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Percentages: FG .448, FT .875. 3-Point Goals: 1-16, .063 (Dezonie 1-2, Berry 0-1, Brown 0-2, Stanford 0-2, Gray 0-3, Mashburn 0-3, Settle 0-3). Team Rebounds: 4. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 4 (Berry 2, Durodola, Settle). Turnovers: 15 (Berry 5, Mashburn 4, Dezonie 2, Durodola, Gray, Settle, Stanford). Steals: 4 (Dezonie 2, Brown, Durodola). Technical Fouls: Gray, 9:51 second. Percentages: FG .395, FT .750. 3-Point Goals: 7-25, .280 (McKeithan 3-6, Lilley 2-4, Marrero 1-4, Shepherd 1-5, White 0-2, Vahlberg Fasasi 0-4). Team Rebounds: 7. Team Turnovers: 1. Blocked Shots: 8 (Lilley 2, Jones, Marrero, McKeithan, Shepherd, Vahlberg Fasasi, White). Turnovers: 6 (White 2, Jones, Marrero, Shepherd, Vahlberg Fasasi). Steals: 12 (Marrero 3, Jones 2, McKeithan 2, White 2, Etienne, Lilley, Vahlberg Fasasi). Technical Fouls: None. .Colombia's Marxist President Vows to Fight Trump on Retaking Panama Canal
A lively Melbourne Derby and Douglas Costa’s excellent individual performance on Friday highlighted another action-packed weekend of football action. Here are your A-League Round 9 talking points. Reds snatch draw from the jaws of victory There had been signs of Sydney FC marquee Douglas Costa’s class since his arrival down under, but he hadn’t managed to take over a game the way he did in Friday night’s action-packed 3-3 stalemate at Coopers Stadium. Costa scored two goals and set up Jordan Courtney-Perkins’ injury time equaliser in a dominant display, something Ufuk Talay and Sky Blues fans will be hoping becomes more common as the ex-Bayern Munich winger settles into life in the A-League. But Sydney should not have been in a position to take anything from the game after Adelaide led 3-1 late in the game. Carl Veart is known for showing emotion on the touchline and he was apoplectic after his side conceded two soft goals to throw away two points that could be quite important in a potential premiership tilt. Stefan Mauk copped a spray for his reaction to being substituted and I’m sure the berating continued in the dressing room. The Reds maintained their undefeated run, however, and are still in a stronger position at this point of the season than many would have predicted before the 2024-25 campaign kicked off. More Football Lively derby provides another spark The A-League tends to get a lot of negative press in mainstream media outlets but to give credit to the APL, the early season derbies from Victoria to NSW to the North Island of New Zealand have provided a much-needed shot in the arm for the competition. The front-loading will inevitably lead to a drop in crowds and TV numbers as casual fans drop off with winter codes’ pre-seasons beginning but for now, let’s enjoy the sugar hit. It was an unusual week of preparation for Victory with Patrick Kisnorbo’s sudden departure to pursue an overseas opportunity catching Vuck fans, players and management completely by surprise. In today’s media environment I’m surprised the news did not leak before an official announcement on Wednesday. Despite the pre-game disruption and going behind to a cracking Yonatan Cohen strike in the first half, Victory rallied to earn a point with captain Roderick Miranda finishing from close range after young City goalkeeper Patrick Beach made another unfortunate error. It may not have been three points for Aurelio Vidmar’s side but after the humiliation they suffered in the first derby, I think it was an encouraging result. Mathew Leckie of Melbourne City celebrates after scoring a goal during the A-League Men round 24 match between Melbourne City and Perth Glory at AAMI Park, on April 14, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) Keep in mind this squad is missing plenty of quality with international-level players Mat Leckie and Marco Tilio nursing injuries, and Andrew Nabbout will not play again this season after an ACL injury. Pressure mounts on winless Zadkovich After defeat in the ‘spoon bowl’ against Perth Glory, Brisbane are alone on the bottom of the A-League ladder with a dreadful 0-2-6 record. David Williams’ volley was the difference in a fairly dire contest that even diehards of both clubs probably struggled through. Even in the context of off-field uncertainty and lack of investment in the playing squad, Roar’s record needs to be condemned. There’s no acceptable reason for such disparity between any side and the rest of the competition in a salary cap system. But you have to feel for the Roar fans, more than 6000 of whom turned up at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday. That figure was only a few hundred short of what Western Sydney, ostensibly one of the league’s bigger clubs, managed to attract 24 hours later for their well-earned win over Wellington. For David Zdrilic and Perth, it’s a sweet victory, their first of the season. For their sake, hopefully it can be a turning point in the campaign that’s unlikely to see finals football return to the west, but bettering last season’s 12th-placed finish would at least be progress. Roar editor Christy Doran made the trip to Seattle with VisitSeattle.org, diving into the city’s electric sports vibe, outdoor adventures, and renowned food scene. Click here for his latest