AGP Executive Report

Publishing & Politics: Sonia Gandhi’s memoir Belonging: A Journey of Love is set for a November 10 release with Alfred A Knopf (Knopf/Penguin Random House), promising a more personal look at love, loss, and her turn into India’s political life. Digital Printing & Packaging: Michelman is showcasing water-based primers and barrier coatings at LOUPE Americas 2026, including DigiPrime® Vision 9200 for HP Indigo 6K+ and 8K presses, pushing more sustainable label and packaging options. Manga Publishing: Manga Mavericks Books has named Erica Friedman as Managing Editor as it gears up for a bigger 2027 slate, aiming for 40+ titles across alternative, shojo/josei, LGBTQ+ and classic manga. Gaming Industry: Tokyo Game Show 2026’s 30th anniversary hub is live, with a Twitch CEO keynote and bookable creator streaming booths, as the show’s preshow campaign ramps up. Media & Travel Security: The U.S. will expand social-media vetting for foreign journalists applying for visas, adding another layer of scrutiny for international media workers. Tech & Payments (Games): NEXUS and KRWQ plan to use a won-pegged stablecoin for payments and payouts on ONEstore, targeting more KRW options for global game developers. Sports & Rivalries: India’s hockey World Cup clash with Pakistan gets analysis from former captain PR Sreejesh, focusing on staying compact defensively under pressure. Culture & Community: Fan Expo Canada returns to Toronto (Aug 27–30) with major celebrity meet-and-greets and panels for pop-culture fans.

Cultural Heritage & Books: Jingzhou’s ancient city wall gets a new exhibition hall that lets visitors read 1,000+ years of construction like a “cross-section of history,” turning archaeology into a public story. Publishing & Knowledge: Shanghai Book Fair debuts Science and Technology in Zikawei, a 300,000-word study of Xujiahui’s scientific legacy, linking Ming-era figures to modern research. Trade & Diplomacy: A China–EU trade consultation mechanism is framed through a long-history lens, arguing civilizational exchange has outweighed conflict. AI & Work: South Korea’s central bank warns AI exposure is driving a sharp youth jobs decline, while older workers gain—an uneven generational shift. Inclusive Law: NLU Odisha’s CDLA announces a two-day international conference on law, technology and inclusive futures, focusing on disability and digital vulnerability in the AI era. Regional Library Links: Taiwan and South Korea expand library cooperation via book donations and a new MOU, including Taiwanese literature tied to major awards. Games & IP: Xsolla backs Philippine indie studios to build original IP for global publishing. Film Adaptation: Disney Live Action is developing a feature based on Korean fantasy bestseller The Dallergut Dream Department Store. Crime & Public Trust: A fatal Hanoi crash sparks online backlash over how a state broadcaster handled the story, with readers demanding answers. Defence Tech: India’s Sigma Advanced Systems wins anti-drone orders, highlighting a growing “homeland security” category for mobile counter-UAS systems.

China Publishing/Tech Deal: Alibaba is set to sell game developer Lingxi Games to Trustar Capital, a deal Reuters says could top $1.5bn, as Alibaba continues trimming non-core assets and refocusing on strategic businesses. India Publishing & Media/Regulation: Maharashtra’s FDA defended action against celebrities over Vimal Elaichi ads, saying the ad chain is responsible for possible surrogate promotion of prohibited products. Central Banking & Politics: Ex-RBI governor Duvvuri Subbarao says UPA-era officials pressured the RBI to project rosier growth and lower inflation to “shore up sentiment,” framing the central bank as a government “cheerleader.” Orthodoxy & Fact-Checking: A Ukraine church claim was rated mostly false: the UOC-MP may have more churches/parishes, but parishioner numbers favor the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Publishing/Books & Culture: Manga Mavericks Books hired Erica Friedman as Managing Editor as it plans 40+ titles in 2027, spanning alternative, shojo/josei, LGBTQ+ and classic manga. Anime/Streaming: SkySet Entertainment will stream Go Forward (and sequel) with English dub from Aug 18 across multiple regions, with Anime NYC hosting a dub screening Aug 22. Cybersecurity: New macOS malware “AmnesiaStealer” targets browser sessions via a fake GitHun download page and steals keychain data. Sports/Youth: Bahrain’s U19 men’s handball team is set for the Asian Youth Championship in Amman, with India in their group.

