8 AM Latest News: Spontaneous Lithium Battery Fire in Luggage Rack, Air China to Compensate Passengers; List of 8 Stolen Louvre Artworks Released; iPhone 17 Pro Reported with Fading Body

A reporter learned from a staff member of Air China's customer service hotline that Air China will compensate economy class and business class passengers with 200 yuan and 300 yuan in cash respectively.

Today's Hotspot Guide

After a five - year suspension, China Eastern Airlines resumes flights on the China - India route, and tickets go on sale first.

Rural commercial bank responds to employees being required to return holiday allowances.

Guterres: The United Nations may face a bankruptcy crisis.

The Japanese government plans to raise visa application fees.

India's oil imports from Russia increased in the first half of October.

Top 3 Big News

Air China Reports Fire in Overhead Bin Caused by Lithium Battery Spontaneous Combustion, Compensates Economy and Business Class Passengers 200 Yuan and 300 Yuan Respectively

On October 18, some netizens posted that on a flight of Air China from Hangzhou to South Korea, a fire suddenly broke out in the overhead bin, and the flight made an emergency landing at Shanghai Pudong Airport. At 12:39, Air China issued a situation report: On October 18, on Flight CA139 from Hangzhou to Incheon, a lithium battery in a carry - on bag stored in the overhead bin by a passenger spontaneously combusted. The flight crew immediately handled the situation according to procedures, and no one was injured. To ensure flight safety, the aircraft has made an emergency landing at Shanghai Pudong Airport. Air China has dispatched another aircraft to continue the flight mission.

On October 19, reporters learned from the staff of Air China's customer service hotline that on the 18th, during the flight of Flight CA139, a lithium battery in a carry - on bag in the passenger's overhead bin spontaneously combusted, causing losses to the passengers. Air China will compensate economy - class and business - class passengers with 200 yuan and 300 yuan in cash respectively. (Sanxiang City Express, Red Star News)

Multiple Artifacts Stolen from the Louvre in France, List of 8 Stolen Artifacts Released

According to French media, citing preliminary clues from police investigations and information from insiders at the Louvre, early on the morning of October 19 local time, several masked suspects broke into the Louvre in Paris from a construction area on the Seine River side. They used the elevator to enter the Apollo Gallery exhibition area, smashed the glass, and stole multiple artifacts. The Louvre Museum announced earlier that the museum would be closed to the public on that day.

The French Ministry of Culture stated that a total of eight cultural relics were stolen. They include the crowns, necklaces, and earrings from the jewelry sets of Queen Marie - Amélie and Queen Hortense; the necklace and earrings from the emerald set of Queen Marie - Louise; the "Reliquary Brooch"; the crown and the stomacher brooch of Empress Eugénie. (CCTV International News, China News Service)

The crowns, sapphire necklaces, and sapphire earrings of Queen Marie - Amélie and Queen Hortense

iPhone 17 Pro Reported to Have Fading Body, Users Speculate It's Related to Ultraviolet Rays

On October 18, technology media GSMArena published a blog post stating that some early adopters of Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max reported that their devices had encountered the problem of body fading, mainly concentrated in the two color options of "Stellar Orange" and "Deep Blue". Specifically, the color first started to fade from the raised camera island area and then gradually spread to the entire aluminum alloy body frame. It's worth noting that the central matte glass panel on the back of the phone was not affected, forming a sharp contrast with the faded metal part.

Regarding the cause of the fading, many affected users speculated that it was related to ultraviolet rays. They said that after briefly exposing the phone to sunlight, they observed obvious fading. Some users even joked that just by leaving the "Stellar Orange" iPhone 17 Pro in the sun for a while, they could get a unique "Rose Gold" version of the phone for free.

It's currently unclear how widespread the fading problem is, and no evaluation institutions have reproduced the problem with their devices. IT Home cited the media's view, suggesting that this problem may be limited to specific batches of products. Apple has not responded to this matter yet. (IT Home)

Big Companies/Big Events

ANSYS China to All Employees: All domestic entities are operating normally, and employee salaries and benefits are in good order

After the Netherlands "froze" the overseas semiconductor assets of Chinese company Wingtech for 17 days, the Chinese and Dutch companies "decoupled". On the afternoon of October 18, ANSYS Semiconductor (China) Co., Ltd. issued an announcement on its official WeChat account, stating that employees should continue to follow the work instructions of ANSYS's domestic company. Employees have the right to refuse to execute any other external instructions that have not been approved by the legal representative of ANSYS's domestic company. The announcement also stated that all domestic employees of ANSYS have established labor relations with the domestic company. Salaries, bonuses, and other benefits will continue to be paid by ANSYS's domestic company, not by the Dutch entity. Currently, all domestic entities of ANSYS are operating normally, and employee salaries and benefits are in good order. (Sina Finance)

Rural Commercial Bank Responds to "Employees Being Required to Return Holiday Allowances"

