england and australia couldn't be separated in the ashes, whilst cricket, rugby union and netball all had world cups of their own. golf came togetherfor the solheim and ryder cups. but the start of this sporting year was, for some, less a beginning and more a resumption. football had onlyjust returned after its unprecedented winter world cup break. also resuming, returning, the australian open once more welcomed novak djokovic, a year on from his deportation over his covid vaccination status. still no vax for novak, but here he was, back and unbeatable. his was a 22nd grand slam title. for irina sabalenka, a first. saudi arabia's bid to become a major player in global sport was laid bare. cristiano ronaldo becoming a figurehead for the fledgling football league. before the end of the year,

they had all but been awarded a world cup. there was shock, too, injanuary, after buffalo bills�* damar hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest during an nfl game. the world watched on, as he would eventually make a recovery. here, rugby union's six nations, well, that was all about ireland. it is time for the six nations, and no better place to start than in cardiff. james lowe, all the way! a cruel knife to the heart of wales. the number one side on the planet against the reigning grand slam champions. oh, my goodness! breathtaking! absolutely breathtaking! thunderous six nations spectacle. all eyes on ross byrne, - as he gets us under way in rome. the quest for the slam is still alive. _ and it has been many, many a long year since both scotland and ireland met at this stage of the championship with so much to play for. a slam on the line for ireland, pride on the line for england. aki for henshaw!

the start of the celebrations in dublin. a fourth grand slam for ireland. england's men never really got going in that tournament. but the women were once again unbeatable, a grand slam in front of a world record crowd, the fifth six nations title in a row. their cricketing counterparts could not quite emulate their success. they reached the semifinals of the t20 world cup in south africa, beaten by the hosts, who were in turn beaten to the trophy by australia. down under, in february, st helens were pulling off an almighty shock, beating nrl champions penrith in rugby league's world club challenge. lebronjames became the nba's all—time leading points scorer. at old trafford, manchester united's proposed takeover became one of the more protracted sagas of the year. the club did win the efl cup.

celtic won the scottish equivalent, before rangers won it back. whilst arsenal claimed the women's league cup. by april, protests were very much part of the sporting landscape. the start of the grand national was delayed, as more than 100 were arrested at aintree. derek fox, aboard corach rambler, came home first. fewer than half finished, as arguments over animal welfare continue. a protest, too, on the table at sheffield. i've never seen anything like this. the world snooker championship this time the target. the headlines, though, were eventually written by luca brecel. and we are under way! the london marathon returned to its traditional spring setting. more runners than ever before, and faster. course records in the men's and wheelchair events. another historic occasion for women's football. there were more than 77,000 at wembley for the women's fa cup final, a world record for a women's domestic game.

sam kerr helping chelsea to the first half of their double. the second followed just days later. chelsea are wsl champions! a domestic double for them. in scotland, celtic�*s men went one better with a treble. having already won the league cup, they took the scottish premiership with four games to spare, leaving them clear to focus on victory in the cup final against inverness caley thistle. celtic, the treble winners! whilst here, at manchester city, something very special indeed was happening. it had been a long time in the making, but pep guardiola's side finally achieved their dream. the first part, a fifth premier league title in six years. manchester city are champions of england again! their dominance of the domestic game without question. still, to underline it, they went to wembley to prove their point against their nearest rivals. city and united

face off in the endgame. and there is a good try! 0h, incredible! it is the fastest that has ever been scored in an fa cup final. gundogan, he got it, and he's got another one! manchester city have done the double! one to go. city's continental challenge would come soon enough, but byjune, they weren't the only brits abroad. 20,000 west ham fans were in prague for a europa conference league final against fiorentina. it was at times ugly, always dramatic and, ultimately, a triumph. it feels the best feeling i think i've ever had watching a football match. no words can describe how awesome this is feeling. i think i'm dreaming. ijust can't believe _ west ham have won something! inspiration perhaps for istanbuljust days later, the champions league final. city!

manchester city beating inter milan by a single goal to complete an historic treble. and not even the manchester weather could spoil that homecoming party. it's just unbelievable. even now, it doesn't seem real. the best time to be alive, the best time to be a city fan. living the dream. love it! away from football, and in rather drier surrounds, more records. novak djokovic winning his 23rd grand slam singles title in the paris springtime. back here, saracens�* comeback was complete, crowned premiership champions at twickenham. just down the road, a dazzling moment in the gold cup. frankie dettori riding courage mon ami to victory in the jockey�*s final royal ascot meeting. the start of the sporting summer, though, was dominated by one of the oldest and fiercest international rivalries. the ashes was ultimately dampened by this manchester weather. still, it was quite a summer.

