Capital of Malaysia, federal territory, and a major regional hub
Oil prices have surged again amid renewed Middle East fighting, with Brent breaking above $100 and the US-Saudi energy supply chain under stress. Analysts warn of further volatility as supply chokepoints and stockpile drawdowns threaten inflation and consumer prices.
As jet fuel costs surge amid the Middle East conflict, airlines are cancelling, consolidating, or delaying flights. Passengers are changing plans, booking earlier, or shifting to rail, with governments offering contingency measures to protect summer travel.
A U.S. government employee serving at the U.S. Embassy in Yangon has been found dead at the Sakura Residence & Hotel, with police treating the case as a possible homicide. A Thai woman is in custody; Thailand and Myanmar authorities are coordinating with the U.S. State Department while Myanmar remains in turmoil after the 2021 coup.
Cred’s leadership shift and Meta’s $900 million investment strengthen WhatsApp’s push into payments and business services. Kunal Shah departs Cred to lead WhatsApp; Miten Sampat becomes interim WhatsApp chief strategy officer as Cred scales toward an IPO.
The Strait of Malacca and Hormuz are central to global energy and trade routes. Recent reporting shows Malacca’s traffic exceeds Hormuz and underscores China’s reliance on open sea lanes while Iran asserts control over straits, raising tensions and questions about future transit costs and routes.
A study with 23 healthy men shows that sniffing dark chocolate (90% cocoa) before and during leg extensions increases repetitions by about 18, and sniffing milk chocolate (60% cocoa) increases by about 9, without raising perceived effort. Dark chocolate may cue fullness; milk chocolate offers a more pleasant scent.
ASEAN foreign ministers are in Manila for high-level talks armed with a focus on Myanmar. The meeting also touches on regional energy, border tensions, and economic concerns as international players participate. The discussions follow a prior in-person engagement in Bangkok and come amid Myanmar’s ongoing conflict and Indonesia’s currency volatility.
Okamoto, the lone surviving assailant in the 1972 Lod airport attack, has died at 78. Reports from The Times of Israel, AP News and independent outlets confirm his decades-long involvement with the PFLP and Lebanon-based asylum. The span of his life reflects the enduring ties between Palestinian militants and their Lebanese hosts, as tributes intensify.