- 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. New vaping product ban goes into effect December 1
Vaping in Mississippi is changing per a new state law that “bans products that are not manufactured by the current FDA-authorized e-cigarette manufacturers,” WLOX reports. Shop owners are largely unhappy as they are both losing products and losing the ability to serve their customers.
“A 60-day grace period began in October, and the clock is ticking until enforcement starts on December 1,” WLOX reported, noting, “The new law requires a registry of all vape products sold in the state.”
WLOX went on to report, “State leaders hope this upcoming ban will prevent anyone underage from having access to the products. Fines range from $500 to $1,500 per product per day for non-compliance.”
2. Wicker, Britt introduce Citizen Ballot Protection Act
Mississippi U.S. Senator Roger Wicker and Alabama U.S. Senator Katie Britt have introduced the Citizen Ballot Protection Act.
According to Wicker, the bill would ensure states are able to better verify that only American citizens are voting in federal elections by codifying the ability of states to require that an applicant provide proof of American citizenship when registering to vote via mail-in application.
“The right to vote is a sacred American value. For too long, cities across the U.S. have allowed noncitizens to vote in elections. Ensuring that United States citizens are the only people voting is a commonsense provision that will promote election integrity,” said Senator Wicker.
Mississippi’s other U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith signed on to the legislation as well, along with other Republican Senators.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Ukraine agrees to “core terms” of peace plan
The Hill reports that “Ukraine has agreed to the core elements of a peace proposal brokered by the Trump administration, with some details still to be worked out, a U.S. official confirmed Tuesday to NewsNation’s Kellie Meyer.”
“Rustem Umerov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, confirmed in a social media post that Ukrainian and U.S. delegations agreed on ‘the core terms’ of the agreement presented in Geneva,” The Hill reported. “White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt in a Tuesday morning post on X said the U.S. ‘has made tremendous progress towards a peace deal by bringing both Ukraine and Russia to the table.’”
“There are a few delicate, but not insurmountable, details that must be sorted out and will require further talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States,” she added, per The Hill.
2. Muslim Brotherhood chapters designated as “Foreign Terrorist Organizations”
As reported by the Washington Post, “President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday that begins the process of designating certain chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood ‘as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists.’”
“The Muslim Brotherhood is a Sunni Islamist organization founded in Egypt in 1928 that achieved political power in the nation briefly in 2012 before the Muslim Brotherhood-aligned Egyptian government was overthrown in a 2013 coup,” WP reported.
WP continued, “The White House said the designation will help combat the group’s transnational network, which it said fuels terrorism and destabilization campaigns against U.S. interests and allies in the Middle East. A fact sheet accompanying the order cites connections between Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas, which was responsible for the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, among other alleged links to terrorist activity.”
Sports
1. High stakes Egg Bowl to kick off Friday
No. 6 Ole Miss comes into Starkville on Friday trying to not only reach the College Football Playoff by going 11-1 on the season but also trying to keep their Head Coach from bolting to a rival SEC program.
Lane Kiffin’s reportedly been offered nearly $100 million contract at LSU and Florida has also come calling, causing a lot of media traffic. After a meeting with Athletic Director Keith Carter last Friday, the two agreed on a statement that said an announcement on Kiffin’s future is expected Saturday.
For now, the question is if players can lock in and not be distracted by their Head Coach’s self-made bidding war for his services next season. If they can, Ole Miss could be hosting a playoff game in Oxford, a huge win not only for the university but for the state of Mississippi.
But there’s still a game to be player on Friday between Ole Miss and Mississippi State, the annual Egg Bowl. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. It will be aired on ABC.
2. A win sends USM to Sun Belt Championship game
Southern Miss has an opportunity to win the Sun Belt West and punch its ticket to the conference championship game on Saturday if they can overcome two straight losses.
The Golden Eagles need a win over Troy in Hattiesburg to move on to face James Madison in the Sun Belt Championship game. Both USM and Troy are 7-4 on the season and 5-2 in conference play.
The game Saturday kicks off at 2:30 p.m. and will air on ESPN+.
Markets & Business
1. Consumer confidence sours
CNBC reports that “consumers soured on the current economy and their prospects for the future, with worries growing over the ability to find a job, according to a Conference Board survey released Tuesday.”
“The board’s Consumer Confidence Index for November slumped to 88.7, a drop of 6.8 points from the prior month for its lowest reading since April. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones were looking for a reading of 93.2,” CNBC reported. “In addition, the expectations index tumbled 8.6 points to 63.2, while the present situation index slipped to 126.9, a decline of 4.3 points.”
“Consumers were notably more pessimistic about business conditions six months from now,” said Dana Peterson, the board’s chief economist, per CNBC. “Mid-2026 expectations for labor market conditions remained decidedly negative, and expectations for increased household incomes shrunk dramatically, after six months of strongly positive readings.”
2. Government funded grocery stores?
According to the Wall Street Journal, “When the Azalea Fresh Market opened this summer, it became the only supermarket to operate in this city’s downtown in two decades. To make that happen, the city contributed $8 million in cash, grants and loans.”
“Now, this 20,000-square-foot store is the beginning of what officials hope will be more publicly funded, but privately run supermarkets to come. The goal is for the store to become profitable without any government subsidy within three years. With the same funding, the city is already aiding the construction of a second planned store 6 miles away, expected to open next year,” WSJ reported. “Atlanta joins a growing number of cities testing publicly funded options for affordable fresh food, in areas where businesses are put off by the risks.”
WSJ added, “In New York City, mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani campaigned on starting government-backed grocery stores. He aims to beat the chains on price, he has said, by allowing stores to operate free of rent and property taxes at city-owned sites.”
