Gulf Trade Deal: The UK has agreed a new free trade deal with Gulf states, with the Isle of Man included, aiming to boost certainty for businesses trading in the region. Workplace AI: A TUC-backed IPPR report urges employers to give staff more say over how AI is adopted, including a duty to consult workers and a portable “wallet” of benefits. Heatwave Shift: The Met Office says the record-breaking hot spell is easing, with cooler conditions and heavy rain moving in over the weekend. Housing & Mortgages: HMRC data shows UK home sales jumped 53% year-on-year in April, while NatWest and Barclays cut mortgage rates today, citing easing swap-rate pressure. Local Politics (Asylum): Blackpool Council is pushing back after Reform UK claims about asylum dispersal and landlord contracts, with Labour and Serco disputing the figures. Crime & Safety: Police issued a CCTV appeal after a car theft in Solihull; meanwhile, a man in Cardiff was sentenced after deliberately driving over a woman on her driveway in front of her children. Food Recall: Gü recalled a frozen dessert due to mispacked hazelnuts/soya not labelled for allergy sufferers. Retail & Lifestyle: Aldi opened its “largest” UK warehouse in Leicestershire; HMV is set to return to Chelmsford city centre.