Air travel between the Hermit Kingdom and the Middle Kingdom is possible once again.

Air Koryo flight JS151 from Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital, arrived at Beijing’s PEK airport on Tuesday at 9:17 a.m. local time, according to the Beijing Capital International Airport website.

This is the first known international commercial flight to leave North Korea since the country closed its borders in January 2020, after deciding to cut almost all contact with the outside world to prevent an influx of coronavirus cases.

The resumption of North Korean flag carrier Air Koryo’s regular flights between China and the DPRK was approved by Chinese authorities amid the changes in Chinese covid travel restrictions in January, according to a statement by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The one-hour flights travel between Pyongyang and the southeastern Russian city of Vladivostok, where North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for a summit in 2019.

The head coach of Spanish second division soccer team Sporting Gijón has apologized for remarks he made which likened talking to women in discos to scoring goals.

“In the end, a goal is like girls in the disco,” said Miguel Ángel Ramírez at one point during his post-match press conference following his side’s 3-0 win over Mirandés on Sunday.

“When you approach them, they move away. Then when you don’t pay them any attention, they tap you on the shoulder and say, ‘Hey.’

“Goals are the same: When you obsess over them, they get further away.

“When you’re focused on other things, in your work, what you need to do now, what comes next, then they appear – and it appeared.”

On Monday, Ramírez posted on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Last night, I wasn’t smart in the comparison I made to speak about our relationship with the goal. It has no relation with my way of understanding life and my values. I apologize for [my comments].”

Ramírez’s comments came on the same day that Spain won the Women’s World Cup for the first time, beating England 1-0 in Sunday’s final, and he began the press conference by congratulating the national team.

Prior to his apology, Ramírez had received criticism for his comments, including from the mayor of the city of Gijón.

“Conversations like this, really unfortunately, show the importance of continuing to work for a more egalitarian society,” Carmen Moriyón wrote on X.

The local assembly in Gijón for the Verdes Equo political party wrote: “These types of messages have no place in the construction of an egalitarian society.

“The Sporting coach should retract or otherwise be sanctioned by the club.”

Within the span of hours this weekend, Spain’s Women’s World Cup hero Olga Carmona experienced a career high and a deep loss, the latter of which was kept from her so she could focus on Sunday’s final.

Carmona, who scored Spain’s winning goal against England, learned of her father’s death after the game, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said in a statement.

“The RFEF deeply regrets to report the death of Olga Carmona’s father. The soccer player learned the sad news after the World Cup final. We send our most sincere hugs to Olga and her family in a moment of deep pain. We love you, Olga,” RFEF added.

In an emotionally charged post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Carmona likened her father to a star looking down on her while she played the final.

“And without being aware of it, I had my Star before kick off,” she wrote. “I know you gave me the strength to accomplish something truly unique. I know you were watching me tonight and that you are proud of me. Rest in peace, dad.”

Carmona posted another emotional tribute on X on Monday, the day after the World Cup final.

“I don’t have the words to thank all of your love,” the post read. “Yesterday was the best and worst day of my life.

“I know you’d want me to enjoy this historic moment – because of that I’ll be with my teammates, so that wherever you are, you’ll know that this star is also yours, Dad.”

Carmona’s club, Real Madrid, also issued a statement expressing its condolences.

“Real Madrid C.F., the president and the Board of Directors are deeply saddened by the passing of the father of our player Olga Carmona. Real Madrid would like to extend our condolences and heartfelt sympathy to Olga, her family and all her loved ones. May he rest in peace,” the statement read.

Carmona’s 29th-minute strike proved to be the winner, making La Roja only the second country, after Germany, to win both the men’s and women’s World Cups.

Following the goal, Carmona lifted her shirt in celebration. After the match, she explained the reason she did that was to honor the mother of her best friend who recently passed away.

Carmona’s goal delivered Spain the win against the odds. That La Roja triumphed against the reigning European champion and pre-match favorite despite the disputes and divisions that have clouded the national team throughout the tournament makes this achievement extraordinary.

Last year, 15 Spanish players declared themselves unavailable for selection, saying they were unhappy with the training methods of head coach Jorge Vilda, who had described the situation at the time as a “world embarrassment.”

