One of Mexico’s most notorious drug lords “El Mencho” was killed in a military operation on Sunday in Tapalpa, sparking widespread retaliatory violence.
The 59-year-old, whose real name was Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, was originally from the western state of Michoacan and had been heavily involved in drug trafficking since the 1990s.
He previously spent almost three years in a US prison after being convicted in 1994 of conspiracy to distribute heroin by a court in California.
After his release, Oseguera Cervantes returned to Mexico, where he continued drug trafficking and was indicted several times by US courts since 2017.
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At the time of his death, he was one of Washington’s most wanted fugitives.
His killing is a major win for US President Donald Trump, whose administration provided intelligence support for the operation.
Image: Smoke billowing above Puerto Vallarta. Pic: Reuters
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In 2009, Oseguera Cervantes founded the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), which became Mexico’s fastest-growing criminal organisation.
Jalisco is a western Mexican state which borders the Pacific Ocean.
Oseguera Cervantes’ organisation has a presence in at least 21 of Mexico’s 32 states and is active in almost all of the US, according to the country’s Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
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The group’s rapid rise was fuelled by moving cocaine, methamphetamines, fentanyl and people to the US.
The gang recruited aggressively, including online, and was innovative in its use of drones, improvised explosive devices and violence – including brazen attacks against authorities.
Image: Special units of the Mexican National Guard. Pic: AP
In 2015, the group made headlines after downing a military helicopter in Jalisco, killing some of those on board.
According to the US Department of State: “Through extreme violence, corruption and extortion, CJNG has increased its presence in Mexico, engaging in turf battles throughout the country and steadily expanding their territory and control.
“Oseguera Cervantes has rapidly grown CJNG from a regionally based drug trafficking organisation into an international organised crime power, involved with the production and distribution of narcotics throughout the world.”
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The CJNG attempted a spectacular, but unsuccessful, assassination of Mexico City Police Chief Omar García Harfuch, who is now Mexico’s federal security secretary.
Two of Mr Harfuch’s bodyguards were killed in the attack, with the then police chief being taken to hospital with gun wounds.
Mr Trump’s administration designated the cartel and others as foreign terrorist organisations a year ago.
Image: A burnt bus on the highway towards Mexico City. Pic: Reuters
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A $15m (£11m) reward had been offered by the US State Department for information that led to Oseguera Cervantes’ arrest.
His death will have created a power vacuum, and it is unclear if any one successor will emerge to take his place as the boss of the clan he founded more than 16 years ago.
His absence could limit the gang’s rapid expansion and leave it more at risk from other groups, particularly their main rival – the feared Sinaloa cartel.
However, Sinaloa is locked in its own internal power struggle since its leader, “El Mayo” Zambada, was transferred to the US in 2024.
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The operation and its aftermath
The Mexican army claimed that during an operation aimed at capturing Oseguera Cervantes, troops came under fire.
In the subsequent shootout, federal forces killed four members of the criminal group and wounded three others, including its leader, who later died during transfer by air to Mexico City, according to a statement.
Three soldiers were also injured, and two suspects were arrested by government forces.
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Rocket launchers capable of shooting down aircraft and destroying armoured vehicles were seized at the scene.
Image: Claudia Sheinbaum criticised so called ‘kingpin’ anti-drug policies. Pic: Reuters
The removal of cartel heads has previously led to an explosion of violence as power struggles emerged.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has criticised this “kingpin” strategy of previous administrations that often led to the gangs splintering into warring factions.
Following Oseguera Cervantes’ death, gunmen unleashed violence across the country, with cars torched by cartel members in 20 Mexican states, often blocking roads.
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Residents locked themselves in their homes in Guadalajara, Mexico’s second-largest city and Jalisco’s capital, and school was cancelled on Monday in several states as security forces were placed on alert all over the country.
Neighbouring countries, including Guatemala, reinforced security on the border with Mexico.