Recently, multiple employees of a rural commercial bank posted on social platforms, claiming that the bank required employees to return holiday allowances from three years ago to the present. This incident has drawn industry attention. Reporters found that the above-mentioned online posts all pointed to Guangzhou Rural Commercial Bank. In response, reporters verified the matter with the bank. Guangzhou Rural Commercial Bank responded, "On the one hand, this is our bank's further standardization of the issuance of allowances and benefits to ensure compliance with relevant systems and regulations; on the other hand, our bank has also explained the relevant situation to all employees, and the vast majority of employees have expressed understanding and support." (Yicai Global)

Investment silver bars are in short supply, and some stores in China's "Silver Capital" have run out of silver

This year, the silver price has been rising continuously, with a cumulative increase of nearly 70%. Yongxing County, Chenzhou City, Hunan Province, is an important silver-producing area in China. Its silver output accounts for about a quarter of the country's total, and it is known as the "Silver Capital" of China. The largest silver product wholesale center in the country has been built there. Due to the continuous rise in the silver price, most stores in Yongxing County are currently out of stock. The person in charge of a silver enterprise said, "Investment silver bars are in short supply. They used to sell for more than 8,000 yuan before the price increase, and now they sell for more than 13,000 yuan." (CCTV Finance)

After a five-year hiatus, China Eastern Airlines resumes flights on the China-India route and starts selling tickets first

China Eastern Airlines announced on the 18th that it would start selling tickets for the China-India route. Starting from November 9th, the Shanghai-Delhi route will resume flights after a five-year hiatus, with three flights per week, operated by Airbus A330. During the National Day holiday, the Indian Embassy in China issued a message saying that China and India have reached a consensus that direct flights connecting designated navigation points between the two countries can resume by the end of October 2025. (Yicai Global)

FedWatch: The probability of a 25 - basis - point rate cut in October is 99%

According to CME's "FedWatch": The probability of the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates by 25 basis points in October is 99%, and the probability of a 50 - basis - point rate cut is 1%. The probability of the Federal Reserve cumulatively cutting interest rates by 50 basis points in December is 94%, and the probability of a cumulative 75 - basis - point rate cut is 6%. (Jiemian News)

Silan Microelectronics: Plans to Invest 20 Billion Yuan in a 12-inch High-end Analog Integrated Circuit Chip Manufacturing Production Line Project

Silan Microelectronics announced that the company and its wholly-owned subsidiary Xiamen Silan Microelectronics plan to jointly increase the capital of their subsidiary Xiamen Silan Jihua Microelectronics Co., Ltd. by 5.1 billion yuan with Xiamen Semiconductor Investment Group and Xiamen Xinyi Technology Industry, and sign the "Investment Cooperation Agreement for the 12-inch High-end Analog Integrated Circuit Chip Manufacturing Production Line Project". Among them, the company and Xiamen Silan Microelectronics will contribute a total of 1.5 billion yuan. As the implementing entity of the "12-inch High-end Analog Integrated Circuit Chip Manufacturing Production Line Project", Silan Jihua will build a 12-inch integrated circuit chip manufacturing production line, with the products positioned as high-end analog integrated circuit chips. The total planned investment for this project is 20 billion yuan, with a planned production capacity of 45,000 wafers per month, and it will be implemented in two phases. (Jinn Data)

Guterres: The United Nations May Face a Bankruptcy Crisis

On October 17, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned when submitting the proposed programme budget for the 2026 fiscal year to the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) of the General Assembly that the United Nations would face a bankruptcy crisis if member states failed to pay their dues in full and on time. Guterres said that the revised budget would reduce the regular budget for 2026 to $3.238 billion, a decrease of $577 million, or 15.1%, compared with the approved budget for 2025. The revised budget cuts the number of posts in the original proposal from over 13,800 to fewer than 11,600. (People's Daily)

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang to Attend APEC CEO Summit in South Korea

NVIDIA said on the 19th that its CEO, Jensen Huang, will visit South Korea on the 28th to attend the APEC CEO Summit in Gyeongju. (IT Home)

Japanese Government Plans to Raise Visa Application Fees

Facing a continuous surge in the number of tourists visiting Japan, the Japanese government is planning to raise visa fees to a level comparable to that of European and American countries. Sources said that the adjustment of Japanese visa fees will cover tourist, business, and long - stay visas. The new fee standard will refer to those of G7 and OECD member countries, and the specific increase will be determined later. Currently, the fee for a single - entry visa to Japan is 3,000 yen (approximately 142 Chinese yuan), and the fee for a multiple - entry visa is about 6,000 yen.

