The weekend edition of the Financial Times is one of several papers to lead on the news that the UK is out of recession. It says Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is taking "heart" from the "stronger than expected" economic growth in the first three months of the year - and says it is a "boost" for him ahead of the general election.
The FT also highlights that Britain's growth beat the US and the Eurozone in the first quarter, but carries a Labour warning that the UK economy is “still £300 smaller per head” than when Mr Sunak became prime minister in October 2022.
The "economy's going gangbusters" is the Daily Mail's headline after what it calls the "shortest and shallowest recession on record".
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"That's positive!" declares the Daily Express - adding that the UK economy is getting "back to full strength".
Meanwhile, the i reports that the Treasury is working on plans for what it calls a "2p Tory tax giveaway in September". The paper says the chancellor is understood to be targeting a cut to National Insurance "weeks ahead of the election", if the economy allows.
It says Labour insiders fear that the general election could become a repeat of 1992, when Sir John Major's Conservative Party pulled off a shock victory. Anneliese Dodds - who chairs Labour - tells the paper: “We can be very good at losing elections people thought we would win."
The Guardian leads on the UN General Assembly backing a Palestinian bid for full membership of the UN. The paper says the "highly charged gesture" drew an immediate rebuke from Israel. But it says the vote signals what it calls "Israel's growing isolation" over the war in Gaza, and the extent of the humanitarian crisis.
The Times reports that private schools face a "testing time". It says the number of children being enrolled has dropped by the biggest proportion in more than a decade - with admissions falling by 2.7% this academic year. The paper says the independent schools' sector blames Labour’s pledge to put VAT on fees if it wins power.
"Euro division" is how the Sun sums up this year's song contest in Sweden. The paper says Eurovision has been plunged into crisis ahead of Saturday's final, with more than 20,000 pro-Palestinian protesters expected to turn out against the inclusion of Israel's contestant, Eden Golan. The Sun says some UK venues have also decided not to show the event - or face what it calls a "mob backlash".
Finally, the Guardian reports that tennis fans at Wimbledon may be treated to the "cream of the crop" of strawberries this year. It says many farms have borne the brunt of the extreme, wet weather during the winter. But berry growers tell the paper that if it is cool, that means strawberries ripen more slowly - and are bigger and juicier.
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Carson Benge pitched effectively into the seventh inning with 10 strikeouts and had three hits to lead second-seeded Oklahoma State to a 7-2 win over 10th-seeded Texas Tech in the Big 12 Conference Tournament on Wednesday night. The Cowboys were up 4-0 and Benge had allowed just two hits before Gavin Kash followed a one-out error with a home run to right field. Benge moved to designated hitter after that.
Three little piggies went to a yoga class. Darting and strolling among the yoginis making downward dog, crow and cobra poses, the piglets also dug up a backyard with their soft pink snouts as two rabbits and a goat named Munchie searched for the tastiest shoots. The experience was well worth a nearly two-hour drive to the town of Spencer for retired New Hampshire dentist Stacey Delbridge and her daughter.
The first cricket World Cup to be hosted on U.S. soil starts June 1 and will be shared with countries in the Caribbean, represented by the two-time champion West Indies. This World Cup is in the Twenty20 format, the fastest and most action-packed version of cricket. Unlike test cricket matches, which started out as timeless before being shortened to five days, T20 doesn’t require any breaks for tea or lunch and is completed in just over three hours — roughly the same as a Major League Baseball game.