Red Sanders, the legendary UCLA football coach, once said the rivalry with USC wasn’t life or death, it was more important than that.

Now, some 70 years later, almost half the Bruins roster needed a primer on what it means to play the Trojans.

“We have so many transfers and things,” interim coach Tim Skipper said, “so I wanted to make sure everybody knew how significant this game was.”

That could make Ciaran Dooley, the team’s creative content producer, a rivalry hero rivaling John Barnes, Anthony Barr and Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Dooley produced a video that tried to pack the essence of a nearly century-old rivalry into about five minutes.

Putting aside any worries about where college sports are headed when one needs to explain anything about his biggest rival, the video had its intended effect, sparking cheers nearly a week before kickoff.

Starting with a minutelong hype reel narrated by Barr, the video explained some of the rivalry basics, such as both teams wearing their home uniforms and the winner getting to take possession of the 295-pound Victory Bell before painting it in their primary school color — preferably blue.

“A lot of it was like clips I’ve already seen being from L.A. and around the game,” freshman linebacker Scott Taylor said, “but a lot of the guys who haven’t been here don’t understand how big a deal this is to L.A. and how special this win can be.”

Rivalry lexicon such as “It’s always 8:47 in Westwood” — a reference to the Bruins’ 13-9 upset of No. 2 USC in 2006 — and “Eight more years!” — a chant that broke out at the Rose Bowl in 1998 at the end of the Bruins’ eighth consecutive victory over the Trojans — might need some explaining to a roster that includes 57 newcomers, 52 transfers and 42 players from out of state.

“I made this video to show what the rivalry is really about — the history, the passion, the bragging rights,” Dooley told The Times. “I know everyone on the team already knows what it is, but if there’s anything that I can do to motivate the guys just that much more for the game, I’m going to do it every time.”

Linebacker Isaiah Chisom, a transfer from Oregon State, said the coaching staff also brought in several former players to explain the significance of the rivalry before the Bruins (3-8 overall, 3-5 Big Ten) face the No. 17 Trojans (8-3, 6-2) on Saturday afternoon at the Coliseum. Veteran offensive lineman Garrett DiGiorgio and defensive back Cole Martin also talked about what the rivalry meant to them.

Utah quarterback Devon Dampier (4) holds the ball and pushes Bruins linebacker Isaiah Chisom (32) on Aug. 30 at the Rose Bowl.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

“I think they’ve done a pretty good job at kind of bringing everybody together,” Chisom said, “so we all know how important this game is.”

Chisom didn’t need a refresher, having grown up in Southern California and played for Bishop Allemany High and Chaminade College Prep. He said he’s already attended a rivalry game and learned about the Bruins’ hatred for the Trojans from Chaminade assistant coach Reggie Carter, a former Bruins linebacker.

“He didn’t like anybody wearing any red,” Chisom said of Carter. “It’s been something I’ve been told for a long time.”

Skipper said he grew up watching the rivalry no matter where he lived — his father, Jim, was a coaching lifer who moved from one city to another and his older brother, Kelly, was DeShaun Foster’s running backs coach at UCLA.

“It’s awesome to finally be part of this thing,” Tim Skipper said. “You watch it so much, I’ve never been to one of these games, and to be able to work it and coach it is going to be awesome.”

Signs of rivalry week have greeted anyone who walked past the boarded-up John Wooden and bear statues on campus, though it’s been a little quieter than the Bruins would have preferred. That’s because they haven’t been able to ring the Victory Bell that’s residing across town after USC won last year’s game, 19-13, at the Rose Bowl.

“We want to get it back, we want to ring it after the game,” DiGiorgio said. “The [USC] guys, they planted flags on our field last year. I don’t know if we’re going to reciprocate that energy because I don’t know if that’s going to start anything, but we’re definitely looking forward to getting that bell back.”

The Bruins have won their last two trips to the Coliseum, giving DiGiorgio motivation to make it three in a row and end his college career 3-2 against the Trojans. There was a consensus at the team meeting Sunday that a victory over USC would make up for all the frustrations the team has endured during a season in which Foster was fired after only three games.

UCLA offensive lineman Garrett DiGiorgio (72) is confident a video the Bruins’ staff produced helped his teammates understand the importance of winning the USC rivalry game.

(John McCoy / Associated Press)

“Beating ‘SC would undo every wrong that has happened this season — that and the Penn State win [over the then-No. 7 Nittany Lions],” Chisom said. “I don’t think we could ask for anything more.”

Even those making their rivalry debut will know what they’re getting into thanks to the handiwork of a content creator whose video might help produce an upset.

“I believe that it enlightened, lit a fire under the guys,” DiGiorgio said, “to be a little excited for this week.”

16-year-old Mohammed Ibrahim is recovering after spending 9 months in an Israeli prison, for allegedly throwing rocks. The Palestinian American boy’s plight sparked widespread outrage and condemnation at Israel’s abuses in the occupied West Bank.

ONE of the world’s most famous museums is set to nearly double its entry fee for tourists.

The Louvre museum in Paris will increase its ticket prices by 45 per cent for most non-European Union visitors, which includes Brits.

The price hike is set to be introduced early next year, with tourists from countries including the UK, US and China having to pay €32 (£28) to enter the museum.

It is set to raise millions of euros each year to fund a huge overhaul of the Louvre’s most famous gallery.

The price increase follows a heist that took place in October that hit the news globally.

Security and management have been criticised since the incident, which saw four people steal jewellery worth over £76million from the museum.

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After the heist, an audit on the museum was carried out which highlighted how the museum has inadequate security systems and aging infrastructure.

As a result, from January 14, visitors from countries outside the European Economic Area (EU member states, as well as Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein) will need to pay an extra €10 (£8.76) to enter the museum.

The new price jump is estimated to raise between €15million (£13.1million) to €20million (£17.5million) each year for the museum, which will go towards supporting the Louvre’s modernisation plans.

Over the past year, the museum has faced a number of issues to do with its structure.

Back in January, French President Emmanuel Macron and the Louvre announced that the museum would be getting improvements and as a part of that suggested higher fees for non-EU residents in 2026.

As part of the report, Macron also said that the Mona Lisa would be moved to a new room to deal with the overcrowding.

It followed the leak of a letter from the museum’s director Laurence des Cars, which highlighted how the museum had several structural issues, water leaks and even that the museum could no longer cope with the current numbers of visitors heading to the attraction each day.

The Louvre will also have a number of other areas renovated, with new facilities added too, such as toilets and restaurants.

And earlier this month, the museum announced that the gallery which houses Greek ceramics was closed due to structural issues.

Each year the Louvre welcomes around nine million people, and more than a 10th of visitors are from the US.

Complaints about overcrowding and long queues at the museum have been going on for a while now, especially through the Salle des Etats gallery, which is where the famous Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is displayed.

