AGP Executive Report

Cuban Publishing Round-Up: May releases in Cuba’s literary scene put memory and exile front and centre, from Joaquín Gálvez’s poetry to Madrid presentations of new essay-testimony work, underscoring how diaspora reshapes national storytelling. UK–AI Publisher Fight: The UK regulator has pushed Google to let publishers opt out of AI search summaries and related use, a fresh escalation in the long-running bargaining battle over rights and attribution. France Politics Watch: Analysts say France’s Rassemblement National is no longer fringe and has a realistic path to power in the 2027 elections, with legal hurdles around Marine Le Pen still a key storyline. Book Culture & Translation: A spotlight on dissident French literature in English follows Vauban Books’ experience around Jean Raspail’s The Camp of the Saints, highlighting how publishing can collide with platform decisions. Sports + Reading Crossover: FIFA’s World Cup memorabilia project continues to turn match history into future museum material, while European readers keep an eye on major summer events and their cultural spin.

AI & Copyright: UK regulators ordered Google to let publishers opt out of AI search summaries and scraping, widening Europe’s fight over how news and books can be used by machine learning systems. Publishing & Rights: A separate push for collective licensing is gaining momentum as publishers seek clearer, paid-for access to copyrighted material feeding generative AI. Aviation & Sustainability: IATA warned sustainable aviation fuel still covers only about 0.8% of jet demand in 2026, calling policy and market incentives “detached from reality” as Europe faces operational strain. Retail Investing: SpaceX’s planned IPO could offer an unusually large retail allocation across Europe, but analysts warn smaller investors face higher risk in a loss-making, high-valuation deal. Books & Culture: Marjane Satrapi’s death was marked as a major loss for graphic storytelling, while a newly surfaced Holocaust Yiddish songbook highlights how fragile printed archives can survive for decades.

UK Tech & Kids Safety: A Labour MP’s legal action against Musk’s XAI over sexualised Grok images is framed as a test of whether government will change platform rules, not just react after harm. Defence Procurement: Britain’s delayed defence investment plan has “undermined credibility” with allies and the defence industry, with MPs warning of knock-on costs and readiness gaps. Publishing & Culture: Erbil’s first major Kurdish book exhibition sold 37,000+ books in four days, with European publishers and printing houses joining a seven-day programme. Literary Festivals: Hungary’s 97th Festive Book Week returns nationwide, with Budapest’s main run featuring 204 stands, 540 new titles and Booker winner David Szalay. Space & Accessibility: The UK Space Agency is lining up sponsorship for Paralympian John McFall to become a disabled astronaut in orbit as soon as 2027. Media/AI Policy: White House AI adviser Sriram Krishnan says he’ll leave at month-end after helping shape Trump’s AI strategy. Design & Lifestyle: A debate on whether the 60-30-10 colour rule is outdated highlights how European interiors are getting bolder.

EU Banking Watch: The European Commission has adopted temporary changes to how EU banks apply Basel III market risk rules, delaying parts of the FRTB framework for three years from 1 January 2027 and using a “multiplier” to soften capital impacts, aiming to prevent competitive distortions as other jurisdictions lag. Publishing & Culture Loss: Iranian-French graphic novelist and filmmaker Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis) has died at 56, with tributes highlighting her memoir-in-comics legacy and international translations. Books & Ideas: A new wave of commentary spotlights Jürgen Habermas’s “public self” thinking, while other pieces range from poetry and literary reviews to debates on judicial independence. Sports & Media: The French Open semifinals are set with no grand slam winners left in the last four, and coverage continues around major European football and World Cup warm-ups. Tech & Regulation: UK moves to force Google to let publishers opt out of AI search summaries keep the focus on media bargaining and platform control.

