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MIT's AVT Consortium Spearheads Research on Trust in Autonomous Vehicles for Enhanced Safety and AdoptionBest Boxing Day deals from Amazon Australia: Retailer launches December 26 deals earlyOTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will chair a meeting of the cabinet committee on Canada-U.S. relations today, amid increasing calls for his resignation. A mid-day adjustment to Trudeau's itinerary was issued by the Prime Minister's Office and notes he will take part in the meeting virtually, though a specific time wasn't listed. It's been a chaotic week for the governing Liberals, starting with Chrystia Freeland's cabinet resignation just hours after she was set to table the fall economic statement. Freeland and new Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc have previously spoken with the media at the conclusion of these cabinet committee meetings. The committee was reformed following Donald Trump's re-election, and a chief topic of discussion at the meetings has been border security after the incoming president threatened to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian products. Several Liberal MPs publicly called for Trudeau to step down as Liberal leader since Freeland's resignation, and the NDP has joined the other major opposition parties in saying it no longer has confidence in the minority Liberal government. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23, 2024 David Baxter, The Canadian Press

Gamers, the wait is over and Black Friday is finally here. With it comes one of the few chances to find discounts on Nintendo Switch consoles, the best Nintendo Switch games and other great gaming deals (including PS5 and Xbox ). If you’ve been holding out for a price drop, now’s the time to dive in. One of the best deals on the Nintendo Switch OLED I’ve ever seen comes from Amazon . The Switch OLED deal includes a £20 discount on the console, as well as a free copy of Super Mario Bros. Wonder and a 12-month subscription to Nintendo Switch Online. It’s not one I’d recommend you miss. With rumours swirling about a mid-2025 release for the Nintendo Switch 2 , it’s no surprise that there are so many great Black Friday savings around. Keep reading for my handpicked guide to the best Nintendo Switch Black Friday deals to shop now. Follow live: Black Friday deals and expert shopping tips I’ve been writing about all things tech for more than seven years. I’ve also been reviewing the latest games consoles and games for The Independent since joining it in 2021. This experience, and the know-how that comes with it, means I know how to seek out the best products at the best prices, finding you the Black Friday deals that are genuinely good value for money. Nintendo has just released a Nintendo Switch OLED bundle deal, which includes a free copy of Super Mario Bros. Wonder and a 12-month Nintendo Switch Online membership. If you buy the bundle from Amazon, you’ll get an additional £20 sliced off the console’s asking price, plus the game and membership thrown in for free. Bargain. This really is the best deal I’ve ever seen on the Nintendo Switch OLED. If you don’t need the larger or more vibrant OLED display, then this bundle deal on the OG Nintendo Switch will serve you well. It comes with Nintendo Switch Sports , a leg-strap accessory and a 12-month Switch Online membership thrown in for free. If you buy the bundle from Amazon, the retailer knocks off a further £10 off the console, saving you a total of £76. The Turtle Beach Recon 50 is the entry-level option from this renowned gaming brand, which also happens to be behind the best gaming headset we’ve tested, the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro (was £279.99, now £249.69, Amazon.co.uk ). “If you don’t want to spend too much on a gaming headset but don’t want any old cheap tat, pick up the Turtle Beach Recon 50,” I said in my review. The headset is great quality for the price, has a boom mic for multiplayer chat, and matches the Switch in its red and blue colourway. If the Nintendo Switch bundle above has caught your eye, Very is making the deal even better. Not only do you get the console, a copy of Nintendo Switch Sports, leg strap accessory and a 12-month Nintendo Switch Online subscription, but the retailer is also throwing in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – one of the console’s best games – for just £20 more. Altogether, that’s more than £100 of savings, compared with buying the products separately. The Switch Lite is the spiritual successor to the Nintendo DS. With a smaller screen, the Switch Lite can only be played in handheld mode. This bundle gets you a copy of Animal Crossing: New Horizons and a 12-month Switch Online membership thrown in for free, saving you a huge £85 on the game and the membership. It’s still available right now in its turquoise iteration, with a cutesy Animal Crossing theme. This Nintendo Switch bundle at Very gets you the console with a copy of Mario Party Jamboree , the latest entry in the friendship-ruining Mario Party series. Perfect for a bit of Christmas morning fun, the game features more than 100 competitive minigames. Two players can play with the included controllers, but you’ll need another pair for four (£54.99, Amazon.co.uk ). Featuring a smaller 5.5in display and up to