AGP Executive Report

Publishing & Culture: Sharjah Cultural documents the Arab novel’s journey, while a new issue argues that literature still resists “the age of speed” even as Arab publishing embraces digital culture. Children’s Books (Middle East reach): Helsinki publisher WickWick expands Tuula Pere’s The Healer Cat into 101 languages and adds bilingual editions, with Arabic among the anchor languages under consideration. Literary Life & Teaching: Faculty in California rethink César Chávez lessons after a major sexual abuse investigation reshapes how farmworker history is taught. Book Industry & Access: Anissa Helou’s Lebanon: A Culinary Celebration spotlights Lebanese cuisine amid war and displacement, and a Library of Congress fellowship highlights archival work tied to cultural preservation. Security & Speech: A US court convicts Hadi Matar over the Salman Rushdie stabbing, tied to the Satanic Verses fatwa. Regional Publishing Ecosystem: A Saudi/UAE/Egypt startup roundup includes insurance and fintech launches, underscoring how tech investment is reshaping publishing-adjacent markets.

Salman Rushdie Trial Update: A US court convicted Lebanese-descended American Hadi Matar over the 2022 stabbing of author Salman Rushdie, tying the attack to Iran’s fatwa against The Satanic Verses and renewed fears for writers. Publishing for Displacement: Finnish children’s publisher WickWick is expanding Tuula Pere’s The Healer Cat into 101 languages and adding bilingual editions, with Arabic and Persian among languages in consideration. War & Peace Picture Books: WickWick also pushes its War and Peace series globally, including Arabic launches at a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan, using children’s books to talk about war and kindness. Arab World Silence on Gaza: A new analysis argues the Arab “street” is largely supportive of Palestinians, but “palace” politics and fear of mobilization help explain widespread inaction. Lebanon Through Food: Anissa Helou’s forthcoming UK publication Lebanon: A Culinary Celebration spotlights Lebanese recipes and traditions amid renewed conflict and displacement. UAE Poetry Debut: Lorraine Bahman releases debut collection Your Reflection Within Me, framing love, loss, identity and inner transformation through eight poetic chapters. AI Reading Tools: Multiple reports highlight new AI tools letting readers converse with books as they read, shifting how publishing products are experienced. Jewish Publishing Initiatives: A new Jewish fiction imprint is forming after an unpublished novel was rejected as “too Jewish,” reflecting ongoing pressures on Jewish publishing.

Children’s Publishing Boom: WickWick (Helsinki) is reissuing Tuula Pere’s The Healer Cat in 101 languages and expanding bilingual editions—English paired with 100 other languages—aiming for at least 200 bilingual editions in print by end-2026, with Arabic and Persian among possible next anchor languages. War & Peace for Kids: WickWick also pushes its War and Peace picture book series, including Mother’s Bread Dough, with Arabic launches tied to a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan—using children’s books to talk about war, displacement, and kindness. Arab Literary Silence: A sharp commentary argues that the Arab world’s response to Gaza has been marked by “palace” paralysis rather than street indifference, framing politics and publishing-era narratives as part of the moral failure. Lebanon on the Page: Anissa Helou’s Lebanon: A Culinary Celebration spotlights Lebanese recipes and traditions amid ongoing war and displacement, positioning food writing as cultural preservation. Jewish Publishing Push: A new Jewish fiction imprint is forming after an unpublished novel faced “too Jewish” gatekeeping during the Gaza-era publishing climate. Poetry Debut: Lorraine Bahman releases Your Reflection Within Me, a debut collection of poems on love, loss, identity, and inner transformation.

