Trump and Xi pledge US–China cooperation in high-stakes meeting
Trump and Xi pledge US–China cooperation in a high-stakes meeting, vowing to steady a relationship both say is too consequential to fail. The harmony lasted about as long as a handshake photo op: Trump then ordered an immediate resumption of U.S. nuclear weapons testing, a “confidence-building” gesture only if your therapist is Dr. Strangelove. Both sides say they’ll keep lines open, but any talk of partnership now has to compete with a fresh jolt to global arms tensions.
Homebuilders Warn Reeves That Extending EU Habitat Rules Would Harm the Economy
Homebuilders Warn Reeves That Extending EU Habitat Rules Would Harm the Economy: The Home Builders Federation has told Chancellor Rachel Reeves that applying EU‑style habitat protections to Ramsar wetlands would stall housing and hobble growth. The fight is sharpening as Keir Starmer’s team considers legislation to overturn a Supreme Court ruling that those rules don’t cover wetlands—potentially handing spiders and birds an effective veto on new builds. In Britain’s eternal housing saga, first‑time buyers may soon be outmaneuvered by wildlife with sharper counsel.
French police arrest five more over Louvre crown jewels heist
French police arrest five more over Louvre crown jewels heist, pushing the manhunt forward after the audacious theft of priceless regalia. The suspects join an expanding lineup discovering that stealing history is easier than outrunning it.
Boots and TK Maxx warn customers to stop using a common household product immediately
Boots and TK Maxx warn customers to stop using a common household product immediately: character-themed enamel mugs that can leach harmful heavy metals into hot drinks. Boots has pulled three Blue Sky Designs gift sets—the Game of Thrones Mug & Sock Set, Rick & Morty Mug & Keyring, and Batman Mug & Sock Set—and says anyone with these should stop using the mugs and return them to any Boots for a full refund. TK Maxx is recalling four enamel mugs featuring Harry Potter, South Park, SpongeBob, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, sold in stores between May and September for £6.99–£10.99, after tests found metal concentrations above safety limits; customers should stop using them immediately and return them to any TK Maxx or Homesense for a refund, no receipt required. If you gifted one, alert the recipient. Help lines: Blue Sky Designs 0800 980 3901 or
[email protected]; TK Maxx 01923 473561 or
[email protected]. This follows a separate urgent recall of Henry vacuum cleaners over electric shock risk. Treat safety alerts seriously and check OPSS and FSA sites for updates.
Resident Evil Requiem Deluxe Edition Adds Lady Dimitrescu Outfit for Grace; Preorders Include Apocalypse Costume
Resident Evil Requiem Deluxe Edition Adds Lady Dimitrescu Outfit for Grace; Preorders Include Apocalypse Costume: Capcom has opened preorders, dangling fashion in front of the undead. Preordering nets Grace an Apocalypse outfit nodding to the 2004 film, while the Deluxe Edition piles on five costumes (including a Lady Dimitrescu getup for Grace), two screen filters (one also Apocalypse), four weapon skins, two charms, a Raccoon City Classic sound pack, and extra in-game files dubbed Letters from 1998. There’s also a Steelbook Deluxe Edition with all that plus a premium steelbook and lenticular card, because nothing says “survival horror” like tasteful packaging. A new Road to Requiem overview trailer shows brief footage, but the long-rumored Leon S. Kennedy cameo remains conspicuously unconfirmed. Launches February 27, 2026 on Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Shape-memory alloys could prevent railroad damage
Shape-memory alloys could prevent railroad damage—a promising fix for tracks now shackled to concrete ties that warp and crack under repeated use. When those ties deform, rail separation can creep and, without relentless maintenance, invite derailment. A material that remembers its shape might be just the thing for an industry that too often forgets the basics.
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