AGP Executive Report

Media & AI: The Asia-Pacific Media Forum’s Guangzhou sub-forum spotlighted AI’s impact on journalism and called for deeper regional media cooperation. Marcom & Business: AIM B2B opened a Singapore office to expand B2B PR and marketing support across APAC. Advertising Industry: Hong Kong’s “Queen of Public Service Advertising” Kitty Lun Kit-ying died after drowning, with Meta Greater China naming her former creative chief. Sports Sponsorship/Hosting: ICC moved the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy from Sri Lanka to India, with matches in Mumbai and Vadodara (Feb 14–28). Energy Security: Asia looks to store oil and gas closer to home after Strait of Hormuz disruption, with Japan pushing regional supply initiatives. Tech & Jobs: Uber’s global restructuring hit India, with about 200 employees laid off. Crisis & Safety: Typhoon Saudel’s rains trapped thousands of teachers and students in eastern China, prompting drone airlifts of supplies. Food & Consumer Impact: Tamil Nadu will sell onions at ₹35/kg via ration outlets, aiming to ease prices above ₹56–₹60/kg.

Nepal-China Flood Fallout: Nepal’s flash-flood and mudslide death toll is now reported above 1,200, with thousands still missing, as China restores access to the Gyirong border road and ramps up rescue logistics. Narrative War: The disaster’s media coverage is being contested online, with claims of video censorship and counter-posts sparking a blame game over what was removed and why. India-Pakistan Religious Heritage Row: India condemns the reported demolition of a century-old Hindu temple in Pakistan’s Narowal, calling it vandalism and urging a prompt, transparent probe. China-Egypt Power Play: Xi Jinping’s rare Egypt visit spotlights defence and tech ties, with China pushing “external interference” resistance while Cairo seeks deeper investment and maritime security cooperation. Auto Industry Watch: VinFast has told suppliers to pause plans to locally make some EV models in India, while continuing to import/assemble others. Media & Marketing: Flipkart is rolling out microdrama inside its main app to boost engagement, partnering with Tencent-backed Pratilipi and TTT. Sports/Events: ICC moves the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy from Sri Lanka to India, with Mumbai and Vadodara hosting in February.

AI Advertising: Honasa Consumer’s Mamaearth becomes the first Indian brand to run ads on ChatGPT via Criteo after OpenAI expands ChatGPT advertising to India, with co-founder Ghazal Alagh calling it a shift in how people discover brands. Agency Strategy: Omnicom Media appoints David McCallen as chief strategy officer for Asia Pacific, aiming to make strategy a core discipline across regional markets. Media Formats: CJ ENM’s dating reality franchise “EXchange” expands with Japan’s “Love Transit 35+” and a Brazil remake, showing Korean content’s growing pull beyond Asia. Social Platforms & Kids: Pakistan’s legal push and Punjab Assembly’s resolution both target social media access for under-16s, citing cyberbullying and online exploitation risks. Regulation & Trust: India’s SEBI proposes tighter ad rules for online bond platforms, curbing urgency and “fixed/high returns” claims. Brand & Comms Appointments: Grew Solar names Rajat Gupta head of marketing and communications to drive brand and digital growth across India and abroad. Regional Media/Policy: Philippines PNP-ACG backs a censorship/monitoring board model for social media and gaming, likening it to the MTRCB. Disaster & Narrative: Nepal–China floods reopen key border links while a fight over flood reporting and censorship spreads across social media.

China-Egypt Diplomacy: Xi Jinping arrives in Cairo for his first Egypt visit in a decade, as both sides frame ties as a “Global South” partnership amid US-Iran sanctions risk. Tibet Flood Fallout: Rights groups accuse China of underreporting Tibet flood deaths and tightening media access; Beijing denies “malicious smearing” and says misinformation penalties were issued. Nepal-China Disaster Response: The Nepal-China Himalayan floods death toll tops 1,000 as search continues; China sends a second phase of emergency aid to Kathmandu. Media & Consumer Rights: Sony faces a California class action over PlayStation digital games—arguing buyers are only getting licenses, not ownership. Ad-Tech & Marcom Tech: Shirofune expands ad automation with Reddit and ChatGPT Ads integrations; Voiro adds agentic AI and programmatic intelligence to help media teams plan and optimize revenue. Kids Online Safety: Pakistan’s Punjab Assembly backs a ban/restriction on social media accounts for under-16s, calling for age verification and child-protection compliance. Advertising/TV Legal Fight: TCL sues Samsung in Los Angeles over alleged “Mini LED” false advertising. Business & Growth: India’s Q1 GDP growth hits 7.8%, with data centres flagged for $200B+ investment potential. Sports/Brand Moments: Krunal Pandya hints at an India T20I return after being left out of the Afghanistan squad.

