ASTS

North Korea has test-fired a ballistic missile, according to ABC News reporting, as tensions rise on the Korean peninsula following explosions of mines along the heavily fortified border between the two Koreas. The launch adds to a period of heightened military activity and raised concerns about further escalation in the region.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is making headlines after saying 'No Beardos, No Weirdos,' a comment widely read as a jab over grooming and appearance standards, including within the military. The remark is being discussed alongside news of Donald Trump's AI safety accord, with the two topics featured together in Wall Street Journal opinion coverage.

The Kansas City Fed has published an analysis describing a 'tale of two farm economies,' finding that Oklahoma's agricultural economy is moving in the opposite direction from the rest of the Federal Reserve's Tenth District, which covers parts of the central United States. The report highlights a sharp regional contrast in farm conditions and outlooks.

A new collection of podcasts focused on art and culture has been announced, adding to the growing lineup of audio programming in this field. The shows are expected to cover topics spanning visual art, heritage and cultural conversation for general audiences.

A new trailer for RockBeasts has been released, confirming the game is slated for 2026 on Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and Switch. The reveal bundles the trailer, platform list and release timing in one place, and gamers are discussing whether the footage moves the title up their most-wanted lists ahead of launch.

Surging electricity demand from artificial intelligence data centres is raising questions over the viability of ASEAN's plans for cross-border power trading in Southeast Asia. The rapid growth of energy-hungry AI infrastructure could strain regional grids and complicate efforts to share electricity across member states, according to commentary in the banking and climate policy space.

Barack Obama has sharply criticised Donald Trump over a media ban, arguing that restricting press access is incompatible with democratic values. Obama suggested that a country cannot call itself a democracy while barring media organisations, framing the move as part of a broader threat to press freedom in US politics. The remarks have drawn wide attention and debate across political circles.

AST SpaceMobile, the US satellite company building a space-based cellular broadband network, is seeing elevated interest in its ASTS shares. Investors are tracking the stock's price moves and latest company news on finance platforms, as the company works toward deploying its direct-to-smartphone satellite service.

Forecasters warn that a significant storm is heading toward the Middle East, with its arrival coinciding with the ongoing conflict involving Iran. The overlap of severe weather and war has drawn attention, since the storm could complicate military operations, displacement and humanitarian efforts in the region. Details on the storm's exact strength, timing and expected impact areas remain limited.

The Weather Channel has published a hurricane season maps tracker providing the latest forecasts, storm tracking maps and related updates for the Atlantic season. The page consolidates current projections and developments in one place for readers following tropical weather.

The Banque de France has published research asking whether uncertainty surrounding inflation forecasts can predict how accurate those forecasts turn out to be. The work matters for central banks and markets, since reliable inflation projections underpin interest rate decisions and expectations management amid ongoing price volatility.

The New York Times is covering two stories in one episode of its daily podcast: shifting support for Donald Trump among parts of the electorate, and regulatory or structural obstacles that slow the development and approval of new cancer treatments. The combined politics-and-health framing is drawing attention as the 2026 election cycle intensifies and patients and researchers press for faster access to experimental therapies.

Chevrolet brought back the Bolt EV after vocal enthusiasm from fans, but the relaunched model has reportedly failed to sell well. The Autopian highlights the irony of a car that enthusiasts demanded, only for demand to fall flat once it returned to showrooms. Sales figures and reasons for the weak performance are not detailed in available coverage.

A club serving travel enthusiasts has announced offers targeted at members in Canada. The announcement was distributed via a press release and picked up by financial news outlets, but no further details about the club, the specific deals, or the terms of the offers were included. Little public reaction or discussion has been recorded so far.