AGP Executive Report

UAE–India Publishing Deal: Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone (SPC Free Zone) teamed with Mint to host Global Publishing Exchange 2026 in New Delhi, pitching Sharjah as a low-friction gateway for Indian publishers to expand globally, with talks on UAE–India publishing partnerships and business structuring. Bangladesh Green Ink Push: Jute researchers say agricultural waste can be turned into eco-friendly printing ink, potentially cutting reliance on imported ink and lowering costs, with graphene also emerging from jute sticks. China E-commerce Crackdown: China’s market regulator summoned major platforms over “rat race” pricing practices, citing unclear disclosures and misleading promotions ahead of the 618 shopping festival. Sri Lanka Big Cat Warning: A study of 164 leopard deaths (2008–2024) finds most deaths in tea-country plantation landscapes, with wire snares driving fatalities—urging conservation beyond parks. Pacific Northwest Travel: Harbour Air launched daily summer seaplane service between Victoria and Seattle, cutting the trip to about 30 minutes with intro fares from C$99. Tech & Health: China approved a commercial brain-computer chip for clinical sale, aiming at spinal injury and paralysis treatment.

US-Iran Escalation: The U.S. began another round of strikes on “multiple targets” in Iran as regional attacks and ceasefire talks remain fragile, with oil-market nerves rising. Energy & Food Pressure: A forecast warns biofuel demand could surge as oil prices climb, tightening links between fuel and food costs while fertilizer constraints worsen. AI & Health Tech: China approved a commercial brain-computer chip for clinical sale, while Japan’s “one-minute” chair exercise pitch targets blood-pressure control. Publishing & Education: A new book chronicles the IITs’ journey from nation-building to global innovation, and Fudan University Press released major volumes of a Chinese Buddhist canon catalogue after decades of work. Anime/Books-to-Screen: New “The Way of the Househusband” anime promo and July releases for “Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life” keep manga-to-media momentum. India Media Law: Delhi High Court quashed FIR/ED action against NewsClick over alleged foreign funding, calling it “gross abuse of law.”

RBI Policy Update: The Reserve Bank of India invited public comments on draft amendments to its Standardised Approach for Counterparty Credit Risk, including scope clarifications, margin/netting treatment, and new disclosure templates—another step in tightening how banks handle derivative exposures. Amazon Books List: Amazon revealed its “Best Books of the Year So Far” Top 20, with editorial picks focused on themes of “being seen,” plus genre-specific standouts. Meta’s Enterprise Push: Meta launched a Business Agent for WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram that can answer enquiries, recommend products, qualify leads and book appointments, alongside a platform for companies to build custom agents. China Cultural Virality: Chinese museums and tourism partners are using short-form video to make ancient history go viral, blending museum archives with modern storytelling. AI + Games Dev: Black Tabby Publishing shared behind-the-scenes on “Prove You’re Human,” a narrative adventure built around convincing an AI you’re not human. Critical Minerals Supply Chain: Greenland Mines moved to secure an Iceland industrial site with port access and power, aiming to reduce Western dependence in critical metals processing. World Cup Rulebook: FIFA’s 2026 law changes include time-saving measures and expanded VAR powers, shaping how matches will be managed. India Fertiliser Squeeze: Maharashtra farmers face urea shortages and higher costs, with political pressure mounting over quotas and alternative fertiliser plans.

AI & Publishing/Books: Hema Dey’s business guide The AI Translator hit No. 1 on Amazon ahead of its June 10 global launch, pitching a practical framework for how AI reshapes marketing, hiring and communication. Retail & Book Culture: Japan’s bookstore operators are fighting online competition by redesigning the in-store experience—think “question strolls” and paid lounges—showing how physical retail is reinventing itself. Women’s Health Summit: Singapore’s Growth Asia Summit 2026 (July 8–10) puts women’s hormonal and life-stage health at the center, with speakers mapping policy gaps and market opportunities. Memoir Spotlight: Deb Haaland’s memoir A Voice Like Mine ties personal hardship to public service, landing just after her primary win. Regional Environment: A new analysis flags India’s transboundary air pollution risks for South Asia, using emissions data to frame legal responsibility. Construction Automation: L&T says it’s scaling “digital workers” and robotics to reduce labour dependence—another sign of tech-driven change across Asia’s industries.

