Anthropic AI payout fight: Authors say publishers are staking claims on their share of Anthropic’s $1.5B copyright settlement, including cases where rights allegedly reverted years ago—sparking a new scramble over who gets what. Sonia Gandhi memoir publishing row: HarperCollins is set to publish Sonia Gandhi’s “Belonging” in India after a Penguin deal dispute, keeping the spotlight on how publishers handle high-stakes political books. AI and publishing pressure: The settlement fight lands amid broader backlash over “AI slop” and fair-use arguments, with writers and rights-holders pushing back on who benefits from AI training. Rare books as investments: A surge in first editions and historic titles is drawing collectors and celebrities, as physical books gain “tangible” value in a digital age. Library comics push: Piedmont Regional Library System launches Comics Plus, letting cardholders read thousands of comics and manga instantly with no holds. K-Book Week in Paris: South Korea brings Korean picture books and fiction to France for 140 years of ties, aiming for rights sales and co-publishing. Japan distribution squeeze: Rising costs and trucking rules threaten Japan’s book distribution system, raising fears for bookstore survival. Nigeria anti-piracy raid: The Nigerian Copyright Commission seizes pirated books worth about N7 million in Abuja, targeting unauthorized reproduction and sales. Comics retail street-date warning: DC and Lunar Distribution warn shops not to sell or display Batman Day items before Sept. 19. Reading habit campaign: Singapore’s ReadSG movement urges 15 minutes of daily reading with tracking and virtual rewards. Comics-to-manga crossover: Skybound and Image Comics’ Energon Universe adds manga variant covers for Transformers and more, blending mainstream comics with Japanese art styles.