tv BBC News at Six BBC News December 21, 2023 6:00pm-6:31pm GMT
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desperate to escape, terrified students jump from the roof. others barricaded themselves into classrooms as the gunmen went on a rampage. also on the programme: chaos on the concourse — tens of thousands left stranded, as the christmas getaway begins. ajudge says the a judge says the two teenagers who murdered brianna ghey will be named. there's to be a new gcse in british sign language. well, it is tops. and the new kid on the oche — britain's16—year—old luke littler triumphs at the world darts championships. and coming up on bbc news... we'll have more on the court ruling which could mean a re—emergence of a european super league — fans groups say no changes should be allowed to take place without the backing of supporters.
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good evening. at least 15 people have been killed in a mass shooting at a university in the heart of prague. police say the gunman was a student there himself. he opened fire this afternoon, injuring dozens of others. before police say he was eliminated himself. the gunman�*s father had been found dead at his home earlier in the day. gun crime is relatively rare in the czech republic. tonight, the country's president said he was shocked by the mass shooting. helena wilkinson has the latest. panic and confusion in the streets of central prague this afternoon. dozens fleeing after a gunman opened fire just days before christmas, in one of the most popular cities in europe. eyewitnesses filmed this dramatic video showing people jumping out of the university window
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to safety. four british tourists described the moment they first heard the gunshots. i described the moment they first heard the gunshots. i remember the first one, i heard the gunshots. i remember the first one. i sort _ heard the gunshots. i remember the first one, i sort of _ heard the gunshots. i remember the first one, i sort of looked _ heard the gunshots. i remember the first one, i sort of looked at - heard the gunshots. i remember the first one, i sort of looked at joe - first one, i sort of looked atjoe and i said, is that, almost questioning myself. then you saw people running and you heard a few screams and you thought, it can't be. you tell yourself, you see it on the news and you always think, i don't believe it. you always think you won't be in that situation. and then you hear another one and another one and we were like, and we heard police sirens and then it became clear that we need to get out of here. . , , . , became clear that we need to get out ofhere. ., , of here. emergency services rushed to the charles _ of here. emergency services rushed to the charles university _ of here. emergency services rushed to the charles university where - of here. emergency services rushed to the charles university where it i to the charles university where it happens. reports of the mass shooting began to emerge at around 3:30pm local time. this woman was close by and —— the wife of this man was close by and told me how she felt. ,, . , was close by and told me how she felt, ,, ., , ., ~' was close by and told me how she felt. ,, .,, ., ~ . ., felt. she was walking close to where it happened — felt. she was walking close to where it happened so _ felt. she was walking close to where it happened so she _ felt. she was walking close to where it happened so she heard _ felt. she was walking close to where
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it happened so she heard gunshots l it happened so she heard gunshots and moved away incredibly quickly. the shooting happened at the university's faculty of arts in prague's old town, close to the historic charles bridge. students had to look, _ historic charles bridge. students had to look, lock _ historic charles bridge. students had to look, lock themselves - historic charles bridge. students had to look, lock themselves up| historic charles bridge. students i had to look, lock themselves up in the rooms. they put the furniture in front of the doors. they were ready to fight with the suspect if the suspect will come inside the room where they have been locked. details have since emerged _ where they have been locked. details have since emerged about the - have since emerged about the 24—year—old gunman who was a student at the university. police say it is thought he was inspired by similar massacres abroad. his father was also found dead earlier today. tonight, prague is a city in shock, with many dead and injured. place of learning bringing down for christmas, shattered by deadly violence. helena wilkinson, bbc news. the christmas getaway has ground