adventure in the Emerald City. Champions’ sputtering title defence continues after Bulls stalemate It looked like Central Coast’s double defence was back on track after a 2-1 win over glamour club Sydney FC, but Mark Jackson’s side followed that performance with a horror showing against Adelaide five days later, and struggled to break down Macarthur, having to settle for a point at Campbelltown Stadium. Goal scoring has been a weakness for the Mariners and as alluded to by the Paramount commentators during Sunday’s game, Jackson, like any other manager, would love to bring in some reinforcements in January to bolster his forward stocks. Whether the resources are there, and what the market looks like, are two more potential obstacles. Tommy Uskok’s blatant red card in the dying minutes was pretty much the end of Macarthur’s ambition to grab the extra two points. Thinking back to the Brisbane game, that’s four points that have gone begging, at home, when the Bulls were in control and should have better managed the final stages. The fallout from the betting scandal is perhaps still affecting the squad, but it seems improving their killer instinct is what Mile Sterjovski needs to work on in southwest Sydney.
AP Business SummaryBrief at 4:04 p.m. EST
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Number of seats: 4 Seats filled: 1 8.30pm Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has been elected on the third count in Dublin Central. There were loud cheers from supporters as her election was announced. 7.47 pm After two counts in Dublin Central Mary Lou McDonald is nearly across the line for the first seat. She needs 41 more votes, and seeing how her running mate Janice Boylan has been eliminated she will benefit from her transfers. Also eliminated now are Andrew Kelly (Centre Party Ireland), and Ian Noel Smyth (Aontu) 7.30pm: After Count 2, Mary Lou McDonald's running mate Janice Boylan has been eliminated. Full results after the second count, with no one yet elected: McDonald, Mary Lou (SF) 6,510 Donohoe, Paschal (FG) 5,569 Gannon, Gary (soc Dems) 4,397 Hutch, Gerard (Ind) 3,187 Sherlock, Marie (LAB) 2,505 Fitzpatrick, Mary (FF) 2,427 Hourigan, Neasa (Green) 1,986 Steenson, Malachy (IND) 1,955 O’Ceannabhain, Eoghan (PBP/SOL) 1,497 Daly, Clare (Ind 4 Change) 1,367 Boylan, Janice (SF) 1,295 Eliminated this round: Janice Boylan (SF) 6.30pm Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has topped the first count votes in Dublin Central but no candidate has yet been elected in the constituency as no one has yet reached the quota. Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch is currently in fourth place, after Paschal Donohoe and Gary Gannon. Things are not looking good for sitting Green TD Neasa Hourigan in the four seater, polling 1952 first preference votes. Full results: Mary Lou McDonald 6389 Paschal Donohoe FG 5493 Gary Gannon - Soc Dems - 4353 Gerard Hutch - Independent - 3098 Marie Sherlock Lab 2465 Mary Fitzpatrick FF 2344 Neasa Hourigan Green 1952 Malachy Steenson - Non party - 1602 Eoin O Ceannabhain PBP 1471 Clare Daly Indepdents for Change 1317 Janice Boylan SF 1257 Eliminated Ian Noel Smyth Aontu 715 Andrew Kelly Centre Party 298 The second count has now commenced, with the eliminated candidates' votes being redistributed according to preferences. 5.30pm Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said her party had delivered an “incredible performance” in the general election. She made clear she wanted to engage with other parties about the “possibilities of government”. Ms McDonald arrived at the count centre in the RDS in a very positive mood ahead of the first official Dublin counts. The first thing I want to say is to acknowledge every single person right across the state who came out to vote for Sinn Féin,” she told reporters in the RDS count centre in Dublin this evening. Mary Lou McDonald (right) and deputy Michelle O'Neill (centre) arrive at the RDS (Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire) “You have given us again a powerful and a strong mandate, and we understand the trust that you have placed in us to make life better for you, and we are determined to do just that. This has been really an incredible performance by all of our candidates, by Sinn Féin across the state. “Over a short number of weeks we have achieved a result that many people a few weeks ago would have thought impossible. So thank you. Thank you to every single person who voted for us. “I said in the course of the campaign that I believe another five years of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil is bad news for our society, for our communities, for families who are struggling, for our housing crisis, which is deepening, and nobody should miss the record homeless numbers that we saw on election day itself. “We’re now at a really important decision point for Irish society and politics, and we need change. “We intend when the votes are counted and when we know th e lie of the land, we will be talking to people about the possibilities of government. “I do not want to see another five years of the kind of chaos, the kind of disregard that we have seen under Fine Gael and Fianna Fail. I think that is a bad outcome for our society.” Speaking to Newstalk later, Ms MacDonald was asked if she had a message for Gerry “The Monk” Hutch: “Not particularly,” she said. "This is a democratic system; the people make the call. If he is a representative of the people to the Dáil he will have the same rights and responsibilities as the rest of us. “I look forward to and hope to be working with other colleagues on the left in the Dáil”, she added. 