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Fashion, stan, and other online spaces offer clues to what will dominate next year in politics—for better or, in some cases, much worse.

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The Biden administration set a new climate goal for the U.S. The White House argues states, cities and corporations will continue the work, even as Trump plans to exit the Paris climate agreement.

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NPR spoke with 30 small groups of people around the country about what they'd want other people to understand about their community — and what they want to understand about others

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz saw his national profile skyrocket when he became Vice President Harris' running mate. Now, he's back home figuring out when he will push back or work with Republicans.

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As Syria's economy collapsed during its civil war, the country became something of a narco state. The regime of ousted President Bashar al-Assad earned billions by trafficking in the drug Captagon.

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The International Brotherhood of Teamsters said workers in Atlanta, New York City, California and Illinois plan to join the picket line.

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A French panel of judges found dozens of men guilty of raping a woman whose ex-husband had drugged her unconscious over the course of a decade.

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From poker players to venture capitalists, there’s a mindset to making the most of opportunities, and engineering the odds of success.

• Creature Commandos episode 4 showed off the DCU's Justice League for the first time
• DC Comics' most iconic superteam, though, don't appear in the manner you'd expect
• Showrunner Dean Lorey says fans "shouldn't infer" anything from the brief scene, either

Creature Commandos episode 4 has handed us a first look at the DC Cinematic Universe's (DCU) Justice League, but not in the way many would've predicted

I didn't expect the Max series' fourth episode, titled 'Chasing Squirrels', to mark the supergroup's debut in James Gunn and Peter Safran's rebooted DC Universe, but here we are. Well, I'm using the word 'debut' pretty liberally here, because they only show up in the briefest of scenes that showrunner Dean Lorey says you and I "shouldn't infer" anything from said sequence.

Full spoilers immediately follow for Creature Commandos' fourth chapter, so turn back now if you haven't streamed it yet.

Well, this is an inauspicious debut for the Justice League in the DCU... (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

As I said, the scene in question isn't a full introduction to the DCU's Justice League. Seven minutes into 'Chasing Squirrels', ARGUS chief Amanda Waller is shown a vision of the future by Circe, the series' apparent villain-in-chief and who's one of three big teases in Creature Commandos that predate Wonder Woman's DCU debut.

But I'm getting off track. Circe, who was captured by the eponymous team in one of the best Max shows' fourth entry, attempts to tell Waller, Rick Flag Sr., and John Economos that Princess Ilana and Pokolistan, the nation she rules over, aren't what they seem. In a bid to convince them further, Circe says she can use her clairvoyant abilities on Waller to show her a vision of a potential future where Ilana and Pokolistan tyranically rule over the world.

Let's hope David Corenswet's Man of Steel fares far better in today's (December 19) Superman movie trailer reveal... (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

It's here where the Justice League appear – kind of, anyway. You see, as part of Waller's vision, we see the Justice League, plus numerous other DC heroes and antiheroes, crucified, impaled on spears, or lying dead on a skull-littered ground. Among those depicted in this sequence are DC's iconic trifecta of superheroes, aka Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.

They aren't the only ones, though. I also spotted Robin, Peacemaker, Supergirl, one of the Green Lantern Corps, Hawkgirl, Vigilante, and what appears to be a comics-accurate Aquaman (complete with blonder hair) among the dead. Let me know if you picked out anyone else, such as The Flash, Cyborg, and Martian Manhunter.

What did you do, Ilana!? (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

There are plenty of questions raised by Circe's premonition. How powerful is the country of Pokolistan if it's able to not only conquer the world, but also defeat so many metahumans? Is this a future that will happen or may only do so if Task Force M doesn't stop Ilana? And is there anything we should read into the Justice League and their fellow heroes' deaths in this DCU Chapter One project? Unfortunately, if you came here looking for answers to the above and any other queries you have, Lorey can only provide one answer, but it's a pretty categorical one all the same.

"That scene is specific to the story [of Creature Commandos]," Lorey replied when I asked him if it sets up future scenarios in the DCU. "It's not really meant to infer anything but, you know, it was meant to do what it does, which is show a very dark vision of the world if something isn't done to prevent it. But, no, I would say fans shouldn't infer anything about the Justice League [from that]."

