It has produced a string of talented players for the AFL, but can Halls Creek calm its troubled footy crowds?

An outback town in northern WA faces a huge test this football season — to stop crowd fighting and feuding from overshadowing its reputation as an AFL talent factory.

Halls Creek is the hub of the East Kimberley Football League’s southern division, where teams from largely Indigenous communities play a fast, instinctive and highly-skilled style, grounding an over abundance of top league players.

The AFL has identified Halls Creek’s potential and, along with the state government, has invested in the region to smooth the pathway from the remote town to the highest level.

Families enjoy the thrill of watching football in Halls Creek.(ABC Kimberley: Ted O’Connor)

Most people in Halls Creek are Indigenous and football in the dry season is a huge part of the town’s identity, instilling pride in players and their families.

But leaders lament the sporting spectacle has an unwanted dark side.

They say for too long it’s been a magnet for drunken spectators looking to settle old scores in long-running family feuds.

Community advocates say intergenerational trauma and entrenched social problems such as alcohol abuse and welfare dependency help fuel bad behaviour, especially when bragging rights are on the table.

Brawl mars grand final

Last year, when the Yardgee Dockers soundly defeated the Kururrungku Roos in the grand final, their celebrations were tarnished.

When the siren blew, spectators came onto the field and a brawl broke out, injuring three police officers.

A group of spectators running on a football field

The brawl cast a shadow over the football season in Halls Creek.(Supplied)

More than a dozen people were charged and criminal court proceedings are still playing out.

The incident meant Yardgee’s players did not receive their premiership medallions after the match.

an Indigenous football team on an oval

The Yardgee Dockers won the East Kimberley Football League southern division premiership last year.(Supplied: Jahmal Stretch)

Yardgee assistant coach Dennis Chungulla said the brawl ruined a moment to recognise the players’ profound achievements, especially those who had used football to turn their lives around.

He said some players had been involved in youth crime, in particular stealing cars, until they were encouraged to join the club.

“We got all those young fellas in, they didn’t know they were going to make it to the grand final, they were just happy,” he said.

“When the kids know themselves they realise something, instead of skidding in cars and stealing … (they think) let’s do something for our family.”

An Indigenous man stands in a park

Dennis Chungulla says a tough stance needs to be taken against violence at football games.(ABC Kimberley: Ted O’Connor)

The leader in the Halls Creek-based Indigenous community said while the league should take a harder line with violent spectators — families and elders also needed to step up.

“Respect your elder, respect your players and respect your family, that’s the most important thing,” he said.

“It’s got to start from your home. Mob want to see their kid play.”

League to crack down

Supporters from the two clubs had brawled previously in 2021, leading to spectator bans and games held without crowds.

In the lead-up to last year’s grand final brawl, clubs in Halls Creek warned the league that feuding in communities was spilling into games and could have an impact on the decider.

The league sought help from police and breathalysed spectators on entry, but it was to no avail.

EKFL president Wayne Paul said tougher measures would be considered this season.

“People have got to understand there are acceptable levels of behaviour,” he said.

“If something like that happens again we might say, ‘Right, we’ll have a grand final but there are no spectators’,” Mr Paul said.

Halls Creek Hawks players mingle with family members

Community leaders say football games at Halls Creek should be a safe space for families.(ABC Kimberley: Ted O’Connor)

He said the league would ban the spectators convicted by criminal courts for their involvement in the brawl for at least a year, depending on the circumstances.

“Hopefully, that’ll put the word out to the rest — if you misbehave in football you run the risk of getting a ban,” the league president said.

a boy holds a footy on an dry oval near players warming up

Young people in Halls Creek look up to football players as role models. (ABC Kimberley: Ted O’Connor)

Halls Creek to go it alone

Football in Halls Creek has traditionally been administered from Kununurra, more than 350km to the north, under the East Kimberley Football League umbrella.

Now planning is underway for the southern division to stand alone in 2025.

Games will be played on the one oval in Halls Creek, and leaders say attracting enough officials, umpires and volunteers from that town and surrounding Indigenous communities will be a huge task.

The state government and AFL have made millions of dollars of funding available to boost football in the Kimberley, where socio-economic barriers and huge geographical distances limit its much-vaunted potential.

a man kicks a football during a game

There’s an abundance of Indigenous football talent in Halls Creek and the surrounding area.(Supplied: Jahmal Stretch)

That cash injection has supported work on the ground by Country Football WA East Kimberley regional representative Louis Tanner, who says the grand final brawl exposed shortcomings with local capacity.

“We realised we had a few less volunteers than we needed on that day and we had to rely on police support,” he said.

“The lesson learned is they need extra support from the community to help football grow and survive.”

Indigenous footballers play footy on a red gravel oval

Some people in Indigenous communities in the Kimberley play football on rocky hard ovals.(Supplied: Giancarlo Mazzella)

This year’s football season is likely to be delayed and shortened due to upgrades on the oval.

Mr Tanner wants to kick the season off with a round robin carnival to allow teams to meet and work towards creating a smooth-running competition.

“I think the grand opening of the new oval would be a start, almost like a clean slate,” he said.

“There’s so much funding support, it’s really just looking for local leaders to step up.”

A Halls Creek Hawks player about to kick the football during a match

Halls Creek teams play a fast free-flowing style.(ABC Kimberley: Ted O’Connor)

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Captain’s knocks, new faces and match-winning braces: The A-League players who were the difference in Round 19



Round 19 was an interesting weekend of football with no draws, 19 goals in six matches, two five-goal games on Sunday and for the third consecutive week three teams kept a clean sheet.

In the three games where a team claimed three points, the winning team had less possession than their opponent.

Take a look at who made a difference.

Macarthur FC

Bernardo Oliveira scored two goals that came ten minutes apart, early in the second half.

The 19-year-old broke the deadlock in the 47th minute, in what was a finish that he made look easy, thanks to a marauding run down the right-hand side by former Melbourne City player Raphael Borges Rodrigues, who caused havoc for the City defence.

The future star showed his class with a clinical finish in the 57th minute with a curling shot that hit the post and ended up in the back of the net. Credit to Ulises Davila for the assist, but the young talent still had plenty to do.

What’s great about him is that he’s so level-headed: “Good to be winning this game and actually got to celebrate it tonight. The first goal was great from Raphael. We obviously want to keep going.”

Melbourne City

Alessandro Lopane did his utmost to try and get City back into the game in a gutsy performance coming off the bench in the 67th minute when the deficit was two goals.

The young prospect created three chances and was unlucky not to score in the 79th minute as his shot hit the post, due to a brilliant save by Bulls goalkeeper Filip Kurto.

Western United

Josh Risdon was everywhere; he put in a real captain’s knock, as the right-back never shirked a contest and was the player who was in the right place when it counted.

The 31-year-old provided the assist for the goal that broke the deadlock through youngster Noah Botic with a defence-splitting pass.

He summed it up succinctly post-match: “It was positive to put on a pretty good performance today. I’m happy to get an assist.”

Perth Glory

Darryl Lachman led from the front for the Glory, as the score would’ve been worse than 1-0 without his intervention.

The Dutch defender was at his best when it mattered and showed all his experience and guile.

Newcastle Jets

Ryan Scott made three crucial saves to keep the Jets in the game; the first two were a double save from point-blank range in the 40th minute from Mariners midfielder Max Balard.

The Jets goalkeeper kept the deficit for the home side at one goal with a great save against Mariners left-back Jacob Farrell in the 77th minute.

Central Coast Mariners

Josh Nisbet was rewarded for his persistence when he broke the deadlock in the 75th minute, with a clinical finish on his left foot; you wouldn’t have known that he’s right-footed!

The 24-year-old broke the drought, scoring his first goal of the season and proved his worth to the Mariners team, in a game that was lacking a goal.

As per usual Nisbet was perceptive in his post-match comments: “Thankfully we got the goal and we got the clean sheet today. It shows the character.”

Western Sydney Wanderers

Zac Sapsford was responsible with the only goal of the game scored by the Wanderers with his shot deflecting into the back of the net through Sky Blues centre-back Jake Girdwood-Reich in the 72nd minute.

The 21-year-old substitute proved his worth; as well as being involved in the goal, he created three chances and was unfortunate not to score from a header in the 93rd minute, which was brilliantly saved by Socceroo goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne.

Sydney FC

Fabio Gomes scored a brace and it could’ve been more.

The Brazilian cooly slotted the ball into the back of the net from the penalty spot in the seventh minute, to make it 2-0.

Clearly, he has been working on his pressing, which brought about the fourth goal of the game for the Sky Blues due to a calamitous error by the Wanderers defence and goalkeeper Daniel Margush in the 59th minute.

Wellington Phoenix

Ben Old scored twice in what was a great performance, in a game where the Phoenix midfield displayed his potential.

