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Trump touts tariffs, mass deportations, Nato skepticism in TV interviewSyria latest: Russian state news agencies report Assad has arrived in Moscow and been granted asylumKendrick Lamar surprises with new album 'GNX' LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kendrick Lamar gave music listeners an early holiday present with a new album. The Grammy winner released his sixth studio album “GNX” on Friday. The 12-track project is the rapper’s first release since 2022’s “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.” Lamar’s new album comes just months after his rap battle with Drake. The rap megastar will headline February's Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans. The 37-year-old has experienced massive success since his debut album “good kid, m.A.A.d city” in 2012. Since then, he’s accumulated 17 Grammy wins and became the first non-classical, non-jazz musician to win a Pulitzer Prize. NBA memo to players urges increased vigilance regarding home security following break-ins MIAMI (AP) — The NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries of dwellings owned by Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo sent to team officials, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, the NBA revealed that the FBI has connected some burglaries to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that are “reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices.” Ancient meets modern as a new subway in Greece showcases archaeological treasures THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, is opening a new subway system, blending ancient archaeological treasures with modern transit technology like driverless trains and platform screen doors. The project, which began in 2003, uncovered over 300,000 artifacts, including a Roman-era thoroughfare and Byzantine relics, many of which are now displayed in its 13 stations. Despite delays caused by preserving these findings, the inaugural line has been completed, with a second line set to open next year. Conor McGregor must pay $250K to woman who says he raped her, civil jury rules LONDON (AP) — A civil jury in Ireland has awarded more than $250,000 to a woman who says she was raped by mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor in a Dublin hotel penthouse after a night of heavy partying. The jury on Friday awarded Nikita Hand in her lawsuit that claimed McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her in 2018. The lawsuit says the assault left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor testified that he never forced her to do anything and that Hand fabricated her allegations after the two had consensual sex. McGregor says he will appeal the verdict. At least 19 people are sick in Minnesota from ground beef tied to E. coli recall U.S. health officials say at least 19 people in Minnesota have been sickened by E. coli poisoning tied to a national recall of more than 167,000 pounds of potentially tainted ground beef. Detroit-based Wolverine Packing Co. recalled the meat sent to restaurants nationwide. Minnesota state agriculture officials reported multiple illnesses and found that a sample of the product tested positive for E. coli, which can cause life-threatening infections. No illnesses have been reported outside of Minnesota. Symptoms of E. coli poisoning include fever, vomiting, diarrhea and signs of dehydration. Actor Jonathan Majors’ ex-girlfriend drops assault and defamation lawsuit against once-rising star NEW YORK (AP) — Jonathan Majors’ ex-girlfriend has dropped her assault and defamation lawsuit against the once-rising Hollywood star after reaching a settlement. Lawyers for Majors and Grace Jabbari agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice Thursday. Jabbari is a British dancer who had accused Majors of subjecting her to escalating incidents of physical and verbal abuse during their relationship. Representatives for Majors didn’t respond to emails seeking comment Friday. Jabbari’s lawyer said the suit was “favorably settled” and her client is moving on with “her head held high.” Majors was convicted of misdemeanor assault and harassment last December and sentenced to a yearlong counseling program. Hyundai, Kia recall over 208,000 electric vehicles to fix problem that can cause loss of power DETROIT (AP) — Hyundai and Kia are recalling over 208,000 electric vehicles to fix a pesky problem that can cause loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. The recalls cover more than 145,000 Hyundai and Genesis vehicles including the 2022 through 2024 Ioniq 5, the 2023 through 2025 Ioniq 6, GV60 and GV70, and the 2023 and 2024 G80. Also included are nearly 63,000 Kia EV 6 vehicles from 2022 through 2024. The affiliated Korean automakers say in government documents that a transistor in a charging control unit can be damaged and stop charging the 12-volt battery. Dealers will inspect and replace the control unit and a fuse if needed. They also will update software. Christmas TV movies are in their Taylor Swift era, with two Swift-inspired films airing this year Two of the new holiday movies coming to TV this season have a Taylor Swift connection that her fans would have no problem decoding. “Christmas in the Spotlight” debuts Saturday on Lifetime. It stars Jessica Lord as the world’s biggest pop star and Laith Wallschleger, playing a pro football player, who meet and fall in love, not unlike Swift and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. On Nov. 30, Hallmark will air “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.” Instead of a nod to Swift, it’s an ode to family traditions and bonding, like rooting for a sports team. Hallmark’s headquarters is also in Kansas City. Top football recruit Bryce Underwood changes commitment to Michigan instead of LSU, AP source says ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Top football recruit Bryce Underwood has flipped to Michigan after pledging to play at LSU. That's according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share the recruit’s plans to join the Wolverines. Underwood pinned a post on his Instagram account, showing a post in which On3.com reported that he has committed to Michigan. The 6-foot-3 quarterback played at Belleville High School about 15 miles east of Michigan's campus, and told LSU nearly a year ago he intended to enroll there. Emperor penguin released at sea 20 days after waddling onto Australian beach MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The only emperor penguin known to have swum from Antarctica to Australia has been released at sea 20 days after he waddled ashore on a popular tourist beach. The adult male was found on Nov. 1 on sand dunes in temperate southwest Australia about 2,200 miles north of the Antarctic coast. He was released Wednesday from a boat that traveled several hours from Western Australia state's most southerly city of Albany. His caregiver Carol Biddulph wasn't sure at first if the penguin would live. She said a mirror was important to his rehabilitation because they provide a sense of company. Biddulph said: “They’re social birds and he stands next to the mirror most of the time.”

