When 19-year-old Zhang Chao decided to take a gap year at university, the digital media major planned to use the short break to work and travel before going back to school.

But after spending a summer volunteering at a surf shop in Sanya, in China’s Hainan province, everything changed.

“I really liked surfing and I never went back to school,” recalls Zhang.

That was nine years ago. Today, he is the proud founder of three Chinese surf brands – Shaka Surf Club, Goofydog Surf Shop and Tempo Restaurant and Bar.

In recent years, more and more Chinese have been embracing surfing like Zhang.

“Surfing has been a rising trend in China over the last two years. It’s partly because of the efforts surfers and surf clubs like us have been putting into the scene for the last decade. But it’s also because of the pandemic,” says the surfer.

“As outdoor activities are preferred (amid Covid restrictions), many people head to the beach and start surfing… People are also becoming less work-oriented and are looking for an alternative way of life they enjoy.”

Chinese photographer and yoga practitioner Tina Tang agrees.

“Surfing gives you a sense of freedom because we are always looking at our smartphones and always sitting in the office so our mind is always occupied. So you just bring your surfboard and go to the ocean and you can forget about anything,” says Tang.

China’s surf scene swells

According to state media, Chinese cities with thriving surf scenes have seen tourist spending increases in the first half of 2022.

Wanning in Hainan province, for example, recorded 46.46% more tourism sales in that period. Guangdong’s Huizhou tourism industry saw an increase of 190%.

The increased popularity of China’s surfing scene has contributed to that growth, according to the report.

“Not every city is blessed with conditions needed for surfing. But with those favorable wave conditions, surfing helps diversify a city’s tourism industry and enrich its lifestyle. The surf community is more than just surfing,” says Zhang, who hosts exhibitions and beachside parties at his own surf club and restaurant.

He says his venues also attract many who don’t surf, but come for the calming views and seaside atmosphere.

“Surfing is about freedom and happiness – and that is what younger generations nowadays are looking for as well. That’s why surfing has become a more and more popular activity for these younger generations,” says Zhang.

Here are some of the beaches around China Zhang recommends for different types of surfers.

Riyue Bay, Hainan

Some 80 kilometers from the tourist hotspot of Sanya, Riyue Bay (which literally means Sun and Moon Bay) in Wanning City is a top destination for local and international surfers.

With warm temperatures year-round and consistent waves, Riyue Bay is home to some of the country’s biggest surf competitions as well as China’s national surfing team’s training center.

“Riyue Bay is a great central hub for surfers. While there are surf clubs and hostels in the area, more experienced surfers could also easily access some nearby beaches for more challenging wave conditions,” says Zhang.

Shuanyue Bay, Huizhou

Two of the most developed provinces in China for surfing are Hainan and Guangdong.

While many in Guangdong may head to Xichong Beach in Shenzhen for its convenience, those up for a day trip away from the city should head to Huizhou’s Shuangyue Bay.

“People always come here for nice seafood or marine culture, also surfing now – it’s pretty new,” says photographer and surfer Tang.

The crescent-shaped bay, which stretches over eight kilometers long, is lined with beaches and hotels.

Apart from surfing, there are plenty of other water sports offerings along the beach.

Zhang recommends heading towards the western end of the bay – Shizidao (Lion Rock) – for better waves.

Nanyan Bay, Hainan

One of Zhang’s favorite beaches for longboard surfing is Nanyan Bay, about a 30-minute drive north of Riyue Bay.

“From the shore to where you could start surfing, you’d need to paddle for around 20 minutes. That’s why it’s less popular than other beaches. But if you’re willing to make an extra effort, the beach has great wave energy,” says Zhang.

Zhang says that Hainan, in general, has many world-class surf spots.

The surf season peaks from November to March with a good swell every three to four days.

In the summer, Hainan is also prone to typhoons – which may be another opportunity to surf bigger waves for Zhang and other experienced surfers who will catch the bigger waves that roll in before the storm hits.

Liu’ao, Fujian

“Because of its name, local surfers call Liu’ao the L.A. of China,” says Zhang. “It really is an amazing spot to surf.”

A small peninsula in Fujian province, Liu’ao is a quaint fishing town with a population of less than 30,000.

“In addition to some good quality waves, Liu’ao Beach is surrounded by nature. It is less touched by humans and it is nice to take a stroll along the beach and the hill nearby,” says Zhang.