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to a halt for tens of thousands of people today because of strong winds and also an unexpected strike by eurotunnel workers in france. storm pia has brought wind gusts of up to 80 mph in northern parts of the uk, bringing down power lines in parts of scotland and leaving homes without electricity. train services between london and scotland on the west coast mainline have been cancelled because of damage to overhead power lines. and on top of that, a last—minute strike by eurotunnel workers in france means all eurostar and leshuttle services in and out of london are cancelled until further notice. the young boy whose bedroom the 60 tonne tree fell on top of indaba ship was in it at the time. don't worry, he wasn't heard. i ship was in it at the time. don't worry, he wasn't heard.- ship was in it at the time. don't worry, he wasn't heard. i 'ust heard what i worry, he wasn't heard. i 'ust heard what t thought i worry, he wasn't heard. i 'ust heard what i thought was _ worry, he wasn't heard. i 'ust heard what i thought was an _ worry, he wasn't heard. ijust heard what i thought was an earthquake. | worry, he wasn't heard. ijust heard i what i thought was an earthquake. we both ran in and grabbed him as quick as we could. and obviously, his bedroom hasjust as we could. and obviously, his bedroom has just been destroyed, really. so he's very, very lucky he
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wasn't injured in any way.- really. so he's very, very lucky he wasn't injured in any way. wasn't in'ured in any way. sunak is mainl wasn't injured in any way. sunak is mainly passing _ wasn't injured in any way. sunak is mainly passing to _ wasn't injured in any way. sunak is mainly passing to the _ wasn't injured in any way. sunak is mainly passing to the north of- mainly passing to the north of scotland, but it is leading to some strong winds across the uk —— store pia. in england, thousands of people in the midlands —based power cuts this morning. no surprises it has affected people's travel plans, too. british airways said it had to adjust its schedule. planes hit at birmingham airport would bringing take—off and landing challenging. a lorry on the bottom bridge on the 60 was blown over. haply again, no—one was blown over. haply again, no—one was injured. and trees blocked roads and the service station in derby. there was also a problem on the train lines in scotland, along with other debris. well, the strong winds didn't come quite farther south to london, but the travel chaos certainly did. passengers here at euston are not being allowed onto the concourse as there are no trains coming in or out. and one of london's business —— busiest stations. london's business -- busiest stations-— london's business -- busiest stations. , ., , ., , stations. they have shut the gates to the stations, _
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stations. they have shut the gates to the stations, there _ stations. they have shut the gates to the stations, there is _ stations. they have shut the gates to the stations, there is no - stations. they have shut the gates to the stations, there is no staff i to the stations, there is no staff around — to the stations, there is no staff around saying what is happening or anything _ around saying what is happening or anything i— around saying what is happening or an hint. ., . around saying what is happening or an hint. ., , . around saying what is happening or an hint. . ., ., around saying what is happening or an hint. .,, . ., ., ., anything. i was excited to go and see my mum. — anything. i was excited to go and see my mum. my _ anything. i was excited to go and see my mum, my family, - anything. i was excited to go and see my mum, my family, my - anything. i was excited to go and - see my mum, my family, my sisters, my brothers — see my mum, my family, my sisters, my brothers. they _ see my mum, my family, my sisters, my brothers. they came _ see my mum, my family, my sisters, my brothers. they came to _ see my mum, my family, my sisters, my brothers. they came to euston i my brothers. they came to euston station _ my brothers. they came to euston station and — my brothers. they came to euston station and the _ my brothers. they came to euston station and the train _ my brothers. they came to euston station and the train is _ my brothers. they came to euston station and the train is delayed . my brothers. they came to eustonl station and the train is delayed and i station and the train is delayed and i don't _ station and the train is delayed and i don't know— station and the train is delayed and i don't know how— station and the train is delayed and i don't know how i _ station and the train is delayed and idon't know how i will— station and the train is delayed and i don't know how i will get - station and the train is delayed and i don't know how i will get home. l i don't know how i will get home. i feel i don't know how i will get home. feel worried because it might i don't know how i will get home." feel worried because it might be, we might be stuck in here for very long time. �* , ., , , might be stuck in here for very long time. �* i. ,, ., time. and you might miss father christmas? _ time. and you might miss father christmas? yes. _ time. and you might miss father christmas? yes. network- time. and you might miss father christmas? yes. network rail. time. and you might miss father| christmas? yes. network rail say they have solved the problem now, but disruption is likely to continue until the end of the day. and tonight, it is an even more miserable picture on the eurotunnel were all trains are being cancelled until further notice. a last—minute strike by eurotunnel staff mean they haven't been any channel tunnel crossings since midday. ellie price. bbc news. let's speak to our transport correspondent, katy austin, who is at st pancras station for us. katy, a day of chaos. when will this resolve itself? well, it is unclear at the moment. this unexpected strike by staff who