well, here we go, the ashes is about to begin. what an atmosphere already here at edgbaston. all the talk over the last few weeks, it's all gone now. there you go. bazball�*s off and running! oh, my word! day one of the ashes, - brilliant hundred from joe root. 0h, here we go! ben stokes does the unexpected. and listen to khawaja celebrate that. - oh, it's over! the aussies, incredible victory here at edgbaston! well, what a game of cricket. well, what a special occasion, the lords ashes test match. there it is. steve smith reaches his 32nd test century. jonny bairstow has come out of his ground. - carey has thrown the ball at the stumps. l well, that is an -

astonishing dismissal. even in the long room, members engaging with the australians as they walked off. you have to think about the whole spirit of the game and, would i actually want to win a test match like that? and when i think about that, it is a no. i thought it was totally fair. that's the rules. you know, you leavej it up to the umpires. the crowd, wound up by that bairstow dismissal. stokes for a hundred! well, that is absolutely incredible. that's the one! stump out of the ground. australia win to go 2—0 up. highly charged atmosphere before the start of this third test match. it's now or never for england. two down in the series. got him! listen to the crowd! goes high. it goes long! it is a maximum!

mark wood! the ashes are alive! a fantastic game of test match cricket. j it's a wonderful ground here now at old trafford. the sun isjust starting to shine. calls of "catch it!" and he's got him! stuart broad! he joins an elite club. will the time be a factor? here at the oval, on test five, the clouds are around. there's a bit of green grass. stuart broad, who hasjust announced his retirement, this will be his last match for england. it's been such an incredible ride - and a pretty long one, to be honest. just listen to this reaction. a legend of the game. walking away from the playing side i of the game with the memories i have got and how much i'm enjoying it makes me feel pretty special. i there you go,

stuart broad with a six! that's what the crowd wanted, brilliant. he's done it, the fairy tale ending he was hoping for! stuart broad! one of the greatest series, if not the greatest series, of all time. for the women, a different ashes format, the same drama, the same outcome. please welcome - australia and england! beaumont brings up a double century. eight wickets for ash gardener, and that is the match! they pick up four points in this multiformat series. and australia have won the game. and england will now need to win every single game in the rest of this women's ashes if they are to get that trophy back. england have won this game!

the ashes series is still alive. england have won the game! they're still in the ashes! australia have lost a bilateral series for the first time in six years! blue skies over bristol, | england looking to keep their women's ashes series alive. england have won! england have beaten australia again! england, two wins away now from regaining the women's ashes for the first time in close to a decade. and she's bowled her! australia retain the ashes! the series can still be drawn at taunton on tuesday, but england's dreams of winning it for the first time in almost a decade have gone. in the air, should be a catch, it is! i england have won! england win the 0d! series. the women's ashes is drawn. it is an extraordinary achievement. this has been the best ashes series for women.

australia retaining both ashes trophies. a rivalry that was also played out at netball�*s world cup in south africa. australia would eventually take that trophy home, too, beating england in the final. they have done it! the tour de france was won byjonas vingegaard, again. demi vollering won the women's event. at hoylake, a genuine surprise. just a quiet brilliance. brian harman, without a win on tour in six years, now the open champion. the women's event was won by another american, lilia vu, her second major victory of the year. with the paris olympics and paralympics just a year away, the city readied itself by hosting the para world athletics championships. ten gold medals for great britain, including a 13th and 14th title for hannah cockroft. whilst back home, the event that perhaps more than any other signifies the british summer. a quiet corner in south west

london is now stirring. terrific vibe everywhere, lovely summer scene, isn't it? wolverhampton's boy wonder is the wimbledon champion! i neal skupski, overcome by the enormity of this achievement. hewett and reid secure a fifth doubles title together. vondrousova is the unseeded champion! the new king of centre court, carlos alcaraz of spain! the end ofjuly saw the start of perhaps the biggest sporting event of the year, although the much—anticipated women's world cup began on a sombre note. a deadly shooting in host city auckland just hours before the opening match. the tournament ended with one

of the year's most controversial sporting moments, but in—between, it was, thankfully, the football that wrote the headlines. it is a belter of an opening match to kick us off. and it's wilkinson! that was sensational. the roar around stadium australia. steph catley scores! welcome to the fifa women's world cup! come on! england's attempt to lift the biggest prize of all starts here in queensland. stanway with a second chance. england make a winning start, just. they made hard work of haiti. by close of play, one of these two nations could be through. it's lauren james! 0h! that is absolutely sensational! sarina wiegman�*s side know that a point will win them the group, come what may. collected by alessia russo!

