- Important state and national stories, market and business news, sports and entertainment, delivered in quick-hit fashion to start your day informed.
In Mississippi
Governor Reeves names Maj. Gen. Ginn Adjutant General of Mississippi
Governor Tate Reeves announced Wednesday that he was appointing Major General Bobby M. Ginn, Jr. as the Adjutant General of Mississippi, effective August 1, 2024.
Major General Ginn replaces Major General Janson D. Boyles who is retiring.
Major General Ginn began his military career in 1990 as an enlisted Soldier. In 1993, he was commissioned through the Mississippi National Guard’s Officer Candidate School and became a Supply Officer for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 114th Area Support Group. In 1994, he was assigned as a platoon leader, and in 1999, assumed command of the 367th Maintenance Company. Since then, he has had many assignments, including commander at Camp Shelby and most recently, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Pro-Palestinian groups try to derail Shapiro’s possible VP nod
According to the New York Times, a motley group of left-wing and pro-Palestinian activists are trying to derail Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s chances of being Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate. Shapiro is an observant Jew.
“The 51-year-old governor has stood by Israel’s right to self-defense and has condemned overt displays of antisemitism amid pro-Palestinian protests. He has been unapologetic in his love for Israel; he has visited often and even proposed to his wife there,” NYT reported. “He has also called Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, ‘one of the worst leaders of all time.'”
But, as NYT notes, “Palestinian rights activists see someone different, the public face of intransigent support for Israel.”
2. Israel confirms death of Hamas military commander
Israel says its defense forces have confirmed the death Hamas’s military commander, Mohammed Deif, in Gaza.
“Deif and a deputy, Rafa Salameh, were the target of Israeli strikes on July 13 that killed at least 90 Palestinians in an area designated as a safe zone for civilians. The Israel Defense Forces said at the time that it was confident Deif had been killed,” the Washington Post reported. “On Tuesday, it said in a statement that an ‘intelligence check’ had confirmed the militant’s death. ‘Mohammed Deif was eliminated,’ the IDF wrote on X.”
Sports & Entertainment
1. New Miss. State DC wants his guys to be aggressive
Mississippi State Athletics’ Joel Coleman writes that new Defensive Coordinator Coleman Hutzler hasn’t been too surprised at the line of questioning he’s faced since deciding to put on the Maroon and White earlier this year. Hutzler wants his Bulldogs to be aggressive.
“We want to be aggressive. We want to dictate things as much as we can. We want to be violent in how we play. We want to be opportunistic in creating turnovers and getting the ball back. If we can do that and get the ball back to [quarterback Blake Shapen] and the boys, we’ve got a great chance of scoring points,” Hutzler said.
2. Southern Miss opens fall camp
Southern Miss football coach Will Hall began his fourth fall camp Wednesday with a morning two-hour, 20-minute workout at the Joe P. Park Practice Facility.
The Athletics Department reported that the Golden Eagles worked in the NCAA-mandated helmets and shorts for the first practice that was conducted under hot, sunny skies.
“It was a solid first day,” said Hall. “We’re practicing without pads, so I don’t love that. We saw a lot of carryover from spring ball through the summer and were able to do a lot of offense and a lot on defense today.
Markets & Business
1. Fed leaves rate unchanged, eyes September cut
The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged on Wednesday, but as CBS News reports, Chair Jerome Powell said the “time is drawing near” for the central bank to begin trimming borrowing costs.
“That could occur as soon as the Fed’s next policy meeting in September, assuming economic data continues to show cooling inflation, he added,” CBS News reported. “Members of the Federal Open Market Committee, the central bank’s rate-setting panel, said in a policy statement on Wednesday they will hold the federal funds rate in a range of 5.25% to 5.5%, leaving it at its highest level in 23 years.”
As CBS News noted, Powell said the time for a rate cut “is approaching, and if we do get the data we hope we get, then reduction of our policy rate could be on the table at our September meeting.”
2. Meta rally pushes stock futures higher
CNBC reports that stock futures rose Thursday as investors weighed the latest corporate earnings reports, including strong results from Meta Platforms.
“S&P 500 futures gained 0.5%, while Nasdaq-100 futures climbed nearly 0.6%. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 39 points, or 0.1%,” CNBC reported. “Meta Platforms rallied 7% on stronger-than-expected second-quarter results and upbeat guidance. Arm Holdings shed 10% after offering an underwhelming current-quarter guide.”
Magnolia Tribune
