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Fans of Subway’s sandwiches are up in arms after stores in Pakistan launched its first ever 3-inch mini sub as a budget-friendly option. The bite-size sandwich, which recently appeared on Pakistani menus and in social media posts, provides “value” to customers, a spokesperson for Subway told Bloomberg News last week. The new size is half the length of the company’s previous smallest sandwich, which is six inches. Its largest size, otherwise known as the “footlong” sub, is 12 inches. But the newer, cheaper, size is said to be a more bite-sized option to fulfil a “snack craving”. Announcing the launch, a post shared by Subway Pakistan’s Instagram account read: “Say hello to our NEW Mini Sub! The perfect treat for your snack cravings! Get ready to fall in love with its incredible flavors!” A second post added, “Our New Mini Sub is the cutest explosion of taste you’ll ever experience!”, followed by the slogan: “Unleash the mini magic”. The reduced size comes as Pakistan contends with Asia’s fastest rates of inflation, which has seen double-digit percentage increases in the price of fuel amid a cost of living crisis. The August data from Pakistan’s statistics bureau showed that food inflation was elevated at 38.5 per cent. Confronting rising prices, many restaurants have reportedly increased prices on their menus or reduced portion sizes. Pakistan was saved from debt default after securing a further $3bn bailout disbursement from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in July. However, the deal has come with specific measures attached, including an increase in fuel and energy prices. These rising energy costs have sparked protests among citizens across the country. Meanwhile, Subway fans have been expressing their disappointment about the “tiny” size of the new sandwich. “No one is walking outta the shop after eating this and feeling full,” wrote one Twitter/X user. “That’s like 2-3 bites!” wrote one social media user, as another added: “This would barely feed a toddler.” While it seems that the mini sub has only been rolled out in Pakistan so far, it is unconfirmed whether the menu item will be available at other global stores. The Independent has contacted Subway for comment. Read More Tea enthusiasts stew over 60-second PG Tips teabag: ‘It’s a massive step backwards’ Dunkin’ fans appalled by amount of sugar in Ice Spice’s Munchkins Drink: ‘This should be illegal’ Millennial woman reveals everything Gen Z coworker has taught her: ‘Class was in session’ Three recipes from Michel Roux’s new fuss-free French cookbook How to cook to keep your gut healthy The symbolic foods that are eaten on the Jewish New Year

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Most people know Kate Silverton from her time as a BBC newsreader, or possibly from when she took part in Strictly Come Dancing. But that’s the old Kate Silverton. The new Kate Silverton is a qualified child therapist – so what made the mum-of-two swap such a successful media career to help children instead? “The love of it! My academic background is in child psychology, and becoming a mum really inspired me too,” she says. She’s worked with a number of children’s mental health charities over the years, and explains: “My journey has really been decades long, both in understanding more about children’s mental health, and as a parent really benefiting from all the interviews and access to advice that I was given by incredible people.” Currently working in a primary school supporting young children with complex needs, Silverton, 52, admits that when she competed on Strictly in 2018 (she was paired with professional dancer Aljaž Škorjanec and finished eighth), it was with a view of leaving journalism to train as a child therapist. “And that’s what I did,” she declares proudly. “My interest has been long-held, and I’ve now qualified, and it’s absolutely my life’s passion. So I’ll be using journalism and all my presenting experience to raise awareness around children’s mental health and really to support parents. “I’ve had an incredible life in journalism [presenting BBC News at One and BBC Breakfast, among other high-profile TV and radio roles], and many, many years that have been really fulfilling. I think you’re always drawing upon the experiences you’ve picked up before, but as a mum especially, for me, this is now where home is, and will become my life’s work.” Silverton’s two children, Clemency and Wilbur, are now aged 11 and eight, and were conceived naturally after Silverton and her husband, Mike Heron, tried IVF but it wasn’t successful. She continued to work as a journalist after Clemency was born, but took two years off when she had Wilbur in 2014. “I was freelance, but it got to the point where I thought I can’t physically do this – you know, I’m an older parent as well. “I had to make a judgement call – and I can only ever speak for myself, there’s no judgement for others. But I took two years out because I just couldn’t see any other way of doing everything, and doing it the way I hoped to. “It’s really, really hard for parents now, and I say to a lot of the parents I speak to in my clinical work, ‘Please, please, please do not berate yourself, we are living in a