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Luke Littler EXACT time vs Ryan Meikle at World Darts Championship TONIGHT

LUKE LITTLER has his sights set on the World Darts Championship once again and returns to the oche TONIGHT!

The teenage sensation added a staggering TEN titles to his ever-bulging cabinet in 2024.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 03: Runner-up Luke Littler of England celebrates with the runner-up trophy after the 2023/24 Paddy Power World Darts Championship Final between Luke Littler of England and Luke Humphries of England on Day Sixteen of the 2023/24 Paddy Power World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace on January 03, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Tom Dulat/Getty Images)
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Luke Littler won ten titles in 2024 and is in action tonight[/caption]

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 first match at the World Darts Championship 2024?

The teenage sensation will be in World Darts Championship action against Ryan Meikle at Alexandra Palace on Saturday, December 21.

Littler’s second-round match will be in the evening session, which starts from 7pm GMT.

He will be the penultimate match of the evening – at the time of writing he is scheduled for a 9.10pm GMT start, but that is subject to change based on how long the earlier matches take.

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.
  • There is no play on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Boxing Day.
  • 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

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Dollar Tree’s ‘high-quality’ $1.25 gift boxes ‘perfect’ for last-minute presents and shoppers praise ‘fast shipping’

Christmas is just around the corner, and if you’ve left shopping until the last minute, Dollar Tree is here to save the day.

From affordable must-have gits and stylish gift packaging, Dollar Tree is winning shoppers over with these colorful $1.25 nesting boxes. 

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The colorful boxes are a hit with shoppers[/caption]
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Fill the boxes with gifts, mementos or more[/caption]

Voila Colorful Iridescent Nesting Boxes with Bows, $1.25

Whether you’re staging the ultimate Christmas arrangement or plan to fill these nesting boxes with gifts your family and friends will love, the eye-catching boxes are ideal for last-minute shopping.

Run; don’t walk to Dollar Tree because there’s not long left until the big day.

SEALED WITH A BOW

Each set of nesting boxes features a coordinated design, complete with matching ribbons that add a sophisticated touch. 

Shoppers will find boxes available in an assortment of four vibrant colors: turquoise, white, purple, and red.

There are three convenient sizes too: small, medium, and large for only $1.25.

The variety of sizes caters to your gifting needs; whether you’re wrapping up jewelry, trinkets, or keepsakes, these versatile containers won’t break your budget.

Their sturdy construction ensures they’ll hold up over time (and beyond Christmas Day).

GLEAMING REVIEWS

Shoppers are particularly impressed by the value for money and speedy delivery.

“I love these nesting boxes, they are perfect for my shop on Etsy” one customer shared online.

They followed up by sharing, “Easy to make my items into gifts from a high-quality set of boxes in three different sizes.”

They also noted, “Fast shipping and the best price around.”

Whether you’re preparing for the holiday season, birthdays, or if you’re just looking for an elegant way to store personal mementos, these nesting gift boxes are a budget-friendly option. 

Dollar Tree dupes

Savvy shoppers have scoured Dollar Tree to find dupes of their favorite products

Shoppers found a perfect replica of a $150 set of Pottery Barn plates and bowls. Plus, Dollar Tree has matching mugs.

Dollar Tree also had dupes for the viral Starbucks tumblers.

Customers found dupes for Home Depot’s $39 outdoor solar lights.

Dollar Tree has a dupe for The Pink Stuff cleaning paste, too.

Since the assortment may vary, it’s always a good idea to check availability to ensure you find the perfect color and size combination.

The boxes are not designed to hold food items, so keep that in mind when planning your gift-giving or storage needs.

With their stylish design and durable construction, they’re sure to make your gifts stand out.

Looking for more options to transform your home for the holidays?

Dollar Tree is also selling a range of name-brand toys, from Barbie, Hot Wheels and more, which is perfect for last-minute gift shopping.

Elsewhere, Trader Joe’s is bringing back its $2.69 Christmas favorite snack.

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Deal with EU on youth mobility scheme IS on the cards, Labour MP says

A DEAL with the EU over free movement for young people IS on the cards, a senior Labour MP has suggested.

Stella Creasy said calls for a youth mobility scheme were “pushing at an open door”.

Stella Creasy, Labour MP for Walthamstow, in a cafe.
The Times
Labour MP Stella Creasy. Photograph by Richard Pohle[/caption]
Protesters outside Parliament in London on the third anniversary of Brexit, advocating for the UK to rejoin the EU.
Alamy
Protesters gather outside Parliament with EU flags[/caption]
Pro-EU protestors outside Parliament in London, holding signs against Brexit.
EPA
Pro-EU campaigners protest outside parliament to mark the 4th anniversary of Brexit Day in London, 31 January 2024.[/caption]

She said it was an “absolute hot topic” for both the British Government and the European Commission.

“The good news is, it is being discussed,” Ms Creasy told a pro-Europe Labour group.

