- Important state and national stories, market and business news, sports and entertainment, delivered in quick-hit fashion to start your day informed.
In Mississippi
Yazoo Valley EPA targeted by ransomware
The Mississippi Public Service Commission (PSC) shared reports Friday that Yazoo Valley Electric Power Association was targeted by a ransomware group last summer, resulting in a breach of approximately 20,000 customer records.
“The PSC takes the security and privacy of customer information seriously and encourages all affected customers to take necessary steps and precautions to help protect their information,” stated the Commissioners.
To minimize potential risks, customers are advised to:
- Monitor their accounts and credit reports closely for suspicious activity
- Consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze on their credit reports
- Be cautious of phishing scams and unsolicited emails or calls
- Educate themselves on identity theft and protection measures
National News & Foreign Policy
1. European leaders huddle with Zelensky after failed Trump meeting
After an Oval Office blowup on Friday and with President Donald Trump set to address Congress on Tuesday, European leaders met over the weekend for a security conference.
As reported by The Hill, “European and Canadian leaders pledged their support for [Volodymyr] Zelensky and Ukraine in London on Sunday, where leaders from across the continent gathered for a security conference. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the assembled leaders that they need to step up and continue to support Kyiv and meet a “once in a generation moment” for the security of Europe.”
“Starmer on Sunday told the BBC that the United Kingdom and France will work on a Ukraine peace plan and mediate between Zelensky and Trump. French President Emmanuel Macron and his foreign minister said today that France and Britain are proposing a partial one-month truce that would cover air, sea and energy infrastructure attacks but not include ground fighting,” The Hill reported.
2. Mexico, Canada, China await update on Trump tariffs
Mexico, Canada and China are watching to see what President Trump does this week on tariffs.
As reported by the New York Times, “The tariffs — which would add a 25 percent fee on all Mexican and Canadian exports coming across those borders and an additional 10 percent for Chinese goods — could still be pushed off.”
“Mr. Trump had threatened to impose them on the three countries beginning Feb. 4 but decided to pause the levies on Canada and Mexico for one month after the countries promised measures like Mexico’s sending more troops to the border and Canada’s appointing a ‘fentanyl czar,'” NYT reported. “Mr. Trump did move forward with imposing a 10 percent tariff on all products from China, which triggered retaliation from that country.”
NYT noted that “Canada, Mexico and China account for more than 40 percent of U.S. imports.”
Sports
1. Ole Miss sweeps, Southern Miss wins series, Miss. State loses 2 of 3
Here’s a rundown of how the Big 3 fared on the baseball field over the weekend:
- Ole Miss swept Wright State in a three-game series in Oxford. The Rebels, now 10-1, host Southeastern Louisiana Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. and Murray State Wednesday at 4 p.m.
- Mississippi State, now 7-4, traveled to Houston, losing 2 out of 3 over the weekend. State defeated Rice Friday but lost close ones to Arizona and Oklahoma State on Saturday and Sunday. The Bulldogs host Southern Miss on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
- Southern Miss won the three-game series at TCU, taking the Saturday and Sunday games after losing Friday. The Golden Eagles are now 9-3 heading into their mid-week matchup with Miss. State.
2. Mud Monsters announce game times
The Mississippi Mud Monsters have announced 2025 season games information ahead of the team’s first season at Trustmark Park in Pearl. The team’s schedule is above.
Most weeknight games (Tuesday through Friday) will start at 6:30 PM, Saturdays will start at 6:00 PM, and Sunday games will start at 2:00 PM (through June 8) and shift to 6:00 PM starting June 29.
The home opener is set for May 8 at 6:30 PM against the Florence Y’alls.
Markets & Business
1. Kroger CEO resigns over personal conduct
The Wall Street Journal reports that Kroger Chief Executive Rodney McMullen resigned from the company “following a board investigation of his personal conduct, ending a more than four-decades-long career at the grocery chain.”
“The supermarket operator said Monday that while the personal conduct was unrelated to the business, it was inconsistent with its policy on business ethics. It has tapped lead director Ronald Sargent to serve as chairman and interim CEO,” WSJ reported. “The Cincinnati company said its board was made aware of certain personal conduct by McMullen, who also served as chairman, on Feb. 21 and immediately retained outside independent counsel to conduct an investigation, which was overseen by a special board committee.”
2. Trump announces U.S. crypto reserve
CNBC reports that cryptocurrencies rallied on Sunday “after President Donald Trump announced the creation of a strategic crypto reserve for the United States that will include bitcoin and ether, as well as XRP, Solana’s SOL token and Cardano’s ADA.”
“Trump is hosting the first White House Crypto Summit on Friday, and investors will be watching closely for more clues about the direction of the reserve plans,” CNBC reported. “This is the first time Trump has specified his support for a crypto ‘reserve’ versus a ‘stockpile.’ While the former assumes actively buying crypto in regular installments, a stockpile would simply not sell any of the crypto currently held by the U.S. government.”
Magnolia Tribune
