Editor’s note: This is one of a series of articles profiling area agencies that help the needy.KINGSTON, N.Y. — Donations made to Ulster County Community Action this holiday season will assist displaced families from throughout Ulster and Sullivan counties who are housed at motels. Many of them received Thanksgiving turkey dinners from the agency earlier [...]Passing on the examsMEXICO CITY — It would take years, if ever, for Mexico to accomplish what incoming U.S. President Donald Trump is demanding to avoid tariffs: stemming the flow of migrants and drugs over the border. That’s why Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s efforts to avoid a full-blown trade war might be more about doing enough for both sides to claim success. Even a quick phone call — two days after Trump threatened 25% tariffs against his southern neighbor — seemed to change the tone: Trump said on social media that the Mexican president agreed to “stop people from going to our Southern Border, effective immediately.” Sheinbaum, meanwhile, assured her constituents that she touted to Trump Mexico’s existing approach to migration, which she stressed respects human rights, and that a new deal to collaborate would avoid new tariffs, without providing specifics. The whole exchange was reminiscent of Trump’s first term, when he threatened to send troops to shut down the border and then-President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador responded by sending the national guard to help apprehend migrants. The move had a limited immediate effect, but sent a strong image that proved enough to at least avert tariffs of up to 25% on all imports from Mexico. Trump’s threats have a “dual objective,” said Palmira Tapia, a political scientist currently working for the government of the State of Mexico. The U.S. president-elect, she said, is simultaneously seeking to appeal to his constituents and strengthen his hand in talks on migration, drugs and trade. Sheinbaum also faces two challenges: She now must find a way to appease Trump to avoid tariffs that could hit 11% of Mexico’s gross domestic product, while also avoiding the perception — at home, and in the White House — that she will easily bend to demands from up north. “She’s talking to Trump, but she’s also talking to the Mexican public. It has to do with giving a dignified response before her voters, but at the same time trying to stop Trump,” said Catalina Perez Correa, a researcher at the Supreme Court’s Center for Constitutional Studies. “She’s saying, ‘I’m not going to let myself be stepped on by Trump.’ She’s saving face in front of the Mexican public.” Migration reality Mexico has long been a stomping ground for the U.S. when it comes to migration policy. It’s been tasked under successive U.S. presidents with beefing up its border security, increasing highway checkpoints and removing migrants from freight trains they often board. Even though migration rose far beyond the 2019 levels in the years after Lopez Obrador’s show of militarizing the border, Mexico has remained an at-times willing partner, accepting most of the millions of migrants who were quickly turned away from the U.S. border during the pandemic. But it hasn’t always been eager to help: The Biden administration often viewed AMLO, as the former president was known, as needing frequent reminders of its expectations for him on enforcement. In 2023, Biden Cabinet officials even visited AMLO in Mexico City just days after Christmas to urge him to do more as a record number of migrants reached the border. Under pressure from the White House during the U.S. election, Mexico helped it decrease border crossings by 65% over an 11-month period starting in December 2023. To do so, Mexican authorities have been detaining migrants in the north of the country and busing them south. There, they are forced to wait until they get an official appointment to apply for asylum in the U.S. — which can take months, if it ever happens at all. It’s all resulted in more than double the number of apprehensions of undocumented migrants between January and August compared with a year earlier, although Mexico has deported few. Experts have said that’s creating a humanitarian crisis in some of the southern cities where migrants are shipped off to. It’s also ratcheting up tensions with some locals, who argue that there aren’t enough jobs or resources to accommodate the newcomers. “What they’re doing now in Mexico is militarization of the border,” said Perez Correa. To further reduce border crossings into the U.S., Mexico could either carry out mass deportations or offer more opportunities to migrants in its territory. Both scenarios seem unrealistic. Simply increasing deportations would go against Lopez Obrador’s policy — which Sheinbaum inherited — of trying to address the problems in their origin countries that pushed them to leave, and it would be an expense for Mexico. After Sheinbaum’s call with Trump, she reiterated her government offers migrants options for international protection in its territory or “voluntary or assisted return” to their countries. The second option doesn’t seem feasible either: Most people want to go to the U.S., where they expect to have higher-paying jobs, more family or community support, and greater safety than in Mexico. Chemical diversions Deaths related to fentanyl — the cheap, synthetic opioid — have reached epidemic levels in the U.S. That’s why reining in the flow of the drug was on Trump’s list of demands. Should recent history be any indication, intervention is never simple. The U.S. arrest of a Mexican alleged drug leader has led to prolonged shootouts in recent months. And in any case, some academics argue simply confiscating more drugs means traffickers learn to produce more, to meet U.S. demand. So far, Mexico has worked to improve its technical capabilities to detect illicit substances