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Many households across Ireland are feeling the pinch from the ongoing cost of living crisis and are trying to save money where possible. With energy costs skyrocketing, some people have been However, Ireland's unpredictable often makes outdoor drying impossible, leaving indoor drying as the only alternative. While this may seem like an easy solution, it comes with a significant downside: the risk of mould. This can not only harm the health of both humans and pets but also lead to costly damage to walls, ceilings and window sills. Experts in air quality have shared some insights on how mould forms and how to combat it. Mould thrives in damp, poorly ventilated environments, where fungal spores can settle and grow. While most adults can tolerate these spores without issue, they can pose serious risks to babies, young children and individuals with respiratory conditions or weakened immune systems. The presence of mould can lead to a variety of health problems, including allergies, skin irritation, chronic colds and worsening conditions like asthma and eczema. To prevent mould from taking hold, it's essential to reduce the humidity in your home. Simple actions like opening windows and doors can help air circulation, while extractor fans in bathrooms and kitchens can mitigate steam from showers or cooking. Additionally, using a dehumidifier in moderation can be an effective way to combat excess moisture. Jenny Turner, Property Manager at Insulation Express, warns that drying wet clothes indoors can worsen existing mould problems, She advises always keeping a window open in the room to allow moisture to escape. She also recommends using a dehumidifier, which can remove up to seven litres of moisture from the air each day in damp conditions. While this might seem counterintuitive, investing in a dehumidifier can save money in the long run by preventing costly mould damage. For those looking for a more advanced option, the comes with an app which allows you to monitor the current moisture level in your home, set a target humidity level, 24 hour on/off timer or select from three operating modes including auto, continuous dehumidification and internal drying. Over 500 of these have been bought on Amazon in the last month and they are rated an impressive 4.4 out of 5 stars from almost 7,000 reviews. For a more budget-friendly solution, there are simpler, non-electric dehumidifying options available. Home supply stores offer plastic dehumidifier pots for as little as £1.24. These pots trap moisture in the air and reduce condensation on windows, which is common when drying clothes indoors. Another affordable option is placing bowls of rock salt on window sills, as salt absorbs moisture and helps keep the air dry. Jenny explained: "For a dehumidifying effect without the use of electricity, try a combination of open windows and plastic window dehumidifier pots which can trap and collect moisture in the air. These inexpensive plastic pots can help to eliminate the risk of condensation on windows which can occur from drying wet clothes inside, adding to the damp atmosphere. Another cheap trick to draw moisture away from walls and windows is to place bowls of rock salt on the window sill when drying clothes, as this will help to absorb excess moisture in the air." Meanwhile, Francesca Brady, CEO and co-founder of AirRated, has highlighted the growing issue of mould in homes as part of a larger conversation about the condition of buildings. She said: "It's important that this is covered in the media, everyone needs a basic level of understanding of what sort of environments are unhealthy spaces for us to live and work in. That being said, there is a much larger issue surrounding building stock that is not-fit-for-purpose, where it will take more than changing behaviours to improve these settings." To remove this article -Two Social Security checks are going out this week – It’s official, and here’s the list of seniors who can get them
CLEVLEAND — Shane Bieber's comeback with Cleveland has double meaning. The former Cy Young winner re-signed with the Guardians on Wednesday, a reunion that seemed unlikely when he became a free agent. However, the 29-year-old Bieber decided to stay with the AL Central champions after making just two starts in 2024 before undergoing Tommy John surgery. Bieber agreed last week to a one-year, $14 million contract. The deal includes a $16 million player option for 2026. It seemed like a long shot that Bieber, who is 62-32 with a 3.22 ERA in 132 starts, would return to Cleveland. He had turned down long-term offers in the past from the club, and it was expected he would sign with another contender, likely one on the West Coast. But the California native has a special connection with the Guardians, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2016 draft. Bieber, who won the AL Cy Young in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, threw only 12 innings last season before lingering issues with his elbow forced him to have surgery. He is expected to join Cleveland's rotation at some point in 2025. A two-time All-Star, Bieber was named MVP of the midsummer event in 2019 when it was held in Cleveland. He has the highest strikeout ratio per nine innings (10.2) and third-highest winning percentage (.660) in the franchise's 124-year history. Bieber is one of just three Cleveland pitchers to start five season openers, joining Stan Coveleski (1917-21) and Corey Kluber (2015-19). While Bieber had some elbow issues in the past, he didn't show any issues before being shut down. He struck out 11 in six scoreless innings against Oakland on March 28, and followed that up with six more shutout innings at Seattle on April 2. Pitchers dominate Rule 5 draft DALLAS — Pitchers again dominated the big league phase of the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings, comprising 11 of the 15 unprotected players who were picked Wednesday. The 121-loss Chicago White Sox had the first pick and selected 24-year-old right-hander Shane Smith from the Milwaukee Brewers organization. Smith was an undrafted free agent out of Wake Forest when he was signed by Milwaukee in July 2021. The 6-foot-4, 235-pounder has gone 13-7 with a 2.69 ERA and 203 strikeouts over 157 innings