For a second in line Andrea Kwon, it’s the pistachio and lemon cake, coated with thick buttercream icing, that holds a place in her heart.
“That’s the cake that my now husband got for me before we started dating,” she said. “That’s when I realized he liked me.”
Hundreds queued to snare one of the final 1300 slices of cake at Beatrix Bakes on Saturday morning.Credit:Justin McManus
Kwon was told the cake was off the menu while waiting in line, but she was later moved to tears when a slice was produced for her. “I did something magical,” Paul told her.
“I’m going to sit down and cry and cherish this cake,” Kwon said through tears and laughter.
But there is no special memory for her sister, Arielle Kwon. “I just like the cake,” she said.
News of the bakery’s closure sparked long queues over the past month.
A loyal Beatrix Bakes customer waits in comfort on Saturday morning.Credit:Justin McManus
The line to devour one of the final 1,300 slices of cake on Saturday morning snaked all the way down Queensberry Street and around the corner onto Dryburgh Street.
A limit of eight slices per person was set to ensure most cake fanatics wouldn’t walk away empty-handed.
The final menu included blueberry coconut shag, red velvet cake with white chocolate cream cheese and butter cream icing, rhubarb and cinnamon crumble with custard, and vanilla slice with passionfruit glaze.
Paull said she felt overwhelmed by the support for her shop, which opened in 2011.
Paull was overwhelmed by the response to her bakery closing. Credit:Justin McManus
“I’m just so proud of it. It’s an honor to have baked for everyone,” she said. “I feel so sad that this part of it is ending, [but] I feel excited about the next steps for me.”
Those next steps include selling whole cakes online, finishing a follow-up cookbook to her first – also called Beatrix Bakers – and running baking workshops.
California Highway Patrol officers and law enforcement from all over Los Angeles chased a stolen car suspect for over an hour in the San Fernando Valley Friday night before finally taking him into custody.
The chase began in Sherman Oaks shortly after 9 pm.
Police chased the driver on the 101 Freeway, surface streets In North Hollywood and Burbank, the 5 Freeway, the 210 Freeway and seemingly everywhere in between.
At one point, the suspect jumped out of the allegedly stolen car and tried to steal another vehicle, but it was locked. At the same time, the suspected stolen car rolled into the back of the other car targeted by the driver, at which point of suspect jumped back into the first sedan and drove off.
The chase also extended through construction zones, freeway off-ramps and on-ramps.
The chase eventually ended near the 210 Freeway after the suspect hit what appeared to be a spike strip.
He suspect jumped out of his vehicle, tossed a bag to his side and ran a few feet before surrendering to police.
He was handcuffed and taken into custody without further incident. His identity of him was not released.
Sitting back and watching the interest rate rise on your home loan could be costing you hundreds of dollars more a month unnecessarily.
Homeowners are being warned not to fall victim to a “mortgage loyalty tax” by staying with their current lender as banks offer discounts and perks to compete for new customers.
Analysis by RateCity shows all four major banks are offering new customers a significantly lower variable rate than existing customers who have not “haggled” for something better.
The financial comparison site found someone who took out a variable rate loan in September 2019 could be paying an interest rate that’s almost a full percentage point higher than a new customer today.
Looking at Australia’s largest bank as an example, RateCity estimates a Commonwealth Bank customer who took out a $500,000 loan three years ago would have paid an extra $5101 in interest over that time if they had not negotiated.
For a $750,000 loan it is an extra $7,652 in interest and for a $1 million loan it is $10,202.
RateCity explained that in those three years, the bank offered discounts on its lowest variable rates five times to new customers, which meant unless an existing customer called up their bank and negotiated each time, they missed out 0.93 percentage points off their rate.
Addressing RateCity’s findings, Commonwealth Bank said in a statement it was committed to providing existing and new customers with “an array of great value and flexible home loan products”.
It highlighted its “Green Home Offer” where existing customers have access to a low standard variable rate if their home meets certain sustainability and energy efficient criteria.