Google & AI Publishing: The UK is forcing Google to let publishers block their content from AI Overviews and opt out of AI search use, adding fresh pressure on tech platforms over news licensing and attribution. EU Media Policy: European publishers are also pushing back on big tech’s ad and data practices, with new demands for remedies as regulators watch market power. Trans Rights Clash: Nearly 100 MPs have signed an early-day motion urging Parliament to disapprove the EHRC draft code that critics say could entrench segregation of Trans+ people in public services. Sports & Culture: England’s Lionesses face a playoff fight after a 4-0 defeat by Spain, while a Birmingham park’s refurbished tennis courts reopen after a £330k upgrade. Books & Publishing Spotlight: New fiction buzz includes Doireann Ní Ghríofa’s Said the Dead and Andrew Meehan’s Hey Man, alongside coverage of Maggie O’Farrell’s Land. Arts & Heritage: A Georgian masquerade-themed event at Kemps Bookstore in Malton ties to Meghan Kobza’s history book The Masquerade.

Google vs publishers: More than 20 European news publishers have launched a legal bid for about £552m+ in damages, arguing Google’s adtech dominance harmed competition after the EU fined it €2.95bn for abuse. AI policy pressure: In the UK, regulators are forcing Google to give publishers real opt-out controls for AI search summaries and related uses, as bargaining fights widen. Cultural exception push: European filmmakers’ groups have signed an open letter urging Brussels to protect a cultural legal framework for cinema and audiovisual work, defend the “cultural exception,” and keep directives and dedicated funding. Books with a cause: Menma Books (Ireland) will publish Jadotville: Benchmark for Bravery ahead of the 65th anniversary of the Siege of Jadotville, aiming to restore recognition for the Irish UN troops. Documentary spotlight: Berlin’s Doxumentale crowned Bipuljit Basu’s Redlight to Limelight as Best Documentary Film, highlighting sex workers’ own storytelling. Community energy: The UK is consulting on scaling shared community battery storage so renters and flats can benefit from cheaper renewables.

AI & Publisher Rights: The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority orders Google to let publishers opt out of AI Overviews and other AI uses of their content, including scraping and model fine-tuning—framing it as a “world first” to restore leverage in content deals. Publishing & Culture Loss: French-Iranian graphic novelist and filmmaker Marjane Satrapi, creator of Persepolis, dies at 56; family and French officials cite “sadness” after her husband’s death. Print/Production Industry: Durst wins four EDP Awards at Fespa Global Print Expo in Barcelona, including for Durst P5 and its Entera LED inks and Open Software Initiative. Books & Community: A floating book fair ship, MV Doulos Hope, docks in Rabaul, Papua New Guinea, bringing two weeks of public access and programmes. Business Growth (UK): Hair Syrup, a Wales-based haircare brand, lands on The Sunday Times 100 fastest-growing list, highlighting rapid sales growth and retail expansion. Tech for Fitness: Technogym and World Athletics launch the Run X connected-treadmill championship, rolling out from October 2026.

AI & Publishing Rights: UK regulator orders Google to let publishers opt out of AI search summaries and scraping, escalating Europe’s fight over how tech uses news content. Media Freedom Watch: ARTICLE 19 Europe and partners will assess press freedom in France (9–11 June) after a rise in attacks on journalists since 2023. Book World Loss: Marjane Satrapi, creator of the graphic memoir Persepolis, dies at 56, with tributes highlighting its global impact and film adaptation. Publishing Fraud Risk: A warning on impersonation of literary agents shows how scams are increasingly “industrialised” by AI. Industry Expansion: Fortidia reports 2025 growth to €1.4bn gross revenue and expands printing/logistics via new centers and acquisitions. Travel & Culture (Publishing-adjacent): Princess Cruises unveils its biggest Europe season for 2028 with added Irish ports, while Malaga continues to market itself as a cultural weekend hub.

