- Important state and national stories, market and business news, sports and entertainment, delivered in quick-hit fashion to start your day informed.
In Mississippi
1. Senator Wicker says Hegseth made “rookie mistake” on Ukraine, calls Tucker Carlson “a fool”
Politico reports that Mississippi U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R) said Friday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made a “rookie mistake” when he said a return to Ukraine’s pre-war borders was “unrealistic.”
“Hegseth is going to be a great defense secretary, although he wasn’t my choice for the job,” the Mississippi Republican told POLITICO on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. “But he made a rookie mistake in Brussels and he’s walked back some of what he said but not that line.”
“I don’t know who wrote the speech — it is the kind of thing Tucker Carlson could have written, and Carlson is a fool,” Wicker said, as reported by Politico.
“There are good guys and bad guys in this war, and the Russians are the bad guys,” Wicker said. “They invaded, contrary to almost every international law, and they should be defeated. And Ukraine is entitled to the promises that the world made to it.”
2. Ag Museum hosting annual Spring Farm Days
The Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum announced it is hosting the annual Spring Farm Days event from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 6, through Saturday, March 8, 2025. Admission is $8 for ages 3 and up.
MDAC says visitors can explore the grounds and various exhibits to learn about farmstead life, gardening, forestry and more. The Children’s Barnyard houses a variety of animals including chickens, pigs, sheep, goats, and turkeys. Also, visitors can see horses and cows on the grounds. Snacks and treats can be purchased in the General Store located in Small Town Mississippi. Train ride, hayride and carousel ride tickets will be available for purchase daily for $1.
The Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum, located at 1150 Lakeland Drive in Jackson, is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Trump, Musk sit for Hannity interview
President Donald Trump and Elon Musk sat for an interview with Sean Hannity on FoxNews that aired on Tuesday. The two “responded to allegations from liberal media pundits and Democratic leaders that they are creating a constitutional crisis, arguing their detractors ‘are guilty of the crime of which they accuse us.'”
“We must be over the target or doing something right,” Musk told Hannity, with Trump saying, “That’s always the first thing they do. ‘He’s in violation of the Constitution.’ They don’t even know what they’re talking [about].”
“Trump officially announced Musk’s role in his new administration shortly after his decisive victory in the November election, tapping him to help DOGE ‘dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies,” FoxNews reported. “In recent weeks, DOGE has targeted the U.S. Agency for International Development, the United States Department of Health and Human Services and the United States Department of Education.”
2. 88-year-old Pope has pneumonia in both lungs
The AP reports that Vatican officials said late Tuesday that Pope Francis had developed pneumonia in both lungs, further complicating the pontiff’s recovery.
“The 88-year-old pope was hospitalized Friday after a weeklong bout of bronchitis worsened. On Monday, doctors said he had developed a mix of infections in his respiratory tract,” the AP reported. “On Wednesday, the Vatican said Pope Francis ‘had a tranquil night, woke up and had breakfast,’ saying he was in good spirits.”
The AP also noted, “It appears… that the pope is not bed-bound. He has been able to get out of bed and his heart function is good, according to a Vatican official.”
Sports
1. Southern Miss blanks No. 18 Miss. State
The Southern Miss baseball team is now 5-0 to open the 2025 season, shutting out No. 18 Mississippi State on Tuesday in Hattiesburg by a score of 3-0.
It’s the Golden Eagles’ first 5-0 start since 2016.
The game drew the fifth-largest crowd of 5,741 at Pete Taylor Park.
Mississippi State is now 3-1 on the young season and will play Missouri State this coming weekend.
Southern Miss is set to host a weekend series with Louisiana Tech starting on Friday.
2. Arkansas State pushes Ole Miss but Rebels walk it off with a win
An extra inning walk-off homerun by Ole Miss’ Judd Utermark allowed the Rebels to beat Arkansas State on Tuesday in Oxford by a score of 4-2 in the 10th.
The Rebels are now 3-1 on the season, and the Red Wolves are 1-3.
Ole Miss stays home for their next matchup as they host Eastern Kentucky this weekend in a three-game series.
Markets & Business
1. Mortgage demand drops
CNBC reports that mortgage rates dipped slightly last week, but so did mortgage demand, as housing affordability continues to sideline potential buyers.
“Total mortgage application volume fell 6.6% for the week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index,” CNBC reported. “The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($766,550 or less) dropped to 6.93% from 6.95%, with points increasing to 0.66 from 0.64 (including the origination fee) for loans with a 20% down payment.”
CNBC went on to add, “Applications for a mortgage to buy a home fell 6% for the week but were 7% higher year over year.”
2. Trump tariffs pushing automakers toward U.S.?
The Wall Street Journal reports that global automakers are scrambling as President Trump’s tariffs come into focus.
“On Tuesday, Trump said the sector tariffs could be ‘in the neighborhood of 25%’ and might rise even higher over time. A grace period could give companies time to bring production onshore, he added,” WSJ reported. “In response, automakers from Europe and Asia have been gaming out alternative manufacturing plans to remain competitive in a market that has become increasingly important.”
WSJ noted, “Slow growth and heavy regulation at home adds to the appeal of the U.S. for European brands. Sales in Europe last year were almost a fifth lower than in 2019, and manufacturers are having to make expensive investments in electric vehicles to meet stringent emissions regulations.”
