Pork can be a tricky meat to cook, but one chef has shared a simple pre-cooking step to ensure you get juicy pork chops with perfectly crispy skin every time

Pork can be absolutely delicious when prepared properly, but getting the meat just right without it becoming overdone, parched or tough can be challenging. It’s the type of meat where one misstep can spoil the entire dish.

To help home cooks prepare the best pork chop imaginable, with succulent meat and crackling skin, one chef has shared the additional step that everyone ought to incorporate into their cooking method – and it couldn’t be simpler. Chef Charles Kim, better known as Chef Fatty on TikTok, shared his advice on how to prepare outstanding pork, reports the Express.

In a video posted in July, Chef Fatty revealed: “Did you know the perfect pork chop is actually pink in the middle?”

He clarified that many people make a mistake when preparing pork, noting that the goal of achieving white meat is actually incorrect. White meat indicates that the pork has been overcooked and becomes “rubbery and dry”.

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The chef added, “Just like steak, pork is safe at 145°F (62°C). Go any higher, and it turns chewy.”

So how can you achieve the ideal cook on a pork chop while ensuring the skin stays crispy?

All of this preparation can be completed in advance, meaning it won’t extend your cooking time.

How to cook juicy pork

First, you’ll need to dry-brine the pork. Ensure the pork is completely dry, with no excess moisture.

Next, season both sides of the chop with salt. Allow the pork chops to rest in the fridge for one hour or overnight.

Chef Fatty said: “When salt hits the meat, it draws out water, creating a salty brine on the surface. Then the meat soaks that back in, making the proteins hold on to the water when it cooks.

“Then when you leave it in the fridge, the dry air sucks more moisture off the surface, making it easier for browning.”

For thinner pork chops, you can either grill or pan-fry until the internal temperature reaches 145F in the centre. With thicker cuts, use the reverse sear method by placing them in an oven or air fryer at 300°F (approximately 148°C) until they reach 130°F (54°C), then finish off in the pan.

Applying salt to pork skin helps achieve crispiness by drawing moisture out through osmosis. The key to excellent crackling is ensuring the skin is dry; moist skin will steam during cooking and remain soft, whereas dry skin will bubble, puff up, and become crunchy under high heat.

The food experts at Good Food are in agreement. If you’re finding it difficult to get crispy crackling, you might not be using sufficient salt.

Good Food explained: “Use the full amount specified in the recipe to cover the pork belly rind when dry brining, as this is what causes the crackling to puff up and become crispy when the salt reacts with the fat. You can mix it with some oil to help it coat the pork if you need to. Rub it into the skin really well, including into the scored grooves.”

Another possibility is that the pork skin hasn’t been dried adequately. To address this, ensure the pork is thoroughly dry by patting it with kitchen roll to remove any excess moisture.

The specialists at Good Food also highlighted that scoring the pork’s skin, which can be done easily with a sharp knife, makes a difference.

Chris Wakelin says he is feeling the benefit of a ‘massively unfair advantage’ as a top 16 player in the current snooker landscape.

The 34-year-old is firmly inside that elite group at number 12 in the world, havign won last season’s Scottish Open and produced a string of other good runs in ranking events.

It is a great time to be in the top 16 as many tournaments have moved to tiered draws, meaning lower-ranked players have to qualify to join the top stars at the main venues of events.

That set-up sees lots of matches being played behind-closed-doors at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena for the lesser lights of the tour as they attempt to earn their spots alongside the brightest stars.

Over the last week-and-a-half there have been qualifiers for the Northern Ireland Open, International Championship in Nanjing and Scottish Open, all held at the Mattioli, meaning that if you’ve had a bad few days then your calendar looks pretty bare in the coming weeks.

Wakelin does not have to deal with many of these qualifiers, but did have to play a match to reach the main stage of the International Championship and he feels he is in too privileged a position to avoid as he avoids that fate more often than not.