Only three of those 15 players who had written letters to RFEF last year, saying the “situation” within the national team was affecting their “emotional state” and health, were selected for the World Cup squad.

The country is now the best in the world, but the international futures of those exiled players remain unclear. With victory, the questions surrounding the national set-up, of whether or how the dispute can be resolved, do not disappear.

If the off-pitch issues can be resolved, Spain’s future shines bright, because now, incredibly, the Iberian nation is a Women’s World Cup winner at Under-17, Under-20 and senior level.

Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) President Luis Rubiales has admitted he “made a mistake” by giving Spain star Jennifer Hermoso an unwanted kiss on the lips after the 33-year-old received her gold medal following the team’s Women’s World Cup final victory over England on Sunday.

Rubiales has faced widespread criticism for the incident, with politicians and journalists labeling his behavior “unacceptable” and “simply disgusting.”

“There’s an event, which I have to regret, which is everything that happened between the player and I, with a magnificent relationship between the two of us, the same as with the others,” the RFEF boss said in a video statement.

“And well, I surely made a mistake, I have to recognize that. In a moment of elation, without any intention of bad faith, well, what happened happened – I think in a very spontaneous way. I repeat, there was no bad faith between either of the two of us.

“Here, we didn’t understand it because we saw something natural, normal and in no way, I repeat, with bad faith. But outside of the bubble, it looks like it has turned into a storm and so, if there are people who have felt offended, I have to say I’m sorry.”

Rubiales was on stage for FIFA’s awards ceremony following the final, along with other dignitaries, including soccer’s world governing body president Gianni Infantino, Spain’s Queen Letizia and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Video shows Rubiales embracing Hermoso, then putting both hands on her head before kissing her. He then pats her on the back as she walks away.

“Hey, I didn’t like it, eh,” says Hermoso as she apparently answers questions about the incident in an Instagram live video – a clip of which was shared by Spanish journalist Irati Vida on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Later in the Instagram live video – taken in Spain’s locker room – Hermoso fields a question from another woman: “But what were you doing, sis?” The 33-year-old replies: “But what am I supposed to do?”

On the radio program ‘El Tiempo de Juego’ on Cadena COPE, Hermoso spoke of the kiss on Sunday, saying “she didn’t expect it” but that “it was because of the emotion of the moment, there’s nothing more there. It’s just going to be an anecdote [of the time]. I’m absolutely sure it won’t be blown up more.”

Asked by Radio Marca about the incident with Hermoso, Rubiales replied: “The kiss with Jenni? There are idiots all over. When two people have a moment of affection without any importance, we can’t listen to idiocy. We’re champions and I stay with that.”

In his apology, Rubiales acknowledged he should “be more careful” when representing the RFEF as president at ceremonies and other important events.

He also followed up on his “idiocy” remark, explaining he saw it that way because “within the bubble, no one gave it the slightest bit of importance, but well, outside they have, right?

“So I also want to say sorry to these people because I understand that, if outside it was seen in a different light, surely they have their reasons,” he added.

Rubiales finished by saying he was “hurt” that this incident has cast a shadow over the team’s victory, describing it as one of the country’s greatest sporting successes.

“I think that we have to give all of the merit to these women, to the team led by Jorge Vilda and we have to celebrate it to the skies as much as we can,” he said.

Mounting criticism

On Monday, Spanish political party SUMAR called for Rubiales’ resignation, while Spain’s Minister of Culture and Sport, Miquel Iceta, told RTVE that the kiss was “unacceptable.”

“I think it’s unacceptable to kiss a player on the lips to congratulate her. And as far as I’ve seen … I think it has to be said. We all deserve respect,” Iceta said. “I think, first of all, what he has to do is give an explanation and show his reasoning. I think that’s the logical and rational thing.”

After Spain’s victory on Sunday, Alberto Ortega, of the Spanish newspaper El Confidencial, posted on X that, “Rubiales taking the trophy from the players to give it to Queen Leticia and kissing Jennifer Hermoso on the mouth is simply disgusting.”

“A new demonstration of the need to suck the camera [be the center of attention] and be the protagonist when it is not his turn,” added Ortega.