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work for eurotunnel, which is over a bonus payment, brought channel tunnel services to a halt this afternoon, affecting thousands of passengers. so eurotunnel had to suspend its vehicle shuttle between folkestone and calais and eurostar has had to suspend its trains to and from london's st pancras behind me until further notice. there were crowds and queues here this afternoon as people have been trying to figure out what to do. it is unclear at the moment if any trains tomorrow will be affected. and there has been a knock—on impact, several knock—on impacts. for example, the port of dover is getting very busy as people try and go across the channel by ferry instead. i'm told this evening there are weights of about 90 minutes there. eurotunnel said it is doing everything it can to try and resolve the situation in constant contact with unions, but it is unclear how long that strike will go on for and it is all as people are looking to get awayjust before christmas. the next few days are expected to be extremely busy, whether that is on the roads all the trains or other forms of transport.
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a lot of people who would have liked to travel today will now try to find other ways over the next few days. not very many start to the christmas getaway. —— not a very merry start. katy austin. thank you. ajudge has ruled that the media can name the two i6—year—olds who murdered the transgender teenager brianna ghey when they are sentenced early next year. they were both found guilty yesterday of stabbing brianna in a park in cheshire. here's our north of england correspondent, judith moritz. the murder of brianna ghey has caused huge shock and public outrage. she was killed in a particularly brutal way by offenders who are themselves children. during their trial, the i6—year—olds were known as girl x and boy y, given anonymity because of their age. our artist was able to draw the scenes in court, but took care to make sure the children, greyed out here, weren't identifiable. after they were found guilty, the media applied for the order protecting their identities to be lifted, arguing that it's in the interests of open justice.
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thejudge had to weigh up significant public interest on one hand with concerns for the children's welfare on the other. describing it as an "exceptional case", she ruled that continuing with the anonymity would represent a substantial restriction on the freedom of the press. knife crime now is quite prevalent, and our crown courts are full of trials that sadly involve children using violence or killing other children. it's a very, very difficult decision for thejudge to make, but it is often happening now. we are seeing it, and i've had trials involving children convicted of murder where the judge has waived anonymity and has allowed the press to publicise their details. the children's families have received threats, but the anonymity order was not designed to protect them. last night, brianna's mother appealed for the parents of her daughter's murderers to be treated with kindness.
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please have some empathy and compassion for the families of the young people convicted of this horrific crime. they too have lost a child, and they must live the rest of their lives knowing what their child has done. today, the trialjudge, mrsjustice yip, said that had shown remarkable fortitude and humanity. she said, "anyone who is tempted to direct vitriol or malice towards the defendants' families would do well to recognise that they'd be acting against the express wishes of brianna's bereaved mother. " so there's time to prepare the children for being named and give them support, thejudge ordered that they must stay anonymous until they are sentenced. that is scheduled to happen at the start of february, when their names will be revealed. judith moritz, bbc news, manchester. the post office has said it expects to pay out only half of the compensation it set aside
