Category Archives: Life Extension

HARMONY Gold CEO Peter Steenkamp said the company would continue paying dividends despite warning that free cash would be constrained in the current financial year amid heightened capital spending.

In notes to its year-end numbers published today, Harmony sought to remind our stakeholders that we are in a high capital investment cycle which had impacted free cash in FY22 and will continue into FY23 as we invest in our high grade assets and surface retreatment business.

Capital spend in the current financial year would be R8.5bn. Some R8.2bn would be spent in expansions and mine recapitalisations in the subsequent 2024 financial year.

We intend to be a consistent dividend payer, Steenkamp said today in a press call. We are in process of spending a lot of money on organic growth, but given the circumstances we will continue with that [paying dividends].

Harmony announced a final dividend of 22 South African cents a share in line with its dividend policy of 20% of free cash. But the payout came against a backdrop of a basic earnings loss totalling 172 cents following impairments, predominantly on its Tshepong mine in the Free State province.

There was also a significant increase in all-in sustaining costs (AISC) of some 16% in rands to R835,891/kg which compares to a current rand gold price of R939,185/kg. In addition, Harmony acknowledged inflation on consumables such as steel and chemicals.

There was actually a capital underspend in the year under review of some R1.8bn as a result of a delay in the Zaaiplaats expansion and at Kareerand, a surface mining project. Steenkamp said the company had caught up lost time at Zaaiplaats which would also benefit from the re-allocation of R650m from Tshepong following the suspension of a life extension project at the mine.

For all its pressures, Steenkamp said Harmony was in good shape. We ended the year on the front foot and with good momentum. With the decisions we have made we have got better assets that we are mining now, he said.

Harmony announced on August 24 that it would suspend the extension of its Tshepong mine in order to focus cash on the R4.59bn Zaaiplaats project which is part of Mponeng, a mine bought from AngloGold Ashanti in 2021.

It had previously announced the early closure of the Bambanani mine and said it planned to shut Kusasalethu in about two years. The recapitalisation of previous problem mines Joel and Target had been completed.

Following is restructuring, Tshepong would now report as Tshepong North and Tshepong South. The mine as a whole reverts to its current seven years from the 19 years of life that would have been created with the extension project.

Employees affected by the restructure would be accommodated elsewhere in the company or offered voluntary retrenchment packages. There would be no forced retrenchments, said Steenkamp who did not provide details on the numbers of employees affected.

Tshepong accounted for R3.6bn of R4.4bn in impairments during the 2022 financial year and represented ore that was no longer profitable to mine or had been reclassified from reserves to resources.

Headline share earnings, which exclude the impact of these exceptional items, fell 49% to 499 cents/share. Production fell 3% to 1.49 million but came in within adjusted guidance (from initial guidance of 1.54 to 1.63 million oz) after a conveyor breakdown at the firms Hidden Valley mine in Papua New Guinea Harmonys only offshore asset resulted in a one fifth decline in the mines production and a loss-making 49% increase in all-in sustaining costs (AISC) to $2,067/oz.

Harmony said Hidden Valleys AISC would normalise during the current year but at a group level the damage was done. Overall ASIC came in higher than adjusted guidance at $1,709/oz, a 17% year-on-year increase, or R835,891/kg which compares to a current rand gold price of R939,185/kg.

The company has guided to production of between 1.4 to 1.5 million oz at an AISC of below R900,000/kg.

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Harmony Gold to maintain dividends despite facing two years of heavy capital bills - Miningmx

BANGKOK (Aug 29): Malaysian defence and commercial contract manufacturing company MRA Global Sdn Bhd (MRA) on Monday inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Thai Defence Industry Co Ltd (TDI) to identify business opportunities and further explore feasibility of cooperation in Malaysia for Mechanised Infantry Fighting Vehicle (MIFV) life extension programme.

Secretary General of the Ministry of Defence Malaysia (Mindef) Datuk Seri Muez Abd Aziz witnessed the signing ceremony on the sidelines of the Defense & Security 2022 exhibition at the IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Centre in Bangkok.

TDIs Managing Director Kan Koolhiran and MRAs founder Badrul Hisham Ahmad Badarudin signed the MOU.

TDI, a joint venture between Defence Technology Institute (DTI) and Chaiseri Metal & Rubber Co Ltd (Chaiseri), is a Thai arms manufacturing company specialising in Defence Land System for armoured vehicle.

It is engaged in the business of solutions for design, development, manufacturing, upgrade, modernisation, repair and after sales of land system platform products.

Meanwhile, MRA is in the business of repair of electronic component, local support in Malaysia for repair platform, and after sales of platform products.