at its ports, especially precursor chemicals and fentanyl. “The Navy has provided material and personnel to all ports for the fulfillment of these tasks, the personnel have the necessary training to be able to detect these substances,” said Captain Jose Barradas in an interview at the Manzanillo port, in the state of Colima. “All merchandise that arrives is prone to review under strict security protocols.” Sheinbaum also picked former Mexico City police chief Omar Garcia Harfuch to lead a new national security strategy, a move that was read inside Mexico as a signal of her willingness to increase enforcement in areas where the previous administration had been more hands-off. There’s more that could be done — but it would be hard. Trying to seize these substances at ports is insufficient because synthetic drugs tend to be very small, making them more difficult to detect than traditional drugs, said Victoria Dittmar, researcher at Insight Crime. Those who produce them often innovate with their recipes and use new chemicals that are not illegal. “Mexico can open collaboration paths with the private sector, with the chemical industry, because they know perfectly well its supply chains and the vulnerable areas where there could be diversions,” she said. “This collaboration is essential.” Mexico can also work to identify intermediaries that connect fentanyl producers with chemical suppliers abroad and in the country, people who work in certain companies and are authorized to divert these substances, according to Dittmar. Still, “the main weakness is not putting demand reduction as a priority, to prevent overdose deaths,” Dittmar said. “It’s a shared responsibility. It’s not just the fault of Mexico, the U.S. or Canada, but it’s an issue that affects the entire North American region.” A senior Mexican official said that the country’s actions to address drug trafficking have moved the nation in the direction of the fentanyl crackdown that Trump is demanding. The official cited a new law that will allow for coordinated intelligence efforts that is due to be implemented next year. History repeats It’s plausible that in the medium-term Trump will lower the intensity of his threats because a trade war would be the worst case scenario for both countries, said Tapia, the political scientist. But until then, she said, “Sheinbaum is on trial as to how well she will do” relative to her predecessor, who had a respectful relationship with Trump and often praised him. One strategy that Sheinbaum could pursue: Finding ways to give Trump the appearance of political victory. That was part of the rationale behind AMLO’s deployment of the National Guard — a move Trump still talks about now. “We got thousands of Mexicans patrolling our border free of charge,” he boasted at a recent event about his relationship with AMLO. “He’s a socialist,” Trump said. “But these are minor details.” ——— (With assistance from Eric Martin, Carolina Millan and Ramsey Al-Rikabi.) ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.2 joints hanggang 。

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Taylor Swift's loyal fans braved the elements as they queued in the early hours of the morning to try and grab a copy of her new book . Die-hard Swifties were seen lining up outside Target stores in the US in the early hours of Friday morning in a bid to be the first to get their hands on her new Eras Tour book. Fans were out as early as 5 a.m. in ice cold temperatures to snap up the Taylor merchandise on Black Friday. One fan, Carlos Miracle, said, "Yeah, it's really cold but we're here to get Taylor Swift's tour book and her latest vinyl drop." The book is priced at $39.99 at Target , with a vinyl album and CD version of The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology also available at the retail giant for the first time, containing 35 tracks including four acoustic bonus songs. Taylor Swift's Eras Tour book can't become New York Times bestseller despite fan frenzy Taylor Swift fans panic and camp at Target's Black Friday for Anthology vinyl and Eras Tour book The vinyl album is priced at $59.99 and CDs are $17.99. Another fan in New Jersey, Amy Webb said, "I usually don't buy anything during the holiday season, but wanted to get my hands on this before it sells out." Many fans on social media noted that the products were almost sold out as early as 9.30 a.m. in some stores. Meanwhile, fans who were able to get their hands on the book shared some of the tidbits on social media that wasn't previously known. One fact about the record-breaking tour's choreography left fans gobsmacked. In the book, Taylor wrote about the dance choreography for when she performed her song Mastermind off her Midnights album. "We recreate a chessboard and when I signal the dancers to move to different spots on the board, they actually create the exact sequence for a checkmate,” she shared. Fans were sharing this news on X along with videos of the tour during this moment. Taylor sings the line, "I'm the wind in our free-flowing sails and the liquor in our cocktails," as she points at her dancers as they move around the stage. Then before she hits the chorus, the dancers all fall to the ground. Mastermind even has a lyric referring to the end of a chess game, with Taylor singing, "Checkmate, I couldn't lose." Fans were left stunned that they didn't pick up on this before and praised the singer. "OMG, of course they do. She doesn’t miss a beat," one fan wrote on X. Another penned, "Whaat! Never noticed this, that’s so cool." A third fan praised, "Oh why is she so genius?" Others were shocked that Swifties didn't notice this, as the fan base is known for trying to figure out clues and Taylor loves putting these clues in her fashion, concerts, and social media. Click here to follow the Mirror US on Google News to stay up to date with all the latest news, sport and entertainment stories. DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up here to get the latest news and updates from the Mirror US straight to your inbox with our FREE newsletter.Beacon Healthcare Systems Expands Leadership Team with Addition of Ayman Mohamed as Chief Technology Officer