Country's forest & tree cover increases by 1445 sq km

LAWRENCE TWP. — Things are starting to swing in favor of the Lawrence High varsity girls’ basketball team. It has been 12 years since the Cardinals have made it to the championship game of the John Molinelli Holiday Classic. Friday they made their return by defeating Pemberton, 46-39, in the first round. It was Lawrence’s first win of the 2024-25 season, taking the team a place it has not been since the 2012-13 school year. Head coach Dana Williams’ 1-3 squad will now play a tall Hunterdon Central team in Saturday’s noon final. The 1-3 Red Devils topped Hopewell Valley, 49-16, Friday to join the home team in this year’s 20th annual Molinelli Holiday Classic championship game. During a slow start this winter, Lawrence, which only has two seniors, has been growing along with its young cast. Friday two of its youngest players were among the game’s top scorers as 5-foot-11 freshman guard/forward K.J. Williams led the Cardinals with 13 points, 13 rebounds and five steals, plus a blocked shot (which was second on the team behind 5-7 senior forward Emma Dobkin’s two blocks); while 5-5 freshman guard Suhaani Swaroop connected on three 3-point field goals for nine points. “It’s a lot different from middle school,” said Williams, who tied for the game high in points with Hornets’ 5-5 freshman Jaylonnie Hilton, who also had 13 points. “I know, after our scrimmages, my first varsity game was very different, especially running-wise.” Williams, who can shoot with either hand and towers over many other 14-year-olds, is up for the challenge of staying fit and helping bring Lawrence girls’ basketball back into the limelight. For now, it is all about improvement for her and her teammates. “We can’t usually break the press,” Williams said. “We’d been having trouble up top, but today we did a much better job with that. The steals I came up with, and the encouragement I got from my teammates, helped. With work, it will lead to more wins.” The necessary work was still evident as the lead changed hands four times in the first quarter before sophomore guard Kayla Madison hit two buckets in the final 50 seconds to put the home team up, 11-6. The second stanza was still a struggle before the Cardinals opened their 20-14 halftime lead by outscoring Pemberton, 17-9, in the third quarter. Williams had four points and Swaroop hit a pair of treys during that run to push Lawrence’s lead to 37-21. While both teams struggled at the charity stripe (where the Hornets missed 11 and the Cardinals missed seven), the visitors ran off the first eight points of the fourth quarter to tighten the gap to 37-29 with 6:35 left. Hilton scored five in the final stanza to help her club to trim the margin to 44-37 with 1:25 to play, yet they could get no closer despite outscoring the home team, 16-9, down the stretch. “I still need to work on my shots and my shooting in general,” Williams said. “As a team, we need to work on running our offense and staying calm on the ball.” Such continued improvement by Lawrence would make things rather interesting in the revamped Colonial Valley Conference Valley Division in 2025. PEMBERTON (39) Hilton 7-1-15, Downes 0-1-1, Sims 0-0-0, Sheffield Washington 3-2-8, Graham 1-1-3, Sanders 0-0-0, Holt 0-0-0, Idom 0-0-0, Thomas 3-1-7, TWilliams 0-0-0, Gadsen 0-0-0, McKinney 2-1-5. Totals — 16-7-39. LAWRENCE (46) Dobkin 0-1-1, McMahon 3-0-6, Orashen 2-0-4, Carter 1-1-3, Cohen 1-0-3, Walter 0-0-0, Madison 2-0-4, Space 1-0-3, KWilliams 5-3-13, Swaroop 3-0-9. Totals — 18-5-46. Pemberton (0-4) 6 8 9 16 — 39 Lawrence (1-3) 11 9 17 9 — 46 3-point goals — Cohen, Space, Swaroop 3 (L). HUNTERDON CENTRAL 49, HOPEWELL VALLEY 16 LAWRENCE TWP. — Paige Ritter’s eight points accounted for half of the Bulldogs’ output in this opening-round loss to the Red Devils in John Molinelli Holiday Classic play earlier yesterday. Liz Kellogg and Bethany Ramos topped all scorers with 14 and 11 points, respectively. HOPEWELL VALLEY (16) Reinhart 1-0-2, DRoss 1-0-2, Nunnally 2-0-4, Ritter 2-4-8, MacQueen 0-0-0, Kurian 0-0-0, Pagnotta 0-0-0, Arora 0-0-0, Eugene 0-0-0, Ryan 0-0-0. Totals — 6-4-16. HUNTERDON CENTRAL (49) Costantini 2-0-5, Coplan 2-0-4, O’Leary 0-1-1, Schwartz 3-0-6, Dvoor 1-0-2, Ramos 5-0-11, Duran 1-3-6, Kellogg 7-0-14. Totals — 21-4-49. Hopewell Valley (1-5) 4 4 4 4 — 16 HunterdonCentral(1-3) 9 15 16 9 — 49 3-point goals — Costantini, Ramos, Duran (HC).CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—Donald Trump had a very clear message for his team: don’t spike the football after Joe Biden had a disastrous debate showing in June. Things were going well for Trump’s attempted return to political office, Biden was and as off his game, and the electorate was just starting to tune in. “Don’t go too hard on him. We want him around,” Trump told his staff, who shelved an ad for fear it would force Biden off the ballot, according to Trump’s co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita. Meanwhile, once Biden bowed to the pressure from fellow Democrats to step aside and clear the way for Kamala Harris to take the nomination in August, he had a blunt conversation with his Vice President. The chair of both Biden’s and Harris’ campaigns, Jen O’Malley Dillon, said Biden gave Harris permission to do what she needed to do to build distance with the White House. The risk of Trump’s return to power was greater than Biden’s badly bruised ego. Those were just two of the many behind-the-scenes stories shared Friday at a conference at Harvard’s Institute of Politics featuring the top hands of the major 2024 presidential campaigns. Typically, the two-day conference is coda to the election cycle. But this was a precedent-breaking campaign for a ton of reasons: two failed assassination , a nominee , China and Iran campaign emails, and a type of political last seen in 1885. The day was