Nov. 26 (UPI) — A former British Royal Marine pleaded guilty to injuring dozens of people, including children and babies, after driving his car into a crowd of people at a soccer victory parade.

Paul Doyle, 54, on the first day of his trial, changed his initial pleas in 31 charges linked to driving his Ford Galaxy Titanium into a crowd of people celebrating the Liverpool FC soccer club’s Premier League title in May.

More than 130 injuries were reported after Doyle accelerated into the parade crowd, sending bodies flying off his car — two of whom were babies aged six and seven months — according to The Guardian.

On Wednesday, shocking the court, Doyle reversed his not guilty pleas entered the day before, answering guilty to all 31 charges, the BBC reported.

The charges include dangerous driving, causing grievous bodily harm with intent, wounding with intent and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, prosecutors said.

“By entering guilty pleas, Doyle has finally accepted that he intentionally drove into crowds of innocent people during Liverpool FC’s victory parade,” Sarah Hammond, chief prosecutor on the case for the Crown Prosecution Service, during the court proceedings. “Driving a vehicle into a crowd is an act of calculated violence.”

“This was not a momentary lapse by Paul Doyle — it was a choice he made that day and it turned celebration into mayhem,” she said, noting that dashcam footage from his car showed that he had become “increasingly agitated by the crowds.”

Doyle, on May 26, drove down the street where the celebration was happening, and which had been closed to non-emergency vehicles, on the way to pick up friends, but lost his patience with the crowd, accelerating rapidly into it.

Although people in the celebration tried to pull him out of the car before he actually hit people — he initially claimed he was scared for his safety and pleaded innocent to intentionally ramming parade-goers — police said 134 people were injured in the melee and more than 50 people required hospitalization.

Doyle was initially charged with seven counts related to six people, prosecutors added another 24 charges in August based on some victims he had hit that were aged between six months and 77 years old after he intentionally drove his car into the crowd of soccer fans.

With the guilty pleas, Judge Andrew Menary KC will now consider Doyle’s sentence based on harm caused, the defendant himself and the effects of the crime on the community, which prosecutors have portrayed as significant.

The maximum sentence for the charges, according to the BBC, is life in prison.

“It is inevitable there will be a custodial sentence of some length and you should prepare yourself for that inevitability,” Menary told Doyle.

Sentencing in the case is scheduled for Dec. 15 and 16.

The controversial US-Israeli backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is closing operations, after five months of massacres, stampedes and chaos. Despite that, the GHF says it did its job “successfully.” Soraya Lennie explains the group’s chaotic legacy.

The crunch of frost underfoot, lungfuls of crisp fresh air, landscapes sparkling in shafts of sunlight; a good winter walk is one of life’s simple pleasures. We want to hear about where you love to walk at this time of year in the UK. Perhaps it’s a bracing coastal path, a meandering woodland hike or a riverside trail. If there’s a lovely pub or cafe on the route so much the better!

The best tip of the week, chosen by Tom Hall of Lonely Planet wins a £200 voucher to stay at a Coolstays property – the company has more than 3,000 worldwide. The best tips will appear in the Guardian Travel section and website.

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The competition closes on Friday 5 December at 10am GMT

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LOVE Island Australia beauty Gabby broke down in tears after her partner Jotham had a “filthy” sex chat with a villa rival.

The brunette stunner, who allegedly has the biggest boobs in the show’s history, couldn’t believe her ears when she walked in on Jotham excitedly reacting to Mia’s high sex drive.

After waiting for around 30 minutes for her man to appear, Gabby heard his voice booming from inside the villa and tiptoed up the stairs to investigate.

Her eyes soon popped as she heard Mia say: “My sex drive is insane. The guy that I would see, if I was in a situationship, we’d have sex like five times a day.”

Laughing, Jotham replies: “Milk that man dry. Mumma ain’t finished.”

Despite their horniness, the pair agreed that neither would have sex in the villa.

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Having overheard the whole chat, Gabby said to camera: “The conversation is just absolute filth.

“I just thought Jotham would shut down that sort of conversation and walk out.”

She later broke down in tears over Jotham’s response to Mia’s confession, saying: “I actually see a relationship with him, and I feel that’s not being reciprocated.

“And that’s why all of this is really hurting me.”

Viewers sided with her, with one writing on Instagram: “Not the biggest fan of Gabby but I do think for the first time, she has a point.”

A second said: “I love Gabby so much.”

A third posted: “Idc Gabby is right for this, I would feel some type of way about my man speaking about s** with two girls, especially one that has shown she has an interest in him.”

Music fans at Stockholm airport couldn’t believe their eyes when the popstar they were travelling to see boarded the same flight to Helsinki, and she wasn’t even flying first class

Music enthusiasts in Stockholm, Sweden, were left stunned whilst awaiting their flight to Finland after discovering a very special passenger was also waiting to board the same flight.

It’s hardly uncommon for music lovers to journey far and wide to catch their beloved bands and artists performing live. Whether it’s a trip to a neighbouring city, across the country, or to an entirely different country, no distance appears too far for devoted fans, who frequently use concerts as an opportunity to explore new destinations. What they certainly wouldn’t anticipate, though, is bumping into the very artist they’re travelling to see aboard their aircraft.

However this extraordinary scenario unfolded for a group of admirers who were preparing to board their flight from Stockholm, Sweden, travelling across the Baltic Sea to Helsinki in Finland to see Zara Larsson at her upcoming concert.

Sharing on TikTok, one fan posted the clip which captured the incredible moment she was lingering by the departure gate at Arlanda airport in Sweden, only to glance up and spot the pop sensation approaching the very same gate, instantly drawing the focus of numerous fans present, all travelling to attend her performance the next evening.

“Pov you’re flying from Sweden to Finland to see Zara Larsson and Zara Larsson shows up,” the fan wrote in the video’s caption.

The brief footage showed Zara chatting casually with several supporters at the gate, including one fan who spun around in amazement upon hearing the superstar’s distinctive voice behind her.

The TikTok creator then posted some snaps with Zara, who looked stylish in a black fur coat and vibrant pink nails. She chose to travel makeup-free as she was en route to her Helsinki gig scheduled for 26 November.

The video quickly attracted comments from other fans and has been viewed over 478,000 times within the first day of being uploaded on the platform.

“Crazy how she just flies in economy,” one fan commented, while another exclaimed: “Imagine sitting next to Zara on a plane omggg.”

