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Luke Littler EXACT time vs Ian White at World Darts Championship TONIGHT
LUKE LITTLER has his sights set on the World Darts Championship once again – and he’s back in action tonight!
The teenage sensation added a staggering TEN titles to his ever-bulging cabinet in 2024.
This includes overcoming rival Luke Humphries with the aid of a nine-darter to win the Premier League title.
And then taking glory in November’s thrilling Grand Slam of Darts with a dominant win against Martin Lukeman.
As a result, Littler has risen to fourth on the PDC Order of Merit and won BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award.
But next on the hit list is a shot at the 2024/25 World Darts Championship – as he looks to go one better than his debut year.
When is Luke Littler playing his next match at the World Darts Championship 2024 and who is his opponent?
Luke Littler’s third-round opponent at the World Darts Championship will be English maestro Ian White – who used to play Littler’s granddad!
This thrilling contest will take place on Saturday, December 28 and it is scheduled to get underway from 9:45pm GMT.
The Nuke incredibly overcame Ryan Meikle during his first encounter before breaking down in tears live on TV.
While White defeated European champion Ritchie Edhouse to book his spot.
When does the World Darts Championship 2024/25 start and end?
- The 2024/25 World Darts Championship started on Sunday, December 15 and will conclude on Friday, January 3, 2025.
- Afternoon sessions are scheduled to start from 12.30pm GMT while the evening sessions take place from 7pm GMT.
- Alexandra Palace in North London is the venue for the iconic competition.
- Luke Humphries pipped Luke Littler to the 2023/24 title with a 7-4 win.
World Darts Championship - top stories
READ MORE on all the build-up to the Ally Pally extravaganza...
All the info:
- All the action as it happens in our LIVE BLOG
- Everything you need to know about the Ally Pally extravaganza
- How much prize money can be won?
- What is the format for the tournament?
- Who are the Sky Sports presenters and pundits?
News, features and interviews:
- Mardle to take step back after tragic death of wife Donna
- Emma Paton reveals rise as Queen of Darts
- MVG pays tribute to Wayne Mardle’s wife Donna
- Watch Littler hit 180 as Bullseye makes return to TV
- Littler reveals why he broke down in tears
- Sosing diagnosed with serious and rare condition after falling ill at Alexandra Palace
- Barry from EastEnders entertains crowd with singing
- ‘Weird Kettering lad’ Ricky Evans wins one of the ‘greatest games ever’
Flu surge ‘will peak in 10 days’ as UK hospitals bring back face masks to protect against ‘quad-demic’
A FLU surge – reportedly set to peak in 10 days – has brought back Covid-style restrictions to several major UK hospitals.
A decision to reintroduce mandatory face masks was made in response to a wave of patients being treated for a “quad-demic” of converging winter illnesses.
This strain has led other hospitals to plead with patients to not visit A&E unless absolutely necessary, as they face “exceptionally high demand”.
The combination of the flu, Covid-19, a cold-causing respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and norovirus have broken out this winter.
A Welsh health board issued a stark warning as to when the nation could expect to see the worst of one of these winter illnesses.
The Cardiff and Vale health board said the flu surge could “peak within the next 10 days”, according to Sky News.
UKHSA’s most recent report showed cases of Covid and RSV – which causes colds and serious lung infections – stabilising, while flu and vomiting bug infections surged in the weeks before Christmas.
The risk of catching the four illnesses rises sharply at this time of year as people spend more time indoors with friends and family.
During the pandemic, wearing face masks became mandatory in hospitals and other public places to prevent the spread of Covid.
Masks help reduce the spread of respiratory viruses by trapping droplets from coughing, sneezing, or talking.
They also protect wearers from inhaling droplets containing viruses.
The deputy director of Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board, Richard Hughes, revealed why visitors to it’s emergency departments have been asked to wear face masks.
He said: “When flu enters and circulates within a hospital it can cause significant problems, posing a real risk to the health of patients and causing absences among our staff, so we need to do everything we can to keep the virus at bay.”
Chesterfield Royal Hospital and the University Hospitals of Leicester Trust, including Leicester General, Leicester Royal Infirmary, and Glenfield, have all enforced the mask-wearing rules immediately.
A Chesterfield Royal spokesperson told the BBC: “This aligns with rising flu cases in our hospital and our agreed thresholds, which will be regularly reviewed.”
The University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust stated: “Rising colleague absences due to seasonal illnesses, combined with more patient cases, significantly impact how quickly we can deliver timely care.”