There is also an old city wall in town that was built in 1388 and can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty.

Shilaoren Beach, Qingdao

Located in eastern Shandong province, Qingdao is famous for its Tsingdao Beer and German-style architecture.

“We often say that it’s the only surf place in China you can access by subway. I haven’t tried but I’d like to carry my surfboard on the subway, get off and arrive at the beach,” says Zhang.

“It’s also one of the coldest beaches to surf in China. You could still be frozen even if you wear a hat and gloves to surf.”

Most surfers in this port city head to Shilaoren Beach, three-kilometer stretch of sand near some of the most valuable pieces of land in the central business district.

While you can surf all year long in Qingdao, the winter can get cold as temperatures often fall below freezing. This is why most people – with the exception of the hardcore – surf from May to October.

Five years after banning solo adventurers from climbing Mount Everest, Nepal’s government has extended the restriction to the whole country.

Nepal is home to eight of the world’s tallest mountains, but it is also known for its beautiful rural trekking regions. From now on, travelers who hope to trek in remote regions must hire a government-licensed guide or join a group.

While the trekking industry is one of the country’s biggest moneymakers, the cost of search and rescue missions for solo hikers who get lost is significant.

Lamicchane adds: “When tourists go missing or they are found dead, even the government cannot track them because they have taken remote routes.”

In addition to the challenges caused when hikers go missing in rural areas, Lamichhane says that unlicensed tour guides and companies are also an issue. These companies who do not register with the government do not pay taxes and, the tourism director alleges, take jobs away from Nepalis.

“There have been some cases where the trekking association has been requesting us to stop these unauthorized trekking operations. This has been a demand from tourism associations for a long time,” he says.

Those in the climbing and trekking community have mixed opinions on the new ruling.

Ian Taylor, owner of a well-regarded guiding company with a long history in Nepal, says that the move makes sense as more and more people attempt difficult climbs in Nepal.

“You used to see only experienced hikers and climbers in the region, many of them traveling without guides, and they were completely self-sufficient.”

“However, now, there are far greater numbers of people traveling in the region and more of them are tourists, not trekkers. They are not self-sufficient in the outdoors and therefore need the assistance of experienced guides.”

Taylor adds that the Nepali government doesn’t have the capacity to vet every single visa applicant separately, hence the decision to enact a blanket ban.

“As a person who loves the mountains and visiting the mountain regions of the world, it is extremely disappointing that it has come to this,” Taylor continues.

“Never do we want to see people’s access to the mountains restricted. However, the situation in Nepal is very unique, and changes do need to be made.”

North Korea launched two missiles from a submarine in waters off its east coast over the weekend, according to state media, and vowed to take “the toughest counteraction” against the largest joint military drills by the United States and South Korea in years that kick off Monday.

The launches Sunday came some 24 hours before Washington and Seoul initiated their springtime joint military exercise on Monday, the biggest war games the two allies have put on in five years.

The 11-day Freedom Shield exercise “will integrate elements of ‘live exercises’ with constructive simulations,” US Forces Korea (USFK) said in an earlier statement.

North Korea reiterated that it will take “the toughest counteraction against the most vicious plots of the US and its followers,” KCNA reported Monday.

Pyongyang has issued multiple warnings against the scheduled drill, noting that it is watching “every movement of the enemy and take corresponding and very powerful and overwhelming counteraction against its every move hostile to us,” Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said last month.

Tit for tat drills

North Korean missile launches and fiery rhetoric tends to spike when Washington and Seoul hold joint military drills.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said earlier Sunday that North Korea fired at least one unidentified missile from a submarine near the port city of Sinpo in the South Hamgyong province.

KCNA claimed the missiles flew for over an hour, traveling roughly 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) per hour and performing figure-of-eight shaped patterns before “precisely” hitting a target.

The Central Military Commission of the Workers’ Party of Korea “expressed satisfaction” after the drill, KCNA reported.

The US and South Korean intelligence authorities are analyzing the incident, JCS said.

The launch took place three days after North Korea on Thursday fired at least six short-range missiles into the Yellow Sea.

State media reported last week that Kim Jong Un said the artillery units should be prepared for two missions, “first to deter war and second to take the initiative in war, by steadily intensifying various simulated drills for real war.”

