Vending machines as societal symbol

Global energy markets remain jittery after a drone strike at the UAE’s Port of Fujairah forced a temporary halt in oil loading, raising concerns about the vulnerability of key Gulf export routes even as the Strait of Hormuz stays mostly closed.

Meanwhile, the White House is seeking to assemble an international naval coalition to escort ships through the strait.

In Japan, the nation’s once-ubiquitous vending machines are in decline, with numbers down 23% since their 1985 peak of 2.2 million.