The Kiwi international broke the deadlock in the 34th minute with a superbly timed run and inch-perfect pass from Tim Payne.

In the 69th minute, Old may have scored another goal, if not for Phoenix substitute Oskar van Hattum getting a touch, just before the ball crossed the line.

The 21-year-old scored a crucial goal in the 78th minute, as it gave the Phoenix what proved to be an unassailable two-goal lead.

Adelaide United

Harry Van der Saag took to his attacking role well, even though he usually plays as a right-back.

The 24-year-old was there when the Reds needed him to be as he won a penalty in the 59th minute after drawing a foul from Phoenix skipper Alex Rufer. The resultant penalty, which was scored by Luka Jovanovic made it 1-1 in the 60th minute and gave Adelaide United some hope.

Brisbane Roar

Marco Rojas produced when he had to in what may prove to be an important win for the Roar.

The ‘Kiwi Messi’ scored a brace, with both of his goals scored with his head; he broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute following an effort from Thomas Waddingham that was saved by Victory goalkeeper Paul Izzo.

His second goal was scored in the 56th minute, thanks to a pinpoint cross by Keegan Jelacic, which made the score 2-1 in favour of the Roar.

The NZ international showed why he’s so highly thought of post-match: “Happy and grateful to have started the game.” He also said in relation to Victory: “I have a lot of respect for that club.”

Melbourne Victory

Zinedine Machach got Victory back into the match with an equaliser in the 35th minute with a great run and a clinical finish, which made the score 1-1.



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Champions League: Napoli draw with Barca, Porto beat Arsenal

Victor Osimhen was described as “a huge player” after marking his return for Napoli with a goal that gave the Italian champions a 1-1 draw with Barcelona and hope that a dreadful season might have reached a turning point.

Nigeria forward Osimhen rolled home the leveller with 15 minutes left of the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, in his first match since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations.

The 25-year-old equalised Robert Lewandowski’s 60th-minute opener, which seemed likely to be the decisive goal as Barca were for long periods the better team, with Napoli’s first and only shot on target.

“He’s a huge player for us,” said Napoli skipper Giovanni Di Lorenzo to Amazon Prime Video.

“He’s come back with the right attitude. We knew he would though as he’s a great player and professional. He’ll give us a hand in the matches to come.”

Osimhen had last played for Napoli in a 2-0 defeat at Roma just before Christmas, when he was one of two players from his team to be sent off.

His ninth club goal of the season came at a crucial time, not just in the match but in Napoli’s campaign as they play under their third manager of the season in Francesco Calzona, their league title defence up in flames.

Calzona had less than 48 hours to prepare for his first match in charge after replacing Walter Mazzarri on Monday night, and Osimhen gave Napoli a chance of progressing despite a disjointed performance by his team.

Napoli head into next month’s second leg in the Catalan capital knowing that with Osimhen in the team there is always a chance of a goal regardless of the overall team display.

“It’s a good starting point,” added Di Lorenzo.

“We know that we need to do more but we’ve taken a step forward and now we have a chance in the return leg. It’s all to play for.”

Osimhen saves Napoli

For Barca meanwhile it was the latest misstep of a complicated campaign at the end of which coach Xavi will leave, assuming president Joan Laporta doesn’t sack the coach before then.

The away side had the better chances but couldn’t put Napoli away and could yet pay for their wastefulness.

“We’re a little disappointed with the result because we could have come out with a win,” said Ronald Araujo to Movistar.

“Napoli had a lot of the ball in the last 15 minutes but they barely created a chance. The Champions League is like that.”

Barca showed why they were pre-match favourites in the opening exchanges, dominating the ball and creating shooting opportunities which dulled an initially raucous crowd.

Teen sensation Lamine Yamal come close to becoming the Champions League’s youngest ever scorer when his ninth-minute effort was well-saved by Alex Meret.

In the 23rd minute, the away side twice went close to taking the lead, Lewandowski’s flicked finish kept out by Meret who then tipped away Ilkay Gundogan’s long-range rocket.

From that point on Napoli’s presence in the game grew, but the hosts failed to let off a single effort on goal before the break despite pushing their opponents on back.

Gundogan forced another smart save from Meret shortly after the restart after being put through by Yamal before blasting over another presentable chance.

Barca had the lead their performance deserved on the hour when Lewandowski collected Pedri’s pass and drilled a perfect low finish past Meret.

With the away side looking like they would push home their advantage, Osimhen pounced as Inigo Martinez slipped on the edge of the area to level the scores and transform the atmosphere in the stadium.

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and substitute Giovanni Simeone both had efforts off target with the home side’s tails up, but it was Barca who went inches away from snatching a late win.

Gundogan’s frustrating night in front of goal continued deep into stoppage time as his low effort flew just wide.

Galeno stuns timid Arsenal with late Porto winner

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta bemoaned his team’s lack of cutting edge as Galeno’s sublime stoppage-time goal earned Porto a 1-0 win in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday.

Appearing in a first knockout match in Europe’s premier club competition for seven years, Arsenal struggled to break down an organised Porto defence before Galeno’s stroke of brilliance in the 94th minute.

The defeat ended Arsenal’s eight-game unbeaten run against Portuguese opposition and the Gunners with plenty of work to do in the return leg in London on March 12.

“We lacked threat. We lacked aggression, especially when we had the ball in the final third,” Arteta told TNT Sports. “So we will tweak a few things to attack better. We can do better.”

Arsenal last made it to the Champions League quarter-finals in 2010, when they beat Porto in the last 16, but it is the Portuguese club who now have the upper hand. 

“I think it’s a team that’s very well-organised defensively and they break your rhythm all the time,” said Arteta.

“We want to be in the quarter-finals, you have to beat your opponent and this is what we have to do at the Emirates.”

Arsenal failed to register a single shot on target as their recent goal spree came to a shuddering halt.

“When it’s 0-0, you look up at the clock and it’s 93 minutes gone, if you aren’t going to win the game then don’t lose it,” said Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice.

“It’s a real kick in the teeth because we’ve conceded late but we know what to do. We’re not going to let our heads drop.”

Arteta stuck with the same starting line-up for the third game in succession following his team’s 5-0 demolition of Burnley at the weekend.

Porto defender Pepe, who turns 41 next week and is the oldest outfield player in Champions League history, made his 119th appearance in the competition. 

By comparison, Arsenal’s starters had combined for a total of 104 before kick-off at the Estadio do Dragao.

While short on Champions League experience, Arteta has said his squad have the belief they can mix it with Europe’s best.

Flee-flowing attack stalls 

The Gunners have started 2024 with five successive wins in the Premier League, scoring 21 goals in those games, and are firmly in the race for a first title in two decades. 

As well as reigning supreme in England for the first time since 2004, the north Londoners are convinced they can also conquer Europe, spurred on further by the prospect of a Wembley final.

Arsenal have never won the Champions League — losing their only final appearance against Barcelona in 2006.

Porto, European champions in 1987 and 2004, are a disappointing third in Portugal this term, but frustrated Arsenal throughout. 

They were happy to cede possession and allow Arsenal to dictate the tempo in the first half, but it was the hosts who created the best chance. 

Francisco Conceicao darted in from the right and slid over a cross that looped off a sliding Gabriel, with Galeno rifling against the far post and then steering the rebound wide after the ball came right back to him.

William Saliba and Kai Havertz headed wide at corners either side of a Nico Gonzalez drive that sailed over in a physical opening 45 minutes.

Leandro Trossard, deployed again as the leader of the attack alongside Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, lashed over on the volley from Rice’s driven corner early in the second half.

Arteta made his lone change with a quarter of an hour left, replacing Trossard with Jorginho, but Arsenal’s lack of a prolific striker was exposed and they were ultimately undone by a moment of magic from Galeno.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

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World Darts Championship: Luke Littler’s dreams ended by Luke Humphries in sensational final

Luke Littler defeated 7-4 by world No 1 Luke Humphries in final; Premier League Darts returns to Sky Sports on Thursday February 1 as Cardiff kicks off the 17-week extravaganza all the way through to the Play-Offs on Thursday May 23 at London’s O2

Last Updated: 03/01/24 10:51pm


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Humphries hits the winning darts to defeat Luke Littler 7-4 in the World Darts Championship final

Humphries hits the winning darts to defeat Luke Littler 7-4 in the World Darts Championship final

Luke Littler’s World Darts Championship dreams were finally ended by world No 1 Luke Humphries in a sensational final at Alexandra Palace on Wednesday night.

Humphries fought back from 4-2 down to win five consecutive sets and win his maiden world title 7-4 to make it four major victories in a row following his success at the World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts, and Players Championship Finals in recent months.

