More than 50 million people across a large swath of the US are under a severe weather threat Friday, one day after storms cut a deadly path across Texas and Florida.

And a person in Florida died after being trapped under a tree that fell on their home, Escambia County officials said.

The county, which includes Pensacola, was hit with flash flooding emergencies overnight, leading to high water rescues, the National Weather Service in Mobile, Alabama, reported early Friday, citing local rescuers.

“Widespread and significant” flash flooding was continuing in West Pensacola, Warrington and Gulf Breeze, Escambia County Emergency Management said. “Numerous roadways remain flooded with water entering several structures,” emergency officials said.

Warrington, just south of Pensacola, got nearly a foot of rain in just three hours. Radar estimates indicate as much as 16 inches of rain fell overnight, and more is expected Friday. A flash flood watch is in effect for the area until 7 p.m.

Many of the areas that saw severe conditions Thursday could see storms return as a level 2 of 5 slight risk of severe storms is in place for parts of the South, Mid-Atlantic and Southern Plains.

Large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes are possible in the slight risk areas, which include Montgomery and Mobile in Alabama, Little Rock, Arkansas; Jackson, Mississippi; and Tallahassee, Florida.

A marginal, level 1 of 5 risk is in place from South Dakota to Florida and for parts of the Mid-Atlantic – a huge zone that includes hard-hit Perryton. Other cities in the marginal risk area, which could see large hail and damaging winds, include Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, DC, Denver, and Jacksonville, Florida.

The storm that swept through Perryton damaged homes and businesses in the town of some 8,000 residents, including the local fire department and EMS, as well as multiple mobile homes, Fire Chief Paul Dutcher said, noting many of the department’s trucks were damaged.

“There was a time I thought I was going to die,” she said. “Everything went crazy. Dumpsters were flying, hailstones hitting the car.”

James’ home is still standing but the structure next to it is destroyed. She said the tornado is a devastating blow to the city she’s lived in for 15 years. “So many good people in this town. … We look out for one another.”

The city’s power facilities were shutoff for safety purposes, according to Xcel Energy.

“Transmission lines supplying the city with electricity have sustained damage and many lower voltage distribution lines are down in the city,” said Wes Reeves, a spokesperson for Xcel Energy.

“Xcel Energy personnel are working to ensure the safety of Perryton residents and first responders. An estimated time of restoration is not yet available,” he added.

As of 3 a.m. CT, more than 220,000 homes and businesses across Texas were in the dark, according to the tracking website Poweroutage.us. In neighboring Louisiana, more than 130,000 were without power, and outages were also reported in Oklahoma, Florida and Alabama.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has deployed state emergency resources to “meet urgent life-safety needs in Perryton, Texas,” according to a news release from his office.

“We remain ready to quickly provide any additional resources needed over the course of this severe weather event,” the governor noted in the statement.

Resources from surrounding areas have poured into the city to provide much-needed assistance.

Officials in Beaver County, Oklahoma, sent fire, law enforcement and EMS units to help, according to the county’s emergency manager Keith Shadden.

Neighboring city officials in Stinnett, Texas, also began sending officers and EMS crews. The sheriff’s office in Hutchinson County — which includes Stinnett — also sent rescue and emergency operations following the “devastating tornado,” according to a Facebook post from the office.

Medical help also came from staff at nearby hospitals who swiftly aided up to 100 people after the tornado struck, Ochiltree General Hospital Interim CEO Kelly Judice said.

“A few of them took patients to their hospitals, most of the staff just stayed here and worked,” she added.

On Thursday, there were two tornado reports in Texas, four in Oklahoma and one in Michigan, according to the National Weather Service, with the tornado in Perryton being the most significant.

‘People lost everything today’

The tornado, which was confirmed by the NWS, cut through some of Perryton’s main sections.

The worst damages he saw were in the northwest part of town, where the tornado barreled toward a mobile home park directly in its path, Emfinger explained.

“The storm produced a wall cloud very quickly, and that wall cloud tightened up very rapidly, and then it just went to the ground very quickly,” Emfinger added.

“We have the gym space, and we have the capabilities to help the people that have lost everything and we’re more than willing to do that,” he said. “Sadly, there’s just not a list of things. … You think about that you need on hand, but people lost everything today.”

US Rep. Ronny Jackson, who represents Perryton, said the community needs help.

“If you are in the area, I ask that you do whatever you can to help your neighbors. Food, fuel, water, generators – anything you can.”

The rain-lashed isle of Islay off Scotland’s west coast is not always easy to get to. Temperamental ferries run three times a day from the mainland port of Kennacraig and frequent sea mists can disrupt the small passenger planes that fly daily from Glasgow.

Even so, the island attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world each year. What do they come for? Whisky.

Despite its small size and a population of just 3,000, Islay is home to nine – soon to be 11 – of Scotland’s 145 active distilleries. The distinctive smoky flavor of its single malt has won it fans globally. A single page from the visitors’ book at Ardbeg distillery on the south of the island lists addresses from the UK, US, Australia, Ukraine, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Taiwan.

Jackie Thomson, who has worked in Ardbeg’s visitor center for more than 25 years, describes these visits as “pilgrimages” – as if there is a spiritual connection between the people and the whisky. She recalls arriving at the distillery one morning to find a man from the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra playing his violin by the waterfront; other fans from overseas have chosen to get married there.

