A former friend left out of pocket by the Duke and Duchess of York says she is “outraged” over Sarah Ferguson’s purchase of a multi-million London mansion because she thought the duchess “didn’t have a penny.”
Isabelle de Rouvre sold her Swiss ski chalet to the Yorks in 2014 but accepted lower payment believing the couple were short of cash and because of Prince Andrew’s sex abuse case.
Prince Andrew and Fergie bought de Rouvre’s chalet in Verbier for about £18 million ($31 million).
READMORE:The Queen Mother’s most spectacular jewels and who wears them now
Prince Andrew and the Duchess of York at Royal Ascot. (Getty)
They asked to buy the seven-bed chalet, which featured an indoor swimming pool, sauna and bar, after renting it regularly for holidays.
They took out a mortgage of £13.25 million ($22 million) and agreed to pay the remaining £5 million ($7 million) in cash facilities to de Rouvre, with interest accruing.
When the couple failed to pay the outstanding amounts, she took them to court in what became a long-running dispute.
Now, the French socialite has told The Sunday Times she was owed about £6.8 million ($12 million), which included interest, but agreed to a lower payment of about £3.4 million ($6 million), partly because she was under the impression that the Yorks were short of money.
De Rouvre said she also chose not to pursue the full payment because of the legal case brought by Virginia Guiffre against Prince Andrew, alleging that he had sex with her when she was 17, which he denies.
She said she “settled for about half the amount” she was owed by the Yorks.
The Duchess of York recently purchased a Mayfair terrace for an estimated $8.7 million. (Getty)
“I understood they didn’t have the money and believed he would be going to prison in America so I thought it best to get what I could,” she told the publication.
Her agreement freed up the Yorks to complete the sale of the chalet. She said of the situation in January: “The war is finished.”
Prince Andrew is believed to have borrowed money from members of the royal family to pay Giuffre an estimated £10 million ($20 million) because of the delay in getting funds from the sale of the chalet.
Last week it emerged the Duchess of York had bought a £5 million ($8.7 million) Mayfair home, believed to be an investment opportunity for her daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
“I am outraged that I am now told she has spent millions on another property,” de Rouvre told the Times.
“It is just incredible and the whole story unbelievable.
“It is a dirty story as far as I am concerned. I thought she didn’t have a penny.”
Sarah Ferguson with Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. (Getty)
The address is in the Grosvenor Estate and was owned by the Duke of Westminster, who is a close friend of the royal family and godfather to the future King, prince george, according to The Sun.
Fergie and Prince Andrew, both 62, still live together at the Royal Lodge in Windsor – when she is based in the UK – which is owned by the Queen and on a long-term lease to Andrew.
In 2010 the duchess said she was “continually on the verge of financial bankruptcy”.
And during her decade-long marriage to Prince Andrew there were reports she had debts of up £4.2 million ($7 million) in debt during her ten-year marriage.
Recently, Fergie secured a 22-book deal with an Australian publisher as a children’s author.
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The British royals’ most shocking controversies and scandals
You wait more than 130 years for a mainstream women’s event at Muirfield then nobody wants to leave. The R&A, which presides over the Women’s Open, was at least spared the embarrassment of a Monday conclusion but such an outcome was in the equation as a playoff between Ashleigh Buhai and Chun In-gee rumbled on to the fourth sudden-death playing of the 18th hole.
For Buhai, glory and $1.1m from a major she looked at one point determined to give away. Chun, who would have completed a grand slam – but not a super slam – of majors with victory here, drove into a penal fairway bunker at the worst possible time and the rest is history. Muirfield, once the epitome of male-only golf environments, toasted a female major champion at ten past nine at night. Buhai beat rapidly fading light – the consequence of preposterously late tee off times to accommodate television schedules – as well as Chun.
Buhai led by five at the start of day four. Those below her on the scoreboard swung and missed all day until the 33-year-old reached the 15th tee, still with a three-stroke advantage. She drove into a bunker, from where she could only play out sideways. The trouble was, this attempted recovery flew into thick rough. Buhai advanced the ball 10 yards, with her fourth shot just short of the green. In no time, she was standing over a 15ft putt for a double-bogey six, which she missed. She was now tied with Chun. Almost simultaneously, Chun came so close to finding the bottom of the hole at the 16th, from 50ft, for a birdie. A procession had turned into an engrossing duel.
Buhai could have regained momentum but her birdie tried at the penultimate hole stayed above ground. At the last, the eventual champion rattled her putt for a three past the hole. Par was crucially saved from there but Chun had the momentum entering the playoff courtesy of Buhai’s 75 shots, four over par, in regulation play.
The playoff proved dramatic. On the first re-playing of the 18th, Chun had a wonderful shot from a greenside bunker to rescue a four. On hole 74, Chun fluffed a chip from left of the green. A bogey five, though, was sufficient to halve after Buhai failed to get up and down from the same sand trap.
Onwards to try number three; this time Buhai’s birdie putt, for the trophy, slid so narrowly by.
Next, Chun found a fairway bunker. This was, again, Buhai’s to lose and this time from the middle of the fairway. She carved into the same greenside bunker that she had featured previously but played a superb shot to tap-in range. Chun had to hole out from the fringe to extend play but she could not.
Buhai and Chun, at 10 under, had finished a shot ahead of Hinako Shibuno. The Japanese player, the champion in 2019, will perform a double bogey at the 14th. A second Women’s Open title was otherwise within her grasp of her.
Madelene Sagström’s 71 ensured a share of fourth at seven under. The Swede admitted she was “looking forward to some rest” after a testing week.
Ireland’s Leona Maguire signed off with a bogey-free 66, so she finished alongside Sagström and Minjee Lee on the leaderboard. “It would have been nice to get to 10 under,” she said. “I kind of had that total in my head. But this is my best Women’s Open so far and a really, really solid week. If I had had my week on the greens, things could have been a lot different.”
