Merry Christmas ya filthy animals! Is there anything better than turkey-fuelled afternoons spent watching the round-up of Christmas films on telly? But as chocolates and a cup of tea officially become a food group EVOKE has a challenge for all the self-confessed Christmas elves out there. Are you able to rattle off iconic sayings from Christmas films […]
The post Calling all Christmas movie fans! Do you think you can get 10/10 in this cracker of a quiz? appeared first on RollerCoaster.
THE World Darts Championship is underway at Ally Pally – and there are some huge ties taking place TODAY!
Reigning champion Luke Humphries started his title defence with a stunning 3-0 victory over Thibault Tricole on the opening night.
Left-handed genius James Wade is in action RIGHT NOW, while 2021 winner Gerwyn Price features tonight.
But teen sensation Luke Littler and his army of fans face a lengthy wait to kickstart his campaign.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
Follow ALL the action from the World Darts Championship with our live blog below…
WE ALL have personal ratings for our GP surgery, depending on whether we nab a same-day appointment or are left on hold for hours.
Now, you can see if your rating lines up with the one given by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) – as an interactive map reveals the best and worst rated GP practices across England.
A study has revealed that 5 per cent of GPs in England – amounting to 292 practices – are currently performing below standard.
This means they’ve been rated as ‘Inadequate’ or ‘Requires Improvement’ by the CQC, which regulates health and social care services in England.
Medical negligence specialists at Patient Claim Line revealed the locations of the worst rated NHS GPs and the concerns raised by inspectors.
A total of 278 GPs were given an ‘Outstanding’ rating by regulators, meaning they’re “performing exceptionally well” – about 4.8 per cent of practices.
Meanwhile, 90 per cent of NHS GPs – amounting to 5,193 surgeries – were graded ‘Good’ to show that they’re “performing well and meeting expectations”.
Inspectors thought 261 services weren’t performing as well as they should and a total of 31 were rated ‘Inadequate’ – meaning a service performing so badly that the CQC needed to take action against its provider.
Nermeen Salahuddin, a solicitor at Patient Claim Line, said: “We are concerned by the findings revealed in CQC inspections of doctors’ surgeries across England.
“Our analysis shows alarming shortcomings in the NHS, with GP practices being cited for serious lapses in patient safety and care.
“The inspections highlight a lack of oversight, ineffective governance, and failures to address key areas such as safeguarding, staff training, and the management of health risks.
“These deficiencies, including the misdiagnosis of serious conditions like diabetes and the lack of adequate monitoring for patients on
high-risk medications, show that patient care is being compromised in ways that could have life-altering consequences.
“GPs rated ‘inadequate’ must take immediate and decisive action to ensure that patients across the country feel safe and properly cared for when they visit their doctors.”
GPs are assessed on five core categories, whether they’re: safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led.
GPs have called CQC one-word ratings “fundamentally flawed” and urged that the CQC inspection regime should be scrapped altogether.
But others say that the CQC’s inspections and ratings are an
effective system for regulating and inspecting health and social care providers in England.
Of the GPs that failed to meet regulators’ standards, six were in Essex, four were in the West Midlands and another four in London.
CQC experts identified issues with systems supposed to ensure patient safety, staffing and training, governance and hygiene.
Patient Claim Line picked out ratings from some GP practices rated ‘Inadequate’.
For example, inspectors at Church Langley Medical Centre in Harlow, Essex, found “there were gaps in systems to assess, monitor and manage risks to patient safety and that “vaccines were not
appropriately stored to ensure they remained safe and effective”.
A scheme dubbed Pharmacy First that allows chemists to treat seven common health conditions was rolled out in pharmacies in England earlier this year.
Its aim is to free up GP appointments for patients who need them most and give people quicker and more convenient access to healthcare and medicines, where necessary.
Pharmacists across England are able to assess and treat patients for:
“Appropriate standards of cleanliness and hygiene were not met,” inspectors added in their rating.
As for Faircross s Health Centre in Barking, a “misdiagnosis of diabetes” was identified in three patients.
For the Tulasi Medical Centre in Dagenham, inspectors said: “There continued to be a risk of harm to patients due to the absence of all the necessary systems and processes being in place, or operating effectively which could adversely impact the quality and safety of
the service being delivered at the practice.”
A total of 278 GPs were rated ‘Outstanding’, accounting for 4.8 per cent of surgeries across England.
Twenty-three of these were in Devon and Greater Manchester, 19 in Nottinghamshire and 17 in Derbyshire.
Another 14 were in the West Midlands and 11 in Cumbria.