“I’ll draw a lot from this and this will be a moment that will never be forgotten,” Humphries told Sky Sports. “I don’t want to say that I’ve completed darts but everything that you want on the resume I’ve done now, so now it’s now about motivating yourself to do more and more.

World Darts Championship Final

Luke Humphries 7-4 Luke Littler

Humphries said he couldn't ask for more after claiming the World Darts Championship title

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Humphries said he couldn’t ask for more after claiming the World Darts Championship title

Humphries said he couldn’t ask for more after claiming the World Darts Championship title

Littler said: “It has been unbelievable. The one negative was I lost too many legs with my throw so Luke could break me.

“That was the only negative, I just couldn’t hold my own throw and I didn’t win. Every game has been good but that one has just really annoyed me, especially the three missed to keep it going.

“That’s what the crowd wanted but fair play to Luke, he deserves it.”

Humphries started the better by capitalising on a slow start from Littler to take the opening set 3-1 with a 99.2 average despite eight missed darts at doubles.

It didn’t take ‘The Nuke’ long to discover his best in the second set, coming from 2-1 down by producing two 12-dart legs with the aid of a spectacular 142 checkout and a ‘Shanghai’ 120 finish.

Littler hit a 142 and a 120 checkouts to win the second set

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Littler hit a 142 and a 120 checkouts to win the second set

Littler hit a 142 and a 120 checkouts to win the second set

The third set also went the distance with ‘Cool Hand’ edging it from 2-0 down to regain the upper hand with a 116 checkout to take it, but the Warrington teenage sensation struck back to secure the fourth set 3-1 and restore parity with a 99 average and an impressive 47 per cent on the doubles.

It was 2-2 in sets and 9-9 in legs with nothing to separate the two players.

Littler nailed this 122 checkout to the despair of Humphries

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Littler nailed this 122 checkout to the despair of Humphries

Littler nailed this 122 checkout to the despair of Humphries

For the first time in the match, the player who started the set won it after nine break of throws in 22 legs, with World Youth Champion Littler going ahead for the first time in the match before wrapping up the fifth set, averaging a ton.

The new world No 1 found himself under pressure here as Littler made it nine legs from the last 11 to open up a two-set advantage at 4-2.

Humphries reeled in his second 170 finish in a matter of days in a seventh set which was full of carnage.

Humphries took out 'The Big Fish' in the final

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Humphries took out ‘The Big Fish’ in the final

Humphries took out ‘The Big Fish’ in the final

Littler responded with a third ton-plus finish of the final – a 122 checkout – which Wayne Mardle described as “spiteful, dirty, nasty!” in the commentary box, before Humphries survived a set dart before sealing it on double 14 to reduce the deficit.

And Humphries piled in a classy 121 checkout on the bull to make it back-to-back sets to get back on level terms with a 114.17 set average but it also coincided with Littler slightly dropping off.

Humphries took out this 121 checkout in a sensational final

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Humphries took out this 121 checkout in a sensational final

Humphries took out this 121 checkout in a sensational final

The 28-year-old Newbury thrower threw back-to-back 108 checkouts to lead 2-0 in the ninth set and although the teenager battled back to level up, a 180 to start the set and a 36 checkout enabled Humphries to win the leg and set in 11 darts.

Humphries pinned back-to-back 108 checkouts

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Humphries pinned back-to-back 108 checkouts

Humphries pinned back-to-back 108 checkouts

A relentless Humphries made it four sets on the spin as he took full control of the final to go within a set of the title, despite Littler reeling in a ‘Big Fish’ of his own.

However, it was ‘Cool Hand’ who got his hands on the Sid Waddell Trophy to become the 12th different PDC World Champion after pinning double 8 in the 11th set.

Talking about Littler, Humphries said: “I’m not just saying this because it will please everyone, but Luke has been an unbelievable talent.

“Not just about the dartboard, he has been fantastic with all the media that has come about with him and he took the defeat so well.

“He said go on and celebrate. You will never see another down-to-earth 16-year-old kid like him who is just something else.

“I really hope he’s in the Premier League because, if he don’t want to play in it fair enough, but I think he’d be a pleasure to play alongside this year.

“He’s one of the best players in the world, there is no doubt about that.”

Littler nailed his own 170 checkout in an incredible final

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Littler nailed his own 170 checkout in an incredible final

Littler nailed his own 170 checkout in an incredible final

Social media reaction to Humphries win…

Premier League Darts returns to Sky Sports on Thursday February 1 as Cardiff kicks off the 17-week extravaganza all the way through to the Play-Offs on Thursday May 23. Stream Sky Sports Darts without a contract through NOW



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Luke Littler reaches World Darts Championship final after beating Rob Cross at Alexandra Palace

Luke Littler, 16, moves one win away from Alexandra Palace glory after crushing Rob Cross 6-2 in semi-finals; Littler will face Luke Humphries in final; We’re back at 7.30pm on Wednesday for the World Darts Championship final – live on Sky Sports Darts

Last Updated: 03/01/24 12:15am


Luke Littler defeated 2018 champion Rob Cross to reach the World Darts Championship final

Teenager Luke Littler made it through to the World Darts Championship final after crushing Rob Cross to go within one match of a remarkable maiden title at Alexandra Palace.

Littler averaged 106.05, hitting 16 maximums and ton-plus finishes of 149, 142 and 132 en route to a magnificent 6-2 victory against 2018 winner Cross at the age of 16.

He will face another in-form player in Luke Humphries, who hit top gear to whitewash Scott Williams 6-0 in the second semi-final to become the new world No 1 and stretch his unbeaten run to 18 matches.

“No words! Crazy to think I’m in a World Championship final in my debut,” Littler told Sky Sports. “I was happy winning one game but I could go all the way!

“You’re playing Rob, he’s a world champion and won on debut. Rob told me ‘God bless, you’re a step away, do it’.

“I’ve just settled on the stage. It took me a few legs to settle in the game and once I found that rhythm I was good to go.”

World Darts Championship Semi-Finals Results

Rob Cross 2-6 Luke Littler
Scott Williams vs Luke Humphries

Littler was greeted by the Warrington Wolves’ mascot during an electrifying walk-on, but it was Cross who stormed out of the blocks and edged a quality set in a deciding leg with a 108.6 average.

It was the first time Littler had lost the first set in the tournament.

Littler showed no signs of nerves as he took out this majestic 142 checkout

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Littler showed no signs of nerves as he took out this majestic 142 checkout

Littler showed no signs of nerves as he took out this majestic 142 checkout

The teenager recovered from 2-1 down in the next set and a crucial 74 checkout in the deciding leg saw him draw level with a 101 average and four 180s.

Cross, the 2018 champion, appeared flummoxed by Littler’s incredible accuracy on the treble 20 bed and it wasn’t long before the 16-year-old moved ahead by cracking in a stunning 142 checkout before hitting the front with a 101.6 average.

The teenager nails an incredible 147 finish during his semi-final with Cross

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The teenager nails an incredible 147 finish during his semi-final with Cross

The teenager nails an incredible 147 finish during his semi-final with Cross

Littler opened the fourth set with an 11-darter and he then struck with a mammoth 149 on double 16 to move 2-1 up in legs.

‘Voltage’ levelled and he then hit six perfect darts in the next leg, but it was the world youth champion who extended his lead with a magnificent 11-darter to move 3-1 ahead averaging 103.8 with nine 180s and 65 per cent on the doubles.

What an extraordinary leg! Cross nearly hits a nine but Littler wins it in 11 darts

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What an extraordinary leg! Cross nearly hits a nine but Littler wins it in 11 darts

What an extraordinary leg! Cross nearly hits a nine but Littler wins it in 11 darts

Cross, who made a remarkable comeback from 4-0 down to beat Chris Dobey 5-4 in their quarter-final on Monday, pinned an unorthodox 138 checkout in the second leg of the fifth set.

Littler missed one set dart at tops to extend his lead, allowing former electrician Cross to pounce and close the gap to 3-2 in sets.

‘The Nuke’ wrapped up the sixth set 3-1 with a 107 average compared to Cross’ 91.58 to restore a two-set cushion with 14 maximums.

Littler had one foot in the final after closing out the seventh set by the same scoreline, averaging 110.55 for sets six and seven.

Littler was running riot at Ally Pally and he produced this outrageous 132 finish in the eighth set on his way to victory

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Littler was running riot at Ally Pally and he produced this outrageous 132 finish in the eighth set on his way to victory

Littler was running riot at Ally Pally and he produced this outrageous 132 finish in the eighth set on his way to victory

The teen star was showboating by now and he raised the roof with a 132 checkout by using the bullseye on his way to Wednesday’s final against three-time major champion Luke Humphries or Scott Williams.

Looking ahead to the final, Littler added: “I’ll do what I’ve been doing. In the morning, go for a ham and cheese omelette, then come here have a pizza and then practice. That’s what I’ve done every day.”

