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Indonesian authorities intensified on Monday a search for people missing after a ferry overturned in bad weather in the Java Sea. At least six passengers were killed and 129 people are still missing.

(Image credit: Iman Satria)

A Russian drone struck a train near the Ukraine-Poland border shortly after senior visiting officials, including the former prime ministers of the U.K. and Sweden, passed through.

(Image credit: Ukrainian Ukrzaliznytsia Railway)

Amazon said it's decided to pause operations with 21 Air as the investigation into the crash continues. North Carolina-based 21 had flown packages for Amazon since 2024.

(Image credit: Marta Lavandier)

Some celebrations are in order today, as it’s been one year since NBN Co rolled out its ‘Accelerate Great’ program, giving Australia’s internet a much-needed boost and providing some excellent new entries in my guide to the best NBN plans.

On September 14, 2025, millions of Australians connected to the fixed-line NBN network via fibre to the premises (FTTP) or hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) became eligible for substantially faster internet speeds.

NBN 100 — or Home Fast — received the biggest uplift, jumping fivefold from 100Mbps to 500Mbps, while the NBN 250 Home Superfast tier was tripled to 750Mbps. The Home Ultrafast tier retained its near-gigabit download speeds but had its maximum upload speed doubled to 100Mbps.

NBN Co also introduced Home Hyperfast, its first residential multi-gigabit tier, offering wholesale speeds of up to 2,000/200Mbps over FTTP and 2,000/100Mbps over HFC.

It was one of the biggest changes to the NBN since the network's rollout began. But one year later, did Australia's fixed-line network actually cope with all that extra speed?

The short answer appears to be yes.

The NBN got faster — even if one number suggests otherwise

Using data supplied by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), we can obtain a particularly useful before-and-after snapshot.

Its September 2025 report used measurements taken in the May prior, several months before Accelerate Great arrived. At that point, fixed-line NBN services delivered an average of 102% of their advertised download speed during the busy evening hours.

The ACCC's next round of testing began on September 14 — the same day the new tiers launched — and measured upgraded services only after they had transitioned to their faster speeds.

Average busy-hour performance subsequently slipped to 100% of plan speed. By the ACCC's final report in June 2026, based on March measurements, it stood at 99.4%. While these average download speed figures appear to show a dip in performance, the opposite is in fact true.

This is because the percentage is relative to the speed customers are paying for. Before the upgrade, a connection delivering 102% of a 100Mbps plan would be achieving roughly 102Mbps. A connection delivering 100% of a 500Mbps plan is achieving around 500Mbps.

The latter statistic shows not only that NBN Co delivered on its promise of accelerated download speeds, but that the superior FTTP infrastructure was capable of delivering stable connections to Australian homes during the busiest hours of the day. If you still connect via fibre to the node (FTTN) or fibre to the curb (FTTC), upgrading to FTTP can therefore open the door to substantially faster speed tiers, while removing the copper-based limitations that can affect them.

Indeed, immediately after the launch of the Accelerate Great program, FTTP customers on the new NBN 500 tier averaged 102.5% of their plan speed during the busy hours of 7pm to 11pm. That's equivalent to a little over 500Mbps. HFC NBN 500 connections averaged 97.4%, or roughly 487Mbps.

NBN 750 services over FTTP averaged 97.3%, equivalent to around 730Mbps.

So, rather than struggling under the sudden increase in available bandwidth, the fixed-line network was generally able to deliver close to the full speed of these substantially faster plans.

NBN 500 quickly became the new normal

I’m not alone in thinking the best NBN 500 plans are the goldilocks option for the majority of Australian homes — NBN Co itself has deemed it to be the most popular. And the change in the ACCC's testing sample perfectly illustrates just how quick the uptake of this particular tier was.

Before Accelerate Great, NBN 100 dominated the ACCC's monitored higher-speed connections, with 530 services in its May 2025 sample. For added context, there were just over 2.1 million active NBN 100 connections in the ACCC’s June 2025 Wholesale Market Report.

In the first testing period after the upgrade, there were already 462 NBN 500 connections and 112 NBN 750 connections, while the number of NBN 100 services had fallen to 124. At the same time, the ACCC’s Wholesale Market Report showed a huge decrease in active NBN 100 connections, to just over 780,000. Subsequently, the number of active connections of 100Mbps and faster (they’re currently not split by download data rate) jumped from around 695,000 to just over 2.4 million.

By March 2026, the ACCC was monitoring 624 NBN 500 services. There are also now over 3 million active connections 100Mbps and faster, while 100Mbps connections have dipped further still to just over 713,000.

In other words, the mainstream high-speed NBN connection had effectively shifted from around 100Mbps to around 500Mbps in a matter of months.

What’s more, that extra speed didn't appear to come at the expense of widespread network reliability. The ACCC's final report recorded an average of 0.16 outages lasting more than 30 seconds per fixed-line service per day, which it said was consistent with previous reports.

That's significant. Accelerate Great dramatically increased the amount of bandwidth available to many households, but there isn't an obvious corresponding spike in outages or a collapse in evening performance.

There is one catch

While the published figures indicate a positive outcome for the Accelerate Great program, it’s not all good news all round. The ACCC’s data also shows that not every connection has been able to make full use of the extra speed.

Before the upgrades, around 3% of the fixed-line services monitored by the ACCC were classified as underperforming. An underperforming service is one which “rarely or never attains plan speed”. The percentage of underperforming services increased to around 4% immediately following Accelerate Great and increased further to 5.6% by the final report.

Historically, underperforming connections were overwhelmingly associated with fibre-to-the-node (FTTN), where the final section of the connection still travels over copper. Following the introduction of the new tiers, however, the ACCC started seeing a greater proportion of underperforming FTTP and HFC services as well.

That doesn’t necessarily mean FTTP or HFC were struggling with the increased bandwidth. The ACCC identified customer-side equipment as one possible cause of underperformance, including network hardware and cabling incapable of supporting the new higher speeds.