the first pass at a comprehensive oral history of the campaign. The election’s architects are still struggling to understand the outcome and extraordinary circumstances. And the Harvard conversation revealed just how personally many of these top minds in politics made the contest. “We run shit like we ought to run it,” O’Malley Dillon said under persistent second-guessing of how Biden’s and then Harris’ campaigns were led. Here are 11 revelations that help tell the real story of the 2024 campaign. Over and over again, Trump’s aides and adversaries alike kept returning to the fact that a huge chunk of the GOP universe started with an immovable and immutable affinity for Trump. Efforts to tear him down never really found footing, and it was nearly impossible for other candidates to gain traction during the primaries. Those who tried, like former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, ended up failing. Christie’s argument was pretty straightforward: Trump was a criminal unworthy of returning to power. Haley’s message was more nuanced, arguing Trump logged a net positive record but it was time to move past his era. Neither really prevailed. LaCivita further discounted any importance of Christie in the mix. “Chris Christie didn’t even enter into the discussion,” LaCivita said. “Chris Christie was never anything. Spare me the bullsh-t. ... He took up space, which he is very good at doing.” At another point, Trump political director James Blair said the efforts to take down Trump in the primary failed because they were not listening to real voters. “I’m sorry. No offense to Mike. But understand where the Republican electorate is,” Blair told Christie’s longtime strategist Mike DuHaime. For his part, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott thought his strict anti-abortion position could help him differentiate himself from Trump, especially with Evangelicals in Iowa. “He speaks their language. He’s one of them,” adviser Matt Gorman said. The campaign leadership all knew that Scott’s positions were pretty far afield from where most Americans were thinking about abortion rights, but they set their sights on performing well in Iowa first. “If we get to the general, we’ll figure it out then,” Gorman said. It was similarly ill-fated for former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s bid. “We had a candidate who was very much in the mold of 2012, 2008, 2004,” Hutchinson campaign manager Rob Burgess said. In other words, someone who was totally mismatched to the moment. And Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ efforts to run as “Trump Lite” or a more-electable version of Trumpism never seemed to find a glidepath. His efforts to reposition were even less credible. “Running to the right of Trump is not possible,” Blair said. An initial begrudging respect for DeSantis quickly faded once the campaign got underway. “We never saw anyone else as a serious threat,” Blair said. “We didn’t want a one-on-one with DeSantis.” Chief Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio echoed that in his own summary of the race: “DeSantis was a real threat. No offense to anybody else, but DeSantis was a real threat.” To fix that, the Trump team worked to “delegitimize” DeSantis, as Fabrizio described it, as a weirdo “who ate with his fingers.” “The attacks that we levied against Ron worked because they were believable,” deputy campaign manager Taylor Budowich said. LaCivita even laughed at how his team trolled DeSantis, including handing out chocolates shaped like boots to suggest their rival was lifts in his shoes. By the time they were toward Iowa, it was clear that DeSantis was playing way too hard for an impossible victory there. “He was never going to win Iowa. He raised expectations for him and lowered them for Trump,” Haley campaign manager Betsy Ankney said. “DeSantis ran a terrible campaign. He started with every advantage and he sort of imploded.” Others, too, initially saw DeSantis as the one to knock down a peg. “We viewed those two as the monsters in the race. They were inevitably going to clash,” said Mike Zolnierowicz, an adviser to North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, said of DeSantis and Trump. Budowich, who earlier in his career worked to help DeSantis’ policy team come together, was unapologetic in his pluck against his former boss. “A lot of us woke up every morning thinking about how we would destroy Ron DeSantis. They were thinking about where they were going to happy hour in Tallahassee," Budowich said. The pile-on met little pushback. DeSantis’ campaign did not send a representative to the Harvard event. “It’s too bad we don’t have our other Florida friends here,” Budowich said dryly. It’s almost gospel at this point, but it remains a sacred reality that Trump doesn’t listen to anyone but himself. LaCivita said there were about 10 days when it was possible that Trump would have joined the primary debates. Network execs and star anchors were burning up Trump’s cell phone, making a self-interested play to get him onstage to boost their ratings. “Everyone in the world is calling him,” LaCivita said. But refusing to participate became a way for Trump to pick a fight with the Republican National Committee. “There was no way he was going to do it.” That was generally how most things in that campaign worked. “We didn’t over-analyze anything. In politics, people tend to over-analyze, over-think everything. Sometimes you have to accept the situation you’re in and you have to find the easiest, or most painless, way out of a problem,” LaCivita said. “You’re looking at Donald Trump. He’s Teflon.” While the quants had plenty of data about what was working and what wasn’t, there really was no meaningful substitute for the boss’ judgments. “You don’t sit down and say, ‘We have to do things this way.’ That’s a non-starter,” LaCivita said. But what they did in a very nimble way was to turn weekly jam sessions on policy—sometimes six hours at a time on camera for direct-to-viewer messages about a second-term agenda—into workshops on the hows and whys of governing and campaigning. At other junctures, they sent Trump into press conferences and interviews to get the juices flowing and get him practicing for the debates, even if they didn’t tell him what the goals were. “Donald Trump doesn’t prepare for debates like the way I’ve done it for 35 years... It’s an entirely different process. He doesn’t really do prep,” LaCivita said. The Trump campaign understood they could win if the race was based on policy and performance, but could not prevail if voters were deciding on personalities, Fabrizio said. But “you cannot control it,” Fabrizio said of Trump. LaCivita was equally resigned: “Worry about what you can control. On the campaign, I worried about what I could control. He was not one of them.” Trump’s team intentionally kept second-tier rivals in the mix as long as possible because, to their mind, a jumbled and crowded field split Trump skeptics and denied a serious one-on-one race. An errant social media post from Trump was sufficient to move the conversation of the entire primary field, and most of the Trump-free debates still started with questions about his campaign. “Every time you did something like that, it gave us another four days,” Hutchinson campaign manager Burgess said of Trump’s team mentioning the Governor in a social media post or statement. “Every time you put us in a press release, it was good.” That kept the GOP field unsettled until it was almost too late for anyone to rise. “The game was always going to be who was going to be the alternative... You have to get to the one-on-one spot,” Ankney of Haley’s team said. But with Trump’s onslaught of headline-grabbing antics, there never were real ways for that to winnow. “It blocked out everything else,” Ankney said. In hindsight, the campaigns all divided the vote in ways that only benefited Trump. “While running against Trump, they were helping Trump,” DuHaime said. Fabrizio and his allies were openly contemptuous of efforts—in the primary and then the general—to reach more voters. Instead of chasing 10 people and hoping to win one new person, they opted to go narrow and hard at their base, hoping to get two out of three contacts. By the end, they stopped looking at the broad universe of voters and instead went hard for low-propensity voters. “It was hyper-targeted on people who are not reachable by any other way,” Blair said. By contrast, Fabrizio said, the rivals adopted what amounted to a “spray and pray” approach. The Democrats, meanwhile, described a contest that consistently had their nominees trailing but within the margin of error—giving them flashes of hope until the end. “A floor and a ceiling can be the same thing,” Harris principal deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks said. No one disputes thatBiden had an unmitigated of a debate on June 27. He stammered through a sloppy night facing off in what would be this cycle’s lone debate against Trump. Calls for his exit came quickly and loudly. It was an evening that reinforced the quiet rumblings whether octogenarian Biden was up for another four-year term. “The President prepped. I was at debate prep. He was strong. He was ready,” O’Malley Dillon said. But, she added, “We all saw what happened at the debate. He also is old and he knew that and we knew that. He’s also Joe Biden. ... We were not Pollyannish about any of that.” Fulks was equally as blunt: “We’re not blind, of course.” Another Biden deputy campaign manager, Rob Flaherty, did nothing to hide the disappointment: “Obviously, it was not a good night.” At Trump headquarters, the strategists went to work right away to build out research packets on potential replacements for Biden. They had one on Harris, but they wanted to look more widely, including what a potential campaign against someone like former First Lady Michelle Obama or former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would look like. But they pushed pause on an ad hitting Biden for a poor showing, worried that it would have hastened Biden’s exit. They tweaked the programming for the debate in July to make sure the scripts were about the Biden-Harris administration, not just Biden. “We included her, but we didn’t lead with her,” Fabrizio said. At Biden HQ, the campaign thought they could weather the bad headlines. “In order to get out of the hole, we had to fight through it,” O’Malley Dillon said. At least until they couldn’t. Biden let his top hands know on July 21 that he’d be dropping out of the race. O’Malley Dillon said she and campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez both cried that day, and insisted there had been zero planning for that moment. “Not one ounce,” O’Malley Dillon said. She called Flaherty, who oversaw the digital aspects of the campaign including its email and social media platforms, at 1:06 p.m and told him he needed to ready the news to go live at 1:45 p.m. They then realized they had to plug Harris’ nomination into a long-standing convention plan. “We had a convention that was built for Joe Biden,” said O’Malley Dillon. (By the way, those persistent of a celebrity appearance at the convention? “F-king bullsh-t,” she said.) The shuffle was a shock to Trump’s team. “July 21st comes and it’s— —you hit a brick wall,” Fabrizio said. Trump and his allies sped up the advertising spending plan to start to define Harris before she and her allies had a chance to do it for her. “It was like immediately going into overdrive,” Fabrizio said. Because it was a Sunday, some had to postpone personal plans, like going to the beach. O’Malley Dillon had little sympathy for her rivals: “A lot of things got f–ked.” Then there were the attempts on