and stephen bunting, the world number eight, an accomplished player, a masters champion, standing absolutelyhared dart history that luke littler demonstrated. just far too good for bunting. so a 6—1 win for both those finalists in the semifinal, it will be a difficult one to call on friday night at the palace. michael van gerwen faces the 17—year—old sensation who, remember, is in a second consecutive world championship final of his still fledgling career on friday night. well, michael van gerwen hasn't had the best of seasons, but was in a bullish mood after his semifinal win. i have been in this position a few more times, and the moment people do not believe in me, that is the moment i have to keep fighting and keep believing in my ability, and that is what i am doing. you need to make sure you maintain your own performance and keep digging and digging and try to level up your game, and that is the only thing you can do. tennis and poland are on course for a second successive appearance in the final of the united cup. they've reached the final four of the tournament after beating great bri

stephen bunting has been given a wildcard into the lucrative premier league darts this year, his firstor his run to the semi—finals at the world championship. elsewhere — winner of that tournament, 17—year—old luke littler, leads the eight—man field, but there were shocks in store as world number six dave chisnall and former world champions peter wright and michael smith — who took part in the 2024 edition — miss out this time around. south africa got the job done quickly in the final session of the fourth day of the second test against pakistan to win the series 2—0. they needed to make just 58 runs for the victory — david bedingham — promoted up the orderfrom numberfive — smashing 44 off 30 balls, in the 10 wicket win. victory in cape town was built on a huge first—innings total of 615 all out. south africa's victory ensures they head into june's world test championship final against australia having topped the table for the two—year cycle. you can get all the latest sports news at from the bbc sport app, orfrom our website — that's bbc.com/sport. from me and the rest of the team at

stephen bunting stands between him and a second straight final.it is hard that we are talking but luke littler, who is only 17. he cannot luke littler, who is only 17. he: cannot legally buy a pint but looking tonight to reach back to back finals of the world championships. this time last year it was a 164th in the world and in his first year as professionally he's risen to fourth in the world and has 110 titles including the premier league and he has made more than a million in prize money and that's not even including any of the sponsorship he has since earned. he went from 4000 instagram followers to 1.4 million. he got a text from david beckham and of course when the bbc young sports personality of the year. he was in fact so popular last year that google named him the most searched for sports person from the uk. of course many kids more than usual got dark sports us for christmas. so for fans starting to arrive he really is the big ticket tonight. arrive he really is the big ticket toniaht. :, :, ., , tonight. you mentioned the fans there, al

_ last year and even stephen bunting now returning to the top of— bunting now returning to theat there being five or six players who really are carrying this pour — players who really are carrying this pour in about a dozen others _ this pour in about a dozen others who want to join that mantle~ _ others who want to 'oin that mantle. , ., . mantle. the power, alex, phil ta [or mantle. the power, alex, phil taylor 116 _ mantle. the power, alex, phil taylor 116 world _ mantle. the power, alex, phili taylor 116 world championship so we talk about luke, he has created such excitement in the sport, but he would have to go some to meet taylor's record? yeah, i think that's a record personally this never going to be broken, 16 world titles, and i saying that macro is not as good as phil taylor or he is i got the ability to do it, i just think darts nowadays he would not see players starting as young as luke littler is a 16 or 17—year—old getting to the top of the game and play for that long. the top of the game and play forthat long. phil the top of the game and play for that long. ph

the tournament favourite, 17 year old luke littler, takes on stephen bunting later.all area of eastern moldova, the new year celebrations were put on ice. quite literally. the separatist enclave of transnistria remains loyal to moscow. there's russian troops on the ground there and its economy is fully dependent on russian gas. for that loyalty, the gas comes free. but access to it comes via a transit route that passes ukraine. and that path was cut in the early hours of new year's day — an agreement which was signed in 2019 between kyiv and the russia energy giant gazprom expired. the ukrainian president refuses to extend it, and so the taps have been turned off. for now, only hospitals and critical infrastructure in transnistria are being heated. there's concerns over electricity too. the main power plant in kurchugan is already being fuelled by coal instead of russian gas. but the authorities say there's only enough to fuel it for 50 more days. joining us now is martin vladimirov — director of the energy and climate program at the center for the study of democracy

runner—up 12 months ago — finished with an average of over 101 — as he set up a finalfourtie against stephen bunting — as agnes keleti, the oldest living olympic medal winner, has died. she was 103. keleti passed away after going into hospital with pneumonia a week ago. she won a total of 10 olympic medals in gymnastics, including five golds, for hungary at the 1952 helsinki games and the 1956 melbourne games. and that's all the sport for now. some news coming into us. a man among four people hurt when a car hit pedestrians in the west end of london on christmas day has died in hospital and has been named as a 25—year—old aidan chapman. that is the latest from the metropolitan police. a man among the four people injured when a car hit pedestrians in london on christmas day, has died in hospital and he was 25—year—old aidan chapman. we will have more details on that as they come into us. let's talk about bradford. it will be the uk city of culture. a year long programme of events will feature the likes of artist david hockney and magician dynamo, who are both from the city, and aims to challenge perc