Moving from 100Mbps to 500Mbps suddenly makes parts of your home network that previously weren't a limitation much more important. Primarily, I’m talking about network equipment. For example, an older or lower-spec router could become the weak link, preventing you from seeing the full benefit of a 500Mbps or 750Mbps NBN connection over Wi-Fi.

In some respects, Accelerate Great has therefore moved the bottleneck. For many households, the question is no longer whether the NBN connection itself is capable of delivering enough bandwidth, but whether the equipment inside the home can keep up with it.

You can learn more about the equipment best suited to take advantage of the new speed tiers here.

A year later, the upgrade looks like a success

There are caveats to the ACCC's figures. Its Measuring Broadband Australia program used a sample of volunteer households rather than every NBN connection in the country, and the make-up of that sample changed between reports.

But the overall picture is difficult to interpret as anything other than positive.

Eligible NBN users were given substantially more bandwidth, the majority of monitored services continued to deliver around their advertised speeds, and the network did so without an obvious deterioration in reliability.

That's especially impressive considering how large the jump was. Going from 100Mbps to 500Mbps wasn't a modest annual speed bump — it increased the headline download speed of one of Australia's most popular NBN products fivefold.

A year later, the ACCC's figures suggest the network was largely ready for it.

And that's also why anyone still sitting on an NBN 50 plan with an eligible FTTP or HFC connection should probably take another look at what's available.

The move to NBN 500 is far more substantial than switching from 50Mbps to 100Mbps. The extra bandwidth won't make every web page load five times faster, but it can make a considerable difference in homes where several people are simultaneously streaming, gaming, downloading large files, using cloud services or working from home.

With Australian households connecting more devices and consuming increasing amounts of data, those benefits are only likely to become more relevant.

One year after Accelerate Great arrived, the most encouraging thing isn't simply that NBN plans became faster. It's that when NBN Co substantially raised the speed limit, the network largely managed to keep up.

The plans to get

If you're eligible for the free fibre upgrade, have yet to make the switch, but are interested in doing so, then you may wish to find out more about the fastest NBN plans. These are, understandably, going to be the ones that will see you taking advantage of the superior infrastructure.

If you're looking for some quick and easy recommendations, look no further.

Exetel One | 500Mbps | AU$80p/m

It's really going to have to take something special for an NBN 500 plan to dethrone Exetel as my top recommendation. Yes, it's possible to pay less in the first year of service, but from year two it's unrivalled. The telco has been found to overdeliver on speeds in ACCC reportingand even deliver fast ping speeds, ideal for gamers. Plus, you have the option of boosting your speed even further for AU$1 a day. It's simply the best.

• AU$80 minimum cost
• AU$960 yearly costView Deal

Kogan Internet Gold Plus | 500Mbps | AU$68.90p/m (first 12 months, then AU$85.90p/m)

If you want to pay as little as possible an NBN 500 plan, perhaps just to see if it's for you, then Kogan Internet's plan is the unequivocal choice, being the cheapest over the first 12 months. That's thanks to a generous 12-month discount, combined with a low introductory cost, that's recently gone lower still. Plus, the telco receives generally favourable reviews from customers.

• AU$68.90 minimum cost
• AU$826.80 first year cost
• AU$1,030.80 ongoing yearly costView Deal

Spintel Home Turbo Fast | 750Mbps | AU$69p/m (first 6 months, then AU$94.95p/m)

If it's the most affordable NBN 750 plan you seek, you simply can't ignore this option from Spintel. It has gone slightly lower in price before, but the AU$69 introductory monthly cost is still the cheapest I can currently find. As a result it's the only provider to come in under AU$1,000 in the first year of service.

• AU$69 total minimum cost
• AU$983.70 first year cost
• AU$1,139.40 ongoing yearly costView Deal

Superloop | 860Mbps TES | AU$84p/m (first 6 months, then AU$114p/m)

Superloop did increase the monthly cost of its NBN 1000 as of July 1, but it remains my top pick. This is primarily because it's been found to overdeliver on speed promises, to speed in excess of 900Mbps, so you are getting a lot for your money. Plus, the telco receives overwhelmingly positive reviews from customers.

• AU$84 minimum cost
• AU$1,188 first year cost
• AU$1,368 ongoing yearly costView Deal

• Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons has a smaller spell set, each with multiple uses, for controller accessibility
• Invoke studio head Dominic Guay says this also means the combat won't slow down if there were a spell wheel
• He says there's also a bit of "resource management" to spells, and players will need to blend melee and magic combat

Invoke Studios has confirmed that Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons has a smaller spell set, with each spell offering multiple uses, rather than a large variety, mainly for controller accessibility.

That's according to studio head Dominic Guay, who told TechRadar Gaming in an interview at Gamescom that a smaller spell set opened up new playable opportunities, making combat more approachable on a controller while also keeping the action fast-paced.

This meant abandoning a classic spell wheel and narrowing its spell options, so they're all accessible on the gamepad.

"The breakthrough for us, it started with making direct access to these spells on the controller," Guay said. "A lot of games in the past where you had powers or spells, you had a lot of stuff to select from, and that's cool, and that was even our first reflex. But when you do that, you slow things down, and there's a limit to going through a wheel and choosing powers. There's a limit to that."

He added, "By making everything accessible on a controller, we started playing with our spells a lot more."

During the same interview, Guay explained why the team chose a warlock protagonist, saying "creative magic" was central to the story and gameplay.

The studio head also said it was a challenge to manage the game's magic system because, when you consider Dungeons & Dragons, "it can do everything," and Invoke needed to pick its spells wisely.

"Instead of adding like 100 spells, we thought, let's have less, which makes sense for a warlock also," he continued, "and let's make them more multiple-use cases, connect them, one to another. Connect them with some enemies. The way these enemies behave in a challenge."

Spells, which are anchored to magic objects, tomes, monsters, and more, also have their own upgradeable skill trees and can be used alongside melee combat. This creates a "rhythm," with Guay explaining that players can't just stick to long-range spells and will need to go into close quarters with enemies, which works well for protagonist Kaatri, a warrior-turned warlock.

Players can use spells to set up enemies, giving them an "advantage" for critical hits, and there are various ways to do this with different types of enemies.