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‘It’s something that needs to be addressed for sure,’ Wakelin told Metro. ‘From my perspective it’s a massively unfair advantage, being in the top 16 and not having to go to these qualifiers. It’s not the most lively of places, a little bit soulless and playing in front of nobody.

‘I understand why they have to do things in that manner, but for the guys that are having to go to qualifiers and they’re never actually seeing the inside of a proper venue, it’s not really the dream a lot of people had when they turned professional, to play in front of nobody.’

With the tiered system, top players can win one match at the venue and earn more money – and therefore ranking points – than their opponent has for winning multiple matches to get there.

This has long been the case in some tournaments, most notably the World Championship, but Wakelin feels it is not a fair system to be used across the tour.

‘We all know qualifying is an important part of progressing in the sport, but being in the 16 is such a massive advantage at the moment,’ he said. ‘I’ve only won four or five matches so far this season, while there’s players that have won 10, maybe 15 matches that still haven’t got the same number of ranking points that I’ve accrued.

‘It’s a nice position to be in from my point of view, but I don’t think it’s fair on the other players that are trying to make progress up the rankings.’

Wakelin spent over a decade on tour before cracking the top 16, so even though he doesn’t think it warrants the rewards he is now enjoying, he knows just how much work it takes to get there.

‘I’ve served my apprenticeship. I did 10 years of not really achieving a great deal,’ he said. ‘To be in this position now, I feel very, very fortunate.

‘There’s a lot of players that graft their whole careers and don’t manage to get into the top 16 and for me only a couple of years ago it seemed impossible.

‘But look at the points that you need over two years to get into the top 16. It’s a massive challenge. If you’re in the top 16 you’ve won some big matches, you’ve gone deep in a lot of tournaments.’

At next week’s Shenzhen Open, Wakelin takes on a player who has been in rampant form in the qualifiers, Liam Davies.

The 20-year-old from Wales is in the situation Wakelin has described, winning a huge amount of matches compared to his higher-ranked rivals, but without receiving the same rewards.

As Davies beat Long Zehuang in Scottish Open qualifying on Wednesday, he picked up his 19th win of the season in ranking events. Wakelin has won eight but sits ahead of him on the one-year ranking list.

Wakelin says the youngster may even go in as favourite when they meet in China, given the amount of games he has been winning.

‘He’s a smashing lad, smashing talent,’ said Wakelin. ‘He’s got the potential now to go deep in pretty much every tournament he plays in and good luck to the kid.

‘I want to see these guys doing well, I’m a big advocate of the youngsters from this side of the world. They’re learning how to win matches against people that have been doing it since before they were born.

‘The likes of Liam, Liam [Pullen], Liam [Graham] and Stan [Moody]. Antek [Kowalski] and [Iulian] Boiko, they’re all making their way up.

‘Last season I think Liam Davies struggled to really find his feet, but I’m buzzing for him now that he has done.

‘If anything, I’d say he probably goes into the match in Shenzhen as favourite because he’s done really well in recent tournaments. Obviously found himself comfortable in these big arenas and big tournaments and I’m sure it’ll be a good game, whoever wins.’

MORE: Ronnie O’Sullivan handed Champion of Champions chance as qualifying routes added

MORE: Ali Carter reveals how Ronnie O’Sullivan feud began and got more bitter

MORE: WPBSA chairman Jason Ferguson speaks out on Mark Allen absence

Cops and paramedics raced to the road in the early evening of Wednesday (September 23) after witnesses reported a car crash

Police have issued a statement after emergency services descended on a busy Edinburgh street on Wednesday evening.

Paramedics and cops raced to Salamander Street in Leith at 6:35pm on Wednesday (September 23). Images of the incident showed a huge emergency service presence surrounding a red car near a junction of the road.

Eyewitnesses said they believed someone was being treated by paramedics. One said: “There is an ongoing incident at Salamander Street. It looked like someone was getting treatment.