Pyongyang is conducting its winter training and intelligence authorities in the US and South Korea are monitoring it, South Korea’s Defense Ministry spokesman said Thursday.

‘Likely only the beginning’

US and South Korean air forces have also been conducting their own regular air exercises.

Last week, a US B-52 bomber was escorted by South Korean fighter jets as it flew into the South’s air defense identification zone, USFK said Monday.

The US-South Korea exercises are expected to be the largest the two allies have put on in years, since they scaled back such military displays in 2017 when then-US President Donald Trump tried to offer an opening for North Korea to negotiate an end to its long-range missile and nuclear weapons programs.

That opening has long since closed, with North Korea last year conducting a record number of missile tests while pledging to develop its nuclear program to arm the missiles.

The North’s missile testing has slowed in 2023, but tensions on the Korean Peninsula remain high.

Analysts see little reason to think things will cool down.

“This is likely only the beginning of a series of provocative tests by North Korea,” Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, said of Thursday’s missile firings.

“Pyongyang is poised to respond aggressively to major US-South Korea defense exercises, as well as to President Yoon’s upcoming summits with (Japanese) Prime Minister (Fumio) Kishida and (US) President (Joe) Biden.”

“The Kim regime may order missile firings of longer ranges, attempt a spy satellite launch, demonstrate a solid-fuel engine, and perhaps even conduct a nuclear test,” Easley said.

Seven people were killed during a mass shooting on Thursday at a Jehovah’s Witnesses Kingdom Hall in the German city of Hamburg in what the country’s leader denounced a “brutal act of violence.”

The city’s police said in their latest statement: ”Eight people are dead – including the alleged perpetrator.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses in Germany said in a statement: “The religious community is deeply saddened by the horrific attack on its members at the Kingdom Hall in Hamburg after a religious service.”

The slayings in the northern German city occurred around 9 p.m. local time (3 p.m. ET), with police initially unsure how many shooters might be involved.

But later updates from the city’s police force suggested there was just one attacker, who is believed to have died at the scene.

“At present, we believe there is one perpetrator,” Hamburg police said in their latest update on their Twitter account, hours after armed officers scoured the scene for evidence and suspects.

“All police measures in the vicinity are being successively discontinued. The investigation into the circumstances of the crime continues.”

Chancellor Scholz led politicians in denouncing the murder spree in the northern German city.

“Several members of a Jehovah community fell victim to a brutal act of violence last night. My thoughts are with them and their loved ones,” he wrote on Twitter.

A police spokesperson earlier said that authorities were investigating whether the shooter was among the several people found dead at the scene.

After being called to the building, police saw dead and injured people on the bottom floor where an event was taking place, Hamburg police spokesman Holger Vehren told NTV.

Officers also heard a shot on the top floor of the building when they first entered it and found a dead person upstairs.

Footage from the scene on Thursday night showed numerous armed police officers inside and around the Kingdom Hall while a helicopter flew overhead. A bomb disposal team was deployed at one point.

The streets around the place of worship were cordoned off, and police earlier warned of “extreme danger” in the area, the spokesperson added. Local residents were urged to stay indoors.

Nearby residents were urged to stay indoors.

There is “no confirmed information on the motive for the crime,” police said on Twitter as they urged people not to share any unconfirmed assumptions.

Messages of support also came in from Hamburg’s religious communities.

“The news of this bloody crime in Hamburg-Alsterdorf is shocking and leaves me speechless… My deepest sympathy goes to the relatives of the victims,” Father Sascha-Philipp Geissler, a senior member of Hamburg’s Catholic diocese, said in a statement.

Shootings in Germany are not unheard of, though rarer than in the United States

In January 2022, at least one person was killed after a man opened fire on students in a lecture hall at Heidelberg University in southwestern Germany.

In 2020, a mass shooting at two shisha bars in Hanau killed several people.

The conclusion of the men’s college basketball season is upon us and that can only mean one thing: it is time for the ‘Big Dance.’

March Madness has arrived and will pit the best of the best and some overachieving “Cinderellas” duking it out for an opportunity to be crowned the NCAA men’s Division I college basketball champion.

Having originally began in 1939 – with the women’s edition only added in 1982 – it has become a fixture of every sport fan’s calendar and is one not to be missed.