Publishing & Books (Asia-Pacific): Kelli Russell Agodon discusses how play can “open the door” to harder themes in her 2026 poetry collection Accidental Devotions, plus her approach to vulnerability and trusting readers. Gaming & Adaptations: Square Enix announced Final Fantasy Resonance, an HD-2D-style console RPG built from the mobile Brave Exvius story arc, launching Oct 22 on PS5, Xbox, PC and Switch. Streaming (Asia-Pacific audiences): Prime Video’s romance drama Every Year After (based on Carley Fortune’s novel) lands June 10, with release times listed for the UK and other regions. Culture & Community: A Shanivarasante festival in Karnataka will include a procession, meeting programme, and a book release tied to local leaders. Industry Watch (India): Weak market sentiment is weighing on India’s IPO pipeline—₹2.45 lakh crore worth of deals are waiting after Sebi approvals. Travel & Retail (Asia-Pacific): Skyscanner reports Canadians are booking with affordability in mind, while DHL Express is partnering with Stasher to offer luggage storage for World Cup travelers. Business & Tech (Asia): Tencent’s dual-currency bond drawdown drew strong orders, underscoring investor appetite for AI-linked tech.

India Tech & Courts: A new critique argues India’s AI boom is deepening a “digital poorhouse,” with the Supreme Court moving to restrict AI use for judges—raising alarms about how algorithms shape access to justice. Markets & Macro: A sharp US sell-off followed a hawkish Fed repricing after payrolls, while Middle East tensions simmer—an uneasy backdrop for Asia-Pacific investors. Education & Screens: Sweden will ban mobile phones in schools from fall, joining a wider push to roll back classroom screens and protect reading skills. Publishing & Reading Culture: Penguin India won’t publish Joe Sacco’s graphic narrative on the Muzaffarnagar riots, while Chinese translation efforts spotlight classics via new translation projects. Quick Commerce IPO: Zepto filed updated IPO papers to raise ₹8,010 crore, aiming to be the first dedicated quick-commerce listing in India. Sports Travel: Trip.com data points to a football-driven surge in international bookings across North American host cities. Deep-Sea Science: A major undersea mapping effort highlights how little the deep ocean has been explored—and why it still holds surprises. Book World: Korean bestseller lists show a shift toward new fiction, led by Andy Weir’s “Project Hail Mary.”

Publishing Watch: Penguin Random House India won’t distribute Joe Sacco’s graphic reportage The Once and Future Riot in India, after an internal review flagged concerns including the book’s India map and other editorial issues. Legal & Privacy: Delhi High Court’s “right to be forgotten” ruling is sparking a fresh debate on how far privacy protections should reach once information is in public records. Queer Literature & Inclusion: Godrej Industries’ Pride@Godrej 2026 rolled out a Pride in Manufacturing Toolkit and launched the queer anthology Queer India Now with Westland/DEI Lab. Rail Tech: India’s new PRS upgrade is moving ahead with a focus on smoother passenger transitions, higher capacity, and an AI waitlist prediction tool via the RailOne app. Aviation Sustainability: IATA warns SAF supply is still under 1% of jet fuel demand, with policy gaps threatening 2030 targets and raising the risk of billions in compliance penalties. Travel Culture: “Sight-doing” is rising fast—market tours and hands-on cooking classes are becoming a core reason people book trips.

Publishing & Culture: Seoul’s Seorae Book Club is inviting readers to discuss Shin Kyung-sook’s “The Girl Who Wrote Loneliness,” with English-only sessions aimed at using literature to understand modern Korea. Community Libraries: In Kashmir’s Aragam village, homes are turning into “book villages,” with teens like Irfan reading widely and reshaping local education through storytelling. K-pop & Media Accountability: A report on Omega X’s alleged mistreatment by Spire Entertainment highlights how online coverage can amplify fan voices and pressure the industry. Digital Content Exports: China’s Hainan is building an AI short-drama “going global” base, betting on micro-dramas, digital literature, and games to reach overseas audiences. Tech in Everyday Life: Meta launched AI glasses in Korea, using camera-and-audio frames to estimate meal calories on command. India Rail Tech: Kerala will trial “RailOne” self-ticketing zones at major stations ahead of Onam to cut queues for unreserved travel. Finance & Policy: RBI measures and a strong FY26 GDP print are pushing brokerages to expect rate hikes later, while warning growth may cool in FY27. Geopolitics: Israel struck Iran after missile fire, raising risks for ceasefire talks.