On Friday, hospitals in Lincolnshire began reintroducing face masks for patients and visitors in certain areas.
“This infection prevention measure is being reintroduced in high-risk areas due to increased cases of Covid-19, Influenza A, and RSV in hospitals and community settings,” United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust stated.
‘Stay away’
Royal Stoke University Hospital has declared its eighth critical incident of the year due to “increasing pressure” in A&E departments.
Patients have been warned of longer delays than usual while efforts are being made to discharge people to ease bed-blocking.
On Thursday, December 19 patients turning up at A&E were expected to wait over four hours to be seen.
The hospital’s first critical incident was announced in November last year.
The declaration also involves County Hospital in Stafford – both of which are run by University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHNM).
Meanwhile, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University health Board put out an urgent warning this week that services and emergency departments at Royal Glamorgan, Prince Charles and Princess of Wales hospitals are exceptionally busy.
It said with hospital beds already occupied and emergency departments seeing a higher than normal attendance from people seeking care, they’re looking to the public for their support.
Visiting restrictions on two wards at Noble’s Hospital in the Isle of Man, initially imposed due to a “significant increase” in norovirus cases, have now been lifted.
Two other hospitals that declared critical incidents this week were The Royal Hampshire County Hospital and Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital.
Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust said there’s “currently no capacity to admit further patients needing our care”.
The hospitals’ bed shortage has been caused by high admission rate, high numbers of infectious patients requiring isolation, and a low discharge rate.
How can I protect myself?
Getting jabbed is one of the best ways to protect against these winter viruses.
The NHS is pleading with Brits to get vaccinated as cases and hospital admissions rise.
Flu, Covid and RSV vaccines are free to those who meet NHS eligibility criteria.
Adults aged 65 and over, care home residents and people aged six months to 64 years with specific underlying health conditions are all eligible for free Covid and flu jabs on the NHS.
Those not eligible for free vaccines can purchase one from their local chemist. There is some evidence to suggest wearing a face mask can protect you from catching the bugs.
An RSV vaccination programme has recently been deployed by the NHS. As of November 2024. More than one million have received an RSV vaccination.
The jab is available to those considered most vulnerable: older adults aged 75 to 79 and pregnant women.
Those not eligible can purchase a single dose of RSV vaccine from the pharmacy chain Boots for £245.
At this time there are no vaccines for norovirus – though some are in development.
So the best way to protect yourself from norovirus is to properly sanitise your hands, cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze, dispose of tissues, let fresh air circulate and stay home if you’re unwell.
Delays in the rollout of the RSV vaccine may also mean some vulnerable people received it too late this year to be protected.
In a statement published on Monday 16 December, the trust said: “Beds across both hospitals are full and attendance at our emergency departments is extremely high.”
Patients with non-urgent issues have been warned they could face “extremely long waits” in A&E.
Instead, they should contact 111 or visit a GP, pharmacy, or urgent treatment centre.
Best credit cards and loans if you’re looking to shift your debt this year
MANY of us will have vowed to get on top of our finances when we made our New Year’s resolutions two days ago.
If you have drifted into the red or are struggling to keep up with credit card payments, then getting on top of your finances could be a good place to start.
Here we explain how to find the best credit cards, loans and balance transfer cards to help you shift your debt this year.
Plus, we reveal whether you would be better off with a loan and how to apply for one.
Top credit cards to help manage your money
If you spent too much over the festive period, then there are several types of credit card that could help you get back on track.
If you have multiple credit cards and want to move all of your debt onto a single one then a balance transfer is a good option.
These cards usually have a low interest rate for a set period, which can help you pay off your balance faster.
Or if you need to spread the cost of a big item then a purchase card can help.
Purchase cards usually have an interest-free period, which can make them a cheaper way to borrow.
Meanwhile, if you have a low credit score then a credit builder card could help you to show lenders that you are reliable.
This can mean you get offered better credit cards in the future.
Which cards you can apply for will depend on how much you can afford, why you want one and your credit score.
Always think about what you want to use a credit card for before you apply to make sure you get the best deal.
Every application will leave a permanent mark on your credit report so think carefully about whether a card is right for you before you apply.
You can compare credit card deals on comparison sites such as Moneysupermarket.com and moneyfactscompare.co.uk.
How to boost your credit score
Your credit score gives an overall picture of how responsible you are with money.
The score shows lenders whether you’ve been a reliable borrower in the past.
If you’ve never used credit before you may have a low credit score and struggle to get accepted for credit.