seven hours of battery life, this is the console you should be eyeing up if you just want a gaming device that doubles up as a travel companion. You can’t dock this device or play it on the TV, but it is cheaper than the original Nintendo Switch and the OLED model. Something to note about this discount is that, technically, Amazon isn’t logging it as a deal – but it should be. Seriously, it’s RRP across the web is £200 on average, and I haven’t seen the lite this cheap since July 2023. Consider me swayed. Looking for a new title to add to your Switch collection? Bayonetta 3 is one of the best Nintendo Switch games and is currently on sale at Argos. “ Bayonetta fans will find plenty to adore and, while its absurdity may take newcomers some getting used to, it’s high-octane action at its near best,” our writer said in their review . Minecraft is a tried and true classic of the gaming world, and deservedly so. Now, you can enjoy the geometric world-building game on your Nintendo Switch, plus get 20 per cent off thanks to Very’s Black Friday sale. Let your creativity run wild, from building your own castle to battling mobs of zombies with your friends, the possibilities are endless. One of my favourite Nintendo Switch games is currently more than 20 per cent off at Very thanks to the retailer’s Black Friday sale. In my review of the best Nintendo Switch games , I named Super Mario Odyssey one of the best to sink your teeth into due to its stunning visuals and unique twists. “It just narrowly misses out on the top spot for best Nintendo Switch game but only marginally. This really is one of the best Mario games out there,” I said. Save 45 per cent on FC 25 for the Switch at Amazon, a game that boasts the biggest shake-up to the Fifa franchise in years. This isn’t just the same game with players donning new kits. There’s a new game mode, a new FC IQ system, new player roles, better tactical options and new game mechanics. If you haven’t yet laced up your virtual boots, now’s the perfect time. My favourite Nintendo Switch game has just received a price cut for the first time ever. “Familiar but new, Tears of the Kingdom is breathtaking in its scope, engaging in its narrative, and the limitless freedom to explore meant we never wanted to put down the controller,” I wrote in my review . “You can craft weapons out of anything, splice objects together to build planes, sear fruits to your shield to dazzle enemies and explore for hours and hours on end.” Independent games retailer The Game Collection has just discounted Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope by £7. “There’s enough meaningful changes to entice Super Mario fans that fall outside the tactical genre, while also staying true to its core appeal,” our writer said in their review of the game. It’s the game you know and love and, ahead of the New Year, it’s had a pop and rock upgrade. That’s right, the game’s 2025 edition will include recent hits like Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso and Jack Harlow’s Lovin’ on me and, thanks to Argos’ Black Friday sale, it’s currently reduced by 45 per cent just one month after its release. Though I haven’t managed to get my hands on the game’s latest edition just yet, gaming expert Jack did take a whack at its 2015 iteration, noting how everything it entails ensures that “it really is quite hard to not have a good time.” This licensed memory card is specially designed for the Nintendo console system and instantly adds up to an extra 128GB of additional space, while also boosting transfer rates up to 100MB, to help load games faster. It also has a neat little mushroom design, just so you know it’s a Nintendo SD card. Black Friday falls the day after Thanksgiving in the US, meaning this year the mammoth sale kicked off on Friday 29 November. Lasting a full four days, the deals will end on Cyber Monday (2 December 2024). Cyber Monday falls on Monday 2 December this year. The main difference between the two sales is that Cyber Monday – as the name suggests – historically only takes place online, while Black Friday sees deals both online and in-store. This isn’t a hard and fast rule, however, with plenty of brands continuing their in-store sales into the following week. Discounts don’t stay static during the sale weekend and it’s hard to predict if prices might change or deals will vanish. So, if you’re looking to get a deal on something you really want or that might sell out, it’s wise to snatch the offer up as soon as you can. Looking for more recommendations? Read our comprehensive guide to Black Friday 2024Left on Read: America’s Taiwan Warning Crisis