Part of the reason is that when it comes to an Islay single malt, the place and the taste are so deeply intertwined. The salty breeze that blows in from sweeping white sand beaches settles in ancient peat bogs, which are harvested to fuel the kilns that dry the barley, giving the whisky its smoky, earthy flavor.

“It’s a liquid that runs through people’s veins,” says Thompson. “It’s very much part of the lifeblood and the real beating heart of Islay – you just have to go to the pub on a Friday or Saturday night and you’ll feel that very strongly.”

As well as being central to the island’s identity, whisky also underpins its economy – and represents a significant portion of Scotland’s international exports. More than £6 billion-worth ($7.5 billion) of Scotch whisky was sold across 174 markets last year, according to the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), accounting for three quarters of the country’s food and drink exports and almost a quarter of Britain’s. Whisky tourism has also rocketed, with distilleries receiving more than 2 million visits annually, making them collectively the country’s third most popular attraction.

Islay’s own whisky production, though relatively small (according to the SWA, it accounts for around 6% of the total Scotch malt distilling capacity) is hugely valuable. Last summer, a cask of rare whisky from Ardbeg’s distillery sold for a staggering £16 million ($20 million) to an unnamed female collector in Asia – the highest sum ever paid at auction for a cask of single malt. It contained enough spirit to fill 440 regular bottles, making each one worth more than $45,000.

In a place like Islay, the news traveled fast. “There was a buzz about the island,” says Thompson. “It was talked about in the local supermarket. There was a feeling of real pride and honesty about it, that somebody wanted to pay that much for a beautiful lot of liquid from 1975.”

Boom and bust

Islay’s whisky industry has not always been a boon for the island. Its early history is steeped in stories of illicit home distilling and smuggling from dark coves. Once whisky making became a legal activity in the early 1800s, distilleries were built near the coast so that they could export their wares – hence the tradition of the white walls facing out to sea with the distillery’s name painted in black.

It’s a liquid that runs through people’s veins.”

Jackie Thomson, visitor center manager at Ardbeg Distillery

Periods of boom were followed by bust. In the 20th century, world wars, US prohibition and the 1929 Wall Street Crash took their toll and a global economic recession in the 1980s resulted in over-supply against demand, which led to a number of distilleries closing down – including Ardbeg for almost a decade. But these days the industry is thriving, with multinational companies such as Diageo and Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH) buying up some of Islay’s historic brands.

This new dawn of whisky distilling has also brought some new contenders. Kilchoman, founded in 2005, was the first distillery to be built on Islay in 124 years. It was followed by Ardnahoe in 2018, and this year or next, Portintruan and Port Ellen distillery, both currently under construction, are expected to open.

Initially, the response to the newcomers was one of surprise and skepticism, says Anthony Wills, founder and CEO of Kilchoman: “People’s mindset was: ‘Who is this guy? He must be bloody mad. Why do you need another distillery in Scotland?’” But Wills stuck to his guns, believing that there was a gap in the market for a smaller, family-run and more bespoke distillery.

So far, time has proved him right. In 2021, Kilchoman produced more than 600,000 liters of alcohol and 90% of this was exported to more than 60 markets, according to Wills. Despite being a new player, it prides itself on the revival of traditional farm distilling methods. Most Scottish distilleries use barley grown and malted elsewhere in the country, but Kilchoman is located on a 2,300-acre farm and its annual barley crop goes towards whisky production, while discarded husks are fed to a herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle. The barley is malted in the traditional way, much of the peat is hand-cut from a local bog, and the fiery liquid is distilled, matured and bottled on site. In fact, Kilchoman’s “100% Islay 12th Edition” claims to be the only Scotch whisky to be entirely made on one farm.

“It’s taking it back to how it was done in the old days,” says Wills. “You can trace everything right back to the fields here at Kilchoman.”

As the whisky industry continues to grow, keeping production local will be key to its survival, believes Kilchoman’s general manager, Islay Heads (who is named after his father, who was named after the island). “To keep traditions alive, you need people,” he says. “Traditions are things that are handed down from one generation to another.”

Everybody’s connected to the whisky industry.”

Islay Heads, general manager at Kilchoman Distillery

Like most people on Islay, Heads has strong links to the spirit. He was brought up within a stone’s throw of Lagavulin distillery, where his father worked and where he used to play as a child. His brother also works at a local distillery, and his son works in the stillhouse at Kilchoman.

“Everybody’s connected to the whisky industry,” he says. “It’s such a big employer, it’s a very important part of the Islay economy, and it drives a lot of very positive things that are happening on the island.”

There are some downsides, explains whisky consultant Blair Bowman. Tourism has swallowed up much of Islay’s housing stock in holiday lets, with some locals being priced out. But he notes that the industry has also created a number of jobs, which attract young islanders to stay and work there – more than can be said for neighboring Hebridean islands that struggle with declining populations.

To keep locals happy, distilleries need to invest back into the island, Bowman says, referencing Ardbeg’s decision to donate more than $1 million to the community after its record-breaking sale. “It was a good opportunity for them to show that they couldn’t have achieved this massive milestone without the island and without the people,” he says.

On a visit to Islay, it is hard to ignore the overwhelming sense of pride locals have in their craggy isle’s global reputation. Today, a wee dram of Islay’s single malt can be ordered at most bars in most cities around the world – and a sip of it will transport you right to where it came from.

“I’m very proud to be ‘Ileach’ (somebody from Islay),” says Heads. “I’m very proud of what Islay brings to the world through its whiskies.”