Consider that case closed, then! For more of my Creature Commandos and wider DCU coverage, check out the section below.

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If you're in the market for a home equity loan or a HELOC, listen up.

With the news that several large corporations such as Amazon are insisting their employees return to the office full time, it could be thought that the hybrid working revolution was merely a blip caused by lockdown necessity.

It remains to be seen whether this reversion will be successful or whether it will cause another wider adjustment as employees seek the employment that best reflects their needs.

Certainly, it should be seen as part of the continuum of an accelerating process of realignments as issues including trust, technology, productivity, creativity, family, finance and mental health shape the future of work.

Why hybrid working is still a necessity

Whether hybrid working remains a part of an organization's primary working strategy or not, it is critical that they retain the capability to do so to ensure business resiliency. The disruptions that impact physical office attendance will continue to exist and may well increase as the world becomes more unpredictable. From severe weather events to social unrest and global political shifts, there are a plethora of problems which will undermine attempts to confidently forecast mid to long-term plans.

The ability to flex as challenges and opportunities arise must be a fundamental consideration for all businesses. Developing an effective capability for remote and hybrid work enables employees to work from home or other locations if the office becomes inaccessible. Disregarding any other outcomes from recent years, this is a lesson that should not be forgotten.

Why technology is a key enabler for business resilience

Adopting technologies will be key for businesses to achieve the level of business resiliency required to support all working policies. For example, Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) supports remote and hybrid working and can also be leveraged to improve other aspects of business resiliency, security, scalability and efficiency.

VDI situates PC or workstation resources on a server, rather than a laptop or desk-based device. This enables resources to sit alongside other server-based services in a central location, whether that be an office server room, a data center or the cloud. The virtual desktops are accessed with a low-spec device, often an inexpensive laptop or ‘thin client’, through an application or browser, over the network or internet. The experience for the end user remains the same so long as the service has been appropriately specified and configured, meaning employees can work from almost anywhere with an internet connection.

The key benefits of VDI

To ensure greater business protection, VDI (and its related infrastructure) should be located in a high-end data center to guarantee additional levels of resiliency. These would generally include dual and diverse power and connectivity, backup power generators, high levels of environmental management and physical and network security (such as DDOS protection). Such measures are important to reduce the risk of downtime, whether your employees are working from home or the office. Public and private cloud vendors will offer this level of service as a rule.

Centralizing all business resources also improves security. Data stays within a centrally managed network, rather than being located or replicated across multiple external devices, which exponentially increases vulnerability to attack. Employees only have inexpensive, dumb devices in hand, which are harder to hack and less problematic if stolen or damaged. Reducing the use of VPNs, replication and edge device data reduces the attack surface considerably.

Many VDI providers also offer scalability for organizations to flex their resources in line with their current needs. This type of dynamic resourcing is one of the big promises of cloud computing and is extremely attractive, especially when long-term forecasting is a challenge. There is a cost associated with such dynamism, but balancing this with less expensive, dedicated core resources allows for both reliability and agility.

Perhaps the most under-appreciated aspect of VDI is the efficiency that it can introduce to computer estate management. Administering through web-based control panels enables IT administrators to manage everything remotely, regardless of where the end user is based. Virtual desktops can be spun up or disabled in minutes, creating huge savings in the time that would otherwise be spent on physical device deployments and decommissioning. Resources can be reallocated across machines, users quickly reassigned and fresh images deployed rapidly, simplifying office moves and reorganizations.

Embracing the VDI opportunity for all working policies

There exists some understandable nervousness about hybrid working and VDI. For many organizations, this still seems a step too far from their long embedded and comfortable working practices and technologies. Alongside the recent push for a return to office working by some organizations, there has also been a parallel shift with other early adopters moving away from public cloud services; the latter primarily due to its expense and lack of ROI. Thankfully there are growing private cloud services that offer better and more accessible offerings, which ensure that the promise of cloud and VDI can still be realized. This will be important in the coming years which are sure to be full of new challenges and opportunities.