To boost your credit score, show lenders you are a stable, reliable individual by registering to vote.
Being on the electoral roll confirms your address to lenders so can significantly boost your credit score – it can add 50 points, according to Experian.
Get a copy of your credit report – you can get one for free from Experian, Equifax or TransUnion – and check it for mistakes.
Make sure your personal details are correct and that any missed payments or black marks on your file are correct.
If there are mistakes, ask the financial firm involved to correct them or ask for a note to be put on your file explaining them.
Finally, consider getting a credit builder credit card.
These are designed for people with poor or limited credit histories.
This means you are more likely to be accepted but the interest rate may be higher and the credit limit lower than on mainstream cards.
Some of these cards come with rewards too.
These websites will also tell you if you are likely to be accepted for a credit card before you apply.
This can help you avoid being rejected, which can damage your credit rating.
Best balance transfer cards
Balance transfer cards are one of the most effective ways to pay off debt.
They work by allowing you to move any money you owe from one credit card to another that charges less interest.
If you are accepted for one of these cards then your new provider will arrange to transfer the balance from your old credit card to your new one.
There is usually a small fee to switch to these cards, which is typically between 1% and 4% of the amount you are moving across.
Usually, they have an introductory period where you pay no interest for a set number of months.
When this ends the interest automatically goes back to the standard rate, which is usually around 25% APR.
The 0% period means you can use the money you have saved in interest to pay back your balance faster.
You should aim to pay off your balance within the 0% period or you may need to move it again to avoid high interest charges.
To figure out if you can do this you should calculate how much you can afford to repay each month.
Next, divide the debt by your monthly repayment figure to work out how many months it will take to repay it in full.
If you cannot afford to do this you still need to make the minimum payment each month.
Andrew Hagger, founder of financial website Moneycomms, warns that you can be hit with high penalty fees if you do not keep up with your payments.
He said: “If you don’t make your payment on time (as per the date shown on your card statement), you could lose your 0% rate and be charged a late payment or missed payment fee of £12.”
Borrowers who want the longest 0% interest-free balance transfer period should apply for the Barclaycard Platinum Balance Transfer card.
The card gives you 30 months interest-free and has a 3.45% transfer fee.
Meanwhile, the HSBC Balance Transfer Credit card also gives you 30 months interest-free for a 3.49% fee.
If you think you can pay off your balance in a shorter period then Barclays and NatWest offer cards with a 12-month interest-free term and no balance transfer fee.
Manage payments with a purchase card
A purchase credit card lets you make payments without paying any interest for a set period of time.
This can be helpful if you need to buy something expensive as you can spread the payment over an interest-free period.
Rachel Springall, personal finance expert at Moneyfactsompare.co.uk, said: “Knowing when to buy a big-ticket item can be unpredictable.
“But if someone typically buys expensive goods this time of year, then it’s wise to get a 0% purchase offer in readiness.”
You need to meet the terms and minimum payments every month to keep the 0% rate.
If you do not pay off your balance by the end of the 0% period then interest will build up on your balance.
This will make the remaining payments more expensive.
The amount of credit you can borrow and the interest-free period you get will vary depending on your finances.
Barclaycard also offers the longest purchase card and gives you up to 22 months interest-free with its Platinum card.
It has an interest rate of 24.9% on balances once this period ends.
Or HSBC Purchase Plus Credit Card offers 20 months of interest-free purchases and has the same APR.
Improve your score with a credit builder
Credit builder cards can help you build your credit history or get your rating back if you have been refused credit.
If you have a low credit score or a poor credit history then the cards can help you demonstrate to lenders that you are trustworthy.
To begin with, they usually have a low credit limit and high interest rate.
Lenders do this to reduce the risk that they lose money if you can’t pay them back.
If you make your repayments on time and in full your credit score should improve and you can increase your credit limit.
Rachel Springall said: “Providers look more favourably on consumers who can prove they are sensible with any debts, but no one is guaranteed to get the top deals.
“This makes it essential to shop around but be conscious not to run too many credit checks.”
The Virgin Money Credit Builder card has the lowest interest rate on the market, at 23.9%.
It has a maximum credit limit of £3,500, which depends on your financial situation.
Meanwhile, the Barclaycard Forward Credit Card has an interest rate of 33.9%.
Customers can borrow between £50 to £1,200 on the card.
Consider a loan
In some cases, it could be better to get a loan to pay off your credit card debt.
This can be the case if the amount of time you will need to repay the balance is longer than the interest-free period you could get with a credit card.