“We encourage our customers to reach out to us to see how our extensive network of home lending specialists are able to help them find the right solution for their needs,” A CBA spokeswoman said.
The Reserve Bank of Australia increased the official cash rate by 0.50 per cent on Tuesday – the fourth hike in four months.
While the major banks have passed on the rate rises in full to existing customers, they are still offering discounts to bring in new business.
RateCity research director Sally Tindall said banks were “falling over themselves” to offer discounts and perks to borrowers willing to move from a competitor.
“Once the August hikes filter through, a competitive interest rate for owner-occupiers is likely to be around 3.50 per cent,” she said.
“If your variable rate starts with a 4 or even a 5, then you really should question why.”
RateCity found at least 10 lenders have cut variable rates since the hikes began, but only for new customers.
The value of refinanced loans surged by $1.06 billion to $18.16 billion in June, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. That is the highest value on record.
As well as rate hikes prompting mortgage customers to shop around, Ms Tindall said many borrowers would be coming off low fixed rate contracts they signed up for during Covid.
“Refinancing hit a record high in June and we expect this will keep on climbing as borrowers roll off their fixed loans, only to find rates have gone through the roof since they last looked at their mortgage,” she said.
“This will in turn push the banks to come up with even more discounts and perks for new customers, particularly refinancers looking to jump ship from a competitor.”
Customers also have the option to call up their bank and negotiate a better interest rate.
“If you do go down this path, do your research before you make the call,” Ms Tindall warned.
“Check what rate you’re on, check what rate your bank is offering new customers, but also what other lenders might be willing to offer you.
“If you have a couple of quotes at the ready for some of your bank’s competitors, they’re likely to take notice.”
Jack Rayner sports an exceptional 1970s-style mustache.
But when the Australian long-distance runner utters the word “unorthodox”, he’s not talking about his upper-lip work of art.
The 26-year-old, set to compete in the men’s 5000m at the Commonwealth Games on Saturday night (AEST), is pointing to his backflip on the marathon.
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Before making the jump to the marathon, the vast majority of runners spend many years competing on the track and in the shortest road events.
Rayner has broken the mould, scaling down from the marathon due to a plagued injury run and promising performances over the shorter distances.
Jack Rayner has had what he calls an “unorthodox” running career, having scaled down from the marathon to shorter distances. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images for World Athletics)
The Victorian posted 2:11:06 in the 2019 London marathon at the age of only 23.
But he’s withdrawn from two of the four marathons he’s started and injured himself during another.
He carried a stress reaction into last year’s Tokyo Olympics marathon and had a day to forget, pulling out early in the run.
Two sizzling hit-outs on the track this year added to the lure of attacking the shorter distances: at 27:15.35 in San Juan Capistrano that clinched the national 10,000m record, and at 13:06.00 over 5000m in Oslo that gave him the third -fastest time by an Australian in history.
“I’m trying to break the cycle of being injured in a marathon block,” Rayner told Wide World of Sports.
“My coach (Nic Bideau) always knew I was decent on the track, but he never really pushed me to it because I was doing well on the roads — the shorter stuff on the roads, like 10km up to half-marathon.
Jack Rayner is set to compete in the men’s 5000m at the Commonwealth Games. (Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
“Then when this season rolled around he saw I was really fit so he threw me in a 10,000m in March, and then I ended up running the Australian record there. He was like, ‘I’m going to see how well you go in the shorter stuff’, so he threw me in at 5000m and then we pretty much just went from there.
“While I’m running well on the track it doesn’t make much sense to do (a marathon) super soon.”
While Rayner was punching out 180-200km per week when training for the marathon, he’s now ticking through 110-140km.
He now also takes one full day off running a week — “the biggest change” he’s made this year.
Considering he’s suffered a stress fracture in his sacrum, a stress reaction in his femur and a stress reaction in his hip in the last three years, it’s hard to argue against the recent changes he’s made as an athlete.
He struggled badly in his sole event at July’s World Athletics Championships in Eugene, finishing 19th in the 10,000m in 28:16.
But on the cusp of the 5000m at his Commonwealth Games debut, he’s single-minded about what he wants to achieve before giving the marathon another shake.
