Food Chain presenter Ruth Alexander was confident that she was eating a healthy diet, in particular, a diet that included enough fibre. But it turns out, like many of us, her fibre intake has been falling short of the recommended amount.
In fact all over the world most of us are failing to eat enough, despite the growing trend for so called “fibremaxxing” where people try to maximise their daily intake.
So how can we boost our fibre intake? And does it really have to involve chia seeds?
Ruth picks the brains of fibre expert Professor Joanne Slavin from the University of Minnesota and Fathima Abdoola, known as The Cultural Dietitian, based in Brisbane Australia. And psychologist Phillippa Lally from the University of Surrey in the UK, explains how we can make our well intentioned new habits stick.
Producer: Lexy O’Connor
Sound engineer: Andrew Mills
(Image: A close up of a steaming bowl of Persian barley soup, in a blue bowl, with a woman’s hands holding it. Credit: Getty Images)
If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected]
Average asking rents outside London hit a standstill in the early months of 2026 – marking the first time since 2017 that they have not increased between the end of a previous year and the start of a new year, according to an index.
Across Britain but excluding London, the average advertised rent for homes coming onto the market showed a 0.0% change between the fourth quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, Rightmove said.
The lack of price growth meant that average asking rents held at £1,370 per month.
Rightmove said it is the first time since 2017 that rents have not increased at the start of the year, compared with the fourth quarter of the previous year.
Asking rents in London did show a quarterly increase, with a quarterly rise of 0.7% taking the average advertised rent to £2,736 per month in the first quarter of 2026.
More than a quarter (26%) of rental listings have seen a price reduction, Rightmove said, marking the highest proportion it has seen at this time of year since its records for this started in 2012.
Rightmove said the average rental home now receives eight inquiries, down from 11 a year ago and 29 at a peak in 2022.
The number is still higher than an average of five inquiries per rental home before the coronavirus pandemic.
Lower tenant demand and a greater choice of homes is reducing competition for rental homes and upwards pressure on rents, Rightmove said.
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It also said that affordability pressures remain for tenants, with more people likely reaching a ceiling for what they can pay.
Rightmove property expert Colleen Babcock said: “Rents holding steady this quarter reflects how affordability remains stretched, but also how supply and demand is more balanced.
“With more homes available to rent and less competition between tenants, landlords are needing to position rents correctly for the current market to secure a tenant.
“As market conditions rebalance, homes are taking longer to let. The market is more price sensitive, with landlords needing to be realistic from the outset to secure a tenant and reduce the risk of void periods.”
Adam Jennings, head of residential at Chestertons, said: “Across (the first quarter of 2026), we’ve seen a clear pick-up in lettings activity, particularly towards the end of March, with a noticeable increase in viewings and agreed lets compared to earlier in the quarter.
“Well-presented, correctly priced properties are continuing to let quickly, especially in areas where supply remains constrained.”
Despite the slowdown in asking rents, Rightmove also revealed some rental price hotspots, which have seen significant increases in asking rents over the past year.
Here are the hotspots, followed by the average asking rent in March and the annual increase in the average asking rent:
Iver, Buckinghamshire, South East, £2,893, 21.8%
Godalming, Surrey, South East, £2,341, 19.8%
Truro, Cornwall, South West, £1,494, 19.4%
Harrogate, North Yorkshire, Yorkshire and the Humber, £1,621, 18.9%
Urmston, Greater Manchester, North West, £1,600, 17.6%
Runcorn, Cheshire, North West, £1,087, 15.1%
Ascot, Berkshire, South East, £4,014, 14.9%
Warrington, Cheshire, North West, £1,321, 14.9%
Batley, West Yorkshire, Yorkshire and the Humber, £972, 14.6%
Achieving perfectly crispy fried food involves a simple switch from plates to a wire rack after frying. This allows excess oil to drain, preventing the food from becoming soggy.
