Hongkong's draw for pregnant Chinese

Mrs Huang chose to give birth to her second child, a girl, in Hong Kong, even though she comes from Guangdong province, across the Chinese border.

If she had given birth at home, she would have faced penalties of about $10,000 (£5,000) for breaking China's One Child policy.

"It all depends, there's no standard. If you have money then the penalty will be much heavier," she said.

So the $2,500 she paid for three days and two nights in a Hong Kong hospital was a good deal.

Ward Manager Nancy Chan, at Hong Kong's Queen Elizabeth Hospital maternity ward, said 35 new patients had arrived in the past 24 hours - a rate that is now normal.

It did not use to be like this. Ms Chan remembers when there were more nurses and fewer mothers, allowing for more personal care.

But in 2001, Hong Kong's highest court ruled that a child born in Hong Kong to parents who came from China had the right to residency in Hong Kong.

At first glance, that seems an insignificant perk for babies who are already citizens of China.

But Hong Kong's history as British colony and now special administrative region of China means it is much richer, and has a reliable welfare system. Gaining the right of abode in Hong Kong guarantees rights to virtually free healthcare, education and housing.

It also means a range of complexities.

Mrs Huang, for example, will be leaving hospital as soon as her paid-for package expires. But her baby girl is still under paediatric care so will stay in the hospital.

Mrs Huang is not a Hong Kong citizen but her new baby is, so the baby gets virtually free mothering at the hands of Queen Elizabeth Hospital's nurses until it is time for Mrs Huang to come to take her away.

Mrs Huang is lucky because she has relatives in Hong Kong who help her with accommodation.

She can get a three-month visitor's pass to Hong Kong quite easily so while she intends to bring up her baby in China, she can pop back to Hong Kong whenever she feels the need.

Border checks

But from 1 February, new rules mean women like Mrs Huang will find it more difficult to come to Hong Kong to give birth.

After an influx of about 20,000 non-local women to Hong Kong's hospitals last year, the government has taken a series of measures to help stem the flow.

Mainland mothers who look heavily pregnant will have to show immigration officers a hospital booking confirmation alongside their visitor's visa. If they do not have the booking, they will not be allowed in.

The government has also raised the charges for delivery in Hong Kong, and plans to beef up nursing numbers with fresh funding and training.

The key is to require women to have a medical history in Hong Kong before allowing them in to give birth.

The higher costs may deter some women. But Mrs Huang said the increased charges are still less than the penalties she would have faced for having a second child in China.

It was not easy for the government to come up with a solution to the problem, because of Hong Kong's complex relationship with China.

Its status, described in the slogan "one country, two systems" means working out where one part of the slogan stops and the other starts is a constant balancing act, as legislator Leung Yiu-chung explained.

"When you're talking about one country, we are all the same sort of citizens under the name of a nation, so they've got to have the right to go round anywhere they want to go. So it's not easy to handle this problem," said Leung Yiu-chung.

Public protest

A group of angry Hong Kong mothers, led by Ella Lau - herself due to give birth within a couple of months - may have pushed the government into taking action.

She and others became concerned about deteriorating standards of care and were resentful of outsiders coming in, jumping queues and getting services they had not wholly paid for.

"This is really making us feel worry about what kind of service we are going to receive. We think this is bit unfair to us as we are the tax payer in Hong Kong, we are supposed to enjoy a quality service," Ella Lau said.

Fellow protester Vivian Leung got frightened after reading several websites dedicated to the issue, including stories of local women left lying in corridors and deprived of pre-birth checks because hospital staff have been over-run.

"The problem is when mainland pregnant women come to Hong Kong they usually come at the very last minute. "I have seen some pregnant women waiting at emergency, at the waiting room, by themselves, waiting to the last minute till their waters broken and then they stand up," she said.

Hong Kong is not used to facing emergencies over childbirth. It has one of the best delivery systems in the world and for decades has offered comprehensive care to mothers.

"We're approaching 7,000 births in one single hospital," said Dr Danny Leung at the Prince of Wales Hospital.

"And 33 percent are from the mainland. That's not a problem by itself. The main problem is that over 70% of them did not have any booking with us. So by the time they come for delivery, we don't know about them. That puts a lot of pressure. So when they come for delivery it's an emergency situation."

Dr Alan Lau, chairman of the Private Hospitals Association, lauds the new government measures as a product of cooperation between the public and private medical sectors.

"Patients are coming in with complications like high blood pressure, abnormal babies, abnormal presentation.

"They need to go into surgery right away, especially these mothers who came at the very late stage of pregnancy usually during labour, where everything has to be done right there and then. It's pretty scary!" said Dr Lau.

BBC

The Eagles 'to release new album'

Seminal 1970s soft rockers The Eagles are close to releasing their first album of new music in almost 30 years, according to reports.

Founding member Don Henley has been quoted by the Las Vegas Review-Journal as telling a concert crowd that a new collection was nearing completion.

The band, best known for the song Hotel California, are one of the most successful recording acts of all time.

Since 1980, several live albums and hits compilations have been released.

Formed in 1971, the country and bluegrass-influenced band released five studio albums - of which 1976's Hotel California is the most famous.

Since reuniting for live shows in 1994, The Eagles have staged several lucrative tours and released occasional new singles as part of live albums.

According to Recording Industry Association of America, The Eagles' Greatest Hits 1971-1975 is the top selling album of all time with the group being fifth highest selling ever .

BBC

Majors remain Woods' main concern

Tiger Woods heads to Dubai to defend his Desert Classic title this week fresh from his seventh straight US PGA Tour triumph, but insists his main focus remains major championships.

Woods now owns a streak of seven consecutive victories in as many starts in US PGA Tour sanctioned events - beginning with the British Open last year at Hoylake. Only Byron Nelson's amazing 11 straight in 1945 is longer, and Woods said Sunday after his victory in the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines that he was delighted to be in such esteemed company.

However, he said his decisions about where he would appear next on the US tour would have less to do with his chances of extending the streak and more to do with maximising his chances at the Masters. "My whole goal is to get ready for Augusta and prepare and make sure my game is peaking towards that," said Woods, who added the PGA Championship to his British Open title last year to take his tally of Major triumphs to 12.

