Mexico has expressed that it wants an immediate investigation into how U.S. military-grade weapons have ended up in the hands of Mexican drug cartels. The nation's military has discovered belt-fed machine guns‚ rocket launchers‚ and even grenades‚ according to the Associated Press.The weapons the Mexican military has discovered are not available for retail to Americans‚ which raises questions about how drug cartels have them.Foreign Relations Secretary Alicia Barcena said that "the [Mexican] Defense Department has warned the United States about weapons entering Mexico that are for the exclusive use of the U.S. army."“It is very urgent that an investigation into this be carried out.”The report noted that the Mexican military had confiscated 12 rocket launchers‚ 56 grenade launchers‚ and 221 fully automatic machine guns from the drug cartels since 2018. The existence of the weapons has made it difficult for the Mexican government to effectively monitor and take action against the cartels‚ per the report.U.S. ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said that the Mexican government had brought up the issue during meetings last week. And while he claimed he was not aware of the issue‚ he said the U.S. government would be looking into the matter.“We are going to look into it‚ we are committed to working with Sedena [Mexico’s Defense Department] to see what’s going on‚” he said.Last month‚ Reuters reported that one possible way cartels are getting American-made weapons is from Racine‚ Wisconsin. The Midwestern town is most known for its factories and farms‚ but in 2018 it was a source of high-caliber weapons for one of Mexico's most notorious fentanyl trafficking gangs.The cartel took advantage of permissive federal and state-level gun control parameters to purchase some of the most powerful weapons available to the American public. However‚ these weapons do not include rocket launchers or machine guns.The firearms purchased in Racine were then moved to California and south of the border‚ according to an indictment‚ per Reuters.CBS News reported in September 2023 that U.S. intelligence documents and interviews had revealed that current and former officials said the government has known about weapons trafficking for years‚ but that it has not done enough to stem the spread of it.The report noted that these weapons have come from Wisconsin and as far away as Alaska. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Police in Arkansas have started a manhunt for two suspects who were found to be mysteriously missing when jail officials took attendance.The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is looking for 22-year-old Noah Rush and 23-year-old Jatonia Bryant‚ who reportedly "may have escaped within the last 48 hours" from the W.C. “Dub” Brassell Detention Center‚ the sheriff's office said in a press release.Roush was being detained on probable cause for residential burglary and theft of property and was also a suspect in a homicide.At the same time‚ Bryant was being detained on probable cause for capital murder."We had a head count this morning and they were missing‚ but it’s really just a guess‚ as we don’t know at what point they were not in the facility‚" Jefferson County Major John Bean told the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. "We have two K-9 units working‚" the policeman added. Authorities also noted that since "both young men are from the area‚" police are looking into past residences and recent acquaintances. State officials believe the two men went missing in the 48 hours prior to the discovery that they were gone. The sheriff's office was asked how the men may have conducted their escape but replied that the information was part of the ongoing investigation and a detail that the office didn't want to make public.In the official press release‚ Major Bean asked for citizens with any information regarding "anyone who may have assisted [the suspects] in their escape" to call local authorities."All efforts are being made at this moment to apprehend these suspects‚" the sheriff’s office continued. "Both individuals are to be considered dangerous and should only be approached law enforcement personnel‚" the press release added.The sheriff's office also wanted to inform residents that the communication center would be calling locals about the escapees and that some of the calls could show up as potential phone scams by accident.The W.C. Brassell Detention Center is the same facility that saw five deputies hospitalized after an accidental exposure to fentanyl last month. In late December 2023‚ the deputies responded to a jail cell where a detainee was allegedly smoking a piece of paper that may have been dipped in a liquid form of a drug.Two of the deputies went unconscious‚ another developed chest pain‚ and others had a headache and developed a rash on their faces.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The U.S. Supreme Court has voted to allow the federal government to resume cutting and removing razor wire installed by the state of Texas on the southern border. The 5-4 vote was swayed by Justice John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett‚ who sided with liberal judges Ketanji Brown Jackson‚ Elena Kagan‚ and Sonia Sotomayor in the ruling. “I don’t understand how you could possibly make this determination‚” Sara Gonzales says‚ adding‚ “and now‚ while we wait for SCOTUS to hear the larger case‚ we just get to keep letting all of these people in unvetted.” Stu Burguiere agrees but notes this is a process decision by the Supreme Court. Burguiere believes it “doesn’t necessarily mean they’re arguing against Texas’ right to defend themselves‚” though it does “make us more vulnerable for an extended period of time.” He adds that while Justice John Roberts is a “lost cause‚” this decision does make him nervous about Amy Coney Barrett. “Hopefully this isn’t an indication of what’s to come‚” he says. However‚ with the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade‚ SCOTUS has given conservatives hope that what’s to come won’t be all that bad. “That has helped‚ I think certainly in that case‚ but it’s not a cure-all‚” Burguiere says. Want more from 'The News &; Why It Matters?'To enjoy more rundowns of the top stories of the day‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.

