In Chattanooga, a coalition that includes the University of Tennessee, Audi, Qualcomm, and others are using digital twins and cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology to make roads safer. These are the kinds of cross-sector efforts that city halls everywhere should be replicating. Powerful tools To be sure, digital twins and artificial intelligence aren't silver bullets. But they are powerful tools. AI-driven systems can help cities analyze traffic flows, monitor water quality, and identify structural weaknesses in buildings—before disasters strike. With input from academics, assistance from entrepreneurs, and consortiums like the Local Infrastructure Hub—which has already helped 2,400-plus municipalities unlock national investment to design safer roadways, protect groundwater, mitigate floods, and more—local governments can implement these strategies today. That's the model: targeted resources, expert guidance, and innovative ideas delivered by an ecosystem that spans sectors and connects officials to fellow peers. Insurmountable losses But we need more. We need nonprofits to expand their support. We need businesses to invest not only in smart cities, but resilient ones. We need researchers to step off campus and onto America's main streets. And we need mayors to continue to lean into their frontline role as defenders against wildfires, windstorms, and other natural disasters—and reimagine the capabilities they need to lead on preparedness and mitigation. This isn't abstract. It's about whether a community is just one crisis away from insurmountable losses to the local economy, public and private property, and people's hopes for a dependably safe and sustainable way of life. A North Carolina state report on Hurricane Helene's impact in 2024 said: 'In addition to the devastating loss of life, the storm destroyed thousands of homes and damaged tens of thousands more. Millions of North Carolinians lost access to critical services like water and sewer, electricity, telecommunications, and healthcare facilities. Thousands of miles of roads and bridges were damaged. . . . The region's economy has suffered a severe blow, threatening livelihoods and the long-term viability of communities.' Let's stop waiting for Washington to fix what localities are ready to solve. Let's partner across sectors to keep our communities safe, secure, and prepared. Strong nations need strong cities. And strong cities don't wait—they build.
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First Post
20-07-2025
- Politics
- First Post
This Week in Explainers: Did Trump send birthday note to Jeffrey Epstein with ‘naked' woman's drawing?
The Epstein files continue to haunt Donald Trump. Under pressure, he has asked for the release of more documents related to the accused sex offender. This, after the Wall Street Journal published a report about a birthday letter sent to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003 with Trump's name. We talk about the Trump-Epstein drama as he sues the newspaper and more in our weekly wrap read more A person takes a photo as a message calling on President Donald Trump to release all files related to Jeffrey Epstein is projected onto the US Chamber of Commerce building across from the White House in Washington, DC, on July 18. Trump's administration said it would seek the release of grand jury testimony related to Jeffrey Epstein, as the US president sought to dispel lingering political fallout over his team's handling of the late financier's sex trafficking case. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department will ask a court to unseal the grand jury transcripts, as Trump's relationship with Epstein came under the spotlight again over an alleged off-colour letter published by the Wall Street Journal. AFP It's been yet another week of flip-flops courtesy of Donald Trump. The US President is 'frustrated' with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. So much so that he announced a deal to send US weapons to Ukraine through Nato. That's not all. Trump threatened 100 per cent tariffs on Russia and secondary sanctions on its trading partners if there was no deal to end the war by early September. Potus reportedly asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy if Kyiv could strike the Russian capital if he provided long-range weaponry. But he seemed to have changed in mind, later saying that Ukraine should not target the Russian capital. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD West Asia was on the boil yet again. In Syria, clashes broke out between government forces and members of the Druze community, a minority sect, in the Suweida province. As the fighting escalated, Israel intervened, attacking its northern neighbour, even bombing the capital Damascus. The Jewish nation said it was defending the Druze. The country remains on edge. Sectarian clashes continue in southern Syria despite a ceasefire announcement. Druze fighters reportedly pushed out Bedouin gunmen from the city of Suweida on Saturday. Trump has been on a war path with Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell. There was speculation that he might fire Powell after a meeting on Tuesday (July 15) at which he polled lawmakers about what he should do. Turns out, Potus decided against it. The president is not having the best week. The Epstein files continue to haunt him. He has ordered the US justice department to produce additional documents related to the sex offender amid an explosive Wall Street Journal report that he sent Jeffrey Epstein 'bawdy letters for a 50th birthday'. Following through on his Libel threat, Trump has also sued Rupert Murdoch and two reporters over the article. As the controversy refuses to die down, Trump's Maga base is losing patience – they are not happy that the Epstein list has been kept secret, and they are not happy about the support to Ukraine either. In Asia, Pakistan is battling the same old problem – intense floods that have claimed hundreds of lives. Bangladesh once again was gripped by violence, this time in ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's hometown, Gopalganj. And Thailand was rocked by a sex scandal involving monks. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In our weekly wrap, we take a deep dive into some of these stories. 1. US President Donald Trump has changed his tune on the Russia-Ukraine war. At one time, he appeared to be courting his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. But this past week has been about tough talk – Potus has set a 50-day deadline for Putin to end the conflict and has threatened Moscow and its trading partners with tariffs. He has a new weapons plan for Ukraine. But why this big U-turn? This explainer analyses. Ukrainian service members walk next to a launcher of a Patriot air defence system, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in an undisclosed location. US President Donald Trump has said to have discussed providing Patriot missiles to Kyiv. File photo/Reuters 2. The Donald Trump-Jeffrey Epstein saga is far from over. The US president has ordered the Justice Department to produce some additional documents related to the sex offender. Amid growing pressure over the Epstein files from the Maga base, an explosive report by the Wall Street Journal revealed that the disgraced financier received a note on his 50th birthday, which bore the president's name and the drawing of a naked woman. Were Trump and Epstein close? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD People walk out of the West Wing of the White House with 'The Epstein Files: Phase 1' binders, in Washington, DC, on, February 27 Trump said on Thursday (July 17) that he had directed his attorney general, Pam Bondi, to seek the release of grand jury testimony related to Jeffrey Epstein's sex-trafficking case. Reuters 3. There's a new chapter to the Donald Trump vs Jerome Powell story. The president has been going after the Federal Reserve chair for a while. Earlier in the week, he almost fired him. Hours after asking lawmakers whether he should sack the central banker, the president said it was 'highly unlikely' that he would do so. But does Potus have this power? Donald Trump on Tuesday asked a group of House Republicans if he should fire Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell. File photo/Reuters 5. Donald Trump wants to make Coca-Cola great again. He says the beverage giant has agreed to use real cane sugar in its drinks sold in the US. The cola currently has corn syrup in American products. So what changes? Well, to put it simply, the American Coke will now taste like the Indian one. 6. West Asia continues to be gripped by instability. In Syria, clashes erupted between Bedouin gunmen and militias linked with the Druze minority. Government forces were blamed for joining in attacks on the Druze. Then Israel decided to step in. It launched strikes against the Syrian forces and bombed military infrastructure in Damascus. The fighting stopped after a truce was announced on Wednesday (July 15). But why did the Jewish nation attack Syria? Why does it want to protect the Druze? We explain. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Bedouin fighters stand in front of a burned shop at Mazraa village on the outskirts of Sweida city, during clashes between the Bedouin clans and Druze militias, southern Syria, on July 18. AP 7. Next, we talk about a shocker from Thailand. A sex scandal involving hundreds of monks is unravelling in the Asian nation. A woman has been arrested for allegedly seducing Thai monks and then extorting millions by blackmailing them with intimate videos and photos. Several high-profile monks have been cast out of the monkhood. Here's what we know. Thailand's Buddhist monks are under scrutiny after the arrest of a woman, who allegedly had sexual relations with monks and used photos and videos to blackmail them. Representational pic/AFP 8. Our last story is about the paranormal. Dan Rivera, the handler of the 'haunted' Annabelle doll, died suddenly while touring in the US. His death comes days after rumours circulated that the toy had gone missing. This is the story of the paranormal investigator and the doll. That's our reading list for you this Sunday, dear readers. If you are hooked, you can find more such stories here.
