Free Republic

Over 12,000 people died in drug-related violence in 2011 in Mexico, and about 50,000 have been killed since the start of president Felipe Calderon's crackdown on drug gangs in 2006, media reported on Monday. The reports came out as brutal violence continued to rock parts of Mexico amid a military crackdown on organised crime involving tens of thousands of troops. Reforma daily counted 12,539 drug-related killings in 2011, which it said was a 6.3 per cent increase on the previous year. It said the violence had become more brutal with increases in beheadings - to almost 600 - and more...

Palestinian Pol Slain on Eve of Vote By ALI DARAGHMEH, Associated Press Writer Tue Jan 24, 9:15 AM ET NABLUS, West Bank - Palestinian gunmen linked to the ruling Fatah movement killed one of their party leaders Tuesday, increasing tensions on the eve of parliamentary balloting and raising doubts about a new pledge by armed groups in the West Bank and Gaza to hold their fire during the vote. Opinion polls have shown Fatah and Hamas in a close race ahead of Wednesday's election and both sides have said they might form a coalition government. Candidates were banned from campaigning...

Hezbollah Vows Anew to Target Americans Bush officials, fearing attacks, debate whether to go after the group and backers Iran and Syria. By Josh Meyer Times Staff Writer April 17, 2003 WASHINGTON -- Hezbollah, a militant Islamic organization backed by Iran and Syria, has issued a new call to arms against Americans in the Middle East, touching off fears of terrorist attacks and debate withinthe Bush administration over whether to move more aggressively against the group and its key sponsors. The military wing of Hezbollah, long considered by the U.S. to be among the world's most dangerous terrorist groups, has...

Song by Zulu playwright calls for war on Indians By Tim Butcher in Johannesburg A respected Zulu playwright has reopened old racial wounds in South Africa by releasing a song calling on blacks to fight the country's Indian minority. A court has ordered all sales of Mbongeni Ngema's AmaNdiya - the Zulu word for Indians - to be stopped and Nelson Mandela has joined the opposition Democratic Alliance to demand an apology from Mr Ngema to the 500,000 South Africans of Indian descent. Mr Ngema, one of South Africa's best-established writers, who used drama during the apartheid era to call...