LEGO has launched two new sets for November 1: the LEGO Marvel 76294 X-Men: The X-Mansion and LEGO Ideas 21353 The Botanical Garden. Both sets are priced at £289.99 in the UK, $329.99 in the US, and €329.99 in Europe. The X-Mansion set includes ten minifigures, five of which are new, and comes with an exclusive GWP, 5009015 Cerebro. The Botanical Garden set, with 3,792 pieces, also includes a GWP, 5009005 Entrance Gate. Both sets qualify for an additional GWP, 40698 Books Are My Passion, on orders over £120 / $130 / €130. The article encourages purchases through affiliate links.

Detailed descriptions of the LEGO Botanical Collection 2025 sets have emerged, including the 10342 Pretty Pink Flower Bouquet, 10343 Mini Orchid, 10344 Lucky Bamboo, and 10345 Flower Arrangement. The Pretty Pink Flower Bouquet will feature a variety of flowers, not all pink, while the Mini Orchid and Lucky Bamboo are smaller builds with specific plant elements. The Flower Arrangement set is a larger build with 1,161 pieces, priced at $99.99, and includes a variety of flowers displayed in a vase, addressing previous complaints about display options for LEGO bouquets.

LEGO Ideas fan designer Andrea Lattanzi is offering an exclusive gift with purchase (GWP) for buyers of the 21338 A-Frame Cabin at the LEGO Pop Up Store during the Lucca Comics & Games event in Italy. The event will feature signing sessions with fan designers Valentina Bima and Lucas Bolt, showcasing their respective sets, 21353 The Botanical Garden and 21348 Dungeons & Dragons: Red Dragon’s Tale. The LEGO Group's first pop-up Certified Store will host these events, and attendees can participate in a LEGO challenge. Tickets for the event are available for purchase in advance.

A new trailer for the biopic 'Back to Black,' which chronicles the life of the late British singer Amy Winehouse, has been released. The film, starring Marisa Abela, offers an unapologetic look at Winehouse's early rise to fame and the creation of her influential studio album 'Back to Black,' told from her perspective.

A 7.5-magnitude earthquake in Ishikawa, Japan, has led to comparisons with Nostradamus's prophecies. Nostradamus, a 16th-century French astrologer, is known for his book 'Les Prophéties,' which some believe predicted events like Hitler's rise and Queen Elizabeth II's death. For 2024, prophecies include a war with China, King Charles's dethroning, a large environmental disaster, Pope Francis's potential passing, and the onset of a third world war. Additionally, 'Living Nostradamus' Athos Salomé's predictions, such as a solar event leading to darkness, have gained attention, though not all have come true.

LEGO's Pick a Brick service will receive a significant update on April 3, introducing new parts from sets like 21344 The Orient Express Train and 10326 Natural History Museum. Notable additions include elements to recreate Dr. Kilroy from LEGO Adventurers and various versatile pieces in new colors, enhancing creative building possibilities. While most parts will be uploaded on the specified date, availability for purchase may take a few days.

John Lewis is offering a 20% discount on a variety of LEGO sets, including recent releases and long-term favorites. Highlighted deals include the LEGO Ideas 21343 Viking Village, LEGO Ideas 21342 The Insect Collection, LEGO Icons 10297 Boutique Hotel, LEGO Ideas 21335 Motorised Lighthouse, and LEGO Disney 43230 Walt Disney Tribute Camera. These sets are praised for their display-ready designs and unique features, making them ideal additions to any LEGO collection.

PowerWash Simulator is set to release a Warhammer 40,000 Special Pack on February 27, 2024, marking an unusual but seemingly effective collaboration between the modern cleaning game and the medieval fantasy wargame. The DLC, priced at $7.99, will be available on multiple platforms and features gameplay where players clean Warhammer symbols and war machines. This collaboration follows previous successful partnerships with Final Fantasy VII and Tomb Raider, indicating a trend of unique and popular gaming collaborations for FuturLab.

Following the suicide of headteacher Ruth Perry after a stressful Ofsted inspection, the Education Select Committee has recommended that Ofsted stop using single-word judgements like 'inadequate' to rate schools. The committee seeks a more empathetic approach amid strained relationships between schools and Ofsted. The new chief inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver, has acknowledged the need for high standards but also for empathy, and plans to implement reforms including mental health training for inspectors. Ofsted, a non-ministerial department of the UK Government, inspects and regulates education and children's services, reporting directly to Parliament and stakeholders. The changes in inspection practices come after advocacy groups and unions called for a review of the stressful inspection process.