Coco Gauff continued her excellent preparation for this month’s US Open with victory at the Western & Southern Open on Sunday.

The 19-year-old overcame Karolína Muchová 6-3 6-4 in the final having already beaten world No. 1 Iga Świątek in the semifinals.

The title is the American’s third of the season and second hard-court trophy of the summer as she rounds into form ahead of the final grand slam of the calendar year which begins on August 28 in Flushing Meadows, New York.

“I’m really happy with how I was able to manage this week,” Gauff said after becoming the tournament’s youngest ever winner. “I got a huge win yesterday, a big one today. Karolína, she’s not an easy player. It’s really good to see her back at the top. I think she’s one of the most talented players on tour.”

Gauff added: “Today, I really won it off of breaking serve, to be honest. I wasn’t really serving as good as I did against Iga. I don’t know if it was nerves. I wasn’t that nervous, to be honest. Also a combination of the long match yesterday. I wasn’t serving as well.

“I think that’s what makes a champion, is how you’re doing on the days you aren’t feeling so great. I’m glad I was able to push through.”

Gauff is still searching for her maiden grand slam title having reached the final of the French Open last year.

She burst onto the scene as a 15-year-old, but 2023 has seen Gauff find somewhat of a winning formula on the court as she is having her most successful season of her short career by far.

She won in Auckland in January and Washington two weeks ago, and victory in Cincinnati on Sunday was her fifth career title.

Despite the straight set scoreline, it wasn’t very straightforward for Gauff against Muchová though, as the Czech No. 17 seed showed plenty of grit to hold off the youngster at times.

With the title on the line, Muchová saved three match points before holding serve to force Gauff to close out her hard-earned victory in an hour and 56 minutes.

In doing so, Gauff became the first teenager to win three titles in a season since Bianca Andreescu in 2019 and the first teenager to win five career titles since Caroline Wozniacki in 2009, according to the Women’s Tennis Association.

Since suffering disappointment in the first round of Wimbledon earlier in the summer, Gauff – who moved up to No. 6 in the world thanks to Sunday’s victory – has looked imperious, winning 11 of her last 12 matches as she’s ramped up her form ahead of the grand slam held in her home country.

Lamine Yamal, the youngest player to ever feature for FC Barcelona in La Liga, has now made his full debut for the club at just 16 years and 38 days old.

In making his full debut in Sunday’s game against Cádiz CF, Yamal also became the youngest player to start in La Liga in the 21st century.

“I think he’s so mature and can already make the difference for us,” Barça head coach Xavi told reporters after the match. “We have to take care of him, but I think he’s ready and I’m not afraid to trust youth.”

To cap off Yamal’s historic start, Barça scored two late goals to seal a 2-0 win against Cádiz to claim its first win of the 2023-24 La Liga season.

Despite not being at its best, Xavi’s team found a way to win with youngster Pedri opening the scoring in the 82nd minute before Ferran Torres doubled Barça’s lead with an injury-time strike.

“It looked like the ball was not going to go in today and it did,” Xavi told Movistar Plus.

“We predicted it was a day to keep a lot of possession and in the second half we were more patient, were better in positional play, took risks and a pass from [İlkay] Gündoğan to Pedri gave us what we needed.”

Getting a win was vital for Barça after the La Liga champion struggled in its opening game of the season against Getafe CF.

Barça drew 0-0 in it’s season opener where it was also reduced to 10 men after Raphinha was dismissed in the first half.

However, the Brazilian’s sending off gave Yamal an opportunity to star and the teenager proved to be a bright spark in Barça’s win on Sunday.

Last season at the age of 15 years, nine months and 16 days, Yamal made his Barça debut after coming on as a substitute for Gavi during a 4-0 victory against Real Betis in April.

Real Mallorca forward Luka Romero, who is now at AC Milan, is the youngest player to make his La Liga debut, according to Reuters.

At the age of 15 years and 229 days, Romero came on as substitute during Mallorca’s 2-0 defeat by Real Madrid in June 2020 to break a longstanding La Liga record held by former Celta Vigo player Francisco Bao Rodríguez – more commonly known as Sansón – who made his first league appearance in 1939 aged 15 and 255 days.

After making landfall in Mexico earlier Sunday, Tropical Storm Hilary has crossed into California, where it is unleashing heavy rain and turning roads into gushing streams as officials warn of potentially deadly floods.

Authorities across southern California pleaded with residents not to drive, warning of mudslides, road deterioration and dangerous debris flows and flooding, as some communities declared emergencies to respond to the storm. One California official has warned Hilary could be among the most devastating storms to hit the state in recent years.

The National Weather Service said parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties were already experiencing “dangerous flooding” Sunday evening, writing on social media, “THIS IS LIFE THREATENING FLOODING!”

Cars were getting stuck in floodwaters and local authorities were conducting rescues, the service said.

Hilary’s core – in other words, its center – crossed into Southern California Sunday evening, but the state began feeling the storm’s effects much earlier in the day and rain totals have added up. Parts of Palm Springs saw more than 2 inches of water in just six hours Sunday – nearly half of what they average over an entire year, the weather service said.