“I had a pretty disappointing world champs, to be honest. I just went into it a little bit tired,” Rayner said.
“I would like to be competitive on the track. For things like world champs — making the final in that and being competitive. In the 10,000m, as well — it’s a really tough event, but I’d love to finish much higher up (than I did at the world champs).In the top 10 in the 10,000m and trying to make the final in the 5000m would be amazing.
“I’ve only run one really good 5000m, to be honest, so I’ve barely had a proper go at it just yet.
“Breaking that 13-minute barrier (in the 5000m) would be high up on the list, as well as running a sub-27-minute 10,000m. (They’re) two things that I would love to tick off in my career .
“I don’t know what I’ll be doing at the next Olympics (in Paris in 2024), whether that be track or marathon. (It’s) something I haven’t really fully made up my mind about yet.”
Jack Rayner is the Australian men’s 10,000m record holder. (Stephen Pond/Getty Images)
Craig Mottram, who unleashed at 12:55.76 in 5000m in London in 2004, is the only Australian to have cracked the 13-minute barrier.
Stewart McSweyn, one of Rayner’s Melbourne Track Club teammates, is Australia’s second-quickest over 5000m in history, having registered at 13:05.23 in Belgium in 2018.
As Rayner waits for the gun to fire in the Commonwealth Games 5000m, he’ll be standing beside three sub-13-minute runners: Kenya’s Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli and Jacob Krop, and Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda.
Kiplimo broke free from the shadow of champion compatriot Joshua Cheptegei as he stormed to victory in the Commonwealth Games 10,000m this week.
Rayner’s brilliant rivals will make it tough for him to score a medal in Birmingham.
But until he returns his focus to the marathon, taking on the best in the world in the shorter events is the mustachioed star’s beat.
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Commonwealth Games in pictures: Canada player shown straight red card for ‘choking’ opponent
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy weighs in on President Biden’s approach to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan visit and what Pelosi could have done differently on ‘Jesse Watters Primetime.’
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House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy explained how President Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi alike should have approached her Taiwan visit Friday on “Jesse Watters Primetime.”
REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY: Biden has shown weakness from the very beginning of Afghanistan. Watch how he allowed China to speak to America, first on our soil in Alaska. And then what did he do when Nancy Pelosi was going to Taiwan? He showed weakness again, said, “Well, the military doesn’t want her to go. Well, it’s Nancy.” Why didn’t he stand up for America and say China’s not going to dictate when and who goes to Taiwan?
NANCY PELOSI DEPARTS TAIWAN AFTER VISIT CRITICIZED BY CHINA
China would have had a different opinion about what they said and did. But the other point about Nancy Pelosi — I support Americans going to Taiwan. But if you’re Speaker of the House, wouldn’t it have been stronger if you took a bipartisan group? Every other congressional delegation that travels overseas has to be bipartisan. It’s only the speaker — when she goes to Ukraine, she makes it partisan — Democrats only. When she goes to Taiwan, she made it only Democrats. Wouldn’t it have been a stronger voice to China as well, if you had Republicans and Democrats together?
Former Adelaide Crows footballer Bryce Gibbs has admitted a controversial pre-season training camp fractured the playing group and says he regrets not speaking up about it.
Key points:
Bryce Gibbs joined the Adelaide Crows in 2017 shortly before the preseason training camp
He says he regrets not speaking up and supporting his teammates
Eddie Betts and Josh Jenkins this week shared their experience of the camp
Gibbs is the latest player to speak publicly about the camp, echoing concerns about the Gold Coast trip raised by former teammates Eddie Betts and Josh Jenkins.
Betts wrote in his book, released this week, how personal details he confidentially shared with a counselor were used to verbally abuse him in front of teammates, in an experience he found “traumatizing.”
In another example, Betts details how First Nations rituals were misappropriated, which he found “extremely disrespectful”.
Gibbs said incidents shared by Betts and Jenkins about the camp should not have happened.