The report comes after ambulance and A&E bosses warned that more patients are falling critically ill because they fail to get help from their GP.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting last month that hospitals will be ranked in a national league table as part of a crackdown on badly performing trusts.
Mr Streeting said there will be “zero tolerance for failure” and crisis teams will be sent to turn around low-ranking hospitals that failed to meet standards on waiting times, patient care and spending.
DARTS fans are in for a thrilling end to 2024 as the World Championship begins TODAY – and the top stars will be battling it out for the iconic crown once again!
Luke Humphries rubber-stamped his name in darts history by beating teen sensation Luke Littler to lift the 2023/24 crown and earn World No 1 status for the first time in his career.
It was a match fit to be labelled as the showpiece event, with Humphries marginally winning 7-4 despite being 4-2 down at one stage.
The tournament broke records by recording the most 180s achieved (914), raising £914,000 for charity, which was ultimately rounded up to £1 million.
And with competition rife as ever, especially between the two Lukes, fans are in for another super spectacle at Alexandra Palace.
Humphries is set to start his campaign on the first night of the competition and will face the winner of Thibault Tricole vs Joe Comito, while Littler will not play until December 21 – the same night as Tyson Fury‘s rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.
Plus, the likes of Stephen Bunting, Nathan Aspinall and Michael van Gerwen are all set to feature.
But there will be no emotional Ally Pally send-off for darts legend Steve Beaton as the Bronzed Adonis failed at the first hurdle of Tour Card Holder qualifying.
It will be the best of five sets in the first and second rounds of the tournament.
As the rounds progress, matches go to best of seven, then nine before reaching best of 11.
While the final will be the best of 13 sets.
The 32 highest-ranking darts players have already automatically qualified for the second round.
BELOW is a list of Darts world champions by year.
The list does not include winners from the pre-Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) era or BDO world champions.
That means Raymond van Barneveld, for example, is only listed once – Barney also won four BDO titles – and none of Eric Bristow’s five BDO titles are included.
Most World Titles
Sunday, December 15
Evening Session (7pm)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Monday, December 16
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Evening Session (7pm)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Tuesday, December 17
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Evening Session (7pm)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Wednesday, December 18 (7pm)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Thursday, December 19
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Evening Session (7pm)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Friday, December 20
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Evening Session (7pm)
2x First Round, 2x Second Round
Saturday, December 21
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
4x Second Round
Evening Session (7pm)
4x Second Round
Sunday, December 22
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
4x Second Round
Evening Session (7pm)
4x Second Round
Monday, December 23
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
4x Second Round
Evening Session (7pm)
4x Second Round
Friday, December 27
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
3x Third Round
Evening Session (7pm)
3x Third Round
Saturday, December 28
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
3x Third Round
Evening Session (7pm)
3x Third Round
Sunday, December 29
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
3x Third Round
Evening Session (7pm)
1x Third Round, 2x Fourth Round
Monday, December 30
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
3x Fourth Round
Evening Session (7pm)
3x Fourth Round
Wednesday, January 1
Afternoon Session (12.30pm)
2x Quarter-Finals
Evening Session (7pm)
2x Quarter-Finals
Thursday, January 2 (7.30pm)
Semi-Finals
Friday, January 3 (8pm)
Final
SHOCKING video shows the moment two planes crash into each other as the pilots scream over the deafening sound of scraping metal.
Two planes collided on the runway after an electrical failure forced one to make an emergency landing.
Footage taken from the cockpit of the stricken craft shows it tilting wildly while coming into land.
Just yards ahead, another light aircraft can be seen lined up with the runway.
It touches down just seconds before the plane behind makes contact with the tarmac.
A few seconds later, shouts of panic ring out.
Almost instantaneously, a bang and a crunch are heard as the second plane slams into the aircraft in front.
After a few tense seconds with the camera pointing down, the occupants can be heard asking each other if they’re OK.
Thankfully, no one was badly hurt in the collision at Pearland Regional Airport, in Houston, Texas.
However, the person who recorded the video on December 11 said both planes were “likely totaled.”
He and his friends had taken off from Galveston earlier that day.
But their 1973 Grumman American AA-5 Traveler developed “electrical issues” while approaching their destination.
He wrote on social media: “First, the headsets went out, then the radio, then the avionics.
“We knew we had to get down quickly and made an emergency landing behind another plane with no working instruments.
The prop tore a hole in the left side of his fuselage and destroyed the side of his aircraft.
Passenger
“Fortunately, our skilled pilot was able to set us down.
“However, with no way to communicate, the pilot ahead was unaware of our presence and stopped abruptly to make a left turn on the tarmac.
“With our flaps not operational, we couldn’t slow down fast enough and plowed into his plane as he turned.