Most sustainability experts will scoff at the idea of “sustainable” and “airlines” in the same sentence.

“Today, at this moment, it’s not yet realistic to fly fully sustainably,” says Pedro Piris-Cabezas, a global transportation expert and economist at the nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund.

Yet that doesn’t mean the airline industry isn’t showing growing self-awareness around its environmental impacts and the increasingly urgent calls for transformation in the face of an intensifying climate crisis.

“In the past few years, public awareness of aviation’s climate impact has definitely put pressure on airlines to strengthen their sustainability strategy,” says Sola Zheng, an aviation researcher at the nonprofit International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). She says that combined pressure from consumers and investors, along with expanding climate regulations, has given the industry “a strong push towards airline decarbonization efforts.”

And environmentalists say that shift is coming not a moment too soon. Commercial aviation, which transported more than 4.5 billion passengers annually pre-pandemic, is behind 2.5% of global CO2 emissions each year, with significantly increased flight demand – and related emissions – forecasted.

“If aviation were a country, it would be one of the world’s top 10 sources of greenhouse gas emissions,” says Piris-Cabezas.

In response, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), a global trade association representing some 300 global airlines, approved a resolution in 2021 to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 – meaning it would remove from the atmosphere at least as much planet-warming pollution as it emits – in line with high-stakes UN-set targets laid out to ensure a “livable climate.”

New and proposed government regulation is also trying to sculpt the industry’s transition, particularly in Europe, where some short-haul flights have already been banned, while Denmark and Sweden plan to eliminate fossil fuels on domestic flights by 2030.

“The industry and regulators are in agreement that net-zero needs to be reached by 2050,” says Nicolas Jammes, spokesperson for IATA. “The industry doesn’t have a choice. It has to be sustainable if it wants to carry on growing, or keep operating the way it does.”

“Let us not fool ourselves,” he said. “We will not even reach the targets we have for 2030, I assure you. Because there is not enough raw material to get the volumes of SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel).”

The biggest part of the problem: aviation’s continued reliance on fossil fuel-powered planes. “Flying sustainably requires the use of alternative energy,” says Zheng.

Accordingly, airlines are banking big on a patchwork of greener alternative fuel sources to slash carbon emissions from future flights, including next-generation technologies like electric, hybrid, and, further out, hydrogen.

“There are a set of emerging technologies that have great potential to decarbonize the sector, but they are in the early stage,” says Zheng.

Offering more immediate adoptability – and the backbone to the industry’s broader decarbonization goals – is low-carbon sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, a biofuel alternative made from waste products and renewable biomass that can cut emissions by as much as 80%. Currently being tested on dozens of airlines, with SAF mandates upcoming in the European Union, the fuel is projected to meet 65% of commercial aviation’s 2050 net-zero targets.

“It’s a critical element – the reason being is that it’s the only proven solution at the moment to decarbonize,” says Jammes. Yet SAF faces supply limitations, hefty expense and environmental concerns around low-integrity production; it only made up 0.1% of the world’s total jet fuel consumption in 2021, according to data from ICCT.

Ultimately, environmentalists advise that aviation’s decarbonization overhaul is in its infancy, and that for the time being, eco-conscious travelers – who are showing increasing concern around the hefty carbon footprints of flying – need to choose to fly less and consider alternative, more climate-friendly means of transportation and travel.

Zheng says travelers who do fly should seek out less-emitting flights, noting that travel search engines like Google Flights and Kayak can now display projected per-passenger CO2 emissions alongside flight search results. She also advises against purchasing an airline’s controversial carbon offset programs, which she says are oftentimes unvetted and allow for a business-as-usual approach, and instead look into verified SAF airline credit buy-ins as they become available.

If aviation were a country, it would be one of the world’s top 10 sources of greenhouse gas emissions.

Pedro Piris-Cabezas, Environmental Defense Fund

Piris-Cabezas cautions that industry greenwashing abounds, and that consumers should also strive to check the credentials of airline claims and to press airlines for greater transparency around sustainability. “Airlines’ ‘green claims’ are often multiplying more quickly than their fact-checking departments care to back up with substantive evidence,” he says.

Zheng concurs, adding, “Until we see actual decarbonization happen and have the rate of decarbonizing overtake the growth in traffic, it is very misleading to label anyone in the aviation industry sustainable.”

Yet Jammes says air travelers can expect to see a rapidly improving landscape around airline sustainability. “It won’t come without challenges, that’s for sure,” and customers must “understand that it can’t happen overnight,” but he says that when it comes to new sustainability-minded technologies, “the future is going to be exciting.”

While airlines have much work to do yet, these seven carriers have introduced an array of sustainability measures including the early adoption of alternative-fuel technology, plastic and food waste-reduction programs, SAF credits, eco-friendly materials, and more.

United Airlines

United plans to introduce a regional US flight service aboard 100 30-passenger hybrid-electric planes, from Swedish startup Heart Aerospace, by 2028.

It’s one of several innovative electric- and hydrogen-technology development partnerships that the airline is backing, while it’s also invested in the production of 5 billion gallons of SAF, including biofuel sourced from microalgae – the largest airline commitment worldwide.

United also recently rolled out a Sustainable Flight Fund that allows passengers and corporate partners to buy into SAF development, while its website now displays estimated CO2 emissions alongside flight search results.

Widerøe

Norway-based Widerøe, the largest regional airline in Scandinavia, says it is on track to become one of the world’s first fully emissions-free airlines.