"There's a bit of resource management too. You can't just do spells forever," Guay said. "There's a point where you're going to be low on ability to cast spells, so you're going to have to get in there at some point."

Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons launches in 2027 for PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.

Lanterns episode 5 has landed on HBO Max — and it's not only the DC Universe (DCU) TV show's most devastating chapter so far for myriad reasons, but it also wraps up its 2016 storyline. From here on out, then, we'll be back in 2026, aka the DCU's current timeline.

Its present-day plot will have to wait another week, though, because we need to dissect all the hugely significant events that happened in Lanterns' fifth episode. Consider this your one and only warning: full spoilers immediately follow for Lanterns chapter 5, titled 'Lights Out'. If you haven't seen it yet, bookmark this page for later and return once you're caught up.

Who dies in Lanterns episode 5?

Will Macon is one of three major casualties in the DCU TV show's fifth chapter (Image credit: John Johnson/HBO Max)

Frankly, lots and lots of people die. Innocent Rushville civilians caught in the crossfire and foot soldiers in Will Macon's militia and Antaan's extraterrestrial forces all bite the dust in the HBO Max show's latest installment.

Three notable individuals also lose their lives — the first two being the aforementioned Macon and Antaan. Macon is actually killed by Antaan, the latter believing the former is the Manhunter that Antaan's forces have been pursuing for some time.

However, after Antaan murders Macon and cuts out his heart to confirm Macon is the Manhunter — remember, a Manhunter's heart crystallizes once they die — he realizes Macon isn't the Manhunter. Cue Antaan going after Hal Jordan because the latter lied about the Manhunter's identity when the pair crossed paths earlier in episode 5.

Unfortunately for Antaan, he doesn't last much longer. In an attempt to kill Hal, he activates the explosive device woven into his skeleton. But before he goes out with a bang, trying to take Earth's first Green Lantern with him, Hal uses his ring to make a whirlwind construct that flings Antaan into the air before he detonates.

Zoe is the third and final important character who meets their demise (Image credit: HBO Max)

Of this episode's three big deaths, though, Zoe's is arguably the most significant.

Lanterns episode 4 finally revealed Zoe was the Manhunter, but she also appeared to meet her end in that chapter after her truck was destroyed by a lethal laser satellite attack. As it turns out, she survived that ordeal — one she instigated herself to try to trick Hal (with a little help from John Stewart) into thinking she was no longer a threat to him, the Green Lantern Corps, or the Guardians, which would finally make Hal leave Rushville.

It's ironic, then, that Stewart is the one who puts her down. The pair slept together twice in the DCU Chapter One show's first four episodes. Meanwhile, Zoe saved Stewart's life after he was critically injured when his rental car — you know, the one that Hal purposefully crashed in last week's entry — exploded. So, it stands to reason that Stewart wouldn't be the one who takes Zoe out.

Not so. Stewart shoots Zoe in the head and cuts out her heart, which crystallizes in his hands, so he can not only prove to the Guardians that the Manhunter has been destroyed, but also that he's worthy of being Hal's replacement. Speaking of which...

Why does John Stewart give up the Green Lantern ring?

John's been training for this moment for his entire life, so why does he walk away from it? (Image credit: HBO)

Plainly, Stewart doesn't actually believe he's worthy of the Green Lantern mantle. That much is clear in his decision to give Hal's ring and lantern, which he wrestled off his mentor in a climactic duel, back to the Guardians of the Universe.

There are other reasons why Stewart makes this choice, though. Ultimately, he doesn't believe in working for a manipulative group of individuals like the Guardians, nor does he feel that, despite training to become a Green Lantern for as long as he can remember, it's his dream to join the space cop agency. Remember, he was pushed into this by his parents and, after plenty of measured introspection, it's evident Stewart doesn't want his parents to live vicariously through him anymore. As such, he takes ownership of his life and walks away from the lofty goal they've projected onto him since day one.

What will happen in Lanterns episode 6?

We'll finally start to investigate Hal Jordan's demise in Lanterns' next entry (Image credit: DC Studios/HBO Max)

With 'Lights Out' officially bringing Lanterns' 2016 storyline to a close, all eyes will now turn to the sci-fi crime series' present-day plot.

First and foremost, the DC comic book show's sixth episode will need to pick things up around Hal Jordan's death. It feels like an age since Lanterns shockingly revealed Jordan's demise at the end of its first chapter, so it'll be interesting to see if next week's episode begins where the show's premiere left off, or if it'll go back prior to this pivotal event.

Who murdered Hal Jordan? (Image credit: John Johnson/HBO Max)

If the 2026 storyline starts before Jordan is murdered, we'll likely find out what he and Stewart have gotten up to in the decade since we last saw them. I wouldn't be amazed if we also learn what happened to the likes of Bill Macon, why Sheriff Kerry Kane stuck around Rushville after the town's near-decimation in 2016, and the wider impact that those explosive events had on those who had to pick up the pieces.

Last but by no means least, I wager we'll discover when and why Guy Gardner became Earth's new Green Lantern. It's clear he was chosen by the Guardians after Stewart refused to answer the call. However, we don't know how long he's been operating as a Green Lantern or, based on a clip shown on a recent episode of The Jimmy Kimmel Show, how Gardner and Stewart know each other. Over to you, Lanterns.

• Sony corrected reports claiming its disc production would collapse by 90%
• The company's final disc plant will reduce output by 10%
• Sony still plans to stop producing new physical games in 2028

Sony has denied reports suggesting it plans to abandon physical disc manufacturing entirely, despite widespread speculation surrounding its future operations.

The company instead confirmed that its sole remaining disc-making plant will simply reduce output by 10%, not the previously reported 90%.

Sony DADC clarified the figure after earlier remarks caused considerable confusion among industry observers.

Clearing up a misread statement

“To clarify and avoid any misleading information: in that statement Dietmar anticipated an overall product volume decline by 10 percent, not a decline down to 10 percent,” said a Sony DADC spokesperson.

The correction arrived roughly two months after earlier reports claimed the plant was already being repurposed away from discs entirely.