Woods would be back from Dubai in time to play the Nissan Open at Riviera in Los Angeles February 15-18. Although he has played the event every year as a pro except 2002, when he had the flu, Woods said he wouldn't decide until his Dubai trip was done. "I'm going to go to Dubai, play over there, come back and see how I feel," Woods said. "It's always hard to get back for some reason over that time zone when I come back. Hopefully I'll come back and play, but we'll see what happens."


Woods bridled at the suggestion that skipping Riviera might be seen as an attempt to protect the streak. Woods has played the Los Angeles event 11 times without a victory, the most starts in any tournament without a win for him. The closest he has come to a win was in 1998, when he was runner-up to journeyman Billy Mayfair.

"People can say whatever they want," he said. "That's their opinion. They are entitled to it." While Woods values his seven straight tour victories, he acknowledges that he can't boast a pure winning streak in that time span, which included runner-up finishes in two Asian tournaments and a loss in the World Match Play prior to September's US defeat in the Ryder Cup.

"If you want to rate it, I think you can't compare four in a row in majors," said Woods, who accomplished that feat when he won the US Open, British Open and PGA Championship in 2000, then added the Masters in 2001. "There's no comparison in that," he said. "That's what we play for."

Ominously for his would-be rivals, the world No. 1 - who may miss the British Open later this year because his wife is expecting the birth of their first child around then - said after opening his season with a victory that he was playing even better than he was last year. And he certainly hasn't lost his appetite for winning. "It's just fun, fun to be there," Woods said.

"That's why you bust your butt as hard as you do in practice sessions to get yourself in that position. "It's like what Jack (Nicklaus) had always said, 'Winning breeds winning,' and the more you win, the more you understand how to do it."

South Korean duo arrested for 1.6 bln spam e-mails

Two South Korean computer programmers have been arrested on suspicion of sending out 1.6 billion spam e-mail messages in violation of the country's commerce laws, police said on Tuesday.

The two men, one aged 20 and the other 26, are suspected of sending out the unsolicited e-mail messages between September and December last year in what police describe as one of the biggest spam blasts in the country's history.

The two are suspected of obtaining personal and financial data from 12,000 South Koreans who responded to their spam messages. The pair then sold information on those people to lending services firms in return for 100 million won ($106,400), police said.

Police said they will soon turn over evidence on the pair, who were not named, to prosecutors who will then tell the court what sort of criminal penalties they are seeking against the two.

"This kind of spam mailing is causing enormous problems in South Korea and we think these two are responsible for some of the biggest abuses," a police official said by telephone.

Manorama

Vista is 'more secure' says Gates

Windows Vista is "dramatically more secure than any other operating system released", Microsoft founder Bill Gates has told BBC News.

Mr Gates said the security features in the new operating system were reason enough to upgrade from Windows XP.

Microsoft launched Vista in London, with more than 100m computers predicted to be using it within 12 months.

Mr Gates also defended the pricing of Vista, which is twice as expensive in Europe compared to the US.

The technology leader called the launch a "big day" that would bring a new digital workstyle and lifestyle.

The new operating system (OS) boasts an improved interface and security tools.

Mr Gates said security in Vista would mean it would be "much, much harder" for malicious hackers to attack computers running the operating system.

"For anybody worried about safety, whether it is phishing or malware or parental control type issues, Vista brings that to a whole new level of capability," he added.

Security analysts have praised the improved tools in Vista but many feel that holes in the operating system eventually will be exposed and that Microsoft will continue to need to update it through online patches.

Microsoft will come under fire if Vista proves to be the popular target of malicious hackers exploiting flaws, said David Mitchell, the software practice leader at analysts Ovum.

"It's crucial for corporate reputation and revenue that Vista proves more secure and stable than XP," he said.

Not all PCs will be able to run Vista - Microsoft recommends machines have at least 512Mb of RAM, a 800Mhz processor and 15Gb of hard disk space.

Microsoft has pledged to continue support for XP users until 2011.

The company launched Vista for business users two months ago. Now Vista has been released to consumers, who can buy four home versions.

There is also a stripped down version of the OS, Vista Starter, which is aimed at customers in developing countries. It will be available in 70 languages and will run on slower and older PCs.

But Microsoft could face a backlash from consumers over its pricing plans - with the cost of Vista versions in the US roughly half the price of equivalent versions in the UK.

Prices for the OS in the UK range from about £100 for an upgrade version of the Basic package to £249 for a copy of the upgrade to the Ultimate version of Vista.

In the US prices start from $100 (£52) for an upgrade of Vista Home basic to $249 (£127) for the equivalent Ultimate version.

Mr Gates defended Microsoft's pricing plans: "We try to keep our prices largely in line from country to country... but with price you do generally get some things that get a bit out of alignment as currencies go up and down.

"Our goal across our product line is to largely have a global way of looking at things."

Mr Mitchell said there was pent up consumer demand for Vista.

"In the consumer space there has not been any new release of a Windows operating system for five years," he said.

Ovum predicts that 15% of XP machines will be running Vista by the end of 2007.

"Part of the appetite is 'something new for something new's sake'," said Mr Mitchell.

Mr Mitchell predicted that the new graphical interface, called Aero, improved desktop search tools and a promise of more robust security would appeal to many users.

But he predicted some consumers could be confused by the minimum specifications for PCs to run Vista and by the different versions on sale.

Users can visit the Microsoft website to check if their hardware will run Vista and some new machines are being labelled Vista Capable or Premier Vista Ready, for those PCs with higher specifications.

"There's been an attempt to demystify what the minimum specifications are," said Mr Mitchell.

"Undoubtedly some people - as in any industry - won't read the instructions."

In his interview with the BBC Mr Gates also predicted that school children would be using tablet PCs rather than text books in 10 years time.

"We will have an inexpensive tablet-like device that lets the teachers customise things.

Hopefully the cost of that isn't much more than textbooks have been so that's a big change."

He also welcomed the arrival of Apple's iPhone into the market calling it "a great new entrant"

"What we are seeing for all these products is that software is increasingly important. If you look at a phone of five years ago it was really about the hardware only.