An all-electric aircraft-development partnership between the airline, engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce and Italian aerospace company Tecnam is set to replace the airline’s entire domestic fleet by 2028, with the first flights on 11-passenger electric commuter planes poised for 2026. (Norway plans for all short-haul domestic flights to be electric by 2040.)

SAS

While many airlines have been teasing electric flights, Scandinavian airline SAS is the first to take seat reservations for commercial hybrid-electric flights in 2028, aboard 30-passenger Heart Aerospace planes on routes in Sweden, Norway and Denmark.

The airline has ambitious targets that include slashing CO2 emissions by 25% by 2025, before phasing them out entirely in Scandinavia by 2030.

The airline is backing various other clean-energy and SAF development projects, and has recently begun offering passengers dedicated fares that bundle in the direct purchase of biofuels, too.

Wizz Air

European low-cost carrier Wizz Air claims one of the industry’s lowest carbon emissions-impact per passenger, thanks to its younger, fuel-efficient fleet (most of its Airbus A321neo planes are less than five years old), high-occupancy flights and direct route network that omits carbon-emitting connecting flights.

The sustainability award-winning airline is also investing heavily in SAFs and pursuing hydrogen propulsion aircraft with Airbus. Onboard, Wizz Air passengers can expect biodegradable service items and recycled materials, like the waste-leather seating.

Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways, one of two national carriers for the United Arab Emirates, has slashed CO2 emissions by a quarter since 2019 thanks to improved operational efficiencies, and has also reduced single-use plastics by 80%.

The airline additionally partners with Boeing as part of the decarbonization-focused “Greenliner” program, using the carrier’s fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners as testbeds for SAF and other eco-friendly technologies.

Etihad has a similarly themed “Sustainable50” program dedicated to its Airbus A350s.

Looking ahead, the airline is hoping to integrate SAF sourced from CO2, while it has planted tens of thousands of carbon-absorbing trees as part of its Etihad Mangrove Forest project.

The innovations have not gone unnoticed: Etihad was named the “Environmental Airline of the Year” for both 2022 and 2023 by rating agency AirlineRatings.com.

Alaska Airlines

While most major global airlines are targeting 2050 for net-zero carbon emissions, Alaska Airlines intends to meet that target as soon as 2040.

To do so, the airline is laser-focused on fuel efficiency and has invested heavily in SAF (including CO2-derived versions). It’s also announced a partnership with the US-headquartered hydrogen-electric aircraft developer ZeroAvia to retrofit one of their regional aircraft as a hybrid hydrogen-electric plane.

Customers will also notice single-use plastics reduction on board, like boxed water instead of plastic water bottles and paper cups instead of plastic ones; the line also composts select food waste like coffee grounds.

Air Canada

Canadian flag carrier Air Canada is targeting 2028 for electric flight, with a purchase agreement in place for 30 of Heart Aerospace’s 30-passenger hybrid-electric planes, which will service regional routes.

The airline has also made sizable investments to accelerate the production of SAF in Canada, and has significantly reduced single-use plastics onboard (in line with Canada’s move to ban most single-use plastics by year’s end).

How do you sign if you’re holding an ice ax? Do guides refuse to work with you if you can’t hear? What happens if you can’t see each other signing at night?

Those are just some of the issues that American adventurers Scott Lehmann and Shayna Unger have addressed on their YouTube channel, which documents their experiences as a Deaf couple working their way to the peaks of the world’s tallest mountains.

On May 22, Unger and Lehmann became only the third and fourth Deaf people to summit Mount Everest.

By coincidence, on the way up Unger and Lehmann met only the second Deaf person to reach the top – Malaysian national Muhammad Hawari Hashim – who scaled the peak on May 18 and was seen grinning proudly while holding the Malaysian flag in an image shared on social media.

That three Deaf people climbed the world’s highest mountain within days of each other – just a few years after a ban on disabled climbers was overturned by the Nepali supreme court – sent waves of pride through the global Deaf community.

The World Federation of the Deaf estimates that there are 70 million Deaf people in the world, using more than 300 different signed languages.

Deaf climbers on the rise

Until this year, only one Deaf person had ever summited Everest – Japanese climber Satoshi Tamura, an alpine skier who succeeded on his third attempt, in 2016.

The following year, Nepal announced that it would no longer issue climbing permits to people with disabilities, which included Deafness, with some claiming that it would create more work for Sherpas on the mountain to accommodate them.

The decision enraged climbers with disabilities, including Hari Budha Magar, a Nepal-born Gurkha soldier who became a double amputee when he stepped on an IED while serving in Afghanistan.

He was one of a coalition of disabled Nepalis who fought the ban in Nepal’s Supreme Court, and in 2018 it was repealed.

Magar successfully summited Everest on May 19 this year, becoming the first double above-the-knee amputee to complete the ascent.

Climbing up and over

The Everest environment can make communication difficult for anyone, Deaf or not. Winds and swirling snow can make it hard to see and hear each other; darkness adds an additional layer of visual challenge.

Unger and Lehmann have been a couple since high school, but they only started climbing together in 2015, when they summited Kilimanjaro.

Lehmann had much more experience after taking a cross-country trip with friends after graduating from Gallaudet, the world’s only liberal arts university for the Deaf and hard of hearing.

He fell in love with climbing, but was frustrated by the lack of resources available in his native ASL.

He signed up for a course, but the instructor informed him he’d have to hire and pay for an interpreter himself, then get an interpreter to accompany him on every expedition. Instead, he turned to YouTube, but most videos were not subtitled, or the automated captions were not good enough to follow.