Sony has consistently maintained that new physical game production will still end entirely in January 2028, despite this week's clarification.

The clarification means Sony's Thalgau plant will still operate at nearly full capacity beyond the original 2028 cutoff for releases.

Sony DADC did not respond to a separate fact-check request regarding whether all 300 plant employees face retraining toward alternative roles.

Reports from earlier this year suggested employees were being shifted away from discs toward microlens production at the same facility.

Discs survive, but ownership questions remain

Sony confirmed publishers may continue reordering existing disc-based games even after new physical production formally ceases in January of 2028.

PlayStation disc games already on shelves will remain available to buy for the foreseeable future.

This arrangement suggests the transition away from physical media will happen gradually rather than through an abrupt cutoff for publishers.

Even so, wider industry trends continue pointing toward digital distribution gradually replacing physical discs across most major platforms.

Several major publishers remain notably absent from Microsoft's own separate disc-to-digital initiative, raising questions about industry cooperation levels.

Sony recently argued in court that consumers cannot reasonably believe they truly own purchased games, since copies can exist simultaneously.

This legal stance, combined with the recent production clarification, still leaves genuine uncertainty around long-term disc availability for players worldwide.

Sony's carefully worded statement corrects one misunderstanding but does little to settle deeper doubts about ownership rights among consumers today.

Whether the Thalgau plant continues producing discs well beyond 2028 also remains unclear, given how quickly assumptions were proven wrong.

Consumers hoping for full clarity on Sony's long-term disc strategy will likely need to wait, since key details remain unconfirmed.

For now, the disc format appears to be shrinking gradually rather than disappearing suddenly, as many observers had initially feared.

Via The Verge

• Sony corrected reports claiming its disc production would collapse by 90%
• The company's final disc plant will reduce output by 10%
• Sony still plans to stop producing new physical games in 2028

Sony has denied reports suggesting it plans to abandon physical disc manufacturing entirely, despite widespread speculation surrounding its future operations.

The company instead confirmed that its sole remaining disc-making plant will simply reduce output by 10%, not the previously reported 90%.

Sony DADC clarified the figure after earlier remarks caused considerable confusion among industry observers.

Clearing up a misread statement

“To clarify and avoid any misleading information: in that statement Dietmar anticipated an overall product volume decline by 10 percent, not a decline down to 10 percent,” said a Sony DADC spokesperson.

The correction arrived roughly two months after earlier reports claimed the plant was already being repurposed away from discs entirely.

Sony has consistently maintained that new physical game production will still end entirely in January 2028, despite this week's clarification.

The clarification means Sony's Thalgau plant will still operate at nearly full capacity beyond the original 2028 cutoff for releases.

Sony DADC did not respond to a separate fact-check request regarding whether all 300 plant employees face retraining toward alternative roles.

Reports from earlier this year suggested employees were being shifted away from discs toward microlens production at the same facility.

Discs survive, but ownership questions remain

Sony confirmed publishers may continue reordering existing disc-based games even after new physical production formally ceases in January of 2028.

PlayStation disc games already on shelves will remain available to buy for the foreseeable future.

This arrangement suggests the transition away from physical media will happen gradually rather than through an abrupt cutoff for publishers.

Even so, wider industry trends continue pointing toward digital distribution gradually replacing physical discs across most major platforms.

Several major publishers remain notably absent from Microsoft's own separate disc-to-digital initiative, raising questions about industry cooperation levels.

Sony recently argued in court that consumers cannot reasonably believe they truly own purchased games, since copies can exist simultaneously.

This legal stance, combined with the recent production clarification, still leaves genuine uncertainty around long-term disc availability for players worldwide.

Sony's carefully worded statement corrects one misunderstanding but does little to settle deeper doubts about ownership rights among consumers today.

Whether the Thalgau plant continues producing discs well beyond 2028 also remains unclear, given how quickly assumptions were proven wrong.

Consumers hoping for full clarity on Sony's long-term disc strategy will likely need to wait, since key details remain unconfirmed.

For now, the disc format appears to be shrinking gradually rather than disappearing suddenly, as many observers had initially feared.

Via The Verge

• NATO disrupted Russia’s Arctic cable exercise before the reported weapon could be deployed
• Russian submarines rehearsed attacks that could leave little evidence afterward
• Two 1,400km cables connect Svalbard with mainland Norway beneath Arctic waters

NATO allies disrupted a Russian naval exercise near Svalbard after detecting preparations involving a secret device intended for damaging subsea communications infrastructure.

British, Norwegian and American forces confronted vessels linked to Russia’s deep-sea research directorate during exercises conducted in Arctic waters this spring.

The reported operation did not damage any cable, but officials said the equipment could remove evidence that would identify its use after an attack.

NATO confronted Russian vessels during Arctic cable exercise

The equipment was reportedly being tested by GUGI, a Russian military organization responsible for specialized underwater operations and deep-ocean missions.

Officials said the device could cut communications lines while leaving little physical evidence capable of connecting Moscow to the incident.

The confrontation occurred near Svalbard, where two fiber-optic cables extend for about 1,400km and descend roughly 2,700 meters underwater.

Those lines support data transfers from SvalSat, a major satellite ground facility that also serves NASA’s Near Space Network in orbit.

The cables are only around garden-hose thickness, yet they support services carrying enormous quantities of information between the Arctic territory and Norway.

Norway is developing another connection involving Svalbard and Jan Mayen, with completion expected during 2028 under its current infrastructure plans.

The location matters militarily because vessels from Russia’s northern naval facilities must cross the Bear Gap when entering Atlantic waters.

That passage spans roughly 400 miles, making nearby infrastructure significant for communications and surveillance across the wider High North region.

Why NATO is concerned about the cable-cutting capability

Western intelligence officials have become increasingly concerned that Moscow could expand covert disruption against critical infrastructure across Europe’s vulnerable networks.

Three American officials told Reuters that subsea communications lines could feature in a future attempt to test NATO’s collective-defense commitment.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe travelled to Moscow in August for discussions that included warnings about escalating sabotage activity in Europe.

