Important state and national stories, market and business news, sports and entertainment, delivered in quick-hit fashion
In Mississippi
1. Hyde-Smith, Britt push for permanent reauthorization of E-Verify program
Mississippi U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith has joined U.S. Senator Katie Britt of Alabama to introduce legislation to permanently reauthorize the E-Verify program and require its use by all employers in the United States.
The Mandatory E-Verify Act of 2026 would establish a national standard for the E-Verify program, which is already mandatory across a number of states and federal entities, including the United States Senate.
“E-Verify used to confirm worker eligibility, but lax enforcement and open-border policies have weakened its effectiveness to guarantee that authorized workers, not ineligible illegal immigrants, are being hired,” said Hyde-Smith, who serves on the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee.
The Senators said the legislation would enhance civil and criminal penalties for employing illegal aliens, strengthen fraud prevention measures within the E-Verify program, and prohibit states from blocking or preventing employers from using E-Verify.
2. Hernandez named Miss. State’s chief human resources officer
Jason I. Hernandez (who holds an Ed.D. from Vanderbilt University in Education, an MBA from Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, and a B.S. degree in Biology and Social Science from Chapman University in Orange County, California) will succeed Leslie M. Corey, who is retiring July 1 after more than 31 years of service to the university, as Mississippi State’s new chief human resources officer
“Leslie Corey has been a real hero during her outstanding career with MSU’s Human Resources Management team,” said MSU Provost and Executive Vice President David R. Shaw. “She has been a catalyst for stability, and at the same time brought innovation to MSU’s human resources program. All of us at MSU thank Leslie for her service and wish her all the best.”
Hernandez previously served as vice president for human resources at FedEx Freight in Memphis, Tenn., and later as CHRO at Centerstone Healthcare. At FedEx, Hernandez led the company’s global HR functions in one of the world’s most complex and challenging business operations from 2007 to 2019.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. U.S., Iran trade blows as negotiations continue
According to FoxNews, “U.S. officials on Wednesday said American forces launched additional ‘self-defense’ strikes against Tehran, intercepting four Iranian attack drones near the Strait of Hormuz and striking a nearby drone control station to prevent a fifth launch.”
“An Iranian official asserted Wednesday that Tehran will not back down from its ‘red lines’ in negotiations with the United States. Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament’s national security committee, wrote in a post on X that Iran’s red lines include the country’s right to enrich uranium, maintain stockpiles of enriched uranium and control the Strait of Hormuz. He also called for the lifting of all sanctions against Iran,” FoxNews reported.
FoxNews continued, “Trump said during a Cabinet meeting Wednesday that Iran was ‘negotiating on fumes,’ while accusing Tehran of relying on delay tactics to try to ‘outwait’ him on denuclearization talks.”
2. Alabama asks SCOTUS to clear way for new congressional map
The Hill reports that “Alabama asked the Supreme Court on Wednesday to clear the way for a redrawn congressional map that would remove the state’s second majority-Black district and give Republicans a potential pickup opportunity in November.”
“State Republicans insist the justices’ recent 6-3 blockbuster decision narrowing the Voting Rights Act means they should be able to move ahead with their map for the midterms,” The Hill reported. “But on Tuesday, a three-judge panel blocked the design. They ruled it intentionally discriminates against Black voters in violation of the Constitution, and the justices’ decision didn’t change that.”
“Alabama, no different than Louisiana, may stick to its neutral political and policy goals. That’s not intentional racial discrimination,” Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s (R) office wrote in its Supreme Court application.
The Hill further reported, “Marshall asked the Supreme Court to intervene by June 1 to ensure Alabama Republicans can use their favored map or to issue a temporary pause as they consider the state’s arguments.”
Sports
1. Miss. State softball to play in its first ever Women’s College World Series
The No. 20 Mississippi State softball team will make its first Women’s College World Series appearance this week, opening play in the first game of the tournament at 11 a.m. CT on Thursday against No. 4 Texas Tech.
The Red Raiders are a familiar foe for the Bulldogs. Texas Tech ended State’s season in the Lubbock Regional last year. That game was part of MSU being the only team to play three games in 2025 against the final four teams at the 2025 Women’s College World Series.
Should the Bulldogs win on Thursday, they will advance to play the winner of No. 6 Texas and No. 8 Tennessee at 2 p.m. on Saturday. That game will air nationally on ABC. In the event of a loss, the team plays the loser between the Longhorns and Lady Vols at 6 p.m. on Friday with the game airing on ESPN2.
2. Shuckers’ Jesus Made top overall baseball prospect
Baseball America and MLB Pipeline have named Biloxi Shuckers phenom Jesús Made as the top overall prospect in baseball.
Made joins Jackson Chourio as the highest-ranked prospect in Shuckers franchise history, and is the second top overall prospect in Milwaukee Brewers franchise history.
Made, who enters today as the youngest player at the Double-A level, holds a .257/.340/.400 slash line with 12 extra-base hits, 20 RBI and 15 stolen bases this season. Made is among the Southern League leaders in triples (T-2nd, 3), hits (3rd, 36) and stolen bases (T-4th, 15). In 2025, Made was named the Brewers Minor League Player of the Year for the second consecutive year, joining Taylor Green (2007, 2011) and Jackson Chourio (2022-23) as the only players in Brewers franchise history to earn the award multiple times. He also became the youngest player to appear in a game in Shuckers franchise history at 18 years and 124 days old when he made his Double-A debut in September, 2025.
Markets & Business
1. Futures fall, oil rises after U.S., Iran strikes
As reported by the Wall Street Journal, “Oil prices are climbing and the S&P 500 looks poised for its first fall in over a week after U.S. forces conducted new military strikes against Iran.”
“The most actively traded Brent crude futures are up about 2% to trade around $94 a barrel, partially unwinding yesterday’s decline and sending global bond yields higher,” WSJ reported. “U.S. stock futures are retreating slightly, led by tech-focused Nasdaq-100 contracts. Global stock indexes are also mostly lower.”
WSJ added, “Investors will get another glimpse at the war’s inflationary pressures before markets open with the release of the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge. Economists expect the PCE price index to have accelerated to 3.8% in April from a year earlier, well above the Fed’s 2% target.”
2. Mobile app launches for Trump Accounts
FoxBusiness reports that the White House announced on Wednesday that “Trump Accounts will drop a mobile app to track investments placed into children’s accounts as part of the administration’s new initiative.”
“TOMORROW: Trump Accounts, on your phone,” the White House wrote in an X post. “Manage everything. Watch the growth. All in ONE place.”
FoxBusiness noted, “The app, which was designed by Joe Gebbia and National Design Studio in partnership with BNY and Robinhood, can be downloaded through Apple or Google starting Thursday. It will feature eight exclusive financial literacy modules that families can immediately access, an initiative that officials told FOX Business is a top priority for Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.”
-- Article credit to the staff for the Magnolia Tribune --