Many visitors note how you actually only get a few seconds to see the painting and snap a picture.

The report carried out after the heist last month also revealed that the museum was spending more money on buying new artworks than actually maintaining the attraction itself.

In other museum news, the UK’s newest national museum is more like an IKEA store – and Kate Middleton is already a fan.

Plus, a new £12.5 million museum based on a very famous children’s artist to be ‘world’s largest of its kind’.

Authorities say 79 people remain missing and thousands of families have been displaced from their homes across Sumatra.

The death toll from floods and landslides on the western Indonesian island of Sumatra this week has risen to 174, a disaster official said, with about 80 more people still missing, as a punishing tropical storm system and heavy monsoon rains have battered the region.

“As of this afternoon, we have recorded that for the entire North Sumatra province, there have been 116 deaths and 42 people are still being searched for,” National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) chief Suharyanto announced on Friday.

He said another 35 were killed in the island’s Aceh province and another 23 in West Sumatra.

While the rain had stopped, 79 people were still missing and thousands of families were displaced, he added.

Residents in Sumatra’s Padang Pariaman region, where a total of 22 people died, had to cope with water levels at least 1 metre (3.3ft) high, and had still not been reached by search and rescue personnel on Friday.

In the town of Batang Toru, in northern Sumatra, residents on Friday buried seven unclaimed victims in a mass grave. The decomposing bodies, wrapped in black plastic, were lifted from the back of a truck onto a wide plot of land as onlookers covered their noses.

Communications remained down in some parts of the island, and authorities were working to restore power and clear roads blocked by landslide debris, said Abdul Muhari, spokesman for Indonesia’s national disaster mitigation agency.

Indonesia would continue to airlift aid and rescue personnel into stricken areas on Friday, he added.

In Indonesia’s West Sumatra province, 53-year-old Misniati described a terrifying battle against rising floodwaters to reach her husband at home.

She said that, returning from early morning prayers at a mosque, “I noticed the street was flooded.

“I tried to run back to my house to tell my husband, and the water was already reaching my waist,” she told the AFP news agency, adding that it was up to her chest by the time she reached home.

Flooding disasters elsewhere in Asia

Meanwhile, in Thailand, the government said 145 people had been killed by floods across eight southern provinces. It said a total of more than 3.5 million people had been affected.

In the southern city of Hat Yai, the hardest-hit part of Thailand, the rain had finally stopped on Friday, but residents were still ankle-deep in floodwaters, and many remained without electricity as they assessed the damage to their property over the last week.

Some residents said they were spared the worst of the floods but were still suffering from their effects.

In neighbouring Malaysia, where two people have been confirmed dead, tropical storm Senyar made landfall at about midnight and has since weakened.

Meteorological authorities are still bracing themselves for heavy rain and wind, and warned that rough seas could pose risks for small boats.

A total of 30,000 evacuees remain in shelters, down from more than 34,000 on Thursday.

Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday that it had already evacuated 1,459 Malaysian nationals stranded in more than 25 flood-hit hotels in Thailand, adding that it would work to rescue the remaining 300 still caught up in flood zones.

Separately, at least 56 people were killed by a cyclone in the South Asian island nation of Sri Lanka, authorities said.

FAMILY on the sofa, food coma setting in, the annual arguments are raging. 

But there’s one thing we can all agree on: the best Christmas films are the ones we already know the words to.

Forget the streaming giants’ flops; Google’s latest trends data proves we are still watching the same five classics we’ve seen a hundred times.

According to Google search rankings for December 2024, the only movies that matter are: Home Alone (1990), Love Actually (2003), Elf (2003), Die Hard (1988), and The Holiday (2006). 

These aren’t just films – they’re Christmas crackers that rule the roost for the entire season.

Baby, it’s cold online

Let’s face facts, the last proper Christmas film breakthrough was Will Ferrell’s hilarious Elf. Why?

Back then, films became classics because they were hammered on to terrestrial TV every Christmas Eve, year after year. It was a shared moment.

Now? Streaming channels pump out festive films that disappear quicker than the cranberry sauce. Remember 2021’s Love Hard, anyone?

There’s no big, shared night; just another cheap, made-for-TV sequel you’ll forget by Boxing Day. 

At Christmas, we don’t want novelty, we want nostalgia! We crave the familiar faces, the iconic soundtracks and the quotes we grew up with.

Top of the tree

Home Alone is the undisputed king of Christmas, topping the search list again. 

Macaulay Culkin is still the only star guaranteed to keep the kids quiet, have the parents chuckling and give millennials that lovely warm feeling of childhood. 

Coming in second, Love Actually – the ultimate festive romcom. 

Of course it charts high, adults are the ones doing the searching! Packed with A-list talent like Hugh Grant and Keira Knightley, it’s a love letter to London that we feel we own. 

Elf, meanwhile, sits happily in the “children’s films that adults secretly love” category. Good clean fun.

The debate that never dies

Every year, social media repeats the same classic film debates: should the Home Alone parents be arrested for gross negligence? Is the Grinch high-key relatable? 

But the one argument that will forever cause a family meltdown: is Die Hard a Christmas film?

Is it an action movie set at Christmas, or is John McClane a festive hero? We’ll never get a definitive answer, but the search numbers prove we’ll keep watching the chaos.

Bruce Willis bounces back into the charts partly because some people rewatch it purely to win the family argument!

The newest addition to the charts is The Holiday, featuring Cameron Diaz and the ridiculously handsome Jude Law. 

It has surpassed How the Grinch Stole Christmas for the first time. Why the sudden love? Algorithm-driven Christmas escapism. Cosy cottage-core and 2006 Jude Law at his best – it was a hit waiting to happen.

Maybe one day, a new festive favourite will break into the hallowed list and earn a permanent place. 

But until then, the classics will keep topping Google searches – because at Christmas, above all, we love a familiar story.

Pope’s status has never truly been in doubt.

The veteran started the season as first-choice – just as he did in each of his previous three campaigns at Newcastle.

But Howe recognised the need to bring in fresh competition, even before goalkeeper Martin Dubravka’s departure to Burnley was sanctioned last summer.

James Trafford had been a longstanding target, but the 23-year-old decided to rejoin former club Manchester City from Burnley instead.

And Pope previously admitted that Newcastle’s very public search for a permanent goalkeeper – and the subsequent arrival of Ramsdale on loan from Southampton – drove him on to “push himself to the absolute maximum to earn the right to play for the club”.

Pope certainly earned that right after starting the campaign strongly.

Such was Pope’s form, the 33-year-old was recalled to the England squad for the first time in a year earlier this month – only to have to withdraw after suffering a concussion during a match against Brentford.

It was a deserved call-up.

Pope kept eight clean sheets in his opening 14 games in all competitions, and his superb 65-yard throw went viral after he set up Harvey Barnes’ breakaway goal against Benfica.

