Category: News

Aldi will give one nappy shopper per week a £100 voucher to spend in store, in what it is calling a “fund to support new parents”.

Despite the billing, the competition appears to be Aldi’s latest experiment with rewarding loyalty, based on picking winners from customers who email a copy of a receipt from a recent shop in one of the discounter’s stores. It follows an Aldi ‘big Advent giveaway’ in December, in which the supermarket gave a voucher worth up to £100 to one shopper per day, and a similar contest on a single day in February.

To be in with a chance of winning one of the £100 vouchers from Aldi’s ‘Mamia New Parent Fund’, customers must email a copy of a receipt showing their latest Mamia nappy purchase to mamiaparentfund@aldi.co.uk.

Aldi said the competition followed a OnePoll survey which found half of new parents said the experience was “overwhelming” and 45% admitted their stress levels increased as a result of added financial pressure.

“No parent ever forgets the joy of welcoming a new child, but it often also brings unexpected financial challenges,” said Aldi UK chief commercial officer Julie Ashfield.

“Even after the big-ticket purchases before the baby arrives, there are suddenly lots of new items to add to your weekly grocery list for the first time.

“As the UK’s cheapest supermarket, we’re committed to doing whatever we can to support parents in making their money go further, including through our award-winning Mamia brand. Our Mamia New Parent Fund is just another way that we’re supporting parents to help them better enjoy every moment with their new arrival.”

The competition is open now and runs until 11.59pm on 5 March 2026, with full terms and conditions here. 

A solicitor who has spent three years campaigning for statutory paid leave after a baby loss has spoken of her joy at the imminent prospect of success.

The government is reported to have added bereavement leave after suffering a miscarriage to its workers rights reforms. Changes to the employment rights bill, which is at the report stage in the House of Commons, would give mothers and their partners the right to two weeks’ paid leave if they have suffered a pregnancy loss before 24 weeks’ gestation.

This entitlement would match the statutory leave that parents can already take where they have lost a child or suffered a stillbirth later than 24 weeks.

Keeley Lengthorn, whose son George would have been three this week, has spent years lobbying MPs and trying to secure legislation for a law change. She found out yesterday her efforts had come to fruition.

‘It is more than we ever could have hoped for,’ she told the Gazette. ‘George’s Law was initially intended to campaign for three days and this is two weeks. I got the message about the law change and I was just stunned into silence. Part of me feels I should be sad, especially as I found out on his birthday. But to know his memory is going to help 250,000 families a year is absolutely massive.’

Lengthorn, who had gone through IVF treatment to get pregnant, was told by doctors at 22 and a half weeks that her baby would not survive after her waters broke. She gave birth to a son, named George, who was born sleeping and weighed one pound.

She recalled that the prospect of immediately going back to work and potentially advocating in court made the process much harder. ‘Two weeks would have made me feel so much less anxious about going back. You are supposed to be having a meeting with a midwife and instead you have to think about being in the office. That extra time makes things so much easier.’

Lengthorn, head of public law children in the London office of RWK Goodman, praised the legal profession for being pioneers of the bereavement leave, with many chambers and firms committing to offering paid leave without it appearing on the statute book. She added that she would continue to advocate for parents who have suffered baby loss even after the law is changed.

Michael Lohan, father of actress Lindsay Lohan, is facing an active arrest warrant in Florida following an alleged probation violation. 

The 64-year-old reportedly breached his probation terms after being arrested on February 21 in Spring, Texas, on a felony assault charge involving his estranged wife, Kate Major. 

According to Daily Mail, authorities in Florida issued the warrant in connection with Lohan’s 2022 conviction in Palm Beach for illegally profiting from steering patients to a specific rehab facility. 

Moreover, he was arrested in April 2021 on multiple counts of patient brokering.

Additionally, sources indicate that law enforcement officials are preparing to extradite Lohan from Texas to Florida. 

As per the publication, the latest charges stem from allegations that he physically assaulted Major by flipping her out of a chair. 

Major, who shares two children with Lohan, provided authorities with evidence of bruising from the attack.

It is worth mentioning that Lohan was taken into custody without incident and is currently being held on a charge of Continuous Family Violence with a $30,000 bond.

Mums and step-mums deserve spoiling – and this Mother’s Day they will have an average of nearly £45 spent on them per child – new research indicates.

Those celebrating Mother’s Day on March 30 plan to spend a generous £44.80 on average on a card and present, with 25 to 34-year-olds splashing out the most, with an average spend of £71.86 on a gift and card.