Not only has it become synonymous with shock results and upsets, March Madness has been the springboard for many successful NBA careers, including the Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry and Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis.

Here’s all you need to know about the crescendo to the men’s college basketball season.

Format

The process of whittling down 68 teams in Division I has pitfalls for teams around every corner.

The 32 automatic qualifying spots are filled by the teams which win each of the 32 conferences that make up Division I, while the other 36 will be selected to “at-large” berths by the NCAA Selection Committee.

The Selection Committee will reveal the “at-large” teams as part of the entire 68-team field on Selection Sunday, March 12.

The opening round of March Madness is called the “First Four” which sees eight teams – the four-lowest seeded automatic qualifiers and the four lowest-seeded at-large teams – playing in four games to decide the final spots of the bracket. The “at-large” teams face one another while the automatic qualifiers take on each other.

Once the 64 teams have been cemented, the first and second rounds of March Madness take place between March 16-19 across various venues in the US.

The next round of the tournament is the regional semifinals – colloquially called the “Sweet 16” – which sees the 16 remaining teams compete for a spot in the “Elite Eight” – the regional final round.

The four teams which make it to the “Final Four” will be the winners of their respective regional bracket.

This year’s “Final Four” round will take place on April 1 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.

The two winners will advance to the NCAA championship game to be played at the same location on April 3, with the victor being crowned national champions.

Traditions

Since it was organized over 80 years ago, March Madness has become famous for some unique traditions.

Before the action gets underway, it is customary for fans and even non-hoops fans to fill out a single elimination tournament bracket – a process by which spectators try to predict the outcomes of every game, including the eventual winner.

The process has been something people from all walks of life have tried their hand at, from former US Presidents Barack Obama and George H.W. Bush to Jimmy Fallon.

You will also likely see coaches and players from the last team standing cutting down the nets on the court.

The act of cutting down the nets off a basket – thought to have originated in Indiana high school basketball in 1947 – has become synonymous with celebration, in particular of a championship victory.

There could be other points throughout the tournament where teams deem it worthy to cut down the nets, whether it be in the Final Four or the Sweet 16, but you will almost definitely see members from the 2023 national champions cutting the nets down at NRG Stadium and keeping threads as a souvenirs.

March Madness is also well-known for its propensity for shocking upsets.

The elimination element of the tournament lends it to unexpected results when higher seeds topple lower seeds. The unsung teams who topple notable programs are nicknamed “Cinderellas.” Over the years, there have been plenty to delight neutrals or to break the hearts of bracket fanatics.

Last year’s dream run came from unheralded Saint Peter’s. With an enrollment of 2,637 students, the university, located in Jersey City, New Jersey, caught the attention of all when it became the first No. 15 seed to reach the Elite Eight in NCAA tournament history, upsetting the No. 3 seed Purdue Boilermakers and No. 2 seed Kentucky the way.

From No. 16 seed UMBC Retrievers beating No. 1 seed Virginia Cavaliers in 2018 – becoming the first and only No. 16 seed to defeat a first seed – to Lehigh defeating college basketball powerhouse Duke – at the time, just the sixth win for a No. 15 seed over a No. 2 – upsets are part of the fabric of the annual madness.

Whether it is hoping for upsets, anticipating the drama, filling out brackets, or watching potential future NBA stars, March Madness has something for us all.

Time and time again, Steph Curry has proved his quality, carving out a place among the sport’s greats.

And he did so again on Saturday, scoring 22 points in the fourth quarter and overtime to seal a 125-116 win for the Golden State Warriors over the Milwaukee Bucks.

“Steph is fearless,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters afterward. “It doesn’t matter if there is a slow start or if he hasn’t had much going, he can ignite at any time.”

With 1:51 remaining in the fourth and Golden State trailing by eight, Curry made a 24-foot three pointer, followed by another three 40 seconds later to make it a two-point game.

He tied the game shortly afterwards, but the Bucks retook the lead through Jrue Holiday’s own three pointer.

Still, Curry wasn’t quite finished.

After draining yet another three pointer to tie the game again with 19 seconds left, he blocked a seemingly certain lay up to send the game into overtime.

“When you (make) a couple of big shots down the stretch and then find yourself in a position to make a play on the other side, I think that gives everybody a good boost,” Curry told reporters after the game.

“I think I got more compliments on that in the locker room than any shot I made tonight.”

