Latest news with #Bubble
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
'I save £300 on childcare thanks to little-known perk offered by my employer'
Tania, 33, is an Uber driver and gets 20 hours free childcare a year through the Bubble Childcare app, which she estimates saves her around £300 a year A single mum has revealed how she saves £300 a year by using free childcare offered by her work. Tania, 33, is an Uber driver and gets 20 hours free childcare a year through the Bubble Childcare app. She estimates these free hours save her around £300 a year. Bubble is an app that allows parents to book flexible childcare, either by searching through listings for babysitters, or by posting their own request for childcare. As an Uber driver, Tania often works irregular hours, which means she sometimes needs to find childcare in the evening for her three children, who are aged 12, 8 and 9. She said: "I tend to do quite early mornings. "I live quite close to an airport, so I'll start about 2am or 3am, then Uber is busiest around the school run time. My kids leave school and then they have various clubs, so that ties them up until around 6.30pm. "They'll come home, have dinner, then they're in bed at 7.30pm. When I start early, I finish around 2pm or 3pm. But if there is a day when I start later, that's when it can overlap into the evening." Uber gives its drivers 20 hours free childcare a year through the Bubble app - but other employers also work with Bubble, or offer similar schemes, so it is worth checking what help is available through your place of work. For example, you may be able to use a salary sacrifice scheme in order to purchase childcare vouchers. These schemes allow you to exchange some of your salary for a non-cash benefit. Since you give up part of your salary, you reduce the amount of Income Tax and National Insurance you pay. You may also not need to pay for childcare at all, as some children are eligible for free childcare hours - you can read more below. Tania said: "I discovered Bubble through Uber as they were offering free hours and what I love is that it's not traditional childcare, where I'm going to drop my kids off to a nanny or nursery. "It's somebody coming out to you, or picking the kids up from school or taking them out for the day. I'll utilise my childcare by planning days out for the kids. It gives the kids an experience as well, as they aren't tied at home while I'm working. "I'm a single parent so there are always times where you don't have the other parent to take them to the movies, or other things. It is very easy to use." Get the best deals and tips from Mirror Money WHATSAPP GROUP: Get money news and top deals straight to your phone by joining our Money WhatsApp group here. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. How to get free childcare Thousands more parents are now eligible for free childcare for their children thanks to the rollout of a Government scheme. Working parents of nine-month-olds can access 15 hours of free childcare a week - but this is rising to 30 hours a week from September 2025. If your child is between the age of nine months and two years old, you must be earning the equivalent of the national minimum wage for 16 hours a week, on average, but less than £100,000 a year, to qualify for free childcare. This applies to both parents if you're in a couple. All parents of three and four-year-olds are entitled to 15 hours free childcare a week as standard, regardless of whether they are in work. Working parents with children of these ages can claim the full 30 hours if they meet the earnings criteria. There is also the tax-free childcare scheme, which is available to children aged 11 or under, or if your child is disabled, they may qualify until September after their 16th birthday. Tax-free childcare is an online account where for every £8 you pay in, the Government automatically adds in £2. If you're eligible, you can get up to £500 every three months for each of your children. This adds up to £2,000 over 12 months. For disabled children, the maximum amount you could get rises to £4,000. The money has to be spent on a registered childcare provider.