A third fan chimed in: “Personally i wouldve started dancing lush life to get my lush life girl moment.

“How does it feel… to live our dream?” another asked.

Zara Larsson is currently wrapping up the European leg of her Midnight Sun tour, which kicked off in Munich on 28 October, before hitting London on 5 November, followed by Dublin and Manchester. She will then take the tour to the USA and Canada in February 2026.

The Los Angeles Fire Department is requesting a budget of more than $1 billion for the coming year, arguing that the additional funding is necessary to be prepared for wildfires like the one that devastated Pacific Palisades in January.

The request, which represents a more than 15% increase over this year’s budget, includes money for 179 new firefighting recruits and a second crew dedicated to fighting wildfires, as well as helitanker services to battle fires from the air.

In the immediate aftermath of the Palisades fire, which killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes, top LAFD officials blamed a lack of resources and extraordinarily high winds for their failures in combating the flames.

United Firefighters of Los Angeles City Local 112, the union that represents the city’s firefighters, has long argued that the department is severely underfunded and is pushing for a half-cent sales tax that, if approved by voters, would generate hundreds of millions of dollars annually.

Fire Chief Jaime Moore, who was appointed to his post earlier this month, wrote in a memo to the Board of Fire Commissioners last Friday that “the proposed budget will reinforce and accelerate operational enhancements implemented following the devastating Palisades wind-driven vegetation fire in January 2025.”

Moore’s request is the first step in a lengthy process to hammer out a city budget that requires approval by the City Council and the mayor. This year, the city had to close a nearly $1-billion shortfall caused largely by rising personnel costs, soaring legal payouts and a slowdown in the local economy.

City department heads often request amounts far higher than they eventually receive. With the city still in a budget crunch, the outlook for the LAFD’s request is unclear.

“The budget process is in its early stages. Reforms must continue to be implemented at the department and Mayor Bass looks forward to working with Chief Moore to strengthen the city’s emergency preparedness,” said Clara Karger, a spokesperson for Mayor Karen Bass.

Genethia Hudley Hayes, who heads the civilian Board of Fire Commissioners, said Tuesday that she had not yet seen the request but that she generally supports a 15% increase in the LAFD budget.

“We need it,” she said. “The smart thing would be to let the public know what you are going to do with that money.”

In the days leading up to Jan. 7, LAFD officials decided not to order firefighters to remain on duty for a second shift — which would have required paying them overtime — and staffed just a few of the more than 40 engines available to aid in battling wildfires, despite warnings of life-threatening winds, a Times investigation found.

Then-Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said that commanders had to be strategic with limited resources while continuing to handle regular 911 calls.

An LAFD after-action report released last month cited “financial constraints” as a factor in pre-deployment decisions.

The Times also found that an LAFD battalion chief ordered firefighters to leave the site of the Jan. 1 Lachman fire, despite firefighters’ complaints that the ground was still smoldering. That fire later reignited into the Palisades fire.

Moore’s budget memo tied many of his requests to the Palisades fire.

The second wildland hand crew, which would include 32 positions for $2 million, would supplement a hand crew formed this year, after the Palisades fire. The crew’s 26 recruits, who are trained in wildfire fighting and management, establish fire lines to stop flames from spreading. Throughout the year, they do brush clearance around the city.

The helitanker lease, costing slightly less than $1 million, would support aerial attacks of flames that are difficult for crews on the ground to reach.

Moore’s budget request includes the reinstatement of the LAFD’s emergency incident technicians, who help coordinate responses to fires — positions that were cut in the last budget cycle. The after-action report described the LAFD’s disorganized response to the Palisades fire, citing major issues with staffing and communications.

In the fire’s aftermath, the LAFD’s budget was a subject of public debate, with some saying that Bass had reduced it. The 2024-25 budget actually increased slightly after firefighters received raises and the city invested in new firetrucks and other purchases. The budget increased again in 2025-2026.

Bass said she has committed additional resources to the Fire Department in each year she has been mayor.

The half-cent sales tax proposed by the firefighters union would go before city voters as a ballot measure next November.

By 2050, the sales tax would raise at least $9.8 billion, funding at least 30 new fire stations and new fire trucks, as well as adding 1,400 Fire Department employees, according Doug Coates, the acting president of UFLAC, and Councilmember Traci Park, whose district includes Pacific Palisades.

From Broderick Turner: Luka Doncic drilled a three-pointer right in front of the Clippers’ bench late in the first quarter and then glared at them, shaking his head as he ran back down court to play defense for the Lakers, just one of the many piercing stares he sent their way after delivering one of his three-point bombs.

It seems as if Doncic has his own personal rivalry against the Clippers and it just simply folded into the inter-city rivalry.

And once again, Doncic overwhelmed the Clippers in directing the Lakers to a 135-118 win Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.

He came up one rebound shy of a triple-double, with 43 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds. He was 14 for 28 from the field, seven for 12 from three-point range and eight for 11 from the free-throw line.

In leading the Lakers to their fifth straight win, Doncic now has recorded 39 double-double games of at least 40 points, which moved him past Anthony Davis for the fourth most among active players and tying Magic Johnson for the sixth most 40-point double-doubles as a Laker.

Continue reading here

Lakers box score

NBA standings

UCLA BASKETBALL

From Ben Bolch: It was the sort of showing that left Mick Cronin with plenty to criticize, and he didn’t hold back.

In a somewhat subdued monologue after a loss that will probably knock his team out of the national rankings, the UCLA basketball coach lamented his team’s attitude, lack of toughness, inability to make free throws and shortage of savvy despite being filled with veterans.

His harshest verbal jab? Cronin saved that for himself.

“Look, I’m not happy with our performance,” Cronin said after the No. 18 Bruins’ 80-72 setback against California on Tuesday night at the Chase Center, “but I’ll take the blame. You guys can read the stat sheet, you saw the game, you make your own assessments, [but] when it comes to the game, how we play is my responsibility.”

Continue reading here

UCLA box score

USC BASKETBALL

From Ryan Kartje: When Lindsay Gottlieb put together a nonconference schedule she believed to be the hardest in the country, USC’s coach knew it would be an uphill climb. But that was the point. She wanted her team to be tested nightly, to play on “the biggest stages.”

“It’s not a schedule designed to win every nonconference game by an average of 40 points,” Gottlieb said earlier this month.

But after losing twice through a five-game gauntlet to start the season, a blowout nonconference win was precisely what the doctor ordered for USC.