Then in overtime, Golden State pulled away and secured a crucial victory to snap its three game losing streak.

The Warriors had amassed a 13-point lead midway through the third before the Bucks rallied to take the lead early in the fourth.

“Championship stuff,” Kerr replied, when asked about the end of the game.

“That is the team that won four titles. They know how to do it. They got it done tonight against probably the best team in the league.”

Curry ended the game with 36 points while Klay Thompson contributed 22 points and Donte DiVincenzo added 20 points and 10 rebounds.

March is upon us and the best of the best in women’s college basketball are set to go head-to-head to decide who takes home the prestigious NCAA Division I title – let the madness commence.

Since the addition of the women’s tournament in 1982, it has become an important part of the sporting calendar and already has a rich history of iconic moments.

None more so than when Arike Ogunbowale drained late shots from deep in consecutive “Final Four” games to guide the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to the 2018 title – arguably the most clutch moment in college basketball history.

Fans will be hoping for similar levels of drama in the 2023 edition of the tournament as they fill out their brackets for the upcoming ‘Big Dance.’

What happened last year

South Carolina was victorious in 2022 after defeating Connecticut 64-49 in the national championship game. Led in the final by Destanni Henderson’s 26 points and Aliyah Boston’s double-double, the Gamecocks were a dominant force throughout the tournament to seal the victory.

With Boston – who likely will be the top pick in the upcoming WNBA draft – leading the undefeated Gamecocks again this year, South Carolina will be looking to retain the title.

The Gamecocks also have the advantage of being coached by Dawn Staley. The 52-year-old was named Naismith women’s college coach of the year in 2022 and is now seen by many as the best coach in women’s college basketball.

As ever, March Madness would not be complete without a “Cinderella” upsetting the odds along the way.

Last time around it was the Creighton Bluejays’ turn to shock the world. The No. 10 seed beat the No. 2 seed Iowa in the second-round and then the third-seeded Iowa State in the Sweet 16 stage.

Their run came to an end during the Elite Eight but the Bluejays had already made history by reaching this stage as a double-digit seed – just the fourth team to ever do so.

The 2023 format

For the second year in a row, 68 teams will be taking part in the tournament – adopting the format the men’s competition has used since 2011.

Thirty-two of these teams will automatically enter as winners of their respective Division I conference.

The next 36 will be selected as at-large entrants by the NCAA. The Selection Committee will reveal the at-large teams as part of the entire field on Selection Sunday.

The opening round of March Madness is known as the First Four. This round is made up of play-in games with the four-lowest seeded automatic qualifiers and the four-lowest seeded at-large teams. Winners of those games will then determine the round of 64.

The top 16 teams will host the first and second-round games from March 15-19 – a slight difference to the men’s tournament – as all of the men’s games are played at neutral sites.

After this, the regional semifinals – called the Sweet 16 – and the regional finals – the Elite Eight – will decide who makes it into the Final Four.

This year, the regional rounds will be hosted at two arenas, a change from last year, with the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in South Carolina and the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle hosting games between March 24-27.

The regional winners advance to the Final Four – taking place on March 31 at the American Airlines Arena in Dallas.

The NCAA championship game will be held at the same arena two days later.

Players to look out for

With March Madness proving an audition for the professional leagues, there are always stars who impress during the tournament before going on to have successful WNBA careers.

Here are three key players looking to make their mark during the big dance:

Aliyah Boston, South Carolina

The 6-foot-5-inch forward helped lead the Gamecocks to the 2022 title and South Carolina will be among the frontrunners to go back-to-back.

Last year Boston became the first player to win both Naismith women’s defensive player of the year and Naismith women’s player of the year awards, the title given to the best women’s basketball player at college, and she is set to have a huge impact on this year’s tournament at both ends of the floor.

Not only did the 21-year-old take home the NCAA championship last year, but Boston also won the 2022 Most Outstanding Player award in recognition of the senior’s efforts in the Final Four.

Caitlin Clark, Iowa

Clark has been lights out for Iowa in the Big Ten Conference.

The junior’s season was perfectly encapsulated in the Big Ten Championship final where in just 33 minutes, the 21-year-old stuffed the stat sheet. Clark dropped 30 points, 17 assists and 10 boards on the way to the Hawkeyes’ 105-72 demolition of the Iowa State Buckeyes – becoming the first player in Big Ten tournament championship history to record a triple-double.