The violence led to a wave of airlines cancelling flights and the UK government urging Britons in parts of Jalisco state, including Puerto Vallarta, to stay inside and to only travel during daylight.
A man already serving a whole-life sentence for the brutal murders of his pregnant partner and three children has received a further life term after carrying out a hammer attack on a fellow inmate.
Damien Bendall, 36, a former cage fighter, was sentenced at Teesside Crown Court for the attempted murder of Michael Mullaney at HMP Frankland, Durham. The court heard Bendall struck Mr Mullaney four times in the head with a claw hammer without warning, with the first blow to the back of his head rendering him unconscious.
Bendall had previously used a claw hammer in the horrific killings in Killamarsh, Derbyshire, in 2021, for which he received his initial whole-life tariff.
The attack in a workshop in May 2024 was so severe that a prison officer believed the victim could be dead, Jolyon Perks, prosecuting, said.
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When the officer drew his baton and sounded an alarm, Bendall submitted, the court heard.
Mr Perks said: “The defendant immediately threw his hammer to one side and put his arms out to show he had stopped his assault on Mr Mullaney.”
After he was handcuffed, officers asked Bendall why he had attacked his friend, with whom he had sometimes played dominos.
Mr Perks said: “The defendant responded ‘I don’t know’.”
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His victim spent four nights in the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, being treated for depressed skull fractures and bleeding on the brain.
The court heard that the severity to the blows could have been fatal.
Damien Bendall, pictured on police bodycam when he was arrested following the murders of his partner and three children (Derbyshire Constabulary)
In a victim statement made three months after the attack, Mr Mullaney said it had left him anxious, reluctant to leave his cell and struggling to sleep.
Bendall had planned the attack to engineer a move to segregation unit because he was concerned that his mental state was deteriorating, Vanessa Marshall KC, defending, said.
She said Bendall wanted to apologise to Mr Mullaney, saying: “He held no contempt for Mr Mullaney, despite what he did.
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“There is evidence that they were friends and he wanted to convey his regrets and apologies.”
Judge Francis Laird KC said the sentence was life with a minimum term of 15 years, but that Bendall will never be released in any event.
He said the attempted murder was aggravated because it happened in prison and due to his “previous convictions for the most serious violent and sexual offences”.
Former cage-fighter Bendall murdered pregnant Terri Harris, 35, her children – 11-year-old Lacey and 13-year-old John Paul – and Lacey’s friend, 11-year-old Connie Gent, in Chandos Crescent, Killamarsh, Derbyshire, on September 19 2021.
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He was given a whole-life order in December 2022.
He used a claw hammer to carry out the prolonged attacks at the home he shared with Ms Harris.
He also admitted to raping Lacey as she was dying.
Bendall, in a blue T-shirt and with a shaved head, watched the proceedings via a videolink from HMP Wakefield.
Smith sped away in his car after officers told him he was going to be searched
16:04, 23 Feb 2026Updated 16:05, 23 Feb 2026
A man who was caught with Class A drugs after nearly running over police officers has been jailed. Patrick Smith, 34, was stopped by Neighbourhood Support Team on December 3 after he was caught with known drug users in Cubitt Way, Woodston, Peterborough.
After being told he was detained for a search, Smith drove away at a high speed, mounted the kerb and narrowly missed the officers and bollards. The officers found the car parked in Earl Spencer Court and Smith was walking away nearby.
A large ball of class A drugs were found hidden in a beer can discarded in a fence line that Smith was seen to be loitering near. Smith was then arrested.
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At Cambridge Crown Court on Monday, February 16, Smith, of Sycamore Road, Whittlesey, was jailed for three years and two months and was handed a 43-month driving ban after he plead guilty to dangerous driving, possession with intent to supply heroin and crack cocaine, possession of criminal property, namely £290 in cash, and obstructing an officer in exercise of a section 23 search.
The court ordered for the £290 in cash to be paid to the Cambridge Recovery Service.