We've listed the best free remote desktop software.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

The KTC A32Q8 Smart Monitor from KTC (Key To Combat), a relatively new Chinese brand to the market bringing an affordable 32″ 3840 x 2160 4K 60Hz 16:9 VA panel with an advertised high contrast ratio measured at a 98% DCI-P3 colour gamut, a Variable Refresh Rate and HDR10 support.

That puts it into best video editing monitor territory. It also includes 2x 5w speakers. One key feature of this monitor is its SMART TV support for a variety of streaming services such as Google TV, Netflix, Disney+ etc.

The known Key Specs are:

Screen Size: 32”

Resolution: 3840 x 2160

Aspect Ratio: 16:9

Max Refresh Rate: 60Hz (though it does support variable refresh rates)

HDR: HDR10

Colour Gamut: 98% DCI-P3

Speakers: 2 stereo speakers with 5W

KTC A32Q8: Packaging & assembly

The monitor came in the usual large box associated with monitors. The box was keen to point out the Smart TV capabilities of the monitor with logos of a couple of streaming services labelled on it. Once opened the box revealed a large polystyrene foam shell taking up the entirety of the box.

(Image credit: KTC)

The polystyrene foam came in two parts encapsulating the monitor with the stand and cables placed externally. Other than the stand, the monitor arrived with a UK to IEC13 cable, a Power Brick with Barrel adapter, HDMI Cable and its remote control. Also included were two small screwdrivers to get you started.

KTC A32Q8 only came with a quick start manual showing you how to put the monitor stand together and attaching it to the monitor, some basic specs and what the different ports on the back were for. It wasn’t very in depth. It goes into no detail about the OSD menus or other menus

(Image credit: KTC)

The stand is put together by slotting the pillar-like part onto the base plate and using the supplied screws and screwdriver, tightening them to fit. The supplied screwdriver is good for just getting started or if you have no tools, otherwise I would say use proper tools, they are painful on the hands and fingers to use.

The vertical part of the monitor is then mounted to the monitor itself, again with another two screws to support it. There is no vertical height adjustment or swivel support, only a slight amount of tilt from -5 to +15 degrees. There are no cable tidy clips, hooks, channels, etc.

(Image credit: KTC) KTC A32Q8: Connectivity

The rear of the monitor has, thankfully, downward facing connection ports thereby allowing you to place this monitor as close to a flat vertical surface such as a wall.

The connections are:

Four USB-A 2.0 ports

A 3.5mm headphone jack

DisplayPort 1.4

USB Type C connector with up to 65W of power delivery

HDMI 2.1, and;

The DC power Port

On the rear is the 100x100mm VESA mounts points

(Image credit: KTC)

The DisplayPort supports the full 4K 60Hz 10 bit colour gamut, the HDMI however is limited to only 8 bit at 4K 60Hz, a shame that they only supply a HDMI cable and no DisplayPort cable meaning that most average customers wouldn’t know this and may just opt to use the supplied HDMI cable thereby overlooking this flaw.

The USB-C also supports DisplayPort Alternate Mode allowing you to connect devices such as modern laptops to the monitor without use of a DP or HDMI cable, as long as you use an appropriate USB-C cable, which again isn’t supplied.

I was a bit disappointed by the use of the power delivery, a standard UK plug to IEC C13 cable, to power brick and then to DC barrel jack. The brick itself is that, a brick, it is fairly hefty with a long and wide body and slim height. I’m not a fan of power bricks because they will need to be placed and hidden and as an external point of failure, if the brick or DC was to be damaged, sourcing a new one with the correct sized barrel jack may prove difficult. I would have preferred a built-in solution with just a UK to IEC C13 plug as its one less thing to worry about, looking at the rear of the monitor suggest that there could have been space, there is a void large enough below the connectors, albeit the connectors may have to be repositioned if a redesign was in order.

KTC A32Q8: Performance

With a resolution of 3840 x 2160 at 32” on a VA Panel I noted that monitor a matt like textured anti reflective/glare coating on the screen, using a flashgun I was able to defeat it, but it's unlikely that you would ever have such glare like this on the monitor.