A year ago, Louise Duncan’s top 10 finish was worth nothing whatsoever in monetary terms as she competed when still an amateur. Her closing 69 of her for a share of 19th comes with the benefit of a £70,000 pay day. This marks just Duncan’s second event from her as a professional. “I’m over the moon with the end result,” said the 22-year-old Scot. “This is the first cut I’ve made all year, so I’m really delighted with that. Going forward, I’m going to keep this tournament in my mind.” Because of how long it lasted, few will readily forget it.
It’s not the prettiest, or even most fulfilling, part of upgrading a home. But more energy-efficient heating, cooling, power and water usage can net savings that really adds up for household budgets and for doing right by the planet.
Congressional action this weekend and into next week looks to return more incentives, mostly via tax credits and rebates, to the pockets of homeowners who opt for energy-efficient choices, replacing fossil-fuel furnaces, boilers, water heaters and stoves with high-efficiency electric options that can be powered by renewable energy.
Read: Senate passes Democrats’ big healthcare, climate and tax package after marathon session
Of course, more of the nation’s electricity grid, currently run on natural gas NG00, -2.15%,
along with lingering coal, and expanding wind and solar ICLN, +0.76%,
will have to be powered by renewable energy for home upgrades to be truly green. But, alternatives are rising in use, and home efficiency has long been considered a good place to start.
The bill, a long-fought and greatly-downsized Democrat-crafted spending bill now known as the Inflation Reduction Act, includes rebates or a tax break for qualifying consumers who add efficient heat pumps (which, despite their name, move cold air around too ), rooftop solar, electric HVAC and electric water heaters.
The IRA was passed Sunday in the Senate and now makes its way to the House next week, where it is expected to be approved by a narrow majority for Democrats in that chamber. The Republicans who have opposed the bill have done so based on disagreements, they say, with the level of spending, but also because some support US oil and gas production on the grounds of cost savings and global security. And Democrats did agree to a future look at expediting environmental approvals for fossil fuels and clean energy.
“American families need relief from Democrat policies that attack American energy, send utility bills soaring and drive up prices RB00,
at the pump,” said Sen. Barrasso, a Republican of Wyoming who is a ranking member on the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Climate Nexus, an advocacy group, says a survey has shown 67% of voters support providing tax credits and other incentives to homeowners, landlords and businesses to purchase appliances that don’t use fossil fuels (such as electric water heaters, heat pumps, and electric induction cooktops).
What’s in the Inflation Reduction Act for home energy?
The legislation provides for $9 billion in total energy rebates, including the $4.28 billion High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Program, which returns a rebate of up to $8,000 to install heat pumps that can both heat and cool homes, and a rebate up to $1,750 for a heat-pump water heater. Homeowners might also qualify for up to $840 to offset the cost of a heat-pump clothes dryer or an electric stove, such as a high-efficiency induction range.
Read: Gas stoves targeted as US congressman alleges consumer watchdog has sat on decades of worrisome health data
and: More and more right-leaning Americans worry about climate change, but aren’t ready to give up gas stoves
Many homes will need their electrical panels upgraded before getting new appliances, and the program offers up to a $4,000 rebate toward that initial step.
“A household with an efficient electric heat pump for space heating and cooling, a heat pump water heater, one electric vehicle and solar panels would save $1,800 a year,” says Jamal Lewis and team, writing a brief on the legislation for the organization Rewiring America.
“These savings will be reflected in lower monthly energy bills, reduced bill volatility and a lessening of disproportionately high energy burdens within disadvantaged communities,” Lewis said. “Importantly, these savings add up — so much so that if a household invests their energy bill savings from electrifying their home appliances, these savings will grow to over $30,000 after 10 years and $140,000 after 25 years (assuming an 8% annual return). ”
There are also funds in the IRA to be claimed for smaller actions: a rebate of up to $1,600 to insulate and seal a house, and a rebate of up to $2,500 for improvements to electrical wiring.
The program, to be administered at the state level, will run through Sept. 30, 2031, and homeowners would be able to collect a maximum of $14,000 in total rebates. To qualify, household income cannot exceed 150% of the area median income.
For homeowners who do not qualify for the rebates, the IRA provides for a tax credit of up to $2,000 to install heat pumps. And, installing an induction stove or new windows and doors, for example, qualifies for tax credits up to $1,200 a year.
What are heat pumps exactly?
Electric heat pumps, which replace a furnace, for instance, are energy efficient because they don’t create heat by burning fuels but rather move it (during the heating season) from cold outdoors to warm indoors. The downsides can include upfront costs and their suitability for all regions.
Still, over its lifetime, electric heat pumps generally offer the cheapest way to cleanly heat and cool single-family homes in all but the coldest parts of the US in coming decades, according to recent research from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). In very cold places, the analysis finds, electric heat pumps with an alternative fuel backup for frigid periods minimize costs.
“Our findings are good news for consumers and for the climate. Electric heat pumps, which heat and cool, are the cheapest clean heating option for many houses, especially now that we have cold-climate models,” says Steven Nadel, report coauthor and ACEEE’s executive director.
Cold-climate models, an advance in the technology, operate efficiently at temperatures as low as 5°F. Their energy costs, however, are minimized if an alternative fuel backup kicks in when it gets colder than 5°F for long periods.
EPA Energy Star program
EPA Energy Star program
The analysis finds that higher-income households are more likely to minimize costs with electric heat pumps, because they have newer—and more likely, single-family—homes with air-conditioning and improved energy efficiency.
The group backs congressional help for low- and moderate-income households, whose homes are often the most difficult to decarbonize. Notably, ACEEE calls for help to reduce the costs of ductless electric mini-split heat pumps in multifamily buildings.
And what about solar?
The legislation revives a 30% tax credit for installing residential solar panels and extends the program until Dec. 31, 2034.
The tax credit would decline to 26% for solar panels put into service after Dec. 31, 2032 and before Jan. 1, 2034.
What’s more, homeowners who install solar battery systems with at least three kilowatt-hours of capacity would also qualify for the tax credit.
The heating-and-cooling provisions are in addition to tax credits of up to $7,500 for the purchase of a new electric vehicle TSLA, -6.63%
F, -0.46%
and $4,000 for lower- and middle-income families who purchase a used EV. Early versions of this spending bill included help for e-bikes, but they are excluded in the final. Read more about those EV incentives.