Littler got better the longer the match went on. In the last three sets (13 legs) he averaged 112.62

106.05 match average

12x 180s

47% doubles

Humphries produced a statement victory against ‘Shaggy’ Williams with a 108.74 average, 14 180s, a breath-taking display on the doubles and a sensational six ton-plus finishes.

“It was amazing. I would never have imagined myself to be the world No 1. That is a special feeling. And to do it in style,” said a delighted Humphries.

“I’m really pleased with that performance. But, world No 1 can last for a couple months, World Champion is forever so I’ve got a really tough task tomorrow against Luke.”

Luke Humphries is in scary form after he hit six-ton-plus finishes in his demolition against Scott Williams

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Luke Humphries is in scary form after he hit six-ton-plus finishes in his demolition against Scott Williams

Luke Humphries is in scary form after he hit six-ton-plus finishes in his demolition against Scott Williams

Live World Darts Championship

January 3, 2024, 7:30pm

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How social media reacted to Littler’s win…

The sport’s biggest event sees the final two players compete for the Sid Waddell Trophy and £2.5m in prize money at Alexandra Palace on Wednesday night. You can watch all the action live on our dedicated Sky Sports Darts channel.

Watch the World Darts Championship final on January 3, 2024 – live on Sky Sports Darts. Stream Sky Sports Darts without a contract through NOW



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World Darts Championship: Michael van Gerwen suffers shock exit to Scott Williams in quarter-finals


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A look back the best of the action from the evening session of the World Darts Championship quarter-finals at Alexandra Palace

A look back the best of the action from the evening session of the World Darts Championship quarter-finals at Alexandra Palace

Michael van Gerwen’s hopes of a fourth World Darts Championship title were dashed in stunning fashion by Scott Williams at the quarter-final stage on New Year’s Day.

Williams pulled off a sensational 5-3 scalp of Van Gerwen at Alexandra Palace, punishing 27 missed darts at doubles from the three-time champion to set up a meeting with Luke Humphries.

World Darts Championship: New Year’s Day Evening Results

Michael van Gerwen 3-5 Scott Williams
Luke Humphries 5-1 Dave Chisnall

Rob Cross, only former PDC world champion left and in the semi-finals for the first time since winning the title on debut

Luke Littler, 16 years old, in the semi-finals on his debut

Scott Williams in his first major semi-final

Luke Humphries, the pre-tournament favourite, into his first Ally Pally semi-final

Seasonal prize money prior to the World Championship: £32,750

Minimum prize money at the World Championship: £100,000

Scott Williams is in to the semi-finals and the world’s top 32

Scott Williams produced one of the biggest shocks in World Darts Championship history by beating Michael van Gerwen in the quarter-finals

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Scott Williams produced one of the biggest shocks in World Darts Championship history by beating Michael van Gerwen in the quarter-finals

Scott Williams produced one of the biggest shocks in World Darts Championship history by beating Michael van Gerwen in the quarter-finals

Williams came charging out of the blocks by winning the opening set in straight legs, but ‘Mighty Mike’ took out 81 for back-to-back 11-darters to close out the second set 3-1 with a set average of 116.71 despite missing 12 darts at double.

Van Gerwen took out a magnificent 121 checkout before pinning double 16 to seize the initiative in the third set.

Van Gerwen hits this magnificent 121 finish during his quarter-final clash against Williams

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Van Gerwen hits this magnificent 121 finish during his quarter-final clash against Williams

Van Gerwen hits this magnificent 121 finish during his quarter-final clash against Williams

However, the Dutchman threw in a stinker of a set, averaging just 78, and Williams railroaded it 3-0 to get back on level terms at 2-2.

Van Gerwen appeared to have fallen off a cliff when Lincolnshire showman Williams made it six legs on the spin to lead 3-2, but the three-time World Champion soon restored parity in three consecutive legs to stop the rot.

‘Shaggy’ punished more crucial mistakes from the world No 2 to seal the seventh set 3-1 and go within one of a sensational victory before taking the eighth 3-1 to secure a last-four meeting with either Luke Humphries or Dave Chisnall.

Williams said he probably should have beaten Van Gerwen a bit easier after knocking out the pre-tournament favourite

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Williams said he probably should have beaten Van Gerwen a bit easier after knocking out the pre-tournament favourite

Williams said he probably should have beaten Van Gerwen a bit easier after knocking out the pre-tournament favourite

“I just knocked the best player in the world out,” Williams told Sky Sports.

“He wasn’t the Michael van Gerwen we’ve seen over the last couple of games but that’s not my problem.

“I hit the doubles and probably should have won it a little bit easier. I’m absolutely loving it up there. I love a crowd.”

Wayne Wardle was surprised at how 'erratic' Van Gerwen was during his loss

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Wayne Wardle was surprised at how ‘erratic’ Van Gerwen was during his loss

Wayne Wardle was surprised at how ‘erratic’ Van Gerwen was during his loss

Wayne Mardle called Williams’ win a “massive shock”, but also admitted he did a “number” on the Dutch ace.

“Michael van Gerwen normally loses to someone who is a big hitter already, a world champion or a major champion,” ‘Hawaii 501’ said.

“Scott Williams did a number on him. He was there to clean up when he had to clean up and he held it together so well.

“Even Luke Littler and Rob Cross are giving it… ‘WHAT!?’ What an opportunity for everyone left in the tournament.”

Michael van Gerwen missed 30 doubles in his first three games. He missed 27 against Scott Williams

52.4 per cent (33/63) – First 3 games

29.0 per cent (11/38) – vs Williams

Luke Humphries made it through to the semi-finals with this magical 117 checkout

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Luke Humphries made it through to the semi-finals with this magical 117 checkout

Luke Humphries made it through to the semi-finals with this magical 117 checkout

Williams will take on Humphries in the semi-finals after ‘Cool Hand’ thrashed Dave Chisnall 5-1 with a 103.50 average, a dozen 180s, 40 per cent on the doubles and a high checkout of 164.

The World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship winner made it 17 victories in a row to break new ground at Ally Pally.

“It felt strange to be the frontrunner for once,” said Humphries. “I have been used to a lot of comebacks for the last few days and it has just been nice to be me.

“It was nice to be in front and keep pushing hard and I didn’t relent. Chizzy played really well, he made it really tough for me.

“I haven’t been myself in the first couple of games. Tonight, we saw the form I have been showing in the last few majors.

“I played as well as I needed to.”

Humphries thinks the Worlds is wide open after Van Gerwen's exit to Williams

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Humphries thinks the Worlds is wide open after Van Gerwen’s exit to Williams

Humphries thinks the Worlds is wide open after Van Gerwen’s exit to Williams

How Littler set up Cross semi-final…

A look back the best of the action from the afternoon session of the World Darts Championship quarter-finals

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A look back the best of the action from the afternoon session of the World Darts Championship quarter-finals

A look back the best of the action from the afternoon session of the World Darts Championship quarter-finals

World Darts Championship: New Year’s Day Afternoon Results

Rob Cross 5-4 Chris Dobey
Luke Littler 5-1 Brendan Dolan

In the afternoon, Luke Littler’s amazing Alexandra Palace journey continued after he became the youngest semi-finalist ever after he beat Brendan Dolan 5-1 in the quarter-final.

‘The History Maker’ Dolan had beaten former World Champions Gerwyn Price and Gary Anderson but could not compete with Littler, who finished with an average of 101.93 to thrill his adoring fans inside Ally Pally.

All the best moments from Luke Littler in his quarter-final clash against Brendon Dolan

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All the best moments from Luke Littler in his quarter-final clash against Brendon Dolan

All the best moments from Luke Littler in his quarter-final clash against Brendon Dolan

“It feels unbelievable. I would never have thought I would have got to the semis on my debut year,” he said.

“Brendan was just another opponent in my way and I have brushed him aside and now I am into the semi-final.

“It’s going to take a lot to stop me, based on my performances so far. But it is about whatever Luke Littler turns up.

“I have got the ability to go all the way, if it’s not to be tomorrow night, it’s not to be.

“I know I have got a good chance and I have got a good feeling I could go all the way tomorrow.”

Littler believes he is one of the best in the game at board management and he's thinking about lifting the title

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Littler believes he is one of the best in the game at board management and he’s thinking about lifting the title

Littler believes he is one of the best in the game at board management and he’s thinking about lifting the title

He will meet Rob Cross for a spot in the final after ‘Voltage’ looked dead and buried when he was 4-0 down after barely 45 minutes as Chris Dobey played one of the matches of his life.

However, the off-stage break worked wonders for Cross as the former electrician sparked into life.

He reeled off four sets of his own and then took out 130 to seal a remarkable win but he will have to improve if he is stop the Littler train.