Lebanon Cuisine in Print: Anissa Helou’s new UK-bound book Lebanon: A Culinary Celebration spotlights regional Lebanese recipes and traditions, framed against years of crisis and displacement. Poetry Debut from the Gulf: UAE-based Lorraine Bahman releases her debut collection Your Reflection Within Me, a multi-chapter set of poems on love, loss, identity and inner change. Interactive Reading Tech: New AI platforms let readers “converse” with books while they read, raising fresh questions about copyright and fair pay for authors and publishers. Business Aviation & Dubai: A report breaks down the real cost of chartering a Bombardier Global 7500 on the New York–Dubai route—useful context for the region’s luxury travel and media economy. Cultural Heritage Museum: Armenia’s Areni-1 cave artifacts are set for a state-of-the-art cave museum after a UNESCO Tentative List push, underscoring how publishing and storytelling meet archaeology. UAE Payments Go Crypto (Limited): Emirates rolls out crypto payments via Crypto.com Pay, but only for eligible UAE residents, not tourists.

Cultural Heritage & Museums: Armenia’s Areni-1 cave artifacts are getting a state-of-the-art cave museum after a UNESCO Tentative List push, aiming to boost science-based tourism and long-term preservation. AI & Reading Experience: New tools let readers “converse” with books as they read, raising fresh questions about copyright, author compensation, and the legal limits of using protected works for AI. Publishing Tech After Cambridge Analytica: CambridgeAnalytica.org has been revived as an AI content farm, repackaging the defunct brand into a new “CA Privacy Watch” publishing-style operation. UAE Media & Screens: A UAE IMAX ranking highlights which cinemas publish verified screen widths, with VOX Mall of the Emirates leading on size. Travel & Consumer Rights: A guide for Gulf disruption stresses that “non-refundable” hotel bookings usually won’t be refunded just because flights are cancelled. Book Culture & Classics: The Library of Congress spotlights “The Odyssey” through film and its vast global translation history. New Fiction: Amy Abdelnoor’s Ever Land returns Palestinian memory to the page through a dual timeline novel.

Odyssey on Screen & in Collections: A new Christopher Nolan adaptation is putting Homer’s “Odyssey” back in the spotlight, while the Library’s holdings trace how the epic has been reimagined for centuries—from ancient fragments and maps to later artistic retellings. AI Reading Tools: New platforms are letting readers “chat” with books as they read, raising fresh questions about copyright, author compensation, and how far publishers should go in interactive experiences. Emirates Adds Crypto Payments (with limits): Emirates has rolled out crypto payments via Crypto.com Pay, but access is restricted to eligible UAE residents and uses real-time conversion to dirhams. Jordan Dissent Letter: Hundreds of Jordanians have signed an open letter urging the withdrawal of US forces, a rare public challenge to the government amid rising regional tensions. New Book on Palestinian Memory: Amy Abdelnoor’s “Ever Land” pairs two timelines to haunt the present with 1967-era loss, using a dual structure to collapse time and keep erasure from sticking. Publishing & Print Tech in the Region: KLIBF 2027 planning signals wider international reach, with a British Council partnership and more countries expected to participate. Local Publishing Note: The General Authority for Books has published Ahmed Ubad’s poetry collection “Cities of Wounds.”

AI Reading Tools: New platforms let readers “chat” with e-books and audiobooks, turning stories into interactive conversations—raising fresh copyright and author-payment questions as services like Sinai.ai, My Smart Book, Audible, and Kindle roll out features. Palestinian Memory in Fiction: Amy Abdelnoor’s debut novel Ever Land uses a dual timeline—Safa in the 1967 war and Dinah in an Israeli settlement—to collapse decades and keep Palestinian memory “unquiet” on the page. UAE Travel Payments: Emirates has added crypto payments via Crypto.com Pay, but access is restricted to eligible UAE residents and converts crypto to dirhams in real time. Jordan Dissent: Hundreds of Jordanians sign an open letter urging the government to withdraw US forces, in a rare public challenge amid rising regional tensions. Publishing & Fairs: KLIBF 2027 plans to expand global reach with a British Council partnership, with more countries signaling interest in participating. Book Culture & Identity: A new Jewish fiction imprint launches inside Wicked Son Press, aiming to “reconstruct” Jewish literary conversation through genre-spanning novels.

