Cartel battles stun once-peaceful state in central Mexico

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The two most powerful drug cartels in the hemisphere are battling over Guanajuato, the industrial and farming hub of central Mexico. It’s a state that has attracted gangs for the same reason it has lured auto manufacturers: road and rail networks that lead straight to the U.S. border. The state is now also wracked by violence. Guanajuato saw over 3,400 homicides in the first nine months of this year, putting the state on track for a murder rate of about 75 per 100,