And with the day not yet over, there were multiple other rainfall records broken Sunday, including in downtown Los Angeles, Burbank and Palmdale.

In Palm Springs, the city manager declared a local emergency due to “unprecedented rainfall and flooding,” with city officials saying there had already been one swift water rescue by Sunday afternoon.

Live updates: Tropical Storm Hilary to bring major flooding risk to California

Though the storm is expected to weaken, it will continue lashing the region with severe weather as it moves further into the US.

In Arizona, authorities issued evacuation orders in parts of Lake Mead National Park urging residents to seek higher ground ahead of potential floods. And Nevada’s governor declared a state of emergency Sunday as the storm drew closer.

More than than 1,000 flights within, into or out of the US have been canceled Sunday and more than 4,900 have been delayed. The three most-impacted airports are all in Hilary’s range: Harry Reid International Airport in Nevada, San Diego International Airport and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, according to flightaware.com.

And as Hilary triggered flood warnings across Los Angeles, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake shook the area and other parts of Southern California Sunday afternoon, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Millions face flash flooding threat

More than 7 million people, including those in downtown Los Angeles, are under a flash flood warning through early Monday morning. Parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties could see up to 1.5 inches of rain dumped per hour, the National Weather Service has said.

Schools in the San Diego Unified School District announced they would be postponing the first day of the school year to Tuesday. The Los Angeles Unified district, the country’s second largest school district, also said schools would be closed Monday.

Hilary weakened from a Category 1 hurricane to a tropical storm before it made landfall over the northern Baja California Peninsula early Sunday.

At least one death is already attributed to the storm. A person died when their vehicle was swept away near Santa Rosalía in Mexico, along the Baja California Peninsula, Mexican officials said in a news release Saturday.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency Saturday for a large swath of Southern California to support hurricane response and recovery efforts.

In a Saturday news conference, Nancy Ward, director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, warned Hilary “could be one of the most devastating storms that we’ve had hit California in more than a decade.”

Storm is ‘unprecedented’ event, LA mayor says

Parts of California, Nevada and Arizona that are unaccustomed to rain could suddenly receive a year’s worth or more. And along the coast, large swells generated by Hilary are likely to create life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

Death Valley saw triple its average August rainfall in just a few hours Sunday morning. Nearly a month’s worth of rain fell in one hour on Sunday. It normally receives an average of 0.21 inches of rain the entire month of August, but the Furnace Creek observation site reported 0.63 inches since Sunday morning.

Roads within Death Valley National Park were expected to eventually become “impassable,” the park said on Instagram, sharing photos that showed floodwaters flowing over roads.

The threat triggered California’s first ever tropical storm warning extending from the state’s southern border to just north of Los Angeles – presenting an “unprecedented weather event” to a city with “deep experience” responding to natural disasters like wildfires and earthquakes, Mayor Karen Bass said at a news conference.

“It is critical that Angelenos stay safe and stay home unless otherwise directed by safety officials,” Bass said. “If you do not need to be on the road, please don’t get in your car. Make sure your emergency kit and essential devices are on hand. And ensure that all of your devices are charged in the event of life-threatening emergency.”

Residents of the San Bernardino County communities of Oak Glen, Forest Falls, Mountain Home Village, Angelus Oaks, and Northeast Yucaipa were all ordered to evacuate Saturday.

Visitors and some residents of Catalina Island, part of California’s Channel Islands, were “strongly encouraged” to leave the island ahead of the storm in a news release from the City of Avalon.

Meanwhile, helicopters from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office were flying over riverbed areas Saturday afternoon, making announcements in both English and Spanish to warn homeless people about the extreme weather.

Los Angeles opened three more emergency shelters Sunday and provided transportation to help get more people to safety before the storm – bringing the total number of emergency shelters opened to eight.

Concern for deserts and recent burn areas

California has been particularly focused on preparing residents in areas that typically receive the least rain, or that were most recently scorched by wildfires, authorities said.

“We’re keeping a very close eye on our desert regions, east of San Diego and Los Angeles. Some parts of these areas may receive double their yearly amount of water in just a single day,” said Brian Ferguson, the deputy director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.

Lingering burn scars from wildfires can create a steep, slick surface for water and debris to flow off. People who live downhill and downstream from burned areas are very susceptible to flash flooding and debris flows.

“Rainfall that would normally be absorbed will run off extremely quickly after a wildfire, as burned soil can be as water repellant as pavement,” the National Weather Service said.

In Orange County, a voluntary evacuation warning was issued for Silverado Canyon and Williams Canyon in the Bond Fire burn area due to possible debris flows along or near the burn scar.

Residents have been offered sandbags to fortify their property in counties across Southern California, where some of the natural buffers against flooding have been burned away.

Flights between North Korea and Russia are set to resume for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.

