🔥 Hot Topics · Aug 12, 2026
'People's Artist' Guo Lanying dies at 97, having donated her singing copyright to the state in 1994; 115k old urban communities are slated for renovation; Cristiano Ronaldo marries Georgina with all five kids present; Beijing and Henan issue heavy-rain warnings; a Zhaoyiming snack-store overcharge on beef jerky sparks dispute; DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng joins the world's 50 richest with net worth up 3850% in a year; more cities pilot direct-to-high-school admission; 'Phantom Blade Zero' opens preorders at 268 RMB; Aug 13 brings a total solar eclipse and Perseid meteor shower.
1. Guo Lanying Dies at 97
Renowned opera performer Guo Lanying, a 'People's Artist' national honoree, died in Guangzhou on Aug 11 at 97.
2. Old Communities Face a Big Transformation
A national urban-renewal drive begins, with an estimated 15T RMB over five years renovating 115k old communities and updating 500k dilapidated homes.
3. Ronaldo Marries Georgina with All 5 Kids Present
Ronaldo announced his marriage to Georgina with ring photos; the 'private and warm' ceremony in Portugal saw all five children attend.
4. Beijing Heavy Rain
Beijing activates Level-II flood response with staggered flexible work and possible school closures; some areas may see 150mm+ in 24 hours.
5. Henan Issues Red Rainstorm Warning
Henan upgrades to a red rainstorm warning: areas along the Huai River and north face torrential rain, with intense downpours and thunderstorm gales.
6. Zhaoyiming Beef Jerky Overcharge: 64 RMB for 17 RMB Worth
A customer was charged 64.58 RMB for 4 beef jerky pieces that re-weighed at 80g (worth ~17.28 RMB) — an overcharge of 47 RMB. The store admitted the error and offered triple refund, but no agreement yet.
7. More Cities Pilot Direct-to-High-School Admission
Loudi, Chengdu, Shanghai, and others pilot 12-year integrated programs, while cutting exam subjects and adding regular-high-school seats.
8. Hengdian Short Dramas Target Tourists
As AI short dramas chill the industry, Hengdian directors now shoot short dramas for tourists at 200-300 RMB a head, letting everyone be a star.
9. DeepSeek Founder Joins World's 50 Richest
DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng's net worth leapt from $1B to $39.5B in a year — a 3850% gain, the fastest billionaire wealth growth ever recorded.
10. 'Phantom Blade Zero' Opens Preorders at 268 RMB
Donnie Yen-supervised Chinese 3A title 'Phantom Blade Zero' opens multi-platform preorders — 268 RMB standard, 328 RMB deluxe — launching Oct 29.
11. Meteor Shower and Total Solar Eclipse
On Aug 13 both hemispheres get a celestial double-feature: the Perseid meteor shower at home, and Europe's first total solar eclipse since 1999 — the only one of 2026.
12. '7 Seconds of Zero-G on Aug 12' Is a Rumor
Viral claims that Earth would lose gravity for 7 seconds on Aug 12, killing thousands, are dismissed by experts as pure rumor.
Sources and verification
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