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for branch managers who were wrongly convicted of theft and false accounting. its annual accounts show it has now reserved less than £250 million, compared with almost 500 million last year. the post office said it is its "latest and best estimate". more from our business correspondent, emma simpson. former subpostmaster peter holmes died before his conviction for theft was overturned. his widow, marion, had a picture of him when she gave evidence to the public inquiry. she's still waiting for a full and final compensation. i'm nearly 82. i don't want to still be doing this in ten years' time. i don't suppose i'll be here to do it. i promised peter i would do everything i could, and i will. when i meet him at the end of that rainbow, i want to be able to tell him that everybody got what they deserved. it's notjust the wait for compensation, around 700 subpostmasters may have been wrongly convicted based on information from a faulty computer system, horizon. but, so far, only 93 convictions
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have been overturned. the post office now expects to pay £2“; million to settle claims. that's half of what it had set aside the year before, mainly because so few potential victims have come forward. so there seems to be two things going on. perhaps, on the one hand, people just can't face it, having had such a terrible experience with the courts when they were first convicted. but secondly, for those who do come forward, there seems to be a proper stumbling block if there's any kind of evidence in the case beyond horizon evidence. like, for example, a confession that may have been extracted in very difficult dubious circumstances. at the inquiry yesterday, more questions about how post office staff conducted their investigations. you requested no data from them, you requested no data to check the integrity of the horizon
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terminal at her branch. that's right, isn't it? yes. with all the evidence now emerging, there's a call for all the convictions to be automatically overturned. it's more than two years since the first convictions were quashed. the government and the post office want more people to come forward, saying the money is there, it's just whether all the victims will ever see it. emma simpson, bbc news. british and french border officials are claiming success in reducing by more than a third the number of small boats crossing the channel this year. the number of migrant crossings has fallen from 16,000 in 2022 to just over 29,000 this year, according to new home office figures, but thousands are still attempting the dangerous journey. our europe correspondent andrew harding reports from calais. a cold, clear night on a beach south of calais, french police on patrol. a beefed—up force, looking to block small boats with migrants from setting off across the channel.
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so here's the inflatable. we're told its just been abandoned. in fact, you can see here where the police have already slashed it to make sure that the migrants can't use it again. we're told about 50 people were trying to get into the water just a few yards away. these are the inner tubes that they were going to use, instead of life jackets. extraordinary to think 50 people, cramming inside this flimsy thing, to try and get across to england. nearby, just before dawn, we find two families who failed to cross tonight huddled at a bus stop. the boat was broken and i don't going. the water was up. did the waves get bigger? yeah. so you had to come back? yeah. 17—year—old faiza, from iraq, asked us to hide her identity. i have no place to going. you're very sad? yeah, very sad.
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we have no chance. what will happen to you? i have no idea. just sitting, unsure how my life is... bad, to bad, bad. so you've got one of the waiting areas over, behind. daytime, up the coast, in calais. french police talk tactics with their british counterparts — a sign of growing cooperation. britain is now providing france almost half a billion pounds for equipment like drones, and to double the manpower to tackle the smugglers. so, is it making a difference? "the results speak for themselves," says mathilde potel, from the french border police. "this year, the number of crossings has dropped by 35%." we have seen significant improvements in prevention of small boat launches. we've seen a reduction in the number
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of arriving individuals this year in this way. and overall, we are continuing to see the fruits of our labour and of our investment, as these additional resources come on board throughout the next year. it is a big drop and, yet, in a muddy clearing near calais, the crowds keep coming — from afghanistan, from sudan — ready to risk death in the channel and ignoring warnings that britain may send them to rwanda. it worries you, but it's not stopping you? not stopping us. i'm still trying to go to uk, but hope they don't send us to rwanda, yeah. suddenly, a rush to leave, as the smugglers usher one group away for another attempted crossing tonight. if they can sneak past the extra french police here and cross a dangerous stretch of water, england awaits — tantalizingly close. andrew harding, bbc news, in northern france.