Education Policy (India): India’s NTA will re-conduct UGC-NET June 2026 exams for English, Commerce and Sociology after errors in question papers, with retests scheduled for 9–10 September and no extra fees for candidates. Publishing & Culture (China): Shanghai’s 2026 Sinan Literature Month kicks off with an exhibition of 65 Lu Xun Literary Prize winners, using immersive installations and a pop-up book fair as the city’s reading spotlight runs into September. Publishing & Books (China): Heilongjiang cultural crafts take center stage at Shanghai Book Fair’s Changning venue via “Opening the Book of Yuyuan Road Together,” featuring exchanges around ice flower porcelain and other intangible heritage. Media & Rights (Japan): A streamlined court process for online defamation in Japan is driving a surge in petitions to unmask anonymous posters, with faster average case timelines. Tech & Voice (Global/Asia): Breeze Blue launches Breeze TTS 2, a real-time voice AI aimed at interactive media and conversational agents. Manga (Global/Asia): HarperCollins will launch Kazé, a new manga imprint, following its acquisition of Kazé’s European operations. Digital Platforms (India): A debate flares over whether X can reveal India’s secret blocking orders, after Elon Musk highlights government censorship visibility elsewhere. Business & Industry (India): Power equipment and manufacturing stories continue: Transformers and Rectifiers India wins an APTRANSCO LOI, while Zetwerk files for an IPO with plans to repay debt.

Misinformation Watch: A week of fast-spreading falsehoods shows how AI-made videos, edited images and fake quotes are being used to target politicians, institutions and journalists across digital platforms. War & Culture: Russian strikes hit Ukraine’s Kyiv book market and Wildberries-linked sites, underscoring how conflict is reaching civilian life and reading spaces. Publishing & Policy: New Zealand’s arts funding round leaves literature with a smaller slice than dance, despite strong reader demand—while India’s NTA orders a re-exam for UGC-NET English, Commerce and Sociology after question-paper errors. Renewables & Business: Suzlon outlines “Suzlon 2.0” to become a full-stack renewables platform and expand internationally. Regional Media Preservation: The Philippines hosts an ASEAN film and TV summit focused on archiving and protecting Asia’s cinematic heritage. Science & Books: India’s Jitendra Singh backs clinical reasoning alongside diagnostics, launching a new rheumatology essentials book.

Manga Publishing: Shueisha’s Boruto: Two Blue Vortex will skip the October issue of V Jump (shipping Aug 21) and return in the November issue (shipping Sept 18), with digital releases via MANGA Plus and Viz Media plus print via Viz. Media & Regulation: India’s Maharashtra FDA issued show-cause notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over Vimal Elaichi ads, saying it may indirectly promote prohibited pan masala/tobacco and ordering removal from their platforms. Books & Culture: A new photobook, Souls of Someone, documents Koovagam festival trans women through myth, magic and mourning, while a separate piece spotlights a Marathi theatre work built from unrecorded women’s grindmill songs. Publishing/Research: China’s life-sciences journal Vita launches its first print edition as open-access, aiming to become a top-tier publication without author fees. Business/IPO: Pakistan’s SECP approved APAG’s IPO for PSX, targeting up to Rs 2.6bn via book-building. Markets/Policy: India’s RBI is expected to stay in “wait-and-watch” mode as inflation rises mainly from supply-side shocks.

Sri Lanka Guardian’s 19th anniversary: The independent, non-profit newsroom marks 16 Aug 2007’s launch with a renewed pledge to question power and resist convenient lies, born during the civil war and sustained through shifting political narratives. Partition scholarship: A deep dive into the “Great Calcutta Killings” frames 1946’s violence as the turning of constitutional politics into organized carnage, tied to the Cabinet Mission and “Direct Action” politics. India-Nepal cultural diplomacy: India’s Kathmandu embassy and ICCR back Independence Day events, including flag hoisting, cultural performances, and support for families of fallen Nepali Gorkha soldiers. Book arts in the region: University of Arkansas at Fort Smith announces a Center for Book Arts and a certificate program, adding letterpress, papermaking, and binding to community workshops. Publishing + AI search: Singapore-based XstraStar launches a bilingual GEO reference library mapping how English and Chinese AI platforms pull different sources. Sports + books crossover: Off Campus Season 2 gets a first look, continuing the romance drama spun from Elle Kennedy’s best-selling series.

Publishing & Pop Culture: Priyanka Chopra unveiled the cover of Empress: The Definitive Biography of Sridevi (Westland Books), a five-decade, multi-language career account with rare photos and major forewords—due around December. Books & Manga: Nakama Press (Mad Cave Studios) launched Ace of the Diamond omnibus editions, bringing Yūji Terajima’s baseball classic to new readers in collected volumes. Film & Storytelling: A tribute film, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala: Forever Here, premieres on The BroadView YouTube channel, reframing the investor’s legacy through people and ideas beyond stock picks. Finance & Capital Flows: India’s RBI concessional swap measures for FCNR(B), ECBs and OFCBs are projected to pull in USD 90–95bn in FY27, boosting the balance of payments outlook. Law & Media: India’s CJI Surya Kant warned that court clips are being circulated with “malicious intent,” urging responsible reporting. Independence Day Culture: Coverage highlights Modi’s red tie-and-dye turban as a spotlight on regional textile craft for the 80th celebrations.