“When I reflect, this is where I feel really disappointed in myself, this is when I started to take a back seat, watching guys stand up and say ‘this is not on, we need to address this, we need to tell people what happened’, they seemed to get shut down pretty quickly,” Gibbs told radio station SEN SA.
Gibbs was traded from Carlton at the end of 2017 and joined Adelaide weeks before the players went on the camp, where he was included in the more intensive “group one” version of the camp alongside nine other players and two coaches.
The retired AFL player said he was disappointed he did not support teammates who experienced a more difficult time during the camp than he did.
Eddie Betts’ biography, The Boy from Boomerang Crescent, includes claims about his traumatic experience during the training camp.(ABC News: Ben Pettit)
“Reflecting on those ongoing conversations when we were trying to flush it out, I do regret not speaking up when I probably should’ve been a more experienced and senior player of that group,” he said.
“It did fracture the playing group, it fractured relationships in the football department, players lost trust with members in that football department.”
In a statement made in 2021, the Crows said a SafeWork SA investigation “found neither the club nor any other person or organisation, breached any work-health-and-safety laws during or in relation to the camp.”
“We tried to move on where that was obviously the wrong thing to do and that’s probably why we’re speaking about it four years on,” Gibbs said.
“If it was handled correctly and people had taken responsibility, put their hand up and knocked it on the head a lot earlier when it happened, it still would’ve been hard as people still went through what they went through – and people will still carry some emotional scars from it — but at least it would’ve been dealt with in the proper manner then and there.”
‘It shouldn’t have happened’
Gibbs said he took a call from a counselor before the camp to discuss his childhood and past experiences, which he thought was “a bit of a red flag.” He said he was “pretty calculated” in what he disclosed.
He said by not divulging too much to the counsellor, his experience of the camp was different from what Betts and Jenkins spoke about this week.
“Reflecting on it all, it just shouldn’t have happened. It was easier for me to move on as I didn’t have that level of experience and trauma put to me, I found it easier to suppress it and squash it and just try and move on personally which I was able to do, which made it easier for me,” Gibbs said.
“That’s my experience of the camp, obviously very different to a lot of people.”
Eddie Betts and Josh Jenkins (right) have both spoken publicly about the 2018 pre-season training camp.(AAP: Tracey Nearmy)
Jenkins recalled an exercise involving players being hoisted up in harnesses while having abuse hurled at them by facilitators and teammates, including “some of the barbs” being thrown at Betts.
Gibbs said he was told not to reveal details of the camp to players in the other groups of the camp.
“Getting spoken to and getting educated on what to say to family, friends and the other guys in the other groups, we were told not to go into detail about what happened and for whatever reason most of us stuck to that at the time,” he said.
‘Strange rules’ during camp
Gibbs said he experienced “unusual things” and “plenty of red flags” during the infamous training trip but convinced himself to keep an open mind and that the camp would help build stronger relationships with his teammates.
The 268-game veteran shared that on the trip to the campsite, Crows players were blindfolded and were not allowed to talk on the bus, which had blacked-out windows.
They played heavy metal music on the bus and talked about the 2017 Grand Final, in which Adelaide were heavily defeated by Richmond, and Gibbs’ departure from Carlton.
Gibbs said “strange rules” were enforced during the camp, including players being required to walk in a straight line and not being allowed to use their mobile phones or shower.
Bryce Gibbs plays for South Adelaide in SANFL since retiring from AFL in 2020.(Supplied: Nick Hook via South Adelaide FC)
He said some of the rules imposed were “hard to justify” and players were doubting the benefits of the training.
“I felt like we were in a bit of a state of mind, this whole experience was happening around us and a couple of guys spoke up about their concerns, it was sort of negotiated that we would continue on with what we were doing,” Gibbs said.
“I think Eddie used “brainwashed”, as he described it, but in the state of mind and in the moment we just continued doing what they’d set out to do.
“It probably wasn’t until later on when reflecting on it that it was probably an opportunity to speak up a bit more.”
The AFL and the Adelaide Football Club have both apologized to Betts for the trauma caused by the camp.