“The prop tore a hole in the left side of his fuselage and destroyed the side of his aircraft.”
The T-boned aircraft is a Cessna 182T Skylane, as reported by NeedToKnow.
The passenger continued: “Thankfully, he had no passenger in the back seat, or it would have been fatal.
“In our aircraft, the impact was devastating, with aluminum crumpling and glass exploding everywhere.
“My shoulder pushed through the window, and I sustained slight external injuries. But thankfully, everyone was okay.”
The NTSB did not respond immediately to The U.S. Sun’s requests for comment.
PRINCE Andrew won’t be joining the Royal Family at Sandringham for Christmas after his “close confidant” Chinese “spy” is unmasked.
The Duke of York has has decided to give the celebrations a miss this year.
It is understood his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, has also dropped out from the Norfolk festivities.
The pair are said to be staying at Royal Lodge for the period instead.
Both Andrew and Fergie’s daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, had already chosen to spend Christmas with their respective in-laws.
It comes as a suspected Chinese spy who was friends with Andrew has been unmasked for the first time.
Yang Tengbo, 50 – who is understood to have been a “close confidante” of the Duke of York – can be named after a court anonymity ban was lifted this afternoon.
During a tribunal hearing, judges concluded Yang had not been honest about his links to the Chinese state and could exploit his relationship with the duke and other public figures.
The former chairman of Hampton Group had been in the country for two decades.
Photos show him posing alongside ex-Prime Ministers David Cameron and Theresa May, as well as the royal.
He was even invited to Andrew’s birthday party in 2020 and supported him through his recent scandals.
But the suspected spy subsequently lost an appeal against a decision to ban him from the UK on national security grounds.
He was stopped by counter-terrorism services in 2021 and ordered to surrender his devices.
Court documents said Yang had split his time between China and the UK and told officials he considered this country his second home.
In February last year, he was “off-boarded” from a flight from Beijing to London and told the home secretary was in the process of examining the case to exclude him from the UK.
That order was made the following month, with his appeal against the decision rejected last week by a special immigration appeals tribunal.
Judges concluded Yang had not been honest about his links to the Chinese state and could exploit his relationship with the duke and other public figures.
Guy Vassall-Adams KC, for Yang, told the High Court: “There has been an enormous amount of media reporting in relation to this story, and particularly in relation to the relationship between my client, H6, and Prince Andrew, as well as a huge amount of speculation about the identity of my client.”
Yang said he has “done nothing wrong or unlawful”, adding in a statement that the “widespread description of me as a ‘spy’ is entirely untrue”.
It comes after the Sun reported last week a foreign agent knew how to sneak people in and out of the duke’s Royal Lodge home.
The shock revelation emerged in a letter from one of the royal’s top advisers, Dominic Hampshire, to the spy.
Mr Hampshire continued to work for Andrew even after the note was found by MI5 on the spy’s phone in 2020.
It read: “I hope that it is clear to you where you sit with my principal (Andrew) and indeed his family.
“You should never underestimate the strength of that relationship.
“You sit at the very top of a tree many people would like to be on.”
It added: “Under your guidance, we found a way to get the relevant people unnoticed in and out of the house in Windsor.”
Mr Hampshire also confirmed the man could act for Andrew in talks with Chinese investors.
The note was sent 10 months after the duke withdrew from public life after paying damages to Virginia Roberts-Giuffre, a victim of his US paedo pal Jeffrey Epstein.
A source told The Sun: “Dom was still working for the duke until at least April this year.
“It’s hard to believe, given that Andrew must have known for years that his Chinese links had become a matter of national security.”
A statement from the duke’s office on Friday said “nothing of a sensitive nature [was] ever discussed”.
The statement added: “The Duke of York followed advice from HMG and ceased all contact with the individual after concerns were raised.
“The duke met the individual through official channels, with nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed.
“He is unable to comment further on matters relating to national security.”
Writing for the Sun, royal expert Phil Dampier said: “By allowing a Chinese spy inside royal residences like Windsor and Buckingham Palace he endangered the security of the whole Royal Family and the institution of the monarchy.”
THE family of rapper OG Maco has broken their silence about the death rumors surrounding the artist.
OG Maco, who was hospitalized with an apparent gunshot wound on December 13, is in critical but stable condition, his family confirmed.
“He is receiving the best possible care, and we stay hopeful as he continues to fight,” the message shared on the rapper‘s Instagram account read.
“At this time, we kindly ask that you respect our privacy, but if you would like to send any messages or have anything you wish to get to the family, please reach out via DM.
“Please note, all… updates regarding OG Maco’s health will come directly from his official social media accounts.
