In the latest report inflation rose more than predicted in January due in part to grocery and housing costs. 

NBC Late Night host Seth Meyers responded to Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report on Monday by echoing the White House line that remarks about Biden’s age and memory were “very gratuitous.” Meyers also labeled the report “a [bleep] hit job” while spending most of the time in-between those remarks by focusing on Donald Trump’s bloopers. Before playing a video of CNN’s Anderson Cooper on February 8‚ Meyers declared that “Hur issued a report clearing Biden of any wrongdoing but then added in what seemed to be a very gratuitous hypothetical about Biden's age.”     In the clip‚ Cooper is seen reading from the report‚ “The report clears him legally but could damage him obviously politically‚ including a passage which reads‚ and I quote‚ ‘Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury as he did during our interview with him as a sympathetic‚ well-meaning‚ elderly man with a poor memory.’” Meyers followed up by trying to argue Biden is the victim of a double standard‚ “If that kind of language was appropriate in a legal finding‚ then prosecutors could have done the same thing to Trump. Robert Mueller could have said‚ 'we can't charge the president with obstruction of justice because he would likely present himself to jurors as a demented weirdo who doesn't know what city he's in‚ forgets how to shake hands‚ and can't remember how to spell his wife's name or his own name.'” Of course‚ there is a difference between a typo and forgetting what years you were vice president‚ but Meyers rolled right along‚ “Again‚ I'm not saying Biden's age is not fair game‚ it is. On Thursday‚ for example‚ Biden complained about the special counsel report and said the media should look into the origins of the report. But even he couldn't say the word 'origins.'” Meyers then played a clip of Trump from April 2019 struggling to pronounce the word “origins” and often saying “oranges” in an attempt to make the point that people focusing on Biden’s bloopers are being hypocritical‚ but again‚ struggling to pronounce a word is not the same thing as confusing Mexico for Egypt or François Mitterrand for Emanuel Macron or Helmut Kohl for Angela Merkel all within the same week. Meyers also played a more recent clip of Trump suggesting that if he loses in November‚ Pennsylvania will have to get a name change‚ which led Meyers to respond‚ “Trump and Biden are both old. It is not ideal. That's the choice. And as for the special counsel report‚ two things can be true: it was a [bleep] political hit job‚ but also the reality is 86 percent of Americans think Biden is too old for another term‚ so Biden has to prove them wrong.” If Biden has to prove them wrong‚ then maybe Hur’s comments about a potential jury’s views of Biden aren’t that “gratuitous” after all.   Here is a transcript for the February 12-taped show: NBC Late Night with Seth Meyers 2/13/2024 12:48 AM ET SETH MEYERS: Hur issued a report clearing Biden of any wrongdoing but then added in what seemed to be a very gratuitous hypothetical about Biden's age.  ANDERSON COOPER [FEBRUARY 8]: The report clears him legally‚ but could damage him obviously politically‚ including a passage which reads‚ and I quote‚ “Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury as he did during our interview with him as a sympathetic‚ well-meaning‚ elderly man with a poor memory.” MEYERS: If that kind of language was appropriate in a legal finding‚ then prosecutors could have done the same thing to Trump. Robert Mueller could have said‚ “we can't charge the president with obstruction of justice because he would likely present himself to jurors as a demented weirdo who doesn't know what city he's in‚ forgets how to shake hands‚ and can't remember how to spell his wife's name‚ or his own name.” Again‚ I'm not saying Biden's age is not fair game‚ it is. On Thursday‚ for example‚ Biden complained about the special counsel report and said the media should look into the origins of the report. But even he couldn't say the word “origins.” DONALD TRUMP [APRIL 2‚ 2019]: I hope they now go and take a look at the oranges -- the oranges of the -- investigation‚ the beginnings of that investigation. You look at the orange of the investigation. The Mueller Report I wish covered the oranges of how it started.  MEYERS: Oh‚ shoot‚ I got the guys mixed up. I hope this doesn't end up being the top story. That‚ of course‚ was Trump struggling to say the word "origins‚" and Trump's mind has only continued to devolve since then over the weekend‚ he claimed that if he loses in November‚ the state of Pennsylvania will have a new name.  TRUMP [FEBRUARY 9]: If you live in this commonwealth‚ register everyone you know and get them out to vote we have to -- we have to win in November‚ or we're not going to have Pennsylvania. They'll change the name. They're going to change the name of Pennsylvania.  MEYERS: "Hi mom‚ yeah‚ I'm worried about grandpa. Yeah‚ he says they're going to change the name of Pennsylvania if we lose World War II and he keeps asking for oranges."  Trump and Biden are both old. It is not ideal. That's the choice. And as for the special counsel report‚ two things can be true: it was a [bleep] political hit job‚ but also the reality is 86 percent of Americans think Biden is too old for another term‚ so Biden has to prove them wrong. 

