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Here are today's picks from our editors. 

China's top political advisory body concludes annual session

China's top political advisory body concluded its annual session Wednesday, building a broad consensus and unity for national development.

Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders including Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the closing meeting of the second session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing.

Addressing the closing meeting, Wang Yang, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, called for further improvement of the CPPCC system to translate the Party's propositions into consensus and action of people from various sectors.

Hailing CPPCC's achievements in participating in the founding and developing of New China, exploring reforms, and realizing Chinese Dream, Wang said the political advisory body now enjoys a broader stage and shoulder a heavier responsibility as socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. (Xinhua) 

Chinese crash victim families arrive in Ethiopia

The families of the victims of the Ethiopian Airlines crash have arrived in Ethiopia and the Chinese Embassy in Addis Ababa will keep a close watch over the investigation and help the families, said Lu Kang, spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs at a press conference Wednesday.

"The Chinese Embassy has set up three hotlines, designating special agents to receive calls and set up a liaison office in the hotel near the airport to provide immediate assistance to the families," Lu said.

"We will continue to closely follow the developments and coordinate with the Ethiopian government," he added. (People's Daily app) 

Britain says to scrap tariffs on 87 percent of imports in no-deal Brexit

Britain will slash import tariffs in case of a no-deal Brexit and will not apply customs checks on the border with Ireland, the government said on Wednesday.

Under the new system, which would come into force if Britain leaves the EU on March 29 without an agreement, tariffs would be retained but reduced for some agricultural products to protect British producers.

The new regime is aimed at avoiding a jump in prices of EU imports for consumers and a disruption of supply chains, and is intended to be temporary for up to 12 months pending negotiations on a more permanent system. (AFP) 

At least 8 killed in mass shooting in Southern Brazil school

Two young men wearing hoods and carrying guns, knives and crossbows opened fire at a school in southern Brazil on Wednesday, killing eight people before taking their own lives, authorities said.

The dead included six students and two teachers, and several other people were hospitalized with injuries, according to Gov. Joao Doria, speaking a few blocks from the public school in Suzano, a suburb of Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city.

The attackers appeared to be in their early to mid-20s, and authorities don’t believe they were former students, the governor said. (AP) 

US grounds all Boeing 737 Max aircraft

President Donald Trump grounded all Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft operating in the US.

Prior to Trump's announcement, Federal Aviation Administration authorities said it didn't have any data to show that the planes were unsafe.

Trump cited "new information" that had come to light from the ongoing investigation into the aircraft disaster last weekend, but did not elaborate further.

"All of those planes are grounded, effective immediately," Trump said during a scheduled briefing on border security. (People's Daily app) 

South Africa signs multinational treaty to establish world's top telescope

South Africa on Tuesday signed the international treaty establishing the Square Kilometer Array Observatory (SKAO) as an intergovernmental organization tasked with building and operating the world's most powerful radio astronomy telescope.

Six other countries, including Australia, China, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and the United Kingdom, also signed the treaty, concluding four years of negotiations by government representatives and international lawyers.

The SKAO will help close fundamental gaps in mankind's understanding of the universe, enabling astronomers from participating countries to study gravitational waves, and test Einstein's theory of relativity in extreme environments, and search for signs of life elsewhere in the universe. (Xinhua) 

Chinese young pivot Han Xu ready for WNBA draft

Chinese center Han Xu has arrived in Los Angeles, California waiting for next month's WNBA draft where her dream could possibly come true.

Han played for Xinjiang last season after she graduated from Tsinghua University High School of Beijing.

Xinjiang lost to Beijing in the playoffs and Han recently received the nod from the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) to take her chances in the US.

Han, who led the Chinese team to win the Asian Games title and finished 6th at the World Cup last year, could be joined by her national teammates Li Meng, Yang Liwei and Li Yueru at the 2019 WNBA Draft. (Xinhua) 

Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.

And now for the Question of the Day:

Reckoned to be one of the great novels of world literature, who wrote 'Dead Souls'?

(Answer: Nikolai Gogol.) 

Today's quote is from Roman statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 BC - 43 BC).

"Memory is the treasury and guardian of all things."

(Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Ryan Yaoran Yu, Lance Crayon, Brian Lowe, and Elaine Yue Lin.)