Japan Travel: Japan’s summer outbound trips are forecast to fall 8.8% to 2.17 million as the weak yen and higher costs bite, with spending per trip expected to rise 6.3% to ¥323,000. China Consumer Pulse: China’s H1 data points to steadier consumption—offline payments up 2.7% and brick-and-mortar foot traffic up 5.7%—while spending on electronics (+9.5%) and tourism-linked categories also improves. China AI Romance Clampdown: Beijing is moving to curb AI romance bots, with major platforms disabling companion features and tighter rules expected to limit emotional exchanges and push clearer “not human” reminders. China Food Delivery: China’s antitrust regulator is drafting rules to curb food-delivery price wars, targeting “irrational” discounting and pressure on restaurants that get squeezed by commissions and ad fees. India Russian Oil: India’s Russian crude imports hit a record in June, up 34% to €4.5bn, boosting supplies to refineries even as Russia’s oil revenue falls. India Ethanol Reality Check: Delhi has only seen a handful of flex-fuel vehicles since launch, while the E20 rollout continues and E25 remains under testing—pushing back against viral claims of an imminent switch. India Food Safety: India’s FSSAI issued multiple notices to Swiggy Instamart over alleged expired/rotten/unsafe items, escalating scrutiny of quick-commerce quality. Retail & Consumer Tech: Sony launched the IER-M500 in-ear monitors for stage and studio use, while a study finds 53% of Indian smartphone buyers upgrade early after broken screens. Luxury Retail: Luxury brands in India are leaning into kiosk/pop-up formats to expand despite limited premium retail space. Sports & Consumer Culture: Wimbledon’s iconic towels are made in Gujarat after manufacturing shifted from Britain, showing how global sports merch ties into India’s textile supply chain.