But it seems mums and step-mums won’t always be receiving their ideal gift.

The most-wanted gift for Mother’s Day 2025 is a spa day, according to the survey for MyVoucherCodes, but the most popular present children plan to give is flowers.

In joint second place, mums and step-mums said they would like something homemade or a meal out as a gift this Mother’s Day.

Among children giving gifts, while flowers are the top choice, chocolates and meals out will also be popular, researchers found.

If money was no object, one in eight (12%) of people would treat their mum to a new UK-based home, according to the survey of 2,000 people in January. A holiday home, a cruise and a Caribbean holiday all came together in a joint second, each selected by 8%.

Sarah-Jane Outten, a money saving expert at MyVoucherCodes, says: “It’s lovely to see that the British public still want to spoil their mums on Mother’s Day and the average spend shows people aren’t holding back when it comes to buying a card and gift for their mums or step mums.

“However, it’s always worth remembering that spoiling your mum doesn’t have to leave you out of pocket.”

Here are Outten’s tips to avoid overspending:

1. Made with love

“Instead of buying an expensive card, consider making one yourself,” says Outten.

She says writing a touching note and creating a design using crafts can be more heartfelt and add a special, personal touch.

She continues: “If you have a minimal budget, try making her breakfast in bed, fill a memory jar with thoughtful messages or simply cuddle up with some popcorn to watch her favourite film.”

2. Plan ahead

“It’s best not to wait until the last minute to buy a card and gift,” says Outten.

“Deciding to buy in advance gives you the opportunity to compare prices and make thoughtful purchases. You can often find discounts or deals if you start shopping early.

3. Look for sales and discounts

As well as keeping an eye out for discounts, Outten suggests signing up for store newsletters to get early access to sales or voucher codes.

4. Set a budget

Outten adds: “Before you start shopping, have a think how much you want to spend on both the card and the gift.

“Setting a budget will help you avoid impulse purchases and keep you on track. It’s the thought that counts more than the price tag.”

5. Shop local

Online shopping gives people a huge amount of choice, but don’t forget about browsing your local high street.

Outten says: “Local boutiques, craft markets, or second-hand stores often sell unique and affordable gifts that can be just as meaningful as something pricey from a chain retailer. Plus, it supports small businesses.”

Oh, baby!

An Alabama mother was left in disbelief Tuesday when she gave birth to a baby girl twice the size of a newborn.

Pamela Mann, a delivery driver living in a small town southeast of Birmingham, welcomed her daughter, Paris Halo, to the world during a scheduled C-section at the Alabama Grand View Medical Center.

But she had a brief scare in the delivery room.

“The doctor pulls her out of me and all the nurses are like “Oh God!” Pamela Mann shared with TODAY. “I started freaking out because I had no idea what was happening.”

The medical team’s enthusiastic reaction was in response to her baby’s unusual size.

Mann’s newborn, Paris Halo, weighed a whopping 13 pounds and four ounces when she was born at the Alabama Grand View Medical Center.

The news stunned the 31-year-old, who believed Paris had weighed the standard size for a newborn.

According to data from Stanford Children’s Health, the average birth weight for a full-term baby is 7 pounds.

Four weeks before the baby girl was born, Mann’s doctor measured Paris at eight pounds but a technician said she weighed 10 pounds, WVTM13 reported.

“Come to find out she was way over what both were saying,” Mann told the outlet.

Nurses are even making “special trips” to see Mann’s daughter with their own eyes.

“She’s only three days old and she’s already very well-known,” Mann told Today.

The baby arrived 16 days before her scheduled due date. She skipped many clothing sizes and is wearing clothing made for a 6-month-old baby.

One of the first images of the baby girl shows her in a pink onesie with a bib that reads “Welcome to the world” and a pink bow on her head.

Mann’s family has already jumped on giving the girl nicknames like Pork Chop, Big Mama, and Star.

Paris Halo will stay in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit for some “extra love and care” for a few days before going home.

Mann has been in great spirits, and she added that even though her daughter is in the NICU, “she’s doing great.”

According to Guinness World Records, the heaviest baby on record, weighing 22 pounds, was born in Italy back in 1955.

In 2019, a New York mom gave birth to a 15-pound-5-ounce bundle of joy.

Joy Buckley of Corning revealed it took three doctors, a medical “vacuum” and a C-section to deliver child Harper Buckley at Arnot Odgen Medical Center. She gave birth to an 11-pound boy two years prior.

Former cricketer Basit Ali has hit back at Babar Azam’s father, saying that he doesn’t know how many Test matches Babar’s father has played.