Under the MOU, TDI will use its expertise in armoured vehicle to design the best suitable modernisation for Malaysia Army MIFV Life Extension programme in terms of technical and commercial basis.

Meanwhile, Badrul Hisham said the collaboration encourage the transfer of technology, as well as knowledge and expertise sharing.

The Malaysian and Thai government welcome the collaboration, as it will strengthen the defence industry. With this partnership, it will drivethe Malaysian defence industry to new era, he told Bernama.

Badrul Hisham is also hopeful that the collaboration would pave way to help Chaiseri set up a production line in Malaysia.

Read also:Malaysia, Thailand to deepen defence cooperation, says Hishamuddin

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Malaysian, Thai companies ink MOU to explore cooperation in Mechanised Infantry Fighting Vehicle life extension programme - The Edge Markets MY

Coveris will introduce a new range of plastic- and paper-based solutions, including wash-off labels and transportation films with recycled content, that are aimed at enhanced recyclability, packaging waste reduction, and shelf-life extension at FachPack 2022.

Coveris says that one of the key innovations it will unveil at FachPack is the extended CPP Cleancast Films product range for duplex and triplex laminate alternatives on a polypropylene (PP) base. The company claims that these cast unoriented PP films are able to withstand re-shrining at high temperatures (0% at 150oC), apparently making them suitable for packaging a wide range of food, pet food, and non-food products.

In addition, Coveris will present new wash-off labels that are designed for PET and rPET bottles and containers, which are reportedly available with DPG-approved security inks. The company says that the wash-off labels are compatible with deposit return schemes (DRS) and enable maximum clean PET recovery for use in rPET.

Coveris adds that it will introduce new transportation films that are allegedly fully recyclable and made with 30% recycled content. The company claims that stretch films, including tubes, are made using recycled plastic and energy from renewable sources while being able to stabilise up to 900kg of freight using just 800g of film.

According to Coveris, its extended range of recyclable PE and PP MonoFlex films and laminates including its grated cheese packaging, which has been used by the UK retailer Tesco for its own-brand range will be on display in various formats and sizes up to 12kg. The companys MonoFlex packaging reportedly maintains product shelf-life, performance, functionality, and efficiency.

Paper-based solutions set to be displayed by Coveris at FachPack 2022 include the PaperBarrier Seal, first introduced in 2021, with barrier properties that have reportedly been further developed and extended to offer functionality and product safety while minimising both packaging and product waste. The company says that the solution is applicable for a wide range of dry foods and snacks, apparently enabling sealability while remaining fully recyclable in existing paper streams.

Coveris will also be showing products for the on-the-go market, including its RecyclaPEel MAP sandwich skillet, which it says it developed for longer shelf-life demands, excellent product visibility, and on-shelf appeal. The solution features a sustainably sourced carton board and a peelable polyethylene (PE) film liner, which are separable and fully recyclable, according to the company.

Jakob A. Mosser, CEO of Coveris Group, comments: From Coveris perspective, its not about choosing between paper or plastic packaging, its about finding the best, most eco-efficient and best-performing packaging for the respective product without any limitations in material.

We are proud to again display an industry-leading range of sustainably designed films, laminates and premade packaging innovations at this years FachPack.

We thoroughly believe in our No Waste vision, reducing packaging waste, product waste and operational waste. We are continuously launching truly sustainable innovations that avoid waste in all its forms with no compromise in quality and safety.

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Coveris previews new packaging solutions targeting enhanced performance and recyclability - Packaging Europe

a new terminal for changi airport

Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) and Heatherwick Studioreveal the first visualizations of their newly designed terminal for Singapores Changi Airport. The existing airport is most widely known as the Jewel, with its design by Safdie Architects housing the worlds tallest indoor waterfall. Now, the upcoming Terminal 5 will introduce what the architects describe as a bold re-imagination of the airport experience, becoming as a social extension of the city rather than a disconnected facility solely for the processing of travelers.

Like the rest of the airport, the new terminal will take shape as a collection of micro-villages at a human-scale which will be infused with lush plant-life. Even with this innovative organization, the terminal will be capable of welcoming 50 million more passengers annually. It will be well-connected to the rest of Singapore, with a dedicated ground transportation center where passengers can access rail, bus, and other transportation.

images courtesy Changi Airport Group

The partnership in Singapore between Kohn Pedersen Fox (see here) and Heatherwick Studio (see here) will lead to a new typology, dubbed airport as a city. The concept for Changi Airports Terminal 5 will stand as a new district, continuing the Singapores lush landscape and active urban scale. The project will elevate the airport experience for both travelers and Singaporeans alike.