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Tweet Facebook Mail Three more victims of a suspected methanol poisoning have been named in Laos, after two young Australian women died in Thailand. Six people are so far dead, with the cause suspected as methanol-tainted drinks in the town of Vang Vieng, Laos. Melbourne women Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, both 19, died last week after being put on life support in hospitals in Thailand. READ MORE: Tributes flow after respected marketing executive dies in quad bike accident  Three of the six people whose deaths have been linked to suspected methanol poisoning in Vang Vieng, Laos, have been named. (CNN) UK lawyer Simone White was also named as one of the victims. Now, local news outlet The Vientiane Times, which is part of an agency run by the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, has named three other people, two Danes and a US man, whose respective governments previously confirmed had died in Laos, though they did not definitively link them to the suspected methanol poisonings. The Times named the other victims as Danes Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Frela Vennervald Sorensen, 21, and US man James Louis Hutson, 57. READ MORE: Why the asbestos in our homes is becoming more dangerous  Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles died in hospital in Thailand. (Supplied) It comes as the Laos government addressed the deaths. "The Government of the Lao PDR is profoundly saddened over the loss of lives of foreign tourists in Vang Vieng District, Vientiane Province and expresses its sincere sympathy and deepest condolences to the families of the deceased," a government spokesperson said. "The government has been conducting investigations to find causes of the incident and to bring the perpetrators to justice in accordance with the law. "The government reaffirms that it always attaches the importance and pays attention to the safety of both domestic and foreign tourists." READ MORE: Major heatwave to sweep millions this week  Gang grabs $200 million worth of diamonds in just a few minutes View Gallery Bianca Jones' father, Mark, previously urged the Laos government to work to prevent any similar incident taking place in the future. "I would like to take this opportunity to urge the Laos government to investigate this to the fullest extent, to make sure this incident doesn't happen again," he said. "We can't have the passing of our daughter ... not lead to change to protect others." Jones' and Bowles' bodies will return to Australia this week. DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play .

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NO. 20 TEXAS A&M 81, RUTGERS 77Ellie Leach, former Coronation Street actress and winner of Strictly Come Dancing, will be joining guests on The Wheel to help them win big. The game show, presented by comedian Michael McIntyre, features celebrities aiding contestants to accumulate cash prizes. Following her triumph with the Glitterball trophy in the 2023 run of Strictly Come Dancing, Ellie's career has seen considerable growth. Born in Manchester on March 15, 2001, she started small with TV adverts and minor parts before securing her significant role as Faye Windass in the beloved soap Corrie. As Faye Windass, Ellie portrayed a character grappling with challenging issues like bullying, teenage pregnancy, discovering her birth father, and confronting an early menopause diagnosis. Beyond the screen, Ellie leads an eventful life, yet there's much more to discover about her. One interesting fact is that Ellie Leach is related to Brooke Vincent, best known for her portrayal of Sophie Webster on Coronation Street from 2004 to 2019. At the time Ellie joined the cast, her cousin Brooke expressed great joy, saying "I am chuffed to bits for her", reports . "She has made me so happy. We are all thrilled about it and I can't wait to be with her on set to show her around." Their relationship doesn't just stop at being relatives; they share a special comradeship. Referring to herself as Brooke's mini me, Ellie once shared on Instagram: "All I've wanted to do since I was younger is be like you." "To dress like you, to have my hair the way you have yours, to wear them 7inch platform heels you wore which I still have no idea how, but most of all to be the kind of person you are." "You can tell what type of person someone is by how highly people speak of them, and I've never heard a bad word said about you." She continued: "I think I'll forever be known as Ellie, Brooke's cousin but I will always be so proud to be that and to have you by my side through life." The Coronation Street actress participated in the series shortly after leaving the soap. Paired with Vito Coppola, they were hailed as the best duo in the 2023 competition and ultimately won the series. Ellie and Vito triumphed in the dance contest, outperforming competitors such as EastEnders' Bobby Brazier and Bad Education's Layton Williams. Their flawless American Smooth earned them their first perfect score of 40 in the series. Their palpable chemistry sparked speculation of a love affair among fans and on social media, but both categorically denied any romantic ties. Reflecting on their journey, Ellie shared the profound impact the show had on her, stating "The days after were very emotional." "My time at Strictly was life-changing, and to have the bond and friendship I made with Vito was amazing. It's the sort of friendship I'll cherish for the rest of my life. I'm very lucky and grateful for