Prominent Adelaide lawyer Greg Griffin said he had spoken to at least seven players who were on the 2018 Crows’ list about a potential class action.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s new government announced on Thursday it plans to prevent development of a coal mine due to the potential impact on the nearby Great Barrier Reef.
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said she intends to deny approval for the Central Queensland Coal Project to be excavated northwest of the Queensland state town of Rockhampton.
The minority Greens party has been pressing the center-left Labor Party government, which was elected in May, to refuse approvals of coal or gas projects, to help reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions.
“Based on the information available to me at this stage, I believe that the project would be likely to have unacceptable impacts to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, and the values of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and National Heritage Place,” Plibersek said in a statement.
The marine park manages the network of more than 2,500 reefs that cover 348,000 square kilometers (134,000 square miles) of seabed off the northeast Australian coast. The World Heritage Area, designated by the United Nations and Australia’s National Heritage List, includes natural, historic and Indigenous places of outstanding significance to the nation.
UNESCO, the UN cultural organization, is considering downgrading the Great Barrier Reef’s World Heritage status mainly because rising ocean temperatures are killing coral.
The mine’s proponents have 10 business days to respond to the proposed refusal before the minister makes her final decision.
The Greens welcomed the news and urged the minister to reject another 26 planned coal mines.
“Now we need an across-the-board moratorium on all new coal and gas projects,” Greens leader Adam Bandt said in a statement.
The proposed decision was announced after the House of Representatives passed a bill that would enshrine in law the government’s ambition to reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions by 43% below 2005 levels by the end of the decade. The bill passed 89 votes to 55.
The previous government’s target had been a reduction of between 26%-28%, set at the Paris climate conference in 2015.
A proposed Greens’ amendment that would have acknowledged no new coal, oil or gas projects could be started if Australia were to achieve its net-zero emissions target by 2050 was defeated on Thursday.
The government is confident that the bill will be passed by the Senate next month with support from all 12 Greens senators, who would prefer a 2030 target of a 75% reduction.
The apparently doomed mine would have been an open-cut operation that extracted up to 10 million metric tons (11 million US tons) of coal a year.
A fire that tore through a Pennsylvania house killed 10 people — including three children — early Friday morning, all of whom were members of the same family and related to a volunteer fireman who responded to the blaze.
Three children, ages 5, 6 and 7, and seven adults were killed in the Nescopeck blaze, state police said. Three others were able to escape the inferno, according to first responders.
Nescopeck volunteer firefighter Harold Baker told The Citizens’ Voice of Wilkes-Barre that the victims included his son, daughter, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, three grandchildren and two other relatives.
“When we turned the corner up here on Dewey [Street] I knew right away what house it was just by looking down the street,” Baker told the paper. “I was on the first engine, and when we pulled up, the whole place was fully involved. We tried to get in to them.”
Thirteen dogs were also in the home it went up in flames around 2:30 am, Baker told WNEP. It was unclear if any of them survived.
Crews work to demolish the house destroyed by a fatal fire on the 700 block of 1st Street in Nescopeck on Aug. 5, 2022.APA Pennsylvania State trooper and members of the Luzerne County Coroner’s Office are at the scene of the fire in Nescopeck on August 5, 2022. AP
“The kids that were there and my two kids were just visiting their aunt and uncle. Those were the ones who owned the house. They were there visiting and going into the pool and all that,” Baker reportedly said.
A loud popping sound or explosion was heard by neighbors, who reported seeing the home quickly go up in flames.
“They’re all dead,” a young man screamed in front of the home, some neighbors reportedly said.
A “complex criminal investigation” was underway, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Derek Felsman said.
A corner of East Lothian may forever belong to a family from Western Australia. Should Minjee Lee prevail at the Women’s Open – and a second round of 70 leaves her in fine position to do precisely that – she will have shown the local specialty already displayed by her brother de ella.
Min Woo Lee’s win at the Scottish Open last July was the biggest of his career. It is hardly unfair to suggest the 24-year-old has been firmly upstaged in sporting context by his older sister of him. The quirk here is that Minjee Lee is in hot pursuit of a third major – and second of 2022 – at Muirfield, literally over the wall from the Renaissance Club where Min Woo Lee emerged from a playoff.