But Newcastle have struggled defensively on the road in recent weeks.

Though he has not always been offered much protection by those around him, Pope has let in 10 goals in his past four away games and made different types of errors against Marseille, Brentford and West Ham when his side were in front.

West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta’s shot squirmed past him at the London Stadium.

Pope was caught out at the Gtech Community Stadium a week later when he attempted to punch the ball only for Kevin Schade to equalise from Brentford defender Michael Kayode’s long throw.

And then there was his rush of blood to the head in Marseille.

First American pope urges Catholic Church in Turkiye to serve the most vulnerable, including migrants and refugees.

Pope Leo XIV is set to join the leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians to celebrate the historic 1,700-year milestone since one of the early Church’s most important gatherings, on the second day of his visit to Turkiye.

The leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics began his day on Friday by joining a prayer service at Istanbul’s Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Spirit.

The first American pope has chosen the Muslim-majority Turkiye as his first overseas destination, to be followed by Lebanon in the coming days, as he seeks to be a bridge-builder and a messenger of peace amid raging global conflict.

In Istanbul, police shut down a main artery of the country’s largest city to allow Leo’s entourage to pass. After the church service, he was scheduled to visit a nursing home and meet with Turkiye’s chief rabbi.

Pilgrims packed into Holy Spirit church while dozens more waited excitedly in the courtyard outside in the hope of getting a glimpse of the pontiff, getting up before dawn to be in the front line.

“It’s a blessing for us, it’s so important that the first visit of the pope is to our country,” a 35-year-old Turkish Catholic, Ali Gunuru, told AFP news agency.

Catherine Bermudez, a Filipino migrant worker in Istanbul, told Al Jazeera that she was “very excited” to be chosen as one of the parishioners to greet the pope inside the church.

Visibly moved by his reception at the church, Leo could be seen smiling and looking much more at ease than on Thursday, encouraging his flock not to be discouraged, saying “the logic of littleness is the church’s true strength”.

“The church in Turkiye is a small community, yet fruitful,” he said in his address, urging them to give “special attention” to helping migrants and refugees staying in Turkiye who number nearly three million, most of them Syrians.

Next papal stop in Iznik

Later on Friday, the 70-year-old pontiff will head to Iznik to celebrate the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, a gathering of bishops who drew up a foundational statement of faith still central to Christianity today despite the separation of the Catholic and Orthodox churches.

Leo will be flown by helicopter to Iznik where he has been invited by the Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, to join an ecumenical prayer service by the ruins of a fourth-century basilica.

“When the world is troubled and divided by conflict and antagonism, our meeting with Pope Leo XIV is especially significant,” Patriarch Bartholomew told AFP news agency in an interview.

Reports said that Turkish police removed Mehmet Ali Agca, the man who shot and seriously wounded Pope John Paul II in Rome in 1981, from Iznik on Thursday.

Agca – who was released from prison in 2010 – said he had hoped to meet the pope, telling reporters that “I hope we can sit down and talk in Iznik, or in Istanbul, for two or three minutes.”

Pope Leo is the fifth pontiff to visit Turkiye, after Paul VI in 1967, John Paul II in 1979, Benedict XVI in 2006 and Francis in 2014.

Venezuela has revoked operating permits for six international airlines after they suspended flights to the country following a United States warning of airspace risk, in the latest point of tension between the two countries.

Last week, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned of a “potentially hazardous situation” in Venezuelan airspace due to a “worsening security situation and heightened military activity”.

While Caracas said the FAA had no jurisdiction over its airspace, the decision led some airlines to indefinitely suspend flights to the South American country from November 24 to 28, Marisela de Loaiza, president of the Airlines Association in Venezuela, said.

The action comes amid worsening tensions between the US and Venezuela over President Donald Trump’s battle against what he calls ‘narco-terrorism’ in the Caribbean.

Since September, the US has carried out at least 21 strikes on vessels it accuses of trafficking drugs, killing at least 83 people. Venezuela has said the strikes amount to murder.

Which airlines has Venezuela banned and why?

On Wednesday night, Venezuela’s civil aviation authority announced that Spain’s Iberia, Portugal’s TAP, Colombia’s Avianca, Chile’s and Brazil’s LATAM, Brazil’s Gol and Turkish Airlines would have their permits revoked.

The authority said the decision was taken against the carriers for joining “the actions of state terrorism promoted by the United States government”.

Before the revocation, Venezuela’s government had issued a 48-hour deadline on Monday for airlines to resume their cancelled flights or risk losing their permits.

Airline carrier Iberia had said it plans to restart flights to Venezuela as soon as full safety conditions are met.

At the same time, Avianca announced in a statement on Wednesday its intention to reschedule cancelled flights to the Venezuelan capital by December 5.

But Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel called the decision to revoke permits “disproportionate”.

“What we have to do is, through our embassy, ​​make the Venezuelan authorities aware that this measure is disproportionate, that we have no intention of cancelling our routes to Venezuela, and that we only did this for security reasons,” he said.

What about other airlines operating in Venezuela?

Spain’s Air Europa and Plus Ultra have also suspended flights to Venezuela, but their permits have not been revoked, with no reason given for the exemption.

Panama’s Copa and its low-cost airline, Wingo, are continuing to operate to Venezuela. Domestic airlines, including the flag-carrier, Conviasa, flying from Venezuela to Colombia, Panama and Cuba are also still in operation.

What is behind US-Venezuela tensions?

Since US President Donald Trump’s return to office in January, tensions between his administration and Venezuela’s government have ramped up.

The US has built up a large military presence off the coast of Venezuela – its most significant military deployment to the Caribbean in decades – to combat what it claims is the trafficking of drugs.

The Trump administration has frequently claimed that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is behind the drug trade, without providing any evidence to support this.

In August, the US government raised its reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest from $25m to $50m.

Maduro denies that he is involved in the drug trade.

This week, the US designated the Cartel de los Soles (Cartel of the Suns) a foreign “terrorist” organisation. It also claims the group is headed by Maduro and a senior figure in his government.

Venezuela’s foreign ministry said it “categorically, firmly and absolutely rejected” the designation, describing it as a “new and ridiculous lie”.

Moreover, the US has long rejected Maduro’s government, calling his election win last year “rigged”. In November 2024, the US recognised Venezuela’s opposition leader, Edmundo Gonzalez, as the country’s rightful president.

The Venezuelan government has suggested that the drug operation in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific is a cover for the US’s real aim of deposing Maduro from government – something some observers also believe.

Since September, the US has conducted at least 21 strikes on Venezuelan vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, claiming they are drug boats. More than 80 people have been killed, but the Trump administration has provided no evidence for its claims.

Last month, the US military conducted bomber flights up to the coast of Venezuela as part of a training exercise to simulate an attack, and sent the world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R Ford, into the region.

However, in recent days, Trump has shown a willingness to hold direct talks.