Russia has rejected accusations that it conducts sabotage inside NATO countries or seeks direct military confrontation with the alliance, but Norway is not having it.

"Through our joint operation, we sent a clear message to Russia that they cannot operate covertly," Norway's Defense Minister Tore Sandvik declared in a statement.

"We have made it unequivocally clear to Russian authorities that any attempt to target our critical infrastructure will be detected and met with consequences."

Earlier British disclosures also linked Russian deep-sea submarines with activity near British waters involving energy pipelines and telecommunications systems.

Britain subsequently allocated another $136 million toward P-8 maritime patrol aircraft as suspicious Russian vessel movements increased around vulnerable infrastructure.

Undersea cables carry about 99% of Britain’s international telecommunications and data traffic, raising concerns about disruptions to essential public services.

British and Norwegian officials have carried their findings to Moscow, apparently hoping public disclosure would discourage any future use of the technology.

However, reports so far do not establish that Russia has used this device against a cable, but rather that it has rehearsed its deployment.

Via United24media

• NATO disrupted Russia’s Arctic cable exercise before the reported weapon could be deployed
• Russian submarines rehearsed attacks that could leave little evidence afterward
• Two 1,400km cables connect Svalbard with mainland Norway beneath Arctic waters

NATO allies disrupted a Russian naval exercise near Svalbard after detecting preparations involving a secret device intended for damaging subsea communications infrastructure.

British, Norwegian and American forces confronted vessels linked to Russia’s deep-sea research directorate during exercises conducted in Arctic waters this spring.

The reported operation did not damage any cable, but officials said the equipment could remove evidence that would identify its use after an attack.

NATO confronted Russian vessels during Arctic cable exercise

The equipment was reportedly being tested by GUGI, a Russian military organization responsible for specialized underwater operations and deep-ocean missions.

Officials said the device could cut communications lines while leaving little physical evidence capable of connecting Moscow to the incident.

The confrontation occurred near Svalbard, where two fiber-optic cables extend for about 1,400km and descend roughly 2,700 meters underwater.

Those lines support data transfers from SvalSat, a major satellite ground facility that also serves NASA’s Near Space Network in orbit.

The cables are only around garden-hose thickness, yet they support services carrying enormous quantities of information between the Arctic territory and Norway.

Norway is developing another connection involving Svalbard and Jan Mayen, with completion expected during 2028 under its current infrastructure plans.

The location matters militarily because vessels from Russia’s northern naval facilities must cross the Bear Gap when entering Atlantic waters.

That passage spans roughly 400 miles, making nearby infrastructure significant for communications and surveillance across the wider High North region.

Why NATO is concerned about the cable-cutting capability

Western intelligence officials have become increasingly concerned that Moscow could expand covert disruption against critical infrastructure across Europe’s vulnerable networks.

Three American officials told Reuters that subsea communications lines could feature in a future attempt to test NATO’s collective-defense commitment.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe travelled to Moscow in August for discussions that included warnings about escalating sabotage activity in Europe.

Russia has rejected accusations that it conducts sabotage inside NATO countries or seeks direct military confrontation with the alliance, but Norway is not having it.

"Through our joint operation, we sent a clear message to Russia that they cannot operate covertly," Norway's Defense Minister Tore Sandvik declared in a statement.

"We have made it unequivocally clear to Russian authorities that any attempt to target our critical infrastructure will be detected and met with consequences."

Earlier British disclosures also linked Russian deep-sea submarines with activity near British waters involving energy pipelines and telecommunications systems.

Britain subsequently allocated another $136 million toward P-8 maritime patrol aircraft as suspicious Russian vessel movements increased around vulnerable infrastructure.

Undersea cables carry about 99% of Britain’s international telecommunications and data traffic, raising concerns about disruptions to essential public services.

British and Norwegian officials have carried their findings to Moscow, apparently hoping public disclosure would discourage any future use of the technology.

However, reports so far do not establish that Russia has used this device against a cable, but rather that it has rehearsed its deployment.

Via United24media

• StarCraft is making a shift from the real-time strategy genre to the open-world shooter genre
• The development team realised during early discussions that "we weren't talking about a game from above"
• According to StarCraft general manager Dan Hay, "it was boots on the ground every time" when the team was talking about the game

The process of StarCraft shifting from real-time strategy to open-world shooter emerged naturally from repeated team discussions about "the story we wanted to tell," as well as in-game moments, armor, exploration, discovery, and the desire to experience the world from ground level, according to the game's general manager, Dan Hay.

In an interview with TechRadar Gaming at BlizzCon 2026 in Anaheim, Hay went on to describe the process that will see the series' perspective change entirely in the next StarCraft game: "Every time we drew a picture or every time we talked about it, it was boots on the ground every time."

These conversations then snowballed, gathering up other game features and elements, it seems, which kept the direction of travel going towards taking StarCraft into being a shooter. "We started to talk about perspective and how that's going to work; we started to talk about the armor, and we started to talk about what could attack that armor and how it could rip it apart if it needed to.

"We would talk about things with the characters [too], and we started to very quickly realize we weren't talking about a game from above; we were talking about a game down on the ground where you felt every inch of the game," described Hay.

He added, giving a nod to the narrative in store for players when StarCraft releases, that it was obvious that the game would be "down on the ground, and that just made sense for the story."

But as well as changing the player's perspective from looking down to looking out and around, the team looked at this change for the series to embrace the open-world exploration and discovery aspects of the upcoming game.

"[We wanted to] make sure that there is an opportunity to explore. Make sure that there's an opportunity to discover. See a thing off in the distance and go — 'is that something that I saw from the first game? Is it?' And then head off to it."

StarCraft was teased with a cinematic trailer at BlizzCon 2026 and is slated to release in 2030.

• Two AMD cards cost $18,775 yet beat GPT-5.6 Sol within hours weekly
• Multi-Token Prediction nearly doubled throughput to 320.2 tokens every second
• Twenty million monthly tokens save a team $11,738 yearly against Sol pricing

A hardware reviewer compared a dual-GPU AMD workstation against cloud subscription pricing to determine which option delivers cheaper AI inference over time.