“Everyone loves an underdog story,” he said. “As the public and people looking at the game, everyone loves an underdog story.

“I am not being rude, I am on his side, I love an underdog story.

“It took a bit of pressure off me winning it first time as well.

“He’s fantastic and he deserves all the luck in the world, he is a nice young boy. Tomorrow we play darts, though, and I have to go down to business.”

Cross came back from 4-0 down to Chris Dobey to complete a 'darting miracle!'

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Cross came back from 4-0 down to Chris Dobey to complete a ‘darting miracle!’

Cross came back from 4-0 down to Chris Dobey to complete a ‘darting miracle!’

The teenager was taking selfies after beating Brendan Dolan

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The teenager was taking selfies after beating Brendan Dolan

The teenager was taking selfies after beating Brendan Dolan

What’s happening on semi-finals night at the World Darts Championship?

Luke Littler returns to the Ally Pally stage when he aims for a spot in the World Championship final

Luke Littler returns to the Ally Pally stage when he aims for a spot in the World Championship final

Littler will take on 2018 winner Cross in the first semi-final having already proven he is ready to compete on the biggest stage after taking out UK Open winner Andrew Gilding and his hero Raymond van Barneveld on his way to the last eight and he maintained that form against Dolan on New Year’s Day.

Cross produced one of the most memorable Alexandra Palace comebacks having gone 4-0 to Chris Dobey before reeling off four sets of his own and then taking out 130 to seal a famous win.

Live World Darts Championship

January 1, 2024, 7:00pm

Live on Sky Sports Arena

Luke Humphries will face Scott Williams in the second semi-final on Tuesday

Luke Humphries will face Scott Williams in the second semi-final on Tuesday

Having knocked out three-time World Champion Michael van Gerwen, ‘Shaggy’ Scott Williams will take on ‘Cool Hand’ Luke Humphries as he continues his quest for a maiden Ally Pally title.

Humphries came into the tournament as the favourite after winning three of the last four majors but had endured a bumpy ride to the last eight, surviving a sudden death leg against Joe Cullen in the last round.

But he was back to his best in his quarter-final, dispatching Dave Chisnall 5-1.

The sport’s biggest event sees the remaining players compete for the Sid Waddell Trophy and £2.5m in prize money at Alexandra Palace. You can watch all the action live on our dedicated Sky Sports Darts channel.

Watch the World Darts Championship all the way until the final on January 3, 2024 – live on Sky Sports Darts. Stream Sky Sports Darts without a contract through NOW



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‘Inconsistent, awful and the most boring team in the Premier League’: Man United manager’s $750m calamity

Under-fire manager Erik ten Hag says misfiring Manchester United have to “step up” and find a modicum of consistency after Nottingham Forest inflicted their 14th defeat of a chastening season.

A year that began with positivity and silverware ended with the Red Devils under intense scrutiny given they are already out of Europe, the Carabao Cup and Premier League title race. 

Critics have pounded them again after this latest defeat.

United have been infuriatingly inconsistent throughout the campaign, epitomised by the thrilling 3-2 Boxing Day turnaround against Aston Villa being followed up Saturday’s limp 2-1 loss at Forest. 

“Manchester United are back to their worst, back to what they are – inconsistent and awful,” fumed club legend Gary Neville.

“One thing is clear we are not consistent,” Ten Hag acknowledged. “We can beat the best teams in the league, but we also lose games we should win, and I think today was one of them. 

“We always have to swap (players due to absentees). I don’t think I talk a lot about players we don’t have. Every time I am telling it doesn’t matter who we line up, we have to win. 

“But the routines are not there if every time we have to swap. 

“Today is another example. When (Rasmus) Hojlund is ill, we have to swap our frontline and we have seen it in the first half there was no speed in the game there.” 

This was quite the comedown from the Boxing Day victory against Villa and the positivity some fans felt after the Christmas Eve announcement that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is becoming minority owner. 

INEOS are taking responsibility for the footballing operations and Ten Hag said on Friday that he was convinced they wanted to keep him on as manager. 

Sir Dave Brailsford, INEOS’ director of sport, watched Saturday’s game in the directors’ box alongside Sir Alex Ferguson, whose final league title in 2013 looks unlikely to be added to anytime soon. 

“They know me and they know when I have a squad what is available, then the results will be there,” Ten Hag said. 

“We are already proving against the top teams we can go head to head, so I’m convinced and have strong belief we get more progress in this team, that we get more consistency in. 

“I think this is part of a project. We were overperforming last year. This year so, far, we are underperforming. 

“We have to do better, we have to step up and I have to lead that process.” 

The performances have made as grim viewing as the results, with this United’s 14th loss of the season in all competitions and 21st in total of 2023. 

Asked if he is confident of things improving, Ten Hag said: “Yeah, of course I believe that. 

“I know when players are returning, then I am sure this side will be stronger. 

“You have to clinically analyse this, then we know where it’s come from. We have a lack of routines, we have to work on that.” 

The post-match analysis will be dominated by United, but this was Forest’s night. 

Four days on from winning 3-1 at Newcastle, new manager Nuno Espirito Santo celebrated his first home win in charge as they beat the Red Devils for the first time since 1994. 

Morgan Gibbs-White’s late strike from the edge of the box wrapped up a memorable triumph after Marcus Rashford had capitalised on a terrible Matt Turner pass to cancel out Nicolas Dominguez’s opener. 

Neville said the result left ten Hag facing pressure to retain his job.

“They [Ineos] will make a decision on the manager before the end of the season, I have no doubt, even though they will keep him in charge until the end of the season. They have been so poor though and if that continues, Erik ten Hag will find himself under real pressure,” said Neville.

“Ten Hag did a very good job in his first season, now the new ownership will be on a watching brief and Brailsford will look at what this club is and he is not going to like what he sees.

“I have more optimism under the new owners. They are currently operating without a sporting director, without a CEO and without a head of recruitment. What club in the world does that?

“Ten Hag is operating without a management team around him, which is incredible to think. He has been handed the keys to the safe and that shouldn’t happen.”

Ex-Blackburn Rovers striker Chris Sutton told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I had someone message me earlier asking if Manchester United are the most boring team in the Premier League. You know what, it’s hard to argue with that.

“The thing that troubles me with Erik ten Hag is I don’t know what game he was watching when he comes out and answers like that. There comes a time when he has to take responsibility. He has spent over £400m ($750m).”

Former Wales midfielder Robbie Savage added:  “You are looking at the standard of players like Antony. He will develop but at Manchester United is the number of goals and assists he has good enough? No.

“Who has been saying, ‘let’s go and buy Antony for £90m’ when he’s worth £30m? Or Casemiro for £60m? And also, how many of the players who have been brought in have increased their value?”

Aston Villa have scored a late penalty to beat strugglers Burnley 3-2 and move second in the Premier League, while world champions Manchester City defeated Sheffield United 2-0 to move third.

Villa’s win puts them level on points with leaders Liverpool, while City have moved to within two points, although both the pursuers have played a game more than the Anfield pacesetters.

Villa went ahead in the 28th minute through Leon Bailey but Burnley equalised just three minutes later when Zeki Amdouni fired home from close range.

Moussa Diaby added a second for Villa in the 42nd minute and the visitors were reduced to 10 men in the 56th minute when midfielder Sander Berge was given a second caution for tugging back Douglas Luiz.

Foster, though, hauled short-handed Burnley level with 20 minutes left only for Aaron Ramsey to foul Jhon Duran to concede an 89th-minute penalty.

Luiz sent his spot-kick on to the underside of the crossbar and into the roof of the net to secure another home win for Villa.

At the Etihad, after Man City paraded all the five trophies they’ve won in 2023, Rodri gave them the lead in the 14th minute with a low finish into the bottom corner after good hold-up play by Phil Foden.

Midfielder Jack Grealish – whose Cheshire home had been burgled while he was away playing at Everton on Wednesday night – was taken off early in the second half and replaced by Oscar Bobb.

And Bobb was involved with City doubling their lead just after the hour from close range after he played in Foden.

City’s ladder position is not bad considering Pep Guardiola’s team have struggled to hit the heights of last season’s treble-winning campaign and have been without the talismanic Kevin De Bruyne since August.

The Belgium international is on his way back from a hamstring injury and City are finding form after a recent run of just one win in six league games.

“We’re not top of the league, Liverpool are better,” Guardiola said. “We’ve had injuries and some problems. Our level is really good I would say and we are there.”

Earlier, Chelsea survived a spirited late fightback by Luton to win a 3-2 thriller at Kenilworth Road.

Mauricio Pochettino’s team had looked to be cruising to a first away victory since early November following a brace from Cole Palmer – his second goal showing fine close control – either side of Noni Madueke’s strike just before halftime.