China–Malaysia Book Fair: Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair 2026 spotlights Chinese publishing and youth dialogues, with readers picking up pinyin editions and meeting authors at a “China-ASEAN Book Culture Week” zone. India Youth Politics: India’s Gen Z “Cockroach Janta Party” stages its first major street protest at Jantar Mantar over alleged exam paper leaks; police detain six and deploy 1,000 officers. Publishing & Health: India’s FSSAI warns against wrapping or serving food with newspapers, saying ink chemicals and heavy metals like lead can leach into hot/greasy meals. Aviation Sustainability: IATA says sustainable aviation fuel still covers under 1% of jet fuel use globally, despite net-zero pledges—highlighting supply, cost, and policy gaps. Air Travel Alliances: Philippine Airlines joins oneworld, with integration expected next year, promising broader loyalty and lounge access for travellers. Literary Loss: Uzbekistan literary scholar Ibrahim Gafurov dies at 88, after decades in publishing, journalism, and public life. Sports Culture & Collecting: FIFA’s World Cup memorabilia project traces past tournaments through items held in museums worldwide.

Education Policy & Textbooks: India’s NCERT says revised Class VIII social science books are set to return by mid-June, with a judiciary chapter rewritten after a Supreme Court ban over references to judicial corruption. Cultural Diplomacy: Israel plans to install a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Israel, building on Modi’s recent visit and deepening India–Israel people-to-people ties. Tech & Publishing/Media: Japan’s newspaper industry survey finds only 26% of women see their workplaces as gender-equal, highlighting persistent newsroom leadership gaps. China–North Korea: Xi Jinping’s near-seven-years trip to Pyongyang signals tighter China–DPRK alignment as Kim seeks economic lifelines amid deeper Russia ties. Games & IP: Smilegate unveils a Crossfire spinoff trailer, while IO Interactive confirms Hitman Classic Trilogy Remastered for 2027 and adds Wiz Khalifa as an Elusive Target. Markets & Industry: China’s memory chipmakers CXMT and YMTC are preparing blockbuster IPOs as AI demand boosts chip prices and profits. Protest & Youth Politics: India’s Cockroach Janta Party moves from viral posts to a real-world protest at Jantar Mantar, sparked by exam irregularities and calls for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.

Biodiversity Alarm: A Melaka sanctuary warns over 40% of Southeast Asia’s butterfly populations could vanish within 50 years unless conservation, breeding, and public awareness ramp up—highlighting pollinators like the Clipper and Yellow Birdwing. Public Health & Maternal Care: AIIMS researchers report TORCH infections still pose a risk to fetuses in India, even as vaccination improves, urging stronger prevention strategies. Gaming & Storytelling: Infinity Ward details Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4’s DMZ extraction mode—set in Hajin with dynamic weather, missions, and randomized events—positioning it as a “game within a game.” Publishing/Media Business: Penguin India pulls the plug on Joe Sacco’s book on the Muzaffarnagar riots, while a separate feature spotlights Rachel Branson’s “accidental publisher” path building a wellbeing media empire. Travel & Consumer Safety: A Canada-linked luggage-tag drug scheme has led to wrongful accusations abroad, with authorities urging travelers to protect tags and documentation. China–DPRK Diplomacy: Xi Jinping’s planned visit to North Korea is framed as a fresh push for China-DPRK ties and regional stability.

Publishing & Rights: Penguin Random House India won’t distribute Joe Sacco’s The Once and Future Riot in India, citing a red-flagged map and unresolved content/citation issues, after the book’s pre-check/legal scrutiny. Graphic Novels & Manga: Crunchyroll began streaming Jujutsu Kaisen “Hidden Inventory / Premature Death” with multilingual subs and English/German/Spanish dubs, and added English dubs for Given films; COCORO (Frontwing/Good Smile) is coming to Steam in Summer 2026. Digital Payments: Pakistan’s SBP says Eid-ul-Azha “Go Cashless” hit 481,000 transactions worth Rs34bn across 123 cattle markets, up sharply from 2025. AI & Security: Innefu Labs raised Rs286 crore (Series B) to expand agentic AI and cybersecurity/robotics for defense and intelligence; a separate report highlights AI being sold to Wall Street at $25,000-a-day. Culture & Books: Zócalo Book Prize went to Anand Pandian for Something Between Us; TiE DC hosted Kanwal Rekhi’s The Groundbreaker launch. Games & Entertainment: Capcom confirmed Resident Evil Veronica remake for a Q1 2027 window.