5.07pm Independent 4 Change candidate Clare Daly, who polled poorly in Dublin Central, said the fact that Gerry Hutch did well was an anti-establishment vote that could bring a needed focus on the area. “It’s incredibly interesting. It’s not a place I would have wanted to be obviously but I think we’ve seen the massive galvanising of that anti-establishment vote around the candidacy of Gerard Hutch,” she said. “I think all progressive Independents across Dublin probably suffered a little bit in favour of the parties as well, so it left me where I am.” “There’s huge goodwill out there and all the rest but I’m not going to get to see the benefit of all of the massive transfers that we got, but that’s life and I think it has put the world’s attention and the country’s attention on a constituency that has been so badly neglected, and for me that’s a really good thing.” “I hope that attention can be maintained and the people in this wonderful area can get the attention that they so badly deserve and haven’t got,” she added. Asked if she welcomes the fact that Hutch appears to have the level of support he has, Ms Daly said the fact that he is there in the constituency will focus attention on it. “The challenge will be to him to build on that. I do believe the constituency needs that. I don’t see him being a national parliamentarian or a legislator per se, which is part of the job, but if elected he could, if the will was there, really keep a focus on an area that has been left behind and is crying out,” she said. “There are so many people in that community trying their best. It is an incredibly diverse constituency with a lot of division within it.” “Let’s see what happens. Either way the constituency has spoken and by voting for Gerard Hutch in such numbers they’ve sent that signal anyway, and the political establishment should take note,” she added. 1.57pm Social Democrats candidate Gary Gannon has said he is humbled by the vote in Dublin Central. “I'm humbled and also determined to vindicate that over the course of the next five years. We've done a massive amount of work in Dublin Central. In terms of the work that we are doing on the ground, the strength of conviction we have bringing through issues in the Dail that was really starting to come back for us, and we were picking up a lot of momentum in Dublin Central. And I think today you'll see the results of that,” he said. Asked about the effect that Gerry Hutch had being on the ballot paper, Gannon said it was something that “none of us expected”. “He came in and he got a lot of media with this announcement, and that's going to be expected. But I think, for me, it's not just about what happens and who takes the fourth seat. I think it's a reflection of the fact that there's a lot of hurt, there's a huge amount of pain. I mean, that period of austerity in 2011 to 2016 destroyed the fabric of communities, and you're still seeing the tentacles of that now,” he added. “I appreciate what the headlines will be today and tomorrow, but I do encourage everybody to go beyond them and look deeper. Because when people are hurting to the extent that they are in, some of the communities that I represent the length and breadth of Ireland, and you're going to see outcries of that, and it'll manifest in different ways. And I think we're seeing one manifestation of that today,” he said. Asked if he thought the Hutch vote was a protest vote he said he didn’t think so. Soc Dems leader Holly Cairns gave birth to her first baby yesterday as the nation went to the polls, and Gary Gannon was delighted for her. “For me, I just want to say how in awe I am of Holly Cairns. She's not only our leader, she's my friend. She is somebody that has took the reins of this party two exceptional TDs in Catherine Murphy and Roisin Shortall, and she's really brought us on,” he explained. Regarding future plans and possible negotiations for government, he said the next step is to see exactly what's in the boxes. 1.30pm Independent candidate Malachy Steenson has said it looks like Mary Lou McDonald will take the first seat in Dublin Central, followed by Paschal Donohoe, and Gary Gannon for the Social Democrats will take the third seat. The battle for fourth seat could be between Gerry Hutch (Ind), Marie Sherlock (Lab) and Mary Fitzpatrick (FF) in his opinion. He thinks Sherlock may take it on likely transfers. The Monk is in the mix as Malachy Steenson gives his view on the tallies from Dublin Central “It’s a disappointing day for the Nationalist movement but it shows what acres of media coverage can do for a celebrity candidate,” he said in reference to Gerry Hutch’s entry. “The media have to look at the role they have played in this election in excluding people they didn’t agree with. Sadly, the people will pay the price,” he told the Irish Independent. 