Himalayan Disaster & Media Controls: Human rights groups say China restricted journalists and interviews around the Tibet flood disaster, while HRW alleges censorship and pinned memorial hashtags that drown out victims’ voices. Glacier Risk Update: China’s water authorities warn glaciers near Nepal’s Cuojian river still face “major risk” of collapse, raising fears of another surge as barrier-lake levels fall. Nepal Flood Aftermath: The disaster toll is reported near 939 dead and thousands missing, with rescue and monitoring continuing amid concerns about unstable downstream conditions. China-Egypt Diplomacy: Xi Jinping publishes a signed article ahead of his Egypt visit, calling for deeper strategic partnership and broader Belt and Road cooperation. India Growth & Politics: PM Modi backs India’s 7.8% Q1 GDP growth as “collective strength,” while critics and democracy-watchers flag concerns over India’s electoral democracy ranking. AdTech/Marcom: OpenAI expands direct ChatGPT Ads access to Indian advertisers via Ads Manager as its ad business hits a $1B annualized run rate. Agency & Brand News: SafeTree appoints Hashtag Orange for brand strategy and media rollout; KGCCI and Herald Media Group ink a media partnership for APK 2026 in Seoul. Retail Buzz: Church’s Texas Chicken opens in Shanghai, drawing 2-hour lines and queueing resales.

India-UAE Trade Boost: India and the UAE say their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement has pushed bilateral trade past $100bn and aim to double it to $200bn by 2032, with tariffs largely lifted and deeper investment in energy, infrastructure and finance. SCO Diplomacy: PM Modi met Iran’s President Pezeshkian in Bishkek, urging dialogue to secure West Asia peace and protect freedom of navigation, while Modi also met Armenian PM Pashinyan as SCO ties deepen. Nepal-Tibet Floods: Himalayan flash floods continue to devastate Nepal and China’s Tibet, with deaths now near 950 and thousands missing, as rescue teams race against tunnel access and fresh flood-risk concerns. OpenAI Ads in India: OpenAI says ChatGPT Ads hit a $1bn annualized revenue run rate in under 200 days and is enabling direct self-serve buying via Ads Manager in India and other regions. Meta Crackdown on Scams: Meta removed dozens of Facebook/Instagram ads in India after regulators flagged fraud schemes using sexually explicit lures to push malware and steal banking credentials. Streaming Deal: Japan’s U-Next and NBCUniversal announced a strategic alliance to integrate NBCUniversal content into U-Next starting October. Crypto Event: Zoomex wrapped its “Trade the Tide” side event at Coinfest Asia 2026 in Bali, targeting SEA market expansion.

Japan Media & Safety: Japan’s education ministry is drafting new curriculum guidelines for the AI age, boosting “information” learning and adding “information and technology” in junior high, with media literacy and false-info risks built in. Misinformation Watch: Japan is also seeing fresh scrutiny after 39kg of bread was dumped in a national park, sparking fake posts linking it to rising bear encounters. Japan Social Policy: A government survey finds most Japanese adults support limits on children’s social media use, but support dips among teens. Nepal-China Disaster & Data: Nepal says the Nepal-China flash floods death toll has reached 797 with 3,000+ missing, while Reuters reports Nepal sought more glacier and flood-risk data from China months earlier. Marcom & Media Business: Flipkart launched “Saarthi,” an AI ads partner program for sellers with free expert agency support. Ad/Comms Appointments: Lenovo India named Kiran Balasubramanian head of communications; Omnicom Media’s OMD India won Ventura Securities’ integrated media mandate. Pacific Policy: Palau’s president urges a regional airline alliance to cut high fares; the Pacific Resilience Facility moves into operations after collecting pledged funds. AI at Work: Taiwan leads Asia in AI workplace adoption, with 96% of professionals using AI and strong confidence in reskilling.

Nepal-China Flood Response: Nepal says the death toll from the Aug 26 mudslide/flash floods has reached 797 with 3,000+ missing, while China reports 16 dead and 546 missing in Tibet; Nepal is now running tunnel rescues with India, China and South Korea, including DNA forensics teams, as a risky barrier lake threat eases but remains a concern. Data Sharing & Early Warnings: A Reuters report says Nepal and Chinese officials met in May to discuss glacier and flood monitoring, but Nepali hydrologists complain they didn’t get enough early signals from China—while separate claims allege China deleted Tibet flood videos. India–Uzbekistan Marcom/Trade Push: PM Modi’s Tashkent visit upgrades ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership with a $5bn trade target by 2030 and a near-term uranium supply deal. Media & Advertising (India): JBL India and BL India roll out a cinematic campaign for the Bar 1300MK2, and the Hindi film KHOONTA unveils its official trailer in Mumbai ahead of a Sept 18 release. Tourism & Lifestyle: Penang targets Japanese visitors with Japanese-language promos as direct arrivals top 6,000 in Jan–Jul; in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, coffee farmers are switching to durian to ride surging Chinese demand. Regional Environment: Southern ASEAN haze monitoring flags 1,211 hotspots, with unhealthy-to-hazardous air quality in parts of Malaysia and Indonesia. Media Policy (Malaysia): Malaysia’s media clubs welcome restoring the BUDI95 RON95 quota to 300 litres from Sept 1 to ease costs for practitioners.

