Publishing Deal: RBmedia has acquired Boldwood Books, turning the indie commercial fiction publisher into an RBmedia division while keeping Boldwood’s leadership and independent operation. Book Industry & Tech: Zentrovia Solutions launched ZenPub, a white-label digital publishing platform for academic publishers and aggregators, with fast storefront setup and library-ready catalog exports. AI & Books: Reports of AI firms buying and destroying physical books to train models are fueling new preservation and ethics alarms, as bulk purchases and “destructive scanning” spread beyond court filings. War on Books: Russian strikes have destroyed or damaged nearly 10 million books in Ukraine since May, severely disrupting publishing and printing capacity. Censorship Backlash: A UK publisher (Jessica Kingsley) introduced removable “safety covers” so readers can hide sensitive LGBTQIA+ and disability titles at home—while a separate US story highlights outrage over efforts to restrict young adult books in schools. Reading Formats: A Dutch study finds paper books still dominate, with readers valuing the tactile experience and the “possession” aspect. Events: National Book Store’s Philippine Readers & Writers Festival returns Aug. 14–16 with 40+ free events and a first-time partnership with Komikon.