12pm With practically all the boxes tallied in Dublin Central the news of the day is how well convicted criminal Gerry Hutch has polled. From the outset he was doing well on tally sheets from his own inner city areas like North Strand, and there was an expectation among some of the tally crews that this would change as more boxes were opened. But his vote was strong across the city, and when it comes to the first count he looks destined to come fourth. Transfers in later counts will erode this, but the fact that he has featured so strongly has surprised many. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald will top the poll on around 20pc it appears, followed by Fine Gael’s Paschal Donohoe on around 17pc. Gary Gannon of the Social Democrats is polling in third place at 13pc followed by Hutch on 9pc. The fact that Hutch entered the race in the first place will have hurt the ambitions of right wing candidate Malachy Steenson, and Independent 4 Change Clare Daly, who are in ar around the 5pc mark. The Green Party’s Neasa Hourigan’s ambitions to retain her seat appeare to have taken a bruising, with the tallies indicating 6pc of the vote. Transfers will play around with the placings a lot, but this constituency is one to watch today. Read moreSinn Fein actively pursuing route into government, insists leader McDonald
Repealing no-fault divorce has so far stalled across the US. Some worry that'll changeLiveblog: Montembeault starts again for Canadiens vs. PredatorsGene therapy fixes major cause of stillbirth, premature birth in guinea pig model December 5, 2024 University of Florida Nanoparticle-mediated gene therapy corrects a problem with the placenta that leads to pregnancy issues. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email The life of billions of people inhabiting Earth is owed to a temporary organ that supported and nourished them in a mother's womb. The placenta, or afterbirth, is considered sacred by some cultures, its pivotal role in pregnancy recognized as far back as the raising of Egypt's pyramids. It provides nutrients and oxygen to the fetus via the umbilical cord, acting like a gut, kidney, liver, and lungs. If the placenta fails, only one hazardous option remains -- premature delivery through induced labor or cesarean delivery. Now, the first therapy to potentially reverse a condition that is a significant cause of stillbirth and premature delivery around the globe is being developed by a team led by a University of Florida Health researcher who has spent 20 years studying this remarkable organ. The therapy has proved highly successful in animal studies. Up to 1 in 10 pregnancies in the developed world are affected by placental growth restriction, and twice that in the undeveloped world. The success of the gene therapy created by UF Health researcher Helen N. Jones, Ph.D., and a team of collaborators would mark a sea change in obstetrics. Optimistically, human trials are five years in the future. But Jones, an associate professor in the UF College of Medicine's Department of Physiology and Aging, said there is good reason for optimism, noting in vitro (outside the body) evidence from the laboratory shows the treatment could be effective in human tissue. "This is a very exciting therapy," Jones said. "We're very happy with our results so far. If this goes well, it could be a game-changer for mothers worldwide. It has the potential to prevent so many premature births and give families hope that placental failure is not the early end of a pregnancy." Placental growth insufficiency, which starves the fetus of nutrition and oxygen, leaves doctor and mother with no option to extend a fetus' time in the womb. Premature delivery can be many weeks before a due date. "The only thing that can be done is deliver the baby and bring it to the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit)," Jones said. Even when babies survive birth, often far below normal birth weight, health issues can develop in later years, including neurodevelopmental dysfunction. The new gene therapy is delivered to the placenta by a polymer nanoparticle so small it would take roughly 500 of them, side by side, to equal the width of a human hair. The nanoparticle carries cargo -- a DNA plasmid. This is a piece of harmless DNA that, introduced into a specific type of cell in the placenta, triggers the manufacture of a protein that interacts with the cell to activate chemical processes that can change or enhance cellular function. In a sense, the cell receives an extra set of instructions to make more of this protein. That's crucial because these placentas don't make enough, leading them to fail. The cause of placental insufficiency isn't well understood. One thing scientists have noted, however, is that these malfunctioning placentas have lower levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor 1. The gene therapy coaxes the placenta to produce more significant quantities of the growth factor. This hormone stimulates cell growth and development, spurs tissue repair, and ensures the fetus receives nutrition. Without it, the fetus does not receive enough nutrients to develop and grow properly. What makes insulin-like growth factor 1 especially attractive to Jones' team is that it stimulates vascularization, or the formation of blood vessels, essential