There is nothing more disappointing than ruining a perfectly fried piece of chicken or a fritter with an oil film that develops below it when taken from the pan. It has happened to us all – we got the temperature just right, only to have our food become wet and greasy, turning our favourite delicacy into a laborious experience. The traditional way to address the problem was to transfer our fried items onto a plate covered in paper towels. This may seem logical, but it leads to a wet environment where no crispness can survive.However, the key to achieving the perfect restaurant-style crispy exterior lies not so much in the technique of frying but in what you do with the hot dish right after taking it off the stove. Simply switch from flat plates to an easy wire rack. This change in your kitchen routine will make it possible for the food to breathe freely, thus giving the dish an extra crunchy texture.What is surprising about cooling?It may come as a surprise, but only a small portion of the oil contained in fried products is absorbed during cooking when the dish is heated to boiling temperature in a fryer. The main process of absorption occurs at the stage of cooling. When the food is removed from hot oil, there is a decrease in the temperature of the outer layer of the product, which leads to a reduction in pressure in the crust. This creates a kind of vacuum, as a result of which the surface oil penetrates deeply into the pores.Modelling Oil Absorption During Post-Frying Cooling research describes the role of the porous nature of the fried surface as being the primary path for oil diffusion. The research proves that the treatment immediately after the food items are fried is when it matters most in determining the fat content in the food. The use of a cooling rack ensures no contact is made between the food and the residual oil, meaning the fat retained on the surface comes from an already greasy paper towel.It is important how the food is positioned. In the article on oil separation during deep-frying published by Food and Bioproducts Processing, it is found that when positioning the food in a vertical position or even tilting it, the oil is separated into small droplets rather than creating a thin film on the food. This way, using a rack allows gravity to draw those droplets away from the crust before penetrating the food layer, which significantly decreases the amount of oil absorbed compared to a horizontal position.
Research indicates that most oil absorption happens during cooling, and a rack facilitates better air circulation and oil separation, leading to improved texture and health benefits.
Improved texture, improved healthIn addition to that crispy crackling sound that comes from a well-cooked crust, reducing the amount of oil in the food also improves your health significantly. The presence of excess oil in cooked food leads to higher concentrations of compounds resulting from the Maillard reaction. They produce the desirable texture and flavour, but their presence in excessive amounts can affect your health adversely.The use of the rack saves you from the infamous steam room experience. Placing your hot food on a flat surface causes the heat stored below to condense into steam, making your crispy coating turn soggy instantly. The use of the wire rack allows for ventilation of steam from all sides simultaneously, thus keeping the crust crisp.To achieve optimal results while frying at home, position a rack above the cookie sheet for maximum drip management. Make sure that the pieces of fried food are in one layer without touching each other so as to ensure that air circulates around all of them equally. You may still be using paper towels to help absorb the excess oil, although in this case, the paper towels will be placed below the rack on the cookie sheet rather than directly under the food pieces. This is a very basic improvement which makes your cooking resemble that of professional cooks.
Morgan Harper, a director at the non-profit economic advocacy organisation American Economic Liberties Project, called the verdict against Live Nation “a historic victory for fans, artists, concert promoters and venue owners who have suffered for decades under the thumb of Ticketmaster’s monopoly”.
WASHINGTON — The world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, broke the U.S. record Wednesday for the longest post-Vietnam War deployment, a nearly 10-month span that saw it take part in both the military raid in Venezuela and the Iran war.
The ship’s 295th day at sea surpassed the previous longest deployment by an aircraft carrier in the past 50 years, when the USS Abraham Lincoln was sent out for 294 days in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to data compiled by U.S. Naval Institute News, a news outlet run by the U.S. Naval Institute, a nonprofit organization.
It raises questions about the impact on service members away from home for long periods as well as increasing strain on the ship and its equipment, with the carrier already enduring a fire that forced it to undergo lengthy repairs.
The Ford began its deployment in June 2025, heading to the Mediterranean See from its home port in Norfolk, Virginia. The military rerouted it to the Caribbean Sea in October as part of the largest naval buildup in the region in generations.
The carrier took part in the opening days of the Iran war from the Mediterranean Sea before going through the Suez Canal and heading into the Red Sea in early March.
However, a fire in one of its laundry spaces forced the carrier to turn around and return to the Mediterranean Sea for repairs.
Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia said the record-breaking deployment has taken “a serious toll” on the mental health and well-being of the crew. He noted that the fire temporarily left 600 sailors without places to sleep.
“They should be home with their loved ones, not sent around the world by a President who acts like the U.S. military is his palace guard,” the Democratic senator said in a statement.
Pentagon officials have not said how long the Ford will stay deployed, but the Navy’s two highest-ranking officers both said publicly that they expect the ship to be deployed for around 11 months. That would put the ship returning home in late May.
“You’re going to see a record-breaking deployment by Ford,” Adm. Daryl Caudle, the Navy’s top officer, said during a discussion at the Center for Strategic and International Studies at the end of March.
Caudle told reporters in January that he would “push back” on extending the Ford and told The Associated Press in February that he wants to convince commanders to use smaller, newer ships in combat zones instead of consistently asking the Navy to send aircraft carriers.
While Navy officials have not formally said the Ford’s deployment is record-breaking, they did not dispute the data compiled by U.S. Naval Institute News.