Luton, though, set up a tense final 10 minutes after Ross Barkley scored against his former club before Elijah Adebayo pulled another back late on, but the Blues held out.

Michael Olise scored twice as Crystal Palace returned to winning ways after coming from behind to beat Brentford 3-1 at Selhurst Park.

Keane Lewis-Potter had fired the Bees into an early lead after just two minutes, but Palace equalised in the 14th minute when Olise volleyed home and Eberechi Eze completed the turnaround shortly before halftime.

Olise fired in a well-taken second from the edge of the penalty area in the 58th minute as Palace ended an eight-match winless run.

Wolves maintained their good form with a 3-0 win over relegation-battlers Everton at Molineux, their third straight win coming with goals from captain Max Kilman, Matheus Cunha and Craig Dawson.



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From Musk and Tusk to Swift: Figures who defined 2023

From Iran to Hollywood, in the domains of space travel, football and tech, 2023 was a year shaped by strong personalities. Some inspired us, most made us reflect, and others occasionally annoyed us. As the year comes to an end, FRANCE 24 has selected some of the personalities leaving a mark on 2023.

  • Narges Mohammadi, fighting for human rights in Iran

Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize “for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all”. 

The journalist plays a key role in Iran’s “Women, Life, Freedom” movement garnering global attention since the death of Mahsa Amini while in custody of Iran’s police in September 2022. The movement advocates for the abolition of mandatory hijab laws and the elimination of various forms of discrimination against women in Iran.

Arrested for the first time 22 years ago, Mohammadi has been held in Evin Prison, known for its mistreatment of detainees, since 2021.

From behind bars, where she has spent much of the last two decades on charges like “propaganda”, “rebellion”, and “endangering national security”, she continues her fight against what she terms a “tyrannical and misogynistic religious regime”.

At the Nobel Prize ceremony in Oslo, her 17-year-old twins living in exile in France since 2015 delivered her speech.

Read moreNarges Mohammadi: Iran’s defiant voice, even behind bars

  • Donald Tusk, bringing Poland back into the fold

After eight years of nationalist rule by the Law and Justice Party (PiS), Poland’s Donald Tusk is back in his country’s top job.

Already having served as prime minister from 2007 to 2014, the committed europhile and former president of the European Council (2014 – 2019) promises to put his country solidly back on democratic rails.

His priorities are clear: to restore the rule of law and rebuild Poland’s credibility within the EU. His coalition also advocates abortion in a country where the practice is only permitted in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the life or health of the mother.

However, Tusk will have to contend with Poland’s far right, which still retains meaningful political power despite losing the premiership. 

  • Taylor Swift, shining so brightly

In a world where celebrity can be fleeting, Taylor Swift has never been far from the limelight. From Nashville to New York, the 34-year-old American singer has built a romantic-pop musical empire that has captivated millions of fans, known as “Swifties”, worldwide.

Named the Person of the Year 2023 by Time magazine on December 6, Swift, who started her career more than 15 years ago, boasts a long list of world records. Her albums frequently top the charts in the United States – since she debuted in 2006, 13 of her 14 albums have reached number one in US sales.

In October, Swift released concert film, “The Eras Tour”, which went on to become the highest-grossing concert film of all time, earning $249.9 million worldwide. 

In September, the singer demonstrated her cultural force. After a short message on Instagram encouraging her 272 million followers to register to vote, the website she directed them to – the nonprofit Vote.org – recorded more than 35,000 registrations in just one day.

Committed to maintaining musical independence, the feminist icon re-recorded the tracks from her first six albums in 2019 to regain control of the rights after her former record label was acquired by music industry magnate Scooter Braun. 

  • Hollywood’s striking writers and actors, fighting and winning

In May 2023, Hollywood ignited. The industry’s writers, followed by actors in July, went on strike. The stakes in the negotiations included both base and residual pay – which actors say has been undercut by inflation and the business model of streaming – and the threat of unregulated use of artificial intelligence (AI) by studios.

The strike – the most significant since 1960 – paralysed film and series production for several months, costing the US economy at least $6 billion.

At the heart of the protest were fears that studios would use AI to generate scripts or clone the voices and images of actors without compensation. The strikers, supported by the public, refused to back down.

They chanted “When we fight, we win”, a slogan that has become the rallying cry for workers across the United States, from the automotive industry to hospitality. Prominent names in cinema join the picket lines, including actress and producer Jessica Chastain and “Breaking Bad” star Bryan Cranston.

In September, the writers reached a salary agreement with the studios which included protections relating to the use of AI. Actors finally returned to sets in November after 118 days off the job.

  • Elon Musk, genius or man-child?

Elon Musk will leave 2023 an even more divisive figure than when he entered it. With a fortune of $250 billion, Musk has grand ambitions to conquer space, roads, and social networks.

Twitter, renamed X in late July after Musk bought the company in October 2022, has had a chaotic year: mass layoffs, a showdown with the EU over misinformation, controversy over certified accounts, and plummeting advertising revenues. Its survival is now an open question after Musk told advertisers who suspended their advertising over his repost of a tweet widely deemed anti-Semitic to “Go f—k yourself”.

Beyond X, Musk’s company SpaceX has been instrumental in the war in Ukraine with its satellite internet product Starlink. It has also made progress on the Starship Rocket, which could revolutionise space transportation. However, the two launches this year didn’t go as planned, raising concerns about the project’s feasibility.

In the workshops of Tesla, his electric car company, an international strike movement that is still gaining momentum has already tarnished his image. 

Finally, his Neuralink project, which aims to develop brain implants to assist paralysed individuals or those with neurological diseases, has also faced criticism. Some experts believe the risks this project poses to are too high.

Whether you love him or hate him, it seems Musk can’t stay out of the headlines. 

  • Jennifer Hermoso, the face of change for Spanish football

Until this summer, Jennifer Hermoso was only known by football enthusiasts. But the wave of support she received after the Women’s World Cup has made her a symbol.

As the Spanish player was being crowned world champion in Sydney, she was unexpectedly kissed on the mouth by Luis Rubiales, then president of the Spanish Football Federation. The image, broadcast live on television, circled the globe and sparked outrage.

A few days later, Hermoso broke her silence and denounced an “impulse-driven, sexist, out of place act”. She filed a complaint against Rubiales, who claimed it was just a consensual “little kiss”.


<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>Official Announcement. August 25th,2023. <a href=”https://t.co/lQb18IGsk2″>pic.twitter.com/lQb18IGsk2</a></p>&mdash; Jenn1 Hermos0 (@Jennihermoso) <a href=”https://twitter.com/Jennihermoso/status/1695155154067087413?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>August 25, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>

Ultimately forced to resign, Rubiales was charged with sexual assault by the courts and suspended for three years from any football-related activity by FIFA. The scandal led to a boycott by Spanish players of the national team for several days until the federation promised “immediate and profound changes”.

  • Mortaza Behboudi, Afghan journalist fighting for press freedom

Most of 2023 unfolded behind bars for Franco-Afghan journalist Mortaza Behboudi. His crime? Simply doing his job. 

It all started on January 7 when he was arrested on charges of espionage in Kabul by the Taliban. During his 9 months in prison, he was regularly tortured and threatened with death.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and its support committee, created by his wife Aleksandra Mostovaja, moved heaven and earth to secure his release. Their determination eventually paid off, and he was released on October 18.

Working for French news outlets including France Télévisions, TV5Monde, Libération, and Mediapart, he already wants to return to Afghanistan. “My fight is to give a voice to those who don’t have it,” he told FRANCE 24.

According to the annual round-up compiled by RSF, 45 journalists were killed worldwide in connection with their work (as of 1 December 2023). 

  • Rayyanah Barnawi, first Saudi woman in space

On May 21, Rayyanah Barnawi became the first Saudi woman to travel to the International Space Station. A biomedical science graduate, she dedicated her ten-day mission to the field of cancer stem cell research.

Her journey is an important symbol for Saudi Arabia, where women face restrictions. Barnawi is emblematic of a new generation of highly educated and ambitious Saudi women ready to take on important roles in the historically conservative society.

The journey is also part of the Saudi monarchy’s strategy to renew its international image.

  • Sam Altman, the father of ChatGPT

At 38, Sam Altman is one of the most prominent names in the tech world. He is the CEO of OpenAI, the San Francisco-based AI lab that created ChatGPT – a chatbot with 100 million weekly users now disrupting the technology ecosystem.

On top of being a prolific entrepreneur, Altman officially launched Worldcoin, a new cryptocurrency with an identity verification system using the human iris. Like Elon Musk, with whom he co-founded OpenAI in 2015, his grand ambition and sometimes controversial methods have earned him criticism. Some accuse him of prioritising security over innovation.