"But now as you are browsing and managing your calendar and having lots of music or photos, the software is the thing that counts and there are very few companies to do great software."

Microsoft produces software which runs on millions of mobile phones and portable devices.

He added: "We enjoy having them [Apple] in the business."

BBC

Ferguson: Hands off Ronaldo

Sir Alex Ferguson has slapped a 'not for sale' notice on Cristiano Ronaldo, no matter how much Real Madrid are prepared to pay for the brilliant Manchester United winger.

Reports in Spain suggest the nine-times European champions are preparing a massive £35million offer for the 21-year-old, who expressed a desire to join the club during last summer's World Cup.

Since then, Ronaldo has returned to Manchester, has risen above the abuse of opposition fans and produced the best form of his life.

With 13 Premiership goals to his name, Ronaldo trails only Didier Drogba in the scoring charts and he is one of the major contenders for this season's prestigious player of the year awards.

Earlier this week, Ferguson's assistant Carlos Queiroz suggested United were ready to open contract negotiations with Ronaldo, even though the Portugal international's present deal does not expire until 2010.

Ferguson joked he would be 'in a wheelchair' by that time, although he was deadly serious when he stated Real have no chance of getting their man.

"We sell players we want to sell and there is absolutely no way Cristiano Ronaldo is leaving," he said.

"The boy has done fantastically well. He is developing as a professional, as a person and as a player.

"He is happy here. He has a contract until 2010 and we are not interested in even thinking about selling him."

Rooney is back to his best, says Queiroz

Carlos Queiroz has warned Watford to beware Wayne Rooney as Manchester United look to consolidate their lead at the top of the Premiership against the club lying bottom in the table at Old Trafford tonight.

After struggling for form over the opening half of the season, Rooney has recently sparked back into life, and goal-scoring form. The 21-year-old followed up his goal at Arsenal by scoring twice in the FA Cup win over Portsmouth at the weekend, the second a chip few would have dared try.

"When he does something like that, we immediately know we have a different forward in the next game," said Queiroz. "It didn't really surprise me - because when the opportunity arises in training, Wayne always tries to do special things like that."

When the concern over Rooney's form was at its height in December, Queiroz was among those to urge restraint, insisting a slight dip in standards was only natural considering how much the player had pushed himself to make England's squad for last summer's World Cup after breaking his foot in April. Added to that, the former Everton man missed three games at the start of this season after a pre-season dismissal against Porto.

However, having watched Rooney score his 11th goal of the season, Queiroz believes the youngster is almost back to his best. "Forwards are special in the sense that one goal can change the quality of their game from one moment to the next," he said.

"When they don't score they can become disturbed and lose confidence. It is almost as if the fewer goals they score, the less likely they are to score again. But I never saw anything that concerned me about Wayne's progression or the way he was working and playing. What happened to him in the first stage of the season was natural, given he had gone so long without playing."

Rio Ferdinand also saw nothing to worry about in Rooney's early-season form. "It is funny," he said. "With players of Wayne's calibre, no matter how well he is playing, when he is not scoring people start hammering him and taking his game to pieces. The one thing you know you will get from Wayne is a good workrate and a good team ethic. That runs through the club."

Ferguson had initially suggested Rooney might be on the bench tonight, but with the French international Louis Saha still to recover from a knee injury, he may well start. Cristiano Ronaldo is available again after a brief recuperative break in Dubai, while Edwin van der Sar will replace Tomasz Kuszczak in goal - the one certain change from the team that beat Portsmouth in the FA Cup at the weekend.

United next face Reading in the Cup and Ferdinand is desperate to make it third time lucky this year. The defender has not enjoyed the best of times in the competition since his arrival at Old Trafford from Leeds United. After being forced to sit out the 2004 final victory over Millwall because of his ban for a missed drugs test, Ferdinand was reduced to tears at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff 12 months later when United felt they dominated Arsenal, only to lose in a penalty shoot-out.

"I have not had great memories of the FA Cup in recent years," Ferdinand told MUTV. "Losing to Arsenal in Cardiff was probably one of the worst feelings I have ever had in football. We battered them for the whole game and lost on penalties. It just reminds you that you need the rub of the green and also need to play well to get to the final. Hopefully, we can do that this year."

Top of the Barclays Premiership by six points and with a seemingly inviting Champions' League knockout clash against Lille looming next month, United are still in a position to emulate their historic 1999 Treble-winning campaign.

Ferdinand is not getting carried away by the prospect of adding to a single League title and last season's Carling Cup. But he believes the mentality within the Old Trafford dressing room suggests the present standards can be maintained.

"You don't want to become runners-up," he said. "You get nothing for finishing second and we want to win every competition we are in. We have that winning mentality. We are doing okay, we have to keep going."

Madrid was hell - Ronaldo

Brazilian striker Ronaldo, whose protracted transfer to Milan is nearing its conclusion, has slammed his club Real Madrid, and in particular coach Fabio Capello.

The Italian dropped Ronaldo to the bench after taking charge at the Bernabeu last summer, in favour of Ruud van Nistelrooy, and the striker has revealed his dislike for his former manager.

“He was a devil, and Madrid was hell,” Ronaldo told Italian daily La Stampa, after passing a medical with Milan.

“I am feeling good. I am extremely happy to return here, and I hope to be a Milan player soon,” he added.

The 30-year-old is expected to officially be unveiled by the Rossoneri on Monday, who will pay Real Madrid a transfer fee of 8 million euros.

Ronaldo has now returned to Madrid to begin the process of moving, though is unlikely to bid farewell to his team-mates at Real Madrid, as Capello has announced that the players will have a two-day break after their trip to Villarreal on Saturday.

United ban Ronaldo from talking about Real interest

The depth of disquiet at Manchester United over Real Madrid's blatant courtship of Cristiano Ronaldo became apparent last night when the Portuguese winger admitted he has been banned from mentioning the Bernabeu by Sir Alex Ferguson.

Real have employed their customary transfer tactics with the 21-year-old in the past week, as the club's contacts in the Spanish press have reported that both sporting director, Predrag Mijatovic, and president, Ramon Calderon, have identified Ronaldo as the talent to revive Madrid fortunes and that a £35m bid will be making its way to Old Trafford this summer.