In 2018‚ I gave a talk‚ and members of the men’s club I started‚ the Proud Boys‚ got into a small fight with Antifa. It wasn’t a big deal‚ but the Democrats and their media lackeys decided to use the incident as a counter to all the left-wing violence going on at the time. The midterms were coming‚ and they needed bad guys to tar Donald Trump’s side. What followed was a smear campaign that turned my family and me into pariahs and landed two Proud Boys in prison. Some stood by us. Of those who did‚ I couldn’t help but notice every single one of them had been through some kind of trauma. They were betrayed by friends during their divorces. They lost a loved one to illness. They dug themselves out of abject poverty. They had a handicapped son. (Full disclosure: My cancellation included being fired by Blaze Media on my first day there‚ but it was under a different board back then‚ so I forgive them.) I also noticed (and Louis C.K. concurs) that the people who stuck by us were disproportionately black. I think the reason is they don’t read garbage lefty blogs and generally see the whole “war on racism” as a white-on-white thing. But I don’t want to talk about those who stood by us. As the saying goes‚ “Hard times create strong men‚ strong men create good times‚ good times create weak men‚ and weak men create hard times.” So I want to talk about the “weak men” who will abandon you. They include friends‚ family‚ and strangers and fit into the following five categories. 1) The Sheep These people don’t feel passionate about politics. They might even be on your side‚ politically. They just don’t want to stick their necks out. Sheep are your neighbors‚ coworkers‚ strangers‚ and even some extended family. The dumbest thing you can do is try to reason with them. They don’t care how innocent you are; they just want to avoid trouble. I think the sheep are the most vile of the five. In the event of a war‚ these people would be the first to turn you in. These are the women whose heads they shaved in France in 1944 for sleeping with the enemy or “collaboration horizontale.” At least the people who hate you have the courage of their convictions. Not the sheep. As Martin Luther King Jr. famously said‚ “In the end‚ we will remember not the words of our enemies‚ but the silence of our friends.” 2) The Shockers Within the category of cancelers you know‚ this group is the strangest. About 5% of the people who cut you out of their lives are people you once trusted deeply. These are friends and family who knew the “real you” and yet decided to take the word of some recent college grad at the Daily Beast over yours. This might be the baby sister you taught how to ride a bike or even your mother. They tend to have really low IQs‚ but besides that‚ I can’t figure this group out. It’s like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” I don’t think the non-canceled understand how over the top the cancelers are. I can think of four people who truly stupefied me. My wife’s best friend of 35 years said‚ “I need to take a break from our friendship for a while‚” to which my wife responded‚ “What do you want me to do‚ divorce him?” My old bandmate‚ a man I’ve known since I was 14‚ stopped taking my calls. So did an old babysitter for my kids and a former neighbor. The strange thing about the last two is they used to tell incredibly racist jokes and were some of the least politically correct people I knew. I responded to one of them by saying‚ “Was it the part where I said all blacks need to go back to Africa‚ or was it denying the Holocaust?” She didn’t laugh. 3) The Activists This group is almost always female‚ disproportionately Jewish (secular)‚ and either childless or in a disastrous marriage. In my case‚ they were all obsessed with the Proud Boys‚ and some of them have built entire careers investigating the club. This group includes “Hate Watch” journalists who have dedicated their lives to catching a straight‚ white‚ conservative male saying something “inappropriate.” Imagine choosing journalism as a career and focusing on such an irrelevant part of American life. Our borders are wide open‚ 30 black people are killed by other black people every day‚ and half a dozen Americans overdose every hour! But‚ yeah‚ some NASCAR driver’s dad said the “N-word” in the 1980s‚ so let’s ruin his life. Amy Siskind is a local activist who