Settler Violence & Rule of Law: A new commentary argues that Israeli vigilante attacks against Palestinians must be condemned, with calls for arrest and prosecution, while also pushing back on claims that the violence is being exaggerated or treated unevenly. Ancient-World History Reframed: A review spotlights Josephine Quinn’s How the World Made the West, arguing the West’s rise came from long cultural exchanges across Africa, Asia and Europe, not just Greece and Rome. Saudi Yemen Policy Exposed: Leaked Saudi cables reportedly reveal a shadowy committee overseeing the kingdom’s Yemen strategy, including plans to deepen sectarian rifts. Publishing & Access Tech: Multiple reports track AI tools that let readers “chat” with books and ask questions while reading, alongside fresh copyright concerns. Book Fairs & International Links: Malaysia’s KLIBF 2027 is set to expand global reach via a British Council partnership, with more countries expected to join. Qatar/Palestine Football Culture: AFC Asian Cup 2027 coverage locks in Saudi-hosted dates, venues and ticketing via the Ahlan platform, with the opener Saudi Arabia vs Palestine. Censorship Watch: India’s Kashmir libraries face a multi-level audit to remove books and digital archives labeled “anti-national” or pro-terror.

AI Reading Assistants: New tools let readers “ask a book” questions via chatbots paired with e-books or audiobooks, raising fresh copyright concerns as platforms promise answers based on approved or public-domain text. Yemen Policy Leak: Leaked Saudi cables point to a shadowy committee shaping Riyadh’s Yemen strategy, including efforts to deepen sectarian rifts. Urdu Alphabet Book Review: Ali Kazim and Hammad Nasar’s “qaida” alphabet book for Urdu learning blends images and transliteration to help expatriate children move from speech to reading. Holocaust Foodways: A new book argues Europe’s Jewish cuisine was regional and lived in local geographies—pushing back against erasure narratives. KLIBF 2027 Expansion: Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair 2027 plans broader international reach with a British Council partnership and possible guest-country talks. Cultural Publishing & Censorship: India orders audits and crackdowns on books in Kashmir libraries flagged as “anti-national,” while elsewhere Jewish readers seek new publishing houses to counter exclusion. Omani Poetry Renewal: Coverage highlights how classical Omani poetry is evolving in language and style while preserving identity.

AI Reading Tools: New AI platforms are letting readers “ask” e-books and audiobooks questions about characters, settings and ideas, with companies like Sinai.ai, My Smart Book and Amazon/Audible pushing interactive experiences—while copyright rules and author compensation are now front and center. Copyright & Publishing Deals: Xinhua Publishing House exchanged a Kyrgyz licensing agreement for a Kyrgyz edition of China’s Governance Under Xi Jinping’s Leadership, underscoring how state-backed publishing partnerships keep expanding across the region. Censorship in Libraries: India ordered a Kashmir-wide audit of public libraries and school archives to remove books and digital materials labeled “anti-national” or linked to terrorism—sparking fresh alarm among scholars about academic freedom. Oman’s Poetic Renewal: Oman’s classical poetry is seeing renewed linguistic and stylistic confidence, with poets and commentators framing the tradition as both rooted and evolving. Human Rights Reporting: Oman’s Human Rights Commission says it monitored 1,479 human-rights cases in 2025, using fact-checking and legal pathways to push for solutions. Queer Muslim Publishing: A new photobook, Made of Smokeless Fire (Loose Joints Publishing), documents queer Muslim life through dreamlike, partially veiled portraits and poetic fragments.