“It is very clear that there has been negotiation and movement on there. So we are pushing at an open door.”

Headshot of Priti Patel.
AFP
Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel says Labour is trying to undo Brexit[/caption]

But Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel accused Labour of trying to “unpick” Brexit.

She said: “Labour can try and deny it all they like, but the whole country can see what their real game is – Keir Starmer is trying to unpick Brexit at every opportunity he can.

“Labour have surrendered in every negotiation they’ve entered from the Chagos Islands to inflation busting pay rises for their union chums, and this clearly won’t be any different.

“The Conservatives will not let them drag us back into the EU via the back door. We will hold them to account.”

A youth mobility, or “experience” scheme, long demanded by Brussels, could let under-30s live, work, and study freely between the UK and EU.

Ms Creasy added: “I was in Brussels last week and I can absolutely confirm this is one of the topics that people want to talk to you about.”

She made the comments this month at a briefing for the Labour Movement for Europe.

There are now more MPs who are members of the group than there are Tory MPs, according to reports.

Sir Keir Starmer leaving 10 Downing Street.
Getty
Brexiteers fear Sir Keir Starmer, who spent years campaigning for a second referendum, wants to reverse the vote by the back door.[/caption]

Ms Creasy, who chairs the group, insists they are not plotting to rejoin the EU and are instead trying to “salvage” our relationship.

The MP for Walthamstow has been tipped as a potential Labour Mayor of London candidate.

Asked about rejoining, she added: “The honest truth is that talks and discussions – even if Europe were willing to entertain it for rejoining – would be a 10 year process.

“Frankly, an entire generation of young people do not have 10 years for negotiations.

“They need us to do things now, to salvage something for them, to have a future. And a youth mobility scheme is a starting point.”

A Government spokesperson said: “There are no plans for a Youth Mobility Scheme and we will not return to freedom of movement.”

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Christmas markets in Europe on high alert after Magdeburg attacker was able to ‘dodge bollards’ in rampage that killed 5

BUSY Christmas markets across Europe are quickly bolstering up their security following the horror Magdeburg car attack.

The Saudi refugee doctor suspected of being behind the rampage that killed five is said to have dodged bollards before speeding down the packed street.

Person lying on the ground near a damaged car.
Supplied
The moment suspect Taleb A was arrested by German cops at the scene of the horror Christmas car crash[/caption]
Aerial view of a large crowd of people.
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Footage caught the moment the car ploughed into the market[/caption]
Police officers at a cordoned-off Christmas market after a vehicle-ramming attack.
EPA
The Magdeburg market was left in tatters following the deadly drive[/caption]
Memorial candles and flowers at a Christmas market.
Reuters
The concrete blocks that officials believe the suspect may have dodged before speeding down the packed street[/caption] Map showing the location of a car attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, including the car's path and speed.

Taleb A, 50, has been named by local media as the suspected driver with officials now speculating how he managed to get his large BMW onto the market roads.

A line of concrete blocks had been placed on the street where joyous revellers filled out as the Christmas celebrations spread across the city.

Security teams felt the protective slabs would be a big enough deterrence and prevent any vehicle from storming down the street.

These bollards were made mandatory following a similar horrifying attack after a man with Islamist links crashed into a Christmas market in Berlin.


It comes as…

  • Five confirmed dead, including one nine-year-old
  • Over 205 injured with dozens in a critical condition
  • Suspect named as Saudi doctor Taleb A
  • Taleb was allegedly under the influence of drugs when arrested
  • Police issue UK terror warning over fears of “copycat strike”
  • Harry Kane leads tributes to victims
  • German Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks on tragedy

Thirteen people died after Anis Amri rammed a semi truck into a large crowd in 2016.

Despite the additions, the Magdeburg driver appeared to have found a gap along a tramline big enough to force his car through.

The road he used was a rescue route for emergency doctors and firefighters which wasn’t being appropriately guarded, according to Bild.

He then rammed into a crowd in the city and left 205 people injured.

The driver, said to be Taleb, managed to reach speeds of up to 40mph and travelled for around 1,300ft, according to horrified witnesses.

Security expert Will Geddes told The Sun that the slight lapse of judgement with the bollards will be “very sad and regrettable” for organisers.

He said: “What is really quite surprising about this particular incident is that the last time a successful Christmas market attack took place was in 2016 – also in Germany.

“And ever since, that has brought attention to hazardous and hostile vehicle mitigation measures so you could prevent these kinds of situations from taking place.

“So what is very sad and regrettable is that the German authorities when setting up this Christmas market didn’t actually take those measures into consideration.”

The fatal market set up has sent shockwaves across the rest of Germany and Europe with security being rapidly tightened up to prevent a similar disaster in the coming days.

Several German states and major cities with festivities taking place have vowed to protect their citizens.

Berlin is already taking “preliminary measures” by calling in extra cops and guards to patrol the events.

Leipzig have taken similar precautionary action as have the states of Hesse, Bremen, Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate and Schleswig-Holstein.