Another carrier, the USS George H. W. Bush, is slated to head to the Middle East and is located now in the waters off Africa after deploying two weeks ago.
The Ford’s 295-day deployment falls short of the longest deployment during the Cold War, a record held by the now-decommissioned USS Midway. It was deployed for 332 days in 1972 and 1973.
More recently, the crew of the USS Nimitz was on duty and away from home for a total of 341 days in 2020 and 2021. However, that included extended isolation periods ashore in the U.S. meant to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Heightened security is coming to Tybee Island this weekend as the controversial Orange Crush festival returns, bringing with it concerns over a recent surge in unpermitted teen takeovers.
“Rest assured that we have heard you, and that public safety will always be our top priority,” Tybee Island Police Department Captain Emory Randolph said in a statement to Fox News Digital when asked about residents concerns over the upcoming weekend’s festivities.
“In recent months, stories of so-called ‘teen takeovers’ have popped up across the country,” Tybee Island police said in a Facebook post Tuesday. “This phenomenon hit home just over a week ago, when an unpermitted event on the beach was interrupted by the sound of gunfire. Now, as we approach the return of Crush Reloaded, members of our local and online communities have expressed concerns.”
The move follows a surge in nationwide “teen takeover” events—a trend that hit home last week when gunfire disrupted an unpermitted beach gathering on the island.
Residents, police said, can expect a heavy law enforcement presence starting Thursday from the Georgia State Patrol to local Sheriff’s offices, supported by K9 units and helicopters.
To maintain order, police are also launching a Road Safety Checkpoint on Highway 80, carving out emergency lanes on main roads, and shuttering the 14th and 16th Street parking lots.
The move came as the nationwide teen takeover events are spreading. Last week, a mass of teens participating in a takeover in Tybee Island, Georgia was interrupted in panic after police say gunfire broke out along the pier.
According to the Tybee Island Police Department, authorities responded around 6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 4 when hundreds of people gathered near the Tybee Island Pier and Pavilion area, a popular spot in the laid-back beach community.
Orange Crush attendees at past events have littered parts of Tybee Island’s beach with trash in the sand and in the water.(Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News/USA TODAY NETWORK)
“We were here, but, like, it was like, drunk white girls. Just a cloud of white girls just walking around.”
Festival goers run from the stage after someone yelled that a gun was seen on Saturday, April 19, 2025 during Orange Crush on Tybee Island.(Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News/USA TODAY NETWORK)
In the early 1990s, Orange Crush had a reputation for being a wild, crime-filled weekend, and Savannah State University disassociated with the event in 1991 because of the high number of arrests and reports of violence.
Three years ago, the event moved to Jacksonville, Florida, “due to lack of resources, limited parking, civil rights violations and political injustices,” according to a June 2021 story on Jacksonville.com, which cited the event’s website. The website has since been taken down.
LAS VEGAS — The filmmakers behind “As Deep as the Grave,” the indie film that is using an artificial intelligence-rendered version of Val Kilmer in a prominent role, debuted a first look at the recreated actor Wednesday at CinemaCon in Las Vegas.
“Don’t fear the dead and don’t fear me,” Kilmer’s character, Father Fintan, a Catholic priest and Native American spiritualist, says at the end of the trailer.
The actor died last year at 65, of pneumonia. The use of generative AI to recreate Kilmer for the historical drama based on archaeologists Ann and Earl Morris became a hot button topic when the filmmakers announced it last month. The trailer shows Kilmer’s character at various ages.
Writer-director Coerte Voorhees, along with his brother John, spoke on a panel Wednesday about the controversial decision to use technology to create a performance from a deceased actor and explained why they feel they’ve done it ethically by working with Kilmer’s children and the actors union. Coerte Voorhees stopped short of calling it a Val Kilmer performance, however.
“Val Kilmer influenced this performance,” Coerte Voorhees said.
Producer John Voorhees said the use of AI actors based on real people is risky territory for anyone to venture into but emphasized that they followed guidelines from the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists union that he boiled down to “consent, compensation and collaboration.” Kilmer’s estate, including his daughter Mercedes, gave permission for his digital replication, is being compensated for it and provided archival footage to help the process.
They also compared Kilmer’s AI-rendered performance to any actor portraying a historical figure on screen, as Kilmer once did with Jim Morrison in “The Doors.” Kilmer also utilized AI while he was alive. When he lost his natural speaking voice following a throat cancer diagnosis and two tracheotomies, he turned to an AI software company to digitally recreate his voice. Kilmer’s voice was also digitally altered to help his final screen performance in “Top Gun: Maverick.”