United, for their part, have orchestrated a swift and defiant response, with Ferguson and the club's chief executive, David Gill, declaring the winger is not for sale at any price. Mindful of how receptive Ronaldo appeared to Real's interest during the World Cup last summer, however, the United hierarchy also spoke with the player on his return from a week's holiday in Dubai at the weekend and instructed him not to encourage interest from Real.

Reporters from the Spanish sports paper AS tracked down the winger at his Manchester home on Sunday and were told: "I am aware of Real Madrid's interest in me, although I can't say anything about it." He added: "I had two conversations on Saturday, with Carlos Queiroz and Alex Ferguson, and they banned me from talking about Real. I don't want to have any problems at United. I know that Ronaldo has left Real to join Milan, but I really can't say much about them."

Last Friday, Ferguson insisted he was accustomed to Madrid methods since the departure of David Beckham in 2003, but added: "We only sell the players we want to sell and there is absolutely no way Ronaldo is leaving."

Gill added: "The big clubs may talk in the papers but they fully understand our position. They know we are not selling our prize assets so there is no way that will be sanctioned."

Having convinced Ronaldo to ride out his World Cup controversy and remain at Old Trafford last summer, United believe Madrid are destined for another futile pursuit but are understood to be offering Ronaldo a lucrative new contract.

Ronaldo signed a new deal committing himself to United until 2010 only 14 months ago, estimated to be worth £70,000 a week, but United are now prepared to bring him into line with their highest earners, Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand, on £100,000 a week.

Ferguson has confirmed that the goalkeeper Ben Foster will return to United in the summer after spending a second year at Watford. Although the 23-year-old, who will not be able to play against United on Wednesday, signed for United 18 months ago, he has yet to make a senior appearance for them, having been sent to Vicarage Road by Ferguson in an attempt to further his experience.

"Ben will come back here," Ferguson said. "All we have done in terms of the goalkeeping situation is identify good talent and secure their future. He is doing well at Watford. I believe him to be England's best young goalkeeper."

* Milan and Real resume talks today after failing to reach an agreement on the striker Ronaldo after a meeting in Madrid yesterday. MilanÕs vice-president, Adriano Galliani, said: "We have offered €7m [£4.6m] and Real want €8m."

http://www.ronaldoattack.com/

Profile: Bill Gates

Bill Gates has built the world's largest software company and created the world's biggest personal fortune.

Gates had sold his first computer program by the age of 17

Now the co-founder of Microsoft - who will step down from his day-to-day role in 2008 - concentrates on giving most of his wealth away.

The business acumen and ruthless determination that helped make Mr Gates the most successful Harvard drop-out in history is being focused on tackling loftier issues.

Instead of software code, product development and strategic planning, his priorities will be the challenges posed by extreme poverty, a lack of education and diseases like AIDS and malaria.

Just as he helped launch the era of personal computing and internet communications, Mr Gates is applying his passion for technology, and quite a few billion dollars, to many of the developing world's most pressing social problems.

The career change began in 2000, when he stood down as chief executive of Microsoft, to focus on software development and the new challenges of the internet age.

Big responsibility

It will end in July 2008 when Mr Gates will leave his Microsoft "day job" to concentrate on his philanthropic endeavours at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

"I believe that with great wealth comes great responsibility, a responsibility to give back to society, a responsibility to see that those resources are put to work in the best possible way to help those most in need," he said when announcing the move.

But although he won't be strolling through the corridors of Microsoft HQ as often, Mr Gates won't be cutting many ties.

He will keep the role of chairman and senior technical adviser and has pledged to maintain his position as Microsoft's biggest shareholder.

Gates became a multi-millionaire when Microsoft floated in 1986

Aside from his reputation as a highly driven, intelligent and prescient entrepreneur, Bill Gates has also come to be known for his aggressive business tactics and confrontational style of management.

He, and his company, have attracted a vast army of critics and enemies over the years as their domination of the IT world has developed.

He is a hate figure for many technology evangelists and small computer firms that feel they have been bulldozed by Microsoft's market dominance - which has in turn led to problems with US and European Union authorities.

Early fascination

Bill Gates was born on 28 October, 1955, growing up with two sisters in Seattle. Their father, William H. Gates II, was a Seattle attorney, and their late mother, Mary Gates, was a schoolteacher.

He began computing as a 13-year-old at the city's exclusive Lakeside school.

By the age of 17, he had sold his first program - a timetabling system for the school, earning him $4,200.

It was at Lakeside that he met fellow student Paul Allen, who shared his fascination with computers.

During Gates' stint at Harvard, the two teamed up to write the first computer language program written for a personal computer.

The PC's maker, MITS, liked their work and the two friends established Microsoft in 1975, so-called because it provided microcomputer software.

Self-made billionaire

A year later, Gates dropped out of Harvard, once it became clear that the possibilities for Microsoft were bright.

The company moved to Redmond, Washington from its original base in Albuquerque - a decision attributed by some to a young Mr Gates' frequent run-ins with New Mexico's traffic police.

Microsoft's first staff photo, from the Albuquerque era

The big break came in 1980 when an agreement was signed to provide the operating system that became known as MS-DOS, for IBM's new personal computer.

In a contractual masterstroke, Microsoft was allowed to licence the operating system to other manufacturers, spawning an industry of "IBM-compatible" personal computers which depended on Microsoft's operating system.

That fuelled further growth, prompting the company to float in 1986, raising $61m.

Now a multi-millionaire, Allen had already stepped back from the frontline. Mr Gates continued to play the key role in the company's growth.

The development of mass market software like the Windows operating system and Office suite of word processing and spreadsheet applications meant Microsoft prospered, and so did he - his fortune briefly passing the $100bn mark in 1999.

However, his judgement has not always appeared flawless.

Although sales and profits rocketed in the early 1990s, he was seen to have misjudged on a grand scale the possibilities and growth of the internet - a technology platform that Microsoft has been unable to replicate its market dominance on.

Family man

He also found time to start Corbis Corporation, which is developing a digital archive of art and photography from public and private collections around the globe.