Any pent-up frustration still lingering from USC’s last-second loss to Notre Dame was promptly taken out on Tennessee Tech on Tuesday in an 85-44 win for the Trojans.

Continue reading here

USC box score

————

Ezra Ausar and Chad Baker-Mazara combined for 31 of USC’s second-half points to rally the Trojans to an 83-81 victory over Seton Hall on Tuesday after losing leading scorer Rodney Rice to an injury in a Maui Invitational semifinal.

Ausur finished with a season-high 25 points, hitting 15 of 19 free throws, and Baker-Mazara scored 18 for the Trojans (6-0).

Adam Clark scored 18 points, AJ Staton-McCray 17, Mike Williams III 13 and Elijah Fisher 10 for the Pirates (6-1).

Rice brought the Trojans back from a 13-point deficit to get them within four at halftime, scoring 13 points, but left early in the second half with an apparent upper arm/shoulder injury and trailing 46-44. Baker-Mazara stepped up, scoring 12 points over the next five minutes with his 3 finishing a 10-0 run and putting the Trojans ahead 63-57 with 12 minutes to go.

Continue reading here

USC box score

RAMS

From Sam Farmer: Rams defensive end Kobie Turner, a 294-pound man strong enough to carry a piano on his back, can also tap out a tune.

The country saw that Sunday night when, on two occasions, NBC aired video footage of Turner expertly playing a complex version of the “Sunday Night Football” theme song. He learned it by ear, then set up his phone to capture the clip.

The song was written by legendary composer John Williams and originally was called “Wide Receiver,” although NBC never adopted that name.

“He listened to it a couple of times and was able to play it and add his own flair,” NBC coordinating producer Rob Hyland said of Turner, who majored in music theory and composition at University of Richmond.

“I was completely blown away. Kobie has so much talent on the football field and just as much with musical instruments. His nickname, `The Conductor,’ is very fitting.”

Continue reading here

Da Bears and ‘Super Bowl Shuffle’: HBO doc revisits ‘perfect storm’ that became a phenomenon

Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Larry Fitzgerald lead Pro Football Hall of Fame modern era semifinalists

LAFC

From Kevin Baxter: Steve Cherundolo’s first season at LAFC ended in a penalty-kick shootout that decided one of the most compelling playoff games in MLS history. His final season ended in the same way last Saturday.

Cherundolo and LAFC won that first classic match, beating the Philadelphia Union in the 2022 MLS Cup final. They lost the second one, falling to the shorthanded Vancouver Whitecaps in a Western Conference semifinal that had more plot twists than an Agatha Christie mystery.

In between, Cherundolo proved to be one of the best coaches in league history, winning an MLS Cup, a U.S. Open Cup and more than 100 games in all competition in his short four-year stay. He took LAFC to a CONCACAF Champions League final and to the first round of the FIFA Club World Cup, compiling a resume no coach in MLS history can match.

And while his departure will clearly hurt, the club he leaves is in good shape with the core of its roster signed for next season. Of the 16 players Cherundolo used Saturday, just five — goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, defenders Nkosi Tafari and Ryan Raposo and midfielders Andrew Moran and Frankie Amaya — are out of contract.

Continue reading here

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

1917 — The NHL is formed with five charter members: Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Maroons, Toronto Arenas, Ottawa Senators, Quebec Bulldogs. Frank Calder is elected president.

1949 — Boston College beats Holy Cross 76-0, with Al Cannava rushing for 229 yards.

1956 — In the Melbourne Olympics, Vyacheslav Ivanov of the Soviet Union wins the single sculls. After receiving the gold medal, he jumps up and down and accidentally drops it through the slats in the float and it sinks to the bottom of the lake.

1961 — Jerry Norton of St. Louis becomes the only NFL player to have four interceptions in a game twice. He picks off four, two for touchdowns, in the Cardinals’ 30-27 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

1988 — For the first time in their long rivalry, Notre Dame and USC enter the game undefeated and ranked Nos. 1-2. The top-ranked Fighting Irish win 27-10.

1989 — Willie “Flipper” Anderson of the Rams sets an NFL game record with 336 yards receiving. Anderson has 15 catches, one for a touchdown, in the Rams’ 20-17 overtime victory over the New Orleans Saints.

1994 — The Cleveland Cavaliers sets an NBA record by attempting just two free throws, during a 101-87 home victory over Golden State. John Williams and Tony Campbell go 1-for-1 from the line.

1995 — Dolphins QB Dan Marino sets NFL record with 343rd touchdown pass.

1997 — Charles Jones scores a school-record 53 points and Long Island University beats Division III Medgar Evers 179-62, breaking the NCAA record for margin of victory. The 117-point difference eclipses the mark of 97 set by Southern in a 154-57 victory over Patten in 1993.

1999 — Detroit’s Steve Yzerman scores his 600th career goal in the Red Wings’ 4-2 win against the Edmonton Oilers at Joe Louis Arena. He’s the 11th player in NHL history to reach 600 goals.

2005 — Defenseman Marek Malik ends the NHL’s longest shootout in the 15th round, fooling goalie Olie Kolzig with a trick shot to give the New York a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. Malik wins it by taking a shot with his stick between his skates.

2005 — Florida International ties an NCAA record by returning four interceptions for touchdowns in a 52-6 rout of rival Florida Atlantic.

2010 — UConn defeats Howard 86-25 to win its 82nd straight game, setting an NCAA women’s basketball record for consecutive victories.

2010 — Cam Newton passes for three touchdowns and runs for another, rallying No. 2 Auburn from a 24-point for a 28-27 victory over No. 9 Alabama that kept the Tigers on course for a shot at the national championship.

2011 — Illinois finishes the season with its sixth straight loss, 27-7 at Minnesota. The Illini become the first FBS team to open the regular-season with six straight wins and close it with six losses in a row.

2013 — Jordan Lynch breaks his single-game rushing record for quarterbacks with 321 yards, and No. 18 Northern Illinois completes its first unbeaten regular season in 50 years with a 33-14 victory over Western Michigan.

2016 — Nate Peterman throws for 251 yards and four TDs and runs for another score to lead Pittsburgh past Syracuse 76-61 — the most combined points for a regulation FBS game.

2016 — Will Worth accounts for four touchdowns while becoming the first Navy quarterback with more than 100 yards rushing and 100 yards passing in three consecutive games when the Midshipmen rout SMU 75-31. The Midshipmen, who beat East Carolina 66-31 the previous week, have consecutive 60-point games for the first time since 1917.