On Wednesday, Trump told reporters on board his presidential plane, Air Force One, that he “might talk” to Maduro but warned “we can do things the easy way, that’s fine, and if we have to do it the hard way, that’s fine, too”.

What has Trump said about anti-drug land operations in Venezuela?

On Thursday, Trump warned that land operations to combat drug trafficking by land could begin “very soon”.

“You probably noticed that people aren’t wanting to be delivering by sea, and we’ll be starting to stop them by land also,” Trump said in remarks to troops stationed around the globe to mark the US holiday, Thanksgiving.

“The land is easier, but that’s going to start very soon.”

“We warned them to stop sending poison to our country,” he added.

Before the sci-fi series “Stranger Things” premiered on Netflix, several traditional studios had already passed on it. Its creators were first-time show runners, unknown young actors were cast in lead roles, and even though the show starred kids, it was not for children.

That was nine years ago.

The 1980s-set show about a monster that wreaks havoc on fictional Hawkins, Ind., hit a chord with Netflix’s global subscribers. “Stranger Things” has since become one of the streamer’s most culturally significant shows, with its fourth season garnering 140.7 million views in its first three months and ranking third among its top English-language series. It was instrumental in growing new branches of business for Netflix, including live events, a Broadway production and inspired brands eager to partner on licensed merchandise. It became a major franchise for the platform, a chance to build a universe around its central characters and create its own version of “Star Wars.”

Rayna Lynn Chacon, 26, from Los Angeles dresses as Eleven from “Stranger Things” during the Netflix x CicLAvia event.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

The show helped build Netflix’s reputation as a place that makes big bets on original ideas and, if it’s a hit, can build a large fandom for such programs with its worldwide subscriber base.

Netflix took a chance on show runner brothers Matt and Ross Duffer. The pair never imagined the series, which held its first premiere in Silver Lake at Mack Sennett Studios, would take off the way it did.

That wasn’t lost on Matt Duffer, who stood on stage at the final season premiere inside the historic TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood earlier this month. It was the same place “Star Wars” premiered in 1977.

“For me, as a nerd, this is a dream come true,” Duffer told the audience.

In an interview, Bela Bajaria, the chief content officer at Netflix, lauded the success of the series: “You could take a bet on an original story, and grow it to a major franchise that has massive global appeal.”

Other Netflix shows, like “House of Cards,” have certainly captured the zeitgeist before, but co-CEO Ted Sarandos said he believes “Stranger Things” stands above some previous hits.

“This was a lot closer to a ‘Star Wars’ moment,” Sarandos said speaking on stage at the “Stranger Things” final season premiere in Hollywood earlier this month. “This is a show, and these are characters that move the culture, that spawned live events and consumer products and spinoffs and sequels … Everything from the first episode of the first season to ‘The First Shadow,’ the Broadway show, the origin story of the Upside Down, it has been and continues to be a remarkable addition to entertainment culture.”

The four past seasons of “Stranger Things” made it into Netflix’s Top 10 this past week, Netflix said. From 2020 to the second quarter of 2025, “Stranger Things” earned more than $1 billion in global streaming revenue for Netflix and was responsible for more than 2 million new subscriber acquisitions, according to estimates from Parrot Analytics, which tracks streaming data. Netflix declined to comment on Parrot’s estimates.

“Every single streaming service needs that anchor series that drives customer acquisition and helps define the original programming,” said Brandon Katz, director of insights and content strategy at Greenlight Analytics, adding for Hulu it was “The Handmaid’s Tale” and for Disney+, “The Mandalorian.” “’Stranger Things’ has undoubtedly been that for Netflix. Every few years that it does air, Netflix knows there is a guaranteed high ceiling of acquisition, retention and viewership power,” Katz said.

Participants bike past a Demogorgon sleigh during the Netflix x CicLAvia event.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

“Stranger Things” also helped Netflix expand into licensed goods, with brands eager to partner with the platform. There are themed Eggo breakfast foods, Lego sets and clothing.

The series “has been a catalyst for Netflix to explore all of the ways in which a single entertainment property can be turned into an entire global lifestyle,” said Robert Thompson, director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University.

Its popularity has helped other creative collaborators as well.

Artists whose songs were featured on the show climbed the charts. Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” was featured in Season 4 and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 and No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, 37 years after its original release, Netflix said. Metallica’s 1986 song “Master of Puppets” also broke the U.K. Top 30 for the first time after it played during the Season 4 finale, the streamer added.

The series has been recognized with more than 65 awards and 175 nominations. Netflix estimates “Stranger Things” has helped create 8,000 production-related jobs in the U.S. over its five seasons and, since 2015, contributed more than $1.4 billion to U.S. GDP. In California, Netflix estimates the series contributed more than $500 million of GDP.

Netflix is doing a large marketing push with fan events in 28 cities and 21 countries as the series draws to a close. On Sunday, the streamer hosted a bike ride on a stretch of Melrose Avenue in partnership with CicLAvia where 50,000 fans were encouraged to dress in ’80s attire, or as a “Stranger Things” character. On Thursday, a “Stranger Things” float appeared in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.

The company began a phased release of the final season with four episodes that debuted Wednesday. Another three episodes will land on Christmas Day and a two-hour finale Dec. 31 on Netflix. The finale will also play in more than 350 movie theaters in the U.S. and Canada on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

“Stranger Things” fans Kelly Audrain and Jason Serstock said they have been rewatching the show from the beginning to refresh their memories on the whole tale, and were still on Season 2 as of earlier this month. The couple attended the premiere of the last season in Hollywood.

“The whole costuming and everything was so perfect that you just feel like you’re taken back to the ’80s,” 29-year-old Audrain said, who was dressed as “Stranger Things” character Eleven in a pink dress and sporting a mock bloody nose.

Lilia Lupercio, 53, left, Audrey Haluska, 15, center, and Janet Lupercio, 45, right, from Downey pose for a photograph with a “Stranger Things” backdrop.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

Netflix is expanding the show’s universe with the animated series “Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85” next year. In April, Netflix’s “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” stage play hit Broadway. The company has also opened “Stranger Things” pop-up stores, held live experiences and will feature immersive experiences at its Netflix House locations, including “Stranger Things: Escape the Dark” in Dallas. In Las Vegas, Netflix will offer themed foods like Surfer Boy Pizza at its Netflix Bites restaurant.

The Duffers recently told Deadline a spinoff is in the works at Netflix. Bajaria declined to share anything about that but said, “I think the world is really rich and there’s still a lot of story in there.”

But there are challenges ahead. Netflix, seen as the leader in subscription streaming, has had two major flagship series end this year — “Stranger Things” and Korean-language drama “Squid Game.” Analysts say the company will need to keep pumping out popular shows and movies to keep subscribers coming back.