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it has emerged to night the government has change the amount of money that people who want to come to the uk and family visas need to end. it was announced the earnings threshold was going to be raised to almost £39,000. what has changed? at the very beginning of the month james cleverly announced a raft of measures aimed at reducing illegal migration. one of those measures was raising the minimum income needed for a british citizen or someone settled here to bring foreign family members to the country by quite a significant amount from 18,000 up to £38,700. there was some criticism of this move by people who said it was splitting up families and many people would be struggling to meet that minimum income threshold. in the last half an hour or so it has emerged that actually the minimum income threshold will only be raised to £29,000 from this spring, not the
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full 38,700 that was originally intended and there is no time frame set now for that full minimum income threshold to go up to 38 700. thank ou. our top story this evening: a mass shooting at a university in prague leaves at least 15 people dead and more than 20 injured. and still to come... he saved hundreds ofjewish children from the nazis — now sir nicholas winton's kindness is captured on film with sir antony hopkins in the staring role. coming up on bbc news... manchester city are preparing to face brazil side fluminense in the final of the club world cup in saudi arabia tomorrow — if they win it would be for the first time, and it would be their fifth trophy of 2023. thousands of people who were forced out of their homes in iceland when the volcano erupted
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have been warned they face an uncertain future. the eruption left a crack in the earth that's more than two miles long and lava and gases are still spewing from it. our europe correspondent nick beake joined the icelandic coastguard to get the latest picture from the air. iceland's emergency services remain on high alert. after this week's awesome display of nature, they expect the unexpected. but this is what the grindavik volcano looks like today, three days after the eruption. the lava is still flowing, there is still smoke billowing, but the activity is considerably less compared with monday night. but the thing is, this was a much bigger eruption than they'd experienced in recent years and so there is concern about what might come next. that's why the coastguard are monitoring possible cracks that might emerge.
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the decision to evacuate 4,000 people from the nearby town more than a month ago proved a wise one. the coastguard are now practising for what they do if there is another volcanic eruption in the future and they have to winch people to safety. you can make out a solitary figure there who's being brought up back to the helicopter. if there is an eruption in the days, weeks, months, years to come, they may have to move people out extremely quickly. this week's eruption was the first at this specific spot for 2,000 years. scientists fear more now could follow. nick beake, bbc news, above the grindavik volcano. europe's highest court has ruled that football authorities were wrong to block controversial plans for a new european superleague. the project would have included six top english clubs, but it was hastily withdrawn
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after a backlash from fans and politicians. but now the european court ofjustice has said both fifa and uefa acted illegally in preventing the superleague project as andy swiss reports. they thought it was all over... ..it isn't now. two years ago a proposed european super league prompted fury from the fans and it soon collapsed. but uefa and fifa's threats to ban clubs joining a breakaway was today ruled to be illegal and then i was, i knew super league was being touted. this proposed format will guarantee openness... involving 64 men's teams and 32 women's teams. it is one competition for all clubs, all players and all fans. those behind the revamp said the ruling was a landmark moment. and it paves the way for the creation of a new, more exciting competition at european level in which clubs can determine their own future. the strongest message today goes out to the fans.
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football is free. uefa, though, which runs the champions league won by manchester city last season, said they'd withstand any rival tournament. football is not for sale. we can show that many times we did, altogether, all the football stakeholders and all the european society and nothing, absolutely nothing can change that. and nothing can change that. how tempting would a re\ super and how tempting would a revamped super league be? manchester united where one of the six english clubs that signed up to the original super league, but in a statement they insisted they remain fully committed to uefa competitions. while the government say their new football regulator. government say their new football re t uiator. . . government say their new football retulator. ,, ., ., regulator. clubs from “oining breakawayfi regulator. clubs from joining breakaway tournaments. - regulator. clubs from joining breakaway tournaments. if l regulator. clubs from joining l breakaway tournaments. if the regulator. clubs from joining - breakaway tournaments. if the clubs were silly enough to try and do that again, then it would have the same reaction from fans and the same result. it should be run on the football field, not by stitch up
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deals in the boardrooms. but football field, not by stitch up deals in the boardrooms. but an idea which seemed _ deals in the boardrooms. but an idea which seemed finished _ deals in the boardrooms. but an idea which seemed finished is _ deals in the boardrooms. but an idea which seemed finished is now - deals in the boardrooms. but an idea which seemed finished is now back. i which seemed finished is now back. if fans thought they had seen off the simply, they may have to think again. swiss, bbc news. the oscar winning actor sir anthony hopkins is starring in a new film about the life of sir nicholas winton — the man who helped save nearly 700 children from the nazis by bringing them from prague to london as part of the kindertransport. his story first came to light decades later in the bbc�*s that's life with esther rantzen. the new film — called one life is being released on new year's day. sir anthony hopkins has been talking exclusively to our culture editor katie razzall. there was nothing heroic about it. sir nicholas winton saved 669 children from the nazis. it's just a question of organisational work. now a new film, one life, charts the story of the modest london stockbroker who helped many jewish children flee czechoslovakia
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as hitler closed in. johnny flynn plays the young winton. do you ever think about the children and what happened to them? it meant something to me in a different way because i'm old enough to have remembered the war and remember the holocaust. is there anyone in our audience and who owes— is there anyone in our audience and who owes their life to nicholas went to? if_ who owes their life to nicholas went to? if so, _ who owes their life to nicholas went to? if so, could you. he just hoped that we would learn from it. nicholas winton kept what he did
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secret for 50 years. but in 1988 he appeared on the bbc�*s that's life programme. can i ask, is there anyone in our audience tonight. who owes their life to nicholas winton? — if so, could you stand up, please? it's believed 6,000 people are alive today because of winton's efforts. like nicholas winton says, the only way through is compromise.