Himalayan Disaster: Nepal-China flash floods and landslides have killed 691 people, with more than 3,000 still missing as rescue teams race through mud-choked areas and hospitals near capacity. Cross-Border Aid: India has sent its fourth batch of relief—11 tonnes by air plus tunnel rescue and forensic DNA teams—while Nepal’s foreign minister says the country is not rejecting help and is seeking specialised support for tunnel rescues and mortuary capacity. Information Control: China is facing mounting criticism for censoring and removing viral Tibet flood footage, with foreign journalists reporting a communications blackout that makes it hard to verify the scale on the Chinese side. Aviation & Investment: Temasek says it supports Singapore Airlines’ long-term investment in Air India, framing it as a multi-year transformation rather than a quick fix. Media & Culture: Japan-style “kira-kira” sparkling baby names are gaining traction overseas, while India’s Gen-Z-driven beauty market is projected to nearly double to $42B by FY31, boosting the role of creators and reviews in purchase decisions. Sports & Entertainment: Samay Raina’s India’s Got Latent 2 sparks renewed backlash over Bihar-Kashmir jokes.

Food Policy: India’s food regulator is back on the front-of-pack fight, proposing red warning labels for packaged foods and drinks high in sugar, fat and/or salt, after earlier plans were dropped amid industry pushback. Disaster & Media Freedom: At the Nepal–Tibet border, rescue teams keep searching after a deadly mudslide-triggered flash flood; Nepal says the toll has topped 670 with thousands missing, while China reports far fewer deaths and has been censoring footage, fueling transparency concerns. Diplomacy & Aid: Nepal’s foreign minister says the country hasn’t rejected help, thanking India and others; China and Nepal’s top diplomats also pledged tighter emergency response and hydrological data sharing, including tunnel-rescue support. Marcom/Branding: Unicharm is launching its Japanese pet-care brands in India, including Silver Spoon cat food and Ezi-Lock litter, betting on a fast-growing premium cat market. Sports & Talent: Malaysia’s junior hockey captain targets the U21 Asia Cup in China, while India’s Neeraj Chopra is ruled out for the rest of the 2026 season with an ankle injury.

Nepal–China Flood Crisis: Flash floods from a glacier collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border have killed at least 626 in Nepal, with China reporting 7 deaths in Tibet, while thousands remain missing as a newly formed barrier lake raises fears of a second surge; Nepal has resumed rescue after pauses over flood risk, and India is sending a tunnel-rescue and medical team while Nepal asks for specialised help. China Info Controls: Multiple reports say China is tightly limiting what’s shown online from Tibet, with censors scrubbing footage and only limited official updates emerging, fueling questions about the real scale. Marcom/Media Leadership: Sandhya Devanathan, Meta’s VP for India and Southeast Asia, is leaving after a decade to join OpenAI as VP for Southeast Asia and Australia, based in Singapore—another sign of AI competition heating up across Asia-Pacific. Regional Security & Shipping: Japan’s Coast Guard budget request for FY2027 is rising amid claims of increased Chinese coast guard activity around Diaoyu/Senkaku; Chinese experts say Japan is using China as a pretext for quasi-militarisation. Tech & Chips: CXMT will supply LPDDR6 memory chips for Xiaomi’s upcoming foldable phone, as China’s chipmakers push into higher-end mobile components. Social Platforms & Influence: X says it took down a suspected Chinese bot farm targeting the US AI and data-center debate, including anti-data-center messaging. ASEAN Environment: Singapore’s SIIA says southern ASEAN haze needs stronger hotspot firefighting coordination as the new Jakarta haze centre ramps up.

Nepal–China Flood Crisis: Flash floods on the Nepal–Tibet border have killed at least 538 in Nepal (with Nepal police later citing higher figures) and left China reporting five deaths, while thousands remain missing; rescuers are battling mud-choked terrain and a new high-altitude “barrier lake” risk that could trigger a second wave, with China pausing some operations as overflow fears grow. India–Nepal Relief: India has sent a third tranche of 10 tonnes of relief supplies plus doctors/paramedics and a tunnel-rescue reconnaissance team, while 320 Indians are still uncontactable and about 400 are stranded but safe on the Chinese side. Food & Media Policy: India’s food regulator FSSAI proposes red hexagonal front-of-pack warning labels for high sugar/fat/salt, reversing earlier delays amid public anger and Supreme Court pressure; separately, Reliance Group denies allegations tied to an Essel/Zee insolvency dispute. China’s Influence & Tech: X and OpenAI say China-linked bot farms used AI-generated posts to target U.S. debates on AI and data centers. Asia Marcom/Travel: IndiGo plans direct Guwahati–Bangkok flights from Oct 27, adding another Southeast Asia gateway. Regional Media: Trend News Agency tops citation rankings in the Caspian/Central Asia region for 1H2026.