The interest rate of a loan is usually lower than that of a credit card once the interest-free period ends.
A loan also removes the temptation to spend a credit card, which could be good if you are worried you could be tempted.
Before applying for a loan you should do some calculations to assess which option is best for you.
Make sure you can afford to keep up with the monthly repayments before you apply.
For those who want to borrow £5,000, Santander offers the cheapest loan.
It has an interest rate of 7.2% and the total cost of credit would be £555.52.
Tesco Clubcard customers can get an exclusive rate with its loan.
The Tesco Bank Clubcard Personal Loan has an interest rate of 7.2% but this falls to 6.1% for members.
Meanwhile, existing First Direct customers can borrow the same amount with an interest rate of 7.4%.
If you decide to take out a loan then you should close the original credit card where you built up your debt so you do not get tempted to spend on it.
If you are struggling with debt then you can get help from charities and groups including:
- Citizens Advice – 0800 240 4420
- StepChange – 0800 138 1111
- National Debtline – 0808 808 4000
Free cash schemes if you're struggling
Many of us are still struggling with the high cost of living - but there's help you can get.
New or expectant parents can get up to £442 a year to spend on food through Healthy Start scheme.
Some new parents can get £500 via the Sure Start Maternity Grant. The money is designed to help you cover the costs of having a child.
Councils also offer support through the welfare assistance schemes, to help cover the costs of essentials, from buying new furniture to food vouchers.
The amount you can get varies but an investigation by The Sun found that hard-up Brits can apply for help worth up to £1,000.
Discretionary Housing Payment is a pot of money handed out by councils to those struggling to keep a roof over their heads.
A scheme is available for those who find themselves unable to cover housing costs, though the exact amount varies as each local authority dishes out the cash on a case-by-case basis.
Many energy forms offer grants to help cash-tight customers. The exact amount varies depending on your supplier and you circumstances, but could be as much a £2,000.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
‘You never know what is going to happen’ – Cristiano Ronaldo opens door to shock Man City transfer with cryptic reply
CRISTIANO RONALDO has sensationally teased a stunning move to Manchester City.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was on the verge of joining the Premier League champions before he sealed an emotional return to Manchester United in the summer of 2021.
And the Al-Nassr hitman has appeared to once again open the door to a shock Etihad switch.
During an appearance at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai, the 39-year-old revealed he’s open to giving the struggling Citizens a “helping hand”.
The Portugal star said: “You never know what is going to happen.”
Ronaldo was then asked to elaborate after the presenter responded to his bombshell by saying: “That’s not a no!”
But the Real Madrid man refused, briefly laughing before going silent.
City’s hopes of winning an unprecedented FIFTH-STRAIGHT Prem title are well and truly up in smoke.
Pep Guardiola‘s troops have lost NINE of their last 13 matches in all competitions and are a whopping 14 points behind league leaders Liverpool.
City are currently SEVENTH in the table, six points behind fourth-placed Nottingham Forest.
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Inside Cristiano Ronaldo's incredible life
AS arguably the greatest player of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo lives a life befitting such a superstar.
Ron loves a fast motor almost as much as scoring goals with his vast car collection including one costing £9MILLION.
Upon moving to Saudi – Ronaldo moved into a luxury skyscraper hotel before swapping it for an Arabian mansion.
As a globetrotter, Ronaldo likes to travel in style like onboard this luxury private jet.
Behind every great man is a great woman, and Ronaldo has one in partner Georgina Rodriguez.
Georgina opened up on the moment they first met when she was working as a shop girl, saying it was “love at first sight”.
Before meeting Georgina, Ronaldo dated some of the world’s hottest women including Kim Kardashian and Irina Shayk.
Now it’s all about the family, with Ronaldo’s offspring now capable of making up a five-a-side team.
Ronaldo’s very well paid on the pitch, but he makes a ton of money off it too with endorsement deals ranging from KFC to his own range of underpants.
He’s also a prolific investor and owns a string of hotels.
He’s currently building a holiday resort in the Red Sea which has been dubbed “a new paradise”.
Ronaldo gives back too – which is one of the reasons he doesn’t have any tattoos.
He’s highly dedicated, as a look inside his health and fitness regime shows.
That dedication saw him transform from a weedy teen to hulking Adonis.
Head here to read more on Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo said of the Citizens’ current woes: “Teams have moments. Difficult times, good times.
“City are passing through a difficult moment but I’m 100% sure they will be back.”