CNA
18-07-2025
- Business
- CNA
DPM Gan Kim Yong to visit the US from Jul 20 to 26
SINGAPORE: Singapore Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong will be visiting the United States from Sunday (Jul 20) to next Saturday to deepen ties and discuss areas of cooperation. In a press release on Friday, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said that he will visit New York next Monday before heading to Washington, DC the day after, where he will stay until the end of his trip. "The visit will build on and keep up the robust and multi-faceted partnership between Singapore and the US," said MTI. This includes the "substantive and mutually beneficial economic and commercial relationship" that Singapore and the US share, MTI added. During the visit, MTI said that Mr Gan will meet US Cabinet secretaries, members of Congress and business and private-sector representatives. Mr Gan will also participate in a business roundtable organised by the US Chamber of Commerce to discuss international and regional economic developments as well as opportunities for future collaboration between US and Singapore companies. He will be accompanied on his visit by officials from MTI, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). Singapore and the US are major trade and investment partners. Despite this, Singapore is still subject to the baseline 10 per cent tariff rate announced by US President Donald Trump on Apr 2. In 2024, the US was Singapore's second-largest trading partner, while Singapore was the US' 16th-largest trading partner. Singapore is also the third-largest Asian investor in the US, with over 250 companies in 45 US states. The country is also the top recipient of US investment in the Indo-Pacific and the sixth worldwide. Both countries have also continued to work closely together to advance bilateral cooperation in new areas such as energy and civil nuclear cooperation. "Singapore enjoys a broad and multifaceted relationship with the US, including strong and longstanding economic, defence and people-to-people ties," MTI said.
Indian Express
04-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Winners and losers as Trump's ‘Big, Beautiful' Bill passes Congress hurdle
President Donald Trump has hailed the sweeping tax and spending legislation — the 'Big, Beautiful bill' — passed by Congress early Friday as one of the most successful pieces of legislation in American history. But as the measure heads to his desk for signature later today, the real-world impact of the package is expected to vary sharply across industries, income groups and regions. The legislation makes permanent the 2017 Trump tax cuts, restores several business deductions, scales back green energy incentives, and enacts deep reductions in federal safety net programs. While the bill is expected to deliver significant gains for corporations, high earners and certain types of workers, others — including low-income Americans, hospitals and clean energy firms — stand to lose out. Corporate America Major business groups such as the US Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable applauded the bill's passage, citing provisions that will permanently extend key elements of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The legislation reinstates the ability for companies to fully deduct equipment purchases in the first year — a break that had been phasing out since 2023. It also restores immediate expensing of research and development costs, which businesses had been required to amortize over five years beginning in 2022. Manufacturers Manufacturers will benefit from new rules allowing full and immediate expensing for the construction of new facilities. The provision, retroactive to January 19, 2025, is set to last through the end of 2028. The bill also enhances tax credits for semiconductor companies building fabrication plants in the United States, aiming to boost domestic chip production. Small businesses and partnerships Owners of certain pass-through entities, such as law firms, medical practices and investment partnerships, will continue to benefit from a tax deduction that allows them to write off a portion of their income on personal tax returns. The deduction, originally set at 20 per cent, was increased to 23 per cent in the House version of the bill. The Senate maintained the original 20 per cent. High-income Americans An analysis by CNN showed that the top 20 per cent of earners would see their after-tax income rise by nearly $13,000 annually, according to the Penn Wharton Budget Model, translating to a 3 per cent increase. For the top 0.1 per cent, the average gain is estimated at more than $290,000 per year. The bill also temporarily raises the cap on state and local tax (SALT) deductions to $40,000 annually for households earning up to $500,000, offering relief to residents of high-tax states. A new provision bars millionaires from collecting unemployment benefits. Tipped and overtime workers Employees in tipped occupations will be allowed to deduct up to $25,000 in tip income from federal taxes through 2028. Workers who earn overtime can deduct up to $12,500 of that income. However, these benefits are subject to income limits. Low-income Americans The bill enacts sweeping changes to Medicaid and food stamps, imposing federal work requirements on both programs. For the first time in its 60-year history, Medicaid will require able-bodied adults, including