Time of India
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
MONSTA X's Minhyuk addresses fans with heartfelt message, pens emotional apology amid dating rumours: 'I deserve the criticism'
Minhyuk, a popular South Korean singer and member of the K-pop boy band MONSTA X, recently found himself at the centre of harsh fan criticism and damaging rumours about his personal life. The idol reached out to fans directly through an emotional and heartfelt message, shared via Bubble, a private communication platform. Minhyuk responds to rumours about alleged girlfriend In a long message posted on Bubble, Minhyuk addressed dating rumours that have been circulating ever since his alleged girlfriend was made public a few months ago. Some fans had claimed that being in a relationship had made Minhyuk distant towards them. The backlash grew stronger when it was alleged that his influencer girlfriend had accompanied him on the set of an official MONSTA X video shoot. Although he didn't directly address any specific incident, fans widely understood the message as his response to the recent dating rumours and the controversy surrounding them. Idol opens up after months of silence After staying quiet for months, Minhyuk finally broke his silence and spoke about the emotional toll the situation had taken on him. Insisting that the allegations were completely false, he got emotional as he spoke about how hard things had been. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo He used the Bubble platform to express deep regret for disappointing fans, especially those who were looking forward to MONSTA X's 10th anniversary celebrations. He began his apology by acknowledging how upset fans must be. 'I sincerely apologize to MONBEBE who waited for our 10th anniversary,' he wrote. He admitted he had made a mistake by not speaking up earlier. 'I believe I deserve the criticism' Minhyuk stressed that he never intended to ignore the emotions and concerns of his fans, and admitted that his hesitation may have done more harm than good. 'I believe I deserve the criticism and backlash from MONBEBE for my actions,' he continued. 'I'm truly sorry for hurting you.' 'It's becoming too much to bear' Minhyuk also opened up about his emotional state over the past three weeks, revealing the pain caused by false rumours and harsh remarks. He said he received dozens of online posts each day attacking him and accusing him of things he didn't do. 'It's incredibly frustrating,' he wrote. 'What's worse is that the criticism and hateful comments have reached my family, and although I've tried to tell myself it's part of the job, it's becoming too much for me to bear.' Unsure of how to move forward The singer also shared the uncertainty he's feeling and asked fans what would be best – should he distance himself for a while or continue to stay connected? He said he was especially hurt by the thought that his past love for fans might now seem fake. 'I've thought hard about what I can do for Monbebes right now. I believed the best I could do was to communicate sincerely, show you how I'm practicing hard and working with the members to perform well, contribute ideas for our album, and focus on being the artist I want to be. But even that seems to be misunderstood now. I'm not trying to justify myself or avoid blame. If you felt I was trying to, I'm sorry. I truly don't know what actions I should take from here,' he wrote. 'Would it help if I stepped away?' He ended the message with more questions for his fans, showing how torn he feels about what to do next. 'That's why I want to know… Not just based on what I think in my head, but what Monbebes truly want. Would it help even a little if I stopped communicating for a while and stepped away, or would that just cause more misunderstanding and make things worse? Would it be better for me to stay by your side even if it leads to new misunderstandings?' Minhyuk, who made his debut with MONSTA X in 2015, resumed his activities last October after completing his mandatory military service. Amazing story! Wow! Haha, thanks! ReplyForward
Pink Villa
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
MONSTA X's Minhyuk feels 'incredibly frustrated' with dating rumors and hateful posts targeting family: 'Too much to bear..'
Recently, MONSTA X member Minhyuk has found himself at the center of an emotional storm. Following days of harsh criticism and swirling rumors about his personal life, the idol reached out directly to fans. Through the private messaging platform Bubble, he delivered a heartfelt and vulnerable message. In the lengthy post, Minhyuk expressed his deep regret for letting down fans, especially those who had been anticipating the group's 10th anniversary. Without naming any particular incident, he addressed the tension that has been building around him. It's widely believed to be linked to recent dating rumors circulating on social media. Minhyuk's apology to MONBEBE Minhyuk began his message with a sincere apology, acknowledging the disappointment felt by fans. 'I sincerely apologize to MONBEBE who waited for our 10th anniversary,' he wrote. He also admitted that he was late in speaking up, noting that he should have addressed the matter earlier. He emphasized that he never intended to ignore the emotions and concerns of his fandom. Minhyuk confessed that his hesitation may have caused more harm than good. 'I believe I deserve the criticism and backlash from MONBEBE for my actions,' he continued. 'I'm truly sorry for hurting you.' Rumors, criticism, and emotional strain Beyond the apology, Minhyuk shared his emotional struggle over the past few weeks. He reveals the pain he has endured due to unfounded rumors and hateful commentary. He spoke of being falsely accused of things he didn't do and facing dozens of posts each day that misrepresented or attacked him. 'It's incredibly frustrating,' he wrote. 'What's worse is that the criticism and hateful comments have reached my family, and although I've tried to tell myself it's part of the job, it's becoming too much for me to bear.' Idol at a crossroads Perhaps the most poignant part of Minhyuk's message was his expression of uncertainty. He admitted he was struggling to figure out the right course of action and asked MONBEBE directly. He questioned whether distancing himself from fan interactions might ease the situation or if continuing to stay connected was the better choice. He concluded by sharing that MONBEBE means the most to him and felt hurt by the idea that his past love might now seem insincere. What sparked the controversy? While Minhyuk didn't directly mention the incident, the message came in the wake of a viral post by an anonymous user on X (formerly Twitter). The post included alleged 'evidence' of Minhyuk's romantic relationship. Photos and videos purportedly showed him meeting with a woman believed to be his girlfriend. The individual also claimed that Minhyuk had been spotted with her on several occasions. Some fans supported his right to a private life. Others took issue with what they described as a lack of professionalism. In extreme cases, fans even demanded his withdrawal from MONSTA X.
