Heading into the glitzy final night of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, speculation was rife online about who would be the much vaunted special guest, with figures from ex Republican President George W Bush to superstar musician Beyonce and Taylor Swift in the frame.

It proved to be way off the mark.

George W Bush was put forward as a contender for the surprise spot, with “Republicans against Trump” posting a picture of Bush embracing then first lady Michelle Obama to the account’s 765,000 followers on X.

George Bush’s spokesperson Freddy Ford told John Bachman, veteran TV news anchor with Newsmax, that Bush is “definitely not” in Chicago to speak at the DNC.

Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, currently a US senator who has criticized former president Donald Trump, also denied it would be him.

“Contrary to fake news posts, I am not the surprise guest at the DNC tonight. My guess is that it will be Beyonce or Taylor Swift,” Mr Romney posted on X. “So disappointing, I know!”

Contrary to fake news posts, I am not the surprise guest at the DNC tonight. My guess is that it will be Beyoncé or Taylor Swift. So disappointing, I know!

— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) August 22, 2024

However, many anti-Trump Republicans spoke at this year’s DNC throughout the week, taking a stance against the former president and endorsing Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz instead.

This list includes former Trump White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham, former homeland security adviser Olivia Troye, former Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger, and even Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen.

But Bush is perhaps one of the most prominent Republicans to publicly announce he was not supporting Trump – sparking rumors he may make a surprise appearance on Thursday.

Kamala Harris accepted her party’s presidential nomination on the final day of the convention, buoyed by a galaxy of stars, that set the stage for the grueling run-in to November 5.

The 59-year-old Californian has edged ahead by razor-thin margins in polling, reversing what had started to look like a likely Trump victory against Biden before he dramatically pulled out and endorsed Harris.

Democratic heavy hitters, from Michelle Obama and Bill Clinton to vice presidential nominee Tim Walz, have warned that the party could still lose to Trump’s Republicans if complacency creeps in.

Walz, a former school football coach, used a sporting analogy, saying that Democrats were “down a field goal, but we’re on offense and we’ve got the ball.”

Party strategists spent the week in Chicago showcasing a parade of anti-Trump Republicans, including ex-cabinet officials, a small-town mayor and a former statewide office holder.

“If you vote for Kamala Harris in 2024, you’re not a Democrat, you’re a patriot,” former Georgia lieutenant governor Geoff Duncan said.

Ms Harris called Trump an “unserious” person.

“I will be a president who unites us around our highest aspirations,” Harris said in her keynote speech, earning uproarious applause.

(With inputs from AFP)

Apple’s first-generation Apple Watch is no longer available for repair or upgrade as the company declared the product as “obsolete”. This includes the premium 18-karat gold version, which adheres to Apple’s seven-year warranty policy. The watch was released in 2015 with a price range of $10,000 to $17,000 and was only available for one year before Apple replaced it with less luxurious watch variations, as per a report in The Verge.

The obsolete tag not only means the end of software updates but also the end of hardware support. The company will no longer provide parts, repairs or replacement services for the watch at Apple Stores and Apple Authorised Service Provider locations. It is to be noted that the original Apple Watch, referred to as Series 0, was never updated beyond watchOS 4.3.2 in 2018.

As per Apple’s website, when a product has been out of production for more than seven years, the company considers it to be technologically outdated. The first-generation devices just surpassed that seven-year milestone since the original Apple Watch was discontinued in September 2016 in favour of the Series 2 and Series 1 versions.

The solid-gold Apple Watch Edition was a pet project for Jony Ive, who served as Apple’s previous head designer. Celebrities were spotted wearing it when it first debuted, including German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld and singer Beyonce, who paired it with a gold link bracelet that was never made available to the general public.

Not only this, all other Hermes-branded 38mm and 42mm aluminium and stainless steel models of the original Apple Watch are also regarded as outdated. The ceramic Apple Watch Edition, which could be purchased for up to $1,299, was later replaced by the solid-gold Apple Watch in 2016.

Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 were launched on September 12 at the company’s Wonderlust event. The wearable smartwatches come with considerable upgrades over their preceding models. The Apple Watch Series 9 is offered in Midnight, Pink, (Product) Red, Starlight, and Silver colour options and is priced at Rs. 41,900 whereas the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is priced at Rs. 89,900. It comes with Alpine Loop, Trail Loop, and Ocean band options.