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Belichick's bid to reshape UNC football latest sign of pro influence on college levelBy ANNE D’INNOCENZIO The Associated Press — The Container Store has filed for bankruptcy protection as the storage and organizational goods retailer with roots dating back to the 1970s grapples with mounting losses and cash flow shortages. The Texas company has faced increasing competition from retailers like Target and Walmart at the same time that demand for its goods is under strain in a rough housing market, where soaring prices and elevated mortgage rates have stunted sales. Under Chapter 11 protection, The Container Store will continue to operate while it restructures. The chain has stores in Costa Mesa and seven other locations throughout Southern California. The company said Sunday that it had filed for bankruptcy protection in Texas. The filing arrives two weeks after the trading of company shares was suspended by the New York Stock Exchange. The Container Store Group Inc. failed to maintain an average market capitalization of at least $15 million in accordance with NYSE rules. Last month, The Container Store said that it was in advanced discussions with lenders to provide additional capital as it aimed to turn around sagging earnings and sales, according to a regulatory filing. The company has struggled to raise cash, and last month an agreement with the owner of Bed Bath & Beyond, Overstock and Zulily that would have come with a $40 million cash infusion fell apart. The Container Store said in a regulatory filing that it did not believe that it could match the financing requirements of the partnership with Beyond Inc. The Container Store was founded in 1978 by Garrett Boone, Kip Tindell and investor John Mullen, who opened the doors of The Container Store’s first location in Dallas, according to the company. Neither of the men, Boone with a master’s degree in history and Tindell who was an English major, expected a career in retail. Yet both were driven by the idea of creating a store devoted entirely to storage. The chain had its skeptics when Boon and Tindell opened their first 1,600-square-foot location. Yet the chain expanded to more than 100 stores ranging from 12,000 to 20,000 square feet, according to the company. In 1999, The Container Store purchased one of its vendors, Elfa International. In 2021, it acquired Chicago’s Closet Works and launched its premium, wood-based line Preston shortly thereafter. In its most recent quarter the company reported losses of $16 million, and comparable store sales, a good barometer of a retailer’s health, dropped 12.5%.

COMMERCE, Texas (AP) — Zach Calzada passed for 333 yards and three touchdowns, and he rushed for a score as Incarnate Word beat East Texas A&M 38-24 on Saturday to claim the Southland Conference title. Incarnate Word (10-2, 7-0) became the first team in program history to finish undefeated in conference play. The No. 6 Cardinals await the FCS selection show on Sunday to learn the playoff matchups. Calzada came in leading the FCS in passing touchdowns with 30 on the season and No. 6 for passing yards (3,018). He finished 26 of 40 with an interception against East Texas A&M. Incarnate Word linebacker Darius Sanders made his third interception in two games then Calzada launched a 43-yard pass to Jalen Walthall to tie it at 14 midway through the second quarter. The Cardinals' Marcus Brown blocked a 45-yard field-goal attempt that would have broken a tie at 24 early in the fourth. Calzada found wide-open Logan Compton in the end zone for a 31-24 lead. Mason Pierce was also left wide open for an 18-yard score with 2:43 left. Ron Peace was 21 of 38 for 165 yards with one touchdown and one interception for East Texas (3-9, 2-4). He also rushed for a score. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.TOMS RIVER, N.J. (AP) — Gov. Phil Murphy has asked the Biden administration to put more resources into an investigation of mysterious drone sightings that have been reported in New Jersey and nearby states. Murphy, a Democrat, made the request in a letter Thursday, noting that state and local law enforcement remain “hamstrung” by existing laws and policies in their efforts to successfully counteract any nefarious activity of unmanned aircraft. He posted a copy of the letter on the social media platform X . “This leaves action surrounding the (drones) squarely on the shoulders of the federal government,” Murphy said. “More federal resources are needed to understand what is behind this activity.” Murphy and other officials have repeatedly stressed that there is no evidence that the aircraft pose a national security or a public safety threat, or have a foreign nexus. The Pentagon also has said they are not U.S. military drones. The drones have drawn intense public concern and curiosity since residents first reported seeing them last month. Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia said from four to 180 aircraft have been reported to authorities since Nov. 18, appearing from dusk till 11 p.m. The flying objects have been spotted near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster, but the number of reported sightings has grown greatly since then. Drones were also spotted in Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut and other parts of the Mid-Atlantic region. The FBI, Federal Aviation Administration and other state and federal agencies involved in the investigation have not corroborated any of the reported sightings with electronic detection, and reviews of available images appear to show many of the reported drones are actually manned aircraft. They also say there have been no confirmed sightings in restricted air space. It’s also possible that a single drone has been seen and reported more than once, officials said. Some federal lawmakers have called on the military to “shoot down” the drones. The drones also appear to avoid detection by traditional methods such as helicopter and radio, according to a state lawmaker who was briefed by the Department of Homeland Security. In one case, a medevac helicopter was unable to pick up a seriously injured car accident victim in Branchburg Township in Somerset County late last month due to drones hovering near the planned landing zone, according to NJ.com. The FAA said Thursday that it does not have a report on this incident. Drones are legal in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use but are subject to local and FAA regulations and flight restrictions. Operators must be FAA certified. Witnesses say the drones they think they have seen in New Jersey appear to be larger than those typically used by hobbyists.