for healthy tissue. In the placenta, that translates to better nutrient transfer. "One of the things with a growth-restricted placenta is that it doesn't have as good a vascular tree as a normal placenta does," Jones said. Jones is senior author of a study published in Nature Gene Therapy on Dec. 4 that she said details exciting results. It shows that in guinea pigs, the therapy boosted placental function and delivery of normal-weight offspring. Guinea pigs have biological and physiological conditions during pregnancy that parallel humans. Surprisingly, the treatment also reduced the mother's levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. If this holds in humans, the therapy might help lessen a burden many mothers know all too well. Stress, Jones said, is a normal byproduct of pregnancy. But too much can cause complications thought to contribute to high blood pressure, disruption of a fetus' brain development, sleep deprivation, and mental health concerns such as depression and anxiety. Stress can trigger problems for mother and child even many years later, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Common remedies for maternal stress aren't always practical. "A mother often has to work right up until delivery, and there's nothing they can change about that," said Jones. "They can't just sit down and put their feet up. And while their doctors tell them to get more exercise, go outside, and not sit at their desks all day, we know that often doesn't work in the real world. A treatment like ours could be life-changing in some pregnancies." The work has been funded for 12 years by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, a branch of the National Institutes of Health. Story Source: Materials provided by University of Florida . Original written by Bill Levesque. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Journal Reference : Cite This Page :
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SMU had no problems handling the jump to the ACC. Now the No. 8 Mustangs (11-1, 8-0, No. 8 CFP) look to complete an unbeaten run through the ACC in their inaugural season when they face perennial conference power Clemson on Saturday night at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. The 18th-ranked Tigers (9-3, 7-1, No. 17 CFP) will play in a record 10th ACC championship game in 16 seasons under coach Dabo Swinney. The Mustangs moved to the ACC after capturing the American Athletic Conference championship in 2023. They have won 17 straight regular-season conference games, going back to 2022. “We wanted to be at this level. We wanted to play on this stage,” SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said. “We want to be playing in the championship game. ... We have ultimate respect for Clemson, but this is a stage we want to be on.” Clemson looked as if it might miss out on its second straight title game, but Syracuse stunned then-No. 6 Miami to give the Tigers a spot. They have been dominant once they get there, winning eight of their previous nine ACC title game appearances, the lone loss coming to Georgia Tech in 2009. “I’m proud of the consistency. Uncommon consistency,” Swinney said. “I know we’re supposedly a bad program now, and we’re doom and gloom. It’s all downhill, and everything’s terrible. But I think we’ve been in this game two of the last three years.” If the Mustangs win they likely will wrap up a first-round bye in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. Clemson, which comes in as a 2 1/2-point underdog according to BetMGM Sportsbook, needs a win to qualify for the playoff and likely assure the ACC gets two teams in. Swinney said if the Tigers win the national title he’ll invite Syracuse coach Fran Brown to Clemson to ride with him in the championship parade. “If that happens, like let’s dream big, hey, why not? Fran Brown, he’s going to be riding in the car with me, convertible, through downtown Clemson,” Swinney said. SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings will be playing in his second straight conference championship game. Jennings was pressed into his first career start last year in the AAC after Preston Stone broke his leg in the regular-season finale. He responded by leading the Mustangs to a 26-14 win, accounting for 266 yards from scrimmage along with a touchdown pass. Jennings began this season behind Stone on the depth chart but took over as the starter in Week 4 and has gone 9-0 since with the Mustangs averaging 40.8 points per game. Jennings has thrown for 2,746 yards with 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions and is the team’s second-leading rusher with 344 yards and four TDs. “I’m a lot more confident now for sure,” Jennings said. Clemson enters the title game coming off a 17-14 loss to rival South Carolina last week. Linebacker Wade Woodaz said players have put that behind them. “We’ve got another opportunity and we’ve got to be grateful for that,” Woodaz said. “Sitting here and dwelling on the loss to South Carolina isn’t going to help us Saturday. Yes, we have to learn from it, got to look at our mistakes and where we messed up. But in the end, we have another shot and we’ve got to take full advantage of it.” Brashard Smith, SMU’s featured running back, was a