Trump’s life, including a July 13 shooting at a rally in Butler, Pa., and a thwarted sequel near a Florida golf course on Sept. 15. They brought a huge shift in how the campaign was able to move. “From that point on, two-thirds of the time was spent on things that had nothing to do with a campaign,” LaCivita said. They had to deploy decoy motorcades for fear of more assassination attempts. The same was true for decoy airplanes. Events couldn’t be outside without more precautions, the thick bullet-proof glass framing for Trump’s podiums didn’t move easily. “It severely limited us where we could campaign,” Fabrizio said. LaCivita spoke sharply about the Secret Service’s leadership for hampering their nimbleness: top officials “dragged ass” in keeping Trump under glass, he said. With limited time, Harris wanted to bait Trump into more debates after their first and only match-up on Sept. 10. Trump’s team told him not to fall for it, despite a push from Fox News and party insiders. O’Malley Dillon said they wanted to debate so badly they’d have allowed one hosted by a Fox News anchor. Meanwhile, Trump’s team was nervous about a second debate against Harris given she landed plenty of blows in the first one. But O’Malley Dillon said she does not list a lack of a second debate as a deciding factor in the election. It could have even hurt Harris: pollster Molly Murphy said Harris could have lost ground if she had a bad night. “We were up against a caricature of being dangerously liberal,” O’Malley Dillon said. A devastating anti-transgender ad from the Trump campaign feed that image, coupled with Harris’ ties to the unpopular Biden record. Efforts to draft Republican former Rep. Liz Cheney made some difference in suburban areas in Blue Wall states. But Harris’ flub on was seen as a problem that was not going to be a one-day story. Given a softball to explain what she might have done differently than Biden, she said “not a thing that comes to mind.” “It was a big looming negative hanging over us the whole time,” Fulks said. “We didn’t lose this f—king race because of ,” O’Malley Dillon said. Trump’s camp had its own flubs in the final stretch. But his team didn’t think a racially insensitive comedian at a Madison Square Garden rally would in the end. “We knew it would blow over,” Fabrizio said. By the time Election Day arrived, O’Malley Dillon felt the Harris campaign was facing a different standard than the one enjoyed by Trump. O’Malley Dillon also said that Harris’ race and gender did not decide the race on their own, but cannot be ignored. “There is no way to look at this race without factoring that in,” she said. That doesn’t mean the Harris defeat is any less painful for her advisers. “We lost,” O’Malley Dillon said. “So everything requires us to relook at everything.” But asked directly if Biden would have won if he stayed in the race, O’Malley Dillon was summarily dismissive: “We don’t engage in hypotheticals.”

Wickham Promoted to Mortgage Operations Manager

, the legendary tennis player, recently shared on her social media , showing how she balances the glamour of high-profile events with the simplicity of her personal moments. The video begins with Serena getting ready for an appearance at an event for The New York Times, wearing a stunning green dress that highlights her elegance. , showing the simple and quick preparation for this public appearance. Afterwards, Serena boards a private plane accompanied by friends, where they toast together, reflecting the importance of camaraderie in her life. Arriving at her next destination, she changes into an elegant long black dress to attend an event for Audemars Piguet, the prestigious Swiss watchmaker for which she is an ambassador. At this event, Serena poses for the cameras, epitomizing the sophistication and luxury associated with the brand. showing moments of tranquility as she prepares to rest after a busy day. These scenes offer a glimpse into her everyday life, contrasting with the glitz of public events and highlighting her authenticity and simplicity. This behind-the-scenes look not only highlights Serena Williams' versatility in balancing multiple facets of her life, but also humanizes her, showing that, For many women, this portrait of Serena is identifiable. Whether they are businesswomen, entrepreneurs, mothers or grandmothers, and so on. Many experience equally exhausting days, balancing multiple responsibilities and roles at home and/or at their jobs. Like Serena, they end the day exhausted, having devoted time and energy to both work and caring for their families.Imran likely to be booked for ‘inciting people against state’ After approval of federal cabinet, there is plan to try Imran Khan in special anti-terrorism court ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided iAn principle to initiate a major action against former prime minister Imran Khan, it is learnt. A criminal case against the former prime minister under the Pakistan Penal Code on charges of inciting people to revolt against the State and the institutions through social media. Sources said approval to initiate action against Imran will be taken from the federal cabinet, and the Interior Ministry has been given the task of preparing a summary for the cabinet. The FIA Cyber Crime Wing conducted an inquiry against the PTI founder, after which it was decided to initiate action. After the approval of federal cabinet, there is a plan to try Imran Khan in a special anti-terrorism court (ATC). Sources said action will be initiated against Imran under Chapters 6 and 9A of Pakistan Penal Code and other relevant sections. Approval of the federal cabinet is a necessary requirement for filing a complaint under Section 196 of CrPC and taking action against the accused for various crimes.I remember where I was when I first heard the term. It was early 1998 and I was in a McDonald's