Daily Mirror journalist Colin Millar, who writes about European soccer for the British newspaper, described Rubiales’ behavior as “not ok.”

“This the highlight of a footballer’s career and they are highly emotionally charged,” posted Millar on X.

Hermoso wasn’t the only Spanish player kissed by Rubiales in the post-match celebrations.

After other members of Spain’s squad received their medals, video shows Rubiales kissing them on the cheeks as well as holding some of them in his arms.

Another video clip shows Rubiales interrupting a group of Spanish players celebrating, before kissing Olga Carmona, who scored Spain’s winning goal in the 1-0 victory over England, on the cheek.

In footage posted by Spain star Salma Paralluelo in an Instagram Live, Rubiales is pictured entering the dressing room and telling the Spanish players that the RFEF will pay for a trip to Ibiza for them, and that is where he will marry Hermoso.

Areas along the South Texas coast are under tropical storm alerts for a system – currently a tropical depression – that could start lashing the area with wind, rain and coastal flooding as soon as Tuesday morning.

Tropical Depression 9 formed in the Gulf of Mexico late Monday afternoon, and is expected to strengthen into a tropical storm before its heavy rain and gusty winds spread into southern Texas and northern Mexico, the National Hurricane Center said.

The storm’s center is expected to move inland over south Texas by midday Tuesday, hurricane center said.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for portions of South Texas south of Port O’Connor and a tropical storm watch has been issued from Port O’Connor northward to Sargent. If it becomes a tropical storm, it could be named Harold, depending on whether another area in the Atlantic Ocean closer to Africa develops into a tropical storm first.

The tropical depression’s center had sustained winds of 35 mph as of late Monday afternoon, located about 375 miles east-southeast of Port Mansfield, Texas, and moving to the west through the Gulf of Mexico. Rough seas, beach erosion, heavy rain, gusty winds and tornadoes will be possible from early Tuesday through Tuesday night.

Conditions in the Gulf of Mexico are ripe for tropical development right now. Sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico are warmer than they’ve ever been on record, according to analysis of NOAA data by hurricane expert Michael Lowry.

The water temperatures in the upper 80s give any budding tropical system the ability to thrive. There is also very low wind shear right now in the Gulf. Wind shear is what tears apart tropical systems, so without it, the storm could further develop and better organize.

Storm brings flood threat and drought relief

The system will bring heavy rainfall to the Texas coast as well as inland locations, regardless of its final strength. This could help a worsening drought affecting more than 70% of the state, but at the risk of flash flooding.

The latest track has the system making landfall well south of Corpus Christi along the south/central Texas coast.

South Texas, including Corpus Christi, could generally see up to 5 inches of rain from Tuesday to Wednesday, with as many as 7 inches of rain for some isolated locations, according to the hurricane center, which is urging residents to be prepared for flash flooding.

In addition to heavy rainfall, the storm will provide relief from exceptional summer heat in South Texas.

In Mexico, generally 4 to 6 inches of rain are possible in the states of Nuevo Leon and Coahuila on Tuesday and Wednesday, with as many as 10 inches possible in isolated locations, the hurricane center said.

While this tropical system will bring some beneficial rain to parts of the drought-stricken state, some of the worst drought conditions – areas of extreme and exceptional drought in Central Texas – might miss out on the bulk of the rain.

Atlantic hurricane season exploding to life

This storm is the latest sign of the Atlantic hurricane season exploding into action. It’s almost as if a light switch was turned on in the Atlantic basin: three tropical systems formed in 24 hours Saturday into Sunday and now the Texas storm is expected to make it four.

This is only the third time on record three tropical systems have formed within 24 hours, according to Lowry.

While the Gulf system is the most imminent of the tropical threats, two other tropical storms are lined up in the Atlantic Basin.

Tropical Storm Franklin poses the biggest threat and is set to impact Hispaniola by mid-week. The storm’s center had sustained winds of 50 mph as of 5 p.m. ET Monday, located over the Caribbean about 290 miles south of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. It is expected to make a hard turn to the north by Tuesday morning and make landfall in Hispaniola Tuesday night.