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but use compassion, compassion, compassion and understanding. thanks so much. katie razzall, bbc news. british sign language is to become a subject children can study as a gcse. the government says the qualification will be open to all pupils, who will learn about 1,000 signs, as well as an important life skill.
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our education correspondent elaine dunkley reports. it's the last day of term, and there's a special announcement for the pupils of allestree woodland school in derby. the government have agreed that bsl is going to be a gcse. there are 26 deaf children here, but most of the school learns sign language. in 2025, all pupils in england will be able to work towards a gcse in british sign language. so, i think it will change everything. i think it's fantastic news, because deaf people have communication barriers, and it will make it so much easier being able to communicate with the wider public. you know, it'll help deaf people socialise more and help hearing people understand the problems that we go through every day. for the gcse, pupils will be taught to more than 1,000 signs, as well as the history of british sign language in the uk. and someone who is making history is danieljillings. since the age of 12, he's been at the forefront of a campaign to get british sign language on the gcse exam timetable.
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my feelings are happy because i started that campaign ages ago, in 2018. i know covid happened and everything was delayed but, you know, you finally feel things are happening and moving forwards. at cheadle hulme primary school in stockport, signing is an important part of school life for all the children. sign language is used in assemblies and the school nativity. how long have you been practising for? crosstalk i believe it's good because it can help support people to sign to communicate. i think it will make people that can't hear well very happy that you're talking to them. ithink, you know, we have children | in school who rely upon using signl to communicate with their peers and for their peers— to communicate with them. i would hate for that to endl at the point when they leave us at primary education. for these children, secondary
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school exams are a long way off, but the gcse in british sign language is a promising sign of things to come. elaine dunkley, bbc news. a 16—year—old from cheshire has become the youngest ever british player to win a match at the pdc world darts championship. luke littler beat dutchman christian kist in his first round match at london's alexandra palace. joe wilson reports. give him the cheer, just don't give him a beer. oh, look, here's what he does. the nonchalant finishing of a veteran. the adoration of alexandra palace. he made maximum seem routine. his three dart average was 106. seriously impressive. the dutchman littler beat once won a version of the world title. they call luke the nuke. the 16 year—old actually seemed completely at ease.
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there's a mass of experience. i've watched the darts a few times. they're always singing. and then i'm glad they were on my side tonight. and itjust even helped me over the line even more. school in the morning, they often sang to him a bit harsh. holidays are coming round to tonight. we already know how luke celebrates cool hand warm kebab. joe wilson, bbc news. a quick line from eurotunnel, the strike that is stopping trains and people crossing the channel is stopping tonight. let's have a look at the weather. it has been quite a stormy day, lively conditions across the north—east of scotland and the strongest wind gust 81 miles an hour. if you are on the move ahead of christmas, that is the strongest. denmark has seen the windiest conditions here. clear skies but
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