drive-thru. My friend was explaining to me why he and his family had decided to move to rural Arkansas next year. "Y2K," I said. "What's that?" ADVERTISEMENT Y2K. The "millenium bug" arriving in the year 2000. The new millennium. Some of you might well remember this time. For those under about age 30, let me catch you up. Many of the computers used in government and business in the late 20th century, including ones that powered the early internet, supposedly had something of a ticking time bomb inside of them. "It's very hard to tell how bad the situation will be. I'm sure things will break. It's very hard to dispel a nightmare scenario," Nathan Myhrvold, Microsoft's chief technology officer, was cited as saying in a January 1999 Forum column. "The dark-side scenario of airplanes falling out of the sky and bank computers crashing is possible. But it's fundamentally very, very hard to know whether the impact will be big or little." The problem was the two-digit-year date field (think "93" as in "1/1/93"). Theoretically, the arrival of the new millennium — the year 2000 — would reset all these computer clocks to "00" as in "1/1/00," wrecking anything that counted on dates to function properly. Theoretically, anyway. The list of public fears was a long one, illustrating how central computer technology had become in our lives, and mirroring larger uncertainty about the new millennium. And while company officials and local, state and federal officials sought to reassure the public, ongoing reporting indicated nobody was quite sure nothing would fail. So the fears remained up until the last minute. ADVERTISEMENT "Up against the deadline for fixing an unprecedented technological blunder, the world exhibited some jitters Thursday over the prospect of failures in the computers on which we depend," wrote the Associated Press, as printed by The Forum on New Year's Eve, 1999. "There was testing galore and a few confessions of Y2K-unreadiness." Some religious figures took the moment to insist the coming apocalypse was God's judgment on a wayward culture. "(God) may be preparing to confound our language, to jam our communications, scatter our efforts and judge us for our sin and rebellion against his lordship," evangelical Christian leader Jerry Falwell said in August 1998. "We are hearing from many sources that Jan. 1, 2000, will be a fateful day in the history of the world." As if to embody the looming fears, WWE wrestler Chris Jericho gave himself the moniker Y2J (for Jericho), playing off the Y2K term. His entrance to arenas was marked by a countdown video that, when it got to zero, included shutting off the venue lights, leaving people in noisy darkness before Jericho was revealed. As the year 2000 approached, the fears began to grow into something of a hysteria for some people, sparking drastic decisions, like my friend's family's decision to move to the woods. Others took money out of the bank. Some stocked up on supplies and guns and ammunition to survive the coming failure of civilization. The growing fears were in odd juxtaposition to the more joyful expressions by some about the year 2000. Big millennium parties were planned. Monopoly put out a millennium edition with fancy holographic cards. The boy band Backstreet Boys released their "Millennium" album, still iconic among my generation (OK, fine — I'm listening to it right now). Many people dismissed the fears and planned to go about their lives, expecting the furor was overblown. ADVERTISEMENT I moved from North Dakota to South Dakota in 1999, and as the new millennium approached, I was about 55% convinced Y2K was going to cause big problems. I remember counting down the last days of the 1900s and thinking everything was possibly about to change. It didn't, of course. While there were some hiccups among some computer systems, much of the billions of dollars in preparation worked. A concerted global effort to stave off disaster was effective. The apocalypse never arrived, civilization continued. In fact, my daughter was born later that year — one of many "millennium" babies who are now 24 years old. So what happened to my friend who moved to Arkansas? I don't know. I'd like to think he and his family went on to live their best life in a cabin in the Ozarks, ready for the end of the world that never arrived. Have a moment or person in history that you think is especially interesting? Contact me at jfugleberg@forumcomm.com and tell me why you think it would be a great subject for this column.Share Tweet Share Share Email In just six years since its founding in 2018, Yesim , a global telecom company, has reached over 1 million active users, backed by more than 25,000 app store reviews and an impressive average rating of 4.6. Yesim’s core innovation lies in leveraging eSIM technology to redefine global internet access, making connectivity seamless and hassle-free. This virtual or embedded SIM card enables users to easily activate and manage multiple mobile plans on a single device. eSIM eliminates the need for physical installation while delivering the same reliable performance as a traditional SIM card. Yesim’s eSIM supports over 800 networks globally, seamlessly switching to another if the connection is lost. How Yesim Was Founded Yesim was established in 2018 by Dmitri Verbovski and Max Pankratov. Dmitri recalls, “As an entrepreneur, I was searching for solutions to real user problems, such as unpredictable roaming fees and the inconvenience of physical SIM cards, and a scalable business model.” The startup’s founding team combined entrepreneurial drive with deep technical expertise. Dmitri, with his background in telecommunications and software development, recognized the potential of eSIM technology. While there was a strong demand for such a service, the market offered limited solutions at the time. The founders faced a tough challenge: securing investment