On today's Morning Joe‚ ex-RNC chair Michael Steele encouraged voters to ignore Joe Biden's undeniable mental problems‚ and instead focus on his supposed achievements: "Don't worry about whether or not he remembers something that happened 30 years ago. Listen to what he's telling you today." Scarborough broke in to add "Look in their bank account." He started ranting that "all these rich people that are bitching about how he's a socialist. And I heard another story about it last night! People around the table‚ this guy that's got millions and millions of dollars‚ all he's doing is bitching about‚ oh‚ Biden's a socialist‚ he's surrounded by socialists." He presented this as a myth you learn from watching Fox and Newsmax. Forget his "Inflation Reduction Act" getting buy-in from socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders. Scarborough had the chutzpah to imply Biden is better for capitalism than Trump. You want to know how Biden's doing? Look at your 401(k). And if you're one of these rich country club types that drive your Ferrari or your Maserati to the country club and bitch about how horrible the economy is. Look at your‚ your stock app and see how much money you're making every hour.  Because there's not a crazy lunatic in the White House. There's somebody who actually respects the rule of law. There's actually somebody who respects American democracy. And‚ yes‚ there's actually somebody that respects American capitalism and what keeps it stable. But these freaks‚ I'm not exactly sure what they think they're going to get from Donald. But they're going to get none of that.  Replied the sycophantic Steele: "I couldn't agree with you more. It's that type of evidence that still puzzles me; that people blow through fast to get to the age of Joe Biden." Scarborough also stereotyped Trump supporters who criticize Biden as rich guys driving their Ferraris to the country club. Surely Scarborough must know that the average Trump voter is more likely to be driving a pickup truck to the high school football game. There was a bit of oblivious irony on Scarborough's part. He recounted the story of a friend at a dinner party where a very rich man was denouncing Biden as a socialist‚ but that "because he's a really wealthy guy‚ nobody at the dinner table was saying anything to him." In other words‚ toadying up or being cowed by rich or powerful people is wrong‚ suggests Joe. But there was Steele‚ deferring to and praising Scarborough at every turn.  When Scarborough hinted he wanted to say something‚ Steele stopped himself mid-sentence and urged Scarborough to go ahead. And that there was the praise and the obsequious agreement: "I couldn't agree with you more." This isn't in any way a "news" program. It sounds like a DNC advertisement. Distract from Biden's glaring loss of mental acuity‚ and try to shift the focus elsewhere. And before the segment described here‚ Scarborough mocked Trump over some of his own forgetfulness. Democrats are playing a losing hand if they want to make this a race about the candidates' comparative physical and mental vitality. Here's the transcript. MSNBC Morning Joe 2/13/24 6:11 am ET MICHAEL STEELE: To the point about how these individuals are performing‚ you are spot on. And you are making the most critical point that the Democrats continue to fail to make about their own candidate.  And that is‚ don't worry about whether or not he remembers something that happened 30 years ago. Listen to what he's telling you today. Listen to how he's talking about and framing the arguments for this hour‚ as we're confronting an explosion in Europe because our Republican Senate and House members want to light the fuse for Putin. Listen to how he's talking about helping the nation recover from COVID‚ from a downturn in the economy‚ from a loss of hope and jobs and opportunities. Listen to how he's trying to move the nation off of the authoritarian‚ anti-democratic behavior of the other party.  And so you do have some very clear contrast -- JOE SCARBOROUGH: -- Hey‚ Michael? STEELE: And as you said -- yeah‚ go ahead‚ Joe. Yeah. SCARBOROUGH: Look in their bank account. Why don't they do that‚ too? STEELE: Yes! JOE SCARBOROUGH: For all these‚ all these rich people that are bitching about how he's a socialist. And I heard another story about it last night!  People around the table‚ this guy that's got millions and millions of dollars‚ all he's doing is bitching about‚ oh‚ Biden's a socialist‚ he's surrounded by socialists. And because he's a really wealthy guy‚ nobody at the dinner table was saying anything to him. And this‚ then a woman told me‚ was telling me about how she said‚ "Hey. Wait a second‚ how's Biden a socialist? Well‚ he's just a --Name one policy? Well. Name one person in his administration. Well‚ I just know he is. I just know.  