In November 2023, he was dismissed by the board of directors of OpenAI, only to be reinstated in his position after most of the company’s employees threatened to leave the group.

Watch moreSam Altman to return as OpenAI CEO after his tumultuous ouster

His activity is not restricted to entrepreneurship. In May, Altman invested $375 million in Helion, a nuclear fusion startup.

  • Barbie, a triumphant return

For better or worse, Barbie has been a icon since she first hit store shelves in 1959. The 29-centimetre doll has had an impact on generations of girls and women: long reviled by feminists, she had an image makeover in 2023.

This summer, Barbie experienced a triumphant return thanks to a film directed by Greta Gerwig starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. Released in July, the film is a critical and commercial success praised for its intelligent script, impeccable performances, and feminist message.

Gerwig created a world where Barbie is a rebellious icon fighting against gender stereotypes, surrounded by strong and independent female characters.

In the process, Gerwig became the first woman to direct a film grossing more than a billion dollars at the box office. The 40-year-old capped off her stellar year by being named jury president at Cannes 2024. 

This article is translated from the original in French. 

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World Darts Championship: Michael Smith is dethroned by Chris Dobey as Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson win

Michael Smith dethroned by Chris Dobey as Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson both win; The World Darts Championship runs all the way until the final on January 3, 2024 – we’re back on Saturday at 12.30pm, live on Sky Sports Darts

Last Updated: 30/12/23 1:00am


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A look back the best of the action from the evening session of Day 12 of the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace

A look back the best of the action from the evening session of Day 12 of the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace

Michael Smith’s reign as World Darts Champion came to an end with an emphatic 4-0 whitewash at the hands of Chris Dobey on Friday night at Alexandra Palace.

Smith, who claimed the Sid Waddell Trophy for the first time in January, was humbled by ‘Hollywood’ with a 102.5 average and three ton-plus checkouts to claim a huge win.

World Darts Championship: Friday Evening Results

Boris Krcmar 1-4 Gary Anderson (R3)
Michael van Gerwen 4-0 Stephen Bunting (R4)
Michael Smith 0-4 Chris Dobey (R4)

Dobey dumped out Smith after producing an exceptional performance on the Ally Pally stage

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Dobey dumped out Smith after producing an exceptional performance on the Ally Pally stage

Dobey dumped out Smith after producing an exceptional performance on the Ally Pally stage

Dobey signalled his intent with a stunning 130 checkout to kick off proceedings, and after wrapping up set one, he doubled his lead after Smith missed a dart at tops to level the contest.

The Bedlington star then moved a set away from glory with clinical 100 and 87 combinations, before Smith struck back with a magnificent 140 finish to open set four.

However, Dobey was unfazed, following up a 14-dart break with back-to-back 12-darters to cap off another imperious display.

Watch all Dobey's ton-plus finishes from his superb win over Smith

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Watch all Dobey’s ton-plus finishes from his superb win over Smith

Watch all Dobey’s ton-plus finishes from his superb win over Smith

“Michael is a great lad. I’ve got all the time in the world for him, but there could only be one winner and I’m pleased it was my night tonight,” said Dobey.

“I don’t think anybody underestimates me; they know what I can do. I’ve been pretty consistent in this competition, and I’m going all out. I want to be the champion.”

Michael van Gerwen was in bullish mood ahead of his quarter-final clash against either Scott Williams or Damon Heta after thumping Stephen Bunting

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Michael van Gerwen was in bullish mood ahead of his quarter-final clash against either Scott Williams or Damon Heta after thumping Stephen Bunting

Michael van Gerwen was in bullish mood ahead of his quarter-final clash against either Scott Williams or Damon Heta after thumping Stephen Bunting

Three-time World Champion Michael van Gerwen whitewashed Stephen Bunting 4-0 with a 99.8 average and nine 180s to become the first man through to the quarter-finals.

The Dutchman has won all 11 sets he played so far in the tournament and 33 out of 45 legs with Damon Heta or Scott Williams set to challenge him in the quarter-finals next.

“There was definitely fire in the belly. We all know what Stephen Bunting can do. You have to show your best game,” said Van Gerwen.

It wasn't vintage, but Gary Anderson ddid more than enough to defeat Boris Krcmar and make the last 16 of the Worlds

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It wasn’t vintage, but Gary Anderson ddid more than enough to defeat Boris Krcmar and make the last 16 of the Worlds

It wasn’t vintage, but Gary Anderson ddid more than enough to defeat Boris Krcmar and make the last 16 of the Worlds

Two-time World Champion Gary Anderson put on a convincing display as the Scot proved too strong for Boris Krcmar with a 4-1 demolition job.

‘The Flying Scotsman’ put on the afterburners after losing the first set by winning 12 out of next 16 legs with a 99.3 average and nine 180s to set up a meeting against Brendan Dolan.

“When Boris won the first set I thought this was going to be a struggle,” admitted the 53-year-old.

“I got it back to 1-1 and the next two sets, the third set was tight but fourth set comfortable. The last set, I kind of had him.”

World Darts Championship: Friday Afternoon Results

Damon Heta 4-3 Berry van Peer (R3)
Jonny Clayton 4-2 Krzysztof Ratajski (R3)
Jim Williams 1-4 Raymond van Barneveld (R3)

Raymond van Barneveld says he's not worried about facing anyone including Luke Littler and believes he has the form to beat him

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Raymond van Barneveld says he’s not worried about facing anyone including Luke Littler and believes he has the form to beat him

Raymond van Barneveld says he’s not worried about facing anyone including Luke Littler and believes he has the form to beat him

Raymond van Barneveld set up a mouth-watering clash with teenage sensation Luke Littler after fighting through to the last 16 of the Worlds.

Van Barneveld was far from at his best but still beat Jim Williams 4-1 to secure a Saturday clash with 16-year-old Littler, who was born 21 days after the Dutchman won the most recent of his five world titles in 2007.

Van Barneveld told Sky Sports: “I will love to play Luke Littler. When I was 16 I was playing with Lego and Playmobile, we didn’t have the internet or whatever.

“This guy is amazing, and I am looking forward so much to that game. He is a quality player and I can’t wait to meet him tomorrow night.”

Ahead of their last-16 meeting at the Alexandra Palace, Littler proves he's always been a fan of Van Barneveld! Credit:@LukeTheNuke180

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Ahead of their last-16 meeting at the Alexandra Palace, Littler proves he’s always been a fan of Van Barneveld! Credit:@LukeTheNuke180

Ahead of their last-16 meeting at the Alexandra Palace, Littler proves he’s always been a fan of Van Barneveld! Credit:@LukeTheNuke180

Littler, the world youth champion, is the youngest player to reach the last 16 after reeling off three impressive victories, including averaging over 106 in his first round win over Christian Kist.

Jonny Clayton joined Van Barneveld in the last 16 as he saw off Poland’s Krzysztof Ratajski 4-2, while Australia’s Damon Heta edged to a 4-3 win over Dutchman Berry van Peer.

Damon Heta sealed a stunning 4-3 victory over Berry van Peer by taking out this epic 151 checkout

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Damon Heta sealed a stunning 4-3 victory over Berry van Peer by taking out this epic 151 checkout

Damon Heta sealed a stunning 4-3 victory over Berry van Peer by taking out this epic 151 checkout

What’s happening on Saturday at the World Darts Championship?

Raymond van Barneveld says he's not worried about facing anyone including Luke Littler and believes he has the form to beat him

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Raymond van Barneveld says he’s not worried about facing anyone including Luke Littler and believes he has the form to beat him

Raymond van Barneveld says he’s not worried about facing anyone including Luke Littler and believes he has the form to beat him

The fourth round will conclude with Scott Williams and Dave Chisnall in action, while 2018 World Champion Rob Cross takes on ‘The Ferret’ Jonny Clayton.

Live World Darts Championship

December 30, 2023, 12:30pm

Live on Sky Sports Arena

World Darts Championship: Saturday Afternoon Fixtures

Scott Williams vs Damon Heta
Daryl Gurney vs Dave Chisnall
Rob Cross vs Jonny Clayton

On Saturday evening, five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld faces teenage sensation Luke Littler with Luke Humphries up against ‘The Rockstar’ Joe Cullen.

The quarter-finals, semi-finals and final take place from January 1-3.

Live World Darts Championship

December 30, 2023, 7:30pm

Live on Sky Sports Arena

World Darts Championship: Saturday Evening Fixtures

Brendan Dolan vs Gary Anderson
Raymond van Barneveld vs Luke Littler
Luke Humphries vs Joe Cullen

The sport’s biggest event sees the remaining players compete for the Sid Waddell Trophy and £2.5m in prize money at Alexandra Palace. You can watch all the action live on our dedicated Sky Sports Darts channel.

