Ordinary folks invited to attend first rehearsal of CMG's 2026 Spring Festival Gala

Audience of the first rehearsal of the China Media Group (CMG)'s 2026 Spring Festival Gala, held on Saturday in Beijing, included a select number of ordinary Chinese folks who were invited to attend the event.

CMG usually holds several rehearsals for its annual gala, a highly anticipated TV event that has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the most-watched annual television program worldwide.

Among the audience members of Saturday's rehearsal were a short video director, a ferryboat owner and operator, and a writer of a widely popular prose.

"It's really amazing. The Chinese cultural elements there inspire me a lot. I will apply what I've seen and the inspiration I've gained to our creations," said Bao Qianguang who is noted for his adaptation of the classics Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Dubbed as a production with the lowest budget, the whole series are performed by his fellow villagers, many of them elderly farmers.

"We were doing cleaning on the ship when to our great surprise we were invited to watch the Spring Festival Gala at the CMG. We are so happy to come and see it on the spot, as we only got to see it on TV in the past," said Cao Lifang, who offered convenient and affordable means of transport using her boat for local farmers shuttling between areas difficult to access by other means to sell local products.

"I found all the CMG staff are taking their job seriously and doing their best," said An Sanshan, whose prose became an instant hit online with its vivid portrayal of his mother and tender family affection.

The Spring Festival Gala, known in Chinese as "Chunwan," is an essential part of the Chinese New Year celebrations and is deeply cherished by the Chinese people. Featuring a diverse array of performances, including music, dance, comedy and drama, the gala is much more than an entertainment show. Rather, it symbolizes a time for family gatherings and the joyful ushering in of the new year.

This year's gala will air on Feb 16, the eve of the Chinese New Year.

Ordinary folks invited to attend first rehearsal of CMG's 2026 Spring Festival Gala

Ordinary folks invited to attend first rehearsal of CMG's 2026 Spring Festival Gala

Ordinary folks invited to attend first rehearsal of CMG's 2026 Spring Festival Gala

Two weeks after a major U.S. military strike on Venezuela and the and the illegal capture of President Nicolas Maduro, the Venezuelan government has begun to implement a series of recovery and post-conflict initiatives.

On Saturday, Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez ordered the immediate start of repair work on buildings damaged during the attack.

Post-conflict cleanup and restoration efforts are now steadily advancing across Caracas. The Fuerte Tiuna military base was one of the areas most severely damaged in the U.S. airstrikes, with over 463 apartments sustaining damage. Rodriguez said that most of the aid needed for housing repairs has already been secured.

She also announced the launch of several special community programs. These initiatives include special care activities and psychological support services for children in affected communities. The government also plans to implement food supply deployments, set up open-air markets, establish mobile supply points, and provide comprehensive assistance, including medical and health services.

Meanwhile, legal experts and representatives from social organizations across Venezuela have voiced strong condemnation against the U.S. actions during a legal conference held on Friday.

They demanded that the United States respect international law and Venezuelan sovereignty by immediately releasing President Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were forcibly removed from the country.

"What we are demanding from Venezuela is that international law must be respected and saved, because once we fall into a state of disorder, what follows is war. We have already seen peace being trampled upon. The sovereignty of a country, officially declared a 'territory of peace' by the international community, has been violated. This has never happened before," said Indhriana Parada Rodriguez, a Venezuelan legal professional.

"We firmly demand the release of President Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. They were forcibly taken from their homeland in violation of all basic norms of international law," said Silio Sanchez, vice rector of territorial development of the Bolivarian University of Venezuela.

Call for Maduro's release continues as Venezuela moves to deal with aftermath of U.S. military strike