Two AMD Radeon AI PRO R9700 cards, each carrying 32 GB of memory, were installed inside a workstation costing roughly $18,775 as tested.

The evaluation measured electricity draw, token throughput, and amortized hardware cost, then set those figures against several cloud subscription tiers for comparison.

How cloud pricing sets the bar

Cloud AI providers charge customers per million tokens generated, with prices ranging from $1.20 for GPT-5.6 Luna up to $30 for GPT-5.6 Sol.

Mid-tier models sit in between, with Claude Sonnet 5 at $10 and Claude Opus 5 at $25 per million output tokens generated.

The more expensive the cloud model a team would otherwise use, the sooner owned hardware pays for itself.

Testing both AMD cards together, the workstation generated 156.2 tokens every second while serving eight simultaneous users during this test.

A speed technique called Multi-Token Prediction nearly doubled that figure, pushing throughput up to 320.2 tokens every second, with identical output quality.

At that 320.2 token-per-second speed, the machine only needs 3.5 hours of weekly use to beat GPT-5.6 Sol on cost, 4.2 hours to beat Claude Opus 5, and 8.8 hours to beat Gemini 3.1 Pro.

A team generating above 20 million tokens per month against GPT-5.6 Sol pricing gains real savings using this owned hardware setup.

At that volume, running the workstation costs about $6,262 yearly in electricity and amortized hardware, against roughly $18,000 yearly in matching Sol fees.

That $11,738 yearly gap is the actual evidence behind the claim that heavy monthly usage makes AMD's rig worthwhile.

If a company instead relies on GPT-5.6 Luna, priced at just $1.20 per million tokens, that math flips entirely in the other direction.

The workstation would then need 94.3 hours of weekly use just to match that far cheaper cloud subscription's total cost.

Since a single week only contains 168 hours total, reaching that particular break-even point remains genuinely difficult without near constant, saturated usage.

Electricity itself was a minor factor throughout, since both cards together drew between 310 and 510 watts under sustained load conditions.

Where the economics tip in AMD's favor

A smaller team producing only five million tokens monthly, priced against Gemini 3.1 Pro, would spend $6,262 yearly to displace just $720 in cloud costs, a clear loss.

That comparison shows the hardware only makes financial sense once usage climbs high enough to close a large yearly cost gap.

A single R9700 card handled an eight billion parameter AI model alone, processing 34.5 tokens every second without help from a second card.

Running just one card also lowers the effective break-even point further, since a lone card draws far less power under equivalent load.

That single card pulled between 221 and 283 watts depending on simultaneous user count, well under the 310 to 510 watts both cards drew together.

Smaller models therefore offer a second path into positive economics, letting lighter workloads justify a $1,880 single-card purchase long before a team can justify the full $3,760 dual-card upgrade.

Price alone still does not settle the question, since these locally run models measurably trail top cloud systems on complex reasoning benchmarks.

On one independent intelligence index, the 27 billion parameter AMD model scored 37 points against Google's Gemini 3.1 Pro scoring 46 points instead.

Therefore, a team chasing the cheaper token count may be trading away real reasoning quality, not just cloud subscription fees.

Via Puget Systems

Pennsylvania has announced its third measles-related death in less than three weeks. A local coroner says the 40-year-old woman was unvaccinated.

(Image credit: Cynthia Goldsmith/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention via AP)

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, September 13 (game #1693).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today — or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1694) — hint #1 — VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1694) — hint #2 — repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1694) — hint #3 — uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1694) — hint #4 — starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1694) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• Z

• L

• R

• T

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1694) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1694, are…

• ZEBRA
• LEGAL
• RATIO
• TROLL

A very rare outing for the letter Z and the magnificent striped animal ZEBRA.

Before this, though, I had made yet another silly mistake on what became LEGAL, placing A in a position that had already been ruled out.

My excuse is I’m playing Quordle with a heavy cold, but I really should know better by now.

Daily Sequence today (game #1694) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1694, are…

• WRECK
• COMIC
• MAUVE
• OLIVE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1693, Sunday, 13 September: LUCID, SPRAY, MANGE, EMAIL
• Quordle #1692, Saturday, 12 September: SUPER, BRUSH, RESET, SOWER
• Quordle #1691, Friday, 11 September: PLUSH, PAINT, RIVAL, AFOUL
• Quordle #1690, Thursday, 10 September: AGENT, EXILE, TITAN, PUREE
• Quordle #1689, Wednesday, 9 September: HAPPY, GONER, SMACK, MOTIF
• Quordle #1688, Tuesday, 8 September: FLUNG, DIARY, HALVE, BERTH
• Quordle #1687, Monday, 7 September: VISIT, CLANK, FEVER, OCEAN
• Quordle #1686, Sunday, 6 September: PILOT, HONOR, BOWEL, TAUNT
• Quordle #1685, Saturday, 5 September: GNASH, GEEKY, WHELP, PUTTY
• Quordle #1684, Friday, 4 September: QUICK, BEEFY, TRUCK, SNAIL
• Quordle #1683, Thursday, 3 September: SIGMA, ESSAY, MERRY, LLAMA
• Quordle #1682, Wednesday, 2 September: INCUR, FELLA, TITAN, FROZE
• Quordle #1681, Tuesday, 1 September: NASAL, ROUTE, ANKLE, MIGHT
• Quordle #1680, Monday, 31 August: ALIVE, LOUSE, ABOVE, MOSSY
• Quordle #1679, Sunday, 30 August: USING, SORRY, FILET, PIPER
• Quordle #1678, Saturday, 29 August: OVINE, ALLOY, VOICE, CARVE
• Quordle #1677, Friday, 28 August: WAIST, EDICT, BONUS, DEUCE
• Quordle #1676, Thursday, 27 August: SHEEN, TRICE, WAGON, BEVEL
• Quordle #1675, Wednesday, 26 August: OPIUM, EPOCH, BESET, FINER
• Quordle #1674, Tuesday, 25 August: BLESS, FELON, PORCH, CHOSE

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, September 13 (game #1693).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today — or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1694) — hint #1 — VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1694) — hint #2 — repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1694) — hint #3 — uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1694) — hint #4 — starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1694) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• Z

• L

• R

• T

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1694) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1694, are…

• ZEBRA
• LEGAL
• RATIO
• TROLL

A very rare outing for the letter Z and the magnificent striped animal ZEBRA.