Bill Gates married Melinda French on New Year's Day 1994 and together they have three children - Jennifer, born in 1996, Rory, born in 1999, and Phoebe, born in 2002.

They live in a huge $125m house built into the side of a hill overlooking Lake Washington.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has $29bn to spend

Other interests listed on his official website are reading, playing golf and bridge.

Since 1994 the Gates' have been giving increasing amounts of time and money to charity, eventually endowing one of the world's biggest charitable foundations, which had estimated funds of about $29bn in 2005.

Forbes magazine has listed Bill Gates as the world's richest person for the last twelve years, but in an interview last year, Mr Gates said he didn't like being in such a position.

If he does as good a job giving away his fortune as he did running Microsoft, his wish may soon come true.

BBC

When Castro dies, Miami will party like it's 1959

A Miami official said his idea of holding an event at the Orange Bowl when Fidel Castro dies has been misconstrued.

"It's not a party. It's not going to be a conga line, I promise you," said Miami city commissioner Tomás Regalado.

"People are seeing this as the city pandering to a group of Cubans that want to celebrate Fidel's death and dance over Fidel's grave. That isn't the case."

The commission has approved the use of the Orange Bowl as an organized "gathering place" to help offset the chaotic street parties that have broken out when there is news about Castro's health's deteriorating, Regalado said.

Miami is home to tens of thousands of Cuban-Americans who have been very vocal about their desire to say goodbye to the 80-year-old leader of Cuba.

Born in Havana, Regalado came to Miami when he was 9 years old as part of Operation Peter Pan. Coordinated by the Roman Catholic Church and the U.S. government, it brought thousands of Cuban children to the United States in the early 1960s.

Castro came to power in 1959 after leading a revolution overthrowing Fulgencio Batista.

A place with meaning

The city of Miami owns the Orange Bowl, Regalado said, so taxpayers will pay no extra cost to host the event.

The city is already working with police to make sure enough law enforcement is in place to handle all the impromptu parties that will spring up.

"It's the responsibility of the city to direct people to one signature place, one safe place," he said. "People are going to celebrate and there's nothing we can do about that. All we want is a little order."

The Orange Bowl has special significance to Cuban-Americans, Regalado stressed.

President John Kennedy gave a speech in 1961 there promising a free Cuba. And in the 1980s, refugees stayed at the Orange Bowl who had arrived in Miami as part of the Mariel boatlift.

The commissioner said there will be a "platform" for speakers though none have been booked and he has no one in particular in mind.

He also said there will be musical performers but the entertainment would be more on the subdued side.

"The music could be hymns," he said.

Castro has not been seen in public since July 2006, when he handed power over to his 75-year-old brother Raul and underwent intestinal surgery.

Although the Cuban government has been tight-lipped about his condition, reports have indicated Castro has been struggling through complications relating to the surgery.

Those who have seen or spoken to him, such as Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, insist he is recovering.

CNN

Man, 84, wins $254 million lottery

An 84-year-old retired electrician from Missouri has won $254 million in the Powerball lottery, lottery officials announced on Monday.

James Wilson, a World War II veteran from St. Louis, bought the winning ticket for the multi-state lottery about an hour before the drawing on January 24, officials said in a statement in Missouri.

Wilson asked for a $5 ticket at a store shortly before the drawing, and the clerk mentioned that the shop had some $5 Powerball "Quick Pick" tickets with computer-selected numbers already printed, the statement said.

Wilson agreed and took the next ticket, which turned out to be the single winner.

The state lottery said it was the 10th biggest lottery jackpot in the world ever won on a single ticket.

Wilson and his wife, Shirley, 79, have three grown sons, James, 59, William, 54, and Terril, 53, all of St. Louis, and the family has been buying lottery tickets for years with an agreement to share the winnings, the announcement said.

"We all buy family Powerball tickets, but mom and dad only buy tickets when the jackpot gets high," said Terril Wilson. "I think this is the first one he's bought in the last six months. This ticket only cost us $1 each, which we were happy to pay."

Officials said the family had hired a former U.S. Internal Revenue Service lawyer to help it handle the winnings.

CNN

Milan expect to seal Ronaldo deal

AC Milan expect to wrap up a deal to sign Ronaldo on Tuesday despite failing to reach an agreement with Real Madrid.

The 30-year-old Brazilian striker has already passed a medical with the Italian club.

Milan vice president Adriano Galliani met Real officials on Monday and said: "We have offered seven million euros (£4.6m) and Real want eight (£5.3m).

"Only one million euros separates us. I am expecting to be back in Milan on Tuesday morning with Ronaldo."

Ronaldo, who has 18 months left on his Real Madrid contract, cost £20m when he joined Real from Inter Milan in 2002.

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti told Italy's Radio Anch'io Sport of his excitement at the potential return of the three-time World Player of the Year and the highest goalscorer in World Cup history.

Ancelotti said: "He's not particularly fit at the moment because, having been excluded from the Real squad, he has lost some of his enthusiasm in training. But he remains a great player."

Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon had made it clear that Ronaldo is on his way out of the club, having barely played under new coach Fabio Capello.

Ronaldo has started only three league matches under Italian Capello, who has been focusing on bringing in new blood since taking over in the summer.

The former Cruzeiro, PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona and Inter forward has also been linked with AC Italian rivals Juventus and a move to Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia.

Ronaldo has scored 69 league goals for Real in 98 appearances.

BBC

Crazy Driver takes Photos of Truck with Missing Back Wheels on Highway

What on earth was the driving thinking when taking pictures right behind this truck. These pictures appear to be taken on a highway in Japan.

Mobile internet use 'increasing'

Mobile phone users in the UK accessed the internet via their handsets about 15.9 million times throughout December 2006, says the Mobile Data Association.

The association's report shows an increase of one million unique sessions over November 2006, the prior record.

However, much of the recent increase could be due to seasonal gift-giving said Thomas Husson, a mobile analyst at Jupiter Research.

In the past three months, mobile users accessed the web 45.6 million times.

Unique consumer internet sessions on the O2, Orange, T-Mobile and Vodafone networks were included in the report.

Despite the new numbers, Mr Husson said mobile data was "far from being mainstream".