Tropical storm warnings are in effect for the southern side of Hispaniola, while tropical storm watches cover the northern side. There are also tropical storm watches for Turks and Caicos.

Rainfall amounts of 5 to 10 inches, with isolated higher amounts up to 15 inches, will be possible across portions of Hispaniola.

“The heavy rainfall may produce areas of flash and urban flooding as well as river rises and mudslides,” warned the hurricane center. Across Hispaniola significant and potentially life-threatening flash flooding is possible Tuesday into Wednesday.

The two other systems in the Atlantic don’t pose a risk to the US or the Caribbean. Gert is expected to fizzle out within the next 24 hours and Emily, which is much further out in the Atlantic, has already fizzled out as well.

The frenetic run of tropical activity is expected to continue. The eight-week span from mid-August through mid-October is when ocean temperatures are nearing their highest levels in the Atlantic, wind shear lessens considerably and when nearly 90% of all hurricane activity in the Atlantic happens.

“Of course, it remains to be seen what will happen following this flurry of activity, but given the NHC’s tropical weather outlooks, model projections and large-scale conditions, I expect the Atlantic will be quite busy through at least early September,” said Phil Klotzbach, research scientist in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University.

US sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson won a scintillating women’s 100 meters in a championship record 10.65 seconds at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, on Monday.

Jamaican sprinters finished second and third as Richardson, in the less-than-desirable lane 9, made up a deficit to edge ahead in the final meters. Olympic bronze medalist Shericka Jackson earned the silver medal in 10.72 seconds, and two-time Olympic gold medalist and last year’s 100-meter champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce claimed the bronze in 10.77.

In 2021, Richardson had been expected to be one of the biggest draws at the Tokyo Olympic Games after winning the women’s 100 meters at the US trials, but did not compete after accepting a one-month ban for her positive test for cannabis. She later said her action was the result of mourning the death of her mother.

Richardson said running in the outside lane Monday evening was emblematic.

“I was by myself in my own world, which honestly has been like that all my life. I’ve always been in my own world, my own element, so being in lane 9 was perfect for me to do what it is I know to do and to focus in more on myself. And when I celebrated it was because I felt like I did my best no matter what the result was going to be. I felt like I did my best.”

This year’s World Championships is her first major global event since the Olympics. She is also entered in the 200 meters, which will be contested Wednesday through Friday. Richardson has posted the fourth-fastest 200 meters time this year.

Richardson is one of six women in the pool for the US 4×100-meter relay team.

Earlier this year, Richardson showed excellent form at the US championships, running the 100 meters in a then-world best time of 10.71. In July, Jackson, 29, moved to the top of the 2023 leaderboard with a 10.65 at the Jamaican nationals.

Richardson’s time Monday is a personal best and is .16 behind the world record Florence Griffith-Joyner set in 1988.

Hilary has triggered deadly flooding, heavy rains, and powerful gusts across parts of the southwest and Mexico, transforming streets into raging rivers and forcing some residents to flee, and leaving others in need of rescue, even after weakening to a post-tropical cyclone.

More rain is expected to fall throughout Monday and Tuesday as officials clean up the aftermath. After hitting Southern California on Sunday as a tropical storm – the state’s first since 1997.

Hilary headed into Nevada as its first-ever recorded tropical storm and was moving over central parts of the state early Monday, about 390 miles north of San Diego, packing sustained winds of 35 mph with higher gusts, the National Hurricane Center said. As Hilary moves across the southwest, the storm has brought power outages, life-threatening flooding, and calls for residents to evacuate or shelter in place.

Live updates: Hilary brings major flood risk to California

The storm broke rainfall records across Southern California: Palm Springs got nearly a year’s worth of rain with 4.3 inches in 24 hours, one of its rainiest days ever. Death Valley nearly set a record with 1.68 inches, and the Furnace Creek area, which usually gets about two-tenths of an inch in August, got 0.63 inches.

And the storm is the rainiest tropical storm system in Nevada’s history, nearly doubling the state’s 116-year-old all-time record, according to preliminary data from NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center. Hilary has released 8.7 inches of rain on Lee Canyon, Nevada, smashing the previous record of 4.36 inches in 1906.

