Characters from hit blockbuster movie make surprise appearance at Lantern Festival gala

Characters from the hugely popular animated feature film "Ne Zha 2", which has become the highest grossing film in a single market, took to the stage during the Lantern Festival Gala on Wednesday evening, adding some movie magic to the traditional Chinese festival.

Hosted by the China Media Group (CMG), the gala boasted a star-studded lineup and delivered a high-tech visual-audio feast for viewers tuning in from around the world, with the Ne Zha-themed segment being one of the highlights.

The sequel movie has proven a huge family hit and has shattered box office records since its recent release during China's Spring Festival holiday, and has already amassed over 9.5 billion yuan (more than 1.3 billion U.S. dollars) as of Wednesday, becoming the first non-Hollywood film to surpass the billion-dollar-mark.

With the help of some cutting-edge tech, the film's main characters of Nezha and Aobing put in an appearance on stage as Lyu Yanting, the actress who voices the titular character 'Nezha', performed a duet with Chinese rock star Wowkie Zhang, accompanied by a troupe of child dancers.

The Lantern Festival, observed on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, lands on Wednesday this year, and marks the conclusion of the country's Spring Festival celebrations, which center around the Chinese New Year.

First broadcast in 1985, the Lantern Festival Gala is again staging a whole host of entertaining variety performances including energetic song and dances, comedy sketches, as well as traditional operas and magic shows, highlighting China's unique cultural charm.

Characters from hit blockbuster movie make surprise appearance at Lantern Festival gala

Characters from hit blockbuster movie make surprise appearance at Lantern Festival gala

Demonstrators rallied across U.S. cities over the weekend to denounce the military action in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, who were flown out of the country.

The Venezuelan government said the military strikes targeted civilian and military sites in at least four states, including Caracas, as well as the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, adding that the U.S. action blatantly violated the UN Charter.

The U.S. military intervention has since drawn widespread criticism, sparking protests at home.

Protesters gathered outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on Sunday, where Maduro is being held, calling the U.S. government actions outrageous and a violation of international law.

Others gathered in the Times Square on Saturday following the capture of the Venezuelan president and his wife, saying the actions are not only illegal but also showed no respect.

"I mean, you don't just step in and take over another country. We have absolutely no right to do that. We have so much trouble in our country right here," said a protester named Sartre.

"It just defies not only human respectability in life but common sense," said another protester.

Additionally, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the White House, holding banners with slogans reading "Hands off Venezuela" and "Stop bombing Venezuela now."

Demonstrators rally in US cities over military action in Venezuela