Daily Maverick
12-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Maverick
Your address in South Africa for high quality furnishings: ROCHE BOBOIS
Roche Bobois is a high-end furniture brand created in France over 60 years ago. The brand is present in Cape Town since 2015 and Sandton since 2017 in South Africa. However, we deliver monthly all over the country, including other neighbouring countries in Africa (Nigeria, Zambia, Namibia ,Zimbabwe. Roche Bobois is a unique editor of luxury furniture pieces from sofas to tables/beds/accessories. Most of our best-selling pieces are sought after worldwide, such as the famous Bubble sofa by Sacha Lakic. Our products are manufactured in workshops and factories in Europe. Each workshop specializes in a particular product line, allowing us to offer our customers flexibility in finishes. Indeed, if you don't opt for stock items, your furniture can be ordered under your name with your own finishes and dimensions. Hundred of options for some products! This is an incredible luxury for pieces produced in Europe. Only the most high-end brands can afford to offer this service to customers. Did you know that all our products are designed by renowned designers? Services for VIPs Roche Bobois offers a complete range of services to assist clients with their choices and make life easier. These services include: Creation of specific moodboards. Production of 3D renderings. Decorating advice and measurements. Delivery Additional services such as Matterport scans or photoshoots of your home after product delivery can be arranged at an extra cost. Roche Bobois is unique Unique as this is the one of the only luxury brands able to provide furniture and décor from A to Z for your home. Unique because we have 2 new collections per year and dozens of new products. Unique because some of the high end Haute Couture Maison are working closely with us as Missoni, Kenzo Takada, Jean Paul Gaultier. Unique also because each year the brand propose a new collaboration with an architect, a celebrity or else to bring new and fresh idea to the brand. New collection will be designed by Pedro Almodovar himself. Unique also as we are one of the only brand developing only eco-designed new collections to protect our planet. All materials used are checked and traceable. The owners of Roche Bobois South Africa and Mauritius, Bernard and Sandrine, love details. From the warm cappuccino in winter or a glass of bubbly in summer upon arrival, to live piano on specific Saturdays, to the execution of your project on time and on budget. The training and well-being of local teams is paramount. We benefit from an online 'university' for training courses open to all our colleagues. Our managers travel each year to Paris to select new products for their showroom and further develop their design culture. We're delighted to see our local projects being republished around the world for their originality and beauty. We have a strong base of loyal customers who help us to grow. DM Do not wait to visit or contact us: Cape Town: 0212860793 – 26 Hudston st , De Waterkant
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
In 'Youth Group' comic, evangelical kids sing silly songs about Jesus, fight demons
(RNS) — When he was a teenager in the 1990s, Jordan Morris was always up for a bit of mischief — as long as it didn't involve sex or drugs, two things he was sure would kill him. So he went to a megachurch youth group, which promised teenage shenanigans without much danger. The 'sanitized mischief,' as he describes it, was perfect for Morris, who grew up as a nerdy, nervous kid. 'Youth group was great for me,' Morris said. 'We can put on a show, we can sing little songs, we can do little skits. We can toilet paper the pastor's house and clean it up later. And I just don't have to worry that someone is going to try and pressure me into something that I'm scared of.' Now a Los Angeles-based comedy writer and podcaster, Morris has fond memories of his time in youth group. Those memories — and his love for horror movies like 'The Exorcist' — inspired him to write 'Youth Group,' a graphic novel about church teens who fight demons while singing silly songs about Jesus. ___ ___ Think 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' — the 1990s hit movie and later television series — goes to church. 'I thought it would be a fun challenge,' Morris, whose previous graphic novel, 'Bubble,' was nominated for an Eisner Award, told Religion News Service in an interview earlier this year. 'Can we do one of those religious horror stories, but make it kind of funny?' Morris also said he'd rarely seen stories set in the kind of youth group he'd grown up in. 'I've just never seen that little world written about in a way that I thought was like, accurate or, like, that got what it was about,' he said. Published last year by New York-based First Second Books, 'Youth Group' tells the story of Kay Radford, a theater kid who winds up joining the Stone Mission megachurch youth group after her parents split up. Her mom is a true believer but lonely. Kay is more skeptical but lonely as well and angry at her dad. 'Church might help with all this,' Kay's mom tells her early on. 