Other programs
Homeowners can look beyond federal programs.
Safak Yucel, assistant professor of operations management at Georgetown University, who studies government policies relating to renewable energy and carbon emissions, said legislative uncertainty given the long slog to get this bill passed, and the risk that executive action is challenged in the courts, means that state and city incentives, and those offered by utilities, may make homeowners more assured.
“A lot of state governments, a lot of cities, they offer quite lucrative deals,” he said. “When it comes to rooftop solar, for example, Massachusetts comes to mind, which is not necessarily the sunniest of states, right, but they have quite a significant adoption of rooftop solar panels thanks to these state-level policies. I think as consumers look forward, they are more likely to see even broader involvement from state governments.”
Website EcoWatch, for instance, allows users to search by zip zode and ranks solar-friendly states.
Will incentives nudge consumer buy-in?
Broadly speaking, the new bill is meant to return more green technology manufacturing back to the US by tagging $60 billion to accelerate domestic production of solar panels, wind turbines and batteries, as well as support the critical minerals processing that are a must-have for the batteries that power EVs and help households leverage their solar power.
More domestic production could help alleviate the supply-chain issues that have hobbled markets during the COVID-19 recovery, and it could create more jobs, all of which is seen helping Americans “green up” their homes and businesses at a lower cost historically, bill proposers argue.
Biden has said the US will work to align with most major economies in the world, hitting net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and at least halving current emissions as soon as 2030.
“Electrification will play a crucial role in decarbonizing homes, but the transition will happen slowly as long as inexpensive fossil fuels are widely available,” says Lyla Fadali, an ACEEE senior researcher.
Targeting manufacturing changes can also trickle down to consumers.
“Rather than focusing on whether or not a consumer will buy into the product at this point, what we’re seeing is that the consumers’ hand is sort of going to be pushed over a certain amount of time because so many manufacturers and producers are incentivized to build more solar, more EVs and so on,” said Shannon Christensen, an attorney and a tax and accounting specialist editor with Thomson Reuters Checkpoint, an online research platform.
“When gasoline-powered vehicles came into popularity in the beginning, nobody wanted to switch from their horse and buggy. It took quite some time to get consumers at that time to go over into that new technology. And I think we’re seeing the exact same thing,” Christensen said. “But the technology is getting good enough. And Congress has made it available to lower-income folks and through tax credits. I think that you’re going to see a [demand] shift, and I think it will rise quickly.”
Backstage among the glitz and glamor of Brisbane Fashion Week 2022 (BFW22), Ben Wright will be a long way from the dusty, red streets of his rural Queensland hometown.
It was there, in the corner of a quaint, little Mount Isa news agency he first pried open the pages of a Vogue magazine and instantly fell in love.
“I think I was the only 14-year-old boy in Mount Isa buying Vogue,” he laughed.
Ben Wright always wanted to be a hairdresser. Now he’s the director of hair for Brisbane Fashion Week 2022.(Supplied: @benwright_rixonhair)
“I loved looking at the amazing hairstyles in those pages and dreamt of one day creating looks like that and being a part of that industry.”
Since then, the 24-year-old has shot to success, working at an award-winning salon in Brisbane and behind the scenes at fashion shows and shoots across the country – including Melbourne Fashion Week and Australian Fashion Week.
As he readies himself for his new role as hair director for BFW22, Mr Wright remembers the moment he realized this was the world for him.
“It was my Nan that got me into hairdressing,” he said.
“I was always with her on school holidays and she was always one of those nannas dressed to the nines. I would go with her when she was in the salon getting a perm, a cut, a color or even just a blow-dry.
“I could never take my eyes off what the hairdresser was doing – I was enthralled.”
‘Passion was contagious’
From an early age, he cheekily started schooling his mum about the clothes she bought him.
“As a kid I always loved fashion and I always cared about what I was wearing and all of that.
“I’m pretty sure Mum stopped buying me clothes for Christmas when I was like nine or 10 because I just would refuse to wear whatever she bought me.”
As soon as he could, Mr Wright walked into his favorite salon – the Capricorn Hair Studio in Mount Isa – and demanded a job.
At age 14, Mr Wright started working at a local salon.(Supplied: @benwright_rixonhair)
Owner Michelle Donald still remembers that day.
“He said, ‘I want to be a hairdresser, that’s all I want to be and this is where I want to work, I’m happy to work for free if you’ll take me on’,” she said.
“I said, ‘You don’t have to work for free’ and that was it.
“He started work that Saturday. He was perfect and we bonded immediately. His enthusiasm and passion were contagious.”
From salon to behind-the-scenes
Whether he’s on set or in the shop, Mr Wright’s greatest motivation comes from the people he gets to work with.
Some of Mr Wright’s work. (Supplied: @benwright_rixonhair)
“When you’re in the salon, you get that sense of gratification from the small act of making someone feel and look beautiful, changing how people feel about themselves,” he said.
“Seeing people so happy when they leave the salon that feeling stays with you.
“Backstage and on set, you get that sense of adrenaline and excitement. It’s fast-paced, you’re working with so many different creatives in such a pumped-up atmosphere.
“That’s a feeling that I’ve loved since I started dancing competitively in Mount Isa and that’s stayed with me to this day and a big part of why I love what I do.”
As his career skyrockets into its next phase, the 24-year-olds encouraged others to join the industry.
Mr Wright says he was “enthralled” as a child watching the hairdresser do his grandmother’s hair.(Supplied: @benwright_rixonhair)
“If you’re feeling a little lost or intrigued about what the industry might be like, if you’ve got a passion for hair, you’ve got a natural creative flair, if you love people and high-energy environments, and what’s happening in the world right now, this is an industry for you,” he said.
“Walk into a local salon and ask questions, get your hands dirty, even if you just do a day of work experience — try it out. Not only is it the best job, it’s the best world to be a part of.”
Michelle Donald (left), owner of Capricorn Hair Studio.(Supplied: Capricorn Hair Studio)
For his first-ever employer, his achievements come as no shock.
