🔥 Hot Topics · Oct 12, 2026

International affairs ran alongside sport and livelihood news today. Abroad: Yemen's Houthis hit Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport for the third time in a week; the Oct 10 attack killed 12 and wounded 309 and halted operations, and Saudi Arabia released surveillance video on Oct 12 showing the moment of impact with at least 13 dead and 300-plus hurt. On Oct 5 Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces launched a ground offensive on the Houthis, who attacked in retaliation and to counter the blockade. Zelensky responded on Oct 11 to Trump's suggestion that Ukraine change presidents by saying Ukrainians alone should choose their leader; an oil tanker struck a mine in the Strait of Hormuz with Iran releasing footage; a Mongolian grassland fire that began Oct 9 was pushed toward the Chinese border by terrain and wind, with containment still underway as of 20:00 on Oct 11; and former ambassador Fu Ying rejected Arctic 'China threat' claims at the Arctic Circle Assembly, calling them mostly imagined and saying China won't use force there. In sport: Zheng Qinwen lifted the 2026 China Open trophy on Oct 11 as the tournament's first Chinese women's singles champion in 20 editions and her first WTA 1000 title, after an elbow injury left her ranked outside the top 100, drawing a People's Daily commentary; her opponent, 19-year-old Russian Andreeva, joked afterward that she had less crowd support and that it's the host player's advantage, while NBA star Westbrook praised Zheng; at the WTT China Smash Wang Manyu and Sora Matsushima took the women's and men's titles, prompting jokes about 'cool sister and brother not smiling' after an old photo resurfaced; and Liu Guoliang's 16-year-old daughter Liu Yujie won the 2026 China Women's Open, the event's first amateur champion in its 20-year history. At home: the rebuilt Shenzhen Huanggang Port opened at 6:30 a.m. on Oct 12 with 'co-location' checks cutting clearance from about 30 minutes to 5, with a traveler calling the mega inspection building stunning; the MOHRSS debunked claims that gold social-security cards get better benefits, saying there is no official gold/silver tiering and no paid upgrades; the market regulator issued draft food-safety revisions requiring schools and kindergartens to run meal-accompaniment systems and online caterers to livestream food preparation; from Nov 1, all fuel retailers nationwide must issue invoices automatically at purchase; and experts say El Niño makes a warm winter essentially certain, with next summer possibly hotter. In society and consumer news: CCTV exposed a 120-million-yuan Tongliao, Inner Mongolia agricultural project that built only five unfinished greenhouses after over a year, with a shell company formed nine days before work began outsourcing to contractors who fronted funds before vanishing; a college student claimed 7 million yuan in three years copying viral 'clip' videos, admitting 80% was platform dividend, as commentary warned unlicensed clipping infringes copyright (a company was previously ordered to pay 6,000 yuan); reporters found 'buddy' social apps funneling gray-market deals, with some platforms allegedly offering contact-based, possibly sexual services; Henan brand Fangzhongshan Hula Soup opened its first London store in Zone 1 at about 87 yuan a bowl with 'no localization compromises'; and a Ningbo Gen-Z couple held a 'four-no' wedding with no convoy or emcee, where the bride's father spoke 41 seconds — 'eat and drink well' — before the meal, gifting guests 60,000-70,000 yuan in red envelopes. On health: hot-food eaters in China face 2.43x the esophageal-cancer risk, drinks above 65°C may raise risk, and it's best not to eat food straight from the pan; another explainer urged caring for the prefrontal cortex, whose damage links to ADHD, depression and dementia. In a positive note, 70-year-old Zeng Fanlin of Chenzhou, Hunan — whose nose was bitten off and swallowed while saving a woman being strangled — has had four surgeries, regained his nose's shape but not smell, and was named a 'Good Samaritan of China.'

1. 1. Houthis Hit Riyadh Airport for the Third Time in a Week

   The Oct 10 attack killed 12 and hurt 309, halting operations; Oct 12 footage surfaced as the toll rose to at least 13 dead and 300-plus hurt.

2. 2. The Rebuilt Shenzhen Huanggang Port Opens

   Opened at 6:30 a.m. Oct 12 with co-location checks cutting clearance from ~30 to ~5 minutes, wowing travelers with its mega building.

3. 3. Zheng Qinwen Wins the China Open as Its First Chinese Champion

   Her first WTA 1000 title made her the event's first Chinese champion after an elbow-injury comeback; People's Daily commented as Andreeva joked about crowd support and Westbrook praised her.

4. 4. Zelensky Responds to Trump's 'Change Presidents' Remark

   Zelensky said Ukrainians alone should decide who leads their country.

5. 5. Liu Guoliang's Daughter Liu Yujie Wins the China Women's Open

   The 16-year-old took her third CLPGA title and became the event's first amateur champion in 20 years.

6. 6. Wang Manyu and Matsushima Win Without Smiling

   After the two took the WTT Smash singles titles, an old photo resurfaced with jokes about the 'cool pair' not smiling.

7. 7. CCTV: A 120M-Yuan Project Built Only Five Greenhouses

   A Tongliao project left five unfinished greenhouses after a shell company formed nine days before work began vanished with contractors' funds.

8. 8. A Major Overhaul of the Food Safety Law

   The draft requires school meal-accompaniment systems and livestreamed food preparation for online caterers.

9. 9. New Fuel-Invoice Rule Takes Effect Nov 1

   All fuel retailers must auto-issue electronic invoices on payment under the 'invoice at transaction' rule.

10. 10. Experts: A Warm Winter Is Essentially Certain

    The UN warns El Niño may peak in December as one of the strongest since 1950; Chinese experts see a warm winter and possibly hotter next summer.

11. 11. A College Students Says Video 'Clipping' Earned 7M Yuan in Three Years

    He attributes 80% to platform dividends, but commentary warns unlicensed clipping infringes rights (a firm was once ordered to pay 6,000 yuan).

12. 12. Undercover Probe Finds 'Buddy' Social Apps Tied to Sexual Services

    Paid meetups and local-guide posts use code words, with some platforms allegedly offering contact-based, possibly sexual services.

13. 13. A Man Who Lost His Nose Saving a Woman Named a 'Good Samaritan'

    Zeng Fanlin, 70, has had four surgeries after his nose was bitten off, regaining its shape but not his smell, with costs covered locally.

14. 14. A Mongolian Grassland Fire Approaches the Chinese Border

    A fire near the Xilingol border began Oct 9 and was pushed toward China by terrain and wind, with containment still underway on Oct 11.

15. 15. Fu Ying: There's No Reason China Is an Arctic Threat

    At the Arctic Circle Assembly she called the threat framing imagined, saying China won't use force and the priority is melting ice and warming.

16. 16. Don't Eat Straight From the Pan, and Don't Burn Out Your Prefrontal Cortex

    Hot-food eaters face 2.43x esophageal-cancer risk and 65°C+ drinks carry risk; another explainer links prefrontal damage to ADHD, depression and dementia.