PC Charlie Adams, the arresting officer, said: “My team and I were on patrol in the area in relation to concerns about drug dealing when we saw Smith, and despite his best efforts to evade us, we were able to swiftly arrest him and remove drugs from the street.
“Drug dealing and associated criminality can have a big impact on the community, and I encourage anyone with information to report it.”
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Since Thursday, there’s been no sign of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, but the noise around his arrest has not abated, especially over his position as eighth in line to the throne.
Now the letter from Australia’s prime minister just emphasises the global reach of the Andrew issue.
On Friday, we heard that No 10 was looking at legislation to remove him from the line of succession, but to actually make it happen, the 14 other realms, countries that share our monarch, also need to agree.
Anthony Albanese has fired the starting gun, and we wait to see if others will join.
The fact that he’s first may not come as a surprise; in the past, he’s had a complex relationship with the monarchy, raising the idea of a referendum in Australia about them becoming a republic.
Image: Pic: PA
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Although the success of the King and Queen’s visit in 2024 appears to have muted that for now.
When you look at the line of succession, the likelihood of Andrew ever becoming king could not seem more remote, but, as is so often the case with the royal family, it’s all about the optics.
It looks terrible.
That’s ultimately why the King took what was seen as the ultimate action last year, stripping him of his titles, his birthright to be a prince and moving him from his Windsor home.
The palace has not directly commented on him being taken out of the line of succession, but there is unlikely to be any pushback.
As with the police investigations, they have made it clear that there are certain things that must be allowed to run their course.
The King’s statement from last week emphasised their current position that, for now, he must remain silent while not turning a blind eye to the enormity of what is playing out.
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Andrew has always strenuously denied any wrongdoing.
Last week Dale Dean, 27, was jailed for 52 months for attacking a man at an off licence on Kentmere Road, Breighmet last year on Saturday April 5.
Officers have now welcomed his jailing which they say caused “significant fear” to people who witnessed it and to the wider community.
Speaking on Friday, Detective Constable Jordan Brown, of Greater Manchester Police’s Bolton Criminal Investigation Department, said: “This was a shocking and violent incident that left the victim with serious injuries and caused fear within the community.
“Dean’s actions were deliberate, dangerous, and showed a blatant disregard for the safety of others.
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The case was heard at Manchester Crown Court (Image: Anthony Moss)
“Dean used or threatened unlawful violence, causing significant fear to those nearby, and was found to be carrying a machete without lawful reason.
“We welcome today’s sentence, which reflects the gravity of the offences.
“Our officers will continue to take decisive action against those who carry weapons and commit violent offences on our streets.”
Dean’s victim was left with difficulty sleeping because of the attack and had struggled to “walk out on the street”.
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But officers say he has since recovered well.
Dean, of Upper West Grove, Ardwick was also given a 20-month extended licence period along with his 54-month sentence, of which he will have to spend two thirds in custody.
TELL, West Bank (AP) — Israeli settlers vandalized a mosque in the Israeli-occupied West Bank early Monday, spray-painting offensive phrases and setting a fire, according to the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Worshippers arriving for the day’s first prayers found the damage and a smoldering fire that spewed black smoke across the entrance of the Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq Mosque in the town of Tell, near Nablus, and stained the ornate doorway.
“I was shocked when I opened the door,” said Munir Ramdan, who lives nearby. “The fire had been burning here in the area, the glass was broken here and the door was broken.”
Security camera footage showed two people walking toward the mosque carrying gasoline and a can of spray paint, and running away a few minutes later, Ramdan said.
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The attackers spray-painted graffiti denigrating the Prophet Muhammad, as well as the words “revenge” and “price tag.” In “price tag” attacks, hard-line Israeli nationalists attack Palestinians and vandalize their property in response to Palestinian militant attacks or perceived efforts by Israeli authorities to limit settlement activity.