The team explains: Drawing on lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic, T5 is designed with the flexibility to operate as smaller sub-terminals when needed, with space that could be converted for use during contingencies, such as for testing operations or the segregation of high-risk passengers.

Changi Airports new Terminal 5 by KPF and Heatherwick Studio will seek a Green Mark Platinum Super Low Energy certification from the Building and Construction Authority. The group explains: To reduce its carbon footprint, solar panels; smart building management systems; and district cooling combined with thermal energy storage will be deployed.

T5 will also be ready for environmentally friendly solutions such as providing fixed ground power and cooling, as well as viable alternative fuels including the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel for aircraft.

project info:

project title:Changi Airport Terminal 5 |@changiairport

architecture: Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), @kohnpedersenfox | Heatherwick Studios, @officialheatherwickstudio

location:Changi Airport, Singapore

local partner: Architects 61local sub-consultants: SAA and RSP Architects Planners & Engineersengineers: Arup Singapore Private Limited, Mott McDonald, and Surbana Jurong retail design: DP Architects Pte Ltd

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KPF and heatherwick studio to extend singapore airport as cluster of lush 'neighborhoods' - Designboom

Photo by The New York Public Library

A federal tax lien is the government's legitimate entitlement against your property when you ignore or fail to pay a tax debt. The lien preserves the government's interest in everything on your property, including real land, personal property, and financial assets. A federal tax lien arises after the IRS assesses your liability and puts your outstanding debt in their books. Furthermore, you will receive a bill of how much you owe them. You might incur additional interest and penalties if you neglect your payment requirements or cannot pay.

The best way to get rid of a lien, regardless of the asset, is to pay your total liability back to the IRS. A lien is relieved within 30 days after fully paying off your tax debt. The fresh start program might offer a way out if you cannot pay your debt fully and need professional help. The IRS Fresh Start program for taxpayers and small companies can assist you in your journey to living your life debt-free. The IRS launched Fresh Start in 2011 to help struggling taxpayers. Learn more information about fresh start from the professionals atidealtax.com.

To assist a broader number of taxpayers, the IRS has broadened the program by adopting more liberal Offer-in-Compromise provisions. This extension will allow a few of the most financially distressed people to resolve their tax issues more swiftly than in the past.

The IRS does not include liens against taxpayers by accident. The IRS will issue you a tax bill before filing a tax lien against you. However, if you do not pay the amount or contact the IRS to establish a payment plan, the IRS will issue you formal notice of its intent to file a lien against you. To avoid the tax lien from encumbering your vehicle's title, you must contact the IRS regarding payment immediately after getting this notification. Alternatively, don't hesitate to contact one of our tax professionals at Idealtax.com. We can help you overcome the challenges of filing for different payment plans with the IRS and dealing with your tax debt.

The most excellent way to prevent confiscating your assets is to submit your taxes and pay what you owe on time each year. However, if you cannot meet these requirements, you should speak with the IRS and be open about your financial circumstances. You may be qualified for a payment plan that allows you to pay off your debt in monthly installments, and the arrangement will consider your income, spending, assets, and obligations.

The IRS will then calculate a monthly payment amount you should be able to make toward your debt. The IRS may waive your tax debt under exceptional circumstances, and tax debt forgiveness is uncommon. However, if you have difficulties such as:

- High medical expenditures

- Divorce

- Death of a close relative

- Terminal illness

- Job loss

The IRS has the authority to confiscate your "right, title, and interest." This statement implies that if you possess it, they can seize it. However, remember that the IRS will confiscate your assets as a last option. And only if you have equity in what you own.

In general, the IRS will not seize property or assets from a taxpayer unless there is around 20% equity that may be obtained through the sale of your item. And that is after they have reduced the price of your item by 20% of its fair market worth. For example, the $10,000 car they seized is only worth $8,000

Taking your possessions, such as your vehicle or home, is the IRS's final resort. They want to resolve past tax concerns just as much as you do, and they realize the devastation that having your vehicle seized may cause in your daily life. There is a provision that bans the IRS from causing economic hardship.

If you find yourself in a position where The IRS might seize your automobile, get in touch with us immediately so that we can help you maintain all of your assets and settle with the IRS.

Continued here:

Understanding Tax Liens. Could the IRS seize your car? - finehomesandliving.com

The city of Tyler will continue the extension of the Legacy Trail in fiscal year 2022-23.

Phase II of the project will add 2.2 miles of trail, according to the city 1.7 miles of shared-use path and .5 miles of sidewalks.

The extension will be paid for by the Half Cent Sales Tax Fund program for 2022-23.

