{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/690b5df3317c91fd9a7765c9/6a42b1ce71668e37061ec14c?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Aughinish Alumina; Unsafe vapes; World Cup hydration breaks","description":"<p>Aughinish Alumina will be forced to pay up front for the costs of closing down the Co Limerick plant and repairing environmental damage in the area, under a new deal agreed with the State.</p><p><br></p><p>Europe is being “<a href=\"https://irishtimes.com/world/europe/2026/06/30/european-market-flooded-with-unsafe-vapes-eu-anti-fraud-chief-says/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">flooded” by cheap vapes and e-cigarettes</a> produced in Asia that often do not meet EU safety rules, dodge customs taxes and in some cases contain harmful and illegal substances, the head of the EU’s anti-fraud office has said.</p><p><br></p><p>With more than one million taxpayer “units” paying tax at the higher rate of 40 per cent on their incomes and an ongoing cost-of-living crisis, <a href=\"https://irishtimes.com/your-money/2026/06/30/income-tax-cuts-are-coming-but-how-much-will-they-mean-for-you/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">the pressure is on to deliver some form of relief</a> in this October’s budget.</p><p><br></p><p>Meanwhile our Government parties are still dreaming of income tax cuts in forthcoming budgets, most economists are predicting various shades of financial Armageddon, <a href=\"https://irishtimes.com/opinion/2026/06/30/eoin-drea-ireland-eu-presidency-brussels-budget-tax-contribution-economy-crisis/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">writes Eoin Drea.</a></p><p><br></p><p>Fifa president Gianni Infantino says it doesn’t make any additional revenue from them. Stadium fans loudly boo them and TV viewers blast them on social media, but the hydration breaks introduced in this <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/world-cup/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">World Cup</a> have been the bonus money spinner of the tournament, <a href=\"https://irishtimes.com/business/2026/06/30/fans-hate-them-but-hydration-breaks-are-the-world-cups-new-money-spinner/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">writes Bernice Harrison today.</a></p><p><br></p><p>Presented by Aideen Finnegan</p>","author_name":"The Irish Times "}