The World

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    Suspected Drug Kingpin Caught

    Mexican marines captured alleged drug lord Sergio Villarreal Barragán--nicknamed El Grande--in the central city of Puebla on Sept. 12. The collaring of one of Mexico's most wanted criminals came two weeks after the arrest of Edgar Valdez Villarreal (a.k.a. La Barbie); the men are suspected of leading rival factions of the Beltrán Leyva drug cartel. Mexico's ongoing narco-related violence--more than 28,000 people have been killed since President Felipe Calderón initiated a crackdown in late 2006--cast a shadow over the nation's bicentennial, and some celebrations commemorating the start of Mexico's rebellion for independence were canceled.

    Strongholds of Mexico's drug cartels

    [The following text appears within a map. Please see hardcopy or PDF for actual map.]

    MEXICO

    • ARELLANO FELIX ORGANIZATION

    • BELTRAN LEYVA ORGANIZATION

    • SINALOA CARTEL

    • LA FAMILIA MICHOACANA

    • DISPUTED TERRITORY

    • CARRILLO FUENTES ORGANIZATION

    • GULF CARTEL/NEW FEDERATION

    • LOS ZETAS CARTEL

    SOURCE: BBC

    • What They're Banning in Australia: Fans are mourning popular music, age unknown, after Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart issued new guidelines Sept. 9 forbidding the playing of rock or pop at Catholic funerals. The edict, which was sent to more than 200 churches, says funerals should not be a "secular celebration of the life of the deceased." The popular tunes are survived by religious hymns.

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