what a start for england! carter's ball in. laurenjames! what a goal! it's a stunner! six for england. centre stage and in the spotlight tonight. it's finished in brisbane! morocco are through to the last 16! look at that! just look at that! and there! has it gone over the line? high drama! it's confirmed! the united states. of america are out! sarina wiegman�*s ever—evolving england face their next hurdle at this era—defining women's world cup. this is knockout football. it's all or nothing.

laurenjames in trouble, here. it's penalties in brisbane. kelly... smashes england through! yes! it's another tricky assignment for the lionesses. colombia, the lowest ranked side left in the competition. oh, it's over mary earps and it's all the way in! the goalkeeper has lost it! and it's there! lauren hemp! russo! they've turned it around! another setback overcome. spain's first senior women's world cup semifinal. in the way, sweden. carmona. oh, it's off the bar! it's in! spain are world cup finalists. anticipation has been building for this semifinal in both hemispheres. taken down by russo. great play. it's toone! oh, wow! sam kerr on the charge.

kerr goes for it! 0h! how about that? australia draw level! hemp! what a pass that is! it's russo! and england are heading for the world cup final! history beckons. it's spain against england to compete for the right to be called the world's greatest. off the bar! how close can you get? this is dangerous. it'si—0, spain! carmona. hermoso. saved! it's heartbreak for the lionesses. it's really hard to take, l but we gave everything. we can hand on heart.

say we gave everything. we never gave in. and, yeah, sometimes, it is hard to take, but it's football— and we are absolutely heartbroken. it's spain, champions of the world. spain's win was undoubtedly extraordinary, but almost immediately, talk turned from lifting the trophy to what happened amongst those celebrations. a kiss by the then—spanish football federation president luis rubiales on player jenni hermoso sparked global outrage. he would later be banned from football for three years. managerjorge vilda was sacked, amidst the scandal. as the lionesses returned home, heading off was men's captain harry kane, his transfer to bayern munich one of the more eye—catching of a summer of spending that included jude bellingham moving to madrid and lionel messi making miami his new home. rugby league's challenge cup

was returning to its traditional home, leigh leopards winning at wembley. wow! for the first time, the women's final was also held there, st helens the first to lift the trophy. whilst they were enjoying their day in the sun, over in the budapest heat, britain came away from the world athletics championships with two gold medals. world champion josh kerr! josh kerr in the 1500 metres was stunning and katarina johnson—thompson in the heptathlon was simply something else. here we go! august also saw glasgow host the biggest cycling event ever held. britain finished top of both the cycling and para cycling medal tables at the inaugural world championships. at flushing meadow, novak djokovic took the men's title. but for once, his record—extending feat was not the headline, as home favourite, teenager coco gauff, secured her first grand slam. daniel dubois left devastated, after a controversial heavyweight title defeat to 0leksandr usyk.

whilst golf remains embroiled in acrimony, in september, the sport did enjoy two of its most spectacular events. welcome to the 2023 solheim cup! what a superb day it's been so far for team usa. they have swept the foursomes. she's got an ace! are you kidding me?! europe, europe, europe! she's done it! 8-8. needs to find something in answer. cor—whee! to retain the solheim cup on home soil!

and that is what it means! welcome to the marco simone i golf club for the first day's play in the 2023 ryder cup. right at it! what a shot! what a roar! glorious shot from rory mcilroy. every single match won by europe. 0h, he has! it rattles into the back. this is just magnificent. patrick cantlay! he did it! laughter there is nothing like the ryder cup, is there? there really, really isn't. 0h, he will be so excited if he does, and he has! brilliant stuff. well, that's it. europe are the winners of the ryder cup 2023. team europe!

come on, boys! 2023 was a tumultuous yearfor rugby union. the crisis in the club game deepening, asjersey reds and london irish folded. but september brought the start of the world cup. ireland had arrived at the tournament the number—one side in the world. victory over defending champions south africa in the group stages raised expectations further. england's build—up was dominated by the absence of captain 0wen farrell. the opening games bringing more problems. they would, though, make it through, as would wales. but scotland were out before the quarterfinals. which was, in truth, where the tournament really caught light. for all of us, i think it's like a dream come true, a childhood dream, getting out to a world cup with your mates, seeing wales play in the quarter final. it would be right up there, you know, it's such an important match for us. but the highest hopes

were extinguished. wales knocked out by argentina. before ireland lost a classic against the all blacks. england were the only home nation to make it to the semifinals, although few gave them too much chance against south africa. i wouldn't put my mortgage on it, but why not? yeah. i think everyone's writing us off too early. i think we're not as bad as everyone is making. to england's credit, they got within a point. heroic defeat, but defeat nonetheless. the final was another epic. south africa somehow again finding enough to see off old rivals new zealand. champions for a record fourth time. here in october, manchester and football was in mourning, as it said goodbye to an england icon. sir bobby charlton passed away, prompting an outpouring of tributes. just days later, one of the year's most shocking sports stories — as ice hockey player, adamjohnson, died following an incident during a match in sheffield.