City Traffic Engineer Cameron Williams said the new portion of the Legacy Trail will extend from Stewart Park to Peete Elementary School. It will travel up through W.E. Winters Park.

The master plan for Legacy Trail has a goal of taking trail users all the way from south Tyler near Toll 49 in Flint up to the Rose Garden. Phase II of the project is only a small portion of the whole, Williams said.

It will take more than a few years, but this is just another piece of the puzzle, he said.

The first phase of the trailopened in July 2019. This portion is 4.5 miles of 10-foot wide concrete paths on the eastern and western side of Old Jacksonville Highway. The trail begins in the Flint area and goes up to the Three Lakes and Grande area, Williamssaid.

The Legacy Trail provides community members a better quality of life and offers a different mode of travel.

Improving that quality of life of Tyler is one of the focuses of the Legacy Trail project giving people different options so you don't have to ride your vehicle all over town, Williamssaid. You can get from one place to another and get outside and enjoy the fresh air and the pretty surroundings that we have here in Tyler.

The city is working with a consultant to survey the area and create a design plan for the new portion of the trail. This study is estimated to cost $354,000 and be completed by February 2023, according to the city.

The design portion of the project is fully funded by the city's Half Cent Sales Tax program, Williams said.

Construction of the trail is anticipated to cost $3.5 million and is expected to be completed in fall 2023.

Eighty percent of the project will be federally funded through a grant from the Texas Department of Transportation through the Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Program. The remaining cost plus any overruns will be paid for by the city.

Along with the Legacy Trail project, numerous other projects are included in The Half Cent Sales Tax annual work plan. The public has until Oct. 17 to offer comments on the plan.

Residents can provide comments on the work plan by calling (903) 531-1126, by mail to City of Tyler, Half-Cent Sales Tax Manager, 511 W. Locust St., Tyler, TX 75710 or online at tinyurl.com/2s4bu54z .

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Extension of Legacy Trail in Tyler to continue - Tyler Morning Telegraph

Donna Krug is the District Director and Family and Consumer Science Agent for K-State Research and Extension Cottonwood District.

The past10 days havebeena whirlwind of activity. Our Program Development Committee met to welcome Monique, our new Family and Community Wellness agent in the Hays office. Conversation was lively as we planned forsomeissue-basedprogramming in the months ahead.Then three days onour K-Statecampus participating in an agent update reinforced the important work we doin Extensionrelated to health and wellness in our communities.

We have all heard ita lot.The pandemic changed the way we do business. A hiring freeze with K-State Research and Extensionwas liftedlate last year so many of the open Family and Community Wellness positions have been filled.There was good energy among the newhiresat our conferenceand I loved it.I found out that many of them have an interest in some of the things I ampassionateabout. As my Extension career winds down and I retire early next year,I have a full schedule of classes and workshops to lead.

The fermentation workshop I mentioned in last weeks column now has a waiting list, so I am hoping to offer another session later this fall.Severalcolleagues at K-State asked if I wouldprovide a train the trainer workshop for them to learn about fermentation so that is also in the works.

Then there is the signature program I have enjoyed teaching since Iwas trainedin 2012; Stay Strong Stay Healthy. This eight-week programis designedto help older adults improve their strength,flexibility,and balance. When our class starts the last week of September,wellbe missing Reta Brack, who passed away this summer. Reta sat in the front row of every SSSH class I led, and likemanyof the other participants, enjoyed the socialization as much as the exercises.To register for the last Stay Strong Stay Healthy workshop that I will be leading, you will want to call our office to reserve your spot. The cost is $20 and class sizeislimited.

I will be leading a one-hour Medicare Update at our Great Bend activity center on October 12th. As more people become eligible for Medicare it isa good timeto review the basic parts of Medicare. My husband John, and I will also beproviding appointments during open enrollment (October 15 December 7) to help people review their prescription drug plan in either the Great Bend or Hays offices.

Besidesthe face-to-faceprogramsthat Extension iswell-known for,watch our CottonwoodDistrict website andFacebook page for messages and links to on-line learning resources that you cantake advantage whenever you havea fewspare moments.

Who would have guessed that when my Extension career started in Barton County in July 1989 (and I typed my column on a typewriter) that I would be talking about websites,internet links, and Zoom meetingsin 2022? Whilea lothas changed technology wise, a lot remains the same.K-State Research and Extensionand the Cottonwood Districtstill want to be your go-to source forresearch-basedinformation tohelp improve your life!

