Mexico's Olympic medals: María del Rosario Espinoza of La Brecha in Sinaloa state won the Olympic gold medal in the women's over-67-kilogram class of taekwondo yesterday in Beijing. Guillermo Pérez, originally from Uruapan in Michoacan state, won gold in the under-58-kilogram division Wednesday. Earlier, Tatiana Ortiz and Paola Espinosa won the bronze in synchronized diving. Ortiz is from Naucalpan in Mexico state; Espinosa grew up in La Paz in Baja California Sur. Also, Henry Cejudo, a Colorado resident born in Los Angeles to illegal immigrants from Mexico, won the gold in 55-kilogram freestyle wrestling for the United States.
Alleged cartel leader captured: An alleged Arellano Félix cartel leader known as “El Pit” was captured inside the Agua Caliente casino in Tijuana early Friday after a chase. Authorities said the suspect was also known as Pedro Ignacio Zazueta, Rubén Ríos Estrada and “El Carlos.” He and a second captured man, Héctor Manuel Mora Mendoza, were flown to Mexico City.
Calderón, students mark year: After President Felipe Calderón inaugurated Mexico's school year at Tlacoquemécatl Primary School in Mexico City, students there gave him a cake to celebrate his 46th birthday.
Crime-wave conference: Calderón met with the nation's governors and security officials and proposed steps to combat organized crime, including having separate prisons for kidnappers, a reward system for tips that lead to the capture of criminals, and a national database for cell phones.
Police chief killed: Police in Chihuahua state found the bullet-riddled body of Villa Ahumada's newly appointed police chief, Jesús Blanco Cano, on a ranch. Blanco, 40, had been on the job for just a day before he was beaten and shot with his hands tied behind his back. The previous police chief, two other officers and three residents were killed in May when 70 gunmen barged into Villa Ahumada, a town of 1,500 virtually taken over by drug gangs.
Cemex nationalization dispute: Mexican cement maker Cemex vowed to seek World Bank arbitration over Venezuela's move last week to nationalize the company's cement plants in the South American country.
Elephant doesn't cross border: Jenny the lonely elephant, whose pending move from the Dallas Zoo to a wildlife park in Mexico's Puebla state had angered activists, now will remain at her home of 22 years and will get a companion.
Compiled from news reports by Foreign Editor David Gaddis Smith: (619) 293-2211; david.smith@uniontrib.com