runner—up 12 months ago, finished with an average of over 101, as he set up a finalfourtie against stephen buntingvan gerwen plays chris dobey in the other semi final. and we finish with some sad news — as agnes keleti, the oldest living olympic medal winner, has died. she was 103. keleti passed away after going into hospital with pneumonia a week ago. she won a total of 10 olympic medals in gymnastics, including five golds, for hungary at the 1952 helsinki games and the 1956 melbourne games. and that's all the sport for now. 0n the website you can keep up—to—date with all the latest news and we will have more for you later. goodbye. from march to magic and music to bradford, will take centre stage this year. the year—long programme of events will feature the likes of david hockney, from the city. and will aim to try to challenge the perceptions. it is your own fault. don't want no negative talk. who else is it going to be? southampton. the uk city of culture is southampton? don't make me laugh. what is up with southampton? i have never been. but it is not bradford.— but it is not bradford. yes, b

last years runner—up, luke littler, takes on stephen bunting in the second match but first up it's thempion, michael van gerwin, against chris dobey, whose through to the last four for the first time. i fourfor the first time. i four for the first time. feel confident. i i fourfor the first time. feel confident. i have beatei on ifeel confident. i have beaten him on the big stage before, i have beaten him plenty of times, i think and i have getting rid of the thought i cannot beat him and i now know i can so i won a couple of years back in the cup final and that will be in the back of my mind and i feel confident going into tonight. great britain are out of the united cup, beaten by poland in the quarterfinals. billy harris put up a vailiant fight in the first match but was eventually beaten in straight sets by hubert hurcatch 7—6, 7—5. katie boulter took the opening set against the world number two, iga swiantek. but the five time grand slam winner fought back to win the match in three sets. poland will now face kazakhstan for a place in the final. i don't know, i'm just exhausted, yo

and 17 year old sensation luke littler batus stephen bunting, six one in the world darts championship to set up a huge final tonight against michael van gerwen. we're speaking to a former world champion this hour. >> now i know that the whole country isn't glued to their phones. looking at elon musk's twitter x feed the whole time, still less donald trump's truth social feed. but don't worry, you don't have to. we've taken the liberty of looking ourselves. and my goodness me, these two men, these two most powerful men in the most powerful men in the most powerful country on earth, seem rather obsessed with britain right now. >> oh, absolutely. they are tweeting non—stop. in particular, elon musk, the billionaire owner of x, he is tweeting non—stop. he's massively amplifying this grooming gang scandal. for one, he's amplifying huge loads of other stories that all paint britain and our government in a particularly bad light. so i think we want to have a little bit of a debate today and ask for your opinions. your views are already coming in on this as to whether it's right for elon musk

create history tonight by becoming the youngest ever world darts champion, luke littler beat stephen buntingbook his place in the finals of the world dans place in the finals of the world darts championship, which takes place tonight. the 17 year old was favourite to progress to the final for the second year running, and swept 39 year old bunting aside to win by six sets to one at alexandra palace in london. all the best to luke littler tonight. well, those are the latest headlines for now. i'll be back with you in half an houn >> thank you sam. excellent as even >> thank you sam. excellent as ever. now to the grooming gang scandal. and kemi badenoch has demanded that the government launches an immediate inquiry into child exploitation in britain. despite not doing that for 14 years in power. and this comes as sir keir starmer has attacked over his handling of the oldham grooming gang scandal, when he was head of the crown prosecution service. with labour blocking an inquiry into his conduct at the time, well, it's now emerged that conservatives also rejected a national inquiry into grooming

he looked really impressive in his semifinal last night against stephen bunting. he won 6—1.ttler says he can hardly wait for the final. i can tell you now, i've got no pressure. i'm sure michael would have said the same. i'm just going to enjoy it. tonight, if i can get off to a quick start winning the first set, i'll be happy. but if i don't, i'll come back on and hopefully switch things up and make it right. yes, luke littler, full of confidence. but he knows he will face his toughest test so far in the final tonight. face his toughest test so far in the finaltonight. he face his toughest test so far in the final tonight. he is up against the three—time champion michael van gerwen, who also looks really impressive in his semifinal last night. in fact, impressive in his semifinal last night. infact, michael van impressive in his semifinal last night. in fact, michael van gerwen holds the record as the world championship because youngest ever winner. he was 2a when he won his first world title, but remember, luke littler is just 17. first world title, but remember, luke litt