2017 — Julio Jones finishes with 12 receptions for 253 yards and two touchdowns in Atlanta’s 34-20 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It’s Jones’ third career game with at least 250 yards receiving; no other player has more than one.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

At least 13 people have been killed in a fire that has engulfed several high-rise apartment buildings in Hong Kong, authorities say, with some residents reported trapped inside.

Flames took hold in several apartment blocks of the Wang Fuk Court estate in Tai Po, a district in the northern part of the city, on Wednesday afternoon before engulfing other parts of the buildings.

Firefighters battled the blaze into the night as thick, black smoke billowed from the 31-storey towers and orange flames lit up the sky.

Nine people were declared dead at the scene and four sent to hospital were later confirmed dead, said the Fire Services Department, which upgraded the blaze to a level five alarm – the highest level – after nightfall.

At least 15 people were injured, and local media reported that some residents were believed to be trapped inside the buildings.

Chan Derek Armstrong, deputy director of Hong Kong’s Fire Services Department, told reporters that the fire spread rapidly and authorities received numerous calls for help from residents.

“Debris and scaffolding of the affected buildings are falling down, so [that poses] additional danger to our frontline personnel,” he said, adding that the temperature inside the buildings remained very high.

“It’s quite difficult for us to enter the buildings and go upstairs to conduct firefighting and rescue operations,” he said.

‘People trapped inside’

“There’s nothing that can be done about the property. We can only hope that everyone, no matter old or young, can return safely,” a Tai Po resident surnamed So, 57, told the AFP news agency near the scene of the fire.

“It’s heartbreaking. We’re worried there are people trapped inside.”

Reporting from the scene of the blaze, journalist Laura Westbrook told Al Jazeera that when the fire started, it spread through the bamboo scaffolding to other blocks in the housing estate.

“As I’ve been standing here, I can smell the smoke and occasionally we hear these pops, as some of the debris falls to the ground,” Westbrook said.

Wang Fuk Court is one of many high-rise housing complexes in Hong Kong, a city that is one of the most densely populated areas in the world.

Harry Cheung, 66, who has lived at Block Two in one of the complexes for more than 40 years, said he heard “a very loud noise” at around 2:45pm local time (06:45 GMT) and saw a fire erupt in a nearby block.

“I immediately went back to pack up my things,” he told the Reuters news agency. “I don’t even know how I feel right now. I’m just thinking about where I’m going to sleep tonight because I probably won’t be able to go back home.”

Bamboo scaffolding

People gathered on a nearby overhead walkway, watching in dismay and taking pictures as smoke billowed from the buildings.

Some of the structures were clad in bamboo scaffolding, with social media posts from residents saying the units had been under renovation for around a year.

Frames of scaffolding were seen tumbling to the ground as firefighters battled the blaze, while scores of fire engines and ambulances lined the road below the development, witnesses told Reuters.

Firefighters deployed 128 fire trucks and 57 ambulances to the scene.

Authorities set up a casualty hotline and opened two temporary shelters in nearby community centres for evacuated residents. Sections of a nearby highway also were closed by the firefighting operation.

“Residents nearby are advised to stay indoors, close their doors and windows, and stay calm,” the Fire Services Department said. “Members of the public are also advised to avoid going to the area affected by the fire.”

Tai Po, located near the border with mainland China, is an established suburban district with a population of about 300,000 people. Records show the housing complex consisted of eight blocks with almost 2,000 apartments housing about 4,800 people.

It’s awards season crunch time, in the sense that I’m crunching in as much work as I can before a Thanksgiving respite — including a guide to some of the highlights from this week’s issue of The Envelope, covered by my profile of Renate Reinsve.

Whether it’s while you smell turkey legs being turned into gravy (i.e., if you’re me as I write this) or as you’re lounging around over the holiday weekend, I hope you’ll dive into the great stories below. And be sure to take a breather from the mayhem in the process. It’s a marathon, not a sprint!

Digital Cover: Ethan Hawke

(Victoria Will / For The Times)

In the years since the Golden Age of TV, it’s not been uncommon for actors to vie for major awards on both the big and small screens at once. But few in recent memory have done so in such distinct projects as Ethan Hawke in “Blue Moon” and “The Lowdown”: One is a chamber drama about the last days of legendary songwriter Lorenz Hart, the other a noirish tale of a hangdog journalist.

It’s a reflection of the actor’s voracious appetite for the unexpected (see also: “Black Phone 2”), which he reveals that some in Hollywood once found “irritating.”

“Generally, people are more comfortable when they know exactly what you are and what your thing is, and if you keep changing your thing it’s confusing,” he tells writer Emily Zemler. “But it’s always been interesting to me to do different things. It makes acting really exciting to me to keep shaking it up. Each thing has its own geometry and math, and that keeps you really engaged.”

Eva Victor on ‘Sorry, Baby’

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

One of my favorite films of the year, “Sorry, Baby” works on many levels — as a campus satire, a portrait of a friendship, a slice of small-town life. And as writer-director-star Eva Victor writes in a new essay on the film, it took all of those other levels to make the film’s deepest, darkest level possible.

“There was a time in my life when I was looking for a film about going through a trauma that held my hand while I was watching it,” Victor notes, contrasting “Sorry, Baby” with films that depict similar subjects with violent imagery. “I needed the film to care for me, the person who’d been through the difficult thing. I didn’t need a film that existed to teach people how bad it is to go through a bad thing, I needed a film that existed to make me feel less alone.”

How ‘F1’ became a part of F1

As an avowed fan of Formula One, from docuseries “Drive to Survive” to scripted miniseries “Senna,” what fascinated me most watching Apple TV’s summer blockbuster “F1” was the delicate logistical dance it must’ve required to shoot a major theatrical film at actual races on the actual F1 circuit. Maybe that’s my stressed-out editor brain at work, but I asked Nate Rogers to dig into the question.

He reports back that even with legendary racer Lewis Hamilton and Apple on board, the film had to prove “that they could set up at an event like the fabled British Grand Prix at Silverstone and not cause a pileup.”

“We had to rehearse the blocking and staging for about two weeks with a stopwatch … to prove to them that we could actually shoot a scene and get off the track before the race started,” director Joseph Kosinski tells Rogers.

I can recognize a tough deadline when I see one.