“This will be the only source for valid information. We thank you for your understanding, support, and continued prayers during this difficult time.”
OG Maco, whose real name is Benedict Chiajulam Ihesiba Jr., was found unresponsive in his home in Los Angeles on the morning of December 13, according to Hot97.
The rapper, 32, was found with a gunshot wound to the head and underwent emergency surgery, the outlet reported.
Poppa Perc, the rapper’s manager, previously told AllHipHop that OG Maco was on “life support, still fighting.”
“They are doing multiple tests on his brain and trying to let the swelling go down a bit, let his head heal a little bit, so they can do a procedure.
“Only immediate family is allowed at the hospital, but we’ve been getting updates.
“I thought he was dead when I first saw him,” the manager said upon finding the rapper unresponsive.
“We were about to rebrand and drop [new music] under a whole new alias,” he added.
“We need everyone’s prayers, but don’t get your hopes up.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.
More to follow… For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos.
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DRIVERS in a major city risk an uptrend in speeding tickets – after the speed limit drops to 25 mph.
Motorists in Chicago could even face paying up to $244 in penalties.
According to the Illinois Policy, Mayor Brandon Johnson supports reducing the speed limit from 30 to 25 mph and adding more speed cameras to help cover a nearly $1 billion budget deficit.
The move is expected to lead to a significant increase in tickets being issued, as well as revenue.
Johnson’s recent support for new speed cameras and lower speed limits marks a shift from his campaign promises to eliminate them.
From January to September 2024, speed cameras issued some $54 million worth of fines, $28 million less than the previous year.
Despite this decrease, cameras still issued 1.18 million tickets, with most revenue coming from late fees.
These late fees can more than double the original fine, effectively turning a $35 fine into an $85 ticket or a $100 fine into a $244 ticket.
Previously, former Mayor Lori Lightfoot had reduced the speed camera threshold which saw the number of tickets issued increase significantly.
Remarkably, seven cameras in Chicago issued over $1 million each in fines, with the most profitable camera located in the West Pullman neighbourhood.
The Southeast Side had the highest number of tickets and revenue per camera, while the Southwest Side had the least.
Overall, Chicago’s speed cameras have generated $933 million since 2013.
Recent studies suggest that while speed cameras can reduce crashes around camera sites, they do not necessarily improve overall road safety.
Indeed, they are often seen as revenue generators rather than safety measures.
This comes as a festively decorated Ford Mustang was pulled over by cops last week.
The sports car was stopped by police in Cheyenne, Wyoming, last Monday covered in Christmas lights.
In a statement posted to their Facebook page, the Wyoming Highway Patrol also warned others of placing holiday decorations on their vehicles, as the practice is illegal.
Elsewhere, a much-loved car dealership is set to close for good in just a matter of weeks after some 25 years of business.
First opened in 1998, the outlet is ready to close its doors for the final time on New Year’s Eve – as the owner simply tells loyal customers: “I can’t do this forever.”
Bruce’s Lakeside Motors, located on Route 22, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, is closing on December 31.
The shop’s long-time owner, Bruce Pergament, said: “It’s a decision that’s come with a lot of soul searching and prayer.”
A DEVASTATED woman is picking up the pieces after a single phone call about an issue with her Social Security number led to her losing $35,000.
The Alabama resident feared she would lose everything if she didn’t cooperate with the manipulative caller.
The woman, who lives in Pelham outside Birmingham, told Fox affiliate WBRC that she was first called on October 1 by someone she thought was Amazon.
The caller asked whether she had just purchased a new iPad for $1,400, and she responded that she had not.
This led to a series of calls with other bogus officials who claimed they were from the Federal Trade Commission.
They told the terrified woman that her money was being stolen and used for a money laundering scheme thanks to an issue with her Social Security number.
She briefly spoke with someone she thought was Wells Fargo before being sent masterfully designed fake forms from the same FTC people.
“It was the paperwork that convinced me or had me believing that it was for real,” she said.
The scammers tried to convince the poor woman that she was at risk of prosecution for her unfounded involvement with the money laundering crime.
They left her constant voicemails with threats, saying she would be evicted from her house if she didn’t act soon.
Finally, she was broken down. The FTC callers convinced her to hand off $35,000 in cash outside her home as “cooperation” with the investigation.
Now, she lives in fear that the scheming criminals know where she lives, and because she paid in cash, she will never get a cent of the $35,000 back.
Scammers use terrifying phone calls to extort people’s money daily, but they all make mistakes that expose their evil intentions.
Pelham Police Department Detective Todd McCann said any government agency requesting money is a massive red flag.