The flights, Air Koryo 271 and 272, are scheduled to run once a day each on Friday, August 25 and Monday, August 28. The outgoing flight leaves Vladivostok International Airport (VVO) at 8:45 a.m. to arrive at Pyongyang International Airport (FNJ) at 11:15 a.m., while the returning flights depart North Korea’s capital at 1:15 p.m. to land in Russia at 1:55 p.m. Vladivostok’s time zone is one hour ahead of North Korea’s.

The two cities are about 680 km (423 miles) apart and are also connected by rail lines. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un traveled to Vladivostok via his private train for a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2019.

North Korea, which already has some of the world’s most tightly controlled borders, essentially sealed off the country during the coronavirus pandemic.

As a result, several Russian diplomats had to take drastic measures to leave their posts in North Korea during the pandemic.

In February 2021, video footage emerged of one diplomat, his wife and their children crossing the border via a hand-operated pushcart on railroad tracks.

According to information shared by the Russian embassy at the time, the pushcart ride was only one part of a two-day journey to leave North Korea.

The family reportedly spent 32 hours on North Korea’s famously old, slow railway, switched to a bus, then took their luggage with them by handcart one kilometer (0.6 miles) across the Tumen River, which separates the two countries, before arriving in Khasan, the closest Russian settlement.

In contrast, traveling between Vladivostok and Pyongyang by plane takes one hour.

Hilary has weakened to a post-tropical cyclone that’s still bringing life-threatening flooding and gusty winds to much of the Southwest US, leaving streets like raging rivers and residents ordered to leave their homes.

After hitting Southern California on Sunday as a tropical storm – the state’s first since 1997 – Hilary early Monday was moving over central Nevada, about 390 miles north of San Diego, packing sustained winds of 35 mph with higher gusts, the National Hurricane Center said.

Live updates: Hilary brings major flood risk to California

Continuing rain is expected to cause life-threatening or catastrophic flash, urban and arroyo flooding in some places, including landslides, mudslides and debris flows. Localized flooding is expected into Tuesday morning across northern portions of the Intermountain West.

“Areas that normally do not experience flash flooding will flood,” the National Weather Service said. “Lives and property are in great danger through Monday.”

Flood watches are in effect for more than 25 million people from Southern California to northern Idaho. Strong and gusty winds are expected to persist across portions of the western US Monday, particularly in and near areas of higher terrain. All coastal tropical storm warnings have been discontinued.

“With what we’re expecting, it may overwhelm us,” he added.

Flooding, mudslides and downed trees and wires already are widely reported across Southern California.

In Palm Springs, 911 lines were down Sunday night as roads turned into rivers. Vehicles hours earlier were seen driving through floodwaters, with their wheels completely submerged.

To the west, Los Angeles and Ventura counties saw “considerable damage” Sunday night amid reports of life-threatening flash flooding, and rock and mudslides, the National Weather Service said, adding up to half an inch of rain could fall per hour.

Cars were stuck in floodwaters in the Spanish Hills area, the National Weather Service reported.

And as Hilary triggered flood warnings across Los Angeles, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake on Sunday afternoon shook the area and other parts of Southern California, the United States Geological Survey said.

Roads deluged with mud and water

Once a hurricane, Hilary weakened as it made landfall Sunday in Mexico – where at least one person died – then crossed into the Golden State. The storm’s center was roughly 10 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles around 8 p.m. local time Sunday, moving north with weakened 45-mph winds, according to the hurricane center.

As the storm barreled through, covering roadways with debris and water, roads were blocked across Southern California by Sunday night. A section of Interstate 8 in Imperial County, east of San Diego, was closed Sunday after boulders came loose from an adjoining slope and fell into the road.

In San Bernardino County, a stretch of State Route 127 covered in floodwaters was closed, while a section of Interstate 15 was shuttered in Barstow because of downed power lines after a lightning strike, authorities said.

Residents of the Serrano Square neighborhood in San Bernardino County’s Yucaipa were ordered to evacuate Sunday night, while those in the community of Forest Falls and on Oak Glen Road were told to shelter in place as mud and debris blocked a nearby roadway.

Crews across the region Sunday evening rescued people caught in the storm, including at least nine in a riverbed area in San Diego. “Crews are still looking for more people who may need help. #riverrescue,” San Diego Fire-Rescue said.

And Ventura County firefighters searched the Santa Clara River for people trapped in the waters on Sunday night, videos show.

The storm led to other disruptions across Southern California, with many parks, beaches and other locations closed as officials called on residents to stay indoors.

The Los Angeles Unified School District – the nation’s second largest school district – will be closed Monday because of the storm. So will campuses in the Pasadena Unified School District and the San Diego Unified School District, officials there announced.

Nearly a month’s worth of rain in 1 hour

California had been preparing for difficult conditions, positioning first responders across Southern California to brace for water rescues in flood-prone areas like wildfire burn scars and deserts amid fears areas unaccustomed to rain could suddenly receive a year’s worth or more, triggering flash floods and landslides.

Already, rainfall totals have been significant:

Daily and monthly rainfall records were broken Sunday, with 1.53 inches falling in downtown Los Angeles, 1.56 inches in Long Beach and 2.95 inches in Palmdale, according to the weather service.