The monitor's backlight allowed some bleed but not much in truly inky blacks, not as good as a QD-LED. The image quality was sharp enough to allow you to enjoy most streaming services, complain free. To be honest, the average person will probably not notice any slight discrepancies in image quality unless testing it side by side with a better monitor from a well-known brand. Most end users would most likely be happy.

KTC A32Q8: Useability

The monitor has a single joystick like button on the back right hand side (as if looking straight ahead at the monitor) to allow navigation through the basic OSD (On-Screen Display) menu. Most of the menus, settings and controls are down through the monitor's own built-in OS like menus accessed and navigable using the supplied remote control.

After setting everything up and switching it for the first time, there were a series of menus to navigate in order to set it up which was quite involved. It wasn’t unlike me setting up my Samsung Smart TV for the first, not surprising since both are in effect, Smart TVs.

The monitor has built-in Wi-Fi, a useful feature allowing it to connect to your network and by extension to the internet allowing you to access the raft of popular streaming services. Especially as there is no RJ45 connector.

As soon as it was up and running, I used it more as a Smart TV than actual monitor, checking its features, logging on to my Netflix account, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube before remembering that this is a monitor review, not a TV one.

I used the monitor as any normal person would, using the display for work, general browsing, gaming and watching films or streaming service. For work, the monitor's large screen was useful for being able to display two good sized windows at once. General browsing was good, 32” being a very comfortable and usable size to work with unlike ultra-wide screen monitors.

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(Image credit: KTC)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: KTC)

Gaming had no issues, I tested the display playing both Helldivers 2 and Horizon Forbidden West, two games which are PS5 console ports, so more modern PC games should have no issues.

Watching content, such as Amazon Prime (here seen is Fallout) has two large black bars on either side, as did Netflix. YouTube was the same though this was content-dependent. In this example I am viewing a video in the 2160 mode.

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(Image credit: KTC)Image 2 of 4

(Image credit: KTC)Image 3 of 4

(Image credit: KTC)Image 4 of 4

(Image credit: KTC)

The Monitor has 2 speakers, each with 5Ws of power, I listened to the speakers using a variety of sources from music, films, games and other genres. Like most in built Monitor speakers, they are better if you have nothing else but are easily outclassed by even cheap stereo speakers or better yet a headset or headphones.

I found the remote to be a bit on the small side, it doesn’t have many buttons and is powered by two CR2032 button batteries. the usual buttons are there; on/off, source selector, account, Google Voice, settings buttons. The centre is dominated by a square D-pad with centre select button, below that is the Home, back and multi-function button often found on Android like phones followed by the volume buttons. Lastly and most colourfully are the streaming services buttons as displayed.

Using the remote I noted the mushiness of the square D-Pad meaning that without looking at the remote, it was difficult to tell which direction you were pressing, my wife also noted the lack of a mute button which could have been placed between the “-“ and “+” volume buttons.

(Image credit: KTC) KTC A32Q8: KVM

The Monitor is KVM capable for laptops and other small portable devices that support USB C output. You can plug in a keyboard, mouse and any other USB accessory so long as they are USB 2.0 compatible, which is near universal, just be advised that you’ll be limited to USB 2.0 data transfer speeds if you use an external HDD. Once connected your laptop or device automatically (if capable) discover your attached devices and display your desktop.

This would mean that you could have the display set up at home with attached mouse and keyboard. You could then take your laptop with you, plug this in via USB-C and are good to go with just one cable. An alternative would be to have a desktop PC and or laptop dock capability to connect to the display sharing a common mouse and keyboard. An incredibly useful feature in this day and age of mobile computing/hot desking.

However, having tested other monitors in the past and hot desking at work, I note that in order to use DisplayPort Alternate Mode to pass a laptop’s display to the monitor require the use of properly compatible cables, most USB-C cables used for charging phones are not compatible

However, I noted that for a monitor boasting USB-C KVM and display capabilities, a distinct lack of any ethernet RJ45 jack. Whilst most laptops, tablets etc have or are Wi-Fi capable, sometimes a hardwired connection is preferred. A missed opportunity, I think.