Donna Krug is the District Director and Family and Consumer Science Agent for K-State Research and Extension Cottonwood District. You may reach her at (620)792-1910 or[emailprotected]

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KRUG: Extension learning opportunities around the corner - Hays Post

Kenneth Williams August 28, 2022 12:18 pm

Half-Life 2 is still a hallmark in gaming and VR fans will be able to experience the classic from an entirely new perspective.

A new page advertising an official VR mod for Half-Life 2 has gone live on the Steam store. The product advertises the complete Half-Life 2 experience translated to virtual reality, including vehicles and the gravity gun. However, this new feature is not being made by Valve. Heres more info on the exciting VR release and why Valve chose not to produce it in-house.

With this mod, players will be able to go through the entire campaign of Half-Life 2 in VR as Gordon Freeman. Melee weapons like the crowbar are easy to translate to VR, but the iconic physics systems of the game may be more difficult. The mod is currently set for a September 16 release date, though players will need to own the normal version of Half-Life 2 in order to play it in VR.

Assuming it runs on SteamVR, any headset capable of connecting to Steam will be able to run it. That includes Valves own Vive and Index as well as rival companies hardware.

The mod is being developed and published by the Source VR Mod Team. Despite its official-sounding name, the team is actually a collective of Valve fans working to transfer classic titles to virtual reality. The Steam page did not mention if they plan to tackle any of Half-Life 2s DLCs or spinoffs. If the base game is a success, its easy to imagine other installments getting similar treatment.

Once the Half-Life 2 VR mod launches on September 16, gamers will be able to download the Half-Life 2 VR mod directly from the Steam store.

Unlike most mods, which are distributed through third-party websites and clients, Valve is giving the VR version of its beloved classic its own Steam page. As for distribution, players will be able to download it the same as any other workshop content. The store page also indicates that it could work as a separate download. Either way, its best to have Half-Life 2 and SteamVR already installed when September 16 rolls around.

It may seem strange that Valve is outsourcing an official version of Half-Life 2 in VR, but its actually par for the course with the developer.

Project Mesa is a massive remake of the original Half-Life with updated graphics and massive gameplay changes. Some downloadable content for the Portal series was also made by the community. Theres also the poorly received standalone game Hunt Down The Freeman, but the system has clearly gotten better in recent years.

As an extension of this philosophy, Valve also outsources its cosmetic creations to game communities. Both Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Dota 2 have workshops where players vote on skins made by fans that can eventually be added to the game. A VR mod for one of its most iconic titles is a stretch, but with Valve approving it, this will likely be a high-quality release.

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Half-Life 2 VR is coming, here's how you can get it - Win.gg

Further proof that Dean Kamen, who supports United Therapeutics, and Dr. Rothblatt, are kindred spirits, is Rothblatts work on developing a solar-powered helicopter. The idea came to her when she realized the considerable carbon footprint of transporting organs for transplant. The Unisphere, United Therapeutics office in Silver Springs, is net-zero carbon.

United Therapeutics quests to both save and prolong life fall into two categories: genetically modified pig organs and the printing of human organs.

Pig heart valves have been used in surgery for a number of years but United Therapeutics performed the first genetically-modified pig heart transplant to 57-year-old David Bennett in January. The patient, who fully knew this was a last-ditch effort to save his life, lived six weeks.

A compliment to this is the life extension of over 250 people through lung transplants. These lungs were from deceased humans, essentially bio waste as they were in compromised condition, and were sent to the Mayo Clinic to be cleaned and brought back to life before transplant.

The second effort is the printing of human organs.

A June 6 press release from the public benefit company read: In partnership with 3D Systems Corporation, it [United Therapeutics] has produced the worlds most complex 3D printed object-a human lung scaffold-and demonstrated it at the LIFE ITSELF conference in San Diego.

The entire printed lung, which Rothblatt showed during a CNN Health interview at the conference, has 4,000 kilometers of pulmonary capillaries and eight billion cells.

There are 106,000 people on the organ transplant list. Living donors provide 6,000 organs a year, while deceased donors provide 8,000. Every day 17 people die waiting for a transplant, and that is with approximately one-half of all Americans registered as organ donors.

Originally posted here:

Transplant technology: United Therapeutics 3D-printing of human organs focused on every breath you take - Manchester Ink Link

The greatest female athlete of all timecheck that: perhaps the greatest athlete of all timehas been thinking a lot about the reason shes vowed to hang up her racket for good.

Olympia doesnt like when I play tennis, Serena Williams says plainly about her daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. When Williams told Olympia, who turns 5 on Sept. 1, that she was soon to be done with the life that made her an inspiration to millions, Olympias reply was as joyful as her mothers celebrations after so many Grand Slam wins: a fist-pumping Yes!

