Last year, the Chinese New Year co-incided with the Muslim Eid - this year the end-of-Ramadan celebration fell around 11 days earlier (as it does each year). There were festivities in the Rusholme district, with heavy attendance at the Central Mosque in Victoria Park, and a funfair in nearby Platt Fields Park.

There are huge numbers of Asian students in Manchester, and now that the economies of South Korea, Hong Kong and other Asian "Tigers" are facing difficulties, colleges and universities here are trying to make things easier for cash-strapped Oriental students by offering deferred fee arrangements and cheaper accommodation. Let's hope those economies pick up again quickly.

Manchester University's Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope will be listening for signs of intelligent life from other worlds - that's the big announcement today on local radio and tv. Last year a similar story featured on this page, Monday 7 July 97. The 250 foot Lovell Telescope will provide support to the 1000 foot telescope at Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Scientists working on the project hope to find clear evidence of extra-terrestrial life within 15 years. So if there are any alien life forms out there thinking of visiting Manchester, please send an e-mail to this address......

Manchester University is also gearing up for the 50th anniversary celebrations of "Baby", the first stored program computer, as mentioned last week. If you'd like more information, go to the website at www.cs.man.ac.uk/mark1 . I spoke to members of the team organising the event at the Business Computer Systems Show. Have a look at my reports and photos from the show.

Cine City, the picture house in Withington that closed and re-opened last year under new ownership, is doing well. Proprietor David Babsky is bringing back the golden age of cinema by showing classics like Singing in the Rain and My Fair Lady. And in the city centre, refurbishments were completed recently to Cornerhouse Screen number One, on Whitworth Street. Tonight's screenings are Ridicule, Gummo and, appropriately enough Chinatown. I wish I could give you a website address for the Cornerhouse, but there isn't one! Their address is 70 Oxford St M1 5NH if you'd like to write and ask them why not!

The Halle Orchestra is on the front page of this afternoon's Evening News: The world famous orchestra, whose home is now the Bridgewater Hall, are running a huge deficit, and it appears they only have three days to go before going bankrupt. Commentators blame bad financial management and cuts in official funding. It's not the first time the Halle has had money problems. See Manchester Eyewitness 1947, 1st of November 1947.

Manchester featured in the national news during the week with the announcement that the trend-setting London department store, Selfridges, will open an outlet at the Trafford Centre. According to decision-makers at the store, Manchester has a buzz at the moment that fits in well with the Selfridges ethos. We were in the London store on Saturday, and saw comedy, now soap actress Barbara Windsor shopping. I wonder if the Manchester outlet will attract celebs.

More shopping opportunities are coming to a development near Bolton. The Middlebrook Leisure and Retail Park is predicted to create 4000 new jobs. The project already includes shops, restaurants, cinemas, and the Bolton Wanderers Reebok Stadium, now a spectacular landmark visible from the M61 (picture to come soon!).

And in the heart of Manchester, construction continues. The first concrete has been poured into the foundations of the new Marks and Spencers store, and work has started on dismantling the Shambles. From the temporary pedestrian way along Corporation St, you can peer through windows at the work. If you'd like a peek, click on the image. The Manchester Civic Society website has a new feature on the regeneration of Piccadilly Gardens, as well as info on the Free Trade Hall. Are both these Manchester landmarks going to have multi-story office blocks built on them? Find out at the Civic Society Website www.manchestercivic.org.uk.

Legal controversy has featured in the news this week, including a petition for the acquittal of the seven homosexual men convicted of sex offences in Bolton last week. Gay campaigners say it was a victimless offence. A few miles away in Bury, the town council has decided to uphold its ban on performances by stage hypnotists. And in Wilmslow, a couple have lodged a complaint after they were struck off the list of patients at their local health centre because they called a doctor out at night to see their 8 year old daughter, who they thought was suffering from meningitis.

Unlike Manchester United, police in Manchester have scored notable victories this week: A racket known as the "French Connection" reached the end of the road when their leader, Noel Murray was found guilty at Minshull St Crown Court. They had apparently been importing luxury cars from Europe, but had actually been stealing them locally to order and "ringing" them (falsifying the serial number): Their speciality: Porsche's. And at Manchester Airport, officials intercepted a huge haul of cocaine concealed in hollowed out avocado pears. I was once stopped by customs at Manchester Airport, but the only herb I had on me was a large gift pack of Sri Lankan tea.

Forty years ago on Friday, the Munich Air Disaster plunged millions into grief, and the after-effects continue to this day. Last night, I watched the excellent Granada documentary, "The Busby Babes: End of a Dream" directed by Alan Brown. I hope they show it where you are. The Evening News has a supplement with the newspaper this week. Next week I'll include an Eyewitness in Manchester Flashback to the day of the tragedy. If there's any aspect you'd like me to look out for in my research, please let me know. .

The weather today has been cold and clear, with bright sunshine in Manchester, and snow in other parts of the UK. The rest of the last seven days has been mostly cold, overcast and dry. Temperatures for January in the UK were 1.5% above normal, with 121% the amount of sunshine expected for this time of year. So don't believe the cliche's about British weather and especially not Manchester weather!

• As allegations against President Clinton continue, confrontation with Saddam Hussein mounts: Even Iraqi newspapers are accusing the President of being a cad, and one carried photos of his latest girlfriend. What they didn't realise: the woman on the beach was Hilary Clinton.
• In Derry/Londonderry, Bloody Sunday commemorations take place.
• An eight year old boy is recruited as consultant for the Millenium Dome.

Words & pictures ©Aidan O'Rourke