KTC A32Q8: Final verdict

Overall, the KTC A32Q8 Smart Monitor has some decent things going for it, trying to pull double duty as a 4K monitor and Smart TV like features. It does most of this well but falls short in some places, most notably the lack of an RJ45 connector for the KVM feature and stinginess of the supplied cables.

The sheer number of connectors allows end users the flexibility to use several consoles or workstations with the KTC A32Q8 as well as other peripherals. But you will need to supply your own cables.

The downside is that there is a lack of support or exact specs on the KTC A32Q8 as finding the KTC website isn’t as straightforward as you would like, once on the KTC website there is no mention of the KTC A32Q8 or documentation.

So, who is the KTC A32Q8 aimed at? Having thoroughly used the monitor as a general user as both a computer monitor and TV, I see it as useful for students, anyone on a tight budget, or those without much space to have both a desktop with monitor and TV. As it doubles as both it can do the role of both yet taking up the space of one at a great value.

For more monitor reviews, we tested the best 5K and 8K monitors you can get right now.  

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Sarkozy, 69, faces a year in prison, but is expected to ask to be detained at home with an electronic bracelet — as is the case for any sentence of two years or less.

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The 35 buildings surveyed along an almost 12-mile stretch from Miami Beach to Sunny Isles Beach have sunk or settled by 0.8 to 3.1 inches, scientists found.

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Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Dec. 19.

• Tensions between WP Engine and Mullenweg drive user curiosity
• Users worldwide show rising interest in website builder alternatives
• Ongoing conflict highlights the risks of relying solely on WordPress

Global search interest for WordPress alternatives has surged dramatically as the conflict between WP Engine and Matt Mullenweg, co-founder of WordPress and CEO of Automattic, intensifies

Data from Google Trends noted search requests around the website builder boomed in October 2024, especially on October 8, where it reached a peak score of 100.

The spike in interest signals a shift in user behavior, indicating an active search for options which align more closely with user expectations around performance, control, and transparency.

Possible triggering events behind the surge

Before October 8, Google Trends data shows the search interest for WordPress alternatives was essentially dormant, with no recorded searches from October 4 to October 7.

Observers attribute this surge to the escalating legal and public disputes between WP Engine and Mullenweg, who accused WP Engine of trademark infringement and compromising WordPress’s open-source ethos.

The contention centers on WP Engine’s handling of WordPress features, including limiting revision history for posts and its allegedly confusing use of the “WP” branding, which Mullenweg argues misleads users into believing WP Engine is directly affiliated with WordPress.

The tension reached new heights with Mullenweg calling WP Engine a “cancer to WordPress”. Both WP Engine and Automattic have since exchanged cease-and-desist letters, with WP Engine contesting Automattic’s claims, asserting its use of WordPress trademarks falls under fair use.

This back-and-forth intensified when Mullenweg blocked WP Engine’s access to WordPress.org resources, including updates for plugins and themes, which severely impacted WP Engine-hosted websites, leaving some vulnerable to security risks. While this ban was briefly lifted, the damage to WP Engine’s reputation and the broader WordPress community was significant, leaving developers and users frustrated.

WP Engine has also sued Automattic's CEO for attempted extortion. The company told TechRadar Pro:

“...Matt Mullenweg’s conduct over the last ten days has exposed significant conflicts of interests and governance issues that, if left unchecked, threaten to destroy that trust. WP Engine has no choice but to pursue these claims to protect its people, agency partners, customers, and the broader WordPress community.”

More recently however, a US district court has ordered Automattic to stop blocking WP Engine access to the WordPress servers.

The data from October 4 to November 4, 2024 highlights a notable shift in user behaviour globally, with countries such as the United States, Canada, Germany, India, Nigeria, Pakistan and Brazil showing an increased interest in exploring WordPress alternatives.

Following the October 8 peak, search interest for WordPress alternatives continued, though at a lower intensity. Between October 21 and October 30, scores ranged from 20 to 36, indicating a steady but less urgent curiosity among users for alternative CMS options.

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Here are some hints -- and the answers -- for the Dec. 19 Strands puzzle, No. 291.