“I initially thought it was an RTA but also there was multiple police. Four ambulances have passed me, five more police cars and also a fire engine so I’m not sure what’s happened but it seems serious.”

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Hours later, cops have confirmed they responded to a car crash — and multiple road closures are still in place.

A spokesperson for Police Scotland’s Edinburgh division said: “Salamander Street is closed following a collision which happened around 6.35pm on Wednesday, 23 September.

“Closures are in place from Salamander Place, Bath Road, Elbe Street, Baltic Street and Constitution Street. Motorists are advised to avoid the area.”

Salamander Street is very close to Leith’s docks, the suburb’s main park, Leith Links.

By LETTICE BROMOVSKY, NEWS REPORTER

Published: 21:14 BST, 23 September 2026 | Updated: 02:38 BST, 24 September 2026

A wanted man carrying a machete was caught in a police ambush after officers went undercover as a takeaway courier and a street cleaner.

Roy Hallissey had been keeping clear of officers despite regularly turning up at a market in Poplar, east London.

Police knew the area was one of his regular haunts and that he travelled there on a powerful electric bike.

But their attempts to locate him had been complicated by the fact that Hallissey would avoid the market whenever he noticed police nearby.

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That prompted officers to take a more unconventional approach.

Instead of arriving in uniform, two Metropolitan Police officers blended into the surroundings.

One posed as a street cleaner, complete with a handcart, while another adopted the appearance of a takeaway delivery worker.

The officers then closed in on Hallissey from separate directions, catching him by surprise and preventing him from making another getaway.

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Roy Hallissey had been keeping clear of officers despite regularly turning up at a market in Poplar, east London

Instead of arriving in uniform, two Metropolitan Police officers blended into the surroundings

When they searched him, they discovered a large machete hidden around his waist.

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Hallissey was already wanted after being convicted of a stabbing but failing to turn up for the hearing at which he was due to be sentenced.

He was also wanted in connection with a separate allegation involving an assault on an emergency worker, after failing to attend court over that charge.

The arrest also uncovered a breach of a criminal behaviour order which had barred him from the Poplar area.

Insp Frank Hartley, from the neighbourhood team, said: ‘Not only was Hallissey caught in breach of a behaviour order which was meant to prevent him being in the area, he was also found in possession of a dangerous weapon which may well have been used to inflict serious violence.

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‘Across the Met we are working every day to identify, locate and prosecute wanted offenders because we know the harm that they cause to communities, and the likelihood they will go on to commit further crimes.

‘Through careful planning and some creative tactics, officers were able to identify and arrest Hallissey and he is now back in custody awaiting sentencing.’

Hallissey was taken before Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday, May 29, where he admitted a series of offences.

These included possessing a bladed article, breaching his criminal behaviour order, driving without insurance and driving while disqualified.

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He also pleaded guilty to assaulting police and escaping lawful custody.

He is due to return to court for sentencing on Wednesday, October 7.

Alex Codina, general manager of merchant payments at Revolut Business, said: “By combining high-performance processing with facial recognition technology, we’re replacing outdated, fragmented tills with a hyper-efficient checkout experience designed to solve consumer and merchant pain points.”

The supermarket is now available as an option on Deliveroo across the UK, with items available to be delivered in as little as 20 minutes.

The nationwide rollout across 75 UK towns and cities follows a successful trial across 147 Tesco stores.

The first order, placed through Tesco’s Limbury Mead Express, included last-minute breakfast and lunchbox essentials such as bread, spreads and fruit.

Tesco has expanded its delivery options to include Deliveroo alongside its own Whoosh service (Image: PA)

Ishna Berry, rapid delivery director at Tesco, said: “Customers are looking for more flexibility than ever in how they shop with Tesco.

“Launching nationwide on Deliveroo gives millions more people another convenient way to shop Tesco, bringing our great quality, value and range to even more customers, alongside the added benefits of Clubcard Prices and earning Clubcard points.