Mostly, he said he learned through trial and error, by watching other climbers and copying them. He then taught Unger how to climb.

Normally, the couple use the voice-to-text translation app Big to communicate with guides and other climbers, but the phone signal at high altitudes is dicey at best. Even something as simple as typing is challenging at 25,000 feet – they would have to remove their gloves in order to use the touchscreen, which can be risky in such cold temperatures.

Unger and Lehmann decided to assume no technology would work for them on Everest and set out to learn to communicate as much as possible without it.

Before the climb, they worked with their Sherpas in advance to learn some basic ASL and agree on visual cues and signals that they could all use. By the third week of climbing together, the couple and their sherpas were able to interact easily, without using an app or writing things down on paper.

The extra pre-climb work proved critical.

Near the summit, Lehmann’s mask filled with ice and he began to panic. However, he was able to communicate with his Sherpa, who quickly fixed the mask and got the group back on track.

“There’s a lot of different barriers we had to go through to get to Everest, so when we reached the top we felt like, we overcame the odds,” says Unger. “We were really proud of ourselves.”

At Everest Base Camp, Unger and Lehmann had befriended Hashim, the Malaysian climber. He saw the couple signing and came over to introduce himself.

Though they didn’t have a signed language in common, the trio became friends – communicating via a mix of ASL, International Sign Language, and gestures.

Hashim beat the couple to the peak on May 18, but he hasn’t been seen since. He disappeared the next day while descending from the summit to Camp Four.

The Malaysian and Nepali governments assisted in a search mission, which was ultimately abandoned on June 6.

This year was a dangerous one on the mountain. Nepal was widely criticized for issuing its highest number of climbing permits ever, amid concerns about potential overcrowding. Twelve climbers are confirmed to have died in the 2023 season, with another five – including Hawari – missing.

It is likely that Unger and Lehmann were the last two Deaf people Hashim saw before he died.

“Of course we know that mountain climbing comes with risks,” says Unger. “But it happened to our friend, and our Deaf community, and it’s not easy for us.”

Signs of the future

The couple now aims to be the first Deaf climbers to complete the Seven Summits – the highest mountains on each continent. Only 460 known individuals have achieved the feat.

Their successful Everest ascent puts them more than halfway to their goal – in addition to Kilimanjaro, they’ve also summitted Aconagua and Denali, the highest peaks in South and North America respectively.

“With the right attitude and the right adjustments, (the outdoors) is available for Deaf and hard of hearing people,” says Lehmann. “It’s available for people with disabilities.”

He then talks about what he hopes that Deaf and hard of hearing kids will think when they see that two Deaf adults have conquered the world’s tallest mountain.

In ASL, a way to show emphasis on a word is by repeating a sign several times, growing larger or more urgent.

When talking about his aim to inspire Deaf and hard of hearing youth, Lehmann repeatedly uses the sign for “dream,” which looks like an inflated balloon, but he inflates the balloon until it’s bigger and bigger and bigger, nearly covering his whole body.

It’s hard to translate this concept into English.

But, as Lehmann and Unger’s mountain climbing experiences show, ambition makes sense in every language.

Real Madrid’s Vinícius Jr. was invited to take part in a FIFA anti-racism committee with players who will help suggest a course of action to deal with discriminatory behavior in football, President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday.

In a statement posted to social media, Infantino went on to say that FIFA “will also strengthen the engagement with players on this crucial topic” and added he was happy that “Vinícius accepted to be part of a task force which will include other important players and will elaborate concrete and efficient measures to end racism in football once and for all.”

“There is no football if there is racism! So let’s stop the games,” Infantino urged in his Instagram post.

“The referees have this opportunity in FIFA competitions as we have this process for stopping the game, and actions have to be taken at every level, at national level as well. Everyone has to understand this and we will go, together, until the end,” the FIFA boss emphasized in his statement.

“We want to identify racists in stadiums and across social media. They are criminals. We have to fight against them away from stadiums. They have to be banned from stadiums across the globe.

“The authorities need to take these people to court and we will say this to all of them. Racism is a crime,” he stressed.

Vinícius was subjected to persistent racist abuse during his team’s 1-0 defeat to Valencia at the Mestalla Stadium in May, making it the 10th incident involving the Brazilian forward that Spain’s LaLiga reported to prosecutors during the 2022-2023 season.

Spanish football authorities has been criticized for its perceived inaction towards dolling out punishment for the incidents involving Vinícius.

In May, seven arrests were made by police in connection to the incidents, Spain’s football federation (RFEF) launched a new anti-racism campaign and ordered the partial closure of Valencia’s stadium and LaLiga formally called to be given sanctioning powers to better fight racism.

He might have been just shy of a perfect forecast, but Rickie Fowler has seemingly added the power of prophecy to his golfing skill set.

Because 11 years after telling young fan Michael Brennan that they would play a practice round together at the 2025 US Open, Fowler and Brennan did exactly that – two years ahead of schedule – at the 123rd edition of the tournament on Tuesday.

Today, Brennan is a 21-year-old amateur making his major championship debut among the game’s biggest stars in California. In 2012 however, he was a kid dressed head to toe in the signature all-orange style of his idol for Halloween.

“Loved Rickie, loved the orange, loved the Puma, loved the young look,” Brennan told the PGA Tour, who shared the picture on Twitter.

“I had a wig for the long, flowy hair that he had going.”