Palm Springs received half a year’s worth of rain in just a six-hour period, with 2.27 inches recorded at the Palm Springs Airport on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.

Death Valley saw triple its average August rainfall in just a few hours Sunday morning. Nearly a month’s worth of rain fell in one hour on Sunday. It normally receives an average of 0.21 inches of rain the entire month of August, but the Furnace Creek observation site reported 0.63 inches since Sunday morning.

Santa Clarita, about 30 miles north of Los Angeles, experienced steady rain for about ten hours, with the storm dropping well over four inches of rain on the valley. Parts of Sand Canyon Road could be seen falling into rushing water.

ATTN DRIVERS: State Route 127 is now closed between Baker Blvd. in Baker (San Bernardino County) and Tecopa Hot Springs Road (Inyo County) due to flooding. @Caltrans9 maintenance crews are on scene. pic.twitter.com/fvcI9Vhss3

— Caltrans District 9 (@Caltrans9) August 21, 2023

By late Sunday, the National Weather Service had sent a mass alert to cell phone users in parts of the county saying, “Do not attempt to travel unless you are fleeing an area subject to flooding or under an evacuation order.”

San Bernardino Fire Battalion Chief Mike McClintock said evacuation orders are meant to help residents escape areas that may face serious flooding, and that warnings should be heeded immediately.

The basic design of commercial airplanes hasn’t changed much in the past 60 years. Modern airliners like the Boeing 787 and the Airbus A350 have the same general shape as the Boeing 707 and the Douglas DC-8, which were built in the late 1950s and solidified the “tube and wing” form factor that is still in use today.

This is because commercial aviation prioritizes safety, favoring tried-and-tested solutions, and because other developments — in materials and engines, for example — mean the traditional design is still relevant.

However, as the industry desperately looks for ways to reduce carbon emissions, it faces a somewhat tougher challenge than other sectors precisely because its core technologies have proven so hard to move away from. The time might be ripe to try something new.

One proposal is the “blended wing body.” This entirely new aircraft shape looks similar to the “flying wing” design used by military aircraft such as the iconic B-2 bomber, but the blended wing has more volume in the middle section. Both Boeing and Airbus are tinkering with the idea, and so is a third player, California-based JetZero, which has set an ambitious goal of putting into service a blended wing aircraft as soon as 2030.

“We feel very strongly about a path to zero emissions in big jets, and the blended wing airframe can deliver 50% lower fuel burn and emissions,” says Tom O’Leary, co-founder and CEO of JetZero. “That is a staggering leap forward in comparison to what the industry is used to.”

Under pressure

The blended wing concept is far from new, and the earliest attempts at building airplanes with this design date back to the late 1920s in Germany. American aircraft designer and industrialist Jack Northrop created a jet-powered flying wing design in 1947, which inspired the B-2 in the 1990s.

As a sort of hybrid between a flying wing and a traditional “tube and wing,” the blended wing allows the entire aircraft to generate lift, minimizing drag. NASA says that this shape “helps to increase fuel economy and creates larger payload (cargo or passenger) areas in the center body portion of the aircraft.” The agency has tested it through one of its experimental planes, the X-48.

Over about 120 test flights between 2007 and 2012, two unmanned, remote-controlled X-48s demonstrated the viability of the concept. “An aircraft of this type would have a wingspan slightly greater than a Boeing 747 and could operate from existing airport terminals,” the agency says, adding that the plane would also “weigh less, generate less noise and emissions, and cost less to operate than an equally advanced conventional transport aircraft.”

In 2020, Airbus built a small blended wing demonstrator, about six feet in length, signaling interest in pursuing a full-size aircraft in the future. But if the shape is so effective, why haven’t we yet moved to building planes based on it?

According to O’Leary, there is one main technical challenge holding manufacturers back. “It’s the pressurization of a non-cylindrical fuselage,” he says, pointing to the fact that a tube-shaped plane is better able to handle the constant expansion and contraction cycles that come with each flight.

“If you think about a ‘tube and wing,’ it separates the loads — you have the pressurization load on the tube, and the bending loads on the wings. But a blended wing essentially blends those together. Only now can we do that with composite materials that are both light and strong.”

Such a radically new shape would make the interior of the plane look and feel wildly different to today’s widebody aircraft. “It’s just a much, much wider fuselage,” O’Leary says. “Your typical single-aisle plane has three by three seats, but this is a sort of a shorter, wider tube. You get the same amount of people, but you might have 15 or 20 rows across the cabin, depending upon how each particular airline will configure it.

“This just gives them a whole new palette with which to lay it out. I think it’s going to be amazing to see what their interpretation of this much broader space will be.”

Revolutionary potential

O’Leary says that the nearest equivalent in terms of size would be the Boeing 767 – a widebody, twin-engine plane introduced in the 1980s that typically carried around 210 passengers. It’s still produced as a cargo plane but was replaced by the Boeing 787 as a passenger aircraft. It also has a modern military variant, the KC-46, which the US Air Force uses for aerial refueling.