Minjee Lee offered only that a family double in the same postcode and more than 9,000 miles from home would be “pretty cool” before a ball was struck in the Women’s Open. A four under par total at the halfway point has only intensified strong attention around her, including in her native country.
Lee eased to victory the US Open in June and would almost certainly become Australia’s first female world No 1 with a win at Muirfield. At the halfway mark she is four shots off the leader, South Korea’s Chun In-gee, and shielding herself expertly from the noise.
“I try not to think too much about that other stuff,” Lee said. “I’m still the same person. I hit a little white golf ball around a field. That’s always been my mindset and whatever comes with it, I’m going to embrace it and be the best person that I can be.” And the best golfer, clearly. Lee’s second round included two birdies and one bogey. She rolled missed chances on the greens. “I played really smart out there,” she added. “I couldn’t quite capitalize on my birdie opportunities so hopefully they will all drop tomorrow.
“The course is really set up quite fair and the design of the course is actually rewarding when you play to the safe side. I definitely think it’s a very fair, challenging but fun course.” Indeed, Muirfield has generally been deemed a huge success by competitors.
Martin Slumbers, the R&A’s chief executive, has placed emphasis on big-time sport requiring big-time audiences and big-time venues. It also needs big-time leaderboards. Job done on that front: Chun, the Women’s PGA winner this year, leads with seven-time major winner Inbee Park two shots back. Madelene Sagström, last year’s runner-up, and South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai are sandwiched between them in a tie for seconds.
New Zealand’s Lydia Ko is also in the mix at one under par. Ko added a 70 to day one’s 71 despite a messy double bogey at the 18th. Charley Hull, a renowned pessimist when it comes to links golf, has matched Ko’s aggregate. Ireland’s Leona Maguire, chasing the first of what many believe will be multiple major successes, is two under after a 69. She had aspirations of an even better Friday after an eagle at the par five 5th.
“I birdied 14 and 15 which are probably two of the hardest holes out there, so that was a nice boost heading into those last few holes,” Maguire said. “I was three under for the last five so that’s really good momentum heading into the weekend.
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“I would have liked to have got to four or five under but you have to take your chances where they come. I didn’t take advantage of some holes and then I birdied two of the hardest holes. That’s links golf and you just really have to be patient. I feel like I did that today. It would have been easy to kind of get frustrated and finish a couple over. I dug in for those last few which were nice. I hit it in a few of those bunkers, which are really penal.” Louise Duncan, the young Scot making just her second professional start, slipped back to minus two and alongside Maguire after a 73.
Those to miss the cut included Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist, who won this major in dramatic fashion at Carnoustie 12 months ago, Catriona Matthew and Lexi Thompson. The world No1, Ko Jin-young also crashed out at five over par. A disastrous second round of 81 for Laura Davies comprehensively ended her prospects of lasting more than 36 holes. Nelly Korda squeezed in for the weekend at plus two after a disappointing 74.
Registered nurse Sugan and business development manager Divyashree had their hearts set on breaking the rule for traditional wedding attire, and it was a hit with their guests.
The pair donned green outfits, as opposed to the typical black and white get-up, and shared their glorious big day with beloved friends and family who flew over from Singapore especially.
Their two best friends co-ordinated the big day, and nailed every element from start to finish.
The Sugars wedding Credit: ALVIN GANNY
when and where
The couple hired out Mills Park in Beckenham on June 3, 2022, which was a perfect fit for their extended family reunion.
The Sugars wedding Credit: ALVIN GANNY
Dress
Finding a dress for any bride can have its challenges, but throwing a colored element into the mix made it just that much harder for Divyashree.
But with perseverance, and a lot of research, she found her perfect gown from Sentani Boutique in Queensland.
The Sugars wedding Credit: ALVIN GANNY
honeymoon
After not being able to travel for two years, the couple plan to visit the picturesque Maldives for their honeymoon.