Watch the World Darts Championship all the way until the final on January 3, 2024 – live on Sky Sports Darts. NOW Sports Month Membership: £21 a month for 6 months



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World Darts Championship: Nathan Aspinall and Josh Rock suffer shock early exits at Alexandra Palace

Ricky Evans stuns Nathan Aspinall, while Josh Rock is knocked out by Berry van Peer; the World Darts Championship runs all the way until the final on January 3, 2024 – we’re back on Wednesday 27 at 12.30pm, live on Sky Sports Darts

Last Updated: 23/12/23 11:07pm


Ricky Evans stunned World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall at the World Darts Championship

Ricky Evans produced the upset of the World Darts Championship by crushing World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall in straight sets on Saturday night.

Evans averaged close to 100 in annihilating Aspinall 3-0, while Josh Rock saw his hopes go up in smoke as the youngster suffered a shock second-round exit to Dutch debutant Berry van Peer.

World Darts Championship: Saturday Evening Results

Ryan Searle 3-1 Tomoya Goto (R2)
Josh Rock 1-3 Berry van Peer (R2)
Stephen Bunting 3-0 Ryan Joyce (R2)
Nathan Aspinall 0-3 Ricky Evans (R2)

 Evans got the Ally Pally crowd into the festive spirit by walking on with the Christmas hit 'Merry Christmas Everyone' by Shakin' Stevens

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Evans got the Ally Pally crowd into the festive spirit by walking on with the Christmas hit ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’ by Shakin’ Stevens

Evans got the Ally Pally crowd into the festive spirit by walking on with the Christmas hit ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’ by Shakin’ Stevens

Aspinall became the 11th seeded player to exit the Worlds at the hands of ‘Rapid’ Ricky.

Following his traditional festive walk-on, Evans secured the first break of throw for a 2-1 lead, and he pinned double 10 to seal an impressive opening set before storming to a sixth leg on the spin to double his lead with a 104 checkout to leave Aspinall on the brink of an early exit.

Evans ended up losing just two legs in the contest, and averaged 99.38 with a 60 per cent checkout success to go through.

Berry van Peer stunned Josh Rock in the second round of the World Darts Championship

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Berry van Peer stunned Josh Rock in the second round of the World Darts Championship

Berry van Peer stunned Josh Rock in the second round of the World Darts Championship

Former world youth champion, Rock, went down 3-1 to the world No 107 Van Peer.

Rock was punished for six missed darts at doubles as Van Peer clinched the first set 3-1 despite an average of 84.

The Northern Ireland thrower then fired in a 107 checkout to force a second set decider, but Van Peer replied with a sensational 121 for a 12-darter to move within a set of a major upset.

Van Peer landed this epic 121 checkout en route to a famous victory against Rock

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Van Peer landed this epic 121 checkout en route to a famous victory against Rock

Van Peer landed this epic 121 checkout en route to a famous victory against Rock

However, 22-year-old Rock showed pure class to produce finishes of 101, 112 and 82 with Van Peer failing to land two match darts in the third set decider to halve the deficit.

But the debutant, who has racked up four Challenge Tour titles over the last 12 months, set up a clash with Damon Heta by taking out 48 to finish off 23rd seed Rock and continue his dream run.

Bunting praises the crowd after crushing Ryan Joyce 3-0 in a stunning performance

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Bunting praises the crowd after crushing Ryan Joyce 3-0 in a stunning performance

Bunting praises the crowd after crushing Ryan Joyce 3-0 in a stunning performance

Stephen Bunting put on a show with a magnificent 107.28 average – the highest of the tournament – five maximums and 9/19 on the doubles as he put Ryan Joyce to the sword in a whitewash victory.

“I’m so happy to play like that and show my potential,” said the former Lakeside champion, who faces German Florian Hempel next. “I’ve come here with a lot of confidence from my last two events, but I’ve played nowhere near like that.

“I’m a bit speechless, but I can enjoy Christmas now, go home, regroup and get ready for the next game.”

Stephen Bunting conducted the crowd during his entrance song 'Titanium' by David Guetta feat. Sia

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Stephen Bunting conducted the crowd during his entrance song ‘Titanium’ by David Guetta feat. Sia

Stephen Bunting conducted the crowd during his entrance song ‘Titanium’ by David Guetta feat. Sia

Ryan Searle overcame Tomoyo Goto 3-1 as he set up a mouth-watering meeting with Joe Cullen

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Ryan Searle overcame Tomoyo Goto 3-1 as he set up a mouth-watering meeting with Joe Cullen

Ryan Searle overcame Tomoyo Goto 3-1 as he set up a mouth-watering meeting with Joe Cullen

Ryan Searle set up an intriguing meeting with Joe Cullen after making it through to the last 32 for the sixth year running.

‘Heavy Metal’ hammered in four 180s and a spectacular ‘Shanghai’ 120 finish in his 3-1 victory against a gutsy Tomoyo Goto from Japan.

“I got there in the end. I was throwing back stage and thought I was going to come out and break some records…but it didn’t quite happen,” revealed Searle. “I got over the line, can enjoy my Christmas now, and I’ll be back.”

World Darts Championship: Saturday Afternoon Results

Kim Huybrechts 0-3 Richard Veenstra (R2)
Callan Rydz 2-3 Ricardo Pietreczko (R2)
Jonny Clayton 3-1 Steve Lennon (R2)
Daryl Gurney 3-1 Steve Beaton (R2)

Two-time quarter-finalist Daryl Gurney produced consecutive ton-plus checkouts to clinch a 3-1 win over Steve Beaton in the afternoon session, while there were also victories for Jonny Clayton, Ricardo Pietreczko and Richard Veenstra.

Gurney pinned successive checkouts of 132 and 136 to defeat Beaton 3-1 and end the hopes of ‘The Bronzed Adonis’.

‘SuperChin’ averaged 100.79, winning seven of the first eight legs before Beaton – who has announced his intention to walk away from the sport following the 2024 season – rallied, taking the third set after his opponent had missed a match dart on double 19 attempting a 155 checkout.

Daryl Gurney nailed two massive checkouts against Steve Beaton, including a 136 finish to win the match

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Daryl Gurney nailed two massive checkouts against Steve Beaton, including a 136 finish to win the match

Daryl Gurney nailed two massive checkouts against Steve Beaton, including a 136 finish to win the match

Beaton, 59, had the throw in the fourth set but it was Gurney who closed it out to set up a post-Christmas meeting with Evans.

Earlier on, ninth seed Clayton won a match of ample missed doubles, defeating Steve Lennon 3-1 – Clayton’s doubling success was only 28 per cent but Lennon, who is now in danger of losing his Tour Card, was way worse on 15 per cent, squandering 34 darts out of 40.

Ricardo Pietreczko and Callan Rydz exchanged some big finishes during their clash

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Ricardo Pietreczko and Callan Rydz exchanged some big finishes during their clash

Ricardo Pietreczko and Callan Rydz exchanged some big finishes during their clash

Elsewhere, ‘Pikachu’ Pietreczko pipped the seeded Callan Rydz 3-2, while the session began with Veenstra sweeping 2012 quarter-finalist Kim Huybrechts 3-0 in sets and 9-0 in legs as he set up a showdown with fellow Dutchman Michael van Gerwen.

Clayton will face ‘The Polish Eagle’ Krzysztof Ratajski after the festive break, while German star Pietreczko plays title favourite Luke Humphries.

Richard Veenstra thrashed Kim Huybrechts without dropping a single leg

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Richard Veenstra thrashed Kim Huybrechts without dropping a single leg

Richard Veenstra thrashed Kim Huybrechts without dropping a single leg

What’s happening after Christmas at the World Darts Championship?

Teenage sensation Luke Littler is back in action on Wednesday night when he takes on Canadian Matt Campbell with three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen and reigning champion Michael Smith also playing on a bumper evening.

World Darts Championship: Wednesday Afternoon Fixtures

Scott Williams vs Martin Schindler (R3)
Dave Chisnall vs Gabriel Clemens (R3)
Rob Cross vs Jeffrey de Graaf (R3)

Elsewhere, 2018 champion Rob Cross, Scott Williams and last year’s semi-finalist Gabriel Clemens will be among the high-profile names taking to the stage in the afternoon.

World Darts Championship: Wednesday Evening Fixtures

Matt Campbell vs Luke Littler (R3)
Michael van Gerwen vs Richard Veenstra (R3)
Michael Smith vs Madars Razma (R3)

The sport’s biggest event sees 96 players compete for the Sid Waddell Trophy and £2.5m in prize money at Alexandra Palace. You can watch all the action live on our dedicated Sky Sports Darts channel.

Watch the World Darts Championship all the way until the final on January 3, 2024 – live on Sky Sports Darts. NOW Sports Month Membership: £21 a month for 6 months



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