Similarly, JetZero wants to simultaneously develop three variants: a passenger plane, a cargo plane and a fuel tanker. The blended wing shape lends itself so well to the latter that the US Air Force has just awarded JetZero $235 million to develop a full-scale demonstrator and validate the performance of the blended wing concept. First flight is expected by 2027, which means the military version of the plane is scheduled to lead the way and perhaps support the development of the commercial models.

However, building an entirely new airplane from scratch is an enormous task, and JetZero’s targets sound ambitious, given that the full process of certification for even a variant of an existing aircraft can take years. One advantage JetZero has in this area is that the plane will initially borrow engines from today’s narrowbody aircraft, like the Boeing 737 — although the plan is to eventually move to completely emission-free propulsion powered by hydrogen, which would require new engines that haven’t yet been developed.

JetZero doesn’t have any orders for its plane yet, but O’Leary says airlines are interested. “We’re talking to all the major airlines globally already, because they’re excited to hear about the efficiency gains.”

It remains to be seen whether a 50% reduction in fuel use is actually possible. Both NASA and Airbus quoted a more modest 20% for their designs, while the US Air Force says a blended wing aircraft could “improve aerodynamic efficiency by at least 30% over current Air Force tanker and mobility aircraft.”

“It’s important to note that while a blended wing body can reduce drag and increase fuel efficiency, the actual benefits depend on the specific design, configuration, and operational conditions,” says Bailey Miles, an aviation analyst at consulting firm AviationValues.

“Extensive aerodynamic testing and optimization are essential to fully realize the drag reduction potential of this innovative aircraft design. It would be hard to determine a specific percentage fuel reduction without the necessary tests,” he adds.

According to Miles, the blended wing design is a “revolutionary” idea that has potential, but it comes with a number of hurdles, specifically an increased aerodynamic complexity that can make design and testing tricky, a series of regulatory and certification challenges, and a shape that may not be suitable for existing airport infrastructure.

“The blended wing body aircraft holds immense promise as a game changer in the aviation industry, offering the potential for improved fuel efficiency, enhanced payload capacity, and innovative control systems. However, addressing the aerodynamic complexities, ensuring structural integrity, navigating regulatory hurdles, and adapting airport infrastructure are formidable challenges that must be overcome for it to become a reality,” he says, adding that these challenges, among others, make JetZero’s target of 2030 for entry into service “inconceivable.”

According to Richard Aboulafia, an aviation analyst at consulting firm Aerodynamic Advisory, while not all of JetZero’s claims can be verified, “the idea of a blended wing body has been quite appealing for years, and it sounds like they’ve done some very interesting research. My colleagues and I regard it as quite promising.”

He is concerned that the firm is mostly “a design shop” at the moment, but he believes that the project may take off with the help of contractors. “There’s certainly room for somebody who actually wants to add value in this industry,” he says.

Antalya is a city bathed in sunlight and baked in history. Standing on Turkey’s beautiful Turquoise Coast, it is the hidden jewel of the Mediterranean. A place where luxury hotels, vast beaches, striking ruins and quiet villages create something that’s truly unique.

The city is the largest on this stretch of Turkey’s southern coastline. Dating back to 150 BCE it was settled by the Greeks, ruled by the Romans and expanded by the Ottomans. Today it is the heart of Turkish tourism, with thousands coming to relax by the water and explore the riches that lie along the coast and just inland.

A Turkish tradition

While the hotels and beaches are what most travelers come to Antalya for, you don’t need to go far for proper Turkish traditions. And nothing is more traditional than a Sunday breakfast taken in the nearby mountain villages. With the area getting 300 days of sunshine a year, the mountain air offers respite from the heat. There’s even the option to pull up a table in a dry riverbed and enjoy a leisurely start to the day.

A Turkish breakfast is something to behold. The vast quantities of food are, explains Dilek Gorpe, all about ensuring that guests are well catered for and that no one feels the need to rush.

“(You might be) full, but you sit for half an hour and you eat a little bit more. Then, you can read your newspaper or do whatever and then you can lay down and have a little nap.”

Gorpe is an Antalya resident and knows the area well, having spent years booking bands for the city’s hotels and exploring the local food scene. Dishes of spinach, flatbreads and salty donuts are washed down with copious amounts of tea, all taken, as Gorpe suggests, as slowly as time allows. In Antalya, it seems, rushing is not on the agenda.

It’s not just about the eating though, as good as the local produce is. The villages here maintain an old-world feel that is removed from the modern trappings of the swanky resorts down on the Mediterranean. Roadside workshops abound, with carpenters salvaging wood from the forest floor and crafting animal sculptures that are sold as souvenirs. There is a deep respect for the landscape and the old ways, which makes Antalya feel very special indeed.

By the water in Bodrum

These traditions are never far away, even along the coast in bustling Bodrum, where tourists sun themselves and enjoy time forgetting about the everyday. And hôtelier and restaurateur extraordinaire Sahir Erozan knows about this better than most. His beautiful Maçakizi boutique resort is steeped in the past, having first been opened by his mother in the 1970s. It retains an old-world feel, with plenty of modern touches to satisfy the most fastidious of guests.