“Reading and hearing about Ben’s success never surprises me,” Ms Donald said.
“He was destined for greatness and it makes me super proud to know that, as a boy from the bush with a big dream, he let nothing hold him back.”
Mr Wright’s hair creations will feature on the runway at the BFW22 from August 22-26.
Since finishing fourth in the men’s 800 meter final at last year’s Tokyo Olympics, Peter Bol has become a national hero.
Everyone knows his name, his face, his story, and he felt that he was coming into the 800 final at the Commonwealth Games.
“I felt like the favourite. I knew there was a lot of pressure, a lot of expectations,” he said after claiming silver behind Kenya’s Wyclife Kinyamal.
“But at the same time, in our sport pressure’s a privilege. We know it’s there. And I was relaxed, really confident. [I] felt really strong.
“I thought I could really win it tonight. I just came short and can’t say any more than that.”
After Oliver Hoare’s heroics in the men’s 1,500 meters final a day earlier, it was hoped Bol could produce another classic on the track.
The 28-year-old was in the mix for most of the race, but Kinyamal started to make his move with around 250 meters left.
Bol tried his best to stay with him, but couldn’t reel him in.
He called the result “bittersweet”, in what he described as a slow race.
“You look at the start list and there’s no front runners out there. So I just knew it was gonna be tactical and I knew I’m gonna come home strong and I think we did so I’m happy with that.”
Bol was thankful to finally win his first major international medal, after missing out in Tokyo, and his seventh place at the recent World Championships.
“I think the most powerful thing out of this whole 800, out of this whole athletics journey is the impact we’ve had off the track and how much support and love we’ve had.
“Even if I came [up] short, I think that love is consistent and that’s what I’m grateful for.”
Caldwell takes 1500m bronze, Buschkuehl long jump silver
Australia Abbey Caldwell ran home to take the bronze medal in the women’s 1500m in Birmingham.(AP: Alastair Grant)
Abbey Caldwell found something extra in the tank to power home and claim a bronze medal in the women’s 1500 meter final, behind Scotland’s Laura Muir and Northern Ireland’s Ciara Mageean.
“I don’t know where that came from, I just think I saw the girls in front and I found that extra gear,” she said.
Caldwell was contentiously left off the Australian team for the World Championships, despite being the national champion and running a qualifying time.
But she didn’t show any bitterness towards selectors.
“Why look back and regret decisions and dwell on that? Just do what you can, what’s in your control, and that’s what we’ve been doing,” she said.
“It just meant I was able to put all my eggs in this basket and I’ve had this in my mind for so long now and I’ve had time to train and it’s really given me that extra bit of hunger and it means so much.”
Brooke Buschkuehl capped off the night for Australia with her second straight silver medal in the women’s long jump.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer teed up the final vote, calling the legislation “the boldest climate package in US history.”
“It will kick start the era of affordable clean energy in America. It’s a game changer, it’s a turning point, and it’s been a long time coming,” he said.
The climate portions of the bill were far lower than the $550 billion originally envisioned as part of a broad $2.2 trillion bill a year ago, but they still represent the biggest investment in clean energy sources in US history — about four times as large as the incentives contained in President Barack Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
The drop was due to inflation concerns from West Virginia’s Sen. Joe Manchin, who only acquiesced to the bill after private negotiations with Schumer last month and the assurances from leading economists like former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers that it would not worsen the economic pain for Americans. And Manchin won the addition of language that linked measures to help boost oil and gas production to some of the clean energy incentives, irking environmental activists — but not enough for them to pull their support for the bill.
The House of Representatives is expected to take up the bill later this week. Its climate measures include billions of dollars to expand wind and solar power production, bring electric vehicles closer to the financial reach of more Americans and make $1.5 billion available to oil companies cut down their greenhouse gas emissions and penalize them for failing to do so. And it would help develop technologies such as carbon capture and sequestration, hydrogen and small nuclear reactors that experts say will be needed to get the US to net-zero emissions by 2050, a level scientists say is necessary to prevent catastrophic climate change. It would devote $4 billion to help address an imminent disaster for the southwest as climate change-fueled drought threatens power and water supplies for 40 million people along the Colorado River.
The bill would also catapult the United States, the world’s second-biggest carbon emitter after China, to the forefront of countries taking concrete action on combating climate change after months of appearing as if it would lose its status as a global leader in the fight.
“It’s a landmark achievement,” Gregory Wetstone, president and CEO of the American Council on Renewable Energy, said in an interview. “We have never had a policy in the United States that was actually geared to drive the transition to clean energy and address the climate crisis. And we’re looking now at a measure that is up to the task.”
The new and expanded tax credits for low-carbon technologies would remain on the books for a decade, providing certainty to clean energy developers who have faced regular lapses in the incentives.
In all, the bill would help more than triple the clean power production in the country, adding up to an additional 550 gigawatts of electricity from wind, solar and other clean power sources, according to analysis from the American Clean Power Association. That’s enough to power 110 million homes, the industry trade group said.
An analysis from energy and climate analytics firm Rhodium Group estimated the bill would cut the country’s net greenhouse gas emissions by 31 to 44 percent below 2005 levels in 2030 compared to the 24 to 35 percent drop expected from current policies.
When paired with last year’s bipartisan infrastructure package, the US spending on climate change is poised to be on par with the EU’s climate budget, said Kate Larsen, who leads Rhodium’s international energy and climate research.
“The question isn’t every country exactly on a straight line path to meeting their 2030 emissions reduction target, but are they putting policies in place to get the ball rolling to make sure it’s possible to do that,” Larsen said in an interview . “With the passage of this bill, you can say definitely we are well on their way to meeting those targets.”
John Podesta, founder of the liberal Center for American Progress and who served in both the Obama and Clinton administrations, said in a text the bill will set off “a tsunami of investment, American job creation and innovation that will, if history is any judge , likely to result in even greater emission reductions [than] the modeling shows.”
The bill will dramatically remake parts of the US economy as it helps create new jobs in the green energy and carbon reduction sectors, said Robbie Orvis, senior director of energy policy design at Energy Innovation, a nonpartisan energy and climate policy think tank.
