The xx are so “terrified” after winning the Mercury Prize this week, they are going into hiding.

Roman Catholics across the world, from blue-collar workers in Poland to monks in the Norwegian Arctic and parishioners in the Philippines, prayed for the Pope today amid fading hopes that he would recover.

Darren Clarke has survived a pre-Christmas visit to Lapland and a post-Christmas accident on a new toy going into this week’s Mercedes Championship in Hawaii, the first tournament on the 2004 US Tour schedule. And, having set himself a target of improving his world ranking from 11th to 5th before the end of the year, he needs to get cracking!

DARREN CLARKE has survived a pre-Christmas visit to Lapland and a post-Christmas accident on a new toy going into this week’s Mercedes Championship in Hawaii, the first tournament on the 2004 US Tour schedule.