India Economy Watch: India’s FY26 GDP growth hit 7.8% (Jan–Mar), beating forecasts and supported by consumption, manufacturing, construction and services—though the US-Iran shock raises RBI caution and a softer FY27 growth outlook. U18 Hockey: India beat Pakistan 5-3 in the U18 Men’s Asia Cup semifinal and will face Japan in the final after a late surge. Badminton (Indonesia Open): Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin booked a women’s singles semi spot by beating India’s Hariharan Amsakarunan-M.R. Arjun; Pearly Tan–Thinaah and Goh Soon Huat–Shevon Jemie Lai fell in doubles. Publishing & Culture (AI): A debate keeps bubbling: writers and publishers question whether AI can replace human discipline and creativity, with fresh attention on how platforms treat authorship. Digital Infrastructure: STT Global Data Centres bought land in Navi Mumbai for ₹282 crore to expand data-centre capacity for cloud and AI demand. Travel Tech/Marketing: ECER.com showcased AI ad tools at Google Partner Summit 2026, pitching automated promotion and lead conversion for export firms. Sports/Books Crossover: A Russian edition of “China’s Governance Under Xi Jinping’s Leadership” launched in St. Petersburg, adding another language push for state-backed publishing.

Taiwan in the spotlight: A Mandarin novel, When Taiwan Travelogue Won the International Booker Prize, is being discussed for what it reveals—and what it leaves unresolved—about who gets to narrate Taiwan and how translation shapes that power. India tourism safety: A viral Himachal Pradesh CCTV clip alleges a foreign woman was harassed, sparking calls for police action and renewed debate over visitor safety. Publishing & books: HarperCollins India releases Indira Jaising’s memoir The Constitution Is My Home, linking her legal battles with Partition-era identity and urging readers back to constitutional ideals. Kidlit & culture: A Tibetan children’s fairytale book, inspired by a teacher’s Harry Potter reading moment, aims to preserve Tibetan storytelling for young readers. Games exports: New Zealand studio PikPok wins ExportNZ ASB Central Region Exporter of the Year, underscoring the region’s growing gaming publishing clout. Literary sports crossover: A B.C. historical award-winning piece spotlights Larry Kwong, the first Chinese-Canadian NHL player, showing how sports history can travel through print.

Publishing & Culture: A new Cannes-related interview with Romanian director Radu Jude spotlights his latest film The Diary of a Chambermaid, blending sexual-harassment themes with a layered, cross-cultural storytelling approach. Media & Law: India’s Punjab & Haryana High Court ruled that reporting an order dictated in open court isn’t contempt even if it isn’t signed yet, a win for newsroom coverage. Books & Ideas: A piece on Mehul Vora’s Decoding Mantras argues social media has blurred what mantras mean, pushing readers to understand context, not just repetition. Tech & Publishing: Japan study coverage claims reading manga in print can improve memory recall versus digital versions, adding fuel to the print-vs-screen debate. Real Estate & Asia Markets: Tishman Speyer’s Korea Living Venture raises $300m from European pension investors for Seoul rental housing—another reminder of how capital keeps flowing into Asia’s property and living sectors.

Press & Publishing in Manila: The Philippine Press Institute (PPI) will hold its June 4–6 General Membership Meeting, Community Press Awards, National Press Forum and Media-Citizen Councils in Manila, with Nickel Asia Corp. backing the Community Press Awards and Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso set to grace the event. Energy & Industry Dealmaking: Kepco has won a $1.4bn Saudi cogeneration contract tied to Aramco’s Jafurah project, with operations due in June 2029 and an EPC role for Doosan Enerbility. Tech IPOs in China: China’s memory chipmakers CXMT and YMTC are preparing back-to-back IPOs on Shanghai’s STAR Market as AI demand lifts profits, raising concerns about liquidity. Education Cyber Stress Test: India’s CBSE says it repelled a 3.8 million-packet DoS attack on its site while processing tens of thousands of re-evaluation/verification applications. Books & Culture: A new book on Indian Premier League “rags-to-riches” cricket faces scrutiny over its assumptions, while China’s Beijing Library highlights smart storage and multilingual reading tech. Retail Tech: Hanshow launches xPilot, a real-time execution assistant for physical stores, aimed at turning in-store data into action.