Himalayan Disaster Watch: China warned a barrier lake formed by the China-Nepal mudslide could breach, threatening Gyirong Port and downstream areas, as rescue teams in Tibet were ordered to stand by/withdraw amid continued rain; Nepal reported a rising death toll (469) and more than 1,400 missing, including many foreigners. Crisis Communications: With families and governments scrambling for updates, the flood response is also playing out across social media as people search for missing loved ones. Marcom & Retail Media: KairoTech and Packworks struck a deal to build the Philippines’ first sari-sari retail media network, using digitised neighborhood stores plus audience intelligence to help brands target shoppers closer to purchase. AI Advertising in India: OpenAI is rolling out ChatGPT Ads in India for Free/Go users, with an ads manager for businesses—signaling a new conversational marketing model. China-Japan Tensions: A Japan lawmakers’ China visit failed to thaw relations, with Beijing linking any shift to Taiwan positions. Media/Entertainment Deals: Cineverse’s RetroCrush and VIZ Media expanded classic anime streaming rights, adding major franchises for new audiences. Policy & Youth: Pacific Islands Forum leaders flagged longer agendas shaped by geopolitics and missile testing, while regional media urged more Pacific voices.

Himalayan Disaster Response: Nepal and China’s flash floods have killed at least 362 people, with about 1,300 missing as rescue teams struggle amid mud, damaged infrastructure and warnings of fresh lake-burst risks. India says 288 nationals are uncontactable and is tracing pilgrims and workers; Singapore is also coordinating consular help for citizens reported missing. Cross-border Risk Watch: Both countries warn that barrier lakes could overflow again in the coming days, keeping the crisis fluid. Media & Comms in Focus: OpenAI is rolling out ChatGPT Ads in India for Free and Go users, with agencies named as partners—another sign of AI moving deeper into Asia’s ad budgets. Marcom/Industry Deals: KKR has taken a minority stake in BookMyShow to back India’s live entertainment expansion, while Japan’s Itochu plans a $1.5bn stake in Dentsu Group system developer unit Dentsu Soken. Regional Skills Agenda: Malaysia is pushing ASEAN to harmonise TVET certification and upskill teachers for future fields like AI, robotics and next-gen vehicles.

ASEAN Media & Digital Policy: ASEAN members are discussing how to protect traditional media as ad budgets and audiences shift online, with a focus on misinformation, ethics, and public trust at a Phnom Penh workshop. Regional Environment & Brand Risk: Singapore-linked ASMC has raised southern ASEAN to Level 3 transboundary haze alert as dry conditions worsen smoke drifting from Kalimantan and Sumatra. Disaster Response (Nepal–China): Flash floods and mudslides on the Nepal–China border have killed at least 162, with hundreds missing; China is deploying PLA rescue teams, drones and aircraft while India ramps up relief and coordination. Marcom/AI Advertising: OpenAI is rolling out ChatGPT Ads in India, with ads shown to logged-in adults on Free/Go tiers and WPP/Omnicom as early agency partners. Tech & Safety: Meta has agreed to stricter teen protections in its US $18B settlement, including tighter age assurance and daily limits. Japan Culture: Yayoi Kusama, the “polka dot queen,” has died at 97, underscoring her lasting global influence.

Nepal–China Disaster: Flash floods and landslides on the Nepal-China border have killed at least 98 people, with hundreds missing, including foreign tourists and pilgrims; Nepal says 403 are unaccounted for and China reports additional casualties and missing in Tibet’s Gyirong County. India’s Response: India has sent 10 tonnes of humanitarian aid and essential medicines to support Nepal’s rescue and relief, while NDRF teams monitor possible downstream flood impacts in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Airport Media Upgrade: Malaysia Airports Holdings (MAHB) is asking for industry input to make airport advertising more data-driven and digitally integrated across KLIA terminals and other airports, aiming to improve audience measurement and omnichannel engagement. Social Media Safety: Meta has agreed a major settlement over teen social media addiction, including limits on daily access time and new night-time restrictions for under-18s. Food & Adland: Aashirvaad’s “Fit Maveli” Onam campaign reframes festive eating with fitness and healthier messaging, using advertising to shift perceptions of atta. ASEAN Cooperation: Scam Watch Pilipinas urges ASEAN to coordinate action against harmful social media content, citing gaps in platform enforcement.