“Whether it’s a forgotten ingredient, a last-minute family meal or a quick top-up shop, customers now have even more ways to get products delivered when and where they need them.”

The service is available in cities including Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Leicester, London, Manchester, Sheffield, Bournemouth, Cardiff and Belfast.

Rob Harris, chief revenue officer at Deliveroo, said: “Since our trial launched, it’s been clear just how much customers value having Tesco on Deliveroo, so we’re delighted to now be taking that nationwide.

“This means millions more customers can get Tesco’s range, quality and value delivered in as little as 20 minutes, with Clubcard Prices and points along the way.”

Tesco announces plan to introduce digital displays in its supermarkets

Back in July, Tesco announced plans to introduce digital displays in place of traditional paper tags.

The rollout began in four locations—one Tesco Express and three larger supermarkets.

Tesco will be rolling out electronic shelf labels to around 3,000 stores nationwide over the next two years (Image: PA)

The scheme will eventually expand to around 3,000 stores nationwide over the next two years.

The electronic shelf labels (ESLs) will display prices digitally and can be updated instantly from Tesco’s central systems, ensuring that prices on the shelves always match those at the checkout.

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Kevin Tindall, Tesco’s UK operations managing director, said the technology would help modernise stores while allowing colleagues to spend more time assisting customers.

Tesco has partnered with Chinese technology company Hanshow for the rollout, following successful trials at its Royston and St Neots stores.

Hanshow described the rollout as “a new milestone in digital store transformation.”

Have you ordered from supermarkets on a delivery service app before? Let us know in the comments.

The Milan Fashion Week Fendi show proved to be a star-studded affair on Wednesday night. 

Iris Law turned up the glamour as she arrived in a silver sequin dress, while the likes of actress Rachel Zegler and Monica Bellucci also attended.

The model, 25, looked stunning in the midi dress which she teamed with strappy white and black heels and a matching bag.

She wore her blonde tresses in her usual pixie style and opted for a natural, glowing makeup look.

Meanwhile West Side Story star Rachel, 25, looked chic in a sheer black top, jacket and checked skirt. 

Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams, 29, was also in attendance at the show and opted for a smart black jacket and tie.

Milan Fashion Week kicked off with a bang on Tuesday night with the Vogue World event which attracted the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Pamela Anderson and Heidi Klum. 

Iris turned up the glamour as she arrived in a silver sequin dress, while the likes of actress Rachel Zegler and and Monica Belluci also attended

Iris, who recently modelled Casablanca’s new Resort 26 campaign, has been taking the fashion world by storm in recent years.

She made her catwalk debut for lingerie giant Victoria’s Secret last year, where she appeared alongside sisters Bella and Gigi Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski and Lila Moss.

The Daily Mail exclusively revealed Iris wanted to indulge in very specific sweets after her appearance at the lingerie show, a request that resulted in her assistants frantically darting around the city.

It’s understood she had asked her team to track down specific cookies from one bakery and smoothies from another.

Iris previously discussed her personal sense of style during an interview with Vogue Spain.

‘I don’t dress for anyone, I just try to feel good and be comfortable. I let myself be carried away by how I am in an intuitive way, even if it’s not what is understood as chic or cool,’ she said.

‘I have gone through many phases: more feminine, more androgynous… I like to change; every day is different.’

Iris also admitted to struggling with anxiety and using exercise as a constructive coping mechanism.

The model, 25, looked stunning in the midi dress which she teamed with strappy white and black heels and a matching bag

She wore her blonde tresses in he usual pixie style and opted for a natural, glowing makeup look

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Meanwhile West Side Story star Rachel, 25, looked chic in a sheer black top, jacket and checked skirt

Milan Fashion Week kicked off with a bang on Tuesday night with the Vogue World event – and next on the agenda was the Fendi show 

Leonie Hanne attended the show in a sheer lace skirt and wore a smart black blazer over the top 

Game of Thrones Maisie Williams, 29, was also in attendance at the show and opted for a smart black jacket and tie

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She said: ‘I love lifting weights; I think it’s great for maintaining hormonal balance and it also helps me sleep better. In general, I’ve noticed a big change in controlling my anxiety, also since I started running.’