Climate & Weather: NOAA says a rapidly developing El Niño could become “historic,” likely reshaping the Atlantic hurricane season by suppressing storm activity even as it brings disruption elsewhere. Publishing & Culture: Seattle journalist Lori Matsukawa’s memoir, Being There, reflects on growing up in multicultural Hawaiʻi and confronting racism in newsrooms. China History & Archives: Ahead of Japan’s 81st anniversary of WWII surrender, youth groups deliver wartime historical archives across borders to memorial institutions in China. Environment Policy: China’s new environmental code is framed as turning national ecological goals into everyday rules, from systems to daily life. Travel & Connectivity: Cebu Pacific resumes Davao’s direct links to Hong Kong and Bangkok, plus more domestic frequencies. Japan Tourism: A new sumo-themed restaurant experience debuts in Tokyo at Tokyo Tower, bundling bouts with performances and cultural activities. Books & Events: The Bangkok Post launches a premium digital subscription, while the Brooklyn Book Festival returns with nine days of author and bookseller programming. Music Industry Deal: Nixon Peabody adds music-practice partner Matt Finkelstein, bringing major copyright and catalog deal experience.

Sports & Publishing Crossover: India’s World Cup squad heads to the Netherlands and Belgium amid scrutiny of coaching methods and even jersey talk, with Craig Fulton insisting the job is to deliver results. Record-Setting Culture: A four-year-old in Karnataka recited all 40 verses of the Hanuman Chalisa in 2 minutes 53 seconds, landing in India’s record books. Handmade Heritage: A feature spotlights India’s artisan economy as a quieter measure of national strength—skills passed down, livelihoods sustained, and craft reaching new markets. Manga-to-Screen: BS-TBS revealed Season 3 details for live-action Tengu no Daidokoro, premiering Oct 1 with a New York arc. Book World & Rights: Oxford University Press published an English edition of Confucian philosopher Yi Ik’s work, translating “Sachil Sinpyeon” via a multi-year academic project. Business & IPO Buzz: India’s Svatantra Microfin filed for a ₹3,000 crore IPO, while Technocraft Ventures and LEAP India debuted on Indian bourses with strong early trading. Tourism Tech: Davao launched a Digital Tourist Passport app, turning a physical booklet into a QR-based mobile experience for participating venues.

AI & Ethics: Timnit Gebru’s upcoming book Deep Unlearning spotlights AI hype, ethics, and racial bias, arguing AI systems need deeper scrutiny beyond model performance. Robotics: Beijing’s 2nd World Humanoid Robot Games will quadruple participation to 2,056 robots across 16 countries, with expanded real-world tasks like housekeeping and emergency response. Publishing/Books: Shueisha’s Manga Million Faces faces backlash over suspected AI use, raising fresh questions about disclosure in Japan’s manga pipeline. Economy/Inflation: India’s retail inflation quickened to 4.45% in July, driven by food prices, keeping the RBI in a “wait and see” posture. Labor/Tech Industry: SK Hynix workers launched a new unified union to oppose bonus plans tied to restricted stock, aiming to consolidate bargaining power. Trade/Tariffs: A White House report flags “transshipment risk” across 40-plus US trading partners, warning of tariff evasion via middleman routes. Health Research: A “locked” cancer therapeutic activated inside tumor cells shrank breast tumors in mice while reducing liver buildup.

Publishing & Education Policy: India’s parliamentary panel warns of a curriculum-to-classroom gap for Grades 9–12 as NCERT textbook rollout lags and application-based board exams add stress for Class 10 and 12 students. Books & Culture: A new book, Is This the Time for the Indian Elephant and the Chinese Dragon to Dance Together?, gathers perspectives on India–China relations, arguing the relationship can’t be left to diplomats alone. Legal & Speech: Tripura High Court refused to quash FIRs against content creator Madhabi Biswas over alleged derogatory Modi remarks, saying police couldn’t trace the videos and further investigation is needed. Conservation Storytelling: A diplomacy-led conservation account chronicles how cheetahs were brought back to India, spotlighting the behind-the-scenes international work. Tech & Games (Asia): SportsHero (ASX:SHO) signed a supply deal with Razer to add 1,000+ gaming products to its HeroPlay platform across Southeast Asia. Finance & Markets (India): Muthoot FinCorp filed draft papers for a Rs 3,000 crore IPO to strengthen Tier-I capital; Gaja Alternative Asset Management set an IPO price band of ₹152–160 for its Rs 550 crore listing.

