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The Irish Sun
14 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- The Irish Sun
Aldi launches £2.49 buy that will banish flies, wasps and mosquitoes from your home this summer – it works ‘instantly'
IF you've noticed an army of flies and wasps entering your home, fear not, you've come to the right place. There's nothing more annoying than relaxing on your sofa or enjoying a freshly-cooked dinner, only to have an irritating Advertisement 4 If you're on a mission to get rid of flies from your home, we've got just the thing Credit: Getty 4 Thanks to a new bargain buy from Aldi, you'll say goodbye to pests this summer, with no effort involved 4 It works on wasps and mosquitoes too Credit: Getty 4 This new Fly & Wasp Spray is only £2.49 Credit: Aldi The hotter weather also let's them seek out cool moist spots, like inside your home, to escape from the sweltering heat and to lay their eggs. But fear not, luckily for you, Aldi has now launched an incredibly effective solution that will banish the annoying Not only is it said to work 'instantly', but it also gets rid of mosquitoes too. Advertisement Read more Aldi stories And if you're on a budget, then you'll be pleased to know that this supermarket buy is incredibly affordable. So if your purse is feeling the pinch and you're searching for a solution that won't break the bank, you'll need to get your shoes ready and move quickly. Thanks to Aldi's latest drop of Specialbuys, shoppers can now get their hands on the It's priced at just £2.49, making it great for those looking to pocket pennies where possible. Advertisement Most read in Fabulous It's been described as a 'fast acting killer' that works to 'instantly stop wasps and flies'. This 'fast action formula' will 'kill flies, wasps and mosquitoes' and is intended for indoor use. How to Keep Wasps, Bees, and Flies Out of Your Home with a 5p Onion Hack This affordable spray works to banish insects on contact and you must make sure to thoroughly shake it before use. Spray directly at insects from a distance of 60cm to 90cm. Advertisement Shoppers should note that this bargain buy contains Permethrin, Tetramethrin and PBO. Why do flies come out in summer? Flies are present all year round, but all of a sudden when summer comes, they are just EVERYWHERE! The main contributing factors are the breeding cycle of flies and the soaring temperatures. Insects are cold blooded and in summer, when their body temperature rises from the external heat, they become more active. The hotter weather also let's them seek out cool moist spots, like inside your home, to escape from the sweltering heat and to lay their eggs. House Fly eggs take around 20 hours to hatch, but when the temperature rises above 37 degrees, can hatch within 8 hours! In extreme hot weather the eggs can mature from larvae to adult fly in as little as four days. The average lifespan of a housefly is 21 days, so each female can lay up to 900 eggs during the summer months! It's important that users avoid direct contact with soft furnishings, carpets and polished areas. It is also not for use on clothing or bedding. It is available to buy from Advertisement But you'll need to get to your nearest Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club Why do Aldi and Lidl have such fast checkouts IF you've ever shopped in Aldi or Lidl then you'll probably have experienced its ultra-fast checkout staff. Aldi's speedy reputation is no mistake, in fact, the supermarket claims that its tills are 40 per cent quicker than rivals. It's all part of Aldi's plan to be as efficient as possible - and this, the budget shop claims, helps keep costs low for shoppers. Efficient barcodes on packaging means staff are able to scan items as quickly as possible, with the majority of products having multiple barcodes to speed up the process. It also uses 'shelf-ready' packaging which keeps costs low when it comes to replenishing stock.
The Citizen
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Should you be worried about changes to political party funding?