UK Publishing Policy: Britain’s regulator orders Google to let publishers opt out of AI Overviews and training, escalating the fight over how platforms use news content. AI & Media Pay: Meta attacks Australia’s plan to make tech firms pay publishers for news, calling the levy discriminatory and warning it won’t sustain a diverse news sector. Edinburgh Festivals Tech: Edinburgh’s 11 festivals are exploring a single box office and shared ticketing/data system to boost sales and attract sponsors, while the Fringe pushes ahead with its own app. Book Fairs & Culture: Warsaw Book Fair opens with Sharjah as first Arab Guest of Honour, spotlighting Emirati publishing and literary events. Sports & Books Crossover: Roland Garros delivers a historic all-Italian men’s semi-final as Flavio Cobolli beats Felix Auger-Aliassime, while the women’s draw sees Diana Shnaider stun Aryna Sabalenka for a maiden semi. Travel Reading Mood: A new novel, Villa Coco, is pitched as a “sunlight” escape from cynical fiction, aiming to bring back the joy of disappearing into a story.

AI & Environment: A UN report urges AI firms to disclose the carbon, water and land footprint of their systems, warning the boom is straining power grids and resources. Tech Sovereignty: The EU pushes “technological sovereignty” plans to stop foreign governments or firms getting a “kill switch” over vital cloud, AI and security-linked services. Publishing & Platforms (UK): Britain’s competition watchdog orders Google to let publishers opt out of AI search summaries/overviews and require clearer attribution links, as media groups complain about lost clicks. Publishing & Platforms (EU): The same pressure wave is echoed across Europe as regulators target AI search practices and platform dependence. Book & Memory (Europe): In France, Jewish U.S. WWI soldiers finally get Star of David headstones after a century-long cemetery error. Holocaust Reading: A new youth memoir, “Honor,” uses WWII letters to connect modern Ukraine with a Jewish boy in hiding. Publishing Deal (Music Rights): BMG buys the publishing interests of Snap! co-founder Luca Anzilotti, consolidating the Snap catalogue. Health & Safety (UK): A major investigation finds unsafe cutting of engineered stone worktops is widespread, with silicosis diagnoses rising among workers.

EU Digital Sovereignty: The EU is set to outline a plan to cut dependence on American and Asian tech by backing European digital alternatives. Competition & Media Rights: Britain’s CMA has imposed new conduct rules on Google Search, including letting publishers opt out of training AI models and requiring clearer attribution in AI-generated results. Music Publishing Law: A US court ruling in Vetter v. Resnik says songwriters who reclaim rights may recapture worldwide rights, not just US—raising new questions for international catalogues and deal structures. Banking & Markets: The ECB points to drivers behind euro area bank valuation jumps in 2025–early 2026, including higher payouts and buybacks. Public Procurement: Commentary argues EU public buying could be used as a lever to steer big tech toward rights, transparency and sovereignty. Travel Tech Glitch: USTravelDocs outages are disrupting US visa scheduling and fee payments for applicants worldwide. Ireland Emergency Planning: Ireland plans a nationwide text alert system, with an aim to be operational next year. Publishing Industry Deadline: The UK Licensing Awards 2026 entry deadline is Thursday 4 June.

Misinformation as a business: A new look at viral fake news argues the biggest driver isn’t ideology but profit—an ecosystem that rewards attention and monetises deception. Book culture & memory: A memoir spotlighted in the US and a Holocaust survivor event in Idaho both show how diaries and personal testimony keep history readable for new audiences. Local publishing legacies: Gibraltar historian and bookseller Tito Benady is remembered for building Gibraltar’s bookshop and heritage publishing. Digital journalism awards: Global winners at the Digital Media Awards 2026 highlight AI use, stronger reader ties and a renewed push against disinformation. War-zone media economics: Lebanon’s L’Orient-Le Jour reports subscriptions up 9% since the war began, but costs are rising faster, threatening newsroom independence. AI and publishing-adjacent: A New York Times publisher warns AI platforms are “brazenly” using news content, while Europe’s AI strategy debate continues at VivaTech. Travel retail & reading spaces: Lagardère Travel Retail extends its Geneva Airport deal, setting up a refreshed Relay debut.