Well‚ he must know because he listens to certain shows on Fox News‚ or Fox Business‚ or Newsmax‚ or something like that.  That's the thing‚ Michael‚ that Willie and I talk about all the time. You want to know how Biden's doing? Look at your 401(k). And if you're one of these rich country club types that drive your Ferrari or your Maserati to the country club and bitch about how horrible the economy is. Look at your‚ your stock app and see how much money you're making every hour.  Because there's not a crazy lunatic in the White House. There's somebody who actually respects the rule of law. There's actually somebody who respects American democracy. And‚ yes‚ there's actually somebody that respects American capitalism and what keeps it stable. But these freaks‚ I'm not exactly sure what they think they're going to get from Donald. But they're going to get none of that.  So‚ just look right in front of you right now when trying to figure out‚ Michael‚ whether he's up to the job right now. Your 401(k) suggests he is. STEELE:  I couldn't agree with you more. And it is that type of evidence that still puzzles me that people blow past to score the point against Joe Biden on his age.

Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt rebuked Diversity‚ Equity‚ and Inclusion (DEI) during a Feb. 8 speech at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill‚ directly blaming the leftist ideology for growing anti-Semitism. Haidt’s attack on DEI came after being asked whether he agreed with proposals to diminish the role of “DEI bureaucrats” that ultimately diverge from the “pursuit of truth and academic integrity.” In response‚ Haidt declared he agreed with the reduction of DEI influence and pointed out the short road between the race-obsessed ideology and recent outbreaks of anti-Semitism. “When you teach kids to see in a certain way‚ and you emphasize identity‚ the inevitable outcome in terms of anti-Semitism is: ‘Jews are white‚ Jews are oppressors‚ it’s okay to kill Jews because that’s just resistance‚’” Haidt said‚ highlighting that some professors have characterized Hamas’s Oct. 7 terror attack on Israel as a mere act of decolonization. “I now think that identitarianism is completely incompatible with the mission of a university. Any organization that embraces identitarianism becomes mired in conflict.” The legacy media has taken a different approach‚ both before and after a deluge of campus anti-Semitism followed the brutal Hamas terrorist attack on Oct. 7. CNN host Fareed Zakaria brought on comedian Jon Stewart‚ who gaslighted CNN’s audience by downplaying DEI initiatives. Within a month of the Hamas terrorist attack‚ Zakaria tried to deflect blame for campus anti-Semitism from the DEI left onto Christians.  CNN host Sarah Sidner also defended DEI on the air by attacking Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) for his opposition to the ideology. CNBC journalist Jennifer Elias even panicked at the news that some corporations were rolling back their DEI programs.  Haidt is not the first to note the relationship between DEI and anti-Semitism. During the January 2024 European Jewish Association Delegation‚ X owner Elon Musk spoke to The Daily Wire editor emeritus Ben Shapiro about the “fundamentally anti-Semitic” nature of DEI. Similarly‚ Shapiro discussed the danger of demonizing people as an “oppressor class” based on their background. Billionaire hedge-fund manager Bill Ackman has also laid into the discriminatory ideology: “I came to learn that the root cause of antisemitism at Harvard was an ideology that had been promulgated on campus‚ an oppressor/oppressed framework‚ that provided the intellectual bulwark behind the protests‚ helping to generate anti-Israel and anti-Jewish hate speech and harassment.”  Conservatives are under attack. Contact ABC News (818) 460-7477‚ CBS News (212) 975-3247 and NBC News (212) 664-6192 and demand they report on the dangers of leftist DEI ideology infecting corporate America

The second verse‚ same as the first. In a continuation of their blackout from the previous evening‚ the Tuesday morning newscasts of ABC‚ CBS‚ and NBC absolutely refused to acknowledge the fact that the attempted mass shooter at the Lakewood megachurch in Houston‚ Texas was transgender‚ who would go by male and female names; a fact disclosed by authorities during a press conference. What they did make sure to note‚ rightly‚ was that the shooter was anti-Semitic and a supporter of Palestine. “And it’s that anti-Semitic material combined with the fact authorities saw the word ‘Palestine’ written on the shooter’s rifle‚ which has them saying that they are not ruling out terrorism or a hate crime as a potential motivating cause here‚” NBC correspondent Morgan Chesky announced on the Today show. Chesky leaned on the press conference from Houston Police Commander