The Iowa native will be hoping to take the Hawkeyes all the way in March Madness – possibly leading to a major individual accolade as a result; she was a finalist for the Naismith women’s player of the year award in 2022.

Cameron Brink, Stanford

There’s a block party whenever Brink is in town.

The 21-year-old is a defensive phenom for the Cardinals and will be a tough matchup for anyone thanks to her towering presence in the paint. Despite Stanford falling to the UCLA Bruins in the final of the Pac-12 tournament, the junior managed to record a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds on the big occasion.

Brink’s impressive footwork and touch in the paint means she is also a big threat on offense.

The Alabama Crimson Tide, Houston Cougars, Kansas Jayhawks and Purdue Boilermakers were named as the No. 1 seeds in the men’s NCAA tournament on Sunday.

Alabama enters the NCAA tournament after a tumultuous season off the court. The Crimson Tide earned the top seed for the first time in school history. They will play the winner of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and SE Missouri State in the first round.

The Kansas Jayhawks return as one of the top seeds after capturing the fourth national championship in school history last season.

Kansas was ousted in the Big 12 championship game, as they played without head coach Bill Self, who missed the tournament due to a medical issue earlier this week. Self is expected to return to the team this week after being discharged from the hospital on Sunday.

The defending national champions are seeking to become the first back-to-back March Madness champions since the Florida Gators in 2006 and 2007. Kansas will play Howard in the first round.

Meanwhile, despite losing in the AAC championship game to Memphis, the Houston Cougars earned a top seed after finishing the season with a 31-3 record. They’ll enter March Madness hoping to get back AAC player of the year Marcus Sasser, who missed the championship game with a strained groin.

Houston will play Northern Kentucky in the first round.

Purdue edged past Penn State in the Big Ten tournament to win its first conference tournament title since 2009 – its second in school history – and earn a top seed into March Madness.

The Purdue Boilermakers will play the winner of Texas Southern and Fairleigh Dickinson in the first round.

The NCAA tournament is scheduled to tip off on March 14 and run through April 3.

The women’s field is set to be announced at 8 p.m. ET and is likely to feature the undefeated, reigning champion South Carolina Gamecocks as the top seed.

The Selection Committee announced the 68-team men’s field on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET, a combination of the 32 teams that won each of the 32 Division I conferences and the 36 teams selected to “at-large” berths.

The opening round of the tournament, known as the “First Four,” takes place this week and sees eight low-rated teams battling it out to decide the final spots of the bracket. Once the 64 teams have been cemented, the first and second rounds of March Madness take place March 16-19 for the men and March 17-20 for the women.

From there, the winner of each game moves on and the loser heads home: “Survive and advance,” as the mantra goes.

The men’s “Final Four” round will take place on April 1 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, and the women’s “Final Four” will take place March 31 at American Airlines Center in Dallas.

Women in Berlin can now swim topless in the city’s public pools if they choose to – just as men can.

As well as being hailed as a step forward for gender equality in the German capital, the measure introduced this week is symptomatic of Germany’s love of Freikoerperkultur – literally translated as ‘free body culture’ – which has its roots in the late 19th century.

Berlin’s authorities took action after a female swimmer said she was prevented from attending one of the city’s pools without covering her chest in December 2022. The woman lodged a complaint with the city’s ombudsman’s office at the Senate Department for Justice, Diversity and Anti-Discrimination.

Authorities agreed that the woman had been a victim of discrimination and this week said that all visitors to Berlin’s pools, including women and those who identify as non-binary, are permitted to go topless.

It follows a similar incident at a Berlin water park in the summer of 2021. French woman Gabrielle Lebreton sought financial compensation from the city after security guards ordered her to leave the premise when she refused to cover up her breasts.

She was with her five-year-old son when the incident happened. Speaking to German newspaper Die Zeit at the time about why she believed it was gender discrimination, she said: “For me — and I teach this to my son — no, there is no such difference. For both men and women, the breast is a secondary sexual characteristic but men have the freedom to remove their clothes when it is hot and women do not.”

Berlin’s state government confirmed the move in a press release Thursday. “As a result of a successful discrimination complaint, the Berlin bathing establishments will in future apply their house and bathing regulations in a gender-equitable manner,” the statement reads.