Netflix has successfully expanded its “Squid Game” franchise to include reality competition series “Squid Game: The Challenge,” where more than 95% of watchers also tuned into the scripted series. Other popular franchises like Addams family series “Wednesday,” pirates tale “One Piece” and Regency-era romance “Bridgerton” are ongoing. Netflix’s hit animated movie “KPop Demon Hunters” will get a sequel.

Separately, Netflix placed a bid on parts of Warner Bros. Discovery, with interest in Warner’s Burbank studios and HBO, according to people familiar with the matter. If the acquisition is successful, it would greatly expand Netflix’s library of titles and intellectual property.

While the Duffer brothers still have projects with Netflix, they recently signed a four-year exclusive deal with Paramount for feature films, TV and streaming projects. Some industry observers viewed that as a loss for Netflix.

Omar Chavez, 42, left, and Jenna Chavez, 28, right, from West Hollywood walk past a poster during the Netflix x CicLAvia event.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

“The Duffers are so young, and they’re just really beginning their journey,” said Tom Nunan, a former studio and network executive. “I have no doubt they’ll be pushing out more hits and more of a variety of successes in the future,” he said, adding that the brothers’ work at Paramount could compete with Netflix.

But Bajaria noted that the Duffers still have some projects in the works at Netflix, including sci-fi series “The Boroughs” and horror series “Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen.”

“They’re always gonna be part of the Netflix family and I’m excited we still have more things with them,” Bajaria said.

Times staff writer Meg James contributed to this article.

LOVEHOLIDAYS has kicked off its biggest ever Black Friday sale until midnight on December 2.

So if you’re planning a last-minute winter sun break or planning for a spectacular summer 2026 trip, you’re in luck, as there are huge savings on your next getaway.

loveholidays Black Friday deals

From classic Canary escapes to budget-friendly visits to Tunisia, these deals are delivering serious value for money.

The standout offer for would-be travellers is up to £550 off selected package holidays, based on bookings for four people.

On top of that, holidaymakers can get extra savings of up to £200 off bookings when using the code BFEXTRA at checkout, which is until 2 December.

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There’s also extra price cuts on flights and transfers, with deposits starting from as little as £19 per person.

If you spot something good for the dates you want, we’d recommend snapping it up, as winter sun at these prices rarely sticks around.

Prices are also expected to fall even further, so it’s worth checking the loveholidays website through Cyber weekend for new offers.

loveholidays Black Friday deals not to be missed

These are some of the top offers we found in the Black Friday sale to book between now and 2026

• Pebbles Resort St Paul’s Bay, Malta – Flights and room only, 2 people for 7 nights from £298 (was £335) – book here
• Ona Hollywood Mirage Tenerife, Canary Islands – Flights and room only, 2 people for 7 nights from £698 (was £749) – book here
• Be Live Collection Marrakech (Adults Only) Morrocco – Flights and all inclusive, 2 people for 7 nights from £1038 (was £1160) – book here
• Aska Lara Resort & Spa Antalya, Turkey – Flights and all inclusive, 2 people for 7 nights from £718 (was £775) – book here
• MGM Grand Las Vegas, USA – Flights and room only, 2 people for 7 nights from £569pp (£200 below peak price) – book here
• TRS Yucatan Hotel, Mexico – Flights and all inclusive, 2 people for 7 nights from £2778 (was £2962) – book here

Remember, some of these deals are last-minute for 2025, and many are deals for those who want to book ahead of the 2026 rush.

Head over to loveholidays to find the best Black Friday deals for you while they last.

Black Friday is a great opportunity to snap up a discounted holiday, whether you’re looking for a European getaway or to finally book that long-haul flight, but there’s one blunder to stay clear of

Black Friday deals are now in full swing, and there are some fantastic holiday packages available at a discounted rate. However, amid the excitement of booking that next getaway, a travel expert has outlined the one mistake you need to avoid.

From today (Friday, 28 November) the internet is ablaze with tempting offers during the annual Black Friday event, with many discounts also available before and after this date. Some of the most appealing offers are those related to our next holiday, whether that’s booking a tropical getaway for early next year or a last-minute trip to explore a charming European Christmas market.

A vast number of airlines, travel booking websites, and hotels offer major deals and discounts during Black Friday, but there’s something we need to be aware of when planning that desirable trip. Travel expert and Managing Director at hoppa, Chris Harrington, warned that the cheapest deal isn’t always the best for value.

“Black Friday deals can be extremely tempting, with many companies offering as much as £100 off per person or 20% off overall flights. But these headline prices can often hide add-ons,” Chris shared. “So be sure to check what’s included in your deal, such as resort fees, airport transfers and cancellation policies, before comparing offers.”

To help us navigate the chaos of Black Friday deals, Chris outlined additional top tips, including how to make the most of the annual sale. A key point is to verify your flight times before confirming the booking.

He explained: “Sometimes, a deal can be too good to be true. Sure, it may look like you’re getting a steal, but the flight may be going cheap because it departs at 5am or there’s a 12-hour layover. If the deal is a long-distance flight, be sure to check both legs of the journey to ensure you’re not stuck with ridiculously long layovers or connection times that are too tight to make comfortably.”

Black Friday doesn’t just need to be for booking a new holiday, but you can also take advantage of the deals when it comes to upgrading your flights or hotel. The expert said: “In addition to bagging a cheaper deal than usual, there’s also the opportunity to secure an upgrade at a fraction of the usual cost. This can range from flight upgrades to all-inclusive resorts and hotels with more luxurious facilities. If you fancy a sweeter deal, now is the time to cash in.”

Furthermore, Chris pointed out that it’s a good idea to have a flexible booking policy, particularly for trips next year. “If you’re booking trips for this time of year, keep in mind the likelihood of weather disruptions like heavy snowfall and storms. I suggest prioritising Black Friday deals that include a flexible cancellation policy or allow you to exchange flights. A slightly higher upfront cost can save you hundreds if plans need to change,” Chris shared.

While it may seem like you need to rush to book the holiday before it’s sold out or before the end of November 28, you still need to be sensible with your decisions.

“Deals can move quickly, but keep a steady head and spend some time checking recent price trends by using price comparison websites or fare-tracking tools, as it may turn out to not be a decent deal at all. If the price has been inflated before the discount, it’s not a true saving. Something I’d suggest is to keep a budget in mind in terms of how much you wish to spend and stick to it to avoid overspending,” he continued.

If you follow these simple tips from Chris, you will help ensure a great bargain while enjoying the best possible holiday, without any hidden surprises. The expert added: “Black Friday is a brilliant opportunity to secure yourself a great deal or treat yourself to that extra bit of luxury, but take the time to do your research before booking. Compare what’s included, check the fine print, and make sure the deal supports the kind of holiday you actually want. A little diligence now can save you a lot of stress later.”

Do you have a travel story to share? Email [email protected]

A crescendo is building, and the Rams might be best to ignore it.

