Microsoft co-founder Allen has cancer

The billionaire Paul Allen, who founded the US software giant Microsoft with Bill Gates in 1975, has been diagnosed with cancer. Mr Allen, 56, one of the wealthiest men in the world, has non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Mr Allen's sister, Jody Allen, said in the letter to employees of her brother's company, Vulcan Inc. Ms Allen, who is the chief executive of Vulcan Inc, wrote: "He received the diagnosis early this month and has begun chemotherapy.

"Doctors say he has diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, a relatively common form of lymphoma." She recalled that her brother survived another bout with cancer 25 years ago. "Paul is feeling OK and remains upbeat. He continues to work and he has no plans to change his role at Vulcan," she said.

Mr Allen left Microsoft in 1983 and is the founder and chairman of Vulcan Inc. and the chairman of Charter Communications. He owns the National Football League team the Seattle Seahawks and the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association and is a part owner of the Major League Soccer team the Seattle Sounders. Mr Allen is also a leading philanthropist with donations totaling nearly one billion dollars (Dh3.6bn). * AFP