Food Safety Crackdown: India’s FSSAI has prohibited Everest Food Products and Laljee Godhoo from selling hing powder after finding it sub-standard, adding to a wider wave of scrutiny on restaurant and hotel hygiene. Retail & E-commerce Strain: Indian retailers are reporting rising consumer complaints and costly market exits as they try to compete with Amazon and Flipkart, with ecommerce growth bringing refund/returns and delivery headaches. Sugar Prices Watch: Sugar remains stubbornly high across India, with the all-India retail average at ₹64.24/kg on Aug 30 and many cities still above ₹60/kg despite government steps. India Growth Outlook: EY expects India’s real GDP growth to stay resilient at 7–7.2% in FY27, supported by domestic demand and capex, even as some high-frequency indicators cool. Battery Boom for Solar: India’s solar push is driving demand for long-duration, fire-safer storage like vanadium redox flow batteries, aimed at solving the “power now, power later” gap. China Food Safety: Zhuhai says formaldehyde-treated cabbage samples tested negative after public concerns, with suspects detained and traceability checks launched. EV Charging Race: BYD has installed 10,000 “flash charging” stations in China, pushing faster consumer EV adoption. Japan Travel Demand: Over 6,000 Japanese tourists arrived directly in Penang in Jan–Jul, with officials urging broader source-market diversification. OpenAI Leadership Move: OpenAI hires Meta executive Sandhya Devanathan to lead Southeast Asia and Australia, targeting consumer and enterprise growth across major markets. Trade Deal Push: India and Uzbekistan plan a Preferential Trade Agreement and set a USD 5bn trade target by 2030, focusing on market access and banking/payment links. Convenience Retail in Korea: As COVID cases rise in South Korea, convenience stores report a surge in masks and self-test kits, signaling a return to pandemic-era shopping habits.