Mob violence flares as 30,000 fireflies refuse to glow, policeman becomes fugitive after death crash and massive tailback marks May Day getaway.

Nearly half-a-million hit Beijing's roads on May Day

Beijing witnessed an epic expressway traffic jam on the first day of the May Day holiday, May 1, according to the Legal Evening News.

The worst congestion was on the expressway between Beijing and Tibet, where a 55 km queue leaving Beijing started from the fourth ring road and reached Badaling at the Great Wall. By 9am,  477,760 vehicles were recorded heading out of the city on different highways.

Related: May Day holiday getaway gathers pace

 

Tributes flow for dead firefighters

Two firefighters could be seen holding hands in photos of them falling from the 13th floor of a burning building while on an emergency call, the Beijing News reported on Friday.

The deaths of the young men caused a flood of tributes to be posted on Chinese Twitter-like platform sina weibo such as "salute to our heroes", "my heart's aching when I heard this", "my condolences to their families".

Related: Two firefighters die when battling fire in Shanghai

Fireflies' no-show sparks violence

Tourists at Xiang Lake in Hangzhou smashed up the resort office and demanded refunds after promised fireflies failed to show up at an event on Wednesday. Organizers had said that there would be 30,000 fireflies sparkling in the night, attracting almost 10,000 tourists.

Tickets were sold at 30 yuan per person, but scalpers re-sold them for 180 yuan. After a two-hour wait, the tourists surrounded the lake management office, demanding refunds and an explanation. Organizers provided neither and some angry visitors began smashing the place up. Local police were investigating.

Policeman runs away after woman is killed by car

A woman riding an electric bicycle was killed after being hit by a police car at a pedestrian crossing in Haining city, Zhejiang province. A witness said the policeman in the car took off his uniform and ran away after the accident. The car rolled into a ditch, 50 meters from the crossing, after the collision.

Related: Mother allegedly throwing baby to death

Old maps provide fresh Diaoyu Islands evidence

Nineteen old western maps, including some featuring the Diaoyu Islands, will go under the hammer at the Xiling Academy of Traditional Arts spring auction in Hangzhou.

Published between the mid-18th century and 1944 in France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, the maps are currently owned by a European collector and will be sold on Saturday, according to Li Qin, spokesperson for the academy. The items provide fresh evidence that the islands have been Chinese territory since ancient times.

Related: Obama urges Japan to recognise past honestly