That kind of makes me sad, says Williams, leaning forward in her chair in the library of a New York City hotel. And brings anxiety to my heart. No kid understands their parents absence. But Williams has spent the last few years of her incomparable career tormented by what shes been sacrificing in order to keep going. Its hard to completely commit, says Williams, when your flesh and blood is saying, Aw.

Photograph by Paola Kudacki for TIME

Olympia would also like to be a big sister. One day in August, she blew on a dandelion, wishing for a baby sister. This is what I have to deal with, on a daily, Williams says, with the commiseration familiar to all parents of young kids. And yet choosing this path requires a calculus that superstar fathers dont have to make. Tom Brady, father of three, can retire and unretire at 44; LeBron James, father of three, can sign a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension at 37. It comes to a point where women sometimes have to make different choices than men, if they want to raise a family, says Williams, who turns 41 in late September. Its just black and white. You make a choice or you dont.

Biology may have forced her hand, but Williams insists shes at peace with her decision. There is no anger, she says. Im ready for the transition. Shes thought about whats next, without knowing how it will feel. Williams will re-direct her curiosity and drive into her investment firm, Serena Ventures. Shell kindle her spiritual life. Shell evolve as a mom. I think Im good at it, she says of parenthood. But I want to explore if I can be great at it.

Greatness is something she knows well. No tennis player, male or female, has won more major championships in the Open Erathe period starting in 1968 when the Grand Slam tournaments allowed professionalsthan Serena Williams. (Australias Margaret Court owns the all-time record, with 24 Grand Slams.) Williams earned 10 of those 23 titles after the age of 30, a time when most players retire or plummet in the rankings. But for all that Williams accomplished on the court, its what she has meant off the court that makes her the most consequential athlete of the 21st century, full stop. She, along with older sister Venus, took over a country-club sport with resistance to a pair of Black sisters from Compton, Calif., baked into its DNA. She helped change behavioral expectations for female athletes, and by extension women in all workplaces, by exuding power and passionand bringing her full selfto her hard-court office. She rewrote the book on body image. When pundits, racists, and no small number of idiots slurred her physical appearance or laughed her off as masculine, she doubled down on photo shoots and flexes.

Her very being sparked a multitude of crucial conversations. In 2018, her run to the Wimbledon finalmonths after Olympias delivery led to a life-threatening pulmonary embolism and hematoma that required multiple surgeriesinspired millions of moms. But that chatter shifted, in an instant. On a September afternoon, a male umpire penalized Williams at a key moment in the U.S. Open final, for a verbal outburst. She argued that men got away with much worse. Serena lost to Naomi Osaka, and the fallout prompted debates about decorum, fair play, gender discrimination, racial discrimination, letter of the law, spirit of the law, and unconscious biases.

All from a Serena Williams tennis match.

Osaka, who has since won three more Grand Slams, never would have picked up a tennis racket if it werent for Williams. I remember as a kid watching in awe, and I was so happy to be seeing a strong Black woman on my screen, she tells TIME. Even though she is retiring, her legacy definitely lives on through Coco [Gauff], Sloane [Stephens], Madison [Keys], and other women of color at the top of their game. Serena is unequivocally the best athlete ever. Forget female athlete, I mean athlete. No one else has changed her sport as much as she did and against all odds.

When informed of Osakas comment during our late-August conversation in New York, Williams demurs when the talk turns to being the GOAT. That is, up to a point.

I dont know any other person that has won a Grand Slam or a championship in the NBA or anything else nine weeks pregnant, she says. She laughs, a habit when she wants to make a serious point. A two-week event. That tournament, I relied on my brain. An athlete isnt just about what an animal you are physically, like a specimen. Its using everything. Your mind, your body, everything. And doing that for 20 years. And doing it against people that come against you and play the best game of their life. Every single time.

You can come to your own conclusion after that.

The Williams sisters backstory is filled with tales of their competitive exploits. There was a rage, a burning desire that Ive never seen in two little girls, ever, says Rick Macci, one of Venus and Serenas earliest coaches. And I havent seen to this day.

Richard Williams genius was that while many tennis dads suffocate their children, he nurtured their talent while encouraging them to be kids. On rainy days at Maccis Florida training facility, theyd study in his office. Richard kept them off the junior circuit, on the advice of absolutely no one. After they faced Hall of Fame legends Billie Jean King and Rosie Casals in an exhibition doubles match, Macci heard both sisters complimenting their own performances. He turned around. Venus, 11, and Serena, 10, were talking to a doll.

Richard Williams with daughters Serena, right, and Venus in 1991 in Compton, Calif.

