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Humza Yousaf and wife expecting baby in July

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Yousaf familyImage source, PA Media
Image caption,
Humza Yousaf with his wife Nadia El-Nakla, daughter Amal, and step-daughter Maya

First Minister Humza Yousaf has announced that he and his wife are expecting a baby in the summer.

Mr Yousaf said his wife Nadia El-Nakla, who has previously suffered four miscarriages, is due to give birth in July.

It will be the first time a Scottish first minister has had a child while in office.

The couple already have a four-year-old daughter Amal and Mr Yousaf is stepfather to 14-year-old Maya.

In a statement, Mr Yousaf said: "Nadia and I are delighted to announce that we are expecting a new addition to our family in July.

"We want to thank the early pregnancy unit at Ninewells Hospital who have provided wonderful support to Nadia and our family through the early stages of her pregnancy.

"We are incredibly grateful for the love that we have received from our family and friends upon sharing our news with them.

"Our daughters, Maya and Amal, are both very excited to meet the new baby."

Maternity leave

Last September, as the first minister spoke about his desire to improve miscarriage care, he revealed he and Ms El-Nakla had lost four babies - "two before our daughter was born and another two after".

Ms El-Nakla is psychotherapist and has served as an SNP councillor on Dundee City Council since 2022.

In October last year, her parents, Maged and Elizabeth El-Nakla, became trapped in the Gaza Strip during the Israel-Hamas war after travelling to the area to visit a sick relative.

They eventually returned to their home in Dundee on 5 November after crossing the border into Egypt.

The news comes after Economy Secretary Màiri McAllan announced that she is expecting her first child and will take maternity leave this summer.

She had notified Humza Yousaf of her pregnancy at the beginning of the year.

Ms McAllan said she was "laser-focused" on delivering her portfolio priorities and would be resuming her duties after her maternity leave.

Her maternity leave cover is yet to be announced.