Million dollar jackpot win of college girl

A 22-year-old college student in Tianjin won 35 million yuan (US$4.2 million) in the national sports lottery, the largest win since the lottery was founded in 1994.

On Monday the jackpot winner, surnamed Zhao, received a cheque for 28 million yuan (US$3.4 million) after tax. Speaking about her win Zhao said she chose the numbers at random and placed seven stakes, each bringing her the top prize of 5 million yuan.

Since news broke of her win the lottery office where she bought her tickets has been packed and its sales have increased threefold, reports the Beijing News.

Domestic movies a big cinema audience draw

Cinemas across Heilongjiang saw box office ticket sales soar to a record level in 2004. Over 9 million yuan (US$1.1 million) - 50 per cent up on the previous year - was taken.

Domestic films made up 55 per cent of the total income, the first time they have dominated in more than a decade.

Movies like "House of Flying Daggers," "A World without Thieves" and "Kung Fu Hustle" have left imports such as "King Arthur" and "Troy" lagging far behind.

Wang Yunlong, manager of the Swan Cinema said good advertising, proper scheduling and improved cinema facilities mainly accounts for the growth in the number of cinemagoers, reports the Heilongjiang Morning Post.

Rags to riches tale ends at gambling table

A millionaire who lost everything gambling killed the man who led him into it before committing suicide.

The fortunes of Wang Ye, once a laid-off worker in Dandong, Liaoning, were transformed when he started his own small business.

But then a friend surnamed Li suggested he try his hand at gambling. Wang soon became addicted and gambled away all his money.

And when his wife walked out, he turned his anger on Li, who he shot and killed. Two days later he took his own life, reports the Business Times.

Farmer becomes visiting university fellow

A simple villager who painstakingly copied 12 classic Chinese masterpieces has been appointed a visiting professor by the National University of Viet Nam.

In the past 14 years, writing with a brush, the 58-year-old farmer from Huludao, Liaoning whose love of literature, calligraphy and fine arts dates back to childhood, has been unceasing to complete the works.

Since beginning his undertaking in 1991, Ma Qingrong has worked from 5 am until 11 at night every day and worn out than 500 writing brushes.

Ma's academic appointment came early this year. And as encouragement, the local government has given him a computer and 20,000 yuan (US$2,400).

Though suffering from arthritis, rheumatism and lumber muscle strain, Ma is aiming to set a world record for "copying the classics," reports the Liaoshen Evening News.

Aquarium sharks proving hard to relocate

Keepers at Beijing Aquarium are stumped for ideas how to get five large sharks to move home.

After holding back food for five days, they lowered a cage into the water and dangled two bleeding fish inside as a bait.

But although the hungry sharks went into a frenzy at the smell and taste of blood in the water, they refused to enter the cage, no matter how hard the keepers tried to tempt them.

Staff are currently trawling for new ideas to get the sharks to move, but have yet to come up with an effective one, reports the Beijing Times.

Exhausted goose seeks police help

As if knowing it is best to find a police officer in times of trouble, an exhausted wild goose landed on a patrol car in Anshan, Liaoning Province.

Hearing a strange sound on the roof of their vehicle two officers stopped and got out to investigate. To their astonishment they discovered a large wild goose flapping atop their car.

A vet later found it was suffering from cramp in the leg caused by fatigue after a long-haul migratory flight from the south, reports the Liaoshen Evening News.

(China Daily 02/24/2005 page4)