The highest-level US delegation to Cuba in decades has kicked off two days of negotiations after grand promises by President Barack Obama about change on the island and a sombre warning from Cuba to abandon hopes of reforming the communist government.

Gas what you end up watching over Christmas, and I don’t mean your own waistline, expanding softly over your belt like a runaway pudding.

EYES ON THE PRIZE

Graeme McDowell won’t be going "tee" total any time soon, after launching a new beer for golfers.

The creators of popular computer game Football Manager have signed a deal to make its database available to help real scouts identify players for recruitment.

Irish authors Joseph O’Neill and Niall Williams are in the running for this year’s Man Booker Prize.

England’s Ian Poulter eased into the last eight of the Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson after a commanding 5&3 victory over Tim Clark in the last 16 today.

Local boy John Merrick sealed his first PGA Tour win as he edged out Charlie Beljan in a play-off for the Northern Trust Open in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles.

Defending Northern Trust Open champion Bill Haas stormed to the head of the leaderboard going into the final round with a seven-under-par 64 in California.

World number three Luke Donald put himself firmly in contention as Bae Sang-moon and Fredrik Jacobson shared the lead at the halfway stage of the Northern Trust Open in California.

Zoo Time

RORY McILROY’S last-hole birdie in the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai has taken him to a career-high second in the world.

Martin Kaymer vowed to give Race to Dubai leader Luke Donald a hard time after cutting his advantage in the European money list with victory at the lucrative WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai today.

Some spectacular putting today swept Swede Fredrik Jacobson into a two-shot lead with a round to go at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai.

Europe’s Ryder Cup race could well be led on Sunday night by a player who has appeared in the continent just three times in the past five seasons.

Graeme McDowell is just five shots off the lead following his second round at the WGC-HSBC Champions event in Shanghai.

An estimated 200 insurgents were killed or captured in two Nato military operations that have just ended in eastern Afghanistan.

ARSENE WENGER survived a mighty scare last night as James Collins’ early header gave League Two Shrewsbury the lead at the Emirates Stadium before Arsenal recovered to book their place in the Carling Cup fourth round.

FREDRIK JACOBSON accomplished a lot of firsts on Sunday.

Sweden's Fredrik Jacobson finished one stroke ahead of Ryan Moore and John Rollins at the Travelers Championship to claim his maiden win on the PGA Tour today.

Rory McIlroy increased his lead to seven strokes, but it was much harder work than the 22-year-old was hoping for at the start of his US Open third round today.

Luke Donald took a leaf out of Rory McIlroy’s book at the US Open today – but only by double-bogeying the last hole.

Sweden’s Robert Karlsson opened up a three-stroke lead after a blazing second-round at the FedEx St Jude Classic in Memphis.

JUST like in a certain well-known hotel that didn’t want to mention the war, in golf they don’t really liketo talk about the choke.

Howard Jacobson tonight won this year’s Man Booker Prize for his comic novel 'The Finkler Question'.

AUSTRALIAN Adam Scott, left, ended a two-year title drought by shooting rounds of 66 and 67 on Sunday to win the rain-hit Texas Open at TPC San Antonio.

Australia’s Adam Scott claimed his first PGA Tour title since 2008 with victory in the Valero Texas Open.

BEAR with me while I approach the point laterally by way of an interview I had in the seventies with a charismatic cult leader called Kevin Jacobson, leader of a group called Mary’s Followers of The Cross.

Tiger Woods moved into contention at the Buick Open thanks to a second-round 63 in Grand Blanc, Michigan.

Brian Gay gave up a shot at the final hole to leave him with a slender lead as he chased a second PGA Tour victory of the year at the St Jude Classic today.

Former Ryder Cup captain Bernhard Langer believes Nick Faldo is “making a mistake” by not having more helping hands at Valhalla.

THE champagne was not the only thing Bristol Rovers kept on ice after their FA Cup fifth round triumph over Southampton on Saturday.

NO player will be more grateful to the FA Cup this week than Steve Phillips.

Bristol Rovers 0 Fulham 0 (aet Rovers win 5-3 on pens)

“GOODNIGHT Irene” sang the 7,000 Rovers fans when they weren’t busy taunting the home crowd.

Swedish golfer Daniel Chopra achieved his first US Tour victory today - and with it became a surprise contender for Europe's Ryder Cup team.

Sweden’s Daniel Chopra secured his maiden PGA Tour victory after a late birdie saw off the challenge of compatriot Fredrik Jacobson and Japan’s Shigeki Maruyama at the £2.2m (€1.5m) Ginn sur Mer Classic.

Daniel Chopra, Fredrik Jacobson and Shigeki Maruyama are tied for the lead at the Ginn sur Mer Classic.

Jesper Parnevik fired a five-under-par 65 to extend his lead to four strokes after Friday’s second round of the Texas Open.

WEST HAM manager Alan Curbishley insists he has not fallen out of love with the Carling Cup despite Kieron Dyer’s horrific leg break at Bristol Rovers.

West Ham have confirmed that England international Kieron Dyer suffered a double leg fracture during last night's Carling Cup clash with Bristol Rovers.

A man opened fire on the gamblers in a Las Vegas casino early today, wounding four people before he was tackled by off-duty military reservists, police said. A fifth person was hurt in a crush of people fleeing the casino.

Australian Adam Scott edged into a one-stroke lead as thunderstorms disrupted the second round of the St Jude Championship in Memphis.

Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson shot a three-under-par 67 to share the first round lead with Australian Adam Scott in gusty conditions at the St Jude Championship in Memphis.