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Here are today's picks from our editors. 

China sees more than 17 million railway trips on May 1

An additional 758 trains were deployed on Wednesday to meet the increased passenger flow, which on the first day of the May Day holiday reached 17.243 million passengers, a 44.3 percent increase from last year, according to China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

On Thursday, 11.94 million passengers made trips across the country's sprawling railway network, with some 530 extra trains put in service.

The railway departments have reminded passengers who made online bookings to get their tickets as early as possible during the holiday because of the dense passenger flow around major railway stations. (Xinhua) 

Top court launches database to aid IPR judgments

China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) has launched a big data platform to help the country's judges handle cases related to intellectual property rights (IPR), the first of its kind targeting a specific area of ruling launched by the SPC.

The database provides judges with free content including relevant laws, cases, rulings, opinions and books that are needed in handling IPR-related cases.

With 1.1 million items of data and an IPR knowledge atlas, the database offers smarter and more precise search services. (Xinhua) 

China to recruit retired teachers to rural schools

China plans to recruit 4,000 retired teachers to give classes in rural schools during the 2019-2020 school year, in an effort to improve education in rural areas.

The "silver-age" project is open to veteran headmasters and teachers under the age of 65, the Ministry of Education said in a statement.

The volunteer teachers will serve for at least one academic year, and those who pass assessments will be encouraged to extend their service, the ministry said. (Xinhua) 

British PM's Conservatives suffer heavy losses in local elections

Thousands of voters in Britain punished the two main political parties on Friday over their failure to resolve the Brexit question by firing hundreds of councilors serving on city and town councils.

British Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservatives suffered the brunt of public anger, but the main opposition Labour Party also paid the price for the ongoing impasse over Britain's departure from the European Union.

With the counting of votes at the half-way stage by daybreak Friday, results showed the Conservatives had so far lost more than 400 seats in council chambers, and Labour around 90 seats.

The big winners of Thursday's poll have so far been Britain's third political party, the Liberal Democrats, who have won over 300 seats, mainly at the expense of the two big parties. (Xinhua) 

Venezuela's Maduro urges military unity after failed coup by opposition

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro led a "march for military loyalty" on Thursday, calling on the National Bolivarian Armed Forces (FANB) to remain united.

Speaking at Venezuela's national military academy in a televised national address, Maduro hailed the value of loyalty "in our fight against imperialism, against traitors and coup mongers."

On Tuesday, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who had proclaimed himself as Venezuela's interim president, reportedly called on the Venezuelan people and military to take to the streets to overthrow Maduro. (Xinhua) 

India aims to be 1st country to land rover on Moon's south pole

India will become the first country to land a rover on the Moon's south pole if the country's space agency "Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)" successfully achieves the feat during the country's second Moon mission "Chandrayaan-2" later this year.

The second Moon mission's launch has been scheduled in mid-July, with an aim to land on the moon around Sept. 6, according to ISRO Chairman K. Sivan.

He added that one of its goals would also be to find water on the Moon. (Xinhua) 

World's first flap-free drone takes off

A component used to control the movement of an aircraft is no longer the necessity after a British-based company successfully trialed the two "flap-free" technologies on its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAE) earlier this month.

The drone, named MAGMA demonstrated two flow control technologies that can blow air from its engine at supersonic speeds through slots in the wing instead of using ailerons or other control surfaces.

By replacing moving surfaces with a simpler ‘blown air' solution, the future aircraft will be lighter, more reliable and cheaper to operate than the conventional ones, according to the BAE Systems. (CGTN) 

Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.

And now for the Question of the Day:

In Fahrenheit, at what temperature does water freeze?

(Answer: 32 degrees Fahrenheit.)

Today's quote is from English poet Thomas Tusser (1524 - 1580).

"Seek home for rest, for home is best."

(Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Ryan Yaoran Yu, Brian Lowe, Elaine Yue Lin, and Da Hang. Music by Eugene Loner.)