Additional highlights from our Nov. 25 issue

If you’re planning a Christmas break abroad or visiting family, Ryanair has released helpful tips for transporting your gifts safely to your destination, and you may want to hold off on wrapping them up

Christmas is one of the busiest travel times, and in addition to the surge in traveller numbers, one thing that can hold up security lines and cause issues at airports is the amount of Christmas gifts packed into suitcases.

That’s why Ryanair has put together a guide on how to pack your presents, and included a stark warning about wrapping your gifts before you put them in your suitcase. If you’re planning a Christmas trip and are looking to get your gifts organised, then you might want to heed the budget airline’s advice and avoid wrapping them before you go.

“Don’t spend hours intricately wrapping gifts to carry in your hand luggage. Wrapped gifts may be opened, searched and screened by airport security staff,” a statement from Ryanair read.

Even with technology such as scanners available, airport staff may need to open your suitcase and check certain items, which means your beautiful wrapping paper could be torn off your gifts before you even get them under the tree. Ryanair’s advice, as an alternative, is to pack the unwrapped gifts and bringing a gift bag folded flat in your suitcase, which you can then use when you arrive.

The budget airline also gave advice to festive travellers about carrying valuables, advising them to place expensive or sentimental items in their smaller hand luggage bag, which goes under the seat in front of them. Avoid placing them in checked baggage or your larger cabin bag, as they may end up in the hold if the overhead lockers are full.

There was also a reminder not to carry items that look like weapons in your hand luggage. Avoid buying toy guns or slingshots for the kids in your family, as they can cause issues at security.

Passengers should also wait until they reach their destination to buy Christmas crackers. While they only give a small bang, these items are considered explosives. Party items, including sparklers, party poppers, and fireworks, should also be left at home.

Many people will be buying liquid gifts for loved ones, whether it’s a bottle of perfume, toiletries, or alcohol, so it’s worth checking the liquid rules for your arrival and departure airports. If you’re looking to buy a bottle of whiskey or a posh perfume, it may be worth waiting and getting them in duty-free, as you can then take your shopping bag on the plane with you.

While most UK airports still have the standard 100ml volume limits in place for hand luggage, some destinations, such as Dublin Airport, have relaxed their liquid rules, allowing containers of up to two litres to be carried through.

READ MORE: Holiday chief slams huge ‘blow’ for Brits as UK tourism taxes set to be introducedREAD MORE: Warning to Brits as Canary Islands placed on ‘no travel’ list

And finally, if you’re taking Christmas food with you, remember that items such as jam, preserves, soups, and custard count as liquid, so should be packed into your checked luggage. Check your departure airport’s official website for information and the latest updates to liquid rules.

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

HOLIDAYS are set to get more expensive both in the UK and abroad with new tourist tax rules and a rise in Air Passenger Duty.

Regional mayors will be given powers to introduce the levy on overnight stays at hotels, holiday lets and B&Bs, it was announced in today’s budget.

Measures announced in today’s Budget include…

London mayor Sadiq Khan, Liverpool‘s Steve Rotherham and Manchester‘s Andy Burnham have all backed the tourism levy.

But the Tory mayor of Teesside Ben Houchen vowed to shield visitors to his North East region and blasted the idea.

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He told The Sun: “If Labour hands me these powers, I won’t use them.

“People in Teesside and our local businesses are already feeling the squeeze from Labour’s last budget.

“Piling another tax on working people isn’t the answer and won’t drive growth.

“This is yet another cash grab that will hammer the fantastic hospitality businesses we have across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.”

It comes just two months after Tourism Minister Chris Bryant told MPs the government “had no plans to introduce a tourism tax”.

Luke Petherbridge, the Association of British Travel Agent’s (ABTA) Director of Public Affairs said: “ABTA has consistently raised concerns about the cumulative impact of increasing taxes and charges on tourists and tourism businesses, with the UK already applying much higher rates of VAT than many countries and levying the highest air departure tax in the world.

“Against that backdrop, it’s hard to see how a further tax will not simply worsen the UK’s situation when it comes to competitiveness.

“We will be engaging with industry partners to respond to the consultation in the coming weeks.”

Kate Nicholls, Chair of UKHospitality, slammed the move as “another shocking U-turn”.

She added: “I know the Government is worried about the cost of living, but a holiday tax is little more than a higher VAT rate for holidaymakers.”

Yesterday, EasyJet boss Kenton Jarvis warned the Chancellor against imposing a tourist tax across cities in the UK.

The airline chief said it might encourage tourists to go to rival European cities instead, such as Paris or Berlin.

Mr Jarvis said: “Any increase in tax that impacts the competitiveness of the UK visitor economy would not be a good thing.

“Last year, easyJet flew 15 million tourists into the UK and they spent just under £10 billion across the UK economy… so it’s very important to the visitor economy.”

And the cost of holidays abroad is set to go up as well.

The government will increase all rates of Air Passenger Duty (ADP) in line with the rate of inflation from April 1, 2027.

APD is a ‘tax’ on passengers flying from UK airports, built into the price of a flight ticket.

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Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary previously slammed some of the plans to increase the cost of flights.

He warned he would axe hundreds of flights from the UK if APD is increased.

Adventurers listed the freedom to make their own decisions as the top motivation for travelling solo (35%), followed by the peace and relaxation a solo trip offers (33%), ease of planning (21%) and not having to consider the opinions of companions (18%)

Two thirds of British travellers find planning and booking holidays overwhelming, with “decision fatigue” one of the biggest sources of stress – and 56% exhausted by the trip before it even begins.

New research found that much of the tension comes from holiday group chats, with 59% admitting trip planning has caused problems in the past.

Around 25% have given up on a break altogether after a deluge of messages but no decisions.

Causes of arguments included scheduling, budgets, finding and booking hotels and researching destinations and activities, according to the research by Moxy Hotels .

The rise of decision fatigue has helped fuel a growing desire to holiday solo, with 53% ditching travelling companions to travel alone

Adventurers listed the freedom to make their own decisions as the top motivation for travelling solo (35%), followed by the peace and relaxation a solo trip offers (33%), ease of planning (21%) and not having to consider the opinions of companions (18%).

Sandra Schulze-Potgieter, vice president, premium, select & midscale brands, Europe, Middle East & Africa at Marriott International, said: “At Moxy Hotels, we understand that decision-making can be exhausting – especially when planning with a group.

“That’s why we’re championing the joy of solo travel: giving guests the freedom to do what they want, when they want, without compromise. With our playful design, social spaces, and hassle-free experience, Moxy makes me-time feel anything but lonely.