in 19 starts and 54 relief appearances over three minor league seasons. There were 14 teams who made picks in the major league portion of the Rule 5 draft of players left off 40-man rosters after several minor league seasons. Only Atlanta made two selections, after making none since 2017. Atlanta chose right-hander Anderson Pilar from the Miami Marlins with the 11th pick, and then took infielder Christian Cairo from the Cleveland Guardians with the 15th and final pick in the MLB portion. The 26-year-old Pilar was original signed by Colorado as a minor league free agent in 2015 and has pitched in 213 minor league games that included 17 starts. He is 28-20 with a 2.86 ERA. Teams pay $100,000 to take a player in the major league portion. The players must stay on the big league roster all of next season or clear waivers and be offered back to their original organization for $50,000. Six of the 10 players selected during the Rule 5 draft last December — five of them right-handed pitchers — remained last season with organization that selected them. Two of the four position players taken Wednesday by other teams came from the Detroit Tigers organization: catcher Liam Hicks and third baseman Gage Workman. Miami drafted second after Colorado passed making a selection, and took Hicks. Workman was taken by the Chicago Cubs with the 10th pick. Baltimore lost two right-handed pitchers on back-to-back picks, Juan Nunez to San Diego with the 12th pick before Connor Thomas went to Milwaukee. Hamilton wins Frick Award DALLAS — Tom Hamilton, who has called Cleveland games on the radio for 35 seasons, won the Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in broadcasting on Wednesday. Hamilton, 70, joined the team's broadcast in 1990, when he was with Herb Score in the booth and part of the coverage of their World Series appearances in 1995 and 1997. Hamilton became the voice of the franchise when Score retired after that second World Series. Hamilton will be honored during the Hall of Fame’s induction weekend from July 25-28 in Cooperstown, New York. He was selected the hall's Frick Award 16-member committee as the 49th winner. There were 10 finalists on this year's ballot, whose main contributions came as local and national voices and whose careers began after, or extended into, the Wild Card era. The other nine were Skip Caray, Rene Cardenas, Gary Cohen, Jacques Doucet, Ernie Johnson Sr., Mike Krukow, Duane Kuiper, Dave Sims and John Sterling. Marlins send Burger to Rangers DALLAS — The Texas Rangers acquired slugging corner infielder Jake Burger from the Miami Marlins on Wednesday in a trade for three minor league players. Burger hit .250 with 29 home runs and 76 RBIs in 137 games for the Marlins last season, with 150 strikeouts in 535 at-bats with 31 walks. He started 59 games at third base and made 50 starts at first. Five days of service time short of being eligible for salary arbitration this offseason, he will be eligible next winter and can become a free agent after the 2028 World Series. Miami got infielders Max Acosta and Echedry Vargas and left-handed pitcher Brayan Mendoza. The acquisition of Burger comes about a month after the Rangers hired former Marlins manager Skip Schumaker as a senior adviser for baseball operations. Luis Urueta, Miami's bench coach the past two seasons, also was added recently to manager Bruce Bochy's on-field coaching staff for 2025. BRIEFLY WHITE SOX: Mike Tauchman is switching sides in Chicago. The White Sox announced a $1.95 million, one-year contract for the outfielder. Tauchman, 34, grew up in Palatine, Illinois, about 35 miles northwest of Chicago, and played college ball for Bradley in Peoria, Illinois. He spent the previous two seasons with the Cubs. TRADE: All-Star left-hander Garrett Crochet was acquired by the Boston Red Sox from the Chicago White Sox for four prospects. Catcher Kyle Teel, infielder Chase Meidroth, right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez and outfielder Braden Montgomery are headed to Chicago.
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Drying clothes inside could be harming your health - here's how to fix it for just £1.25
MPs back plans for phased smoking ban
By Chukwuemeka Opara The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has pledged to stand by his successor, Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, ensuring he completes his full two terms in office. Umahi made the vow on Saturday in his hometown of Uburu, Ohaoazara Local Government Area of Ebonyi, when members of Nwifuru’s clan, the Izzi National Youths Forum, paid him a Christmas homage. Describing the visit as “surprising,” the former governor emphasized that Nwifuru would serve his full eight years in office, just as he and other former governors of the state did. “God forbid that the Izzi people stand against me tomorrow, but my covenant with God and Nwifuru is to ensure he completes uninterrupted eight years in office,” Umahi declared. “Nothing will stop this. I fought principalities and powers alone and won to make him governor. Do you think I cannot do it now, with someone by my side?” he added. Reaffirming his belief in Nwifuru’s leadership, Umahi reiterated that the Izzi clan represented the best option for governance in the state and that he had no regrets over the decision. “Nwifuru is humble, and until the end of his eight years, I am not leaving him,” he stated. Umahi also commended the leadership of the Izzi National Youths Forum, expressing admiration for the large number of delegates who had come to visit. “It is gratifying that you came to celebrate with me, even when you could have been at home celebrating with your son, the governor,” he remarked. The National President of the Izzi National Youths Forum, Mr. Andrew Elom, explained that the visit was to thank Umahi for fulfilling his promise of handing over the governorship seat to an Izzi indigene. Elom also urged Umahi to continue guiding and supporting Governor Nwifuru, ensuring that he remains on the right path. “This is a project you initiated and began, and the governor needs all the encouragement you can provide,” Elom said. He also praised Umahi’s performance as a minister, highlighting that Nigeria is currently benefiting from the remarkable works he had accomplished in Ebonyi. (NAN)