“This is kind of an industrial bill masquerading as an energy and climate bill,” Orvis said. “There’s just so much in the bill to bring clean energy manufacturing back to the US and to grow the industry, and that is the direction the world is headed.”
“This is going to be more massive than people realize,” Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said in an interview. “If the government invests $300 billion in solar, wind, batteries and heat pumps, that has the potential to unlock trillions of dollars in private sector investment in climate.”
Still, some measures in the bill that Manchin insisted on inserting were criticized by some Democrats. That included requirements that tie offshore wind development to mandates that the federal government hold a lease sale beforehand of at least 60 million acres of federal waters for oil and gas production, and domestic content requirements for electric vehicles that critics say will make the $7,500 new car credit unreachable for any EV currently on the market. Those measures, critics such as Sen. Bernie Sander say, undercut the effectiveness of the climate measures.
Republicans have disputed Democrats’ claims that the bill would reduce inflation and instead attacked the taxes in the bill as a cost increase on US oil and gas production.
“One of their problems is inflation is an immediate problem,” Sen. Kevin Cramer (RN.D.) said in an interview. “Even if their theory is over time this bill will be deflationary, the election is in less than three months and inflation is really bad. None of it is going to kick in time. The message it sends is prices, taxes will go up in the short-term.”
Republicans point to a provision in the bill that would reinstate the so-called Superfund tax on crude oil and imported petroleum products to fund the cleanup of polluted industrial sites.
The bill adds new credibility to efforts by Biden and US climate envoy John Kerry to put the US at the forefront of the global efforts to fight climate change. The United States had been considered in danger of seriously lagging European efforts even as historic droughts deplete water supplies in the West, wildfires scorch millions of acres and devastating floods left dozens of people dead in Kentucky.
Now positions are reversed at least in the short term, with Europe finding it difficult to live up to its hawkish rhetoric on climate change amid a Russian land war that is making the region more dependent on fossil fuel mostly imported from the United States.
Nat Keohane, president of climate advocacy group C2ES, noted the US and other countries have struggled to fulfill emissions pledges they made at UN COP 26 conference in Glasgow last November intended to move the world closer to achieving the goals of the Paris climate agreement.
There, Biden declared the US would take a leadership role in fighting climate change after four years of evading the issue under former President Donald Trump, a promise that faced skepticism from other big emitters given Congress’ poor track record to deliver policy to produce emissions cuts .
“If the US were not able to do this, that would have real ripple effects,” Keohane said. “I am not sure we could have gotten back on track. By the US staying in the game, it gives real juice to the Paris Agreement model of setting targets, delivering implementation, and raising ambition going forward.”
Republicans had vowed to fight the package, despite many of its provisions promising to send money and create jobs in their states.But a slate of amendments targeting the energy provisions they submitted were all rejected in a Senate vote-a-rama that lasted through Saturday night and into Sunday afternoon.
The win comes at a crucial time for Biden and Democrats, who face a tough task in holding the House and the Senate in November’s election amid the decades-high inflation and Biden’s poor approval ratings.
Democrats had urged Manchin to back the bill, and negotiations to win his vote led to the inclusion of some “Easter Eggs” benefiting the fossil fuel industry, including funding to help develop the sort of carbon capture technology that Exxon Mobil, Chevron and other companies consider a new business opportunity. The bill focused heavily on incentives for oil companies to build their carbon capture and hydrogen businesses, which some environmental groups have opposed, arguing those technologies will prolong the use of fossil fuels.
The bill also includes a fee of up to $1,500 a ton for methane emissions, a powerful greenhouse gas that is the main component of natural gas. Many companies in the oil and gas industry had fought the measure, which the Democrats sought to soften by giving companies time and money to install equipment to monitor and cut their emissions.
Progressive Democrats complained about the money that could be used to help fossil fuel companies, but ultimately held their noses and voted to approve.
“There is no reason to be a purist about this stuff,” Sen. Brian Shatz (D-Hawaii) said in an interview. “The only thing we should care about is, how do we achieve the absolute largest emissions reductions given the current configuration of Congress.”
Even with the Manchin-inspired trade-offs, the bill will give Democrats a success to trumpet as the crucial mid-term election looms.
“It changes the overall narrative about Congress,” Schatz said. “We now have a record of accomplishment comparable to any Congress in the last decade. That is a really powerful body of work and a good argument about why you elect Democrats.”
Zack Colman and Annie Snider contributed to this report.
When Keith Potger remembers Judith Durham, he thinks of her generosity and strength.
Potger, one of the founding members of The Seekers, spent much of the 60s making music and touring with Durham as the frontwoman of the band.
The musicians shared many surreal moments, like knocking the Beatles off the number one spot in the UK charts and performing to screaming crowds.
But reflecting on Durham’s life after her death aged 79, Potger most remembers her advocacy work.
Judith Durham, Athol Guy, Bruce Woodley and Keith Potger reunited in Melbourne in March, 2019. (Australian Story: Darren James Photography)
After Durham’s husband, Ron Edgeworth, died from motor neurone disease in 1994, sheworked tirelessly to raise money and awareness to fight the degenerative disease.
“It made quite a difference to the awareness of that issue, and to see her unfailingly help to raise funds… that was quite remarkable in her generosity of spirit,” Potger told ABC Radio Melbourne.
Durham is being remembered by people across the globe for her kindness, distinctive voice and contribution to music.
‘We did always share the music’
Durham was born Judith Mavis Cock in the Melbourne suburb of Essendon in 1943.
She changed her name to her mother’s maiden name at the age of 19.
Durham’s sister Beverley Sheehan said they grew up surrounded by music.
“We used to sing together in the morning and it used to wake up our parents,” she said.
“We did always share the music, but she was the one who always applied herself and didn’t have to be told to practise.”
Sheehan recalled that when Durham was about nine years old, she expressed the desire to be a world-famous musician.
“proved to be true.”
Beverley Sheehan says her little sister always loved music.(abcnews)
Durham’s tryout sent crowd ‘up three levels’
The Seekers was formed in 1962 and originally comprised four men, but one member left the group when he got married.
