- 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. Gipson, Ag leaders urge support of America’s agricultural system
Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson, along with state agricultural leaders from Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina and West Virginia, sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make permanent several regulatory measures that have strengthened America’s agricultural system.
MDAC said several of the regulations were first implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic as emergency measures to relax rules that constrain producers, processors and distributors. Though the pandemic was a singular event, ag leaders argue these measures which cut unnecessary red tape and strengthened the country’s supply chains proved highly effective and should continue.
Agricultural leaders pointed to emergency measures adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic that temporarily eased regulatory requirements without compromising food safety, worker protections or environmental standards. These measures include crop insurance and USDA loan flexibility; food labeling adjustments; trucking and transportation relief; environmental compliance discretion; and import documentation modernization.
2. Ingalls authenticates the keel for future USS Philadelphia
Ingalls Shipbuilding authenticated the keel Tuesday for the future USS Philadelphia (LPD 32), a Flight II San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship.
The ceremony included ship sponsor Maureen Paparo, a Philadelphia native, who was joined by her spouse, Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Also, attending the ceremony was Chris Kastner, HII’s president and CEO, Brian Blanchette, Ingalls Shipbuilding president and key U.S. Navy officials.
LPD 32 is one of three Flight II San Antonio-class ships currently under construction at Ingalls. Flight II ships are designed to replace the aging Whidbey Island-class (LSD 41) and Harpers Ferry-class (LSD 49) dock landing ships.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Son of slain Iranian Ayatollah emerges as front-runner to be next Supreme Leader
According to the New York Times, “The senior clerics responsible for selecting Iran’s next supreme leader met on Tuesday to deliberate, and the son of the slain former leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, emerged as the clear front-runner, according to three Iranian officials familiar with the deliberations.”
“The officials said that the clerics were considering announcing that the son, Mojtaba Khamenei, would be his father’s successor as early as Wednesday morning but that some had expressed reservations, fearing that it could expose him as a target for the United States and Israel. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations,” NYT reported. “The clerics, known as the Assembly of Experts, held two virtual meetings one in the morning and one in the evening, according to the officials.”
NYT continued, “Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, is an influential if reclusive figure who has operated in the shadows of the empire of his father, who was killed on Saturday in the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. Mr. Khamenei is known for having close ties to the Revolutionary Guards.”
2. Senate Democrats show no sign of ending DHS shutdown
The Hill reports that centrist Democrats in the Senate “are showing little appetite to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and end the partial shutdown, despite Republicans trying to ramp up the pressure as the U.S. escalates its conflict with Iran.”
“Talks between the White House and Democratic negotiators have made little progress in recent weeks as Democrats dig in on their demands. Republicans this week sought to break the stalemate by arguing the conflict is heightening the threats at home and pointing to DHS’s role in domestic security and counterterrorism,” The Hill reported. “Democrats aren’t convinced, including most of those who voted to end the government shutdown in November.”
“No, I don’t. … [Republicans] gave DHS plenty of money in the ‘big, beautiful bill.’ They have plenty of money. So we’re not going to suddenly say, ‘Oh, well, let’s give up our request for necessary reforms,’” said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), per The Hill.
Sports
1. No. 10 Southern Miss upends No. 4 Miss. State
No. 10 Southern Miss upended No. 4 Mississippi State 7-6 in Hattiesburg Tuesday night.
MSU had previously only lost to No. 1 UCLA.
The Golden Eagles (11-1) won for the 11-straight game and will continue their five-game homestand Wednesday with a 6 p.m., contest against Nicholls.
The Bulldogs (11-2) fell for the second-straight time and for the fifth consecutive contest at Pete Taylor Park. They welcome Lipscomb to Starkville for a three-game series starting Friday.
2. Rebels rebound with win over Memphis
Ole Miss (11-2) notched a 7-1 midweek win over Memphis Tuesday night at Swayze Field in Oxford.
Third baseman Judd Utermark sent two balls out of the park and drove in five.
The Rebels will be back in action tonight against North Alabama. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.
Markets & Business
Global 15% tariffs expected next week
CNBC reports that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday “said President Donald Trump’s recently announced 15% global tariff will be implemented sometime this week.”
“Bessent, in an interview on CNBC’s ‘Squawk Box,’ also predicted that U.S. tariff rates would soon effectively return to where they stood before the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s most expansive duties,” CNBC reported.
“It’s my strong belief that the tariff rates will be back to their old rate within five months,” Bessent said.
