Headlines

Beijing reins in Alibaba, JD.com over destructive 618 price cuts

Shares in China’s biggest e-commerce companies fell on Thursday after Beijing’s market regulator summoned five of the country’s largest online shopping platforms over deceptive promotional practices ahead of the annual “618” (June 18) shopping festival. Alibaba’s Hong

Asia

UK defense – a hole in the bucket

In the 1950s and 1960s, a massive wave of underground humor swept across the USSR and the Eastern Bloc featuring a fictional broadcaster called Armenian Radio (known in the West as Radio Yerevan). Many of the jokes involved food lines and food scarcity, a fact of Soviet life.

Asia

US confirms third strike on Indian-crewed tankers this week

LONDON/NEW DELHI, June 11 - A U.S. jet fired two missiles into the engine room of the tanker Jalveer off Oman on Thursday, U.S. Central Command confirmed, as authorities said the 20 crew members were safe after the third strike on Indian-crewed tankers this week.

Asia

Su-57 could fill India’s stealth gap — if Russia can deliver

As India’s stealth fighter gap widens, Russia is pitching the Su-57 as a solution — but production realities may tell a different story. This month, Defense News reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin renewed his offer of unrestricted joint production and technology

Asia

US and Iran are unlikely to bomb their way to peace

The United States has launched new airstrikes across Iran this week as President Donald Trump, losing patience over the protracted negotiations to end the war, has leaned into violence to ratchet up the pressure on the Iranian leadership. The US secretary of defence, Pete

Asia