Christopher Hassig to fill out the details of the shooter’s anti-Semitic writings‚ criminal history‚ and history of mental illness: CHESKY: A search of Moreno’s home yielding ingredients to make explosives and written material with a very clear message. HASSIG: We do have some anti-Semitic writings that we have uncovered during this process. CHESKY: Law enforcement records show Moreno had at least six prior arrests since 2005‚ including weapons charges. In 2016‚ authorities also placed Moreno under an emergency detention order. HASSIG: She does have a mental health history that is documented. CHESKY: Police say a dispute with her ex-husband's family‚ some of whom are Jewish may also be related to the shooting. But what neither Chesky nor the rest of the correspondents to be covered here shared was Hassig’s note that the shooter went by different gender identities.     As Hassig explained at the press conference: “She utilized both male and female names‚ but through all of our investigation through this point‚ talking with individuals‚ interview‚ documents‚ Houston Police Department reports‚ she has been identified this entire time as female. She‚ her.” On a related note‚ all the network correspondents did note the shooter’s history of mental health issues. “Authorities say one of the weapons was bought legally in December. The shooter obtaining the guns despite her history of mental illness and arrests dating back to 2005 on charges including assault‚” ABC’s Mireya Villarreal reported on Good Morning America. Adding: “Houston's police chief directly told me that they are now aware of the shooter's mental health history and they are delving into it.” Over on CBS Mornings‚ correspondent Omar Villafranca seemed to be skeptical of a larger motive of hate toward Jews. “While investigators zero in on a motive‚ they revealed yesterday one of the shooter's guns had a sticker reading “Palestine” on it. They also found anti-Semitic writings. But say they believe these may be related to a dispute with her ex-husband's family‚” he said. He highlighted that the local CBS affiliate‚ KHOU‚ spoke with the shooter’s mother-in-law who described the shooter as “violent.” “She was violent many times. [Transition] We asked for help from police and received it many times‚ but she was still allowed to own guns‚” she said. Chesky concluded his segment by reporting that a neighbor told him “there had been red flags in place for months in their neighborhood. Adding‚ she even had a restraining order filed against Moreno as recently as this past fall.” They were able to dig up all of this information about the shooter’s background‚ but they willfully ignored one politically inconvenient piece. The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: ABC’s Good Morning America February 13‚ 2024 7:12:00 a.m. Eastern MICHAEL STRAHAN: New to details on the shooting at Joel Osteen's megachurch. Officials have identified the woman who opened fire before being killed by law enforcement. And they now say the 7-year-old boy injured in the shooting was her son. Mireya Villarreal has the latest. [Cuts to video] MIREYA VILLARREAL: This morning‚ new video reveals the terrifying scene inside Joel Osteen's Houston megachurch‚ Lakewood during a shooting rampage that wounded two. The shooter‚ who was killed inside the church‚ is now identified as 36-year-old Genesse Moreno. (…) 7:13:27 a.m. Eastern VILLARREAL: Two weapons were recovered at the scene including an AR-15. Anti-Semitic writings were found on the shooter. CHRISTOPHER HASSIG (Houston Police Department): There was a sticker on the rifle that stated “Palestine.” VILLARREAL: Authorities say one of the weapons was bought legally in December. The shooter obtaining the guns despite her history of mental illness and arrests dating back to 2005 on charges including assault. [Cuts back to live] Houston's police chief directly told me that they are now aware of the shooter's mental health history and they are delving into it. But when we pressed the FBI about how this person with a criminal background like this could have gotten ahold of not just one‚ but two guns‚ they sidestepped that question and said that is part of the larger investigation. CBS Mornings February 13‚ 2024 7:12:13 a.m. Eastern TONY DOKOUPIL: We're going to turn to new information about the deadly shooting at Joel Osteen's megachurch in Houston. We're seeing new video showing the chaos Sunday as the shots rang out. Police say the shooter was a 36-year-old woman with a history of a mental illness who had attended the church in the past year. Omar Villafranca has the latest. [Cuts to video] OMAR VILLAFRANCA: Investigators are sifting through chilling new videos like this‚ showing panicked churchgoers in one of the country's largest houses of worship. With her son by her side‚ police say 