More usage in 2007

He added that an increase in data use should be expected over the next year due to a larger installed base of internet-capable mobile phones, better user experiences, user education, and new consumer-friendly price points.

Nick Lane, principal analyst at Informa Telecoms and Media, reiterated the importance of user education.

"The continued advancement of handsets means people are beginning to spend more time familiarising themselves with new services," most common of which are news, sport and weather updates Mr Lane said.

He said that by the end of 2007, 797.6 million mobile phone subscriptions worldwide, or roughly 25%, will include web browsing.

Location based services

Both analysts said that location-based mobile services should be a growth area for mobile data in the coming year.

In a recent survey conducted by Informa, consumers repeatedly ranked location-aware services like maps as a highly desirable handset feature.

"All the major players are starting to build services around navigation and maps, but they're still new," and aren't quite ready yet Mr Husson said.

"It's only a question of time" before location services will be added to the increasing amount of digital information available on handsets, he added.

How to Copy and Paste the Adsense Code into your site

After getting approval from Google, here's come to your first step to earn money from it. What should one do in order to display Adsense ads on his/her sites? It is quite simple and straightforward. Adsense Ads are solely HTML code, just link those that make up a website. So, with the use of a simple HTML editor, you can easily paste such HMTL code into any place you want in your website.

First, you need to get the HMTL code for a specific product. There are various products from adsense. And I will not put too much emphasis here on that. After selecting the desired product, just pick up and copy the HTML code in the box at the bottom of the page.

Afterwards, you can use any simple HTML editors (e.g. Frontpage, Dreamweaver etc.) and paste the code to your desire position. According to Google, Once you've generated your ad code by visiting the AdSense Setup tab and following the steps to choose an ad type, format, and colors, you'll need to add the code to your web pages. In the final step of the setup, you'll see your code in the Your AdSense Code box. This is the code that you will cut-and-paste directly into your web pages.

Because every HTML editor is different, and because only you know how you like to build your web pages, we can't give exact instructions on copying the ad code into your pages. We can, however, give you a few tips:

- Make sure to paste the ad code into your source without making any changes to the code. This is important, as changing the code in any way can cause errors on your page (and is against the AdSense program policies)
- Copy the ad code between the body tags of your HTML
- If you're using a WYSIWYG editor (such as FrontPage or Dreamweaver) it's a good idea to paste the code into the Code or Source view. Pasting it into the layout view will often result in HTML tags being added to your code, and will result in errors
- If your page uses Frames, make sure that the code is pasted into the frame that contains your page's main content. We use this content to target ads

When you're all done, save your web pages and upload them to your server. If you have questions about uploading files to your server, we suggest contacting your web hosting company directly.

After pasting the code in your site, the ads will be shown immediately, no matter it is relevant ads, irrelevant one or the PSA (public service advertisement). Initially, the ads that you see may be Public Service Ads and won't be targeted to your page. We have to crawl your page's content before we know what kinds of ads to send your way - this can take up to a few hours, but usually occurs within minutes. Once our crawler has visited your page, you should see ads that are highly targeted to your content.

INTERVIEW - Microsoft: Vista enterprise sales "very well"

Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said on Monday corporate sales of Vista are going "very well," and he expects the consumer launch of the new Windows operating system to spur demand for personal computers.

Microsoft began to sell Vista, the first major upgrade of its dominant operating system in five years, to companies last November and will launch retail sales on Tuesday.

Asked by Reuters how corporate sales were going, Ballmer said: "So far, very well. So far I would say the reaction has been incredibly positive."

Vista upgrades the operating system used on more than 90 percent of computers, and features translucent windows to make it easier to view items on the desktop, an improved search system and improved reliability and security.

In the first year of its release, Vista will be installed on more than 100 million PCs worldwide. But because only about 15 percent of existing computers have memory and graphics cards powerful enough to run premium version of Windows Vista, it could trigger a wave of PC purchases.

"There is a pent up set of consumers who are going to get new PCs," Ballmer said in an interview. "We will see an uptick (in PC sales). Sales will be stronger than they otherwise would have been."

Microsoft is set to unleash a marketing blitz with the launch, including a host of events in New York's Times Square and midnight sales at many retail stores.

The world's largest software maker released the operating system, Office and PC server products to corporate and other large customers in November. It is set to make Vista, the cornerstone of a new product cycle at Microsoft, widely available for retail customers on Jan. 30.

Australia shows Irwin's last film

The final documentary made by naturalist Steve Irwin is being broadcast in his native Australia.

The film follows Irwin in the days leading up to his death last September, when he was killed by a stingray.

Entitled Ocean's Deadliest, the film is introduced by Irwin's widow, Terri, and is being broadcast by Australia's Channel 9 network.

It shows Steve Irwin in his element, coming face-to-face with great white sharks, venomous fish and crocodiles.

He also delivers a powerful message about conservation.

The film is narrated by the explorer Philippe Cousteau, the grandson of the famous oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, who accompanied Irwin - dubbed the Crocodile Hunter - on what would be his last journey.

Many Australians have very fond memories of the irrepressible television presenter and naturalist.

"He was a good bloke. I think he actually depicted what a true Australian outback bloke was," one man said.

Steve Irwin's widow Terri reportedly found the 90-minute documentary "harrowing".

Craig attends China Bond premiere

007 actor Daniel Craig has attended the Beijing premiere of Casino Royale - the first Bond film to be shown in China.

The British star, who is nominated for a Bafta for his performance, was joined at the event by his co-star Eva Green and director Martin Campbell.

Craig said he felt "privileged" to show the movie "in a country that I've been eager to visit for a long time".

Previous Bond films have fallen foul of government censors, though pirated DVDs are freely available.

The film is to be shown at more than 1,000 cinemas - the widest release ever for a foreign film in China.

Dubbing experts

It will be screened unedited in all major Chinese cities and numerous smaller towns, said distributor Sony Pictures.

Speaking at the premiere, held in the basement of a Beijing shopping centre, Craig said it was a "good thing" the film would be shown in the country "in its entirety".

According to the Associated Press, the film's producers hired local experts to ensure the Chinese-language dubbing of its gambling scenes sounded authentic.

Monday's event in Beijing will be followed on Tuesday by a second premiere in Shanghai.