the experience." Despite both getting matching bee tattoos, Ellie and Vito insist they are merely good friends. "From the moment we met, we just clicked," she said, sharing that she now regards Vito as an extended family member and that they "message every day." As to whether Ellie Leach is currently in a romantic relationship, her status remains private. However, her past includes several noteworthy relationships. Ellie was in a long-term relationship with Reagan Pettman after meeting him during an acting course at The Manchester College. Their romance lasted for a significant period, coinciding with her portrayal of Faye Windass on Coronation Street, but ended roundabout the time she left the ITV series. Amid speculation linking Ellie with Vito, she had a fleeting romance with Bobby Brazier, a fellow Strictly contestant and actor from EastEnders. It's believed that their rapport intensified during the Strictly Come Dancing Tour in January 2024, leading to a public acknowledgment of their liaison in March 2024. However, the couple eventually called it quits.Empowered Funds LLC Buys 36 Shares of IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ:IDXX)REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) — Icelanders will elect a new parliament Saturday after disagreements over immigration, energy policy and the economy forced Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson to pull the plug on his coalition government and call early elections. This is Iceland’s sixth general election since the 2008 financial crisis devastated the economy of the North Atlantic island nation and ushered in a new era of political instability. Opinion polls suggest the country may be in for another upheaval, with support for the three governing parties plunging. Benediktsson, who was named prime minister in April following the resignation of his predecessor, struggled to hold together the unlikely coalition of his conservative Independence Party with the centrist Progressive Party and the Left-Green Movement. Iceland, a nation of about 400,000 people, is proud of its democratic traditions, describing itself as arguably the world’s oldest parliamentary democracy. The island’s parliament, the Althingi, was founded in 930 by the Norsemen who settled the country. Here’s what to look for in the contest. RELATED COVERAGE Volcano on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula erupts for the 7th time in a year Iceland appears headed for a snap election after governing coalition collapses A rare polar bear showed up on the shores of Iceland. Police shot it How does the election work? Voters will choose 63 members of the Althingi in an election that will allocate seats both by regional constituencies and proportional representation. Parties need at least 5% of the vote to win seats in parliament. Eight parties were represented in the outgoing parliament, and 10 parties are contesting this election. Turnout is traditionally high by international standards, with 80% of registered voters casting ballots in the 2021 parliamentary election. Why now? A windswept island near the Arctic Circle, Iceland normally holds elections during the warmer months of the year. But on Oct. 13 Benediktsson decided his coalition couldn’t last any longer, and he asked President Halla Tómasdóttir to dissolve the Althingi. “The weakness of this society is that we have no very strong party and we have no very strong leader of any party,’’ said Vilhjálmur Bjarnson, a former member of parliament. “We have no charming person with a vision ... That is very difficult for us.” Why is Iceland’s politics so fractured? The splintering of Iceland’s political landscape came after the 2008 financial crisis, which prompted years of economic upheaval after its debt-swollen banks collapsed. The crisis led to anger and distrust of the parties that had traditionally traded power back and forth, and prompted the creation of new parties ranging from the environment focused Left-Green Alliance to the Pirate Party, which advocates direct democracy and individual freedoms. “This is one of the consequences of the economic crash,’’ said Eva H. Önnudóttir, a professor of political science at the University of Iceland. “It’s just the changed landscape. Parties, especially the old parties, have maybe kind of been hoping that we would go back to how things were before, but that’s not going to happen.” What are the issues? Like many Western countries, Iceland has been buffeted by the rising cost of living and immigration pressures. Inflation peaked at an annual rate of 10.2% in February 2023, fueled by the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While inflation slowed to 5.1% in October, that is still high compared with neighboring countries. The U.S. inflation rate stood at 2.6% last month, while the European Union’s rate was 2.3%. Iceland is also struggling to accommodate a rising number of asylum-seekers, creating tensions within the small, traditionally homogenous country. The number of immigrants seeking protection in Iceland jumped to more than 4,000 in each of the past three years, compared with a previous average of less than 1,000. What about the volcano? Repeated eruptions of a volcano in the southwestern part of the country have displaced thousands of people and strained public finances. One year after the first eruption forced the evacuation of the town of Grindavik, many residents still don’t have secure housing, leading to complaints that the government has been slow to respond. But it also added to a shortage of affordable housing exacerbated by Iceland’s tourism boom. Young people are struggling to get a foot on the housing ladder at a time when short-term vacation rentals have reduced the housing stock available for locals, Önnudóttir said. “The housing issue is becoming a big issue in Iceland,’' she said. —— Kirka reported from London.