Babar was dropped from Pakistan’s T20I squad for the New Zealand series following the national side’s disappointing Champions Trophy 2025 campaign.

The star batter has been facing growing scrutiny over what many called his failure to step up for the national side in the ICC tournaments.

Amid the backlash, the former Pakistan captain’s father Azam Siddique came out in support of his son as he cautioned former cricketer from unnecessary criticism.

In an Instagram post, Azam expressed his faith in Babar Azam’s ability to stage a comeback.

“The boss is always right. Despite being part of the ICC’s T20 Team of the Year, he was dropped. It’s fine; he will perform in the National T20 and PSL. Insha Allah, he will make a comeback,” he wrote.

Also read: Babar Azam – Once a favourite, not anymore for Sonya Hussyn

The former Pakistan captain’s father also urged former cricketers to be mindful of their words.

“They are very big former players, but they should choose their words wisely. If someone responds, they may not tolerate it. You are the past, and that door will never open,” he wrote.

Speaking on ARY’s program Har Lamha, Basit Ali said that it’s good that Babar’s father is his coach, but he should focus on correcting his son’s technique.

The former Test batsman also brought up the issue of Osama Mir’s exclusion from the T20 World Cup squad, saying that Babar, as captain, had not included Osama in the team. Basit Ali pointed out that Osama had performed well in the PSL and his family must have been disappointed by his exclusion.

Basit Ali emphasized that all players should be treated equally and every player’s family prays for their success.

Kamran Akmal had also advised Babar to improve his modern-day cricket skills and dropping him from the team should not be criticized by his family members on social media.

A third man has been charged with murder over a house fire that killed a mother and her three children in Bradford last year.

Bryonie Gawith, 29, Denisty Birtle, nine, Oscar Birtle, five, and 22-month-old Aubree Birtle were killed in the fire on 21 August 2024.

Sharaz Ali, 39, from Bradford, has been charged with four counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.

He will appear at Bradford Magistrates Court today.

Two other men, Mohammed Shabir, 44, and Calum Sunderland, 25, both of Keighley, are due to go on trial next week after pleading not guilty to murdering Ms Gawith and the three children, and attempting to murder Ms Gawith’s sister, Antonia.

Read more from Sky News
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The children’s father Jonathan said at the time he was “absolutely distraught” by the “sudden loss” of his fiancee and “three beautiful children”.

“Bryonie and I were together for a long time, and we had a good life together. She was a beautiful woman and a loving mother to Oscar, Aubree and Denisty,” he said.

“I loved them with all my heart and if I had the chance, I would take their place in a heartbeat. I cannot imagine life without them.”

A family statement added: “Our B (Ms Gawith) was the life and soul of the party, music was a big part of her life, she loved music, singing and dancing, she would always be singing and dancing with Chuch (Denisty), Oggy (Oscar) and Strawberry (Aubree).

“B was always a really happy, joyful, bubbly beautiful woman, who cared for everyone and was loved by everyone, her kids were everything to her, her whole life.

“Oggy had the cheekiest smile, he was cheeky but he was a shy boy, Strawbs was shy and bashful with big blue eyes and blonde hair and Chuch was a beautiful, confident, outgoing and creative young girl.

“We are still trying to comprehend what has happened to our beautiful family. No words can describe how we are feeling and no words could ever make up for the profound loss we are now faced with.”

Experts are warning that one in seven (14%) saw their credit score drop as a result of SMP (Statutory Maternity Pay), or other forms of maternity or paternity leave. Six in 10 (59%) took on new debt due to the drop in income to maternity or paternity pay, borrowing an average of £2,658.

Those parents, on average, didn’t clear their debt until their child was over the age of three, when the expensive nursery years were over. This is despite most having saved an average of £4,913, to take care of essential bills ahead of their baby’s arrival.

The research was completed by smart money platform  Intuit  Credit  Karma reveals that a quarter (25%) are still in debt when their child starts school aged five, and one in every 30 families (3%) are still struggling when their child reaches double digits.

NOT something to celebrate on International Women’s Day: #maternity pay is less than half the National Living Wage. Take action with us to #EndPregnancyPoverty 👉https://t.co/wOQ6nYGOeK #IWD2025 pic.twitter.com/j61U7VxPzf

— Maternity Action (@MaternityAction) March 6, 2025

How much maternity or paternity leave can parents take?

In the UK, Statutory Maternity Leave is 52 weeks. It’s made up of:

• Ordinary Maternity Leave – first 26 weeks
• Additional Maternity Leave – last 26 weeks

You do not have to take 52 weeks but you must take 2 weeks’ leave after your baby is born (or 4 weeks if you work in a factory).