Craig has made good use of his time in the Chinese capital, taking the opportunity to visit the Forbidden City with his girlfriend, Satsuki Mitchell.

Casino Royale is expected to perform well, though most of its box office revenues will be retained by China's state-owned distributor.

Bootleg DVDs of the latest film are available in Beijing for under £1 (15 yuan).

TCS says wins multi-million dlr deal from Parkway

Tata Consultancy Services Ltd., India's top software services exporter, has won a "multi-million-dollar" contract from Singapore healthcare group Parkway Holdings Ltd., a TCS executive told Reuters on Monday.

Under the terms of the deal, TCS will build a healthcare management system for Parkway, which runs three hospitals in Singapore, said Girija Pande, TCS's Asia Pacific director.

The system will allow patients and doctors access to medical records, billings and appointments.

Pande declined to provide further details on the contract, including its exact value, ahead of the official signing ceremony between the two firms on Tuesday morning.

Marriage will not end Aishwarya's career

When Aishwarya Rai got engaged to Abhishek Bachchan early this month there was widespread speculation about her future in filmdom. While her would-be in-laws say they have no problems with her continuing in films, some producers fear she may quit after marriage just like Jaya Bachchan did. Jaya, after marrying Amitabh Bachchan, had quit films at the peak of her career to become a homemaker.

"Will Aishwarya continue to work after marriage? Didn't Jaya Bachchan give it all up at the peak of her career to be Mrs. Amitabh Bachchan?" one producer on the verge of signing her for a big action thriller seemed to express the entire industry's anxieties.

However, all speculation regarding Aishwarya's future in the movies can be laid to rest. The Bachchans have no intentions of stopping her from working.

"There's absolutely no talk of Aishwarya giving up her career. After 'Guru' she has entered a new performing peak. This is the time when she needs to build on her actor's image. There's absolutely no hint of a closure to her career after marriage, whenever that happens," a source close to the family said.

In fact, 2007 is one of Aishwarya's busiest years in years.

"Apart from two international projects, 'The Last Legion' and 'Provoked', which are ready for release she's shooting for Ashutosh Gowariker's 'Jodha-Akbar'. Right after that she goes into Ram Gopal Varma's 'Sarkar 2', followed by a film for Karan Johar's production house. Both feature Abhishek opposite her. It would make a lot of practical sense for Aishwarya to do her films with Abhishek."

That doesn't mean she'd keep herself exclusively associated with Abhishek professionally.

"In fact, she is about to ink another project for producer Gaurang Doshi to be directed by Shriram Raghavan which stars John Abraham. All these will keep her busy till at least the middle of 2008," added the source.

The marriage date, which will be worked out only after Jaya and Abhishek return from the shooting of Goldie Behl's "Drona", will in no way impede Aishwarya's career plans.

"But she is completely one with whatever Abhishek's parents decide. She's leaving all her post-marriage decisions to them. In fact, she has been going by their wishes for some time now, from the time the two got serious about one another," the source said.

FEATURE - iPod generation tunes out of Japanese jazz culture

Once a haven for Japan's earliest jazz fans, cafe Chigusa is packing up its thousands of vinyl records.

"These days, kids don't listen to jazz, and they walk down the street with iPods, which makes the whole idea of 'place' irrelevant," says Michael Molasky, author of "The Jazz Culture of Postwar Japan".

Seventy-three years after first opening its doors, Chigusa, among the oldest and the most cherished of Japan's jazz coffee shops, has become a victim of the electronic revolution.

For its patrons, mostly male and alone, the cafe was a place of learning and of comfort. The unspoken rules, which they followed faithfully, included listening to the music in silence and waiting in turn to make a request, jotting it down on a scrap of paper. And no alcohol or snapping fingers.

"Filled with sound, smoke, and hundreds of records, jazz coffee houses used to be a space for young people who came looking for a proper understanding of the music," says Molasky, professor of Asian languages and literature at the University of Minnesota.

Chigusa enjoyed a glorious epoch in the 1960s and early 70s, when students and musicians gathered to listen to imported albums that were otherwise beyond their means.

"Now we only have about 10 regulars, who've been coming for years," says Masatomi Kaneshige, a 65-year-old retiree who often helps out at the cafe.

"Young people hardly come here. This place must look so strange and dark to them, with old men sitting quietly, sipping coffee and listening to vibrant jazz."

JAZZ BOOM

But on its last Saturday in business, the small cafe was full from before its official opening at noon. Around the six tiny tables sat 10 customers, half familiar faces and the rest newcomers -- both young and old -- who came for their first and last Chigusa experience after hearing about its closure.

Kaneshige gazed at the 40 record covers pasted on Chigusa's walls and pointed at the signed copy of Bill Evans Trio's bestselling "Waltz for Debby," a favourite, he recalls, of the cafe's founder, Mamoru Yoshida, who passed away 13 years ago.

Chigusa, soon to be replaced by a new building complex, was opened in 1937 by 20-year-old Yoshida, who fell in love with jazz at public dance halls and began collecting imported records.

World War Two brought great troubles for Yoshida, who had to hide his 6,000 records in his basement at a time when many jazz coffee houses were raided and most dance halls closed.

A U.S. air raid in 1945 destroyed the cafe along with all the vinyl albums. Yoshida reopened his cafe soon after the war, creating a refuge for occupying American soldiers and musicians who played at nearby U.S. bases.

They also brought Yoshida many of the latest 12-inch records, valuable additions to his new collection.

Chigusa, located in an old nightclub district in the port city of Yokohama, also became a classroom for young Japanese talent, such as pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi and trumpeter Terumasa Hino -- now world-class artists - where they listened to rare John Coltrane LPs and learned to write scores.

"There was a huge jazz boom triggered by the arrival of French new wave movies and Hollywood films that used modern jazz," Molasky said.

"Suddenly, jazz coffee shops sprung up everywhere."

In the 1970s, even popular writer Haruki Murakami, then a student, set up his own jazz cafe, where he began work on his first novel. His later works are peppered with jazz references.

