The United Kingdom's economy contracted in April, with the gross domestic product (GDP) falling 0.1 percent month on month after growing 0.3 percent in March, according to data released Friday by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The main driver of the negative growth was cited as a 0.2 percent contraction in services.
According to the ONS, one of the biggest contributors to the decline in services was a 9.1 percent fall in sports, amusement and recreation activities -- the largest negative contribution from a single industry to services output and real GDP growth.
Some of the sector's decline was attributed to the war in the Middle East, as the cancellation of various sporting events in the Middle East affected the output of U.K.-based companies, said the ONS.
UK economy contracts 0.1 percent in April
Political shows staged by certain individuals in the Philippines cannot distort the historical and legal fact that relevant islands and reefs in the South China Sea belong to China, Jiang Bin, a spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, said on Friday.
He made the remarks in response to media reports that the Philippine defense secretary had recently visited Zhongye Dao to take part in the activities commemorating the 10th anniversary of the so-called "South China Sea Arbitral Tribunal Award".
"China has indisputable sovereignty over Nansha Qundao and its adjacent waters, including Zhongye Dao. The Philippine defense secretary, who is sanctioned by the Chinese side, is playing tough toward China by staging political shows and fanning nationalist sentiments in pursuit of personal political interests, which will ultimately undermine the fundamental interests of the Philippines and its people. The 'arbitration' is, from beginning to end, a political farce masqueraded as a legal process, and the so-called award carries no legal force in any sense. The Chinese side does not accept nor recognize the award. We do not accept any claims or actions based on it. No matter how certain individuals in the Philippines perform, they can never distort the historical and legal fact that relevant islands and reefs belong to China, and can never shake the firm determination of the Chinese military to defend China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests," said Jiang.
China rejects Philippine political shows over South China Sea islands: defense ministry