The global hotel brand has developed spaces specifically designed to encourage solo travel, including social public areas, lounges and libraries and its “small but smart” bedrooms.

Britain’s favourite solo travel destinations

From buzzy breaks to cultural classics, we’re embracing solo travel and going it alone. These are the top ten cities we love to explore without family or friends in tow.

1. Paris (25%)
2. London (21%)
3. Barcelona (21%)
4. Amsterdam (17%)
5. Dublin (15%)
6. Athens (12%)
7. Vienna (11%)
8. Copenhagen (10%)
9. Berlin (10%)
10. Lisbon (10%)

As the Liberty Van rolled into the Home Depot, its driver slowed, lowered the window and waved at day laborers standing around the parking lot.

It had rained all morning and the overcast clouds trapped a chill in the air. Still, on a recent Friday, day laborers milled around even as it began to drizzle again. A pastor, a Navy veteran, an immigration lawyer and cameraman got out of the Liberty Van — camioneta de la libertad in Spanish — and greeted the day laborers while offering them water and snacks.

Since June in Los Angeles, federal immigration agents have destabilized daily life by raiding neighborhoods, worksites and Home Depots — popular gathering spots for day laborers who often lack U.S. citizenship. In turn, several “rapid-response” organizations have surged into action to aid those targeted in the raids, and document their treatment.

One of these organizations is the Save America Movement, which runs the Liberty Vans and includes a bipartisan leadership that is far more politically connected than that of many grassroots organizations. The group was founded by Steve Schmidt, a former top aide to Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, and Mary Corcoran, a longtime public relations specialist, with a steering committee that includes law professors, pastors and strategists.

On this particular Friday, Fabian Núñez — a member of that steering committee who previously served as speaker of the California Assembly — was one of those who hopped out of the Liberty Van. He chatted with a day laborer who stopped by to grab a snack, and explained they were there to film any interactions with federal agents, as part of their national rapid-response effort.

The day laborer said Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have previously detained other workers at the Panorama City Home Depot and have returned frequently. “Many times,” he said. “Five or six.”

Despite the repeated raids, the laborer said workers like himself have little choice but to keep showing up.

“They have to keep coming,” he said. “One has to pay the bills.”

The Save America Movement launched the vans first in L.A. and then in Chicago and Charlotte, N.C., where federal immigration agents were raiding heavily Latino areas. The motivation behind the project was to provide support and help people understand the impact of the daily immigration raids, Corcoran said in an interview. Outside California, she said, many people don’t get it.

“If they did, I believe there would be much more urgency around what’s happening,” she said.

The vans were inspired by the Liberty ships and Victory ships during World War ll that provided supplies and other relief to the U.S. and its allies.

The teams that run the vans document and record video, with the footage published online so the public can watch the enforcement actions and hear testimonies from affected local residents, she said.

For months, the Trump administration has argued that it is merely enforcing the law — and fulfilling a campaign promise — by detaining and deporting immigrants who lack documentation. But some enforcement actions by ICE and Border Patrol agents have resulted in U.S. citizens being detained. Others have been criticized for being unnecessarily violent and traumatizing.

Fabian Núñez, a Save America Movement steering committee member who previously served as speaker of the California Assembly, talks with a laborer who stopped by the Liberty Van for some snacks in the parking lot of a Panorama City Home Depot on Nov. 21, 2025.

(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)

In Los Angeles, the Save America Movement first launched its vans in MacArthur Park in September, just two months after immigration agents on horses and armored vehicles descended on the area carrying rifles and tactical gear.

City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez — whose district spans from Highland Park, Chinatown and south to Pico-Union — welcomed the group’s effort, which she described as a tool in a movement of resistance.

Alejandro Maciel, the L.A. bureau chief for the organization and a former Los Angeles Times journalist, takes the van out roughly five times a week, starting around 6 a.m. and wrapping up late into the afternoon. Maciel and volunteers drive to Home Depots across Southern California, going north to Ventura County, east to the Inland Empire and south to Orange County.

On Friday, the van ride included the Rev. Madison Jones McAleese, Navy veteran Brian Kelly and immigration lawyer Juan Jose Gutierrez, who can offer legal support to families or offer “know your right” basics to laborers. And to capture it all was cameraman René Miranda, who started covering raids when a large protest broke out in Paramount, where he lives.

For McAleese, she said she felt it was her duty to be part of the effort to stand against the raids because of what she views as unlawful actions being taken by ICE enforcement. McAleese carries holy water and offers to pray with any one who seeks prayer.

“I don’t feel like I have a choice,” she said. “God is reflected in the face of every immigrant, documented and undocumented.”

As they headed to the next location, Maciel pulled up on his phone StopIce.Net, a website on which people submit reports of ICE activity. Just the day before, there was a raid in Long Beach, later confirmed by local media reports, and nine people were detained by masked agents, an L.A. County official said.

The San Fernando Valley was quiet that Friday, but Maciel said it has been important to establish and maintain relationships with both workers and organizers who have created rapid response networks. When he drives the van to a site, he said, he greets such organizers and makes sure the laborers understand they are there to help.

Ernesto Ayala, the site coordinator at the Van Nuys Day Labor Center in the Home Depot parking lot, said ICE agents have been to the site several times, as recently as a few weeks ago. At the Van Nuys Home Depot, volunteers monitor each entry point of the parking lot and alert the center of any suspicious vehicles that could contain federal agents.

“It’s very traumatic,” Ayala said of the continuing raids. Ayala himself was detained and sprayed with an irritant by agents after they held him down and accused him of interfering. He was arrested but never charged with any crime, he said.

Organizations such as the Save America Movement help with videos and other documentation that could be used in potential litigation against ICE in the future, Ayala said. He said his arrest was recorded from a distance by a witness.

In October, the organization said video by a Save America Movement photojournalist in Chicago recorded federal agents deploying tear gas against protesters and pointing weapons at journalists, which at the time violated a federal court order. The organization made that footage available online with time stamps and annotations.

Along with documenting interactions, Núñez said, the group hopes to remind ICE agents of the human impact and make them question their actions, and to move viewers. Such footage, he said, could help Americans see “that these Gestapo-like tactics are happening and they’re being utilized with our tax dollars.”

“We think we can convince them to move, to think more compassionately about people and think: Is this the America I signed up for?”

Nov. 26 (UPI) — Amid a U.S.-push to end the war in Ukraine, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Moscow next week for talks on a proposed peace deal, the Kremlin said Wednesday.