Before this, though, I had made yet another silly mistake on what became LEGAL, placing A in a position that had already been ruled out.

My excuse is I’m playing Quordle with a heavy cold, but I really should know better by now.

Daily Sequence today (game #1694) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1694, are…

• WRECK
• COMIC
• MAUVE
• OLIVE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1693, Sunday, 13 September: LUCID, SPRAY, MANGE, EMAIL
• Quordle #1692, Saturday, 12 September: SUPER, BRUSH, RESET, SOWER
• Quordle #1691, Friday, 11 September: PLUSH, PAINT, RIVAL, AFOUL
• Quordle #1690, Thursday, 10 September: AGENT, EXILE, TITAN, PUREE
• Quordle #1689, Wednesday, 9 September: HAPPY, GONER, SMACK, MOTIF
• Quordle #1688, Tuesday, 8 September: FLUNG, DIARY, HALVE, BERTH
• Quordle #1687, Monday, 7 September: VISIT, CLANK, FEVER, OCEAN
• Quordle #1686, Sunday, 6 September: PILOT, HONOR, BOWEL, TAUNT
• Quordle #1685, Saturday, 5 September: GNASH, GEEKY, WHELP, PUTTY
• Quordle #1684, Friday, 4 September: QUICK, BEEFY, TRUCK, SNAIL
• Quordle #1683, Thursday, 3 September: SIGMA, ESSAY, MERRY, LLAMA
• Quordle #1682, Wednesday, 2 September: INCUR, FELLA, TITAN, FROZE
• Quordle #1681, Tuesday, 1 September: NASAL, ROUTE, ANKLE, MIGHT
• Quordle #1680, Monday, 31 August: ALIVE, LOUSE, ABOVE, MOSSY
• Quordle #1679, Sunday, 30 August: USING, SORRY, FILET, PIPER
• Quordle #1678, Saturday, 29 August: OVINE, ALLOY, VOICE, CARVE
• Quordle #1677, Friday, 28 August: WAIST, EDICT, BONUS, DEUCE
• Quordle #1676, Thursday, 27 August: SHEEN, TRICE, WAGON, BEVEL
• Quordle #1675, Wednesday, 26 August: OPIUM, EPOCH, BESET, FINER
• Quordle #1674, Tuesday, 25 August: BLESS, FELON, PORCH, CHOSE

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, September 13 (game #1190).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #1191) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• STRAW
• CRAB
• COOT
• LEMON
• BLUE
• CANARY
• TEAL
• RAT
• LOON
• BAG
• WHEAT
• CUTLERY
• SNITCH
• GOOSE
• STIRRER
• STOOLIE

NYT Connections today (game #1191) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Aquatic fowl
• GREEN: Tell-tale
• BLUE: Disposable things
• PURPLE: Add a green word

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #1191) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: WATERBIRDS
• GREEN: INFORMANT
• BLUE: COMMON SINGLE-USE PLASTIC ITEMS
• PURPLE: ____GRASS

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #1191) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1191, are…

• YELLOW: WATERBIRDS: COOT, GOOSE, LOON, TEAL
• GREEN: INFORMANT: CANARY, RAT, SNITCH, STOOLIE
• BLUE: COMMON SINGLE-USE PLASTIC ITEMS: BAG, CUTLERY, STIRRER, STRAW
• PURPLE: ____GRASS: BLUE, CRAB, LEMON, WHEAT

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 3 mistakes

This was a really difficult game for me, although thankfully the frustration didn’t extend beyond the first group.

Seeing COOT and GOOSE I automatically knew we were looking for bird-themed tiles, but I didn’t see that we were looking for WATERBIRDS and kept on trying to include CANARY. I got there eventually though, after remembering that TEAL was a type of duck.

From here, I completed the other groups in difficulty order — although after looking at the four groups afterwards, purple seemed the easiest of the lot.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, September 13, 2026, game #1190)

• YELLOW: LACKING IN FIRMNESS: DROOPY, FLACCID, SAGGING, SLACK
• GREEN: U.S. PRESIDENTS: CLEVELAND, GARFIELD, GRANT, MADISON
• BLUE: WORDS THAT SOUND LIKE TWO LETTERS: EMPTY, EXCESS, KEWPIE, ODIE
• PURPLE: ENDING IN ELEVATED LANDFORMS: DOUBLESPEAK, HEATHCLIFF, PARAMOUNT, PORRIDGE

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, September 13 (game #1190).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #1191) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• STRAW
• CRAB
• COOT
• LEMON
• BLUE
• CANARY
• TEAL
• RAT
• LOON
• BAG
• WHEAT
• CUTLERY
• SNITCH
• GOOSE
• STIRRER
• STOOLIE

NYT Connections today (game #1191) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Aquatic fowl
• GREEN: Tell-tale
• BLUE: Disposable things
• PURPLE: Add a green word

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #1191) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: WATERBIRDS
• GREEN: INFORMANT
• BLUE: COMMON SINGLE-USE PLASTIC ITEMS
• PURPLE: ____GRASS

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #1191) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1191, are…

• YELLOW: WATERBIRDS: COOT, GOOSE, LOON, TEAL
• GREEN: INFORMANT: CANARY, RAT, SNITCH, STOOLIE
• BLUE: COMMON SINGLE-USE PLASTIC ITEMS: BAG, CUTLERY, STIRRER, STRAW
• PURPLE: ____GRASS: BLUE, CRAB, LEMON, WHEAT

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 3 mistakes

This was a really difficult game for me, although thankfully the frustration didn’t extend beyond the first group.

Seeing COOT and GOOSE I automatically knew we were looking for bird-themed tiles, but I didn’t see that we were looking for WATERBIRDS and kept on trying to include CANARY. I got there eventually though, after remembering that TEAL was a type of duck.