He explained that the “police department, county government, state government, or federal government” will never request payment from someone over the phone.
“Especially unusual payments like Venmo, wire money, gift cards, Bitcoin,” he told the outlet.
Anytime a consumer gets an unsolicited call from a bank or government agency, it’s advised to hang up and call back with the official phone number on their website.
Then, speak with a fraud expert at the company to see whether the call was legitimate.
Craig Costigan, the CEO of fraud experts NICE Actimize gave the following tips to readers of The U.S. Sun on how to stay safe from fraudsters.
Consumers should know that more than 33 million scam calls are made to American telephones each day, according to the National Consumer Law Center.
However, this is just one way fraudsters can snatch money from unexpecting citizens.
Another scam victim lost $135,000 after writing a check for home renovations.
The Air Force serviceman hired a couple to do some work on his new home.
However, as soon as the pair got cash, they quickly skipped town.
NOA-LYNN van Leuven made history when she became the first trans woman to play in a darts tournament on TV.
And she’s at it again — on December 17, 2024, Van Leuven will become the first transgender player to compete at the PDC World Darts Championship.
Noa-Lynn van Leuven secured her spot at Alexandra Palace following a run of impressive Women’s Series performances.
She defeated women’s world No. 1 Beau Greeves 5-3 in the final of Women’s Series 21, setting a record average of 109.64 in the process.
Van Leuven said: “It’s going to be a big achievement for me and for my kind of people. But I guess I just want to be Noa.
“I just want to play darts and not always having to talk about the fact I’m also transgender.
“I’m a darts player and I’m terribly good at it.
“But I guess it’s a big thing and I’m also the first Dutchwoman to play on the Alexandra Palace stage.”
Born on September 27, 1996, Noa-Lynn van Leuven is a Dutch darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events.
In 2023, she was the first trans woman to play in a darts TV tournament.
Van Leuven only began transitioning in 2022, and joined the Women’s Series around the same time.
She previously revealed how before she transitioned, she even considered giving up darts due to feeling depressed.
“I never really got into a group with people around darts. I was really unhappy with myself so my darts game wasn’t that good,” van Leuven told Sky Sports.
“When you’re not feeling great then nothing in life will be really, really good. I quit darts and then I became a happier version of myself but then I really wanted to start playing darts again.
“I tried to enjoy life as much as possible. I transitioned before going through a lot of meetings with a psychologist.”
When van Leuven isn’t busy taking over the world of darts, she still works as a chef de partie at her local restaurant in Heemskerk, a small town outside of Amsterdam.
I think it’s tough for transgender people to play sports, especially when people know that you’re trans because you have a big advantage until you prove it’s not.
Noa-Lynn van Leuven
She also has worked as a mediator offering support for trans people.
Van Leuven made her debut at the 2022 PDC Women’s Series.
She reached the quarter-finals of both events 13 and 14 of the Women’s Series, losing to Beau Greaves 4–2 and Laura Turner 4–3 respectively.
At the 2023 Dutch Open, Van Leuven entered the event as the 15th seed and reached the semi-finals, losing to Aileen de Graaf.
However, she went onto win the Denmark Open in 2023, beating Irina Armstrong.
This was followed by more triumph in March 2024, when van Leuven won the PDC Women’s Series, eight days after beating male rivals in a mixed event.
Van Leuven had to pass stringent transitioning tests to play in women’s darts.
The Darts Regulation Authority, the governing body for the PDC, states: “Darts is open to all who wish to be involved in any capacity and we encourage all trans and non-binary participants to take part.”
This has allowed Van Leuven to compete in the sport she loves.
She has spoken about her sympathy for trans athletes who want to compete in other sports that exclude them from competing in the gender category they identify with.
She told Sky Sports: “I feel devastated by the people that get hit by that.
“I think it’s tough for transgender people to play sports, especially when people know that you’re trans because you have a big advantage until you prove it’s not.”
Van Leuven has also opened up about the death threats she received following her Dutch teammates refusing to play alongside her.
In March 2024, Dutch duo Anca Zijlstra and Aileen de Graaf left the national women’s team because they did not want to play with a trans woman.
Van Leuven said: “We all remember when my Dutch team-mates pulled out.
“I got so many hate messages on my socials.
“People recognised me on the street. Most were fine and really supportive.
“But those messages, like death threats . . . how many did I get? On a daily basis? In that period, yes.
“But I love this game, so I’ll keep playing.”
Van Leuven likes to keep her followers up-to-date on her social media channels.
On Instagram you can follow her on her popular handle @noalynn180
Over on Twitter/X van Leuven posts regular updates on her channel @dartsnoa.