For comparison, the United States charges $185 for short - stay visas, the United Kingdom charges $177, and Canada charges 100 Canadian dollars (slightly over 500 Chinese yuan). As signatory countries of the Schengen Agreement, France, Germany, and Italy all charge 90 euros (approximately $105) for short - term visas. The Japanese government is also considering following the practices of Europe and the United States by charging fees when applying for visas to prevent random applications and relieve the burden on administrative departments. According to internal evaluations, they seem to believe that this move will help alleviate the phenomenon of overtourism, and the number of tourists visiting Japan will not decrease significantly. (Caixin)

India's Oil Imports from Russia Increased in the First Half of October

According to Indian media reports on the 17th, due to the increasing domestic market demand in India, India's oil imports from Russia rebounded in the first half of October. Data shows that in the first half of October, India imported an average of about 1.8 million barrels of oil from Russia per day, about 250,000 barrels more than the daily average imports in September. According to US media reports on the 17th, US President Trump claimed on the 15th that Indian Prime Minister Modi had told him that India was ready to stop buying Russian oil. However, the spokesperson of the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that they were not aware of any information about the recent contact between Modi and Trump, nor did they know if the Indian leader had promised to stop buying Russian oil. (CCTV News)

French Finance Minister Responds to Third Rating Downgrade in a Year: Can't Be Ignored

French Finance Minister Roland Lescure said that France cannot ignore the third credit rating downgrade in less than a year. "Three rating agencies have downgraded our rating. We can't ignore this cloud," he said on Saturday. This interview came just a few hours after Standard & Poor's (S&P) downgraded France's credit rating in a non - routine adjustment. "In essence, it adds another cloud to an already rather gloomy outlook. It's an appeal for clear - headedness and responsibility," he added, and it's also "an appeal to take the problem seriously." (Sina Finance)

Going Public in Progress

Sichuan Xinhehua Chinese Herbal Pieces Co., Ltd.

36Kr learned that documents from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange showed that Sichuan Xinhehua Chinese Herbal Pieces Co., Ltd. submitted a listing application to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The joint sponsors are GF Securities (Hong Kong) and ABC International.

WeRide

36Kr learned that according to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, WeRide updated its post - hearing information package, which means the company has passed the hearing for its IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

China Southern Power Grid Digital Grid Research Institute Co., Ltd.

36Kr learned that the China Securities Regulatory Commission has approved the registration application of China Southern Power Grid Digital Grid Research Institute Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "CSG Digital") for its initial public offering of shares and listing on the Growth Enterprise Market.

Financial Reports of Large Companies

Zijin Gold International: Attributable Net Profit Reached $905 Million in the First Three Quarters

On October 19th, Zijin Gold International announced on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange that the company's revenue in the third quarter was $1.418 billion, and the attributable net profit was $385 million; the revenue in the first three quarters was $3.415 billion, and the attributable net profit was $905 million. (Jiemian News)

CNHTC Group's Revenue Reached $22.89 Billion from January to September

On October 18th, the Global Partners Conference of Shandong Heavy Industry and Weichai Power was held. Liu Zhengtao, the chairman of CNHTC Group, said in his speech that from January to September, the group achieved a consolidated revenue of $22.89 billion, a year-on-year increase of 14.9%; the total vehicle sales volume reached 335,000 units, a year-on-year increase of 22.8%. Among them, the export sales volume of heavy trucks reached 111,000 units, a year-on-year increase of 24.5%. Especially in September, the export volume of heavy trucks of CNHTC exceeded 15,000 units for the first time, setting a new monthly export record in the Chinese heavy truck industry. It is estimated that the annual export sales volume of heavy trucks will exceed 150,000 units, further consolidating CNHTC's leading position in the Chinese heavy truck export industry. (Jiemian News)

The Cutting - Edge of AI

Apple CEO Tim Cook: Apple Intelligence is working hard to enter the Chinese market

On October 18, Apple CEO Tim Cook appeared in Shanghai. At the Global Asset Management Forum·2025 Shanghai Suhewan Conference, he had a dialogue with Bai Chong'en, the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Global Asset Management Forum and the Dean of the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University, on the topic of "The Boundaries of Innovation in the Technology - Driven Era". During the dialogue, Cook revealed that Apple Intelligence is currently working hard to enter the Chinese market. He also said that artificial intelligence can do amazing things and it has changed people's lives, including saving lives. (Securities Times)

Jeff Bezos: People Should Be More Excited Than Frustrated About AI

Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, said that people should be more excited than frustrated about artificial intelligence. Bezos said he doesn't have a timeline for prediction because different industries may embrace AI at different speeds. He said that currently, AI is in an "industrial bubble" where stock prices are inflated and it's difficult for investors to distinguish between "good ideas and bad ideas." He added that ultimately, the "winners" in any industry who successfully use this technology to advance research and development will bring "huge" benefits to society. (Sina Finance)

The number of users of generative AI in China exceeds 500 million

On October 18th, the China Internet Network Information Center released the "Report on the Application and Development of Generative AI (2025)" at the 2025 (6th) China Internet Basic Resources Conference. The report shows that as of June 2025, the number of users of generative AI in China reached 515 million, an increase of 266 million compared with December 2024, and the user scale doubled in half a year; the penetration rate was 36.5%. The report believes that domestic large models of generative AI are widely favored by users and promote the intelligent transformation and upgrading in various application scenarios. The survey found that more than 90% of users prefer domestic large models. Generative AI is widely used in various scenarios such as intelligent search, content creation, office assistants, and intelligent hardware, and is also actively explored and practiced in fields such as agricultural production, industrial manufacturing, and scientific research. (Xinhua News Agency)