Thousands of extra officers, including plain clothed cops, are being readied up, say the authorities.

Vehicle barriers at a Christmas market.
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Mobile vehicle barriers in front of the Striezelmarkt in Germany after the attack in Magdeburg[/caption]
Police officers in tactical gear stand at night.
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German special police forces attended the scene on Friday[/caption]
Pedestrians walk past a police vehicle in Brussels following a car crash at a Christmas market in Germany.
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Concrete barriers seen in Brussels city centre[/caption]
Security guards at a crowded Christmas market.
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Increased security at the Magical Maastricht Christmas market in the Netherlands[/caption]
Photo of Taleb Jawad Al Abdulmohsen.
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A picture believed to show Taleb[/caption]

Markus Lewe, President of the German Association of Cities, added that they are taking the raised terror warnings “very seriously and regularly adjusting measures”.

Across in the UK, the police have sent out urgent notices to take care when attending public events across the next week.

They told revellers heading to Christmas markets to be on their guard and immediately report anything suspicious.

Chief Superintendent Kris Wright from the Met Police, said: “At this time of year, we naturally see more people heading out and about to enjoy the festive period.

“We want people to enjoy themselves, but also to stay safe, so we are asking the public to report anything that doesn’t look or feel right to us.

“The power of public reporting should not be underestimated. It is never a waste of time to speak to us, or submit an online report.

“Sadly, the threat from terrorism is a real one, so it is vital that we have the support of the public, which helps our own operations and activity to keep everyone safe.”

It comes as Chris Phillips, the former head of the UK’s Counter Terrorism Security Office, told GB News he fears “copycat” attacks could now develop.

Vienna police have also announced plans to “intensify” their presence at Christmas markets in the Austrian capital as a result of the attack.

Christmas market horror

Five people including a nine-year-old child have died after a Saudi doctor deliberately drove into crowds at a German Christmas market.

At least 205 people were also injured in the attack in Magdeburg, with dozens being seriously hurt after the car ploughed into unsuspecting revellers.

Footage later captured the driver of a black BMW being arrested at the scene just after 7.04pm local time on Friday.

Armed cops caught the refugee and placed him in handcuffs next to the rented SUV believed to have been used in the chilling incident.

He was allegedly under the influence of drugs after an initial drug wipe test came back as positive, a police source told Bild.

The driver has been named locally as Taleb A.

Pictures show his home was quickly surrounded by cops after his identity was revealed as investigators raided the building at around 3:45am.

He is set to be hit with five murder charges following the rampage.

Who is Taleb A?

THE man suspected of killing five people after ramming them with his car at a German Christmas market is a 50-year-old Saudi doctor.

Ever since he was identified by local media a number of revelations about his past have emerged.

It has been reported that Taleb is an anti-Islam activist who arrived in Germany in 2006 as a refugee from Saudi Arabia, according to Bild.

German interior minister Nancy Faeser confirmed to reporters today that the suspect is Islamophobic.

The doctor is also said to have shared hundreds of strange posts on his social media in the days before the attack.

One allegedly claimed he felt that Germany wanted to “Islamicise” Europe, the newspaper reported.

He is reportedly also a vocal supporter of the hard-Right AfD party.

Taleb has lived in the nearby town of Bernburg – just over 30 minutes from Magdeburg – since fleeing the Middle East.

German media say he became a specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy and works in the neighbouring town.

He has been officially recognised as a refugee since 2016, local media say.

German media also say they have spotted Taleb in a BBC documentary back in 2019.

Taleb A also stayed at the Maritim Hotel in Magdeburg numerous times in November and December.

He may have prepared the crime during these visits, according to Spiegel.

The man’s motive remains unclear.

Witnesses said the ground was covered in blood and tinsel as doctors scrambled to treat the injured.

The first two deaths were later confirmed by Mr Haseloff with city authorities confirming a total of at least 68 people were hurt.

The car went “through people” and sent others “going over it”, a man standing just feet away from the crash added.

Some of the injured are said to be in a critical condition with a huge number of emergency workers at the scene.

Tents were immediately set up to treat victims while all hospitals in the area said they were preparing for a “mass casualty event”.

Neighbouring cities, including Halle, around 50 miles from Magdeburg, also prepared their hospitals to take in victims.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in Magdeburg today and addressed a large crowd in the heartbroken city.

He described the events as “a terribly, tragic incident” as he confirmed five people have been confirmed as dead so far.

Scholz said: “What a terrible act it is to injure and kill so many people there with such brutality.

“Almost 40 are so seriously injured that we must be very worried about them.”

“It is important that nothing remains uninvestigated, that every stone is turned,” he added.

Damaged cars behind police tape.
Reuters
The smashed up BMW used by suspect Taleb A[/caption]
A large crowd at a Christmas market with a Ferris wheel in the background.
Getty
British security experts have also issued a warning following an attack on a Christmas market in Germany[/caption]

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