In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Putin prepares to weaponise energy, Starmer sidesteps criticism, the government's picking sides, farmers protest, labour market data continues to be dodgy and US companies stockpile. In RETAIL & LEISURE NEWS, Walmart booms, consumers get hit, Mulberry has a plan and Merlin does Minecraft. In TECH & MEDIA NEWS, Google might have to sell Chrome and Comcast prepares to sell off cable TV. In CAR NEWS, an EV mythbuster campaign gets the green light and estimates for the cost of the car financing scandal rise. AND FINALLY, I show you how to make crispy parmesan wafers