threatened to hold a vigil near my home following the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting in 2018 to show my family that “hate has no home here.” We went to Siskind’s house and explained to her that wasn’t happening. Siskind is an out-and-proud lesbian with two kids whose same-sex affair destroyed her marriage. Farah Kathwari is another local activist. She put a sign on my lawn that said‚ “Hate Has No Home Here.” (They think in the same clichés.) Kathwari’s brother dropped out of medical school to become a jihadist and died for Allah in Afghanistan. I’m told her marriage was destroyed when her Muslim husband drunkenly groped another woman at a party. These bitter interventionists have shattered their own lives and seem determined to ensure we share their pain. They are particularly obsessed with getting me deported. That wouldn’t kill my ideas‚ of course. I can do my show anywhere. But it would upend my family and hurt my children. That’s the goal. The left hates families. 4) The Agree-to-Disagrees There are some people you can’t even be mad at. They might even ride out a controversy or two. When I was fired for saying‚ “Trans people are just mentally ill gays‚” many in this category stood by. But when the Proud Boys s**t hit the fan‚ they had to cut me loose. Because Hollywood is so alarmingly woke‚ my actor and comedian friends didn’t really have a choice. Being seen with me would have ended their careers‚ and I have no interest in costing anyone his livelihood. We had one couple who held an epic Christmas party every year‚ and every single one of their friends said they wouldn’t come to the party any more if my wife and I attended. I told him to choose the Christmas party. I don’t think the non-canceled understand how over the top the cancelers are. My brother’s wedding was canceled because the catering staff boycotted it after discovering he was my brother. He also had his career as an app developer destroyed. He works in construction now. Now‚ I realize some of you might say‚ “Why do you give the agree-to-disagrees a pass when you’re so tough on the sheep?” Because the sheep have nothing to lose. They wouldn’t be fired for not putting a sign on their lawn or letting their kids play with mine. They’re participating in cancel culture out of sheer cowardice. That’s despicable. 5) The Shrugs This group is kind of a combination of the agree-to-disagrees and the sheep. They do whatever their team tells them to. If the DNC says dump your GOP friends‚ they obey. I had a good friend in the comedy world‚ and our families took vacations together because we had kids of similar ages. Our favorite thing was complaining to each other about the way our wives stacked the dishwasher. I’d send him a picture of a bowl upright on the top rack with the caption‚ “Please explain to me how she thought this wasn’t just going to fill with hot water.” After five years‚ he ended our friendship with a text that read: “Opened an annoying dishwasher the other day. But didn’t text you about it because I felt that day may have come that we both knew was probably coming.” I thought he was kidding. Then he clarified: “Trump might be a dealbreaker.” This happened at the very beginning of my cancellation but before things really went nuts. Leftist media had instructed their followers to choose sides‚ and everyone got in line. This last group may be the most boring and the most interesting of the five. Their departure is mundane‚ but the dynamic behind it is fascinating. We have gone through a national divorce. Like a regular divorce‚ there can be no turning back. Ask someone who’s been divorced for a couple of years what the odds are of them reconciling with their ex. They usually dry-heave. Also‚ as with divorce‚ you’re forced to choose sides. Nobody remains Switzerland for very long. You can’t invite Mike and his new girlfriend to dinner and expect his ex-wife to join you. It would be like an MMA weigh-in. So‚ to the shrugs‚ I shrug back. We’re done. It isn’t polarizing to turn your back on half the country when half the country has lost its mind. Ideally‚ the side we chose will win the next election‚ and Donald Trump will put all these spoiled brats in their place. Because if the sheep‚ the shockers‚ the activists‚ the agree-to-disagrees‚ and the shrugs get their way‚ we are headed for some very hard times.

