Which Way, L.A.?

Stand-off at the Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles

A woman was taken hostage today inside the Mexican consulate west of downtown Los Angeles. An officer of the LAPD shot and critically wounded the alleged hostage-taker, and the woman, who is a clerk in the notary department, is described as -shaken, but unharmed.- Meanwhile, kidnappings in Mexico have now risen to 3000 cases a year, making it second only to Columbia. Last summer, potential kidnap victims rallied in Mexico City, claiming there was an epidemic that was out of control. As Los Angeles police look for motivation for today-s hostage-taking at the Mexican consulate, we get an update from Maril- Mesa at La Opini-n, and speak with Richard Cockett of the Economist about kidnapping as a cottage industry in Mexico itself. Reporter's Notebook: Governor Schwarzenegger-s Trip to Japan The Terminator is immensely popular in Japan, but he-s not going there to promote an action movie or appear in TV commercials for energy drinks and instant noodles. This time, Arnold Schwarzenegger is promoting trade and tourism for California. We hear more about the Governor's first overseas trade mission from Steven Levy of the Center for the Continuing Study of the California Economy, cultural anthropologist Louise Krasniewicz and Jack Keyser of the LA Economic Development Corporation.