It was a star-studded affair for the Vogue World event held in Milan on Tuesday night which attracted some of the biggest names in the fashion and celebrity world.

Coinciding with the start of Milan’s Fashion Week, Vogue headed to the city to host the spectacular event, held at the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, which is the oldest shopping arcade in Italy.

Jennifer Lopez, 57, led the arrivals as she turned heads with her usual Hollywood glamour – showing off her incredible curves in a low-cut black gown from Dolce & Gabbana.

She was flanked by designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana as she left her swanky hotel earlier in the night to head to the venue.

Meanwhile, Pamela Anderson, 59, was the epitome of sophistication in a gold silk Ferragamo gown and on this occasion did opt for a glowing face of makeup after recently choosing more natural looks.

Elsewhere Heidi Klum, 53, Naomi Campbell, 56, and Monica Bellucci, 61, all opted for chic black looks as they posed up a storm ahead of the show. 

Maisie was in the Italian city for the Fendi show 

Rachel gave a friendly wave as she arrived 

The models stormed the runway during the show 

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Iris looked stunning in her glitzy silver dress

She posed with Chinese actress Meng Ziyi on the front row 

Monica Bellucci also opted for an all-black look

Rachel boosted her height with strappy black heels 

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Japanese singer and actor Ren Meguro and Monica showed off their designer bags 

Iris posed up a storm as she took her seat 

She has had a busy September so far with various fashion weeks

Rachel wore her dark glossy tresses in loose waves and opted for a glowing makeup look

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Actress Dakota Johnson, 36, was also in attendance as she flashed plenty of skin in an open black jacket which she teamed with a stylish sheer skirt. 

Hunter Schafer, Amy Jackson and her husband Ed Westwick, Jason Momoa and Donatella Versace were among the other huge names in attendance.

Gigi Hadid and Cardi B were among the famous faces modelling on the runway for the show, while singer Alicia Keys gave a performance on the catwalk. 

The theme this year for the Vogue event was ‘craftsmanship and the human touch’ in the age of technology. 

An investment firm that teamed up with NFL star Travis Kelce to save Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is now urging the embattled theme park operator to explore a sale, according to a new report.

Investors including New York-based hedge fund Jana Partners and Kelce — Kansas City Chiefs tight end and global pop star Taylor Swift’s husband — acquired a combined stake of about 9 percent in Six Flags last October, then valued at $200 million.

Jana Partners hoped to improve Six Flags’ marketing and enhance customers’ experience at the parks, The Wall Street Journal previously said when reporting on the acquisition. The investment firm also reportedly wanted to explore a potential sale to boost the operators’ share price.

Six Flags stock traded around $12.43 per share Wednesday, around half the price of its yearly high of nearly $25.

Amid growing losses and lower attendance at the parks, Jana Partners is now pushing forward with its idea of a potential sale, the Journal reported Tuesday.

Jana Partners called Six Flags’ board of directors Tuesday to immediately hire an investment bank to explore a sale, people familiar with the matter told the Journal. The hedge fund reportedly cited its disappointment with the theme park operators’ second-quarter earnings.

Six Flags had a net loss of $203 million in its second quarter, compared with a net loss of $100 million during the same time last year, according to company earnings reported in early August.

The theme park operator saw 13.1 million guest visits in its second quarter — about a 7 percent decrease from 14.2 million visits a year before, according to the report.

When asked about Jana Partners urging Six Flags to explore a sale, the theme park operator told The Independent that it is “committed to acting in the best interests of all shareholders.

“We have a history of engaging constructively with all of our shareholders and value their perspectives. We are focused on executing on our strategic priorities and are committed to maximizing shareholder value.”

