Building Safety Act: Contractor Mulalley has won a £1.8m High Court settlement after a judge ruled the German parent of a cladding supplier should cover costs from replacing a defective system supplied to a UK tower project. Housing & cost of living: Bristol has overtaken London as the least affordable city for renters, with average monthly rent now £1,883. Road safety: The RAC says 10,054 drivers were penalised last year for driving with defective vehicles, with tyre faults the biggest category. Media regulation: Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy says she is “minded to intervene” in Paramount’s $110bn takeover of Warner Bros Discovery, asking Ofcom and the CMA to assess UK public interest and media plurality. Defence spending: Keir Starmer unveils a long-delayed Defence Investment Plan promising nearly £300bn over four years and an extra £15bn to 2030, with a push for drones and autonomous systems. Ukraine support: Rachel Reeves met Ukraine’s defence minister as London considers funding via frozen Russian assets, prioritising air defence, long-range munitions and drones. Home loans: Mortgage approvals fell to the lowest in almost 18 months in May, down 15% month-on-month. Retail pressure: TG Jones (formerly WH Smith) faces insolvency risk unless a restructuring plan is approved, with around 150 stores expected to close. Stablecoins: The FCA cuts capital buffers for key stablecoin issuers, halving the requirement to 1% to undercut EU rules and attract firms to the UK.