parents of children as young as 14, to work, volunteer, or participate in job training to retain benefits. The Congressional Budget Office estimates millions could lose coverage or assistance. Few of those removed from Medicaid rolls are expected to have access to employer-based insurance. According to Penn Wharton, those earning under $18,000 annually would see their after-tax, after-transfer income fall by $165, or 1.1 per cent. Those earning between $18,000 and $53,000 would see a $30 gain, or 0.1 per cent increase. Middle-income households, earning $53,000–$96,000, would gain about $1,430, or 1.8 per cent. The Senate bill also tightens verification for Affordable Care Act subsidies, potentially affecting middle-income Americans who rely on those federal supports. Overall, more than 10 million people could be uninsured by 2034, according to an analysis of the legislation and CBO projections cited by CNN. Hospitals Hospitals, particularly those serving Medicaid populations, warn that the bill's changes will lead to increased uncompensated care and reduced access. 'This nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts will result in irreparable harm,' Rick Pollack, the chief executive of the American Hospital Association, told CNN. While the bill includes a $50 billion rural hospital support fund, the association says it is insufficient to offset the losses. Clean energy and EVs Although the Senate removed an excise tax on wind and solar that advocates called a potential 'killer,' the bill still phases out renewable energy tax incentives by 2027. It also imposes new requirements that critics say will make remaining credits harder to claim. The American Clean Power Association called the bill a 'step backward' that would cost jobs and raise electricity rates. The measure also ends electric vehicle tax credits of up to $7,500 after September. Those incentives were originally scheduled to run through 2032. Deficit hawks The bill is projected to increase the federal deficit by $3.4 trillion over the next decade, according to CBO. That comes in addition to the existing $36.2 trillion national debt. Higher deficits are expected to push up interest rates, increasing the cost of mortgages, car loans and business borrowing. The federal government's own interest payments are projected to exceed $1 trillion per year which is already more than triple what they were in 2017 and larger than the entire defence budget. (With inputs from CNN and Reuters)
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Big Beautiful Bill: Tax, subsidy cut on clean energy trigger outrage
The US Senate's proposed cuts to clean energy subsidies and the introduction of a new tax on wind and solar energy in its version of President Donald Trump's tax and spending bill have drawn searing criticism from business and labour groups since they were unveiled over the weekend, with some arguing the moves could lead to power shortages, raise power prices and kill jobs. The pushback, which includes a swipe from Trump ally and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, comes as senators started voting on a potentially long list of amendments to the bill on Monday, giving renewable energy advocates on both sides of the political spectrum a last window to push for changes. "Taxing energy production is never good policy, whether oil & gas or, in this case, renewables," said Neil Bradley, policy director of the US Chamber of Commerce, in a post on X over the weekend. "Electricity demand is set to see enormous growth & this tax will increase prices. It should be removed." "This would be incredibly destructive to America!" Musk posted on X, saying the cuts could endanger the development of energy-hungry artificial intelligence technology, among other things. Trump has said he intends to maximise US energy production, with a focus on fossil fuels, in part to ensure the power industry can supply the AI industry's growth. But he has also promised to wipe out subsidies for renewables. The Senate bill would roll back incentives for wind, solar, batteries and other clean energy technologies created by President Joe Biden's 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, and add a new tax on these projects if they cannot prove their products are made without Chinese parts. Energy secretary Chris Wright on Monday seemed to brush off warnings about the loss of generation capacity amid soaring demand. "The more we load our grid with intermittent generation, the worse the grid performs during times of maximum demand," he posted on the social media platform. Sean McGarvey, president of the North America's Building Trades Unions , which represents over 3 million construction workers, blasted the bill's impact on jobs . "If enacted, this stands to be the biggest job-killing bill in the history of this country. Simply put, it is the equivalent of terminating more than 1,000 Keystone XL pipeline projects," he said in a statement, referring to an oil pipeline project blocked by Biden's administration. Republican leaders are rushing to overcome internal fights over the massive tax and spending package. Senate Republicans were still at odds Monday over how much to cut from Medicaid and other social safety-net programmes. Trump remained in contact with lawmakers Monday, as he was over the weekend, said an official who added the White House is optimistic the president would get the legislation to sign by Friday.