The Independent has reached out to Jana Partners for comment.

Kelce, a theme park enthusiast, celebrated the investment in Six Flags last October, writing on Instagram, “Couldn’t pass up the opportunity to continue the tradition and make Cedar Point and Six Flags even more special for the next generation of families!”

The football player was referring to Six Flags’ Cedar Point theme park in Ohio, which he grew up going to.

“Excited to partner with JANA Partners as an investor in Six Flags. So crazy to even imagine this is real, but you gotta love it when life comes full circle,” Kelce said at the time.

Six Flags is also facing legal trouble after three people who say they suffered major brain injuries riding one of its roller coasters in California sued the operator.

The coaster at the center of the lawsuits is the X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain, which features “360-degree rotating seats and head-first, face down drops,” according to the theme park’s website.

“No ride like that should be allowed to exist,” attorney Christopher Bulone told reporters when announcing the lawsuits Tuesday, per CNN.

Six Flags wouldn’t comment on the pending cases but told local outlet KABC that the coaster “remains closed at this time.”

The group fighting the proposed Mowbray BESS scheme has highlighted an Ofgem update which reveals that there are already far more battery projects planned across Britain than the country is forecast to require.

NatPower has submitted a planning application to North Yorkshire Council for a 1GW BESS near East Rounton, between Northallerton and Yarm.

BESS plants store electricity from the grid at times of lower demand and release it back to the grid when it is needed most.

NatPower, which has also filed an application for a similar BESS scheme at South Kilvington, near Thirsk, says the facilities make an essential contribution to ensuring reliable, secure and affordable electricity for the country.

But campaign group, Protect Northallerton, Yarm & Our Villages, says around 90GW of battery storage is either already operating or in the reformed grid connections queue, compared with a projected requirement of around 29GW by 2035.

The group also points to National Energy System Operator figures which it says indicate the total could potentially reach around 121.5GW if projects currently in the system do not drop out.

Campaigners say the figures should prompt greater scrutiny of whether further battery schemes, including the Mowbray development, are necessary.

Andrew Sheldon-Thomson, from the campaign group, said: “Ofgem and the Government are clear – the battery pipeline is already too big and it threatens to lift bills.

“But planning policy still pushes councils to sign off more projects. It makes no sense to call it an oversupply one minute and force through unnecessary schemes the next.”

The group says the issue is particularly relevant following changes to national planning policy in August which it says increased support for battery storage developments.

The campaigners are opposing the proposed Mowbray BESS and say the latest national figures strengthen their argument that the need for individual battery developments should be more closely examined.

Mr Sheldon-Thomson added: “In the rush to net zero, planning rules stop councils from asking whether a battery scheme is actually needed. The result is that unneeded projects are rubber-stamped as ‘green’ and forced through planning.”

The Local Democracy Reporting Service has contacted NatPower for a response.

And other companies are trying to address privacy concerns in different ways – without getting rid of the camera.

The Taiwanese firm HTC recently launched Vive Eagle glasses, which cost less than a quarter of Snap’s.

Thomas Dexmier, a vice president at HTC Vive, says that if anyone near an Eagle specs wearer says “stop filming” or “stop recording”, and it is picked up by one of the four microphones, the camera will deactivate.

And he adds that all recordings captured by the glasses are encrypted, and the firm itself cannot see them – though this also means HTC cannot flag harmful content.

“We acknowledge that there are some challenges, potentially becoming a real problem, especially for women,” he said.

He said HTC Vive was working to make it as difficult as possible for the tech to be misused but said it was “too early to comment” on whether the firm would consider a version without cameras.

Ultimately, Wood thinks that camera-enabled glasses are “not going away”.

He says the current moment reminds him of the 2000s, when some people said that mobile phone companies couldn’t install cameras in their devices because of similar concerns over privacy. “There’s an inevitability there,” he says.

“We will have to find a societal norm, a framework for the use of these products.”

Top image credit: Getty.