BEIJING (AP) — Stability. Consistency. Ever-changing complexity.

With language like that, deployed in separate meetings in three Asian capitals this week, government leaders forged closer ties driven in part by a figure halfway around the world: the president of the United States. And much of the time, they didn’t even mention Donald Trump’s name.

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IN BEIJING: The U.K. and Chinese leaders called Thursday for a “long-term, stable, and comprehensive strategic partnership” between their two countries. The important words are long-term and stable. The two countries committed a decade ago to building a comprehensive strategic partnership but progress has been halting at best.

IN HANOI: About 700 miles to the south, Vietnam and the European Union used the same phrasing on the same day. They upgraded ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership. The agreement places Vietnam on the same diplomatic footing with the EU as the United States, China and Russia.

IN NEW DELHI: Two days earlier, the EU and India reached a major free trade accord that had been mired in negotiations for years. It covers everything from textiles to medicines and will bring down India’s high tariffs on European wine and cars.

Trump was not the only factor behind the agreements, but his shaking up of the global order is worrying friends and foes and driving them closer. From a purely economic perspective, his import tariffs have sent countries seeking new markets to reduce their dependency on the American consumer.

More broadly, all the agreements have been accompanied by words from the leaders referring to the uncertainty that Trump has introduced to global affairs, though mostly without mentioning his name. The systems they have relied on to manage the world since the end of the Cold War and, in some cases since World War II, appear at risk.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for working with China on global stability “during challenging times for the world.” Chinese leader Xi Jinping described the international situation as “complex and ever-changing.” In New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the partnership with the EU “will strengthen stability in the international system” at a time of ”turmoil in the global order.”

European Council President António Costa summed up the sentiment Thursday in the Vietnamese capital: “At a moment when the international rules-based order is under threat from multiple sides, we need to stand side by side as reliable and predictable partners.”

Are you in need of some comfort food? Between the weather and the ICE crackdown, it’s a tough time to be a Twin Citian.

To that end, I can hardly think of anything more cozy than a homemade chocolate chip cookie.

My ideal cookie is not for everyone. I like my cookies thin — they spread out almost to the point of being a lace cookie. Almost. They are crisp outside, chewy inside and have a deep, rich flavor.

To achieve the perfect consistency, I use a bit less flour than your typical back-of-the-chocolate-chip-bag recipe. For flavor, I brown half of the butter, which tastes amazing, but also helps the cookie spread out just the way I like it. A few teaspoons of espresso powder give the cookie a depth that you can’t really place until I tell you it’s there. And a little sprinkle of crystally sea salt takes the flavor to the next level. I like semi-sweet chocolate chips and usually toasted walnuts or pecans, but you can add whatever you like to this cookie. My kids love a mixture of M&Ms and chocolate chips, and I have added dried cherries, chocolate chunks, toffee bits and anything else languishing in my pantry. All have yielded delicious cookies as long as you don’t step over the 2-cup limit.

I spent many hours honing this recipe — I honestly do measure the flour to the gram for perfect results every time — and almost everyone who tries these cookies is hooked on their flavor. There’s just one slight problem: They’re not the prettiest cookies.

But give them a shot, and I promise you, they’ll disappear fast. And if you share them with friends and family, at least some of them will ask for the recipe, looks be damned.

Fug-licious Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract)

245 grams (or 2 cups if you don’t have a scale) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons instant coffee granules

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup nuts, such as walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, for sprinkling, optional

DIRECTIONS

Add one stick of butter to a medium skillet over medium heat. Allow it to melt and bubble up for 3 to 4 minutes, swirling the pan to keep the butter moving around. When the butter is a medium golden brown, remove the pan from the heat (it will continue browning in the pan over the next 30 seconds or so.) Pour butter (and any solids in the bottom of the pan) into a heatproof bowl and allow it to cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cream the other stick of softened butter together with the brown sugar and regular sugar in a stand mixer or with a hand-held mixer at medium speed. Add the eggs and vanilla bean paste and beat until smooth, scraping the bowl if necessary to ensure everything is incorporated.

With the mixer on medium-low, slowly drizzle in the cooled melted butter, making sure to add all the darker brown solids. Scrape the bowl and mix again for 20-30 seconds, until everything is combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, coffee granules, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients in 1/3 increments, mixing on low until totally incorporated. Scrape the bowl and beat for a few more seconds. Stir in the nuts and chocolate chips.

In batches, scoop by heaping teaspoon onto a baking sheet, preferably lined with parchment paper. Bake for 7.5 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired. Wait a minute or two, then transfer cookies to a cooling rack using a thin, metal spatula.

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Today is Thursday, Jan. 29, the 29th day of 2026. There are 336 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Jan. 29, 2002, in his first State of the Union address, President George W. Bush said terrorists were still threatening America — and warned of “an axis of evil” consisting of North Korea, Iran and Iraq.

Also on this date:

In 1891, following the death of her brother Kalākaua, Lili‘uokalani was sworn in as the first and only queen of the Hawaiian Kingdom. (Her reign would end two years later when the Hawaiian monarchy was abolished following a U.S. military-supported coup d’état.)