Jewish Publishing & Philanthropy: Harold Grinspoon, 97, reflects on how PJ Library and legacy-focused programs keep Jewish children’s books at the center of community building. Copyright & Translations: In Bishkek, Xinhua Publishing House and Kyrgyz publisher Osoo JenVen exchanged rights for a Kyrgyz edition of China’s Governance Under Xi Jinping’s Leadership, underscoring cross-border publishing ties. AI Reading Tools: New “ask the book” platforms and audiobook features are turning reading into a chat—raising fresh questions about copyright and author compensation across e-books and audiobooks. Human Rights Reporting: Oman’s Human Rights Commission says it received and monitored 1,479 human-rights cases in 2025, using follow-ups and legal pathways to push for remedies. Censorship Watch: India’s Kashmir authorities ordered audits of libraries and digital archives to remove books flagged as “anti-national” or linked to terrorism—sparking backlash from scholars. Poetry & Language: Oman’s classical poetry scene is renewing its linguistic and artistic voice, with poets framing verse as a bridge between time, place, and human feeling. Publishing Craft: Tashkeel’s risograph exhibition, Khali Balak Men RISO, spotlights experimental printing as a community publishing practice. Book Review (Israel/Palestine): Robin Andersen’s The Complicit Lens reviews US media coverage of Israel’s genocide, tying reporting to what unfolded on the ground in Gaza.

AI Reading Tools: New platforms are letting readers “ask” questions while they read, pairing e-books or audiobooks with chatbots that answer using the book’s own text—Sinai.ai, My Smart Book, and Audible’s “Ask a Question” are all pushing interactive reading into the mainstream. Yemen & Press Freedom: A Lebanese journalist’s pro-Yemen post led to an arrest order, raising fresh alarms about freedom of expression under Lebanon’s Publications Law. UAE Printing Culture: Tashkeel’s Khali Balak Men RISO spotlights risograph printing as a publishing-and-community practice, with workshops and experimental formats running to Aug 21. Yemen Poetry Publishing: Yemen’s General Authority for Books released Ahmed Ubad’s poetry collection “Cities of Wounds,” framing Sana’a and Al-Quds as symbols of steadfastness and sacrifice. Gaza Youth De-radicalization Analysis: A new essay argues “de-Hamasification” must be a generational, locally led education-and-media overhaul tied to a real political horizon, not collective punishment. Book Prize Spotlight: Amir Tibon, winner of the 2026 Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature for “The Gates of Gaza,” is set for a conversation on memory, recovery, and the stakes of Israel’s election.

UAE Publishing & Print Culture: Tashkeel’s “Khali Balak Men RISO” spotlights risograph as a publishing-adjacent art form, with workshops and experimental posters running to Aug 21, celebrating texture, layering, and community learning. Egypt–China Reading Exchange: Bibliotheca Alexandrina’s book fair drew Arabic readers to Chinese titles on ceramics, tea culture, and shared Arab–Islamic–Chinese histories, underscoring people-to-people cultural links. Yemen Poetry in Print: The General Authority for Books published Ahmed Ubad’s “Cities of Wounds,” framing Sana’a and Al-Quds as symbols of steadfastness and sacrifice amid Yemen’s political realities. Israel/Palestine Memoir Spotlight: Amir Tibon, 2026 Sami Rohr Prize winner for “The Gates of Gaza,” returns to discuss memory, recovery, and the stakes around Israel’s election—his family’s survival story remains central. US–Israel Publishing Politics: A fast-selling nonfiction sensation, “Regime Change” (Simon & Schuster), is fueling debate over Trump–Netanyahu ties and the shifting bipartisan consensus on Israel aid. Lebanon Press Freedom: A Lebanese journalist’s solidarity post about Yemen led to arrest orders, raising fresh questions about how publishing and expression are protected under Lebanese law.