So much can happen from week to week in the NFL — check out Philadelphia’s loss to Dallas — that the Rams can’t get too comfortable, even with the way they’re playing.

In the last five games, culminating with their 27-point stomping of Tampa Bay on Sunday night, the Rams have outscored opponents in the opening quarter, 63-3.

Matthew Stafford has thrown 27 touchdown passes without an interception.

In four of the games in this six-game winning streak, the Rams defense has allowed 10 points or fewer.

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Gary Klein breaks down what went right for the Rams in their 34-7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday night.

But it’s uncomfortably early for anyone in the organization to be thinking about Santa Clara in February. The Rams need to play with blinders on. Yes, they’ve secured the NFC’s No. 1 seed for the moment, but they have a one-game lead over the Eagles, who beat them earlier this season and therefore have the tiebreaker. There’s no wiggle room.

The glide path is far different than 2021, when the Rams wound up winning the Super Bowl on their home field. That season, they went 0-3 in November games.

This bears a closer resemblance to 2018, Sean McVay’s second season, when the last game before Thanksgiving was an instant classic at the Coliseum, Jared Goff and the Rams beating Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, 54-51.

There’s no ignoring that we’re watching something special in Stafford, who takes the snap, scans the field and delivers a laser with remarkable reliability. He processes with the speed of AI.

It was 10 years ago at Levi’s Stadium that Denver’s Peyton Manning, quarterbacking his second franchise, won his second Super Bowl ring and decided to retire.

Could that be Stafford? Second franchise. Potential for a second ring. Then again, Manning’s body was breaking down on him and he wasn’t at the top of his game. Those Broncos ran the ball and had a great defense.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford warms up before a 34-7 win over the Buccaneers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

At the moment, Stafford is playing as well as anyone who has ever played the position. He looks nothing like a 37-year-old guy who sat out training camp with back problems.

His streak of 27 touchdown passes without a pick is, according to Elias, the longest such streak by any player since play-by-play was first tracked in 1978.

“It’s hard to conceptualize the fact that you can throw — put the ball in the end zone that much,” said Rams receiver Davante Adams, who has 12 touchdown receptions this season. “Most quarterbacks can’t throw 27 passes without throwing a pick.”

Stafford’s the leading most valuable player candidate, and this could be the season that secures him a bronze bust in Canton.

As for the poetry of him walking off the biggest stage the way Manning did, that’s all fantasy football now, especially with more than a quarter of the regular season remaining.

(A little more premature conjecture: It’s not inconceivable that the Rams and New England Patriots could meet in the Super Bowl for a third time.)

What is irrefutable is the Rams are continually deepening their foothold on the Los Angeles market. They set their regular-season attendance record Sunday night (75,545 tickets distributed), surpassing the mark they set a week earlier with a home game against Seattle.

This is what Rams owner Stan Kroenke was talking about when he brought the team back in 2016, and when he built SoFi Stadium with the idea of making the nearly-300-acre campus a center of gravity on the West Coast.

It’s not just home to the Rams and Chargers, but it’s the integral role the stadium will play in the World Cup, the 2028 Olympics, and in early 2027, the second Super Bowl it will host. No matter how you feel about UCLA trying to wriggle out of its Rose Bowl deal, there’s a reason the school has turned its attention to SoFi.

Kroenke always told his development team that undershooting L.A. would be a huge mistake, that the opportunity here was immeasurable.

“Sometimes when you’re a real estate developer, I think you have to be tremendously optimistic,” Kroenke told the Los Angeles Times. “You encounter so many issues. … With the NFL, you saw how difficult that whole thing was. So you had to be the optimist.

“Then you get a night like tonight, and it’s just awesome.”

Rams defensive end Kobie Turner reacts during player introductions before facing the Buccaneers on Sunday at SoFi Stadium.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

The stadium was loud and overwhelmingly blue, with only a sprinkling of Tampa Bay fans. That’s progress.

The peril for the Rams now is letting down their guard. They travel across the country next weekend to play at Carolina, a team that won four of five not so long ago, including an upset of Green Bay.

In his postgame news conference, cornerback Cobie Durant was asked how it feels to have the No. 1 seed in the conference.

“I didn’t know that,” he said, sounding pleasantly surprised. “I don’t keep up with that.”

Smart answer.

Sudan Doctors Network says military use of hospital is ‘a blatant violation of sanctity of medical institutions’.

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have converted a large part of Al-Nuhud Hospital in West Kordofan in wartorn Sudan’s south into a military command centre and barracks since their takeover of the city more than five months ago, according to the Sudan Doctors Network.

The nongovernmental organisation said on Friday that the RSF, the government-aligned Sudanese Armed Forces’ (SAF) bitter rival in the brutal three-year civil war, has been preventing the hospital from fulfilling its essential role in providing healthcare for the population.

“This military use of the health facility constitutes a blatant violation of the sanctity of medical institutions and undermines civilians’ right to access treatment,” the statement on Facebook said, adding that some of the medical personnel in the city have been accused of cooperating with the military before fleeing the city.

“As a result, the hospital is suffering from a severe shortage of healthcare workers, leaving the remaining medical services extremely limited and unable to meet patients’ needs,” it added.

Since April 2023, the SAF and the RSF have been locked in a war that regional and international mediation has failed to end.

The conflict has killed thousands of people and displaced millions of others, causing what the United Nations calls the world’s largest humanitarian disaster.

Fleeing the horrors of el-Fasher

Hundreds of Sudanese children have arrived in the town of Tawila in Sudan’s western Darfur region without their parents since the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized control of the city of el-Fasher last month, a humanitarian group says.

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said on Thursday that at least 400 unaccompanied children had arrived in Tawila but that the real number was likely much higher.

The RSF seized control of el-Fasher – the capital of Sudan’s North Darfur state – on October 26 after an 18-month siege that cut residents off from food, medicine and other critical supplies.

The paramilitary group has been accused of committing mass killings, kidnappings and widespread acts of sexual violence in its takeover of the city. The Sudanese army has also been accused of committing atrocities during the war.

Washington’s truce proposal

The United States has recently presented Sudan’s warring parties with a proposal for a ceasefire, but neither side has formally accepted it.

The RSF unilaterally declared a cessation of hostilities on Monday in line with US wishes.

But on Tuesday, the SAF said it had repelled an attack on a base in Babnusa in West Kordofan state, the newest front line in the war.

Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan called on US President Donald Trump on Wednesday to bring peace to the country.

“The Sudanese people now look to Washington to take the next step: to build on the US president’s honesty and work with us – and those in the region who genuinely seek peace – to end this war,” Sudan’s de facto leader wrote in an op-ed published in The Wall Street Journal.

Attempts to broker peace between Burhan and his one-time deputy, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, have repeatedly failed over the course of the war that has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced 12 million and created the world’s largest hunger and displacement crises.