A picture of the costume found its way to Fowler, who signed it with the message: “To Mike, look forward to playing a practice round with you at the 2025 US Open!! Keep up the good work!!”

2012: Dresses up like Rickie Fowler for Halloween
2023: Tees it up with Rickie Fowler at U.S. Open

Michael Brennan lives out a dream playing a practice round foreshadowed years ago by a message from @RickieFowler. pic.twitter.com/xchPvyOFFT

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 14, 2023

And after Brennan navigated a sudden-death final qualifying playoff in Rockville earlier this month to stamp his ticket to the major, his childhood hero held up his end of the bargain, inviting the Wake Forest University junior to join him for a practice round at the prestigious Los Angeles Country Club venue.

There was an even sweeter surprise waiting for Brennan. Not only did he play with five-time PGA Tour winner Fowler, he paired with him in a match against Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, a duo who boast a combined five major championship victories.

Better yet, the amateur sunk a closing birdie to clinch victory in the contest.

“Pretty cool, I don’t know how else to describe it,” Brennan said.

“I looked up to Rickie as a kid, and wanted to get out here and play with him. He was able to make that happen, and set up a great match for us.”

Fowler reflected on a wholesome “full circle” moment, even if it served to make the 34-year-old “feel a little older.”

“That’s really what it’s all about, being in a position to make a positive impact on people’s lives,” he said.

“To have the following, the fans I’ve had the past 14 years is awesome. To see someone who looked up to me and now has passed me – he’s a bit taller than me – to be playing a U.S. Open is really cool.”

The good times continued into the start of Brennan’s major debut, as the amateur served up an early contender for shot of the tournament just three holes into his first round.

Having found himself in a precarious position in the rough beside the green, Brennan hit a sublime flop shot that arced away from the flag before landing and rolling back downhill and into the cup for birdie.

That marked his sole birdie of the day however, as Brennan carded four-over 74 for the round.

It leaves him 12 shots behind Fowler, who shot a blistering eight-under 62 to return to the clubhouse as tournament leader. It marked the lowest score in US Open history, until compatriot Xander Schauffele matched the feat shortly after to join him atop the leaderboard.

Summer is still a week away and the Lone Star State is already sweltering, as triple-digit heat could lead to more than 75 heat records being broken across Texas this week.

The blast of hot weather raises the potential for record energy usage, according to ERCOT, the council overseeing the flow of electric power to most of the state.

The heat wave will push the Texas energy grid to its brink, forcing ERCOT to issue a “weather watch” through June 21, which are posted when they forecast high demand.

According to ERCOT, usage is expected to be 79,455 megawatts Friday.

By Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, the energy usage is forecast to top 81,000 megawatts, which would break the previous record of 80,148 megawatts, as the triple-digit temperatures continue.

While records are expected, ERCOT is assuring residents the supply should be efficient, avoiding blackouts.

During the summer of 2023, ERCOT broke 11 peak demand records.

Record-breaking Texas heat

The energy usage is a direct result of the extreme temperatures across the state, as air conditioners will be running at full blast.

Temperatures across Texas will be running 10-15 degrees above normal for at least the next seven days.

“The highest heat indices are forecast across South Texas, where it could feel as hot as 120 degrees,” the Weather Prediction Center said.

Heat indices are the “feels like” temperatures once you combine the air temperature with the humidity.

Several cities in South Texas could break daily high temperature records several days in a row.

Highs in Laredo could reach triple digits for at least the next two weeks, with some days as high as 112.

In San Antonio, highs will be in the triple digits for at least a week, with heat indices soaring above 110.

Further north, even Dallas will be in the triple digits over the weekend, running at least 10 degrees above normal.

“Temperatures in the mid/upper 90s and high humidity will still result in heat indices in the 100-113 range,” the National Weather Service in Dallas said. “At this time, areas across the south Central TX have a higher chance (40-70%) to see highs in the lower 100s Saturday and/or Sunday.”

The biggest danger for anyone who loses power is the overnight temperature. Without sufficient cooling during the overnight hours, the body is not able to recover, resulting in heat-related illnesses and even death. More heat-related deaths occur because of warm overnight temperatures than daytime highs.

“Heat indices are currently in the upper 80s to low 90s, a trend that has gone on a few nights now and may not change for another week or more, increasing the threat for heat related deaths or illnesses for those exposed or without air conditioning through this stretch,” warned the weather service office in Brownsville.

How climate change is causing heat waves to occur more often

Climate Central, a nonprofit research group, uses a tool to analyze the region’s temperatures throughout history since record-keeping began, from a past without climate change to today’s changing climate.

It is a common scientific technique called attribution, which analyzes data and climate models to determine whether an extreme weather event was made worse or more likely by human-caused climate change.

At Climate Central, they use a Climate Shift Index, which shows how climate change impacts day-to-day weather in a specific area. Researchers say several Texas cities have seen a significant increase in daily temperatures in recent years.

Austin now experiences 53 more risky heat days per year than in 1970, while Houston and McAllen face about 52 more risky extreme heat days than in 1970.

Twenty-two minutes. That’s how long Rickie Fowler held solo claim of a record 128 years in the making.

Having just carded the lowest round score in US Open history, the American barely made it back to the Los Angeles Country Club clubhouse before compatriot Xander Schauffele shot an eight-under 62 of his own to match the feat.

Six golfers had shot 63 across the 122 previous editions of the major, first staged in 1895, yet the duo went one better with a pair of scintillating performances during the opening round on Thursday.