Beirut Book Fair: The Arab Publishers Association has opened registration for the upcoming Beirut International Book Fair, setting out deadlines, booth allocation rules, and reminders that exhibitors must respect intellectual property and local laws. Yemen Publishing: Yemen’s General Authority for Books has published Ahmed Ubad’s poetry collection “Cities of Wounds,” framing it as mobilizing verse rooted in Sana’a, Al-Quds, and the lived politics of war. UAE Print Culture: Tashkeel’s “Khali Balak Men RISO” exhibition spotlights risograph printing as a community-driven publishing practice, with works and workshops running to August 21. Egypt–China Reading Exchange: Chinese titles drew Arabic readers at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina International Book Fair, with interest in books on ceramics, tea culture, and historical ties between Chinese and Arab civilizations. Israel/Palestine Books & Debate: Amir Tibon’s Gaza memoir “The Gates of Gaza” continues to circulate in Jewish publishing conversations, while a new translation review of Sabri Jiryis’s “The Foundations of Zionism” keeps the focus on how ideas travel through books. Oil & Inflation Watch: Rising oil prices around the Strait of Hormuz are again putting central banks under pressure—an economic backdrop that will shape publishing budgets and consumer demand across the region.

Publishing & Print Culture (UAE): Tashkeel’s “Khali Balak Men RISO” exhibition spotlights risograph printing as a community-driven publishing practice, with artists exploring texture, layering and experimental formats through Aug 21. Book Fair & Reading (Egypt): Chinese titles drew Arabic readers at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina International Book Fair, with interest in works on ceramics, tea culture and Arab–Chinese historical links. Poetry & Yemen (Yemen): The General Authority for Books released Ahmed Ubad’s “Cities of Wounds,” framing Sana’a and Al-Quds as symbols of steadfastness and sacrifice. Poetry & Publishing (Yemen): The General Authority for Books released Ahmed Ubad’s “Cities of Wounds,” positioning the collection as mobilizing, cause-driven verse. Literary Prizes & Memoir (Israel/Palestine): Amir Tibon, 2026 Sami Rohr Prize winner, returns to discuss “The Gates of Gaza,” memory and recovery after Oct. 7, and what it means for American Jewish life. Press Freedom (Lebanon): A new report flags Lebanon’s press freedom pressures tied to foreign influence. Rights & Online Publishing (Egypt): Amnesty urges Egypt to release people detained over the Discord group Gen Z002, tied to political discussion and an online “referendum” poll. Literary History (Palestine): A feature revisits how Palestinian historiography fights erasure amid scattered archives and destroyed sites of memory. Book Review (Israel/Palestine): A review of Sabri Jiryis’s translated “The Foundations of Zionism” argues for serious study while critiquing how the term is used today. Literary Culture (UK): A piece on J.K. Rowling asks why her “philanthropist” label and the fading of Harry Potter’s glow raise bigger questions about authorship and legacy.

Middle East Books & Literature: Iranian Publishing & Politics: A new essay-style analysis argues Tehran’s “great revenge” rhetoric may be a cover for shifting from open war to covert confrontation, with diplomacy framed as strained rather than finished. UAE Print Culture: Tashkeel’s risograph exhibition “Khali Balak Men RISO” spotlights experimental RISO as a publishing-adjacent art form, running to Aug 21. Egypt Book Fairs: Bibliotheca Alexandrina’s fair drew Arabic readers to Chinese titles, from ceramics and tea culture to shared Arab-Chinese historical ties—an example of cross-language publishing demand. Literature & Memory: Parramatta’s inaugural Laureate in Literature turns place into form in “Parramatta: A Dictionary of Place and Memory,” mixing Arabic sayings and lived-in entries. Yemen & Poetry: Yemen’s General Authority for Books published Ahmed Ubad’s “Cities of Wounds,” positioning Sana’a and Al-Quds as symbols of steadfastness and sacrifice. Lebanon Press Freedom: A Lebanese legal case targets a journalist’s pro-Yemen social post, testing the country’s protections for printing and expression. Israel/Palestine Memoir: Amir Tibon, Sami Rohr Prize winner, returns to discuss “The Gates of Gaza” and the stakes for memory and recovery after Oct. 7.