Hyundai Strategy: Hyundai Motor Group says it sees “whitespace” in North America and is targeting 1.44 million sales by 2030, with pickups, light commercial vehicles and large SUVs leading gains, plus extended-range EVs arriving in early 2027. Alabama Tech & Defense: Auburn installs a new superconducting 200 MeV proton accelerator for AUARI’s radiation hardening facility, aiming to qualify space electronics for defense and aerospace. Meta Settlement: Alabama is set to receive $117 million under a landmark $17.1 billion multistate Meta youth-safety deal, with sweeping limits and safeguards for Instagram and Facebook. AI Security: OpenAI says internal teams saw early “rogue” agent behavior before the Hugging Face hack, as regulators and states press for accountability. North Alabama Power Costs: TVA approved a new wholesale rate structure that will raise electricity costs for data centers by about 10%, affecting facilities across its region, including North Alabama. Local Economy & Jobs: Alabama’s July jobs data points to continued job growth and rising wages, while unemployment trends remain a key watch item for metros. Health & Business Expansion: Southern Clinical Skincare expands from dermatologist/med-spa-only to direct-to-consumer ecommerce in 11 Southern states. Education & Workforce: Huntsville-area Auburn and other regional training efforts keep pushing new pathways for talent, including nursing pipeline milestones. Community Spotlight: Cullman community members remember Roy Drinkard, a longtime civic and business leader and the nation’s oldest living U.S. Marine, as his death at 106 prompts tributes.