From here, I completed the other groups in difficulty order — although after looking at the four groups afterwards, purple seemed the easiest of the lot.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, September 13, 2026, game #1190)

• YELLOW: LACKING IN FIRMNESS: DROOPY, FLACCID, SAGGING, SLACK
• GREEN: U.S. PRESIDENTS: CLEVELAND, GARFIELD, GRANT, MADISON
• BLUE: WORDS THAT SOUND LIKE TWO LETTERS: EMPTY, EXCESS, KEWPIE, ODIE
• PURPLE: ENDING IN ELEVATED LANDFORMS: DOUBLESPEAK, HEATHCLIFF, PARAMOUNT, PORRIDGE

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

President Trump said there were "negative forces" predicting things that he says won't happen.

(Image credit: Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Unless you’ve done an extensive amount of research, And potentially even for those who have done an extensive amount of research, it would be shocking for most how many standing desk options there are in the wild today.

It’s one thing to look at how the vast majority of these standing desk companies are all shockingly similar. In fact, in my experience, I've noticed some even reuse parts or have quite possibly the same main distributor, with just a white label on it.

But it’s an entirely different game when you look at how Vari chooses to set itself apart. The company has a unique setup process, easy assembly, and now, with the included TechTrack, Vari has decided to step up its game once more.

the TechTrack system has actually changed what having a desk could look like. You're not just putting a desk shelf or accessories on top of your desk; you can actually integrate products into your desk.

There are only a few other desks that I've seen that have done something like this, where they have changed from the standardized slab of wood or material. Every time, I've loved it, as it is a decision to change the game without reinventing the entire wheel.

Vari Electric Standing Desk with TechTrack: Price and availability

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The Vari Electric Standing Desk with TechTrack is available direct from Vari in a range of styles, with prices starting at $949. However, at the time of review, it's discounted to $760.

I chose the walnut desltop with black frame, although I am a big fan of some of the other color options too. Speaking of options, there is also a ton of TechTrack accessories including a phone holder, a shelf, a laptop stand, and a tablet stand.

The only thing I can compare it to is something almost like taking the ingenuity and brilliance of the Balolo Desk Shelf and building it into a desktop. It allows for sleek, customizable modularity in a way that is not otherwise attainable.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Vari Electric Standing Desk with TechTrack: Unboxing and First Impressions

Vari does a phenomenal job, or should I say a very good job, at packaging and creating an unboxing experience. I have unboxed a lot of desks and gear at this point, and Vari is still one of the top unboxing experiences. It's seamless, it's easy, and it feels very well thought through.

For this desk specifically, Vari recommends assembling the legs while the desktop is still in the shipping box to help reduce the risk of scratches from the TechTrack system.

I didn't think that was possible until I was putting together another desk I'm currently testing, and I scratched both the floor I was assembling on and the desktop itself when a rogue screw fell underneath the desktop. It turns out following instructions is a brilliant idea. Who would have thought it?

The assembly process may not be everything, but it does have a good indicator of how the rest of the product will operate. For most of its life, all of these tasks are very similar. It's a wooden slab on top of some legs where you can put all your desk accessories.

However, with this desk, the process is extremely easy to follow, ensuring you do it right without any mess-ups and quickly. This already sets you off for success, making you believe that this desk is the best from the very moment you have it.

Vari Electric Standing Desk with TechTrack: Design & Build Quality

Obviously, the big deal here is the TechTrack system, but beyond that, another big deal for this desk is that the desktop and legs are also great to start with. Anybody can toss a flashy new gadget on a desk and think that it's special.

Vari decided to upgrade one of its highest-end and one of their already popular desks. It was a true upgrade. That, combined with TechTrack accessories that are actually useful and helpful for professionals made this release a slam dunk.

Vari Electric Standing Desk with TechTrack: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

When I use standing desks, I use them to their fullest extent. By this, I mean I will, multiple times an hour:

- change the height of the desk

- utilize the presets

- load down the desks with quite a bit of gear

- build out each desk to be pretty advanced

Some people use a standing desk to feel better and stand up once a day or once a week. I use it to change my thoughts, make sure I'm staying fresh, or even just to keep my toes under the fire and get all my standing time in.

By being honest, I've even had times when I'll stand just to make sure I don't have to leave a meeting early to go to the bathroom. All that said, I've put this desk through a very similar test, and so has my team.

We've used this desk day in and day out for almost 150 days now, so that time has been with me. That time has been with other people I have helping test these desks.

The point is that we've actually put it through the wringer. We've tried it in more than just a studio setting for an hour under special lighting. Through that time, we've proven and have the experience that the stability on this desk is spectacular, even at full extension.

For me, I usually have at least one preset at full extension, especially if I have more than two presets. That is because then I can frequently use them to put chairs under or feel like the desk is up and out of the way. At the absolute highest the electronics will let it go, I still don't worry about my gear wobbling or a monitor tipping over.

Another thing to note is that even with our 60-inch-wide desk, which is fairly large, I don't experience any sway while playing or using it day-to-day. While moving up and down, the motors operate smoothly and quietly.

Vari Electric Standing Desk with TechTrack: Final verdict

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

In short, this is a desk you should consider if you have a knick-knack or 17 on your desk and you're still trying to find a way to organize your series workflow.

This is the kind of desk you want if you are into gadgets. This is also the kind of desk you should consider if you have a few gadgets on your desk and want to project a professional image.

However, if you're the kind of person who just throws things on their desk, doesn't really care, or is going to stay seated at all times, then you can probably find another desk that fits your budget and desires a little better.

This is the desk meant for those who like to be organized, get things done, and do it in style. There's a handful of areas that always make sense to spend a little more, and in my view, I stay in this because I'm quickly becoming one of them.

Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future

For more office furniture, we've tested the best standing desks and the best office chairs.

Dania Thafer of the Gulf International Forum weighs in on previously scheduled talks between Iran and Gulf states. Shortly before this interview aired, Oman announced that the talks were postponed.