Paul HarrisOnline USA/Getty Images

Childlike curiosity intact, the sisters went on to learn multiple languages and diversify their interests. Serena has dabbled in finance, fashion, acting, and film production; shes on track to be the first female athlete to become a billionaire. Early in her career, she faced criticism for moonlighting outside of tennis. She was supposedly unfocused, distracted. She again rewrote the rules. Expanding her palette prevented the burnout that previously plagued so many players. No woman has won more big matches in her later years.

Williams conquered her first major, the 1999 U.S. Open, at 17. It really was a different mentality of tennis, says Chris Evert, the 18-time major champion. Go for everything. When youre under pressure, youre more aggressive. Serena and Venus wore braids with beads in those early years on tour. Even this seemingly small fashion choice carried meaning. The tennis world was not accustomed to seeing Black girls show up adorned in styles reflecting their African American cultural heritage, as opposed to wearing styles that blended in, says Tera Hunter, a professor of African American studies at Princeton University.

Serena raisesthe 1999 U.S. Open championship trophy, her first major win. Shewas 17

Ron C. AngleGetty Images

Around this time, Williams met Kelly Rowland, of the pop supergroup Destinys Child, after a concert. She invited Rowland to come to a match. Im going to be really good, Serena vowed. As soon as she said that, I was struck by her, says Rowland. She remembers sitting in Serenas box during a match when she was down a set. You feel an energy shift, says Rowland. Somethings about to happen. Its watching her get upset, like we do as people, and then understanding she had to calm herself down. It was her having this controlled kind of space she had made for herself. And then it was about her dominating. And it was so unapologetic. It wasnt anything she had to say. It was like, Im about to take back whats mine. I needed that at that moment. It fed me.

It wasnt just women who were taking cues from the Williams sisters. An aspiring young race-car driver named Lewis Hamilton tuned in to Venus and Serenas matches from a public housing complex north of London. They were the two most inspiring sports figures for me, Hamilton tells TIME. Especially growing up in my sport, where Im the only person of color, seeing these two prominent figures, also the only people of color, really gave me a lot of confidence that I can do something similar. Its not impossible. Hamilton, winner of seven Formula One titlestied for the most in historyhas also bonded with Serena. She carries a small microphone in her handbag when they go out, for impromptu karaoke.

Over a quarter-century on tour, Williams has had her share of downturns. She suffered knee, ankle, shoulder, foot, hamstring, and Achilles injuries. She grieved the death of older sister Yetunde Price, who was killed in a 2003 shooting, in a case of mistaken identity. She was vilified at the 2009 U.S. Open for threatening a lineswoman after a foot-fault call. Williams apologized. And then she won two more Slams the next year.

In February 2011, Williams was supposed to fly from Los Angeles to New York City, before going off to London for a fashion show. She canceled plans at the last minute, choosing to hang out with Venus instead. That night, she checked into a hospital with breathing difficulties: she suffered a pulmonary embolism and had blood clotting in her lungs. If she had been stuck on a cross-country flight, Williams believes she more than likely would have died. She thought shed never play tennis again. Ten more Grand Slams followed.

When Williams found out she was pregnant right before the 2017 Australian Open, she played on with little hesitation. Athletes understand their bodies a million times better than the rest of us, says her husband Alexis Ohanian, the venture-capital investor who co-founded Reddit. Even though the doctor was like, Youve got to take it easy, 100 heat, yadda, yadda, yadda, Serena said, I got this. As long as she was confident, I was confident. Serena told her husband that she didnt drop a set the entire tournament because she knew it was best to get off the court quickly, for the babys sake. The victory broke Steffi Grafs Open Era record for major titles.

Beating Maria Sharapova for Olympic Gold in 2012 at Wimbledonwhere she won seven singles titles

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Serena beat Venus at the 2017 Aussie Open, for an Open-Era record 23 majors. She won while pregnant

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Read more: Serena Williams Opens Up About Her Complicated Comeback, Motherhood and Making Time to Be Selfish

Allyson Felix was among those watching. The Olympic gold medalist discovered she was pregnant the next year, in 2018; she continued training and competing. Like Williams, Felix had a life-threatening delivery of her daughter: after developing preeclampsia. Felix watched as Williams grinded her way back, ascending to the Wimbledon and U.S. Open finals in the year after Olympia was born. Felix charted a similar path. At the Tokyo Olympics, at 35, Felix won bronze in the 400-m and a relay gold to become the most decorated female Olympic track-and-field athlete in history, and pass Carl Lewis for the most Olympic track-and-field medals won by an American. I was heavily influenced by her experience and the comeback, says Felix. Heres the ultimate example that it can be done.