Parliament has doubled the original donation disclosure threshold and annual limit. Ballot papers are seen as voters casts their votes at Welizibuko Primary School in Soweto on 29 May 2024. Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Analysts are not surprised by the decision to raise the donation disclosure threshold and annual limit in the Political Party Funding Act (PPFA). This follows the National Assembly's adoption of a report from the portfolio committee on Home Affairs. The report proposes doubling the current threshold for disclosing donations to political parties — from R100 000 to R200 000 — as well as raising the annual donation cap from R15 million to R30 million. Political Party Funding Act amended The proposed changes follow the signing of the Electoral Matters Amendment Act (EMAA) into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa in May 2024. The EMAA revised the PPFA, removing the original disclosure threshold and donation limit altogether for declarations to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). This loophole was challenged by the non-profit organisation (NPO) My Vote Counts, leading to a Western Cape High Court ruling that ordered the reinstatement of the previous limits and required parliament to determine new figures. ALSO READ: 'It's a waste of people's time': Politicians argue about party donations The president is empowered to implement regulations related to these thresholds. However, this must be done through a resolution adopted by parliament. Now that parliament has acted, concerns have emerged about the implications for political transparency and accountability, especially around private funding in politics. Analysts weigh in on political party funding threshold hike Political analyst Ntsikelelo Breakfast weighed in on the rationale behind doubling the threshold and donation limit, considering the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) previously concluded there was no basis for the initial figures of R100 000 and R15 million. The Nelson Mandela University senior lecturer noted that the PPFA was enacted in response to a court ruling compelling political parties to disclose their sources of funding. 'This is not their brainchild. They've been forced by circumstances to account on the principle of transparency. 'Many political parties argue that this legislation has really dealt them a blow in a big way because now they have to reveal their funders,' he told The Citizen on Monday. Breakfast also highlighted the financial pressure the legislation may have placed on some political parties, particularly the ANC, which has previously faced difficulties in paying staff salaries 'To me, that justifies why the numbers have gone up and why none of them is opposed to that.' READ MORE: Why South Africa's youth voters are staying away from the polls The PBO had recommended inflation-adjusted thresholds of R122 000 for disclosure and R21 million for the annual donation cap. In light of this, North-West University professor André Duvenhage described the decision to double these amounts as 'very arbitrary'. 'There's a huge need for getting more and more money and that is the main reason for the adjustments, but there can be no specific rationale for just doubling the R100 000 and R15 million. 'If they work with inflation, it will be quite a different figure. So I can read a lot of political motives. I can see the ANC specifically in trouble,' Duvenhage told The Citizen. Transparency and financial pressures Duvenhage suggested that both the ANC and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) might be under financial pressure due to the PPFA, but smaller parties are even more disadvantaged. The political analyst also noted that many parties are not fully transparent about their financial backing. He further expressed concern that the increased thresholds might open the door to greater private—and even foreign—influence in South African politics. READ MORE: 'Can you imagine our system being hacked': MPs sceptical of IEC's e-voting proposal 'I think this might be the political party environment a lot more vulnerable in that sense.' Breakfast echoed similar sentiments. 'Why do you want to engage in certain political operations in private, but you say that you are for the public? Why do you discuss money in private?' Has the Political Party Funding Act worked? When asked about the effectiveness of the PPFA since its implementation in 2021, Breakfast emphasised that the law has increased voter awareness about the sources of political party funding. He cited instances where parties like ActionSA and Rise Mzansi had received support from the Oppenheimer family, and stressed that the legislation empowers voters by enabling more informed decisions at the polls. 'Now we know what is the agenda because of this legislation,' Breakfast said, adding that voters can 'connect the dots' when evaluating party policies. Duvenhage stated that he believed there was 'a lot of room for misconduct' prior to the law's enactment. 'I think in comparison, the dispensation post-2021 was better than the one pre-2021.' Legal and constitutional dynamics A key question now is whether the president has the authority to reject or revise the amounts adopted by parliament. Breakfast referenced the doctrine of separation of powers in response. 'Nothing can be done without the buy-in from legislature. Secondly, there is no legislation that can be rolled out or can be implemented without the authorisation of the president.' He added that dissatisfied members of parliament could challenge such laws in court. 'That's how our democracy is arranged.' Duvenhage highlighted the uncertainties in how parliamentary rules are sometimes applied. 'I think it's a bit of a grey area, but if we work with the principle of separation of powers, that the president should obey the line that was identified through parliament, and he should implement that in terms of a general decision, he can't take his own decision.' NOW READ: More time for IEC commissioner nominations
Epoch Times
18-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Tories Promise to Cut Consultant Spending, Liberals Say This Election ‘Most Consequential'
