There was a lot of action in the war against drug cartels today. The Mexican Army killed 11 suspected cartel members in a shootout in Valle Hermoso, 30 miles south of Matamoros, which in turn is south of Brownsville, Texas. The shootout was part of operation "Noreste," which according to the Mexican Military, "seeks to generate a climate of peace, trust and harmony for the population."

The Mexican Navy captured one of the founding members of the Zetas, Raul Lucio Hernandez Lechuga, aka "El Lucky."

Colombia extradited former Norte Valle Cartel chief Ramon Quintero Sancelmente to the U.S. [More...]

The Supreme Court has decided to hear Arizona's appeal of court decisions holding its immigration law, SB 1070, unconstitutional.

The issue the Court will decide is one of pre-emption, whether federal immigration laws preclude Arizona from enacting the four controversial provisions ruled unconstitutional by the district and appeals court. The 9th Circuit ruling is here. Arizona's Petition for Certiorari is here. You can access the pleadings here. [More...]

The media is giddy with excitement over the Jerry Sandusky preliminary hearing tomorrow. The Court decided to allow live-tweeting for real-time coverage.

Sandusky's lawyer says no plea deal is in the works. Some of the alleged victims will testify.

Also not having a great week: Joe Paterno, who broke his pelvis in a fall yesterday.

I didn't blog this weekend because my laptop got taken over by the latest virus (malware) scam, which starts with an alert that your computer is infected. It uses the official Microsoft logo. Within minutes, all executable security programs are disabled (it plants something in your computer registry) so your anti-virus and anti-spy software programs don't work; it hijacks your browser; and every 20 seconds or so, it pops up on your screen telling you to activate its program for $60 to be free. It took me all weekend to get it removed, no easy task, because it also disables your ability to implement the fix. It even disabled my printer from printing the fix. What a nightmare. [More....]

Former Panama General Manuel Noriega served 17 years in prison in the U.S. for drugs and 2 years in France for money laundering. This weekend, at his request, he was returned to Panama to begin serving three 20 year sentences. He's now 77 and in a wheelchair.

Noriega was toppled in a US invasion of Panama in 1989. He was convicted in absentia in three homicide cases involving 11 murders, including the 1985 beheading of a doctor who threatened to reveal Noriega’s drug ties. He was also responsible for the executions of nine officers who staged a failed coup.

Here are some photos of Noriega's arrest by U.S. DEA agents in Panama. The lead take-down agent, DEA group supervisor, Rene DelaCova, pleaded guilty 1n 1994 to stealing $700,000 from drug traffickers in an unrelated case. He got a 3 year sentence. [More...]

Teeeeeeebooooooooowwwwwwwwwwww!!!!

Open Thread.

Everybody cool it in the comments please.

Open Thread.

El Clasico, Barca v Madrid, coming up in a few minutes.

I like Madrid. Line is pick or win bet (+140.)

Open Thread.

Atrios points to this strange Felix Salmon post about Treasury's incompetence and/or malfeasance regarding the mortgage crisis. What's strange about it is this line:

[I]n the battle of Treasury vs the banks, the banks — predictably — have won.

Ridiculous from Salmon - Geithner's Treasury has protected the banks from Day One (before Day One in Geithner's case, considering his outrageous actions on behalf of the banks as president of the New York Fed.)

Tim Geithner is a disgrace, and a disgrace that reflects on Barack Obama. If he loses reelection, what would most make his loss deserved is his acceptance of the malfeasance and incompetence of Tim Geithner. Obama has been unforgivable on that.

The height of Republican hypocrisy is the phony outrage of Congressman Darryl Issa at the DEA's money laundering stings, particularly in Mexico. These stings are as old as the hills and well-publicized. (Issa's absurd letter to AG Eric Holder is here.) Even Fox News says he's missed the boat on this one.

The Justice Department and the State Department acknowledged the laundering this week. The DEA issued this statement earlier this week confirming it.

Why wouldn't they? DEA, the IRS and Customs (now ICE) have been engaging in undercover laundering of proceeds for drug traffickers at least since Ronald Reagan was President. Republicans crowed about the stings then. [More...]

More thread.

Still busy but just noticed that CP3 was traded to the Lakers. Wow!

Wait, what? (h/t Bill Simmons.) Stern did what?

Open Thread.