Buggs' 15 lead East Tennessee State over Austin Peay 79-57A groundbreaking discovery has highlighted lithium-;a drug long used to treat bipolar disorder and depression-;as a potential therapy for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This research, conducted by a team at the Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions within the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) led by Director KIM Eunjoon, reveals that lithium can restore brain function and alleviate behavioral symptoms in animal models of ASD caused by mutations in the Dyrk1a gene. ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting 2.8% of the global population, characterized by social deficits, repetitive behaviors, intellectual challenges, and anxiety. Because ASD imposes a heavy burden not only on the patients themselves but on their families and society as a whole, new therapeutic methods must be developed to treat the core symptoms of ASD. Despite its prevalence, there are no definitive treatments or preventive measures. Among the many genetic risk factors for ASD, Dyrk1a mutations stand out as significant, leading to conditions such as Dyrk1a syndrome. Patients carrying Dyrk1a loss-of-function mutation have presented with ASD, microcephaly, language problems, social disability, and anxiety. The mouse model carrying Dyrk1a I48K truncation mutation (a human patient mutation), also mimics these phenotypes closely. One of the underlying mechanisms of ASD symptoms by Dyrk1a mutation discovered within this study is impaired phosphorylation levels of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin). To find the specific substrate of Dyrk1a, the researchers needed to generate mice lacking the entirety of Dyrk1a expression (homozygote), a condition that has been known to be embryonically lethal. However, by switching the mouse genetic background, it was possible to generate live animals with this mutation. Even so, the survival rate was abysmal, with less than 5% of the mutant pups surviving. After overcoming this hardest part, the authors found that the phosphorylation levels of various elements of the mTOR pathway, and mTOR itself were altered by Dyrk1a expression levels. Accordingly, they have chosen lithium to address this deficit, and as a tentative cure drug in Dyrk1a mutant mice. When lithium was administered to the mutant mice during their juvenile period, the results were remarkable. Lithium normalized brain size, restored the structure and function of excitatory neurons, and significantly improved behaviors related to anxiety and social interaction. Even more promising, the effects of this short-term treatment lasted into adulthood, suggesting that lithium may have long-term benefits by enabling structural and functional recovery in the brain. Through advanced mass spectrometry analysis, proteins and their phosphorylation levels rescued by lithium in Dyrk1a mutation mice were extensively screened. The team discovered that lithium's therapeutic effects are partly mediated through its action on Kalirin-7, a molecule essential for synaptic structure and function. By targeting this molecule, lithium helped to restore balance in the brain's signaling networks, addressing one of the core mechanisms of ASD. This is an exciting breakthrough. Dyrk1a mutations disrupt neural connectivity, much like a traffic jam or roadblocks in a city. Lithium helps to clear the congestion, restoring smooth communication between neurons." Dr. Roh Junyeop, senior researcher and co-first author of the study Related Stories Study: Brain volume changes correlate with social behavior differences in psychiatric conditions Neuroimaging study reveals structural brain differences in children with autism Study highlights air pollution as key environmental factor in autism risk Director KIM Eunjoon emphasized the potential impact of these findings, stating, "Our research shows that lithium, a widely used drug for bipolar disorder, could also serve as a treatment for ASD. The fact that its effects persist long after treatment ends underscores the importance of early intervention during critical developmental windows." This study, published in the prestigious journal Molecular Psychiatry on December 5, not only paves the way for new therapeutic approaches for ASD but also underscores the critical importance of early diagnosis and intervention. It offers a glimmer of hope to families and individuals affected by ASD, suggesting that targeted treatments may one day reduce the burden of this complex disorder. Institute for Basic Science Roh, J. D., et al. (2024). Lithium normalizes ASD-related neuronal, synaptic, and behavioral phenotypes in DYRK1A-knockin mice. Molecular Psychiatry . doi.org/10.1038/s41380-024-02865-2 .