He added: “I think the big teams, the big players they are smart enough to understand what is the problem [and] where is the problem.
“I’m sure 100% they will be back. Guardiola is a very smart coach.
“He knows where the problem is coming from. They will be there like always.”
City will be back in action on Sunday afternoon, travelling to the King Power Stadium to take on Leciester City.
Putin makes mealy-mouthed APOLOGY after passenger plane was shot down by Russian missile killing 38
A SHAMED Vladimir Putin made a mealy-mouthed apology after a passenger plane is believed to have been shot down by a Russian missile.
Moscow state media reported the tyrant said a rare “sorry” over the crash that killed 38 people in a phone call with Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev.
But despite apologising, Vlad continued to dodge taking responsibility for the Christmas Day disaster – instead being merely sorry the incident happened in his airspace.
He described the crash as a “tragic incident” – and admitted that Russian air defences were active at the time of the approach by the plane.
The 72-year-old insisted they were repelling Ukrainian drones attacking the Russian region of Chechnya.
It is understood Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 was hit by a Russian air defence missile while going to land in Grozny after taking off from Baku in Azerbaijan.
Pilots bravely struggled on in their crippled airliner – managing to cross the Caspian Sea before plummeting to the ground near Aktau International Airport in Kazakhstan.
In a statement on the phonecall, the Kremlin said: “A detailed discussion was held regarding the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane on 25 December near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan.
“Vladimir Putin expressed his apologies for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace.
“He once again extended his deepest and most sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.
“During the conversation, it was noted that the Azerbaijani passenger aircraft, which was strictly following its scheduled route, had made several attempts to land at the airport in Grozny.
“At the time, Grozny, Mozdok, and Vladikavkaz were under attack by Ukrainian combat drones, and Russian air defence systems were repelling these assaults.”
The plane is believed to have been downed by a Pantsir-S air defence system.
The Kremlin said: “The Investigative Committee of Russia has opened a criminal case under Article 263 of the Criminal Code (violation of traffic safety rules and the operation of air transport). Initial investigative actions are underway, and both civilian and military specialists are being questioned.
“At present, two employees from the General Prosecutor’s Office of Azerbaijan are in Grozny, working jointly with representatives of the General Prosecutor’s Office and the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation.
“Specialised services from Russia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan are closely cooperating at the crash site near Aktau.”
More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online
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Chrissy Teigen in sweary rant at British ‘kn**s and t***s’ after backlash over ‘major error’ while watching Arsenal play
CHRISSY Teigen hit back at British “kn**s and t***s'” after backlash over confusing Ipswich Town for Chelsea Football Club.
The model joined husband John Legend to watch Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in London yesterday.
Following the match, the famous couple were interviewed on Prime Video while wearing a Chelsea football shirt.
Asked why she supports Chelsea, Chrissy appeared to confuse the tram with Ipswich Town.
She said: “Listen, I love an underdog, and I love coming in and being surprised by how much a team can do and and I think it was so much fun for us to root for them, because everyone was on Arsenal side.
“Yeah, I wanted to really give them the support that they needed. When you said Chelsea, I was like, is Chelsea Ipswich? I don’t know.”
She also suggested “soccer needs more goals” and “the main goals should be higher in the air” as ways to improve the game.
Chrissy teamed up her Chelsea shirt with a half and half scarf of Arsenal and Ipswich Town to watch her first Premier League game with her family.
However, her football knowledge was slammed by fans who branded her “clueless”.
Chrissy furiously hit back on Instagram, saying: “You know who the biggest ‘n**s and t***s’ are? The people who don’t like soccer as much as I do.
“I’m currently getting roasted for being the world’s biggest soccer fan.
“Everybody’s jealous because I’m the biggest fan and they’re jealous.
“They’re jealous that they’ll never be as a big a fan as me.”
Chrissy then shared an old picture of her wearing a football kit before playing a match, writing; “Does this look like the face of someone who doesn’t know soccer?'”
Her singer husband John earlier told Prime Video they are staying in London for Christmas and brought their kids to see their first Premier League match.
“This was so fun,” he said.
“This is our first Premier League game ever, and we’re here for the holidays.
“We’re having a great time. You know, my friends, I don’t know the league very well, and my friends were like, well, Arsenal is going to win by like, you know, six goals.
“But it was a closer match than we expected, closer than we thought.”
Chrissy added: “We feel spoiled to get to be here, especially as people that don’t understand the game and the nuances as much as anybody else. So the fact that we get to be on the field…”