and differentiating themselves in a crowded startup market. At first, they invested their personal savings and later succeeded in securing support from a small group of angel investors who contributed to the development. Dmitri and Max focused on demonstrating the scalability of eSIM technology and Yesim’s unique, user-oriented approach to convince investors of the startup’s potential. Their strategy was successful: the working prototype and initial partnerships with mobile operators helped gain trust, while highlighting the global shift towards eSIM adoption further attracted investors. “Developing the first version of the Yesim app and its internal infrastructure took around 12-18 months. The biggest challenges were ensuring smooth compatibility with different mobile networks and designing an intuitive user interface,” says Dmitri. Integrating Yesim’s system with mobile operators’ APIs posed significant challenges due to differing regional standards and processes. The company conducted extensive testing and gathered user feedback to ensure the solution was both easy to use and dependable. After analyzing market needs, Yesim prioritized key travel destinations such as Europe, North America, and parts of the Asia-Pacific region, where strong telecom infrastructure and year-round international travel presented significant opportunities.” From Startup to a Major Market Player Dmitri explains that a crucial element in the company’s growth was the ability to convince mobile operators of the value and profitability of the service. “Our negotiations with mobile operators focused on showcasing how our eSIM platform could help them expand their customer base by attracting tech-savvy users and travelers. We built trust through clear communication and by highlighting the mutual benefits,” says the entrepreneur. At times, potential partners were skeptical about adopting eSIM or reluctant to invest the time needed to adapt their systems to the company’s platform. In these instances, Yesim would revise their presentations to emphasize the revenue potential from the expanding eSIM user base and offer extensive technical support to reduce the partner’s workload. Dmitri recalls that persistence and a thorough demonstration of the benefits frequently transformed initial rejections into successful partnerships. Feedback revealed a preference for simple, ready-to-use options—a shift that drove higher adoption rates and enhanced user satisfaction. As a result, the plans were simplified, focusing on pre-designed options that met the most common needs. Dmitri highlights, “It was an important lesson: always listen to user feedback and strive to offer a simple and user-friendly product design.” As the user base expanded, a new challenge arose: scaling the infrastructure to maintain service quality. Entering new regions and ensuring reliable connectivity required substantial investments in both technology and partnerships. Another issue the company encountered during its growth was differentiating itself in a competitive market. “We solved this by enhancing customer service, introducing features such as flexible plans and user-friendly interfaces. For instance, we launched pay-as-you-go plans, which became very popular with travelers,” Dmitri explains. What Makes Yesim a Game-Changing Solution The company’s focus is on simplifying life for users who need to stay connected. With eSIM technology, users can forget about roaming charges, dealing with SIM cards, and searching for Wi-Fi. Yesim stands out from competitors by functioning as a neo-mobile provider rather than just selling SIM cards, delivering a comprehensive range of services and solutions: Customers are provided with international plans (not just those for specific countries) to simplify eSIM setup and avoid connectivity issues. eSIM is available in 200 countries, and users are charged only for the data they use. For travelers, standard eSIM cards are offered. When they move to a new country, Yesim users don’t need to download or install a new eSIM; the new plans are automatically applied to their existing one. Users have the option to select unlimited plans for 1, 7, 15, or 30 days, or choose the specific amount of data they require. These options provide travelers with predictable costs and the flexibility to match their specific needs. Users can purchase eSIM cards in advance and activate them anytime within 365 days, ideal for pre-planned trips. Users can pick data-only plans or include options for calls and SMS messages. The company collaborates with over 800 operators worldwide. If one operator’s network fails in a specific location, users are automatically switched to another, ensuring continuous connectivity. Customers can access a VPN service, which works in regions where services that are publicly available in other countries are blocked. The company’s B2B solution allows businesses to manage eSIMs and virtual numbers for their employees. For example, a multinational company can equip traveling employees with seamless connectivity while monitoring usage and recharging balances remotely. Customer support is available around the clock, with an average response time of just six minutes. Moreover, the company guarantees refunds for customers who are not satisfied, according to Dmitri Verbovski. What to Expect from eSIM in the Future? Yesim believes eSIM technology will soon become the global standard in telecommunications, driven by its flexibility and reliability across devices. In the next ten years, we can expect eSIM cards to support even more Internet of Things devices, allow effortless switching between operators, and enhance connectivity in remote areas. Yesim aims to lead the market, with Dmitri emphasizing, “Our goal is to set the gold standard for connectivity, ensuring every user can access reliable internet anywhere, anytime.” He notes that Yesim is focused on continuously improving user experience, expanding its global coverage, and exploring partnerships in the Internet of Things and emerging enterprise markets. Related Items: eSIM , Roaming , technology Share Tweet Share Share Email Recommended for you Smart Guest Room Solutions: Enhancing Hospitality with Technology Is 6G Closer Than We Think? ERP Software for Small Business: Streamlining Operations for Growth Comments

