Many cities across China saw their night skies come alive with spectacular drone displays and glowing lanterns during the ongoing National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, which runs from October 1 to 8, captivating visitors and boosting the night-time economy.
A dazzling drone light show lit up the night sky over Suining City in southwest China's Sichuan Province. More than 1,300 drones rose in precise formations under the careful guidance of ground staff, shifting into intricate patterns that mesmerized the crowd.
"I watched today's drone show, and I can only describe it as breathtakingly beautiful," said Liu Siyu, a local resident.
"I was particularly impressed by this drone performance; it was truly beautiful and definitely worth the trip," said Mei Hongtao, a tourist from Chengdu, capital of Sichuan.
The drone light show in Suining will run through Monday.
Moving east to Zhejiang Province, 2,000 drones lit up the night sky over Shaoxing City, forming a dazzling array of patterns.
"I only saw this on television before. This is my first time watching it in person, and it's quite stunning. The atmosphere was incredible," said a tourist, Liu Jidong.
In addition to the drone display, Shaoxing drew on the historic charm of its ancient city to host more than a hundred cultural activities. At the City Square, lively fairs offered local snacks and live performances, creating a festive atmosphere.
As night fell in Huzhou City, also in Zhejiang, lanterns along the waterways gradually came to life, their reflections shimmering on the water. Traditional architecture and natural scenery blended to create a classic Chinese charm, while market stalls bustled with visitors and specialty shops brimmed with activity.
Through immersive experiences, shopping-voucher giveaways, and performances showcasing intangible cultural heritage, the city has quickly become a popular destination for experiencing water-town culture and evening entertainment.
"We created an immersive, all-encompassing experience by combining all the elements of Lucun village, including lighting, streams, waterways, water-town scenery, and ancient-style bridges," said Li Xucheng, deputy general manager of Huzhou Luyuan Cultural Tourism Development Co., Ltd.
Drones, lanterns illuminate Chinese cities, boost night-time economy during holiday
Thousands of protesters flooded the streets of London on Saturday, marching from Westminster to the U.S. embassy to deliver a clear message to the United States and Israel -- stop the war in Iran.
Chanting slogans and carrying banners reading "Stop bombing Iran" and "No war on Iran", demonstrators condemned what they described as unlawful military aggression that they say threatens regional stability and civilian lives.
"What Trump is doing from his base in America -- trying to rule the world. And I think it's disgusting and it's dangerous. It's killing. It's going to kill tens of thousands of people across the Middle East, and it'll have huge ramifications across the world," said a protester in an interview with China Global Television Network.
"I think that Trump and Netanyahu's obvious attempts to push regime change are unacceptable. And it's ultimately the Iranian people and people across the Middle East, normal people, who are going to suffer the most in this war," said another.
The United States and Israel launched coordinated attacks against Iran on Feb. 28, which resulted in the deaths of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, several of his family members and multiple senior Iranian military commanders.
Iran said on Friday evening that since the fighting began, at least 1,332 civilians have been killed, with thousands of others injured.
"A completely immoral, groundless act of aggression, another war crime against Iran," said a third protester.
"They are going in, they're bombing people indiscriminately. Over 160 school children have been killed for no good reason," another protester said, referring to the U.S.-Israeli airstrike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls' elementary school in Minab, southern Iran.
Initially, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the United States couldn't use any British bases for military actions in the Middle East. But he later rolled back on his words, saying that the U.S. can use certain bases as long as it is for defensive actions only.
The protesters don't think he has gone far enough. They said that this is an illegal action and should be stopped immediately.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a live broadcast statement on Saturday that Israel's attack on Iran will continue with "full force and uncompromising momentum."
Israel has a well-prepared plan with many surprises to undermine "Iranian regime" and "enable change," Netanyahu said.
Thousands march in London to demand halt to US-Israeli strikes on Iran
Thousands march in London to demand halt to US-Israeli strikes on Iran
