Bitesized Blighty: May 10, 2019
- ROYAL BABY: Meghan gives birth to boy! On Monday, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed the birth of their son, Archie. A beaming Prince Harry said they were "absolutely thrilled" and thanked the public for their support. In the first interview since the birth took place, Prince Harry said Meghan and the baby were doing "incredibly well”. Buckingham Palace said the baby weighed 7lbs 3oz (3.2kg), and that the duke was present for the birth. The baby boy is seventh in line to the throne, behind the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge and his children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis - and Prince Harry. Archie is the Queen's eighth great-grandchild. A framed notice of birth has been placed on display on a ceremonial easel on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace, where it will remain until 20:00 on Monday. Buckingham Palace added: "The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Lady Jane Fellowes, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Earl Spencer have been informed and are delighted with the news.”
- UK economy rebounds in first quarter: The UK economy picked up in the first three months of the year after manufacturers' stockpiling ahead of Brexit helped to boost growth. Growth was 0.5% in the quarter, up from 0.2% in the previous three months, the Office for National Statistics said. The manufacturing sector grew at its fastest rate since 1988 in the period. The ONS said this was driven by manufacturers rushing to deliver orders before the original Brexit deadline of 29 March. Pharmaceuticals was one of the sectors most affected, expanding 9.4% between January and March. Previous business surveys had shown manufacturers stockpiling goods for Brexit in case the UK left the EU without a transition deal, which they feared could lead to delays at UK borders. According to Chancellor Philip Hammond, "These GDP figures this morning show again that the UK economy is performing robustly, despite the evidence of slowing global growth and the continued Brexit uncertainty at home - so it's good news,".
- Champions League & Europa League: English clubs make history by taking four final places: English clubs have created European football history by taking all four final spots in the continent's two major competitions. Arsenal won in Valencia and Chelsea beat Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday to reach the Europa League final. That followed dramatic wins for Liverpool over Barcelona and Tottenham against Ajax in the Champions League. It is the first time all four finalists in Europe's top two competitions have come from one nation. There have only been two all-English finals before, with Tottenham beating Wolves in the 1971-72 Uefa Cup and Manchester United beating Chelsea in the 2007-08 Champions League. Arsenal and Chelsea will meet in Baku, Azerbaijan - 2,468 miles from London - on 29 May, with a Champions League spot at stake for the Gunners, who could become the fifth English side to qualify for next season's competition. Chelsea are already assured of their place after cementing a top-four finish in the Premier League. Tottenham and Liverpool will meet in Madrid on 1 June, with fans of those clubs also facing travel issues of their own, with direct flights from the UK reaching £1,300.
