🔥 Hot Topics · Sep 18, 2026
Today marks 95 years since the September 18 Incident — Shenyang sounds air-raid sirens across its core 9-roads/18-streets zone at 9:18 as a civic reckoning; Apple's first foldable, the iPhone Duo, bounces back from 'reverse-bend' — a screen flicker issue — prompting one repair-shop owner to estimate that the ¥15,999 price 'buys you the sentiment' with ~¥8,000 more in repair costs, an invisible ¥24,000 entry fee, while tech influencer Tim Theater flags heating and reliability doubts (the 'most expensive iPhone derailing before launch'); the summer-grain buying season wraps: ~100M tons of wheat and 12M tons of early rice purchased, slightly ahead of last year; the Supreme People's Court approves the death penalty for Pei, who ran over and killed a police officer trying to arrest him for laundering telecom-fraud funds in Xianyang in July 2022; a licensed 'Yonghe Soymilk' account is flagged for cringe-bait skit videos (stockings, bath scenes), with the brand promising audits; more than 340,000 sheep in Altay, Xinjiang, line up for medicated baths that clean fleece, kill external parasites, and help them fatten up; NBS data shows Jan-Aug second-hand home net-signings up 10.6% YoY — resale now outpaces new builds, marking the 'secondhand era' of housing; Li Auto going all-in on in-house batteries sends CATL stock to a yearly low with ¥700B+ of market cap wiped out in the automakers' 'de-CATLing' push, even as CATL pivots to an energy-infrastructure operator; travelers spot Sep 30 high-speed-train tickets running ~¥100 higher, and 12306 says holiday float pricing is normal while off-peak days are discounted; the viral 'delivery rider spits on food' clip is proven a staged marketing stunt by a tamper-seal seller — three detained; iPhone 18 Pro series hits shelves with long queues at Lujiazui, scalpers paying up ¥300-500 over list for the Pro Max (new colorway hot) while the Pro itself wallows — even undercutting retail online; the UN Security Council fails to renew the Iran-sanctions panel of experts for a year, with China and Russia vetoing; the CCDI and Finance Ministry name Guizhou's ex-Bijie party chief Wu Shenghua for a 'new-official, old-debts' attitude — publicly arguing debts are a predecessor's problem while doing nothing to defuse them, so the liabilities only grew; the CSI's Shanghai index tops 3,900; the fourth CAAC aviation assembly reveals the C929 is progressing steadily through design; Pakistan's military and defense minister vow to defend Saudi Arabia 'at any cost' under the Mecca Agreement, treating Red Sea tanker attacks as acts of war — analysts say Pakistani involvement could pull in Turkey and rebalance the Middle East; and fierce fighting around Bab el-Mandeb sees the heights surveying the strait change hands repeatedly with no breakthrough.
1. 95 Years On, Shenyang Sounds Air-Raid Sirens at 9:18
Honoring the 1931 incident and its victims, Shenyang's core 9-roads/18-streets zone stages a siren drill — a solemn civic ritual for history and warning.
2. iPhone Duo: ~¥8,000 Repair Bill, a Hidden ¥24K Starting Line
Reverse bending flicks the outer screen; shop owners figure the ¥15,999 is just for the vibe, with ~¥8,000 in repairs baked into the real entry price.
3. Summer-Grain Buying Season Winds Down
Nationwide purchases total ~100M tons of wheat and 12M tons of early rice, slightly ahead of last year, with autumn procurement teed up.
4. Death Penalty Approved for Cop-Killing Driver
Convicted for laundering telecom-fraud funds in Xianyang, Pei rammed his car into police during a July 2022 arrest, killing one and injuring more.
5. Yonghe Soymilk Flags Its Own Licensed Account
Skits featuring stockings and bath scenes surface on an officially licensed store account; the brand promises an audit and tougher supervision.
6. 340K+ Sheep Queue for Medicated Baths in Altay
The dip cleans fleece and kills parasites — healthier sheep, better weight gain before winter.
7. Housing Market Enters the 'Secondhand Era'
Jan-Aug resale signings rise 10.6% YoY and overtake new-home volumes; tier-1 secondary markets warm as the trade mix flips.
8. CATL's 'Darkest Hour': ¥700B+ Wiped Off
Li Auto's all-in-house pivot sends the stock to a year-low; as automakers 'de-CATL' for margin and leverage, the giant pivots to energy infrastructure.
9. National-Day High-Speed Rail Fares Float Higher
Some Sep 30 tickets run ~¥100 pricier; 12306 says holiday float pricing is standard with off-peak discounts the baseline.
10. The 'Rider Spits on Food' Clip Was Staged
Police find the clip was a tamper-seal agent's staged marketing stunt; three involved are administratively detained.
11. iPhone 18 Pro First Day: Max Sizzles, Pro Fizzles
Queues at Lujiazui as scalpers pay ¥300-500 over list for the Pro Max (new hues hot) — while the plain Pro goes begging, even selling below RRP online.
12. China & Russia Veto Iran-Sanctions Panel Renewal
The bid to renew the Iran-sanctions panel for a year fails as Beijing and Moscow vote no.
13. Ex-Bijie Party Chief Named for 'New-Official, Old-Debts' Attitude
In a documented hidden-debt case, Wu Shenghua refuses to touch predecessors' liabilities — 'why should I repay what came before?' — and the pile only grows.
14. Shanghai Index Pushes Past 3,900
At mid-morning the Shanghai Composite tops 3,900, up about 0.66%.
15. Pakistan Vows to Defend Saudi 'at Any Cost'
Under the Mecca Agreement's mutual defense, Pakistan signals any Red Sea tanker attack is an act of war — a step analysts say could draw in Turkey and tip the Middle East balance.
16. Fierce Fighting Near Bab el-Mandeb; Heights Change Hands
Both sides claw at the high ground overlooking the crucial waterway; key heights flip repeatedly with no decisive edge yet.
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