The remaining three members, Potger, Athol Guy and Bruce Woodley decided to find a female lead singer who suited the style of their music.
Athol Guy had met Ms Sheehan through the local music scene, who suggested Durham may be a good fit for the band.
Guy eventually met Durham on the first day of her new job at an advertising firm, J Walter Thompson.
“I’m sitting in the office one day… and this little head poked itself around the corner and said ‘hello… I’m Judy Durham, you were going to come and hear me sing,'” he said.
Athol Guy can vividly recall the first night Durham performed with The Seekers.(abcnews)
After Durham pointed out his unfulfilled promise, Guy invited her to perform with the band as a try-out that night, at a coffee lounge called The Treble Clef in South Yarra.
“After we’d hit the last note our little crew in the coffee lounge went up three levels. We went ‘that felt good’, and obviously it sounded good,” he said.
“From then on everything just went the way fate decreed that it should, and I’ve always said you could never manufacture anything that happened to the band.”
In a 2016 interview with One Plus One, Durham described that first performance as “the birth of The Seekers as we now know”.
Durham joined The Seekers in 1963 and the band moved to the UK a year later, where their first three releases topped the British charts.
The Seekers would go on to achieve worldwide recognition, selling more than 50 million records.
The Seekers in 1965: Athol Guy (left), Judith Durham, Bruce Woodley and Keith Potger.(Supplied: Bruce Woodley)
A familial bond between bandmates
Potger said he regarded the other members of The Seekers as being like his siblings.
“It was really quite extraordinary how that bond developed so quickly and strongly,” he said.
He said their strong connections helped them deal with the pressures of fame, as the band became increasingly successful throughout the 1960s.
“We felt that we were sharing the whole ride together,” he said.
During the four years they recorded, their songs often reached number one on the UK charts and they managed to crack the US market with Georgy Girl.
They had the highest-selling record of 1965, which achieved more sales than releases from The Beatles and the Rolling Stones.
LR: Athol Guy, Keith Potger, Judith Durham and Bruce Woodley never imagined they would enjoy fame with The Seekers.(www.theseekers.com.au)
But in 1968, Durham, who had always wanted to return to a solo jazz career, decided to leave the group.
“I found artistically that I wasn’t quite on the same page as the boys… I just really need to do my own thing’,” she told Australian Story in 2019.
Durham returned to Australia and forged a solo career as a jazz singer, though she would return to performing with The Seekers in years to come.
‘It’s really sad for the entertainment industry’
Many notable figures from the music industry have expressed sadness over Durham’s death and paid tribute to her achievements.
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Normie Rowe, another Australian musician who achieved international success in the 1960s, said that despite Durham’s long battle with ill-health, she managed to perform in recent years the same way she always had.
“The Seekers were the definitive professional entertainment unit, it was wonderful to see them. They dressed impeccably, they performed impeccably,” he said.
“There was no one else who could sing those songs the way that Judith sang them. It’s really sad for the entertainment industry, it’s really sad for the people of Australia.”
Normie Rowe has fond memories from his youth of spending time with Durham and the other members of The Seekers.(Supplied)
‘Magical’ performances live on in people’s memories
In 1967, The Seekers set an Australian record when a crowd of more than 200,000 watched their performance at Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl.
RockWiz host Julia Zemiro said the crowd made up about one-tenth of the city’s population at the time.
Zemiro described a show at the Bowl in 2009 celebrating the iconic venue’s 50th anniversary and the artists who had performed on its stage.
“The dream was, could we get Judith Durham to sing there again?” she said.
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“At the end of the show… Judith just came out on her own… With that voice that just cut through, right up to the back of that space, people were so moved and in tears. It brought back memories people we were taken back by.
“She was kind of magical… we were so lucky to have that opportunity.”
The Seekers reunite decades later
The Seekers came together again in 1992 for a reunion tour, 25 years after they broke up.
Producer Michael Cristiano said no one expected Durham to rejoin the group.
“When they all broke up, there was a bit of a hiatus and everyone went their own ways… They just thought ‘that was it’, maybe,” he said.
Producer Michael Cristiano with the members of The Seekers after their reunion.(Supplied)
The group played sell-out tours across Australia and overseas, including shows at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Their final concert was in Melbourne for the band’s 50th anniversary, where Durham told Australian Story in 2019 she knew it was time to bid farewell to performing.
“You could just feel it. Everybody was happy. They had got what they wanted. They had seen us for the last time. And for me it felt like a rounding out of everything,” she said.
Durham will receive a state funeral
Durham’s family have accepted the offer of a state funeral in Victoria, to honor her life and contribution to music.
Durham died in palliative care at Melbourne’s Alfred Hospital due to complications from chronic lung disease.
Sheehan said Durham was able to say goodbye to all the members of The Seekers and her close family members.
Details of the funeral will be released in coming days.
As the Bulldogs watched their final hopes fade on Saturday, there was a cruel irony in front of them.
Plus the ‘five years with a mulligan’ theory that helps explain Collingwood’s year.
The big issues from Round 21 of the 2022 AFL season analyzed in Talking Points!
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CRUEL IRONY AS FREO’S FLAG-WORTHY RECORD GROWS
Saturday was bad for the Bulldogs in 2022; their loss, combined with Richmond’s win, has them outsiders to make the eight (though Carlton’s loss to Brisbane keeps them alive).
But it might’ve been good for them in 2023 and beyond.
The irony wasn’t lost on Fox Footy’s commentary team as Rory Lobb, reportedly on his way to the Kennel in free agency on a deal of around $1.5 million over three years, dominated the game.
The Dockers key forward has always shown flashes amid an inconsistent career – this is the first season where he’s reached the 30 goal mark – his four big majors at Marvel Stadium showed him at his absolute best.
Best three kicks at goal since Plugger | 00:58
“First four kicks were goals, it looked like he could kick them from everywhere,” goalkicking legend Jason Dunstall said at three-quarter-time on Fox Footy.
Melbourne great Garry Lyon added: “If you believe everything that’s been said, the Western Bulldogs whilst they’d be shattered if they lose and Rory Lobb leads them (Fremantle) to victory, they might be rubbing their hands together, given many think he’s heading to the Western Bulldogs.