Trump took a public interest in the war for the first time last week, promising he would end it after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman urged him to get involved.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being staged in United States, Canada and Mexico, with Washington, DC hosting December’s draw.

Iran is to boycott next week’s World Cup finals draw in Washington because the United States refused to grant visas to several members of the delegation, the Iranian football federation announced on Friday.

“We have informed FIFA that the decisions taken have nothing to do with sports, and the members of the Iranian delegation will not participate in the World Cup draw,” the federation’s spokesperson told state television.

Iranian sports website Varzesh 3 had claimed on Tuesday that the US had declined to issue visas to several members of the delegation, including the president of the federation, Mehdi Taj.

On Thursday, Taj had denounced the decision as being a political one.

“We have told the head of FIFA, Mr [Gianni] Infantino, that it is purely a political position and that FIFA must tell them [US] to desist from this behaviour,” added Taj.

According to Varzesh 3, four members of the delegation, including Amir Ghalenoei, the coach, had been granted visas for the draw on December 5.

Iran qualified for the sport’s quadrennial showpiece in March, guaranteeing them a fourth successive appearance and seventh in all.

They have yet to progress to the knockout stages, but there was unconfined joy when in the 1998 finals in France, Iran beat the USA 2-1 in their group match.

The US avenged that by beating Iran 1-0 in the 2022 edition.

The US – which is co-hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico – and Iran have been at loggerheads for more than four decades.

They had, though, been holding high-level nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington that had begun in April, during which the two sides were at odds over Iran’s right to enrich uranium – which Tehran defends as “inalienable”.

However, they ended when, in mid-June, Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran, triggering a 12-day war that the US briefly joined, with strikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities.

A Stranger Things fan has dubbed the finale as an ’emotional betrayal’ speaking out about how unfair it is that the new year will be dominated by the popular Netflix show

The first part of the final season of Stranger Things released yesterday (November 27) in the UK, and fans are already going wild for what happens in the first four episodes. Binge-watching has been compulsory for so many fans of the 80s-themed spooky show, and people are already raving about it, saying how much they’d missed it. But some are less than impressed with the decisions made by Netflix.

Someone took to the Reddit ‘Stranger Things’ forum saying they felt absolutely “cheated” by one thing Netflix has decided to do with the Stranger Things finale. A viewer in India said that “everything fell apart” for them when they checked the schedule for when the next episodes were out.

In the UK, episodes one to four were released on November 27, and episodes five to seven will be released on Christmas Day, with the finale on New Year’s Eve. However one Indian superfan was left devastated when she realised that they were out at a different time.

They wrote: “Right now it is Nov 24 in India and I’m really excited for season five, so I decided to check the exact release time for India, and everything fell apart.

“All this time, I kept reading the dates as November 26, December 25, and December 31. That’s the pattern my brain assumed.

“But when I actually looked it up, I realised the finale lands on January 1 in India because of the worldwide simultaneous release. And honestly, this has thrown me off completely.

“Ending my year with Stranger Things and starting my year with Stranger Things are two very different emotional experiences. The difference is huge. I was expecting to wrap up 2025 with closure, not begin 2026 with emotional chaos, anxiety, or whatever heartbreak the finale is going to bring”.

They then referred to it as an “emotional betrayal,” saying “this timing has hit me harder than I expected,” saying that they had to write it “somewhere” because they feel “bad about it”.

In the comments, however, people tried to give them a bit of perspective, saying that it was exciting anyway.

One wrote: “Bro, it’s a TV show, not the end of the world.”

“Emotional betrayal? I think that’s a bit dramatic…” somebody else wrote.

A fan shared: “This is what the US has had to deal with for all the previous releases, despite the show being based here.

“I feel bad because it does suck choosing between waking up in the early hours like 2-6am or trying to avoid spoilers until after work the following day to watch, but it’s nice to end it with us being the lucky ones the last time around”.

The original poster responded, however, saying they didn’t have an issue with time; it was “the date” they had a problem with, as they didn’t want to start 2026 feeling devastated by what is likely to be a traumatic finale.

Jailza Gatehouse, 60, from Hemel Hempstead says the side effects of the menopause improved after she started taking ‘extreme day trips’, and now she has embarked on 70

A woman who began embarking on ‘extreme day trips’ to tackle menopause -related insomnia has now completed 70 such journeys in just 12 months.

Jailza Gatehouse, 60, embarked on her first EDT last October – a distinctive travel approach involving stays of no more than 24 hours. The mother-of-two from Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, admits she had been observing others’ adventures in an online community for some time, never imagining she would attempt one herself.

Yet once she began, Jailza discovered she was hooked, and has since undertaken 70 EDTs, exploring every European nation except Russia and Ukraine. The Brazilian-born mum reveals that sleepless nights brought on by the menopause prompted her to take action, believing there had to be a more productive use of her time than lying awake in bed.

Since beginning these expeditions, she reports sleeping soundly, as the extensive travel leaves her thoroughly exhausted.

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She said: “With my menopause I could never sleep. I would wake up at one in the morning. Menopause used to take over my life. With EDTs, instead of waking up and doing nothing, I go to the airport. And because you walk so much and get so tired I sleep. Now when I am up I go and see the world.

“EDTs changed my life. Menopause was driving me mad. I am taking a short break now for Christmas and already I can’t sleep again. I had to book another one.”

Jailza’s maiden voyage was to Dublin on October 4 last year, as it was just an hour away and still within the UK, costing only £17.99 each way. She admitted that initially she felt extremely nervous, having always harboured concerns about her safety abroad, but those fears have since disappeared.

She explained: “I was in the group for a while but I just read the posts. I thought ‘that’s not me I could never go anywhere by myself.’ After I did my first one I just couldn’t stop. The EDTs brought me back to life. Because I don’t work I was bored, my life was boring. I needed to do something, I just didn’t know what.

“In the past I have said to my husband that we should visit places, and he always said that they don’t like black people there. My mind was always like that, I couldn’t go anywhere because they wouldn’t like black people. When I was on my way to Dublin I remember panicking. I felt so paranoid. I wanted to cry. But when I got there it was nothing like I had thought. It brought my confidence back. EDTs are becoming my therapy.”

Jailza, who invariably travels alone, says her favourite destinations include Italy, Greece, Barcelona, and Budapest, citing her passion for architecture.

The mother hasn’t revisited any destination yet, though certain cities like Prague have captured her heart enough to warrant a return trip. The adventurous traveller has even ventured to Transnistria, an unrecognised state sandwiched between Moldova and Ukraine which appears on the government’s ‘do not travel’ list, describing it as “amazing.”

Jailza hasn’t kept track of her total spending, but admits she rarely secures bargains as she books her journeys last minute, explaining “if I want to go then I go.” Her travel advice includes thoroughly researching your destination, avoiding the front seat in taxis, and not hesitating to ask locals for information.