The ministry said settlers vandalized or attacked 45 mosques in the West Bank last year.
“The provocation is directed especially at the person who is fasting, because you are fasting and entering a month of mercy and forgiveness from God,” said Salem Ishtayeh, a resident of Tell. “So they like to provoke you with words. It’s not that they are attacking you personally, they are attacking your religion, the Islamic faith.”
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The Israeli military and police said they responded to the incident and were searching for suspects. The military said it “strongly condemns” harm done to religious institutions.
Palestinians and rights groups say Israeli authorities routinely fail to prosecute settlers or hold them accountable for violence.
There has been a recent surge in violence by settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank. Last week, settlers killed a Palestinian-American man, Nasrallah Abu Siyam.
According to information released by Israel’s military last month, there were 867 attacks by settlers against Palestinians and security forces in 2025, an increase of 27% over 2024.
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The number of serious settler attacks including shootings, arson and other violent crimes has increased sharply each year since far-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir, who spent his law career defending Jews who attacked Palestinians, became national security minister. The number of serious attacks increased from 54 in 2023 to 83 in 2024 and 128 in 2025.
Thomas Mason, 28, is accused of slapping and strangling the woman during the alleged offence at the Welsh music festival
15:34, 23 Feb 2026Updated 15:34, 23 Feb 2026
A woman was raped in her tent at Green Man Festival by a man who slapped and strangled her while she was forced to lie on her stomach, a court has heard. The man denies rape and claims sexual activity between the two of them was consensual.
Thomas Mason, 28, is accused of raping the alleged victim and of sexually assaulting her by penetration at the annual music festival in Crickhowell, Powys. The complainant was later heard crying in her tent and fears the defendant may have taken an image of her on his phone.
A trial at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Monday heard Mason and the complainant were not known to each other, but met while dancing in a tent. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here.
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The woman said she had been drinking alcohol and had taken ecstasy that night.
She and the defendant began kissing and they agreed to go back to her tent.
They had consensual sexual intercourse but the complainant found it painful and asked Mason to stop, which he did.
But after a while she felt the defendant touch her between her legs and said he slapped her to the face and to her breasts.
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It is alleged he then put his penis inside the complainant’s vagina and raped her. She was in pain and told him to stop, but she says he refused.
In her opening, prosecutor Clare Wilks said: “(The complainant) described her body feeling limp and was confused about what was happening. She told him to stop and she was frightened as she was worried he would become more violent. She felt like a ragdoll and dissociated.”
The court heard Mason placed the complainant on her front and put his hands around her neck before allegedly raping her again.
The woman said the defendant then spat on his finger and inserted it into her. Mason was then accused of ejaculating on the complainant.
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Speaking in a pre recorded video interview played to the court, the complainant said: “I didn’t want to aggravate or antagonise him, he’d already been getting too angry. During he was slapping me around my face and boobs and he strangled me but not so hard I lost consciousness.
“When he finished he was on his phone. I couldn’t see him, I was facing down, but I saw the light from the screen on his phone and heard the sound it makes when you send a text. He started shining his phone light. When he was looking for his boxers, he was getting quite angry about that because he couldn’t find them. He shone his torch between my legs and spread my cheeks and shone a torch there.”
She told the interviewing officer she felt she had no choice but to “wait for it to stop”. She added: “I knew I couldn’t get out, I was trapped in a tent and he was raping me. I just wanted to keep my eyes closed because I didn’t want to see his face.”
After Mason left the tent, the complainant’s friend heard her crying and calling for her. She told her friend “He raped me”.
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They went to the security and medical tent and the police were called. She was found to have suffered a linear laceration to her vagina.
The complainant gave a description of Mason and an efit image was publicised.
The defendant and his mother saw the appeal, and contacted the police which led to Mason being arrested.
During his police interview, he said he and the complainant had engaged in consensual sexual intercourse and sexual activity, and he stopped when she told him she was in pain.