“That’s what they’re saying; he’s playing unbelievably well.”
Some have questioned whether the Bulldogs need Lobb, given they’ve got Aaron Naughton (three goals on Saturday), Josh Bruce, No.1 pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and father-son prodigy Sam Darcy, who made a strong debut with a team -leading eight marks and seven intercepts.
But as those intercepts suggest Darcy played in defense, where the Bulldogs desperately need tall help – while Luke Beveridge remains a Ryan Gardner stan and defends his backs when questioned, they’ve long struggled to defend one-on-ones.
So if Lobb truly is coming on board, that just adds more tall weapons to their armory.
More magnets to spin for the AFL’s most prolific magnet-spinner can’t hurt, surely?
Meanwhile for the Dockers, their win on the road was yet another example of their terrific away record in the 2022 season.
They’re the only non-Victorian team to win more than one game in Victoria this season – and they’ve won five, plus that draw against Richmond.
Taking 22 premiership points from trips to the home of footy is a big reason the Dockers are current flag contenders this season. After all, if they can win in Melbourne, they can win on the biggest day of all.
Buckley on 2018 Crows: ‘It’s harrowing’ | 06:33
AFL’S BIGGEST SHOCK SURGE COME AFTER ‘FIVE YEARS OF GOOD FOOTY’…WITH A MULLIGAN
Few experts pre-season tipped Collingwood to feature in this year’s finals series. Nathan Buckley, however, did.
And while the former coach didn’t expect his Magpies to be sitting second on the ladder with two rounds to go, he’s of the firm belief the side’s 2022 surge is a result of an exciting five-year build.
The Magpies’ destiny is in their own hands. Win two more home and away games and they’ll jump from the bottom-two last year to the top-two this year – a simply remarkable feat. Those last two games will be tough – Sydney at the SCG and Carlton at the MCG – but it seems nothing, not even the prospect of watching The Exorcist in the dark, scares this team.
While many outside the club had low expectations for the Magpies this year after a 17th-placed finish in 2021, Buckley said it was important to remember the build and list turnover in the previous three years.
“I’m going to suggest – and I’ve been involved in the footy club – but this is five years of good footy with a bad year last year,” Buckley told Fox Footy on Friday night.
“The nucleus of this side is established and we’re seeing some young players come in and play really big roles – and it’s brilliant and it’s exciting to see.
“This Collingwood side has exceeded my expectations. I thought they were 15 wins at the top end – and they’ve still got two more to go. What ‘Fly’ (McRae) has done has been amazing, but it’s been built off the nucleus of a senior core that have been there for five or six years doing this now.”
Maynard BUZZING after big hit and win | 00:47
The Magpies on Friday night claimed a remarkable 11th straight win – the first time they’ve achieved the feat since 2011 – in another tantalizingly close game.
Asked how the Pies keep winning such tight games, coach Craig McRae told reporters: “Yeah, this group’s got some belief hasn’t it? We just get ourselves into positions where at three quarter-time, there’s a few smiles on their faces – like, ‘here we go again’.
“It’s just been our story. I haven’t been part of a team like it that gets themselves in a situation that they just think: ‘Here we go, we’ll get the job done.’”
The On The Couch team last week compared the profile of Collingwood’s 2022 team to the Richmond premiership side of 2017. Like the Tigers, the Pies aren’t a strong clearance team, but are among the top-four clubs for interceptions, pressure and opposition score per inside 50.
Brownlow Medalist Gerard Healy added to the comparison on Friday night.
“This could be a premiership built on pressure, like Richmond in 2017,” Healy told Fox Footy Live. “They didn’t win all the stats, but they won the flag, so there’s a lot to like about this Collingwood side.
“They are certainly in the conversation – you can’t win 11 in a row and beat last year’s premiers twice and not be a genuine chance.
“Collingwood and Sydney sit underneath most people’s favorites of Geelong and Melbourne, but we do know they are capable of beating the top sides.”
Asked if he’d reassess his message to his playing group considering the circumstances, McRae said: “We’re living in the moment of getting better. That’s always been our message. We can’t get too far ahead of ourselves.
“You look at the stats sheet (after the Melbourne game) and there’s a lot of red in it, so we’re not naive and we’ve got a little work to do.
“We don’t know where our ceiling is at – and that’s exciting. We’re in discovery mode… and that’s an exciting place to live.”
Consider comments heard! | 00:26
‘MORE OF IT’: ‘ALL DUCK NO DINNER’ LEADS TO FOOTY FEAST
Ed Langdon was something of a sitting duck when he was swamped only moments into Friday night’s epic between Collingwood and Melbourne.
We wouldn’t normally put so much time into dissecting a wingman’s game, particularly one as consistent as Langdon. But after the former Freo man spoke on radio about Collingwood being “all duck and no dinner” and a “one trick pony”, all eyes were on Langdon.
It created one of the most memorable moments of the season – and added some spice to a game that barely needed it.
Sitting second and third on the table respectively, Melbourne and Collingwood were playing on a Friday night for the first time since 2007, so the stage was already set for a dynamite contest.
Collingwood coach Craig McRae made light of Langdon’s comments pre-game, telling Fox Footy’s Kath Loughnan he had “duck for dinner last night”.
Feet assistant Brendon Bolton told Fox Sports News’ AFL Tonight he “loved it”, while Adem Yze reiterated the respect the Demons have for the Pies.
Kennedy chaired off in charming scenes | 01:23
The 24 hours prior to the opening bounce were gripping as a football lover. All that anyone was talking about were those comments and how good the game was going to be. The AFL even bumped up their crowd estimates off the back of the comments.
And when Brayden Maynard and co. engulfed Langdon in a brutal gang tackle, we got one of the most memorable and electric moments of the season — and the game itself didn’t disappoint either.
Ex-Saints and North Melbourne star Nick Dal Santo suggested it might have been a slip of the tongue after similar language was used in a team meeting, but the triple All-Australian noted “we shouldn’t be knocking that down”.
