Four cities join Beijing in dazzling rehearsal for CMG 2026 Spring Festival Gala

China

Four cities join Beijing in dazzling rehearsal for CMG 2026 Spring Festival Gala

2026-01-31 19:34 Last Updated At：22:57

China Media Group (CMG)'s iconic Spring Festival Gala completed its third major rehearsal on Saturday, with all four sub-venues making their debut appearance to bring diverse regional splendors to the nation's most anticipated televised celebration of the Chinese New Year.

The gala's organizers say performances across genres are becoming ever more polished, with each show brimming with festive joy and the vibrant spirit of the new year.

Beneath the radiant lights, the main gala venue in Beijing blended creative innovations and fresh expressions. Meanwhile, the rehearsal featured coordinated performances from Harbin in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang, Yiwu in Zhejiang Province and Hefei in Anhui Province, both in east China, as well as Yibin in Sichuan Province in southwest China. Each of the four sub-venues offered their own unique flair, creating an enchanting visual journey across China's varied landscapes and cultural traditions.

This year's Spring Festival Gala is set to deliver a mesmerizing spectacle on Chinese New Year's Eve, which falls on February 16, marking a cherished occasion for families to gather and celebrate the most important festival in the traditional Chinese calendar.

Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 71,769

The death toll in the war-torn Gaza Strip has risen to 71,769 since the conflict between Hamas and Israel erupted on Oct 7, 2023, with the number of injuries reaching 171,483, Gaza's health authorities said on Saturday.

In the past 48 hours, hospitals in Gaza received 17 more bodies, including 12 new deaths and five bodies recovered from the rubble, the authorities said.

Since the ceasefire agreement took effect on Oct 10, 2025, Israeli attacks have killed 509 people and wounded 1,405 others, according to the Gaza health authorities.

Israel will reopen the Rafah crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt for pedestrian traffic in both directions on Sunday, an Israeli government-affiliated body announced in a statement on Friday.

Israel's office of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories said in the statement that exit from and entry into the Gaza Strip via the Rafah crossing "will be permitted in coordination with Egypt, following prior security clearance of individuals by Israel, and under the supervision of the European Union mission."

The move is part of a U.S.-proposed Gaza ceasefire plan. Israel said last Sunday that it would reopen the Rafah crossing after recovering the body of the last Israeli hostage in Gaza, which was retrieved from Gaza earlier this week.