AI & Climate Debate: A new framework in a forthcoming book weighs whether AI’s rising power demand will outweigh future climate gains, using MIT’s En-ROADS simulator to map different outcomes. Publishing/DRM: Kadokawa’s BookWalker Global is expanding its catalog by partnering with Crossed Hearts, rolling out titles via its rebuilt site and a new LCP DRM approach. India Inflation Watch: India’s retail inflation inched up to 4.45% in July as food prices climbed, keeping pressure on the RBI’s target path. AI Copyright Clash: Germany’s Munich court ruled that unlicensed training of copyrighted music can infringe when outputs reproduce protected elements, tightening the legal risk for AI music tools. K-pop Kids Books: Golden Books releases “Stray Kids: A Little Golden Book Biography,” adding a mainstream children’s format to K-pop publishing. Gaming/Anime Distribution: Crunchyroll and Sony will co-distribute Makoto Shinkai’s next feature outside Asia plus India, following Suzume’s global run. Book Retail Reinvention: Harvard’s COOP is testing a new “store as destination” model in Allston with events and startup products, aiming to stay relevant as online shopping grows.

Supreme Court Showdown on Speech vs Privilege: India’s Supreme Court will hear from Oct 6 a major 7-judge case on whether legislative privileges for MLAs can override freedom of speech, sparked by a 2003 Tamil Nadu dispute involving The Hindu. Autobiography Spotlight: PM Narendra Modi released former President Ram Nath Kovind’s memoir, urging youth to read autobiographies and avoid “shortcut” culture. Press Freedom Under Empire: A new look at British-era censorship shows how newspapers like Amrita Bazar Patrika and Kesari found ways to keep publishing. Afghanistan Diplomacy: Five years into Taliban rule, the group is expanding ties with more countries despite ongoing rights concerns. Publishing & Books in Focus: Juggernaut’s Umar Khalid book discussion at JNU moved outdoors amid protests, while a separate feature highlights a young sinologist building literary bridges between Arab and Chinese cultures. IPO Watch (India): Behari Lal Engineering’s IPO opens with a ₹271–₹285 price band; Shiprocket’s IPO also kicks off this week. Culture & Reading: Singapore’s new record shop Lifted Trax leans into niche music collecting, with an online catalogue for crate-diggers.

AI & Security: Major tech firms signaled a shift toward open-weight AI, even as attackers target open-source models—raising new protection stakes for cloud providers. Digital Publishing: Webtoon’s growth is slowing even as it pushes deeper into IP deals and AI ambitions, with user growth flagged as a concern. Tech & Devices: Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro launch is reportedly set for Sept. 9, with Labor Day shaping the event schedule. Books & Publishing: Superstition Acres Press debuts “Spark Riders: The First Flame,” a cross-continents middle-grade adventure with free parent/teacher resources. China Trade & Books: A new reportage book on Guangdong’s foreign trade is set for the Southern China Book Fair ahead of APEC “China Year.” Regional Publishing/Policy: India’s e-visa network expands with more gateway ports, supporting more travel-driven reading and publishing demand. Aviation Safety: Air India incident details include a captain failing marijuana tests after a 300-foot drop, with investigations ongoing. Semiconductors: SpaceX’s Terrafab plans spotlight memory bottlenecks and the “memory oligopoly” debate.

Energy & Markets: Oil jumped again as US-Iran talks stalled and the Strait of Hormuz reopening stayed stuck, reviving inflation fears and rate-hike odds. Regional Security: A Makkah joint defense agreement among Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan is framed as a longer-term shift in the regional balance of power, not just a reaction to current conflicts. India Governance: India’s Home Ministry told states and ministries to strictly follow the Flag Code, including how paper flags should be handled after events. Publishing & Culture: HarperCollins is set to release Singapore-raised doctor Olivia Ong’s memoir “Back On My Feet” after a spinal injury changed her life. Business & Growth: H&MV Engineering secured a ~€750m continuation funding vehicle led by Exponent, with Apollo S3, Pantheon and SQ Capital joining to back US expansion. Tech & Platforms: WhatsApp is rolling out a username field on new contact creation, aiming to reduce reliance on phone-number sharing. Travel & Leisure: Webjet launched big Australia sale deals, including Melbourne–Bali return from $420 and Sydney–Melbourne from $145.