36-year-old Genesse Moreno walked into the megachurch carrying an AR-style rifle. When she was confronted by off-duty officers doing security‚ she opened fire. (…) 7:13:25 a.m. Eastern VILLAFRANCA: While investigators zero in on a motive‚ they revealed yesterday one of the shooter's guns had a sticker reading “Palestine” on it. They also found anti-Semitic writings. But say they believe these may be related to a dispute with her ex-husband's family. CHRISTOPHER HASSIG (Houston Police Department): There was a familial dispute [Transition] and some of those individuals are of – are Jewish. VILLAFRANCA: Officials said the shooter has a history of mental illness and was arrested at least six times‚ including a weapons charge. Our CBS affiliate KHOU spoke the shooter’s mother-in-law who says there were so many warning signs. WALLI CARRANZA (shooter’s mother-in-law): She was violent many times. [Transition] We asked for help from police and received it many times‚ but she was still allowed to own guns. (…) NBC’s Today February 13‚ 2024 7:10:30 a.m. Eastern HODA KOTB: We are now learning more about the gunman who opened fire inside pastor Joel Osteen's Houston megachurch on Sunday. Investigators say they uncovered anti-Semitic material at her home. NBC’s Morgan Chesky has got the very latest for us this morning. Hey‚ Morgan. Good morning. MORGAN CHESKY: Hey‚ Hoda‚ good morning. And it’s that anti-Semitic material combined with the fact authorities saw the word “Palestine” written on the shooter’s rifle‚ which has them saying that they are not ruling out terrorism or a hate crime as a potential motivating cause here. And this is happening as we’ve learned that the shooter's 7-year-old son remains in critical condition after police say she brought him inside the church when she started to open fire. [Cuts to video] More than 24 hours after gunfire rang out through Houston's Lakewood megachurch‚ investigators are painting a troubling picture of the woman they say opened fire. Houston police identifying the deceased shooter as 36-year-old Genesse Yvonne Moreno. Telling NBC News she was carrying an AR-15 with the word "Palestine" written on it. A search of Moreno’s home yielding ingredients to make explosives and written material with a very clear message. CHRISTOPHER HASSIG (Houston Police Department‚ commander): We do have some anti-Semitic writings that we have uncovered during this process. CHESKY: Law enforcement records show Moreno had at least six prior arrests since 2005‚ including weapons charges. In 2016‚ authorities also placed Moreno under an emergency detention order. HASSIG: She does have a mental health history that is documented. CHESKY: Police say a dispute with her ex-husband's family‚ some of whom are Jewish may also be related to the shooting. (…) 7:13:16 a.m. Eastern CHESKY: We heard from the neighbor yesterday‚ who refused to go on camera‚ but did say definitively there had been red flags in place for months in their neighborhood. Adding‚ she even had a restraining order filed against Moreno as recently as this past fall. (…)

The U.S. Senate passed a $95 billion foreign aid package Tuesday morning in a 70-29 vote after its opponents‚ who filibustered throughout the night‚ exhausted their floor time. Although the bill has cleared the chamber with the help of 18 Republican senators — prompting thanks from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — its fate in Congress is anything but certain. Whereas House Democrats have vowed to exhaust all options to see it pass‚ House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) indicated he would ensure the legislation won't survive‚ at least in its current form. The bill's passage Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) suggested that the foreign aid package serves as a signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin that America is committed "to our allies in NATO." "With this national security bill‚ the Senate keeps its word to Ukrainians in need of supplies‚ to innocent Palestinian civilians in need of relief‚ to Israelis in need of support‚ and to U.S. service members on patrol in the Indo-Pacific‚ the Red Sea‚ and around the world‚" wrote Schumer. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)‚ chief among the Republicans who championed the legislation‚ framed the foreign aid as a matter of ensuring that America's allies have the wherewithal to fight so that American soldiers won't have to. "We haven't equipped the brave people of Ukraine‚ Israel‚ or Taiwan with lethal capabilities in order to win philanthropic accolades‚" said the Senate Republican leader. "We do it because it is in our own interest. We equip our friends to face our shared adversaries so we're less likely to have to spend American lives to defeat them." Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.)