More rain is expected to cause dangerous 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.

In Palm Springs, a section of Interstate 10 is shut down while road crews clear away mud left behind by floodwaters from Tropical Storm Hilary, but other routes in and out of the desert oasis near Joshua Tree National Park are open.

In addition, many freeway off-ramps are limited because of mud, and CalTrans crews are working to clear those in an effort to ease accessibility.

Emergency telephone service, which had been down since midmorning, has been restored, the police department said, but an outage continues to affect other areas of the Coachella Valley.

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

Here’s the latest:

• Flood watches are in effect for more than 16 million people from Southern California to northern Idaho. Places that normally don’t see flash flooding “will flood,” the National Weather Service said. “Lives and property are in great danger through Monday.”

• Strong and gusty winds are due to persist Monday across portions of the Western US, particularly in and near areas of higher terrain. Coastal tropical storm warnings have been discontinued.

• More than 48,000 customers are without power across California, PowerOutage.us reports. About 18,000 customers remain without power in Los Angeles, and 43 crews are working throughput the city to get their power back on, Marty Adams, general manager and chief engineer at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, said Monday. He said a total of about 41,000 customers were without power at one point, and the city has restored power to about 22,000 customers.

• People in parts of Southern California should not travel unless they are fleeing an area under flooding or under an evacuation order, the National Weather Service has warned.

• Flooding, mudslides and downed trees and wires are widely reported across Southern California. At least nine people were rescued Sunday in a San Diego riverbed, San Diego Fire-Rescue said, with water rescues also reported in Ventura County and Palm Springs.

• In Mexico, where the storm first landed, power has been restored to 80% of customers in the three states affected by Hilary, according to the national power company. “379,850 users have been affected, and electricity supply has been restored to 302,134, equivalent to 80%,” said the Federal Electricity Commission in a statement Monday.

To the west, Los Angeles and Ventura counties saw “considerable damage” Sunday night amid reports of dangerous 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.

Crowley urged residents to take precautions on the roads.

“A relatively small amount of water can sweep a vehicle away,” she said.

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.

In Los Angeles, the worst of the storm was over as of Monday morning, according to officials. All weather warnings in the city were canceled. “We are past the brunt of the impact,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Ariel Cohen.

First day of school is a wash for some students

Schools in San Diego and Los Angeles are set to reopen Tuesday after closing Monday in anticipation of the storm. Officials canceled classes for the more than 121,000 students in the San Diego Unified School District.

The Los Angeles Unified School District, the second-largest in the nation, also shut down Monday. The district spans about 700 square miles, meaning the impact of the storm varied for its students.

Schools in the Los Angeles district will reopen on Tuesday, according to superintendent Alberto Carvalho.

“Our teams have been scouring our schools, and so far, conditions are pretty good,” Carvalho said. A couple dozen schools have lost phone and internet service, and one school has been impacted by a minor mudslide.

“It would have been reckless for us to make a different decision,” Carvalho said of the decision to close schools Monday.

“Los Angeles was tested but we came through it and we came through it with minimal impacts, considering what we endured,” said Los Angeles City Council President Paul Krekorian.

The Nye County School District in Nevada also canceled classes Monday, with plans to reopen Tuesday.

Cars stranded in 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.

The Los Angeles Fire Department fielded more than 4,000 emergency calls on Sunday and responded to about 1,800 incidents, Chief Kristin Crowley said in a news conference on Monday. The calls included a request for help for five cars stranded in a flooded intersection of Sun Valley. One person was safely rescued and no one was injured in the Sun Valley incident, Crowley said.

Flood water has affected an underground power vault, leading to an outage for about 6,000 customers in the Beverly Grove area, with other outages reported in Hollywood, Hyde Park and Brentwood. The vast majority of city power customers remain unaffected by the storm, according to Los Angeles officials.

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.

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.

And Hilary is continuing to cause damage as it moves into Nevada. In Mt. Charleston, Nevada, the storm brought significant flooding on Monday morning, washing out the roadways. Residents are sheltering in place, the power is shut off, and the Nevada National Guard is on its way to assist, according to a Facebook post from Clark County.