The hotel began life as a rustic bed and breakfast, but soon became an escape for the jet-set crowd.

“In the back there would be sheep, cows, donkeys. It was beautiful and I loved it,” says Erozan. “(I will) never forget that year that I spent the summer here, that was ‘77. That winter I moved to the States to go to school and didn’t come back here for a long time. And somehow something inside of me missed the water.

“It’s the smell, the color and feel of things,” he says of his love of Bodrum.

Erozan later returned to continue his mother’s work. Naturally, food and first-rate hospitality feature highly here. So too does his love of the ocean. He has seen the boom in superyachts arriving at the sleek new Yalıkavak Marina, built with these vast vessels in mind. There are luxury outlets, as well as ample space to moor the fanciest of boats. The simplicity that Erozan loves, though, is what he thinks draws the super-rich here.

“We have the best waters. Clean seas. We probably have the best waters in Europe,” he boasts.

“This is a very versatile place,” he adds. “It’s got its commercial angles, historical angles, and it’s got very bohemian lifestyle angles too… There is another Bodrum, where other people, with other tastes, go to. They go to a little fish restaurant on the water – the same style where we left it years ago.”

A Bohemian paradise

Nobody embodies these bohemian origins like Cemil İpekçi. The renowned Turkish fashion designer first came here in the 1960s, falling in with the hippie crowd who believed they had stumbled across paradise.

“I fell in love with the Bodrum people,” he says. “Because they were so crazy. We were going to the sea here to swim all naked. Nobody was looking at us!”

“There was nothing at all,” he says standing by the waterfront, surveying the current scene of top-end hotels and restaurants, “And here there were only maybe five houses, the old houses. And the beach was still here.”

It is not something he mourns, however. Change, he says, is inevitable. And besides, he still feels Bodrum in his heart.

“It’s still got it,” he says. “(Bodrum) gives you freedom. I mean, here, the people don’t care that you’re a millionaire or you are known or you are chic or not … if you are nice to talk to, they talk with you.

“I have no children. I have no wife, I have no husband. I have no lover anymore. My love is Bodrum.”

Stepping into ancient history

Back in Antalya, there’s the chance to feel that sense of wonder afforded by Bodrum’s bohemian side, but in a wholly different setting. The ancient city of Perga, just outside the modern-day metropolis, is truly jaw-dropping.

While it can trace its origins back to 4,000 BCE, its surviving incarnation dates from 300 BCE, right through to 1,000 CE, with phenomenal Byzantine, Hellenic and Roman ruins on show.

It isn’t just the buildings, though. The people of antiquity who passed through here can be felt the moment you step onto the site. To walk the same roads that Alexander the Great and the Apostle Paul once traveled is a privilege and truly powerful. A humbling reminder that even on vacation we walk in the footsteps of giants.

It’s all part of Anatalya’s captivating charm, a place that can be all things to all kinds of tourists, whether they have the urge for time on the beach, a chance to delve back into the past or feel close to nature on some of the most beautiful seas on our planet. Quieter than locations elsewhere in the Mediterranean, its allure lies in its diversity, somewhere that visitors will want to explore over and over again.

Japan expressed “grave concern” after Chinese and Russian warships sailed close to its southern islands on Thursday, just a day before its leader is expected to discuss rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific at a summit with counterparts from South Korea and the United States.

Six Chinese ships, among them missile destroyers, and five Russian vessels, some of them destroyers, sailed between Japan’s Okinawa Island and Miyako Island before moving toward the East China Sea on Thursday, according to Japan’s defense ministry.

It is the first time Russian and Chinese ships have sailed together through this particular body of water. The vessels did not intrude into Japan’s territorial waters.

The 11 naval vessels were first spotted 280 kilometers (about 174 miles) northeast of Japan’s southernmost Okinotori Island on Tuesday morning local time, according to the defense ministry statement.

It said the ships are believed to have taken part in a joint patrol in the Pacific. Most of them were previously spotted sailing through the Soya Strait between Hokkaido and Sakhalin to the Sea of Okhotsk, after carrying out joint drills in the Sea of Japan in July, the statement added.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense confirmed the joint patrol in a statement on its official Telegram channel, saying a detachment of ships is currently operating in the waters of the East China Sea. Chinese and Russian sailors conducted anti-submarine exercises, repelled a simulated enemy air raid, conducted rescue training at sea, and practiced helicopter takeoffs and landings on the decks of warships, the Russian ministry said.

Japan’s defense ministry said China and Russia have repeatedly conducted joint naval and aerial exercises near the country in recent years, which are “clearly intended as a show of force against Japan” and are of “grave concern” to national security.

It added that Tokyo had conveyed its concerns about these joint activities via diplomatic channels.

Japan’s relations with Russia have deteriorated since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began 18 months ago. Tokyo has joined its Western allies in imposing sanctions on Moscow and pledged billions in humanitarian aid for Kyiv.