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He denied raping the woman or sexually assaulting her, and denied slapping her or being violent towards her.
Mason, of John Williams Close, Brockley, London, has pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault.
The trial continues.
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NEW YORK (AP) — Air traffic is coming to a standstill in much of the northeastern U.S. as a powerful storm brings heavy snow and strong winds across the region.
Thousands of flight disruptions piled up Monday morning. As of around 9:30 a.m. ET, nearly 5,500 flights in or out of the U.S. were canceled, according to online tracker FlightAware. Hundreds of others were delayed.
New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport had the highest numbers of cancellations Monday — followed by airports in Boston, Newark, New Jersey and Philadelphia.
The National Weather Service called travel conditions “extremely treacherous” and “nearly impossible” in areas hit hardest by the storm.
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Beyond air traffic, millions of people are stuck at home under road travel bans amid blizzard warnings. On Sunday night, cellphones across New York City received wailing push alerts announcing a ban on non-emergency travel on all streets through noon Monday, due to “dangerous blizzard conditions.” Rhode Island and New Jersey implemented similar restrictions.
Castra Park promises a range of luxurious, energy-efficient two, three and four bedroom homes on the outskirts of York City Centre.
David Wilson Homes will also be contributing £3.5 million to the surrounding area and community, as part of its planning approval agreement with City of York Council. This includes funding improvements for education, infrastructure, sport and travel.
Sarah Hanna, Senior Sales Manager at David Wilson Homes Yorkshire East, said: “We’re excited to launch Castra Park. The development is the ideal setting for families, first-time buyers and those looking to balance city and country lifestyles.
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RECOMMENDED READING:
“We encourage prospective buyers to visit Castra Park and speak to our team about upcoming homes.”
Castra Park promises plenty of green space and all essential amenities within a two-to-three-mile radius.
The developers also highlight easy access to Vangarde Shopping Park, Monks Cross, plus York City Centre and its railway station.
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For more information about the development, visit the website at Castra Park.
Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni has received a provisional one-match suspension after Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr reported alleged racist abuse during last week’s Champions League meeting.
Vinicius told referee Francois Letexier that he had been racially abused by the Argentina winger during the first leg of their Champions League knockout play-off tie in Lisbon last Tuesday.
Uefa announced the provisional ban on Monday following the appointment of an ethics and disciplinary inspector to investigate the incident.
The European governing body said further punishment could be handed out once the investigation is completed.
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Real Madrid and Benfica meet for the second leg in the Spanish capital on Wednesday (20:00 GMT).
On Monday afternoon, Netflix shared a new teaser to commemorate production getting underway on the third season of the Addams Family spin-off.
The minute-long teaser featured Lurch laying out an elaborate dinner at the Addams’ home, featuring close-ups of place-cards featuring actors and characters’ names.
Wednesday is Winona’s first role since her role as Joyce Byers in another of Netflix’s biggest shows, Stranger Things, came to an end.
It’s also the latest in a long line of collaborations between the Oscar nominee and filmmaker Tim Burton, which has also included Edward Scissorhands, Frankenweenie and both Beetlejuice and its 2024 sequel.
“I am so happy that Winona has joined us, she fits right into this world,” Tim Burton said in a statement. “And she’s a dear friend. I always feel lucky to work with her.”
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Winona will also reunite with Jenna in the new episodes of Wednesday, having played her mum in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
It was previously revealed that Eva Green would also be joining Wednesday for its next run of episodes, portraying Morticia Addams’ sister, Aunt Ophelia.
Back in September, around the release of the second season of Wednesday, cast member Fred Armisen claimed that his character, Uncle Fester, would be getting his own spin-off, though this remains yet to be officially confirmed by Netflix.
Wednesday has been a huge hit for Netflix since premiering in 2022, with the first season remaining the most-watched English-language series in the streaming platform’s history.
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Both seasons of Wednesday are now streaming on Netflix.