'I think we both could use some community.' At the youth group, Kay is met by youth leader Meg Parks, a kind but sometimes over-the-top youth leader in pink; a bearded, hippy pastor who turns the 'Pina Colada song' — the Rupert Holmes hit 'Escape' — into a metaphor for spiritual seeking; and a band that churns out parodies like 'I Saw the Christ' sung to the melody of Ace of Base's 'The Sign.' Though fictional, the songs fit the kind of pop culture reference — sometimes known as a 'Jesus juke' — that youth groups can be known for. 'I always think there's something funny about that move, where you take a secular piece of entertainment, like a song that's in the zeitgeist, or a popular movie and try and give the hidden religious message,' Morris said. Kay eventually discovers the youth pastor and some of the older Stone Mission kids also fight demons. That fight becomes personal after one of the demons goes after her dad, and Kay decides to join the battle. Along the way, the Stone Mission kids team up with youth groups from other faiths — Temple Beth Israel, Immaculate Heart parish and the Polaris Coven — to fight off a demon invasion with the help of some training by an order of nuns. Morris said he and illustrator Bowen McCurdy wanted to tell a story that was more than just satire. And while he no longer embraces the faith of his youth, Morris still sees value in the lessons he learned, like the importance of loving your neighbor. 'We wanted to tell a story of people from a lot of different religions coming together with a common goal,' he said. Matthew Cressler, a religion scholar and creator of the webcomic series 'Bad Catholics, Good Trouble,' said comics with evangelical or denominational settings like 'Youth Group' are uncommon. Religion in comics, he said, is often seen as 'a marker of difference': for example, Kamala Khan, the Muslim-American hero known as Ms. Marvel, or Matt Murdock, better known as Daredevil, who is Irish-Catholic. In the 1960s, when Daredevil was created, Catholics were still seen as outsiders to the American mainstream, and many of the most popular heroes, like Batman, were seen as Mainline Protestants. While there were comics for evangelicals, they were often evangelistic, like the controversial Jack Chick tracts or the Christianized adventures of Archie and his friends, published by Spire Comics starting in the 1970s. And evangelicals have often downplayed the kind of sacramental imagery and architecture found in mainline or Catholic settings and try to avoid the kind of visuals needed for comics, said Cressler. Matthew Brake, founder and editor of online publication Pop Culture and Theology, said non-denominational churches often have a 'let's go to the mall aesthetic' and lack the visual clout of Catholicism. 'Nondenominational churches are sort of a cultural underdog,' he said. That may change, Brake said, as creators like Morris, who grew up in non-denominational settings, come of age. And those settings often contain surprises. Although they are most known for things like worship music and purity culture, megachurches also provide space to talk about things like social justice. Still, he wonders if many nondenominational Christians would be the kinds of fans that would enjoy a book like 'Youth Group' or 'Preacher,' a late-1990s comic about an evangelical pastor who ends up possessed by a supernatural being. David Canham, who reviews comics for the secular pop-culture website AIPT — short for 'Adventures in Poor Taste' — had mixed feelings about 'Youth Group.' 'First off, there's plenty of '90s nostalgia — a good-natured tongue-in-cheek look back at many of the silly and absurd things about '90s culture, with a focus on evangelical Christian culture,' he wrote when the book came out. ''Youth Group' delivers on this point.' But the book's take on pluralism — the idea that all religion is on the same side — turned him off as an evangelical Christian. 'I don't want to recommend a book that promotes a worldview that so strongly disagrees with my own beliefs,' he wrote. At first, Morris said he was worried the book might offend Christians and atheists alike. Some evangelicals might feel the book mocks their faith, while atheists might think the book overlooks the shortcomings of religious groups. Both those criticisms would be fair, he said. Religious groups get a lot of things wrong, and yet churches and other faith groups remain important to their members. Morris said he tried to walk a fine line of gently poking fun at faith while showing why it still has an impact on people's lives, and how the friendships made in youth groups may long endure. 'I didn't want the humor to be like, church is stupid, or say, 'look at this dumb church stuff,'' he said. 'I wanted it to be funny and familiar.' Morris said he wanted to capture the mixed feelings people have about the faiths in which they grew up. While he appreciated Bible teachings like caring for the needy, some of the politics and social messages, especially about LGBTQ+ folks, were a turnoff, he said. Religion, he said, is complicated. 'There are a lot of wonderful memories, and there's a lot of stuff that gives me the ick,' he said. 'I hope that's in the book. I hope you can see how a religious upbringing can be upsetting and wonderful — comforting but also makes you mad.'