CHARLOTTE AMALIE, Virgin Islands (AP) — Trey Autry scored 16 points off of the bench to help lead George Washington over Illinois State 72-64 on Monday night to claim a fifth-place finish at the Paradise Jam tournament in the Virgin Islands. Autry had five rebounds for the Revolutionaries (6-1). Gerald Drumgoole Jr. scored 16 points while going 4 of 9 from the floor, including 2 for 5 from 3-point range, and 6 for 7 from the line. Darren Buchanan Jr. shot 3 of 11 from the field and 9 for 11 from the line to finish with 15 points, while adding 10 rebounds. The Redbirds (4-3) were led by Chase Walker, who posted 18 points and two steals. Johnny Kinziger added 16 points for Illinois State. Dalton Banks also had 13 points, six rebounds and two steals. Autry scored seven points in the first half and George Washington went into the break trailing 29-27. NEXT UP George Washington's next game is Friday against VMI at home, and Illinois State visits Belmont on Wednesday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Aspirations unbound

TEHRAN – Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, has expressed strong criticism of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) following the agency's Director General Rafael Grossi's acknowledgment of Israel’s possession of nuclear weapons. Grossi said the “assumed presence of nuclear weapons looms in the background” in a statement expressing concern about escalating tensions between Iran and Israel. “The fact that the Director General of the agency has acknowledged the existence of nuclear weapons in the occupied territories for the first time is a significant issue,” the diplomat wrote on X before calling on Grossi to go beyond mere acknowledgment. “This admission places a heavy burden on him and the IAEA. Simply acknowledging it is not enough; he must condemn the existence of such weapons in the hands of this criminal regime and call for their destruction, as well as for this regime's accession to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).” The Deputy Foreign Minister also condemned Grossi's comments regarding the potential for nuclear proliferation by Iran, labeling them as unprofessional and politically motivated. Gharibabadi argued that such statements reflect a bias akin to that of political officials from nations with vested interests, rather than an objective assessment based on facts. “Iran is committed to its NPT obligations, and as long as unjust sanctions are in place, it will not accept additional monitoring beyond its established commitments. Therefore, the Director General can report any deviations in the verification process regarding nuclear materials as evidence, rather than publicizing his speculations.”

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OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will chair a meeting of the cabinet committee on Canada-U.S. relations today, amid increasing calls for his resignation. A mid-day adjustment to Trudeau's itinerary was issued by the Prime Minister's Office and notes he will take part in the meeting virtually, though a specific time wasn't listed. It's been a chaotic week for the governing Liberals, starting with Chrystia Freeland's cabinet resignation just hours after she was set to table the fall economic statement. Freeland and new Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc have previously spoken with the media at the conclusion of these cabinet committee meetings. The committee was reformed following Donald Trump's re-election, and a chief topic of discussion at the meetings has been border security after the incoming president threatened to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian products. Several Liberal MPs publicly called for Trudeau to step down as Liberal leader since Freeland's resignation, and the NDP has joined the other major opposition parties in saying it no longer has confidence in the minority Liberal government. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23, 2024 David Baxter, The Canadian Press