The head of the ombudsman’s office, Dr. Doris Liebscher, hailed the move as a step forward for gender equality in the city.

“The ombudsman very much welcomes the decision of the bathing establishments because it creates equal rights for all Berliners, whether male, female or non-binary and because it also creates legal certainty for the staff in the bathing establishments,” she said.

Berlin resident Ida – who asked not to give her surname – welcomed the loosening of restrictions while questioning what it would really do for gender equality.

“Women, if comfortable with their own bodies and sometimes gawking strangers, won’t have a problem displaying their torsos in any case. It is great that there are no penalties for an accidental nip-slip so all in all, this is a beautiful thing.”

Ida also remained skeptical at how widely women would make use of the new rule. “I was once at a swimming pool in the Pankow district and remembering the audience, I would not go topless there. Germans, as a rule, are very neutral in that regard and won’t mind, but whether that translates well, we have to wait and see.”

The move is not unprecedented for Germany, with Goettingen in central Germany becoming the first city in the country to allow women to swim topless in public pools last summer.

City authorities made the decision following a gender identity row which saw a swimmer asked to cover up at a local pool. The swimmer refused on the grounds that he identified as male, and was subsequently banned from the premise, according to a report by Germany’s public broadcaster Deutsche Welle.

‘Another way of being’

As well as gender equality, the move also speaks to Germany’s love of Freikoerperkultur or FKK – which has its origins in the German Empire.

Rather than sexualizing the naked human body, the movement places emphasis on the health benefits of communal open-air nudity while exercising or being in nature.

Keon West, a professor of social psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London, has investigated attitudes towards nudity in various countries in Europe as well as further afield.

“The major contrast in attitudes towards nudity in Germany compared with the UK and America is that naked people in Germany are not kept separate from others.

“Instead, nudity is simply accepted as another way of being.”

He explained that this is because, in Germany, people who are “nude in public spaces are not automatically seen as dangerous or deviant.”

“They tend to let people do it and be very comfortable with it.”

Germany’s passion for nudity finds its origins in late-19th-century health drives. The country’s first FKK organization was established in 1898 and the concept quickly spread around the country, according to Deutsche Welle.

In 1920, Germany established its first nude beach on the island of Sylt. Barely a decade later, the Berlin School of Nudism, founded to encourage mixed sex open-air exercises, hosted the first international nudity congress.

The nudist movement was initially banned by the Nazis in a moral clampdown. However, it continued to gain popularity and had support among members of the paramilitary SS.

After World War II, nudism remained prominent in both East and West German states but was particularly prevalent in East Germany, becoming a form of escape from the uniforms, marches and conformity of the communist state.

The cultural movement remains popular in modern Germany. Today, there are about 600,000 Germans registered in more than 300 private nudist or FKK clubs and a further 14 affiliated clubs in Austria.

Here is a look at the life of economist and former Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti.

Personal

Birth date: March 19, 1943

Birth place: Varese, Italy

Marriage: Elsa Monti

Children: Giovanni and Federica

Education: Bocconi University, Milan, degree in economics, 1965; Post graduate studies at Yale University

Religion: Catholic

Other Facts

Nicknamed Super Mario.

Founding president of Bruegel, a think tank for economic policy.

Timeline

1970-1979 – Economics professor at the University of Turin.

1978-1994 – Writes economic commentary for Corriere della Sera, a daily newspaper.

1989-1994 – Rector of Bocconi University.

1994 – Becomes president of Bocconi University.

1995-1999 – Member of the European Commission as Commissioner for Internal Market, Financial Services and Financial Integration Customs, and Taxation.

1999-2004 – Member of the European Commission as Commissioner for Competition.

2001 – As the European Commission’s competition commissioner, Monti engineers the Commission’s block of GE’s $42 billion acquisition of Honeywell International.

2004 – The European Commission fines Microsoft more than $600 million for being in violation of EU competition law.

2005-2011 – International adviser to Goldman Sachs.

November 9, 2011 – Is named senator for life by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano.

November 16, 2011 – Is sworn in as Italy’s prime minister.

December 21, 2012 – Monti resigns.

February 24-25, 2013 – Monti’s bloc comes in fourth in parliamentary elections.

June 2013-November 2022 – Resumes his role as president of Bocconi University, a position he had given up when he became prime minister.