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This is People's Daily app.

Here are today's picks from our editors. 

China's space station expected to be completed around 2022

China welcomes scientists from around the world to participate in its space station program scheduled to be completed around 2022, said Li Guoping, a spokesman at the China National Space Administration.

At a press conference on Monday, Li said China has cooperated in manned space exploration with Russia, Germany, France, the European Space Agency and other countries and organizations.

China hopes to continue international cooperation in fields including equipment development, applications, astronaut training and aerospace medicine during construction of the space station, said Li. (Ecns) 

Over 5,000 FDI firms established in Guangzhou in 2018

South China's metropolis Guangzhou saw a total of 5,376 foreign direct investment (FDI) enterprises established in 2018, the city mayor said Tuesday.

The number of newly established FDI enterprises in Guangzhou last year rose 1.2 times more than the number in 2017, said Mayor Wen Guohui in his government work report delivered Tuesday.

By the end of last year, 301 out of the global 500 companies had invested in Guangzhou. Their combined paid-in value of FDI totaled $6.7 billion, an increase of 6.5 percent year-on-year. (Xinhua) 

UK Parliament rejects Brexit deal

The Brexit deal made by the UK government and European Union was rejected Tuesday evening.

In a vote of MPs, 432 voted against the deal while 202 voted for it.

The BBC said it marks the biggest government defeat in history.

The leader of Britain's Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn tabled a vote of no-confidence in the government after the deal was defeated.

The vote means further turmoil for British politics only 10 weeks before the country is due to leave the EU, said AP. (People's Daily app-AP) 

White House shifts shutdown strategy, tries to bypass Pelosi

Shifting strategy, the White House invited rank-and-file House Democrats to lunch Tuesday with President Donald Trump, bypassing Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her leadership team in an effort to get centrist and freshman lawmakers on board with funding Trump's long-promised US-Mexico border wall.

Lawmakers invited to the White House include centrist Democrats, including freshmen, from districts where Trump is popular.

With the government shutdown now in its fourth week, negations between the White House and Congress are at a standstill. Trump has demanded $5.7 billion for the border wall; Democrats are refusing but are offering money for fencing and other border security measures. (AP) 

China's railway police nab 2,558 ticket scalpers ahead of festival

Chinese police have apprehended 2,558 railway ticket scalpers in its latest campaign ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb. 5 this year.   

Railway police have solved 2,378 scalping cases and confiscated 29,449 railway tickets and 48,804 counterfeit ones since the crackdown was launched in December 2018, the Ministry of Public Security said at a press conference Tuesday.

Moreover, railway police have solved 774 criminal cases, detained 689 suspects, busted 12 criminal gangs and seized more than 5,000 fugitives since December. (Xinhua) 

UN issues special edition stamp to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year

On January 11, the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) continued its Chinese Lunar Calendar series with the issuance of a special event sheet celebrating the Year of the Pig. This is the tenth sheet issued for UNPA's Lunar New Year stamp series.

According to UNPA, the sheet is composed of ten $1.15 denominated stamps with the United Nations logo. The tabs of the stamps and background are the image of the Year of the Pig. This image of the zodiac continues the tradition of the United Nations "Chinese Lunar Zodiac" series of stamps, with red and gold as the main color, and Chinese paper-cutting as the artistic inspiration. The designer is Wu Shining, a special designer from China Post. (People's Daily app) 

Screen Actors Guild slams film academy for Oscar tactics

The Screen Actors Guild has called on the film academy to stop trying to prevent stars from appearing on award shows before the Oscars.

In an unusually critical statement, SAG-AFTRA said it has received multiple reports that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is pressuring certain actors to appear only at next month's Academy Awards.

"This self-serving intimidation of SAG-AFTRA members is meant to limit their opportunities to be seen and honor the work of their fellow artists throughout the season. Actors should be free to accept any offer to participate in industry celebrations," SAG-AFTRA said in a statement.

"We call on the academy to cease this inappropriate action," it concluded. (AP) 

Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.

And now for the Question of the Day:

Who invented the first sails?

(Answer: The first sailing boats have been dated as far back as 5500 BCE, discovered on painted discs from ancient Mesopotamia found in modern day Kuwait.)

Today's quote is from French writer Madame de Stael (1766-1817).

"One must choose in life between boredom and suffering."

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