American "elites" say they would support the rationing of energy and meat to "fight climate change‚" according to a recently released poll by the Committee to Unleash Prosperity.The January study‚ "Them vs. U.S.: The Two Americas and How the Nation's Elite Is Out of Touch with Average Americans‚" is based on two surveys of "1‚000 Members of the Elites" conducted in September 2023 by Scott Rasmussen."The Elites are defined as those having a postgraduate degree‚ a household income of more than $150‚000 annually‚ and living in a zip code with more than 10‚000 people per square mile. Approximately 1% of the total U.S. population meets these criteria‚" the Committee to Unleash Prosperity's study explained.Of the elites surveyed‚ 73% identified as Democrats and 14% as Republicans. "The study also examined a sub-sample of elites‚ adults who attended Ivy League schools or other elite private schools‚ including Northwestern‚ Duke‚ Stanford‚ and the University of Chicago. Roughly half of those we classify as 'elites' attended one of these schools. For the purpose of this study‚ we label those who attended one of these schools as 'Ivy League Graduates‚'" the study added.The poll results revealed a "wide gap" between elites and the rest of Americans regarding economic‚ social‚ and political stances.When asked whether their financial situation has improved or worsened recently‚ 74% of elites responded that it has improved‚ while only 20% of average Americans agreed.According to 47% of elites‚ the United States grants "too much individual freedom." While 55% of Ivy League graduates agreed‚ only 16% of all Americans responded the same. Instead‚ 57% of average Americans polled responded that the government exercises too much control‚ while only 21% of elites and 15% of Ivy League graduates agreed."When Americans are asked if there is too much or too little freedom‚ Elites are three times more likely to say that there is too much individual freedom in America than all Americans. Almost six out of ten of the graduates from Elite colleges think there is too much freedom‚" the study revealed.Seventy-seven percent of elites and 89% of Ivy League graduates replied that they would favor "strict rationing of gas‚ meat‚ and electricity" to combat climate change‚ while only 28% of all Americans agreed. According to the poll‚ between half and two-thirds of elites and more than two-thirds of Ivy League graduates support banning gas stoves‚ gas-powered vehicles‚ non-essential air travel‚ SUVs‚ and private air conditioning.The survey also found that elites and Ivy League graduates have a more favorable opinion of lawyers‚ lobbyists‚ union leaders‚ and journalists than average Americans."Perhaps not surprisingly‚ at a time when President Biden's approval rating among voters was in the low 40s‚ his performance earned approval from 84% of the Elites‚" the poll revealed. Only 44% of all Americans said they approved of Biden."The data show that 70% of the Elites trust the government to do the right thing most of the time – more than twice the nationwide average. Among the most politically active members of the Elite‚ that figure rises to a stunning 89%‚" the study noted.Elites and Ivy League graduates were also more likely to support candidates who believe teachers should decide what students learn instead of parents. The Committee to Unleash Prosperity concluded that elites hold views that are "wildly out of touch with the American people.""It is important to note that not all members of the Elites are elitists. Some don't think about politics all that much‚ and others actively support traditional American values such as individual freedom. Still‚ given the influence they yield [sic]‚ the overall views of the Elites represent an existential threat to America's founding ideals of freedom‚ equality‚ and self-governance‚" the study concluded.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

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After two-and-a-half years in early access‚ dark fantasy boomer shooter Graven has exited early access‚ unleashing its final‚ ghoul-heavy incarnation upon the gaming public. And if you've got a taste for messily dispatching angular foes‚ it could well be worth arming up for. Continue reading Thief meets Blood in this ’90s style gothic boomer shooter‚ out now

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