It marks just the third 62 in men’s major championship history, leveling South African Branden Grace’s record-breaking effort during the third round of the Open Championship in 2017.

Having started from the 10th hole, Fowler shot 10 birdies – including four in a row – and two bogeys. A five-time winner on the PGA Tour, the 34-year-old is chasing his first major title after runner-up finishes in three of the four flagship events.

The US Open is the only major in which he hasn’t finished second, with a tied-third outing in 2014 his best finish at the tournament. Having peaked at world No. 4 in 2016, Fowler arrived in California ranked 45th, but seven top-20 finishes in his last eight starts have indicated a return to his best form.

“It was a great day,” Fowler told reporters.

“Got off to a nice start making three on 10 and just never really thought about a score or necessarily what I was trying to do out there.

“The first few days this week I wasn’t feeling very comfortable swinging and wasn’t making many putts or hitting very good putts, so continued to get work in on the course as well as in the practice area, and finally a couple things clicked a bit yesterday. Then it was more just go out, trust it, and let things happen.

“I knew there was birdies to be made out here, but you have to drive it well and get the ball in position first. Yeah, did that, and from there just managed our way around really well.”

‘Do this again tomorrow?’

Similarly in pursuit of a first major crown, Schauffele handed in a bogey-free scorecard, accelerating home with five birdies across his last nine holes.

The seven-time PGA Tour winner was a few feet away from taking the record outright as his 25-foot birdie opportunity at the final hole came up short, forcing him to settle for a share of the feat.

“It’s a great start,” Schauffele told Sky Sports. “I hit a lot of really good shots. Rickie was just right in front of me and I was playing really good golf so thought I may as well just chase him down.

“You have to play hard here, dig your way around. You take your medicine when you can and then capitalise on good shots.”

And Schauffele, who tweeted Fowler asking if he was ready to “do this again” in Friday’s second round, was full of praise for his fellow record-breaker.

Do this again tomorrow @RickieFowler ? https://t.co/7eY2SFH91u

— Xander Schauffele (@XSchauffele) June 15, 2023

“He’s truly probably one of the nicest guys out here,” he told reporters.

“I mean that when I say it. And I couldn’t be happier for him to see him in good form … he’s just a pleasure to be around.

“It’s not surprising to see him shoot 8-under, either. I’m happy that he’s able get back into good form and can compete at a high level.”

Fowler is schedule to tee off for Friday’s second round at 1:32 p.m. PST, with Schauffele again set to start shortly after at 1:54 p.m.

Severe weather capable of producing wind gusts up to 90 mph, hail up to 5 inches in diameter and tornadoes is expected Thursday, for the sixth day in a row for portions of the South and Plains.

The latest round of storms comes on the heels of more than 300 storm reports Wednesday, continuing a long streak of active weather.

The area under threat Thursday covers a large swath from Colorado to South Carolina, with the greatest potential across portions of Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas.

The Storm Prediction Center has placed a Level 4 of 5 moderate risk of severe weather for the area, which includes Oklahoma City and Norman, Oklahoma.

Two tornado watches have been issued by the Storm Prediction Center for western and central Oklahoma and portions of northwestern, northern and central Texas. The watches include the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and Oklahoma City and both are in effect until 10 p.m. CT.

Although a few tornadoes are possible with initial storms this afternoon, the greatest threat from these storms may end up being the extremely large hail and winds up to 90 mph.

“Intense supercell development is expected this afternoon from the eastern Texas Panhandle into western Oklahoma and northwest Texas, and storms will spread eastward through late evening,” the SPC said. “The initial, more discrete supercells will be capable of producing giant hail (4-5 inches in diameter) and a few tornadoes. Upscale growth into a cluster or two is possible this evening, with an increasing threat for intense outflow winds of 80-90 mph.”

“Be prepared for hail up to the size of baseballs and winds up to 80 mph with the stronger storms, as well as a medium risk for tornadoes,” warned the National Weather Service office in Norman. “The severe window will start in western Oklahoma between 3pm and 5pm and continue until storms exit the southeastern parts of the forecast area by 3am.”

SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER EXPECTED THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING

Ingredients will be in place for large hail up to baseball size, wind gusts near or exceeding 80 mph, and the potential for a few tornadoes. Please stay weather aware later today! #okwx #texomawx #txwx pic.twitter.com/0ys2c4aNcJ

— NWS Norman (@NWSNorman) June 15, 2023

Know the difference between a tornado watch vs tornado warning

Areas around the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex are under a Level 3 of 5 enhanced risk of severe weather.

“The areas most susceptible to another round of large hail and possibly some damaging winds will be eastern North TX down into far eastern Central TX east of I-45 could get into the mix as well,” the weather service office in Dallas said.

A much broader area of severe weather extends from western Kansas, south to central Texas and east to the Florida Panhandle. The Level 2 of 5 slight risk of severe weather covers more than 10 million people and includes places like Tulsa, Oklahoma; Shreveport, Louisiana; and Tallahassee, Florida.

Lastly, a widespread area of a Level 1 of 5 marginal risk of severe weather covers from eastern Colorado to South Carolina.

While it is not in the main threat area, people should not let their guard down because of the potential for damaging winds and very large hail. An isolated tornado could spin up as well.

In addition to the severe weather threat, the same areas should also monitor the potential for flooding. With days of rain over the same areas, the ground is becoming quite saturated.