receiver before transferring to SMU this season. He has 1,157 yards and 14 touchdowns rushing, and also has 29 catches for 269 yards and three more scores. In the regular-season finale against California, he had 134 total yards (68 rushing and 66 receiving) with two touchdowns. “He’s a matchup problem. He’s a good player and defensively you’ve got to account for him,” Lashlee said of Smith. “He’s an all-purpose player.” SMU lost two of its top receivers to season-ending injuries midway through its conference schedule: tight end RJ Maryland — the son of former No. 1 overall NFL draft pick Russell Maryland — and receiver Jake Bailey. Michigan transfer Matthew Hibner took over as the starting tight end and has 15 catches for 230 yards and three touchdowns the last five games after only two catches for 31 yards the first seven. When Bailey got hurt, the Mustangs moved Roderick Daniels Jr. back to receiver from running back, and he has caught 15 passes the last three games. The Tigers were one of the country’s most dynamic offenses for a six-game stretch — all victories — early September through October. Clemson averaged better than 48 points a game during that run. That average has dropped to less than 27 points a game in the last five contests.None
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‘Embarrassed’ Wayne Rooney blasts Plymouth players for ‘completely collapsing’It’s hard to forget the moment in the hit TV show FRIENDS when Rachel Green puts meat and peas in a sweet trifle. She glosses over her mistake saying. “Yeah, that was weird to me, too. But then, y’know, I thought “Well, there’s mincemeat pie,” I mean that’s an English dessert, these people just put very strange things in their food.” While the audience laughed along with her culinary conundrum, it turns out, Rachel had actually hit the nail on the head when it comes to the true nature of the classic Christmas dessert – Mince Pies. As we know them today mince pies are made from a delicious pastry crust loaded with sweet, alcohol-soaked fruits and baked until golden and delicious. They’re a favourite to leave out for Santa Claus and a classic gift item during the holidays, particularly in the United Kingdom. But before these pies were a Yuletide special, they had a much more complex...and somewhat bizarre past. History Of Mince Pies Mince pies have a rich and complex history that stretches back centuries, far beyond the sweet treat we know today. Originating from the Latin word "minutus" meaning small, these pies have undergone remarkable transformations throughout history, reflecting culinary innovations, cultural exchanges, and changing tastes. The roots of mince pies can be traced back to the Middle Eastern cuisines of the 12th century, where spices and fruits were commonly used in both sweet and savoury meat dishes. Crusaders returning from the Middle East brought back exotic spices and culinary techniques that would profoundly influence British cooking. Before refrigeration, spices and sugars served a practical purpose, helping to preserve food and slow down spoilage. The ‘Tartes Of Flesh’ Early incarnations of mince pies were far from the sweet treats we enjoy today. The oldest recorded English cookbook, "The Forme of Cury" from around 1390, described "tarts of flesh" containing boiled pork, stewed poultry, boiled eggs, cheese, sugar, saffron, and various spices. These were substantial, savoury dishes that could feed multiple people, quite different from the individual pastries we now associate with Christmas. King Henry V featured mince pies in his 1413 coronation celebration, showcasing them as an extravagant dish featuring various meats, game birds, boiled eggs, and rare spices. The pies carried significant symbolism, with some believing the ingredients represented the gifts of the three wise men. Others saw them as a celebration of the year's harvest, incorporating dried summer grapes, autumn orchard fruits, and candied citrus. Mince Pies Banned? The 17th century brought dramatic changes to mince pies. During Oliver Cromwell's rule, there were attempts to suppress Christmas celebrations, leading to myths about mince pies being banned. While no specific law prohibited the pies, they became a symbol of rebellious celebration. Interestingly, during the Prohibition era in the United States, canned mince pie filling could contain over 14% alcohol, adding another layer of intrigue to their history. The transition from savoury to sweet began in the 18th century. Hannah Glasse's 1747 cookbook provided recipes that suggested optional meat, indicating the gradual shift towards fruit-based fillings. The availability of cheaper sugar from West Indies cane plantations accelerated this change. By the Victorian era, meat had been almost entirely replaced by fruits and spices. Also Read: Do You Know How Turkey Became A Thanksgiving Tradition? Mince pies developed rich cultural symbolism over time. Bakers would include 13 different spices and flavourings, representing Jesus and the 12 disciples. Twelve dried plums were added, one for each apostle. The citrus rind symbolised the crucifixion's bitterness, while the sweet dried fruits represented the joy of the nativity. The pies' popularity spread across the British Empire, becoming particularly