The announcement from Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov, who said preliminary agreement for the visit had been struck, came a day after Ukraine said it had reached a “common understanding” with the White House on a revised version of a 28-point plan floated by Trump last week.

Ushakov said Putin would “definitely” meet with Witkoff if he came, the state-run Tass news agency reported, on what would be his sixth visit to the Kremlin in nine months.

However, he said Russia was not in formal receipt of the peace plan for Ukraine, but had a copy obtained unofficially.

Ushakov said there were several versions, which caused some confusion, but said he believed “we have some of the latest versions.”

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday night, Trump said the plan had been “fine-tuned, with additional input from both sides,” and that they were going to keep talking.

“They’re talking about [exchanging] land going both ways and cleaning up the border,” he said, adding that frontiers that ran through a house or the middle of a highway or a town were not feasible, making nailing down final details a complex process “that doesn’t go that quickly.”

Trump said the issue of security guarantees was being worked out with the Europeans, whom he said would be involved to a very significant degree.

He said that while he wanted an agreement finalized quickly, there was no longer a deadline.

“I don’t have a deadline. You know what the deadline for me is? When it’s over.”

Trump had originally set a deadline of Thursday for Ukraine to sign the original deal drawn up with Russia, which he now said was not a plan but a roadmap or “a concept.”

Trump said that Witkoff might be accompanied on the trip by Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, but said that had yet to be confirmed. He confirmed Kushner, a key player in getting Trump’s Gaza peace plan over the line last month, was involved in the process.

News of Witkoff’s visit came after a leaked transcript of a call with Ushakov in which he appeared to coach his Russian counterpart on how to get on the good side of Trump.

Trump dismissed suggestions that Witkoff was favoring Russia, saying that while he hadn’t heard what had been said, it sounded like typical negotiation tactics and that other members of his team would be doing the same with Ukraine.

“He’s got to sell this to Ukraine. He’s got to ‘sell’ Ukraine to Russia. That’s what a dealmaker does. You got to say, ‘You got this, they want this. You got to convince them of this.’ You know, that a very standard form of negotiation,” said Trump.

The pressure on Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro continues to ratchet up. The cartel he allegedly leads was officially designated as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) on Monday, a move Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said last week increases U.S. military options in the region. In addition, Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is now in Puerto Rico amid the largest U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.

Venezuela on Monday denounced the FTO designation against Cartel de los Soles, also known as Cartel of the Suns. The move was first proposed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Nov. 17.

Venezuela “categorically, firmly, and absolutely rejects the new and ridiculous fabrication by the United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who designates the nonexistent Cartel of the Suns as a terrorist organization,” Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said Monday on Telegram. The move rehashes “an infamous and vile lie to justify an illegitimate and illegal intervention against Venezuela, under the classic U.S. regime change format. This new maneuver will meet the same fate as previous and recurrent aggressions against our country: failure.”

You can catch up with our most recent coverage about what has been dubbed Operation Southern Spear in our story here.

In an interview last week, Hegseth was pointedly vague about what the designation of Cartel De Los Soles means to potential U.S. military operations against Maduro. No decisions related to countering Maduro’s cartel are “off the table,” Hegseth explained, but “nothing is automatically on the table,” either.

On Sunday, however, Reuters reported that the United States “is poised to launch a new phase of Venezuela-related operations in the coming days.”

It remains unknown what actions U.S. President Donald Trump will authorize; however, “covert operations would likely be the first part of the new action against Maduro,” according to Reuters. “Two U.S. officials told Reuters the options under consideration included attempting to overthrow Maduro.”

We’ve reached out to the White House and Pentagon for more details. The Pentagon referred us to the White House.

As we noted before: “If expanded strikes on land targets occur after the November 24th horizon, they could be limited to strictly cartel and drug production target sets that do not include state facilities. These could include labs, logistical nodes, such as port facilities, and cartel personnel. Striking military installations and other state infrastructure that the U.S. believes actively facilitate the drug trade would be a further escalation. Going directly after the Maduro regime and its military capabilities as a whole would be the farthest rung up the escalation ladder.”

There was also reporting that Trump administration officials discussed the possibility of dropping leaflets on Venezuela’s capital city of Caracas as a kind of psychological warfare to pressure Maduro. However, it was suggested that the operation could take place on Maduro’s 63rd birthday, which was Sunday. That did not happen.

Caine and his senior enlisted advisor, David L. Isom, are visiting Puerto Rico “to engage with service members and thank them for their outstanding support to regional missions,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. “They will also visit and thank Sailors operating at sea for their dedicated, unwavering service in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility.”

His visit comes as the U.S. has assembled a considerable military presence.

There are currently 11 U.S. Navy surface combatants and four support vessels in the region, a U.S. Navy official told The War Zone on Monday. The official added that there are about 100 total U.S. Navy vessels deployed around the globe. That means about 15% of the Navy’s deployed surface fleet is now in the Caribbean.

The collection of military might also includes a special operations mothership and an array of aerial assets like F-35B stealth fighters, MQ-9 Reaper drones, P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, and AC-130 Ghostrider gunships. There are also about 15,000 U.S. personnel deployed to the region. The massing of U.S. forces is a major presence for the region, but nothing like what we have seen for actual invasion or full-spectrum war operations.

While the timing of any potential military operation against Maduro remains publicly unknown, the increasingly tense situation is having a visible effect on civilian aviation. Several airlines have cancelled flights to and from Venezuela and as of Monday morning, the airspace around the South American nation was largely free of commercial aviation, according to the latest tracking by FlightRadar24. U.S. air carriers have been prohibited from traveling to or from Venezuela since 2019.

The cleared airspace follows the FAA issuing a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) on Friday, warning pilots about flying over or near Venezuela.

“Operators are advised to exercise caution when operating in the Maiquetia Flight Information Region (SVZM FIR) at all altitudes due to the worsening security situation and heightened military activity in or around Venezuela,” the NOTAM read. In effect until Feb 19, it also requires that U.S. civil aviation operators file at least a 72-hour notice before flying in the area.

The NOTAM was issued due to “an increase in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) interference” near Venezuela since September, the FAA stated on Friday. 

Another factor was “increasing Venezuelan military readiness,” the FAA added.

“Some civil aircraft recently reported GNSS interference while transiting the SVZM FIR, which, in some cases, caused lingering effects throughout the flight,” according to the FAA notice. “GNSS jammers and spoofers can affect aircraft out to 250 nautical miles and can impact a wide variety of critical communication, navigation, surveillance, and safety equipment on aircraft.”

