As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, the streets and alleys of Hong Kong are adorned with colorful lanterns, exuding an air of holiday merriment.
Buying mooncakes and admiring lantern displays are traditional customs for Hong Kong residents during the Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on September 17 this year. Celebrations are in full swing, with vibrant lantern exhibitions held across the city, where locals and visitors alike pause to capture moments, snap photos, and revel in the joyous activities together.
"The atmosphere of Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong is particularly rich because it's a day for traditional family reunions. People buy mooncakes, admire the moon, and there are colorful lantern displays in many areas, like at the Victoria Park, the Hong Kong Cultural Center and the Sha Tin Park. People can feel the warm and bustling ambiance everywhere," said Ng Tang, chairman of the Hong Kong Shanxi Chamber of Commerce Limited.
Mooncakes in Hong Kong stores become especially popular, as many residents choose them for family visits and gatherings.
"The Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional holiday. As it approaches, many people in Hong Kong start shopping around for mooncakes. Both locals and tourists visiting Hong Kong are eagerly anticipating this festival," said a local mooncake saleswoman.
Mid-Autumn Festival mood spreads across Hong Kong
Russia reported on Tuesday that its forces hit several Ukrainian military targets, took control of a settlement in the Kharkov region in the past 24 hours, while Ukraine on the same day claimed to have downed over 1,000 Russian drones.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said in its daily report that over the past day, Russian forces had launched a large-scale attack on Ukrainian military industrial enterprises producing various types of missiles and components, as well as military airfields, using long-range air-based and land-based high-precision weapons and drones. All designated facilities were hit. Moreover, the Russian air defense systems shot down 10 guided-missile bombs and 259 fixed-wing drones.
On the same day, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that Ukrainian forces engaged in a total of 168 battles with Russia in the past day, with Ukrainian forces striking Russian personnel and equipment concentration areas, drone control points, and command and observation posts, shooting down 1,023 drones.
In addition, the Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence reported on Tuesday that its unmanned systems forces destroyed a Russian Zircon hypersonic missile launcher and two missiles of the same type in Crimea that day.
The Ukrainian air force reported on Tuesday that the Russian army launched one of the largest drone attacks since the start of the conflict. On that day alone, the Russian army deployed over 550 drones to carry out the attack. Furthermore, from 18:00 on Monday, to 18:00 on Tuesday, the Russian army had already used nearly 1,000 drones of various models to strike Ukrainian targets.
Russia claims hitting military targets, Ukraine reports downing Russian drones