‚ who led the unsuccessful speaking filibuster‚ suggested House Republicans "more conservative than the Republicans in this body" would ultimately kill the bill‚ which he characterized as a "middle finger to every working man and woman in America‚ to every struggling family." A previous version of the bill had a price tag of $118 billion and would have included $20.23 billion for American border security. Recognizing that it would do little to secure the border — Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) had even admitted that the "border never closes" under the proposed scheme — House Republicans underscored the bill would be dead on arrival‚ prompting he Senate to go back to the drawing board. The Senate repackaged the foreign aid bill‚ such that it now allots no additional funds for Department of Homeland Security's border security efforts. It does‚ however‚ earmark $60 billion for Ukraine and $14.1 billion for Israel. It also will fund $9.2 billion worth of humanitarian assistance‚ including to Gaza and the West Bank‚ and nearly $4.8 billion to American partners in the Indo-Pacific‚ reported CNN. According to the Associated Press‚ the Ukraine-designated funds include $14 billion for the beleaguered nation to rearm itself through the purchase of weapons and munitions; $15 billion for military support services; $1.6 billion for Ukraine's private sector; and $8 billion to fund the Ukrainian government. An additional $480 million is earmarked for Ukrainians displaced by the war. Of the funds the Senate would like to see directed to Israel‚ $4 billion would go toward boosting the nation's air defenses; $1.2 billion would bankroll its Iron Beam laser weapons system; and $2.5 billion would support American operations in the region. Where Taiwan is concerned‚ the Senate would have it receive $1.9 billion to replenish its stock of weapons and $3.3 billion to build more American submarines. A death in the House House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) indicated that the package will die a quick death in the House. Hours ahead of the bill's passage‚ Johnson noted in a statement‚ "House Republicans were crystal clear from the very beginning of discussions that any so-called national security supplemental legislation must recognize that national security begins at our own border." "The Senate did the right thing last week by rejecting the Ukraine-Taiwan-Gaza-Israel-Immigration legislation due to its insufficient border provisions‚ and it should have gone back to the drawing board to amend the current bill to include real border security provisions that would actually help end the ongoing catastrophe‚" wrote Johnson. "Instead‚ the Senate's foreign aid bill is silent on the most pressing issue facing our country." Johnson suggested that House Republicans would have to take matters into their own hands. "Now‚ in the absence of having received any single border policy change from the Senate‚ the House will have to continue to work its own will on these important matters‚" said Johnson. "America deserves better than the Senate's status quo." House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) alternatively vowed to see the bill pass. "The time has come for Extreme MAGA Republicans and the Pro-Putin Caucus to end the political stunts and come together in a bipartisan manner to support America's national security priorities‚" Jeffries said in a statement last week. "House Democrats are prepared to use every available legislative tool to make sure we get comprehensive national security legislation over the finish line‚" added Jeffries. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Nearly every major sports league in the United States signed a letter addressed to Senate and House leaders‚ requesting the reauthorization of specific gun control measures.The January 2024 letter was revealed by the Gun Owners of America organization through an op-ed in ZeroHedge‚ which presented the letter signed by executives from the NFL‚ NHL‚ MLB‚ NCAA‚ NBA‚ NASCAR‚ and Major League Soccer. The only notably large sports organization missing from the list appeared to be the UFC‚ which typically does not take political stances.The letter was addressed to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)‚ House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.)