West of Las Vegas, rushing water is flowing like a river down Echo Road, leaving vehicles stranded from Mary Jane Trailheads and Trail Canyon, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Emergency crews are evaluating and ask for people to stay out of the area, the service said.

Record rainfall in Southern California

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.

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.

In Cathedral City, a desert community roughly a 110-mile drive east of Los Angeles, at least a dozen people were being rescued Monday afternoon from a senior boarding care facility after mud trapped them inside, city spokesperson Ryan Hunt said.

All of the people being rescued are “doing OK,” Hunt said. No other information was immediately available.

Santa Clarita, about 30 miles north of Los Angeles, experienced steady rain for about 10 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

As the storm continues to affect the West, officials with Oregon’s emergency management are bracing for possible flooding across portions of the state.

“We have reports of minor flooding currently and communities using sandbags to mitigate the impacts, but there have been no requests for state support at this point,” Crabb went on.

According to Crabb, the office is working with county and tribal partners.

Portions of Oregon are under a flood watch through Tuesday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.

“The remnants of Hurricane Hilary will bring periods of moderate to heavy rain to portions of northeastern Oregon through Tuesday,” the weather service said in a forecast message.

Chef Michel Roux Jr. has announced that his two-Michelin star London restaurant Le Gavroche will be closing its doors permanently in January.

In a statement released last week, the English-French TV personality said that he’d decided to shut the fine-dining institution, opened by his father Albert Roux and uncle Michel Roux Sr. 56 years ago, to spend more time with his family.

“I know this will come as a shock to many of you, so please know this decision has not been made lightly,” wrote Roux Jr., who has appeared in TV shows such as “Michel Roux’s French Country Cooking,” and Gordon Ramsay’s “Hell’s Kitchen,” explaining that he wanted to “make time for a better work/life balance.”

“Le Gavroche means so much, not just to myself and the Roux family, but to the wider Gavroche team and you, our guests, who have become our family over so many years.”

He went on to explain that the end of the current lease on the establishment, located in Mayfair, had provided him with “the opportunity to assess and consider the future,” and he felt that now was the right time “to turn the page and move forward.”

End of an era

Roux Jr., who has been running the iconic restaurant since 1991, said that Le Gavroche would be closing on a high, and continues to be fully booked each week.

“I especially look forward to welcoming as many of you as possible over the next few months,” he added. “Let’s go out with a bang.”

Admitting that he had mixed emotions about the decision, Roux Jr. stressed that the restaurant would “live on” in the form of pop-up and over events.

Famed for signature dishes such as the Soufflé Suissesse, Le Gavroche, offers tasting menus, along with an extensive a la carte menu.

Named after a character in Victor Hugo’s novel “Les Miserables,” it opened in Sloane Square back in 1968 and soon became the first UK restaurant to be awarded with a Michelin star, and the first to win a second.

In 1982, after moving to London’s Upper Brook Street in Mayfair, it became the first to be awarded three Michelin stars, which it held until 1993.

According to the restaurant’s official website, many up and coming chefs including Ramsay, Marco Pierre White and Marcus Wareing, have “earned their stripes” at Le Gavroche in the more than five decades since it first launched.

“Le Gavroche has changed the face of the UK and London restaurant scene and its legacy is unmatched,” added Roux Jr.

Amateur sleuths with a taste for the supernatural will be glued to their screens next weekend in a bid to try and discover the truth behind Scotland’s biggest mystery.

“Monster hunters” from as far away as Japan and New Zealand will be tuning in to livestreams of Scotland’s Loch Ness in the hope of settling a longstanding debate as to whether or not the famed monster, affectionately named Nessie, actually exists.

The legend of the Loch Ness Monster dates back to ancient times, though the story really gathered momentum after 1933 when sightings of a “dragon or prehistoric monster” were reported in the Scottish press.

The news spurred a host of investigations, much of which has since been discredited as a hoax.

Volunteers, who can still sign up to participate online, will have to keep their eyes peeled as they focus on footage taken from four webcams at strategic points around the lake.

“The volunteers are going to be watching the water,” said Nixon. “If they spot something, hopefully they will film it and then submit it to our online portal.”