“Our game needs more of that,” Dal Santo told Fox Footy Live after the game.
“Our game is a combative game. The people who least speak about that combativeness is the players.”
“We need to embrace the rivalry and the competitiveness. If someone is to put out a comment like that, brilliant. More of it.”
The Melbourne media department, privately, would’ve been scrambling after the comments were made. The beauty of it was being so close to bounce-down, everyone could just enjoy the ride — even Ed, who had a smile pre-game, got booed by Pies fans and performed solidly in the 7-point loss.
“All duck no dinner” made for a footy feast.
Ban likely for Cripps after heavy bump | 02:00
HOW DOES MCSTAY FIT INTO FEET?
Amid doubts already over whether Collingwood should be pursuing Dan McStay, just how does he fit into this Pies forward line?
The Magpies have been heavily linked to the Lions free agent on a five-year deal worth $3 million as the club looks to add another marking target in attack.
But this is a Collingwood side already firing on all cylinders, with Friday night’s epic win over Melbourne seeing it climb into second place on the ladder.
Jamie Elliott and fourth-gamer Ash Johnson were both instrumental with four goals apiece, while Brody Mihocek, who’s led the goalkicking in each of the last three seasons and is on track to do so again in 2022, chipped in two goals.
“Mihocek, Elliott and Johnson look so good — so where does Daniel McStay fit into all this?” Demons great Garry Lyon posed on Fox Footy.
Heck, if McStay was available to play for Collingwood next week, it’s hard to see him cracking into the 22, especially with star ruckman Brodie Grundy and young gun Ollie Henry already out of the side.
McStay has booted 16 goals from as many games this year and been held goalless on eight occasions, while the key forward’s 28 majors in 2021 mark his best-ever return.
Franklin kicks four in big Swans win | 02:29
There’s a possibility that Collingwood could look to play McStay in defence, although it still raises questions of whether he’s worth the $650,000-a-season price tag and at a club that’s only two years removed from a trade exodus due to salary cap pressure.
“They believe he can help the forward line like Josh Bruce has been able to help Jamarra Ugle-Hagan get better match-ups… Daniel McStay is coming to Collingwood, but it’s going to be some kind of juggling act, especially with Ollie Henry not in the side right now,” Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph said on Fox Footy.
To which Saints great Nick Riewoldt responded: “Josh Bruce is a brave, brave workhorse. Is that Daniel McStay?”
Triple-premiership winning Lion Jonathan Brown believes his former club see him as the “workhorse, down-the-line guy.”
“They like to kick it long to him, put it on his head. Hipwood and Daniher tend to be more the runners,” he said.
Tysons Corner Center in McLean, Virginia, reopened Sunday afternoon after police had earlier evacuated the mall on reports of shots fired. The confusion was caused by a shattered light fixture.
Tysons Corner Center in McLean, Virginia, reopened Sunday afternoon after police had earlier evacuated the mall on reports of shots fired. The confusion was caused by a shattered light fixture.
According to a Fairfax County Police, officers found no evidence of a shooting during their investigation and concluded that a failed light fixture had caused a loud noise that people in the mall believed to be gunshots.
Officers have cleared the mall. The investigation revealed a light fixture fell causing a loud noise. No evidence of a shooting was discovered. Tysons Corner Center is open. Thank you for your patience. https://t.co/YKyVTFW1Z5
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) August 7, 2022
According to police, the loud sound occurred around 2:45 pm Sunday. A few minutes later officers had cleared the mall after receiving multiple calls reporting possible gunshots within the building.
After investigating the scene, officers concluded that a failed light fixture had caused the sound that alarmed mallgoers.
A handful of videos appeared on Twitter showing an initial panic as people tried to flee the mall.
another video-#UPDATE: Officers are at #tysons Corner Center, for reported of gunshots inside the mall. So far Police have Nothing found at this point. They are asking the public to avoid the area while officers continue to clear the mall.#Virginia#TysonsMallpic.twitter.com/sujGVALtT9
How low can you go? Liam Hemsworth flashes his underwear as he sips on a Kombucha while shopping for healthy groceries in Byron Bay
By Jade Watkins for Daily Mail Australia
Published: | Updated:
He is known for his incredibly ripped body.
And Liam Hemsworth revealed one of the secrets behind his fit physique as he went shopping in Byron Bay recently.
The Hollywood star was seen picking up some healthy groceries from a local food store.
Healthy living! Liam Hemsworth was seen going shopping for healthy groceries in Byron Bay recently
The 32-year-old sipped on a Kombucha as he carried a large box of leafy greens back to his SUV.
He flashed a hint of his underwear as he placed his shopping in the front seat.
Liam looked handsome in a loose-fitting pair of navy trousers teamed with a baby yellow T-shirt, navy sneakers and a baseball cap.
It comes after his big brother Chris Hemsworth revealed Liam was almost cast as Thor.
‘My little brother almost got cast as Thor,’ the 38-year-old told website Mensxp.
‘He was one of the first people who got right down to the wire on getting the part so I could cross paths with him. That will be fun.’
The actor flashed a hint of his underwear as he placed his shopping in the front seat
Chris previously revealed that he blew his original audition for Thor, before Liam came in to test for the same part, and got much further in the process.
That motivated Chris to ask for his manager to get him a callback to have another go, with the role ultimately going to him, not Liam, as a result.
‘I came in kind of with a little, I guess, motivation and maybe frustration that my little brother had gotten further than me,’ he told W Magazine.
Liam looked handsome in a loose-fitting pair of navy trousers teamed with a baby yellow T-shirt, navy sneakers and a baseball cap
‘It’s a little family, sibling rivalry sort of kicked up in me. Then it moved pretty quickly from there. It was cool.’
Thor is already a family affair, with Chris’ older brother Luke Hemsworth, 41, winning a role in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok.
Luke played an actor depicting Thor on stage.
The play-within-a-film storyline repapers in Thor: Love and Thunder, which is out now.
Luke again plays act actor taking on his brother’s role, dressed in full Thor regalia, including a wig and fake beard.
Liam is pictured with his older brothers Chris, middle, and Luke, far right