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In 1936, the first five inductees of baseball’s Hall of Fame — Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson — were elected in Cooperstown, New York.

In 1979, President Jimmy Carter formally welcomed Chinese Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping (dung shah-oh-ping) to the White House, following the establishment of full diplomatic relations.

In 1995, the San Francisco 49ers became the first team in NFL history to win five Super Bowl titles, beating the San Diego Chargers, 49-26, in Super Bowl XXIX.

In 1998, a bomb rocked an abortion clinic in Birmingham, Alabama, killing a security guard and critically injuring a nurse. (The bomber, Eric Rudolph, also admitted to carrying out the deadly bombing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and other attacks and is serving multiple life sentences.)

In 2013, the Justice Department ended its criminal probe of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster and Gulf of Mexico oil spill, with a U.S. judge agreeing to let London-based oil giant BP PLC plead guilty to manslaughter charges for the deaths of 11 rig workers and pay a record $4 billion in penalties.

In 2017, six people were killed in a shooting at a Quebec City mosque during evening prayers. (Alexandre Bissonnette, who was arrested nearby, pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder charges and drew a life prison sentence.)

In 2025, a midair collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet killed all 67 people aboard both aircraft as the jet was landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C. At least 28 bodies were pulled from the icy Potomac River.

Today’s birthdays:

Feminist author Germaine Greer is 87.
Actor Katharine Ross is 86.
Actor Tom Selleck is 81.
R&B singer Charlie Wilson is 73.
TV host and media mogul Oprah Winfrey is 72.
Olympic diving gold medalist Greg Louganis is 66.
Football Hall of Famer Andre Reed is 62.
Hockey Hall of Famer Dominik Hašek is 61.
Actor-director Edward Burns is 58.
Actor Sara Gilbert is 51.
Pop-rock singer Adam Lambert is 44.
Actor Jakob Davies is 23.

When the Frost score early in games, they typically find themselves in the win column, with a 5-2-1-1 record entering Wednesday night’s matchup against the Vancouver Goldeneyes.

Not only would the Frost be the first to score in this one, but they’d score big in their 4-1 victory over the Goldeneyes, giving themselves a mini winning streak going into the Winter Olympics break.

“We’re going to have a month break now, so it’s huge for us to get the points and finish the first half off the right way,” said Frost head coach Ken Klee. “I think we had a really strong first half but we know there’s a lot of work to be done.”

The Frost scoring kicked off with defender Kendall Cooper’s first career PWHL goal, just under five minutes into the game. Cooper shot the puck right past the hand of Goldeneyes goalie, Kristen Campbell, and was welcomed with a warm embrace from her teammates on the ice to celebrate the first goal in her career.

“You think about it, and as the games go on and I felt like I had a lot of chances in other games and it just wasn’t going in,” Cooper said on the pressure of getting her first goal. “So obviously you feel that internal pressure, but at the same time my teammates are great. They’re just all about growth.”

“She’s been playing really well. She’s had opportunities, hit posts, different things. I think she’s been right there. For her, I think it’s just a weight off her back and I hope she can relax a little bit, have fun and shoot pucks,” Klee said.

The Frost wouldn’t get another goal until closer to the end of the 1st period, with Britta Curl-Salemme getting her sixth goal of the season at with just over two and half minutes left. Then with a second left in the 1st period, Kelly Pannek scored her seventh goal of the year on a power play, to make it 3-0 Frost at the buzzer.

Despite allowing a goal in the second period, Frost goalie Maddie Rooney had an impressive save, after an impressive save in this one, preventing 19 of 20 shots on goal from getting past her. Goals have slipped here and there past Rooney all season, but the help from her lines has helped her state of mind.

“I wasn’t happy where I started in the season, which as goal support I take some of that on my shoulders too,” said Rooney. “But these past few games, like he [Klee] alluded to, it’s a lot easier to play when we get up three goals like today. But I think just having that confidence in myself and knowing there’s going to be ups and downs and just having confidence in my team as they do in me.”

The Frost fans kept cheering her name, ‘Rooney, Rooney,’ after every highlight reel save at the net. Even without any goals from the Frost in the second period, it gave them the momentum they needed to keep the lead and get another goal from Curl-Salemme to cap off the 4-1 win.

“It’s awesome. The chant makes me laugh a little bit, but it’s so fun to play at Grand Casino Arena, and the fans we have are great. The energy is just unmatched,” said Rooney.

With a mini-two game wining streak secured going into the break, the Frost feel good about where things are set going into the second half of the PWHL season. They entered Wednesday night’s game in second place and kept their position with the four goals putting them at 28 on the season.

The Frost only trail the Boston Fleet for the top spot in the league by two points. The Frost also presented three of their 2024-25 teammates now on the Goldeneyes, Sophie Jaques, Claire Thompson, and Mellissa Channell-Watkins, with their Walter Cup Championship rings in a pre-game ceremony.

“It’s been awesome being back and just having the fans still support us,” said Jaques. “It was a really nice video and everything they did for us before the game, to be able to get our rings in person is really special.”

The Frost resume game action on March 1, and will open the second half in Montreal.

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