As her career extended, Williams publicly embraced causes she had long valued privately. In 2015, she again played at Indian Wells, the prominent Southern California tournament she had boycotted since 2001 after feeling an undercurrent of racist jeering. (Fans were angry that Venus pulled out of a semifinal against Serena with an injury; they were convinced that Richard had engineered that outcome.) As part of her return, Williams helped raise money for the Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to racial justice and fighting mass incarceration. Serenas not just taking punches, she punches back, says Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza. Shes showing us that its important to belong to yourself. And ultimately, that is a motto that I hold, and I know thats one that she lives.

Rowland gets emotional when asked to try to describe her friends influence on the world. For a young Black girl, to have survived the spaces where she wasnt welcomed, she stood with pride, says Rowland. She represented for all of us, when we couldnt do it. She made it OK. Claim your space. Even when theyre calling you words youd never answer to. You cant hear it. Dont hear it. Im sure that was a very scary place to be. But to do it, and youre the first to do it, the way you do it, with our own unique way, with style and with grace and unapologetic of your greatness, Rowland says, choking back tears. That took some f-cking guts.

Its been too long a road for Williams to shy away from what shes done. She owns it. Deservedly. Unapologetically. And its rooted in what she knows she and her sister have meant to the sport that they both shaped and were shaped by. We changed the game of tennis, Williams says. We changed how people play, period. People never attacked. People never took balls early. People never served like this. People never had to play so hard to beat two Black girls from Compton.

Off the court, shes helped transform beauty standardsoften in the face of crass scrutiny and racist tropes. A lot of people feel theyre not pretty or theyre not cute enough because their skin is dark, she says. But she insists she never felt that way, despite all the shots directed her way. I think people could feel my confidence, because I was always told, You look great. Be Black and be proud. There were too few prominent examples in mainstream sports before Venus and Serenaand few who won so regularly and defiantly. Giving them that confidence, that motivation, is something that has literally never been done, says Williams. You dont let the world decide beauty. And me being thicker or whatever, I mean, curves are popular now. Butts are popular. Im trying to lose mine, and people are trying to get mine.

Sharing a moment with daughter Olympia in 2020, after winning a tournament in Auckland

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Knowing insight delivered in a self-deprecating package is a Williams signature. But press a little and she states plainly what she believes her legacy is. Confidence and self-belief, Williams says. And teaching other Black kids, in particular Black girls, they can do it too. She lists the current top Black players on the pro tourlike Osaka and Gauff and Stephenswho represent the emergent generation. No one has ever been able to tell such an inspiring, authentic story, she says. You live through my mistakes. You live through my ups, you live through my downs. The surgeries, and the comebacks. And its also a tale of never letting anyone write your story. A lot of people can relate to that. Always be authentically you. Own who you are. And love you. Its a big tale of self-love.

Read more: Serena Williams: 100 Women of the Year

She laughs. In her final days as a pro tennis player, she also shed some tears. She bawled while working on her Aug. 9 Vogue essay announcing her imminent farewell. Walking away from the game youve spent your life mastering is complicated. And its not to say she wont decide to pick up a racket again one day. But her next chapter isnt about finding 5 oclock somewhere. Serena Ventures has invested in more than a dozen companies now worth more than $1 billion, including Master-Class, Impossible Foods, and Tonal. Nearly 80% of the companies in the firms portfolio were founded by women or people of color. Its not that Ive lost my passion for tennis, Williams says. I just get more love and more joy out of what I do in the VC space.

But expanding her family is paramount. I cant imagine my life without my sisters, she says. When I look at Olympia, Im really not performing at my peak, by not trying harder to give her that sibling. Coming from a big family, and coming from five, theres nothing better.

As Williams prepped for the U.S. Open, she felt her game finally coming along after such a long layoff. Before Wimbledon, where she lost in the first round, Williams hadnt played in a year because of a hamstring injury. The progress is bittersweet. I can see my improvement, and Im like, Dang, Ill be good in January, she says. Once the Australian Open comes along, she might pine for another trip down under. Im already thinking that, Williams says. But would she go? Im not doing that, she insists.

So this is it. One last dance in New York City. One final message to millions. Thank you so much, she says. I am so overwhelmed. Its just been an incredible, incredible ride, and Im so happy that you guys are on it with me. Williams stops, nods, brings her hands together, in the blessed position. And I love you.

With reporting by Mariah Espada and Julia Zorthian

Styled by Kesha McLeod; hair by Dhairius; make-up by Nadia Tayeh

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Write to Sean Gregory at sean.gregory@time.com.

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Serena Williams Interview on Leaving Tennis and Her Legacy - TIME