“A continued threat of heavy rain through the day with potential for several inches to fall within bands of training convection,” is being warned by the weather service office in Mobile, Alabama.

The multiday severe threat will continue Friday and through the weekend, as storms continue to develop each day along a stalled frontal boundary draped across the South.

At least 10 reported tornadoes on Wednesday

Wednesday’s severe threat brought more than 300 storm reports across the South and Plains.

There were at least 100 hail reports and more than 200 wind reports, which knocked out power to more than 100,000 homes.

Baseball to tennis ball-sized hail was reported in Alabama and hail greater than 5 inches was reported in Mississippi.

Of the 10 tornado reports, five were reported in Georgia, two in Texas and three in Alabama.

Extreme temperatures

Not only will millions face severe weather, but more than 30 million people are also under heat alerts, including large portions of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and South Florida.

Most will see temperatures running at least 10-15 degrees above normal, with the potential for nearly 100 high temperature records to break during the next week.

Texas is expected to get hit exceptionally hard, with heat indices reaching as high as 120 degrees.

Heat indices are the “feels like” temperature, when you factor in the humidity.

The Texas power grid could reach a record high for usage next week, as temperatures stay in the triple digits for at least the next week.

As Qantas counts down to the 2025 launch of its record-breaking passenger flights connecting Sydney to New York and London direct, the airline has revealed what economy class will look like on the ultra long-haul flights.

Speculation has been mounting about the design of the cheaper seats, with many observers questioning whether spending at least 19 hours in such close proximity to other fliers would be worth the time saved by traveling nonstop.

At a press conference in New York on Thursday, the airline revealed it will offer passengers more leg room and more space to move around the cabin on the 12 specially designed Airbus A350 planes that will operate the routes.

“We said what we wanted to do with this, that it was to overcome the last tyranny of distance: to have an aircraft that could fly anywhere around the world,” Qantas CEO Alan Joyce told reporters.

Getting an aircraft capable of flying up to 21 hours with a full manifest of passengers plus baggage was part of the jigsaw puzzle, Joyce said. Another focus has been to find the best way to look after people on such a long flight.

Free WiFi

The airline already revealed its business and first class cabins back in February. At the same time it announced its Project Sunrise flights would carry 238 passengers instead of the usual 300-plus when they take to the air in late 2025.

It said the layout would include six first class seats in a 1-1-1 configuration, 52 business class seats in 1-2-1, 40 premium economy seats in 2-4-2 and 140 economy seats in 3-3-3.

Those economy seats will be an inch longer than standard, the airline revealed on Thursday, giving passengers 33-inches of legroom.

Each seat will also have Bluetooth connectivity and free Wi-Fi, which will help with binge-watching TV series on the flight, said Joyce, who revealed he gorged on “The White Lotus” on his way over to the US from Australia.

The economy cabin will also have “wellness zones” with TV screens guiding travelers through stretching exercises and bars to help them balance.

Passengers will also be kept awake for much longer at the start of the flight than they currently are thanks to “energizing food,” lighting and temperature.

“We think this is a unique value proposition as an airline that we’ll be able to offer … showing people how to have a very healthy trip, to look after the wellness, and to avoid jet lag, and to come into a destination refreshed,” said Joyce.

Shortening jet lag

The airline has been working with sleep researchers from the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre. The team studied passengers on three ultra long-haul test flights Qantas conducted in 2019 and found that food and conditions could reduce jet lag.

“First, we found that the duration of self-reported jetlag is shortened by about two days in the optimized groups compared to the traditional ones,” said Svetlana Postnova, neurophysics and brain dynamics specialist at the University of Sydney.

“Second, we found that alertness in the days immediately following the flight is higher in the optimized group than the traditional one.”

As well as studying passengers on test flights, Qantas has also been using data from the flight crew to make the case to Australian aviation regulators that the nonstop routes can be flown safely.

Joyce said the reduction in seat numbers was a crucial part of the equation.

“This aircraft has a lot less seats, more premium seats, and a lot more space for customers because we believe that’s the level of comfort that’s needed when you’re doing ultra long-haul travel,” said Joyce.

At the front of the planes, first class passengers will enjoy an extra-wide bed, a 22-inch wide recliner lounge chair, a full-length wardrobe, a folding dining table – large enough for two – and a 32-inch ultra-high-definition TV.

Joyce jokingly said first class pods were equipped with “…everything except the dunny (Australian slang for toilet) on board.”

Into the record books

Business class suites will be 42 inches wide with 25-inch-wide chairs that can be reclined into a two-meter bed. They will also include a cushioned leather ottoman, a large mirror, plenty of storage space and an 18-inch ultra-high-definition touchscreen.

The Project Sunrise flights take their name from high-risk clandestine flights during World War II that saw two sunrises as they made their way from Perth to Sri Lanka en route to London.

During Qantas research flights in 2019, pilots wore brainwave monitors and had urine tested in the weeks before and after the flights to track levels of melatonin, a hormone linked to sleep cycles.

Passengers in the main cabin wore monitoring devices, allowing scientists to study how their “health, well-being and body clock” were impacted by variables including lighting, food and drink, movement, sleep patterns and inflight entertainment.

The current world’s longest scheduled passenger flight currently in service, that honor goes to Singapore Airlines’ Singapore-JFK flight, which covers 9,536.5 miles.

Flights from Singapore to JFK take 18 hours and 5 minutes, while JFK to Singapore takes 18 hours and 40 minutes, due to the headwind.