Moreover, since early September, Venezuela “has conducted multiple military exercises and directed the mass mobilization of thousands of military and reserve forces,” the FAA explained. “While Venezuela has at no point expressed an intent to target civil aviation, the Venezuelan military possesses advanced fighter aircraft and multiple weapons systems capable of reaching or exceeding civil aircraft operating altitudes, as well as potential low-altitude risk from man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) and anti-aircraft artillery.” You can read more about Venezuela’s air defenses in our deep dive here.

The FAA added that it will “continue to monitor the risk environment for U.S. civil aviation operating in the region and make adjustments, as appropriate, to safeguard U.S. civil aviation.”

In addition to the NOTAM near Venezuela, the FAA on Friday also posted one extending from Curacao deep out into the Caribbean. It runs through Dec. 31. This where the U.S. has been operating at sea and in the air heavily, as well as where interactions with Venezuelan fighter aircraft and U.S. ships have occurred.

“Aircraft operators are advised to exercise extreme caution when operating” in the Curacao area,” according to that NOTAM. “Frequent pilot reports and primary radar within [the area] indicates the presence of non-identified aircraft operations…Pilots are requested to report any unusual airborne activity immediately” to air traffic control.

U.S. military aircraft are also frequently conducting training and probing exercises near Venezuela. A glaring example took place Nov. 20 during what U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) calls a “bomber attack demo.” It included B-52H Stratofortress crews from Minot Air Force Base, KC-135 aerial refueling tankers from MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, and fighter aircraft already deployed to the region.

“Operation Southern Spear support showcases our vow to deter illicit drug networks & defend the homeland,” SOUTHCOM said on X.

As we explained in an earlier story, the B-52s “are capable of unleashing waves of standoff cruise missiles and can carry a host of other conventional munitions that can be employed against targets on land and at sea. Though the Venezuelan armed forces have limited air defense capabilities, they could still pose a threat. Standoff strikes from aircraft like the B-52 and other assets would be a likely component of any future U.S. direct action against targets inside the country to help reduce risks to friendly forces. They could even target air defense systems to help clear the way for follow-on operations.”

SOUTHCOM’s statement followed our reporting that U.S. aviation assets, including a U.S. Air Force RC-135V Rivet Joint electronic surveillance plane, were “testing Venezuelan sensors and responses,” a U.S. official told us last week. “It was part of the pressure campaign to show U.S. capabilities in the Caribbean.”

SOUTHCOM on Monday pushed back against a claim that it was restricting Thanksgiving and Christmas leave “in preparation for possible land strikes in the next 10 days to two weeks.

“Our service members and civilian employees are always afforded the opportunity to take leave throughout the year, and that includes holiday periods,” a SOUTHCOM spokesperson told us Monday. “The American people can be assured that SOUTHCOM remains steadfast in its mission year-round to protect the security of the Western Hemisphere and the safety of the American Homeland.”

🚨 SOUTHCOM is restricting / limiting leave over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, in preparation for possible land strikes in the next 10 days to two weeks, I am told by a source.

— Kellie Meyer (@KellieMeyerNews) November 24, 2025

As the world waits and wonders about Trump’s next move, another aerial mission toward Venezuela could soon be in the offing. Flight trackers noticed a gathering of KC-46 Pegasus aerial refuelers at MacDill, which has become a domestic support hub for Southern Spear. Refuelers from MacDill, which normally only beds the KC-135s, have frequently provided gas to strategic bombers flying over the Caribbean.

RCH 020/027/024 (KC-46) repositioning to MacDill AFB this morning. Looks like these will be for refueling bombers on another Caribbean mission. pic.twitter.com/dFGnYCCh2N

— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) November 23, 2025

The destination of these bombers is unknown at the moment. We will continue to monitor this increasingly tense situation in the Caribbean and provide updates when warranted.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com

Aitch’s budding jungle romance with EastEnders star Shona McGarty on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! has been backed by friends of the rapper while he is Down Under

Aitch and Shona McGarty could make a “nice couple”, the rapper’s close pal and manager has said. Via Culpan delivered her verdict on the rumoured potential romance between the rapper and EastEnders actress as she landed at Brisbane Airport today.

Asked if they would make a nice couple, Via said: “They’re both nice people. I’m not sure but yeah! I don’t know.” But she added: “I personally think it’s more of a brother-sister relationship.”

She praised Aitch’s efforts in the jungle, saying: “He’s smashed it, he’s done so well. He was scared about the eating trials but he’s smashed it.”

READ MORE: I’m A Celeb Shona McGarty’s romance with Aitch: 7 things you need to knowREAD MORE: I’m a Celeb fans all saying the same thing about Shona McGarty and Aitch

Her comments come after Shona’s sister Camilla flew in yesterday and also spoke about Aitch. She said: “He is a nice guy…I would definitely have him around for Christmas.”

Aitch confessed his feelings about Shona to Angry Ginge at the end of last week, admitting: “I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for Shona, me.”

It led to Ant and Dec saying they were desperate for a jungle romance this year on the show. But Camilla said that she needed to see more evidence that romance is actually blossoming.

She added: “I don’t know if I see it romantically…it might just be a brother and sister relationship but I don’t know…I don’t think we have seen enough to make a definite decision on it.”

Shona broke up with her musician fiancé, David Bracken, earlier this year. Insiders say the split is amicable, and he recently wished her all the best for the jungle on social media.

Aitch is also single after splitting with Lois Cottam before going into the Jungle. Dec previously said he was shell-shocked by Aitch’s comments when watching the scenes shortly before they aired, on Friday night.

He said: “This came completely out of the blue this morning.” Ant added: “It’s been a while since we’ve had a proper romance on this show. We’d love to see it….we would celebrate it.”

When Aitch told his close friend Ginge about his feelings, the Twitch streamer replied: “I think she’s really nice, if that’s what you mean, yeah?” Keeping things low-key, Aitch commented: “Yeah, that’s what I mean…”

As soon as scene aired, fans have taken to social media, with one saying: Aitch and Shona have chem… Just saying. #ImACeleb.” A second added: “Aitch and Shona would make a lovely couple! #ImaCeleb.” “#ImACeleb I definitely can see Aitch and Shona together,” penned a third.

“The Aitch and Shona friendship #imaceleb,” tweeted another. Before a sixth went on to pen: “Even aitch feeling the spark we all see with Shona #ImACeleb.”

I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! continues tonight at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

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