The gambling city hit the jackpot again, smashing its annual record for casino earnings as revenues last year reached US$45 billion. Macau's nearly three dozen casinos raked in 33.5 billion patacas (HK$31.9 billion) in December, according to the Gaming Inspection and Co-ordination Bureau, the gambling regulator. That brought revenue for last year to 360.8 billion patacas, up 18.6 per cent from 2012, further underlining its position as the world's biggest gambling market.
Top golfer Rory McIlroy enjoyed his first big win of the year - getting engaged to tennis star Caroline Wozniacki. The 24-year-old Northern Irishman popped the question in Sydney, where Wozniacki, a 23-year-old Dane, is preparing for the Australian Open in Melbourne. The announcement put to rest reports last year that the celebrity couple, who have been together for over two years, were splitting up.