President Felipe Caldern's efforts to eradicate Mexico's powerful drug cartels have unleashed a bloody turf war among competing traffickers. If the violence gets much worse it could strike at the heart of the Mexican economy as foreign and local investo

IN A BID TO boost the South Korean economy, President Lee Myung-bak has backed a sweeping amnesty for convicted business tycoons. Myung-bak, whose name sounds like a euphemism for something furtive, says forgiving the dodgy dealers will boost the economy.

The economy is being blamed for larger-than-usual seasonal layoffs at the MeadWestvaco consumer and office products plant in Sidney, a union official said.

Washington's economy is definitely slowing. For the second month in a row, the number of nonfarm jobs in Washington has fallen -- but an economist for the state said that the drop does not equal recession.

BUSINESS EDITORS:@ Here are Canadian Press Business staffing plans as of 4:30 p.m. ET. Plans may change as circumstances warrant. Queries should be addressed to assistant business editor Andrew Flynn at 416-507-2146 or Gary Norris or Romina Maurino on the