-No sign of Xi in scenic domestic news segment
(too busy preparing for Blinken meeting? oh, snap!)
-Flowers blossom across China
-Russia gets extra airtime today
-Putin and Lavrov strut their stuff
-US is root cause
CCTV's Russia report on Ukraine (Kremlin Follies?) is longer than usual today, padded with a mix of recycled footage and fresh propaganda from Moscow
As if to create impression that Russia rules the skies over Ukraine, CCTV offers a re-run of this old footage.
Top gun is followed by shots of long guns launching deadly projectiles.
Russian guns are daily shown blasting away at people and buildings unseen.
Pro-Russian news is padded with recycled footage of the "Marker" Russia's innovative anti-NATO combat robot
In a rare show of Russian vulnerability, CCTV airs this footage of a Russian anti-air defense unit being hit.
Up next, a frequent figure on CCTV News:
Sergey Lavrov says "US has denied EU its independence. US prods EU to send weapons while increasing its own stockpile."
(No mention of Lavrov’s threats for the 2/24 anniversary of the non-war war and retaliation for Nordstream)
Next, the usual "fanning the flames" segment in which CCTV finds an "international personage" (today from Zambia) to blame the West for making the world a worse place by its support for Ukraine.
More news from the mothership in Moscow:
Soldiers goosestepping to Putin's drumbeat.
Russia would like to think that history is on its side.
STALINGRAD
CCTV gives ample coverage to Russia's twisted repurposing of a real historic event to serve the venal needs of the present.
Russia is unified in the spirit of Stalingrad.
Defense of the motherland starts here.
Putin. A somber note as the dictator (and professed best friend of Xi Jinping) puts on a show for the cameras, mourning the Russian dead from Stalingrad.
What a statesman!
(while comparing West to Nazis to justify his use of Russians as cannon fodder in his war on Ukraine)
Russia, poor mother Russia.
Always the victim of violence, never the perpetrator
CCTV is drinking up that Kremlin Kool-aid. It says Russia has a right to defend itself, as it is once again under threat "from the West."
CCTV culls some file footage of WW2 to show how valiantly Russia fought against Nazis
(when they weren't openly allied with the Nazis under the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact)
The archival footage of guns firing, aerial bombardment, troops in trenches and tanks blasting is eerily similar to the footage the Russia Defense Ministry supplies to CCTV every day.
Different eras, same cause?
In other news, a councilwoman in New Jersey was shot and killed.
Turkey calls EU diplomats to the carpet...
Iran says Israel did it...
Syria says US did it..
And finally, (in some incendiary news that is not rooted in hate) Mexico's Popocatépetl volcano is active again.
During this time of trouble, the restive populace is sure to be calmed by this new publication highlighting Xi Jinping's penetrating insights into high-level science
Yet another publication by the world's greatest freelance writer:
Xi Jinping Thought on Strong Military
Why read it once when you can read it three times?
The next ten minutes is devoted to some reassuring, inspirational shots of Xi Jinping who has total control of the military and wants the world to know it.
Patrick Chovanec, a consultant at Silvercrest Asset Mgmt has done some China virtue-signaling by compiling photos about the 1989 Tiananmen demonstrations, an event he evidently knows little about.
(a thread)
To do this, he compiled over a dozen of my photos on his blog , and when I brought this to his attention, he made no effort to credit the photos or reveal where he got them from. patrickchovanec.com/about/
Some of the photos now have a life of their own on the internet, including the above photo, (caption by Chovanec) which has been used by conspiratorial pro-China bloggers as proof of a "color revolution."
;-)
A political bible with quasi-religious overtones is unveiled like a holy relic.
A book by Xi Jinping! In English!
CCTV news shows the entire table of contents
Wow. It sure looks like a gripping read. Find a comfy chair, put the kettle on and settle for a long enlightening read.
CCTV FOLLIES: 5.26
China state TV doubles down on dubious Russia claims about "secret" US bio-labs in Ukraine.
(from May 26 Xinwen Lianbo)
Anchor Li Zimeng couches the accusations in the language of Russia's Defense Ministry, but the CCTV editors like the story enough for it to get major airtime.
The Russia Defense Ministry, solid architectural monolith that it is, is portrayed as a presumably authoritative source.
Read all about it! Top of the news! Yet another much-heralded publication by the indefatigable freelance writer Xi Jinping, whose excessive narcissism is nicely balanced with pictures of himself.
Up next, a nostalgic look back to 2017 when this man was laying the foundation of today's greatness.
Among many, many other incredible, almost super-human accomplishments, he created a city out of dust.