- 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. Miss. State launching AI initiative with AWS
Mississippi State University (MSU) announced what it called a groundbreaking campus-wide AI initiative on Friday. Powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS), MSU is becoming the only university in Mississippi, and the first in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), to implement AWS’s artificial intelligence services to enhance engagement with prospective students, alumni, and supporters.
The school said using the Higher Education AI platform from Quintilian, Inc. powered by AWS, a leading education data and technology firm, MSU will leverage machine learning models that optimize MSU’s data to streamline key focus areas, such as student recruitment and engagement, alumni relations, communications, and university operations. The initiative will operate seamlessly within MSU’s existing systems.
“As Mississippi’s leading research university, we take pride in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—along with high-performance computing, data science, cybersecurity studies, agriculture and forestry, and business,” said MSU President Mark E. Keenum in a statement. “From that standpoint, this exciting partnership with a world-class organization like AWS is a great fit for the MSU community.”
2. Oxford-Lafayette Economic Development Foundation relocates to Ole Miss’ Insight Park
According to Ole Miss, the Oxford-Lafayette Economic Development Foundation has relocated its headquarters to Insight Park, creating a “one-stop shop” for economic and entrepreneurial development in the region.
William Nicholas, director of economic development and Insight Park, said Insight Park, the University of Mississippi’s research park, is a natural fit for the foundation which leads regional economic development efforts and connects businesses with local, state and university resources.
“”This is the first time that we have been co-located with the university,” foundation CEO Ryan Miller said. “We have been collaborators for years, but being here in the same space is going to make us a one-stop-shop for entrepreneurs, researchers and students.”
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Gameplan to avoid shutdown murky
As reported by The Hill, “Senate Republicans say President Trump has made it clear that he doesn’t want a government shutdown, and they’re urging House GOP lawmakers to tone down their approach to the Sept. 30 funding deadline.”
“House Republicans jammed Senate Democrats in March with a partisan funding bill, which Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) reluctantly voted for to avoid a shutdown,” The Hill reported. “But the political dynamics are different now. Schumer is under heavy pressure to fight harder against Trump and his MAGA-allies, heightening the chance of a shutdown if Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) tries to use the same playbook.”
The Hill noted, “By passing a few spending bills this week or in early September, Senate negotiators would be in a better position to insist that House GOP leaders meet them halfway.”
2. Pentagon suspends participation in think tank events
FoxNews reports that the Pentagon “has suspended participation in all think tank events until further notice, departing from a history of dialogue with Washington’s civilian national security realm.”
“The move is an attempt ‘to ensure the Department of Defense is not lending its name and credibility to organizations, forums and events that run counter to the values of this administration,'” FoxNews reported.
FoxNews went on to report, “In the future, the Defense Department (DOD)’s Office of Public Affairs will conduct a ‘thorough vetting’ every time an official is invited to a conference to decide whether the event advances Trump’s agenda.”
Sports
1. Mud Monsters add Callaway High grad
The Mississippi Mud Monsters announced a TempStaff Transaction on Saturday, signing right-handed pitcher Carl Brice, a Jackson native and graduate of Callaway High School.
The team said the 6‑5 right-hander has appeared in 111 professional games over eight seasons—including stops with Southern Maryland, Chicago, and Indiana—and posted 313 strikeouts in 290 innings.
His standout campaign in 2020 featured a 2.60 ERA and 14.3 strikeouts per nine innings. Brice played college baseball at Holmes Community College and Grace University (Nebraska).
2. Ole Miss women’s basketball’s Thienou representing Mali at 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket
Ole Miss Athletics says its women’s basketball standout Sira Thienou is taking her talents to the world stage to represent her home country Mali at the 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket from July 26-Aug. 3 in West Africa.
The school said Thienou and Mali will play two guaranteed games on July 26 and 28 against South Sudan and Cameroon, respectfully. Starting July 30, they will start competing in survive and advance matchups in hopes of securing the title on Aug. 3.
An All-SEC Freshman honoree, Thienou averaged 10.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and a team-high 2.4 steals per game for the Rebels last year. With 79 total steals, Thienou led all freshmen in a power four conference and was just two shy of tying Alisa Scott (1983-84) for the most steals by an Ole Miss freshman in a single season.
Markets & Business
1. Futures rise on U.S., EU trade deal
Investors are cheering President Trump’s trade deal with the European Union, reports the Wall Street Journal.
“Futures pointed to opening gains for U.S. indexes, while chip stocks led European markets higher. The dollar strengthened, including against the euro, in another sign of relief,” WSJ reported. “The deal removes a major risk for investors: that two of the biggest economic powers could descend into a trade war when Trump’s Aug. 1 tariff deadline expires. Markets rallied last week after reports suggested an agreement was close, muting Monday’s moves.”
WSJ added, “The EU deal came soon after Trump’s accord with Japan, another of America’s major trading partners.”
2. Musk touts chip contract with Samsung
CNBC reports that Samsung Electronics “has entered into a $16.5 billion contract for supplying semiconductors to Tesla, based on a regulatory filing by the South Korean firm and Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s posts on X. “
“The memory chipmaker, which had not named the counterparty, mentioned in its filing that the effective start date of the contract was July 26, 2025 — receipt of orders — and its end date was Dec. 31, 2033,” CNBC reported. “However, Musk later confirmed in a reply to a post on social media platform X that Tesla was the counterparty.”
Per CNBC, Musk also posted: “Samsung’s giant new Texas fab will be dedicated to making Tesla’s next-generation AI6 chip. The strategic importance of this is hard to overstate. Samsung currently makes AI4.TSMC will make AI5, which just finished design, initially in Taiwan and then Arizona.”
Magnolia Tribune