What is Statutory Maternity Pay?

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is paid for up to 39 weeks. You get:

• 90% of your average weekly earnings (before tax) for the first 6 weeks
• £184.03 or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower) for the next 33 weeks

SMP is paid in the same way as your wages (for example monthly or weekly). Tax and National Insurance will be deducted.

How much is Paternity Pay?

The statutory weekly rate of Paternity Pay is £184.03, or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower).

Any money you get is paid in the same way as your wages, for example monthly or weekly. Tax and National Insurance will be deducted.

Expectant mums & new parents need @RachelReevesMP to do better on statutory #maternity pay in her upcoming spending review. Please campaign with us, email your MP to take this message to Government!🙏#EndPregnancyPoverty https://t.co/UnPSeLIkNT pic.twitter.com/iNGrAWxQIz

— Maternity Action (@MaternityAction) February 11, 2025

The UK’s poor statutory parental leave policies are exacerbating financial hardship and could be pushing new parents into debt, a cost they are not able to clear until their child’s third birthday. 

Planning for reduced income while on Statutory Maternity Pay

According to the research, (81%) of parents planned for the income drop and added expenditure that comes with parental leave. The average parent saved £4,913 before going on maternity or shared parental leave. 

For many couples, this meant making sacrifices well before the baby’s arrival. In a third of couples (33%), one or both parents took on additional work including overtime, freelance work, or setting up a ‘side hustle’ to prepare financially.

However, 13% of new parents admitted they didn’t consider putting aside any money until it was too late. 

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The cost of parental leave is also reshaping the workforce. More than a quarter (28%) of parents were forced to return to work sooner than they would have liked in order to pay off mounting debts.

Further, 13% of parents have moved jobs to an employer with better enhanced parental leave, subsidising the statutory amount offered by the government.

This trend was particularly pronounced among fathers taking shared parental leave – 21% of men taking shared parental leave had switched jobs to an employer offering enhanced benefits, compared to 9% among women taking maternity leave.

Akansha Nath, General Manager (International) at Intuit Credit Karma, says: “Parental leave should be a time for families to bond and welcome their new arrival, not a source of financial distress. For parents concerned about managing finances during leave, it’s essential to plan ahead.

“Setting aside savings where possible and carefully budgeting for your reduced income and unexpected expenses can help alleviate financial strain. 

“You can research better value ways to manage the debt effectively, such as exploring personal loans or credit cards with the best rates, or balance transfer cards with an interest-free period to help pay down debt.”

 

Post Malone caused quite a stir when he was spotted with a woman, sparking speculations that she was his longtime partner, with whom he shares a daughter.

A fan-captured video of the rapper went viral on TikTok. It shows him sitting at a bar with a woman, leading many to believe she is his fiancée, whom he has never publicly identified.

Social media users rallied to the comments section to express their admiration for the apparent couple, assuming the woman was Malone’s “baby mama.”

“Is that his baby mama?” asked one fan in the comments section.

“FINALLY WE SEE HIS GIRL HIS BABYS MAMMA SHE PRETTY,” another assumed.

“Awhh his wife is adorable!” a third gushed while a fourth remarked, “It’s nice to see him with his lady :)”

A fifth user chimed in, saying, “Omg Jamie is gorgeous they’re adorable together.”

Though Malone, known to keep his private life under wraps, has never shared his fiancée’s name and rarely posted about their relationship on social media, fans have affectionately dubbed the woman “Jamie.”

However, to his true admirers’ disappointment, the Rockstar singer’s plus one during the weekend outing was revealed as Christy Lee, not the rumoured fiancée.

“Anyone who is a true fan knows this is NOT her. She looks nothing like Jamie,” claimed one user.

“That’s not the baby mama,” weighed in another with a skull emoji.

The video, set to Malone’s 2024 song I Need Some Help, was recorded from a lower angle. The Better Now musician looked down at the person filming him and waved.

After the lady was confirmed to be someone other than his daughter’s mother, Malone’s latest public appearance sparked breakup speculations with his fiancée.

For the unversed, during an August 2023 episode of Call Her Daddy, the now 29-year-old singer disclosed he got engaged in June 2022, a month after announcing that he and his then-fiancée were expecting their first child together.

Malone, whose real name is Austin Richard Post, did not reveal his daughter’s name or birth date, but he confirmed the news of her arrival in a conversation with Howard Stern in June 2022.