Kilmer had signed on to “As Deep as the Grave” years ago; Much of the film was structured around his character, they said. When Kilmer had to pull out at the last minute due to health issues they decided to proceed shooting without the character instead of recasting the role. The production had numerous stops and starts as one of the first to begin shooting in New Mexico in the fall of 2020 amid the pandemic. They realized later that the story really did need Father Fintan, and decided to broach the topic with Kilmer’s children, Mercedes and Jack.
“We were so glad they were so excited and so supportive of the idea,” Coerte Voorhees said. “We didn’t want to do it unless everybody thought this was going to work properly.”
He said that Kilmer is on screen in the movie for one hour and 17 minutes; The final runtime was not revealed but he said it’s long. The filmmakers plan to release it sometime this year.
England’s Jack Lisowski, who claimed his first ranking title with victory at the Northern Ireland Open in October, was also eliminated – going down 10-5 to China’s He Guoqiang.
It was a great day for China as Zhang Anda, Fan Zhengyi and Lei Peifan also gained wins over Zak Surety, Ben Mertens and Ryan Day respectively.
That means there will be 11 Chinese players in the 32 at the Crucible, a new record – beating the previous high of 10 who played last year.
It was nearly a dozen men from China through as Xu Si was 9-8 ahead and 44-0 up against Gary Wilson, but the Englishman, who had earlier led 7-2, won the last two frames, including a break of 126 in the decider to advance.
“That was absolutely nuts,” said Wilson. “From ball one I just had no cueing, but I got a good lead so maybe he was a bit nervous. But tonight it was even worse and I thought ‘this is a complete embarrassment’.
“At the end I thought ‘it’s the biggest tournament we have and if you can’t try everything then when would you?’. So, I was just trying everything. It was just bottle, and I don’t know how I did it.”
Zhang made five centuries and four half-centuries in his 10-3 success over Surety.
Lei defeated 2024 winner Kyren Wilson in the first round at the Crucible in 2025 and will return there after never falling behind in his 10-5 triumph over Welshman Day.
There will be four players making their first appearance at the Crucible – England’s Stan Moody and Liam Pullen, and Poland’s Antoni Kowalski qualified on Tuesday, with He joining them on Wednesday.
The draw will feature the top 16 and 16 qualifiers, and will be broadcast on BBC Radio 5 Live at 08:45 BST on Thursday.
The first round begins on Saturday, with the final starting on Sunday, 3 May and concluding the next day – with full coverage of the tournament live on the BBC.
A former baseball prospect turned coach and instructor was killed near where he once aimed to make a name for himself in the big leagues.
Former Houston Astros minor leaguer Jon Kemmer was 35 years old when he was killed over the weekend in a rollover crash in Galveston County.
Explore Jefferson, an outlet near Kemmer’s hometown in Pennsylvania, said Kemmer was on his way from coaching a travel tournament in Houston to his home in Santa Fe, Texas, when he crashed.
Houston Astros left fielder Jon Kemmer singles against the Washington Nationals during a spring training game at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Florida, on March 6, 2018.(Jasen Vinlove/USA Today Sports)
The outlet, citing the Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office, said Kemmer was traveling on a rural road when his vehicle struck an electrical pole shortly after 6 p.m. local time. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Kemmer was the lone occupant of the vehicle.
Kemmer had been coaching the HTX Battle Bucks 14U travel baseball team at the Triple Play Classic in Houston, the outlet reported.
Houston Astros right fielder Jon Kemmer warms up before a game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida, on March 16, 2018.(Kim Klement/USA Today Sports)
The Astros drafted Kemmer out of Brewton-Parker College in Mount Vernon, Georgia, in the 21st round of the 2013 MLB Draft, and he made it all the way to Triple-A in 2019. However, the cancellation of the minor league season due to COVID-19 seemed to have put an end to his career.
He suited up in the Dominican Winter League in 2020, but his last appearance in minor league ball was 2019. His DWL stint was his last in professional baseball.
In Triple-A ball, he hit .265 with an .830 OPS in 362 total games, spanning from 2016 through 2019. He also played for the Minnesota Twins‘ and Los Angeles Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliates.
Kemmer also played stints in foreign minor leagues, hitting .355 with a 1.005 OPS in Mexico’s Triple-A level in 2019 before playing for the Oklahoma City Dodgers, Los Angeles’ Triple-A squad. He participated in spring training with the Astros in 2017 and 2018.
Houston Astros right fielder Jon Kemmer plays against the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Florida, on March 17, 2017.(Aaron Doster/USA Today Sports)