FADING FEVER

But then, rock and punk came along, as did CDs and better personal audio systems. The fever for jazz began to fade. After founder Yoshino passed away, his younger sister Takako Yoshida took over Chigusa. Lately, though, Takako, now 77, found it difficult to run the place on her own.

For long-time regulars like Masayuki Isozaki, everything from the walls yellowed by cigarette smoke to the simple menu of 500 yen ($4) coffee, tea and soda were the reasons that drew him to Chigusa almost every week since the age of 20.

"Last week at work, the thought of saying goodbye to all this brought tears to my eyes," said Isozaki, 54.

But jazz coffee houses are not only about what went before.

"Yes, times are changing and many old cafes are closing," said 36-year old Yusuke Miyamoto, who grew up in the neighbourhood. "But there are some new ones opening up and many young people like jazz too, including me, who picked up the alto saxophone after I started going to these coffee shops."

Yukio Saito, 31, started an online community for jazz coffee shop owners and customers in 1997. There are now around 100 listed on the Web site, which posts events and reviews.

"I am sure there are people out there who would love to take on a place like this, or at least, carry on the tradition," said 29-year old Megumi Saito who stepped into the cafe for the first time. "It has such a wonderful atmosphere."

Shilpa wins 'Celebrity Big Brother'

Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty has won Channel 4's reality TV show "Celebrity Big Brother" and bagged an estimated 100,000 pounds (almost Rs.9 million) in prize money. The results didn't come as a surprise because the leggy Indian star was tipped as the favourite to win. Shilpa, 31, the first Indian to participate in the British TV show, was reportedly paid in excess of 40,000 pounds for her participation.

"She was leading all the betting sites," Shilpa's publicist Dale Bhagwagar said.

Shilpa's being on the show, which started Jan 3, didn't make as much news as the racist slurs hurled against her by her housemates, namely British contestant Jade Goody who has since been voted out by the audience.

Housemates Goody, Danielle Lloyd and Jo O'Meara seemed to have ganged up against Shilpa during her stay. She became the subject of their snide and biting comments because of her svelte figure, poise and charm, good dressing sense and background as a popular Bollywood actor.

The racist comments caused outrage in India and Britain, with the issue figuring in the House of Commons and feminist diva Germaine Greer, and even two Indian ministers, demanding corrective action.

Shilpa, who made her debut in Bollywood with the 1993 super hit "Baazigar" which also starred reigning superstar Shah Rukh Khan, never managed to touch the skies as a star. Her slinky dance numbers were more appreciated than her emoting.

But now her popularity ratings have soared suddenly - thanks to the controversial reality show.

"Hollywood film offers have started coming in. Apart form the US and Britain, offers are coming from Spain and Singapore too. Also, the Indian film industry suddenly seems to have woken up to the new Shilpa," said Bhagwagar.

Other contestants who participated in it were Michael Jackson's brother Jermaine, A-Team star Dirk Benedict, Donny Tourette of punk band The Towers of London, ex-Steps star Ian "H" Watkins and "Kenny Everett" Show actress Cleo Rocos.

Japan women called child machines

Japan's health minister has referred to women as "birth-giving machines" in a speech to a local political meeting.

Hakuo Yanagisawa called for women to do their best to bear children in order to counter Japan's plummeting birth rate and rapidly ageing population.

"Because the number of birth-giving machines and devices is fixed, all we can ask for is for them to do their best per head," he said.

He added: "Although it may not be so appropriate to call them machines."

Recent figures show that Japanese fertility fell to an average of just 1.26 children per woman in 2005.

Last year saw a slight rise for the first time in six years, but the country still faces a long-term trend that may see a 30% drop in the population in the next 50 years.

A rate of 2.1 is needed to maintain population levels.

Japan has the world's highest ratio of elderly to young people.

The trend raises serious concerns about the country's future economic growth and how it can fund its pensions.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pledged to bring in policies that will tackle the falling birth rate.

His recent draft budget sought to increase support for child-care services.

French honour for Bollywood star

Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan has been awarded France's highest civilian honour, the Legion d'Honneur.

The award was presented to the actor at a function at the French embassy in the Indian capital, Delhi.

Ambassador Dominique Girard said it was in recognition of the "quality and height of his achievement".

Bachchan topped a 1999 BBC News website poll to find the greatest star of the millennium, beating the likes of Marlon Brando and Charlie Chaplin.

The actor's career spans almost 40 years. He has acted in more than 140 movies.

'Towering personality'

"It fills me with great pride," Bachchan said accepting the award. "It's not just an award for me, it's the recognition of the achievement of the Indian cinema. It's an award for the entire film industry," he said.

"India has arrived on the global cinema stage, the carping critics have been silenced, and the cynicism about the Hindi film industry has given way to world-wide appreciation," Bachchan said.

Describing him as a "towering Indian personality" and the "number-one actor of Indian cinema", Ambassador Girard said the award "brings him [Bachchan] into the international legion of world's greatest artistes".

Bachchan arrived at the function in Delhi with his wife and children in tow.

The son of a famous Hindi poet, Bachchan moved to Mumbai (Bombay) to make a career in films after quitting his job as a freight broker in Calcutta.

The actor debuted in 1969 with Saat Hindustani [Seven Indians] - in which he played one of the seven leads.

He made his name in the 1970s and 1980s as a film action hero and gave several hits like Zanjeer [Shackles], Sholay [Burning Embers], Deewar [Wall] and Don.

Critically acclaimed

He also showed his talent for comedy in films like Chupke Chupke and Amar Akbar Anthony.

In recent years, he has done several critically-acclaimed films, including Black [in which he plays an old man stricken with Alzheimer's] and Sarkar [where he plays a role inspired by Marlon Brando's Godfather].

Bachchan also played the very popular host of Kaun Banega Carorepati - Indian version of the UK game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

He has also lent his voice to the Oscar winning French documentary, March of the Penguins, for the Indian market.

In 2000, Bachchan became the first Bollywood star to have a wax statue at Madame Tussaud's museum in London.

The Legion d'Honneur was instituted in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte.

Among those who have received the award in the past are Hollywood director Steven Spielberg and French actor, Gerard Depardieu.

Well-known Indian film director Satyajit Ray and sitar maestro Ravi Shankar are two Indians who have also been awarded the honour.