october was a busy month for rugby league. wigan were once again crowned super league men's champions. the cherry and whites are on top. york valkyrie triumphing in the women's competition. the domestic season then made way for autumn internationals. england's men's series clean sweep over tonga the headline act. max verstappen was once again crowned world champion in what was the most one—sided formula 1 season in years. the twists and turns? well, they were saved for antwerp. jake jarman taking gold at the gymnastics world championships. but all the attention was back on simone biles. four gold medals making her the most decorated gymnast the sport has ever seen. november brought the climax of the cricket world cup. defending champions england, by their own admission, were dismal, whilst india's dream of lifting the trophy on home soil was dashed in the final by australia. an incredible year for their cricketers.

a remarkable year for sport. and the winner of the 2023 bbc i sports personality of the year is... from nottingham, mary earps! cheering and applause for me, ifeel like this is, you know, the ultimate all—round sporting accolade. and i think, us as lionesses and obviously, united as well, we've had an incredible couple of years, but this is just... yeah, wow. hello. today, one of the better days this christmas period to get out and enjoy some fresh air. most parts of the country dry, with some spells of hazy sunshine, before tomorrow, potential for more

travel problems, as wet and windy weather pushes its way in, and plenty of snow on the scottish hills. that's the weather system that's brewing for tomorrow. that's the one that's clearing from christmas day. so we're in the window between them. as i said, most dry, even fewer showers across northern scotland, compared with the morning during this afternoon. we'll see areas of high cloud drift away northwards, though, and that means the sunshine will be a bit more muted for some of you during the second half of the day. temperatures down on yesterday but, overall, active, not above average for the time of year. finish the day with rain, though, in cornwall, channel islands. that's going to push its way northwards overnight. heavy rain at times later. and as that hits colder air in scotland, we've seen temperatures drop down to minus four, minus five before it moves in. snow will fall, even maybe on the hills at the tops of the pennines and the southern uplands, too. so we go into tomorrow still with some chillier air in the north of scotland, but this is the weather system which will bring extensive

rain and strong winds. the snow, though, even on modest scottish hills in central and northern areas, will cause some travel issues. could see some blizzards as well, with over 15 centimetres of snow mounting up, and some strengthening winds too. rain will be the issue elsewhere. lots of puddles, lots of surface water. maybe east anglia and the south—east, though, some will stay dry here until into the afternoon and it will brighten up after some heavier bursts of rain out in the west later. but the other issue tomorrow, of course, is the strength of the wind. strongest, far north of scotland, 60 to 70 mile—an—hour gusts, and around through some english channels. yes, 0k, temperatures on the milder side of things for late—december, but don't forget, that'll be tempered a bit by the strength of the wind. and it will remain windy through wednesday night. a windier spell through the irish sea coast compared with the day. the winds gradually easing down in northern scotland. but for most, the blustery conditions continue into thursday. winds down a little bit compared to what we've seen on wednesday and it will bring a bit more sunshine at times, but a scattering of showers. some of those showers, heavy and thundery, and some longer spells of rain and even a bit of snow on the tops of the mountains later.

to see out the new year, though, there will be further rain at times. your best drier and brighter weather for the end of the week and weekend will be on saturday. take care.

live from london, this is bbc news. the us attacks three targets in iraq. there are reports of at least one dead in the strikes on facilities described by the pentagon as operated by �*iranian—sponsored militias�*. benjamin netanyahu�*s outlook on gaza. the israeli prime minister says the war is �*not close to being over�*.

and cameras follow king charles for a bbc documentary. we have a special preview of the programme coming up. hello, i�*m catherine byaruhanga. us armed forces have carried out air strikes in iraq against what it called �*iranian—sponsored militias�*. the strikes — authorised by president biden — were in response to an attack on the erbil airbase that injured three us military personnel — one of them critically. pictures of the attack have been posted on social media — the bbc has not yet verified these videos. baghdad has denounced the us strikes in iraq as a �*hostile act�* that violate iraqi sovereignty.

in a statement, us defense secretary lloyd austin