Loch Ness is one of the largest bodies of water in the British Isles, at 22 miles in length and more than 750 feet deep.

The center, which reopened earlier this year following a $1.9 million refurbishment project, sits on the site of the old Drumnadrochit Hotel, where 90 years ago its then manageress Aldie Mackay reported seeing a “water beast.”

Now the interactive attraction has joined forces with Loch Ness Exploration (LNE), an independent and voluntary research team, to scour the waters like never before in the hope of uncovering some answers.

Each morning volunteers will be briefed by Alan McKenna, LNE’s founder, on what to look out for, including signs of “red herrings” and other marine movements that can be disregarded.

Organizers say it is the biggest “surface watch” since the Loch Ness Investigation Bureau (LNIB) studied the Loch in 1972, when volunteers were also on the lookout for the mythical beast – but without the hi tech equipment.

Dubbed “the quest,” the event will involve surveying equipment that has never previously been used there, such as thermal drones to produce images from the air using infrared cameras and a hydrophone to detect acoustic signals under water.

Nixon said: “What’s different about our search this time is that obviously our volunteers will be armed with mobile phones and will be able to capture any movement more accurately and more regularly.”

McKenna said in a press release: “Since starting LNE, it’s always been our goal to record, study and analyze all manner of natural behavior and phenomena that may be more challenging to explain.”

Appealing to budding monster hunters to sign up, he added: “It’s our hope to inspire a new generation of Loch Ness enthusiasts and by joining this large scale surface watch, you’ll have a real opportunity to personally contribute towards this fascinating mystery that has captivated so many people from around the world.”

Nixon said that once the weekend is over, the sightings will be collated and analyzed and the findings made public.

He said: “I think there’s a very strong possibility that something will be spotted this weekend but then, of course, it raises the question as to what it will be.

“We will certainly have enough eyes on the water – we just need some good spotting conditions,” he added.

Chelsea suffered a 3-1 loss to West Ham on Sunday as its new-look team continues to adapt to the start of the Premier League season.

Blues manager Mauricio Pochettino has supervised an overhaul of the squad since taking charge this year, but after two games, he is still searching for the first league win of his tenure.

Eight new players – for a fee of $414 million, according to Reuters – have been signed by the club since Pochettino’s arrival, with American owner Todd Boehly continuing to invest heavily.

However, despite splashing the cash, creating an identity in soccer takes time and Pochettino urged fans to stick with the team.

“Disappointed, but this is only the beginning. We need to believe in the process. I think we are going to be stronger and, for sure, be really competitive,” he told Sky Sports after the game.

Chelsea’s day got off to a bad start after West Ham took the early lead courtesy of Nayef Aguerd’s header, a goal which sent the London Stadium into a frenzy after just seven minutes.

Teenager Carney Chukwuemeka then equalized for Chelsea in the 28th minute with a fine goal, but the visitors trailed again after Hammers forward Michail Antonio fired his side ahead with a powerful strike after the break.

West Ham then found itself a man down after Aguerd was sent off for a second bookable offense after 67 minutes.

Despite the one-man advantage, Chelsea couldn’t find the equalizer. Star midfielder Enzo Fernández had the best chance but saw his poor penalty attempt saved by Alphonse Areola.

A debut to forget

One of Chelsea’s recent marquee signings, Moisés Caicedo, was given his debut for the club after coming on as a second-half substitute.

The midfielder signed for the London club for $146 million – a record-breaking transfer for a British club – but he will hope for better performances in the future.

With Chelsea struggling to find another goal, Caicedo’s clumsy challenge gave away a penalty which Lucas Paquetá scored in added time to wrap up the win.

“That’s football. Teams like us, we need to get the right balance. I think today there were a few actions we didn’t manage well and we concede,” Pochettino added.

“Overall, it is this type of game that is difficult to explain. You had the possession, you create and maybe you were the better side, but in the end, you lose.”

Chelsea heads home to face newly-promoted Luton Town in its next league match at Stamford Bridge on Friday.

Pochettino will hope it’s the perfect fixture to jump-start his tenure at the club, which is in desperate need of some stability.