China, meanwhile, has strengthened political and economic ties with Russia, despite maintaining it remains a neutral party in the conflict and a proponent of peace.

Trilateral summit

The incident Thursday comes ahead of the first-ever trilateral summit between the US, Japan and South Korea, with the three countries’ leaders set to meet at the US presidential retreat Camp David on Friday. There, they are expected to agree to deepen defense, technology and economic cooperation, according to senior Biden administration officials.

The summit will also serve as a show of force as the countries grapple with security challenges that include provocative behavior from North Korea and military maneuvering by a rising China.

The meeting is particularly significant given the historically fraught relationship between Seoul and Tokyo, including a dispute between the two countries over forced labor by Japan during its occupation of Korea. But both current leaders – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol – have made efforts to work together more closely in the face of shared regional threats, even conducting joint military exercises with the US last year.

This banding together hasn’t been received well by their Asian rivals. Earlier this year, China’s top diplomat urged Japan and South Korea to foster a sense of “strategic autonomy” from the West and instead cooperate with China to “revitalize Asia.”

“No matter how blond you dye your hair, how sharp you shape your nose, you can never become a European or American, you can never become a Westerner,” said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. “We must know where our roots lie.”

And officials are wary of a potential reaction from North Korea, too; the hermit nation has previously launched missiles ahead of joint US-South Korea military drills, and in response to trilateral talks between the US, South Korea, and Japan.

Ahead of Friday’s summit, Seoul believes Pyongyang is preparing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch and other “provocations” around the meeting or the upcoming joint military drills between the US and South Korea set to begin next week, according to a South Korean lawmaker briefed by the country’s intelligence service.

After 63 games, countless memorable moments and goals galore, the Women’s World Cup reaches its conclusion as Spain takes on England in the biggest game of all.

It will be all to play for when the two nations meet in Sydney’s Stadium Australia on Sunday, with both looking to win the Women’s World Cup for the first time.

How to watch

In the US, games will be aired on FOX Sports, while Telemundo is providing Spanish-language coverage.

Seven Network and Optus Sport are broadcasting matches in Australia and the BBC and ITV have the rights in the United Kingdom.

A full breakdown of media rights holders in each country is available on the FIFA website.

The final will start at 6 a.m. ET.

How both teams got here

Spain’s journey

Spain kicked off its tournament in ruthless fashion. La Roja scored eight goals in its opening two games and conceded none. However, a shocking 4-0 loss against Japan meant Spain finished second in its group.

Jorge Vilda’s team then re-found its rhythm with a 5-1 round-of-16 win against Switzerland, the country’s first ever knockout victory, before closer ties against the Netherlands and Sweden in the quarterfinals and semifinals respectively.

Spain beat the Netherlands 2-1 after extra time. In the last four, an 89th-minute winner saw Spain progress to the final for the first time with a 2-1 win against Sweden.

England’s route to the final

Despite not being at their best, the Lionesses topped their group with three wins from three games. In the final group stage game against China, the Lionesses looked to have found their killer instincts with a 6-1 win.

However, England couldn’t carry that momentum into the knockout stages as Sarina Wiegman’s side scraped past Nigeria on penalties and then edged Colombia with a 2-1 quarterfinal win.

A semifinal against co-host Australia saw a much-improved performance as England broke the hearts of the Matildas with a 3-1 victory.

Who will make the difference?

Spain’s super sub

With Spain struggling for inspiration in its quarterfinal and semifinal fixture, head coach Vilda had to turn to his bench for some much-needed impetus.

Vilda opted for Salma Paralluelo and it is safe to say the talented teenager made the difference for La Roja.

The 19-year-old has impressed from the bench and scored vital goals in both of Spain’s last two World Cup fixtures – an 111th minute winner against the Netherlands in the quarterfinal, before netting an 81st minute opener in the semifinal against Sweden.

Will Vilda pick Paralluelo to start or will the manager stick to the tried and tested formula of unleashing the Barcelona winger from the bench?

England’s tactical tinkering

England came into the World Cup missing key players through injury. Tactics have also changed throughout the tournament with head coach Wiegman diverting from the familiar 4-3-3 to a 3-5-2 formation and performances improved as a result.

One of the main benefactors from this tactical switch is electric forward Lauren Hemp.

The Manchester City attacker had an underwhelming start to the World Cup, but since moving alongside Alessia Russo upfront, Hemp has been England’s standout player.

The pace and trickery of the 23-year-old has been on full display, and no more so than in the semifinal win against Australia. Hemp finished with a goal and an assist in the 3-1 win with her pace on the break crucial to England’s historic victory.

The Lionesses had seemingly lost their ability to hunt.

England had been on a poor run of form, at one stage losing seven out of 11 matches, and head coach Phil Neville was winding down the days until his exit.

It was announced that Neville’s successor was to be the highly successful Netherlands head coach Sarina Wiegman, who had led her home nation to back-to-back major tournament finals, including a European Championship win in 2017.