very challenging time’. We’re pulled in so many ways, we’re still doing a lot of work at home, and we’re expected to be present either at work, and/or at home. “So there’s no easy answer. But I think we owe it to our children to start asking, is this really working for us as parents? And is it working for our children?” Was she worried that taking two years out might affect her career? “I was the main breadwinner,” she says, “And my husband and I made a decision between us that things would change. And I think a lot of families do that – they have to find themselves having really difficult conversations. And certainly, there are no easy answers. “But what I found is I’ve changed my career, and I see it as a second act, if you like, and maybe that’s thanks to having children. So sometimes, what can seem a really difficult decision and one that we might worry about, you kind of think, actually, maybe it wasn’t the right place for me, after all.” She returned to journalism after her two years out, but was working at weekends doing the Saturday night news while her husband looked after the kids. “Ultimately, I thought I don’t want to be doing this, I don’t want to be in the newsroom on a Saturday night when my children are at home with my husband,” she says. “We all make these decisions based on our own personal circumstances, and for me at the time, I was ready to follow my heart and retrain, as that had been in my mind for a very long time. So I guess the decision made itself, really.” Silverton is now determined to help make family life work not only for herself, but for other parents, and as well as her work in a primary school and writing the book There’s No Such Thing As ‘Naughty’ (Piatkus, 2021) – a parenting guide which explores how children’s brains develop and how it influences their behaviour – she’s teamed up with the children’s furniture brand Stokke to explore parents’ worries about child development in the under-fives. New Stokke research has found 29% of parents of children aged zero to five years are concerned about their child growing up shy, and nearly a third (31%) of parents identify confidence as the most important characteristic for their child to gain during their early years. “First and foremost for children, especially under five, we want to ensure the foundations being built in their brain are strong,” explains Silverton. “And parents are the best people to build those foundations for future mental health.” In practical terms, what do parents need to do to help their children learn to be confident and mentally strong? “Be with them,” advises Silverton. “Our presence is really crucial, because when our children inevitably navigate more challenging experiences, having us nearby to model the behaviour that’s appropriate can give them the confidence to know they can eventually go off alone. “I’d love parents to feel more confident to follow their instincts when it comes to being with their children. Our children don’t necessarily need to be doing in these early years, they simply need to be. And by that I mean being with and alongside us as their guide. Because parents really are more powerful than they know.” She stresses it isn’t about buying young children expensive educational toys or doing anything complicated. “It’s the little things that mean so much – putting the phone down and actually engaging with our children face-to-face, getting down on the floor and playing with them, spending time with them, letting them know we value them and we want to spend time with them, we love and we delight in their presence. These are the things that build confidence, because they’re building a sense of self-worth.” Although she’s stepped back from her high-profile broadcasting career, Silverton’s still very busy with child therapy and writing her second book, which she hopes will be published in the autumn. But, as she says herself, “We’re told we can have it all – well, actually, you can have it all, but not at the same time.” “Being a busy parent who’s also trying to work, I suppose the victim is my own wellbeing,” she reflects. “It’s not like I’m terrible, but it does get squeezed more than I’d like.” However, she does find some time to look after herself. “Whether it’s bouncing on a little trampoline, or going to walk your dog or doing yoga, anything that’s patterned, repetitive, rhythmic, is actually very soothing for our brain stem, and absolutely vital for our health,” she explains. “I am really mindful of my health, and I’d love to carve out more time, and certainly when I’ve got book two finished, I will be doing a lot more of it. But I pretty much keep in balance, and I’m fairly good at recognising when my body’s out of kilter and then doing something about it. So I haven’t learned this much without applying a few good principles myself!” Kate Silverton is supporting Stokke to explore parents’ worries about child development and the early years. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Watching Love Island this year? How to avoid comparing your body to what’s on screen Dating ‘green flags’ to look out for on Love Island – and in your own life Crackdown on vape adverts targeting kids – what parents can do

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