How To Watch FIDE World Championship 2024 Game 12 - Chess.comRemember Y2K? It was 1999 and many were sure civilization was about to end

( MENAFN - Gulf Times) Sony Middle East and Africa, alongside Modern Home, its strategic and exclusive partner in Qatar, announced the release of the WF-C510 wireless earbuds, WH-1000XM5, and WF-1000XM5 headphones in Smoky Pink, the MDR-M1 studio monitor headphones, and the FE 85mm F1.4 GM II lens. These exciting new launches cater to a wide range of consumers, from Audio enthusiasts and photographers to creators and professionals. The new launches are available at Modern Home in Al Maha Centre on Salwa Road and Fnac stores in Lagoona Mall, Doha Festival City, and Place Vendome, in addition to other major retailers in town. The WF-C510 wireless earbuds redefine convenience and comfort. Featuring Sony's smallest-ever closed-type design, these earbuds offer a stable and ergonomic fit, ensuring hours of seamless use. The compact, cylindrical charging case is pocket-friendly and provides extended portability. The WF-C510 delivers powerful performance with up to 11 hours of playback time, while a quick five-minute charge gives an impressive 60 minutes of listening time. Equipped with Ambient Sound Mode and Voice Focus, the earbuds allow users to stay connected to their surroundings while enjoying high-quality audio. Personalisation is made possible with the Sony Headphones Connect app, where sound preferences can be customised. Supporting Multipoint Connection for simultaneous pairing with two devices and boasting IPX4 water resistance, the WF-C510 is ideal for everyday use. Enhanced by DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine), these earbuds ensure crisp, well-balanced sound for an authentic listening experience. Available in blue, yellow, black, and white, they perfectly blend style with practicality. Sony adds a stylish new dimension to its award-winning WH-1000XM5 and WF-1000XM5 noise-cancelling headphones with the introduction of Smoky Pink, a sophisticated shade designed in collaboration with K-Pop sensation LE SSERAFIM. The Smoky Pink edition blends elegant undertones with a matte finish, elevating its appeal as both an audio accessory and a fashion statement. Featuring Sony's best-in-class noise cancellation and 360 Reality Audio, these headphones deliver studio-quality sound engineered to perfection, ensuring music is heard the way it's meant to be. As part of Sony's For The Music campaign, the headphones are inspired by LE SSERAFIM's chic aesthetic and their hit track 'CRAZY', making them a must-have for fans and trendsetters. Designed for maximum comfort and performance, these headphones seamlessly combine cutting-edge technology with style. The MDR-M1 studio monitor headphones are Sony's latest innovation for creators, sound engineers, and music professionals. Designed in collaboration with industry experts like Mike Piacentini (Battery Studios) and Akihiro Nishimura (Power Station NYC), the MDR-M1 offers studio-quality sound reproduction for professional use. The headphones feature a closed acoustic structure for excellent sound isolation, ensuring precise monitoring in any environment. At the heart of the MDR-M1 is a uniquely developed driver unit that achieves ultra-wideband playback (5Hz–80kHz), combining a soft edge for low distortion and a hard dome for crystal-clear high frequencies. Engineered for comfort, the MDR-M1 features low-resilience ear pads and a lightweight design, allowing for long listening sessions without fatigue. Two detachable cables, including a shorter, portable option, offer versatility for professional setups. Supporting Sony's 360 Virtual Mixing Environment (360VME), the MDR-M1 empowers creators to work in virtual studio spaces, delivering consistency and accuracy anywhere. Sony's FE 85mm F1.4 GM II lens raises the bar for portrait and cinematic photography. This second-generation lens features two XA (extreme aspherical) and two ED (extra-low dispersion) elements to achieve outstanding resolution and clarity while suppressing aberrations. The hallmark of the lens is its soft, stunning bokeh, thanks to the 11-blade circular aperture and spherical aberration optimisation. The autofocus (AF) capabilities are significantly enhanced, now up to three times faster than its predecessor, enabling precise subject tracking even during high-speed continuous shooting, such as with Sony's Alpha 9 III. The lens is also optimised for cinematic video production, minimising focus breathing and providing flexible operability with customizable focus hold buttons and an independent aperture ring. Weighing just 642 grammes, 20% lighter and 13% smaller than the first-generation model, the lens combines advanced technology with a lightweight, compact design, making it an essential tool for portrait, wedding, and travel photographers, as well as videographers. Sony continues to set new standards with products that blend innovative technology, user-focused design, and uncompromising performance. From high-quality audio solutions to professional-grade lenses, Sony's latest launches cater to diverse consumer and professional needs. With the support of Modern Home, Sony reaffirms its commitment to delivering excellence and enriching experiences for customers in Qatar. MENAFN21122024000067011011ID1109020282 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. 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