Her packing essentials consist of two power banks, a brolly, spare socks, and an extra top in case of spillages.

She added: “In the beginning people thought I was crazy. But now they have seen that I can do it, they are all starting to go too. Don’t hold yourself back. Just do it. I have had the best year of my life. After that first trip I have never been scared anywhere.”

Jailza shows no signs of slowing down, with a trip to Marseille in France scheduled for next week, and further visits to Milan and Krakow already in the diary. Looking ahead, she’s keen to expand her horizons further afield, even if it means abandoning her 24-hour time restriction.

Whether you’re looking to book your next summer getaway at a beach resort or a city weekend break, Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have released some major deals with up to £400 off

While we might be engrossed in the festivities, with less than a month until Christmas, it’s never too early to start planning for that holiday next year. And this week might be the best time, as Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have released some remarkable deals with savings of up to £400 for a family of four travelling to European hotspots.

Today (28 November) marks Black Friday, with a catalogue of airlines, hotels, and travel booking websites offering significant savings to mark the occasion. This includes Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, which have released huge deals available on all flights and holidays from today.

The leading leisure airline and the UK’s largest tour operator is offering holidaymakers £100 off per person on all holidays on sale across Winter 25/26, Summer 26, Winter 26/27 and Summer 27. This means a family of four can save a whopping £400 for a holiday in Spain or Portugal, and still travel during the school holidays.

This doesn’t just apply to families, but also to couples who book a getaway with Jet2holidays during the Black Friday sale, which could result in a £200 discount. There are also millions of hotels and resorts that offer free accommodations for children, providing even further savings.

The Black Friday deals are applicable to all new bookings made with Jet2holidays, Jet2Villas, Jet2CityBreaks, VIBE by Jet2holidays or Indulgent Escapes by Jet2holidays. This provides even more flexibility to travellers with the option to stay at an all-inclusive beach resort or opt for a quieter getaway in a villa situated in the hills.

But that’s not all. Holidaymakers can also enjoy a 20% discount off all Jet2.com flights on sale. After all, as we’ve all heard amid the tunes of Jess Glynne, “nothing beats a Jet2 holiday”.

Steve Heapy, CEO at Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said: “There is nothing better than knowing you have a holiday booked and something to look forward to. The savings we are offering during our biggest, boldest and best Black Friday event ever means that customers can enjoy the feeling of knowing their holiday is in the diary whilst getting a fantastic deal on a discounted getaway or fare at the same time.

“Whether it is a family holiday, a break with the other half, or a group get together, we know everyone really needs that well-deserved holiday. With deals this good, there is no better time to book, so make sure you do not miss out on our Black Friday sale and get that sunshine boxed up with the nation’s favourite and most trusted holiday provider.”

For more information or to book your next getaway, you can visit the Jet2.com and Jet2holidays websites.

Scotland’s chance of gold at the European Curling Championships lies in the women’s competition after the men fell at the semi-final stage.

Bruce Mouat’s rink sailed through the round-robin phase with a 100% record but lost 8-5 to Sweden in the last four showdown.

Swedish skip Niklas Edin will now go for an eighth title against Switzerland, who beat Italy 8-7.

The Swedes, who lost three of their opening nine games, took two in the seventh and ninth ends to lead 7-5 and Mouat could not extend a tense tie when he was a fraction out with his final stone.

Team Mouat, runners-up last year and four-time winners, will play the Italians for bronze on Friday evening, with the action streamed on the BBC Sport website and iPlayer at 17:00 GMT.

“We’ve played a million times before,” said Edin of his team’s victory. “In the Olympic final it was the same situation.

“We just have to reach our own top level. We came in with the right mindset and executed well.”

On Thursday, Scotland’s women continued their revival in Finland by beating Switzerland in their semi-final.

The Scots – bronze medallists last year and ranked second going into this tournament – lost four of their opening six matches, but won their final three round-robin games to scrape into the knockout matches.

And in a dominant performance, Rebecca Morrison’s rink prevailed 8-5 to earn a place in the final against Sweden.

“Reaching our first European final together and that is a great achievement for us,” said an excited Jen Dodds, who won European gold in 2021.

“We got our bronze medal last year, which back then we were so happy with, and one of our goals for this season was to upgrade that and get to the final.

“Now we are really looking forward to getting that opportunity to compete in it.”

The final will be live on the BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app at 08:00 on Saturday.

A POPULAR holiday chain has ditched plans to open a new Wetherspoons pub at one of its sites.

Haven had planned to invest more than £3million to build a new Wetherspoons pub at a North Wales site.

According to a number of sources, the pub – which was set to be the largest of a number of pubs Haven is building at its parks – fell victim to the incoming tourism tax in Wales.

Plans for the JD Wetherspoon pub at the Presthaven holiday park were approved earlier this year by Flintshire County Council.

However, according to North Wales Live, a source stated that Haven is concerned that the tourism tax in Wales will cause more families to head to England than Wales.

Whilst Haven did not discuss the impact of the tourism tax, they did confirm they will not be moving ahead with the plans for Presthaven this winter.

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A Haven spokesman said: “Haven is always exploring potential opportunities to further develop our offering with a range of factors influencing which projects go ahead.

“This weekend we were excited to be able to announce that four new JD Wetherspoon pubs will be built this winter at our Hopton, Lakeland, Cala Gran and Riviere Sands parks.”

The Welsh tourist tax, which is also known as the Visitor Levy, is a local charge on overnight visitors.

And it is set to be introduced in April 2027.

Essentially, local councils will decide if they wish to add the tax to their area.

Currently, the proposed rates sit at £1.30 per person per night for accommodation like hotels and 75p for campsites and hostels.

Money raised from the Visitor Levy is set to be used for tourism-related improvements and local projects.

The Welsh Government finance secretary Mark Drakeford said: “The visitor levy represents a small contribution that will make a big difference by helping to maintain and enhance the very attractions that make Wales such a wonderful place to visit and to live.

“This historic legislation gives Wales the same tools used so successfully by destinations all over the world to balance the benefits and pressures of tourism between visitors and residents.”

Earlier in November, the holiday park brand announced that it would be opening four new JD Wetherspoon pubs in the UK in spring 2026.

These include new boozers at Cala Gran in Blackpool, Hopton in Norfolk, Lakeland in the Lake District and Riviere Sands in Cornwall.

Currently, there aren’t many details about the new pubs but Haven said that they will be “linked to the proud heritage of the local area our parks are located in”.

In addition, the new £9million pub project is part of a bigger £14million investment plan in Haven’s food and drink options across the parks.

And Haven is also splashing out £10million on a new water park at their Kent Coast site.

In other holiday park news, a UK holiday park operator has gone into administration affecting 11 resorts.

Plus, the price of holiday park breaks could DOUBLE thanks to new Budget ‘tourist tax’.