🔥 Hot Topics · Jul 21, 2026
'15th Five-Year' city renewal: 115K old residential communities to be renovated; EV battery swelling defects prompt CALB response; Sandals disappear from summer streets; Monitor lizard specimen appears in Guangdong bus stop; 'Eight Immortals!' surpasses 100M yuan opening day; 95s couple's 500-ep AI comic drama tops charts; Sun Yingsha Wang Chuqin upset in mixed doubles; Cape Verde goalkeeper invited to FIFA legends match; Fushun suspends all schools due to heavy rain; WC third place: England $29M prize, France $27M.
1. '15th Five-Year' City Renewal: 115K Old Communities to Be Renovated
China's 15th Five-Year Plan targets renovation of 115,000 old urban communities, higher ceilings, better soundproofing, and 'small but beautiful' fitness facilities.
2. EV Battery Swelling Defects: CALB to Respond Jointly with OEMs
Commercial EVs with certain 177Ah LFP batteries report swelling, leakage, and insulation failures. Third-party tests point to manufacturing defects; CALB says formal response coming soon.
3. Summer Arrives but Sandals Disappear from Streets
Temperatures exceed 35°C nationwide, but sandals have vanished from city streets. From fashion trends to changing habits — have sandals truly 'cooled off'?
4. 'Eight Immortals!' Surpasses 100M Yuan on Opening Day
Animated film 'Eight Immortals!' debuts with 100M+ yuan on opening day. The summer season features 100+ films spanning comedy, sci-fi, animation, and historical genres.
5. 95s Couple's 500-Episode AI Comic Drama Tops Charts
A 95s couple's AI-generated period drama reaches 534 episodes across 8 seasons, topping charts with 4.1B total views. Pure AI production with no stars or ad spend becomes a phenomenon.
6. Sun Yingsha Wang Chuqin Stunningly Eliminated from Mixed Doubles Final
Table tennis stars Sun Yingsha and Wang Chuqin lose 2-3 to Liaoning pair in a huge upset, missing the mixed doubles final.
7. Cape Verde Goalkeeper Invited to FIFA Legends Match
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha earns FIFA Legends match invitation alongside Cafu, Zanetti, and other football icons after his impressive World Cup performance.
8. Fushun Suspends All Schools Due to Heavy Rain
Fushun education bureau suspends all schools, kindergartens, and training institutions on Jul 19 due to forecast of heavy to extreme rain.
9. World Cup Third Place Prize: England $29M, France $27M
England beats France 6-4 for WC third place, earning $29M (¥196M). France as fourth place receives $27M (¥182M).
10. Monitor蜥 Appears at Guangdong Bus Stop, Confirmed as Specimen
A 60cm monitor蜥-like creature appears at a Zhongshan bus stop. Officials confirm it's an unmarked water monitor specimen, now in rescue center pending source investigation.
Sources and verification
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