As advance polling entered the third day on April 20, the Conservatives pledged to eliminate the ' Speaking at a 'Ten billion dollars less for high-priced consultants means $10 billion less inflation means $10 billion more affordable life for Canadians,' the Tory leader told reporters. The move is part of the broader plan to end the 'out-of-control inflationary spending' by the Liberal government in the past decade and to 'bring home affordable prices and food for all Canadians,' he said. The Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) reported in 2023 that – 23, with the largest spendings in categories such as engineering and architectural services, business services, information services, health and welfare services, and management consulting. Poilievre said 'overspending' by the Liberal government has driven up taxes as well as food and housing costs. Related Stories 4/19/2025 4/19/2025 'Inflation is what happens when governments spend money they don't have, so they just print the cash. More money bidding on a fixed supply of goods equals higher prices for everything,' he said. Statistics Canada on April 15 Besides capping spending, Poilievre pledged he would get rid of the Impact Assessment Act, previously known as 'We will unleash our economy by removing anti-development laws, red tape, and destructive taxes to add a half a trillion dollars of extra economic growth over the next five years,' he said. His proposals will generate an extra $70 billion in tax revenue, 'without higher taxes, but instead using higher growth,' he added. The amount, Poilievre said, was a number Poilievre also took aim at the 'A fourth Liberal government would bring in a quarter trillion dollars of additional debt. That's inflationary debt that will drive up the cost of food, housing, and everything else you buy,' the Conservative leader said. Carney's platform forecasts adding some $225 billion to the federal debt over the same four-year period. The Liberal leader had defended the proposal during his platform announcement, saying it is 'not a normal fall update, budget lockup.' 'We are in the middle of the biggest crisis of our lifetimes, and this is a plan that meets that moment in a way that is very prudent with people's hard-earned tax dollars, but bold in terms of where this country can go,' Carney said while at a campaign stop in Whitby, Ontario, on April 19. Carney commented that the Liberal government had been 'spending too much' previously and promised he would bring down the growth of federal spending from 9 percent to 2 percent. 'Most Consequential' On Sunday afternoon, April 20, Carney held a In line with remarks made at previous campaign stops, the Liberal leader framed the upcoming election as a critical moment for Canada's future, repeating one of his key lines—that 'we're in a crisis' because Canada's 'old relationship [with the United States] is over,' due to the tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. 'This is the most consequential vote of our lifetimes,' Carney told supporters. 'We need a leader who can stand up to [Trump].' At one point during the rally, Carney touted his achievements as prime minister, such as ending the federal Carney's campaign on the same day issued a A day earlier, speaking at a Poilievre has a press conference scheduled on Monday morning, April 21. 'Price Gouging' NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh was in Victoria, B.C., on Sunday, where he promised to put 'emergency price caps' on food essentials and to legislate protections against what his party views as 'unjustified markups on Canadian goods' that constitute 'price gouging.' 'If you're raising prices on Canadian goods when the producers haven't changed a thing—that's not inflation. That's gouging,' Singh said in a Singh's plan also includes a mandatory 'Grocery Code of Conduct,' which his party said will 'hold big retailers accountable and ensure workers aren't penalized.' The NDP will also impose a 'windfall tax on grocery profits,' among the changes that the party said will be included in the first federal budget after the election if the NDP is elected to form government. Chandra Philip contributed to this report.
Epoch Times
30-04-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Repealing GST on Some New Homes Would Cost Up to $2 Billion Annually: Budget Office
Repealing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on certain new home purchases, a policy proposed by both the Liberals and the Conservatives, would cost $400 million to $2 billion annually, according to the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO). The Liberal Party has said it would get on new and 'substantially renovated' homes costing under $1 million for first-time homebuyers, while the Conservative Party has proposed to get rid of the GST on new homes costing up to $1.3 million, up from the $1 million initially announced in October 2024. According to the PBO, the The PBO analysts wrote in the report ' Election Proposal Costing' that the cost of the measures was calculated as the difference in sales tax revenue relative to the current policy. 'No behavioural responses were included,' the PBO said. 'The main sources of uncertainty relate to the estimated distribution of the prices paid by eligible new home purchasers, the projected number and value of new units sold, as well as the assumed lack of behavioural response.' In 1991, Parliament started charging the sales tax on homes priced from $450,000 upwards, which was at that point a benchmark that impacted only luxury properties. The threshold at the time benefited 95 percent of homebuyers, by industry estimate, but was never indexed to the cost of living. Related Stories 4/24/2025 4/24/2025 The Department of Finance in a Goods and Services Tax Technical Paper at the time promised to review tax thresholds every two years and 'adjust them as necessary to ensure that they adequately reflect changes in economic conditions and housing markets.' However, the rebate threshold has never been adjusted. When Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre first proposed getting rid of the GST for housing back in October 2024, he said Parliament never intended to collect sales taxes on family bungalows. 'That threshold was supposed to go up ... but it didn't,' he said. 'Now, good luck trying to get a house for $450,000. You can't find anything for that.' According to an April 2025 report from the An IPSOS poll from
Toronto Star
28-04-2025
- Business
- Toronto Star
Canada has a multibillion-dollar defence deal with the U.S. on the table. What now?
Ottawa soon will have a $74-billion decision to make. That's the estimated cost of buying 88 American-made F-35 Lightning II fighter jets and maintaining them over the next several decades, as calculated by the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO).