‚ Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)‚ and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).In it‚ the sports executives asked for the Undetectable Firearms Act to be reauthorized. The law‚ first enacted in 1988‚ makes it illegal for an unlicensed importer‚ manufacturer‚ or dealer to possess a firearm that is undetectable by a metal detector or "x-ray machines commonly used at airports."Furthermore‚ a person cannot possess a firearm that "does not generate an image that accurately depicts the shape of the component.""We write to express our strong support for reauthorization of the Undetectable Firearms Act (UFA)‚ which is set to expire on February 2‚ 2024‚" the sports leaders wrote. "The UFA has helped keep Americans safe in public spaces that utilize metal detection to prevent the admittance of firearms‚ including at the thousands of events that our organizations host each year‚" the letter continued."The safety of the millions of fans‚ participants‚ and other personnel who attend our events is our top priority. Our organizations work in close coordination with federal‚ state‚ and local law enforcement and rely on advanced security procedures‚ including metal detector screening‚ to ensure the safety of our events‚" it went on. Hey @nfl‚ @nhl‚ @mlb‚ @ncaa‚ @mls‚ @nba‚ and @nascar why did you send a letter to Congress in SUPPORT of gun control?\ud83d\ude21 — (@) "Allowing the UFA to sunset would hinder our ability to prevent firearms from entering stadiums and arenas and reduce the fan safety measures in place at our events‚" the letter added.The sports leaders also noted that the law has been reauthorized three times since it was enacted.Weeks after the letter was dated‚ 74 members of the House of Representatives sent Republican Speaker Johnson their own letter asking him to reject permanent reauthorization of the law."As we head into the 2024 election year‚ the Republican conference will have numerous opportunities to prove to the American people why our party should be entrusted with continued control of the House of Representatives‚" the Republicans said‚ according to Breitbart."One of our first opportunities to demonstrate a Republican Commitment to America will be to emphatically reject any permanent reauthorization or expansion of the Undetectable Firearms Act‚" they added.Republicans also noted that any reauthorization would open to door for additional firearm restrictions based on gun components and parts.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

An American woman was reportedly fatally shot amid crossfire after a drug deal went sour in the Mexican beach resort of Tulum‚ according to Fox News Digital. The U.S. State Department has put out a travel advisory for the area due to increased crime.Niko Honarbakhsh‚ 44‚ was later identified as a Los Angeles native. Local reports tried to link the woman with an alleged drug dealer named Belize who was also killed in the incident‚ but investigators have dismissed these claims as unfounded. The Quintana Roo State Attorney General's Office opened an investigation into the attack that took place on February 9. The alleged drug dealer who was killed had cocaine and "transparent bags with red and orange pills" inside‚ according to the report. He also had bags of "brown granulated powder" in his possession.The New York Post reported that the suspects in the case had been identified and the authorities were searching for them. However‚ the police have not come forward with the suspects' names.This is not the first time tourists in the area have been killed in drug-related crossfire. In 2021‚ travel blogger Anjali Ryot and German native Jennifer Henzold were killed while eating at a restaurant after getting stuck in the middle of gunfire between rival gangs in the area.The U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory in August 2023 for several areas in Mexico.Violent crime – such as homicide‚ kidnapping‚ carjacking‚ and robbery – is widespread and common in Mexico. The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in many areas of Mexico‚ as travel by U.S. government employees to certain areas is prohibited or restricted. In many states‚ local emergency services are limited outside the state capital or major cities.U.S. citizens are advised to adhere to restrictions on U.S. government employee travel. State-specific restrictions are included in the individual state advisories below. U.S. government employees may not travel between cities after dark‚ may not hail taxis on the street‚ and must rely on dispatched vehicles‚ including app-based services like Uber‚ and regulated taxi stands. U.S. government employees should avoid traveling alone‚ especially in remote areas. U.S. government employees may not drive from the U.S.-Mexico border to or from the interior parts of Mexico‚ except daytime travel within Baja California and between Nogales and Hermosillo on Mexican Federal Highway 15D‚ and between Nuevo Laredo and Monterrey on Highway 85D.Tulum was designated as an area with widespread crime. While Americans are not barred from visiting the once-tranquil beach resort‚ they are encouraged to exercise extreme caution.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Tucker Carlson’s fulsome praise of Russia’s capital city is so far off the mark‚ it’s embarrassing.