AI Governance: A new take on enterprise AI argues the real bottleneck isn’t models or compute, but governance, data trust, and measurable outcomes that boards can audit. UK Politics & Media: The Palantir debate returns to the spotlight in a Tuesday briefing on why the data-analytics firm’s role in the British state draws fierce opposition. Publishing & Culture: A Guardian-style excerpt spotlights Quentin Blake’s distinctive illustration legacy, while another piece frames how to relearn reading classic novels in a distraction-heavy world. Books & Prizes: The International Booker Prize 2026 is in focus, with awards, shortlists and public opinion driving attention. Travel & Books: A “tattoo tourism” guide and multiple Europe travel roundups show how culture-led trips are shaping what readers plan next. Sports & Storytelling: World Cup build-up continues via book excerpts and author-led sports features, keeping publishing tied to major events.

Literary Prizes: Egyptian novelist Shady Lewis has won the James Tait Black Prize for Fiction for On the Greenwich Line, translated from Arabic by Katharine Halls—only the third translated work to take the top prize, spotlighting migrants, refugees and the “banal cruelty” of asylum bureaucracy in London. Film & Publishing IP: The Erich Pommer Institut’s new residential workshop, IP Development for Creative Professionals, argues European producers must own the rights behind their stories to keep them adaptable across film, TV, publishing and games. Defense & Trade Shows: France has banned Israel’s official state participation in Eurosatory near Paris, allowing Israeli firms to exhibit but restricting assault-weapon presentations—another sign of how geopolitics is shaping European defense fairs. Publishing/Media & AI: New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger warns generative AI firms are “drying up” original reporting by training on news content, urging the industry to push back. Rights & Culture: A Polish foundation reports rare WWII-era discoveries in a former Jewish resistance hideout—an armband with the Star of David, a 1934 prayer book, plus a bunker and tunnel. Tech/Payments for Creators: Thunes-backed Trolley expands instant international payouts for publishers and creator-economy platforms via local wallets across 140 countries.

Israel-Gaza Politics: A new critique says Netanyahu’s plan to expand Israel’s control of Gaza from 60% to 70% breaches the 2023 ceasefire and undermines a 2025 US-led peace framework backed by major European states. Digital Campaigns & Sport: MISBAR traces how a backlash campaign targeted Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal after he raised a Palestinian flag, mapping coordinated amplification and right-wing narratives. Media Accountability: A shareholder of The New York Times Company demands access to board and audit records over a controversial Nicholas Kristof column alleging abuse of Palestinian detainees. EU Civil Defence: The Telegraph reports rising European rearmament includes civil defence training, with civilians in Poland learning survival tactics for drones and troop threats. Publishing & Culture: Sharjah Book Authority’s chair Sheikha Bodour reviews a digital transformation roadmap and expands international publishing plans, including Europe-facing initiatives. Health Research (Europe): Idorsia says new analyses from its Phase 3 PRECISION study show aprocitentan reduces albuminuria and improves risk categories in resistant hypertension. Print Industry Trend: Japan’s zine and self-publishing scene grows as creators champion print’s tactile appeal, even as AI rises. Travel & Books: A guide to Turin’s old-school piòle spotlights how local food culture is being rediscovered in more stylised forms.

EU Regulation Debate: A new letters column argues the EU’s plastic bottle-cap rules aren’t “overregulation” but a practical response to litter—pointing to detached caps washing up on beaches. Children’s Publishing: A picture-book editor praises coverage of children’s illustrators’ storytelling craft, but asks for more picture-book reviews. Arctic Security Books: Kenneth Rosen’s “Polar War” frames a warming Arctic as increasingly weaponised, with Russia and China expanding northern military reach. Classic Literature & Ecology: A review of Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay’s 1939 novel “Aranyak” calls it a rare, unsentimental indictment of nature’s destruction. Kids’ Reading & Tech: A Warsaw event on children’s literature in the UAE and Poland highlights how authors are trying to compete with digital distractions. Cultural Exchange at Book Fairs: Sharjah’s guest-of-honour programme at the Warsaw International Book Fair spotlights Arabic studies’ deep Polish roots and new Emirati-Polish collaborations. Media & Careers: Reports say ITV presenter Lorraine Kelly has declined a fresh contract amid daytime cuts, with talk of a move to independent digital ventures.