While success was always a possibility for this talented group of footballers, nobody could have imagined what was to come under Wiegman’s leadership.

Turning cubs into Lionesses

In the last major tournament before Wiegman took over, England crashed out in heartbreaking circumstances.

In a tight World Cup semifinal game against the US – the eventual champion – England captain Steph Houghton missed a crucial late penalty as the Lionesses fell to a 2-1 defeat.

It was the third major tournament in a row that England had fallen at this stage. With expectations and pressure growing, and with the European Championship on home soil on the horizon, England appointed a coach who had the crucial knowhow in getting a team over the line in tournament football.

“She’s a proven winner and we’re confident she can take England to the next level, giving us the best possible opportunity of achieving our ambition to win a major tournament,” said Mark Bullingham, the English Football Association’s CEO, when Wiegman was appointed two years ago.

While the England players’ abilities speak for themselves, Wiegman has helped to instill a formidable team mindset in the group through some “non-negotiable” philosophies.

“It’s doing what’s best for the team and what’s demanded of you, on and off the pitch.

“When you start doing things on your own in a team sport, that’s really hard. You’re not going to reach the highest potential.”

Heading into the Covid-19 delayed European Championship a year later, England was on a brilliant run of form of free-flowing soccer and goals aplenty.

That form continued throughout the tournament, with the Lionesses scoring goals for fun on the way to a historic final at Wembley against Germany.

In a tense game against an experienced Germany side, the Lionesses sealed a 2-1 win to end England’s 56-year-wait for a senior international soccer trophy.

Overcoming adversity

After the success of the Euros, England was among the favorites heading into the World Cup, although with injuries piling up pre-tournament Wiegman has had to find ways to rebuild her squad without crucial players.

England captain Leah Williamson suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in April, joining another star player from the winning Euros squad – Beth Mead – in suffering the same injury.

“I’m a pretty positive person but, of course, I also have feelings,” Wiegman told The Independent ahead of Sunday’s final. “I feel very privileged to work with this team. It has been so great.

“You have some setbacks with some players that got injured, which was very sad for them, but then you have to switch and say: ‘OK, this is the group of players we think are the best and this is the team now. We are going to go to the World Cup with them.’”

With these key players out of the squad, Wiegman has reinvented the side throughout the World Cup and has implemented a system where the team can fluidly switch between different styles and formations.

Humbly, Wiegman also attributes a successful change to a 3-5-2 formation to one of her assistant coaches, Arjan Veurink.

“During the first two matches of the tournament we were struggling a little bit and also had moments where we were a little bit vulnerable,” Wiegman explained to reporters.

“So after the second match Arjan [Veurink, her assistant] came to me and said: ‘Sarina, isn’t this the time to go to 3-5-2?’ I said: ‘You’re completely right. This is the moment, with the players available, we can get more from their strengths in this shape.’ So then we changed it.”

In the 3-5-2 formation, Wiegman has removed one of the forward players for a defender, which has allowed the Lionesses to have greater control in games and be less susceptible to counter-attacks. It has also given more freedom to some of England’s attackers, especially the dangerous Lauren Hemp who has been freed of some of her defensive responsibilities and consequently thrived in attack against Australia in the semifinal.

But not only did Wiegman have to deal with injuries ahead of the tournament, key midfielder Keira Walsh picked up a knee injury during the group stages and breakthrough star Lauren James was shown a red card in England’s round-of-16 win against Nigeria, meaning England not only had to play the rest of that match with 10 players but without James available for the quarterfinal and semifinal.

“We dig deep as a group and we believe in our ability and, first and foremost, we believe in what we’re getting told to do,” England winger Chloe Kelly told the BBC after the tense penalty shootout win against Nigeria.

Can England go back-to-back?

A belief in the manager has led to unwavering support in Wiegman’s decision making and ideologies.

“A top, world-class manager – she’s demonstrated that. To go back-to-back Euros, plus World Cup, shows her qualities,” said Hayes.

“I think [she’s] fulfilled the potential of a group that were hitting their peak and she’s come in and steered that ship to winning.”

Throughout her international managerial career, Wiegman has shown her ability to turn nearly-teams into winners. Hayes spoke of the winning machine that the 53-year-old has cultivated.

Before the World Cup, England had won 26 of the 32 games under Wiegman and had only lost once – a friendly against Australia in April. The Lionesses have since added six wins to that tally in Australia and New Zealand.

“They’ve become a bit of a machine. You know to think we’ve gone from a Euros to a World Cup final in the space of 12 months is just unbelievable,” Hayes said.

“We’re going to feel a little bit spoiled, but at the same time we’re going to be in the World Cup final on Sunday and it’s amazing for everyone.”

England’s success has led to Wiegman being recently linked to the vacant head coach role with the US Women’s team.

“I’m really enjoying my job and I have the impression that people still like me doing that job,” Wiegman clarified to reporters this week. “I have no plans to leave.”

No matter what happens in the World Cup final on Sunday, Wiegman has helped grow the women’s game in England immeasurably. But, for the team, winning on Sunday is all that matters.