beloved in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. In the United States, they took on their own unique characteristics, particularly during the Prohibition era when extra booze was loaded into cans of mince pie filling to circumvent the strict clamp down on alcohol sales. Modern mince pie recipes remain remarkably close to those of the late Victorian period. Today's cooks might add brandy or whiskey, use vegetable shortening instead of beef suet, and incorporate ingredients like grapefruit juice, but the essential character of the pie remains unchanged. From medieval meat-filled pastries to today's sweet Christmas delicacy, mince pies represent a fascinating culinary journey. They've survived political upheavals, cultural transformations, and changing tastes, emerging as a beloved festive tradition that continues to delight generations. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Food News, Lifestyle and around the world.By SHAWN CHEN NEW YORK (AP) — It’s time for the holidays, which means robust family conversations and seemingly never-ending courses of food. But for the more tech-savvy among us, the journey home could also mean we’ll be called on to provide a backlog of tech support to parents, grandparents and other family members. And with generative AI being used to supercharge some major cyber scams this year, it’s also a good time to teach and not just fix. Here are some tips on how to manage your tech encounters this holiday season : Whether it’s Windows , macOS , iOS or Android , simply keeping your operating system and apps up-to-date will help protect your family’s computers and devices against a surprising number of security threats, such as malware, viruses and exploits. Most operating systems, especially those for mobile devices and their app stores, typically have auto-updates turned on by default. Be sure to double-check the device to make sure it has enough storage space to carry out the update. (More on this below.) Keeping apps updated may also reduce the number of “Why isn’t this app working?” type of questions from your relatives. Chances are someone in your family is going to have a completely full mobile device. So full, in fact, that they can no longer update their phone or tablet without having to purge something first. There are many approaches to freeing up space. Here are a few you can easily take without having to triage data or apps. — Use the cloud to back up media: iPhone users can free up space occupied by songs and pictures by storing them on iCloud . Android users can use the Google Photos app to back up and store their photos on their user space. — Clear browsing data: Each major browser has an option to clear its data cache — cookies, search and download histories, autofill forms, site settings, sign-in data and so on. Over time, these bits take up a significant amount of storage space on mobile devices and home computers. So cleaning caches out periodically helps free up space and, in some cases, improves system performance. According to some admittedly unscientific studies, the average person has hundreds of passwords. That’s a lot to remember. So as you help your relatives reset some of theirs, you may be tempted to recycle some to keep things simple for them. But that’s one of the bad password habits that cybersecurity experts warn against. Instead, try introducing your forgetful family member to a password manager . They’re useful tools for simplifying and keeping track of logins. And if you want to impress a more tech-savvy cousin or auntie, you could suggest switching to a more secure digital authentication method: passkeys . As scammers find new ways to steal money and personal information, you and your family should be more vigilant about who to trust. Artificial intelligence and other technologies are giving bad actors craftier tools to work with online. Related Articles National News | Jailed Proud Boys leader refuses to answer questions at trial National News | The next census will gather more racial, ethnic information National News | As data centers proliferate, conflict with local communities follows National News | Data centers are booming. So are fights with local communities. National News | NASA’s stuck astronauts hit 6 months in space. Just 2 more to go A quick way to remember what to do when you think you’re getting scammed is to think about the three S’s, said Alissa Abdullah, also known as Dr. Jay, Mastercard’s deputy chief security officer “Stay suspicious, stop for a second (and think about it) and stay protected,” she said. Simply being aware of typical scams can help, experts say. Robocalls frequently target vulnerable individuals like seniors, people with disabilities, and people with debt. So-called romance scams target lonely and isolated individuals. Quiz scams target those who spend a lot of time on social media. Check our AP guide on the latest scams and what to do when you’re victimized. Home internet speeds are getting faster, so you want to make sure your family members are getting a high-speed connection if they’ve paid for one. Run a broadband speed test on your home network if they’re still rocking an aging modem and router.House rejects Democratic efforts to force release of Matt Gaetz ethics report