BBC News Briefing

17 April, 2026

Alex has short blonde hair and blue eyes. She is smiling and wearing a black turtleneck

Alex Binley

Hello. Despite Iran's pronouncement that the Strait of Hormuz is "completely open" to commercial ships for the remainder of the temporary ceasefire, we take a look at why there won't be an immediate return to normalcy. We also report on a new patent aimed to satisfying "users' toilet needs" on long car journeys, and you can try your hand at our quiz of the week, here.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

Iran says Strait of Hormuz 'open' as Trump says US blockade to continue until deal reached

A large red and blue tanker is seen in the sea. Industrial docks can be seen in the distance behind it.

One maritime security firm is still advising that the risk of attacks is 'high'. Credit: Reuters

Oil prices fell in the wake of Iran's announcement, with the cost of a barrel of Brent crude dropping to $88 (£65), having been above $98 (£72.50) earlier on Friday. However, some shipping companies have expressed concerns and suggested they won't traverse the Strait until they're sure it's safe to do so. The Strait "is no more open this evening than it was this time yesterday", writes security correspondent Frank Gardner, after Iran reiterated a number of conditions for vessels, some of which, he says are "unacceptable" to the shipping industry. Meanwhile, the US has said it's keeping in place its blockade of Iran's ports until a final deal is agreed between Washington and Tehran. "Until then", writes Frank, "the crisis over the Strait of Hormuz remains unresolved".

Latest updates

GET UP TO SPEED

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Irish fugitive and suspected crime boss arrested in Dubai

Daniel Kinahan was arrested over a warrant issued by the Irish courts, Irish national broadcaster RTÉ has reported.

What happened >

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Japan reveals new name for 40C-and-hotter days

The term "kokushobi" translates as "cruelly hot", and comes after the country saw its hottest summer on record last year.

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These could be some of Hollywood's next big hits

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NEWS FROM THE UK

Lord Mandelson: PM Sir Keir Starmer is facing calls to resign after it emerged the ex-ambassador to the US didn't pass inital security vetting checks.

Rape conviction: A father-of-six has been found guilty of a 2003 rape which saw an innocent man jailed for 17 years.

Kensington Gardens: Police are assessing "discarded items" after claims a group targeted Israel's embassy with drones carrying dangerous substances.

AT THE SCENE

Mendoza, Argentina

New bill leads to fears for the future of Argentina's glaciers

A lush, green vineyard under the Andes mountains. A snow-capped mountain can be seen in the distance.

Virginia's family vineyard and winery relies on water from snow and glaciers in the Andes to produce 100,000 litres of wine a year. Credit: Bodega Gieco

Earlier this month, Argentina's Congress passed a controversial amendment making it easier to mine in glacier regions, a move environmentalists say weakens protections for crucial water sources, but which proponents argue will be key to unlocking billions in investment from mining companies seeking elements such as copper and lithium.

Rachel Flynn, business reporter

"The Andes mountains, with their winter snow and glaciers, feed the rivers and streams that flow into the valley to irrigate our crops," Virginia de Valle says as she takes me around her family's vineyard, nestled below the peaks of the mountain range. "Every drop of water counts."

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Glaciologist Lucas Ruiz says the amendment is based on "false arguments" and that the reforms to the law are unclear, and so are the consequences. But he says, there's a "stark paradox" in the scientific community's response to the reforms. "The only way to prevent glaciers melting is for us to reduce our carbon footprint. And if we do not make the [green] energy transition, which cannot be achieved without more copper and lithium, it will not be possible."

Keep reading

Explained: What the controversial ammendment means.

Fracking: The mining method transformed this Argentinian town. Now the nation hopes an oil and gas boom can transform the country.

Analysis: How Argentinia's President Javier Milei's 'Thatcherite' economics divided his nation, but won over Trump.

PICK OF THE WEEK

A chronicle of Sudan war pours in as trapped reporter's phone turns on after three years

Mohamed Suleiman looks up at the camera, he has a coloured blanket around his sholders and is sitting on some mats on the floor. He has short, black, curly, receeding hair and a slight moustache.

The communications blackout felt 'suffocating', says Mohamed, as he was unable to get out news of what was happening in El-Fasher. Credit: Mohamed Suleiman

While trapped in the besieged city of El-Fasher for 18 months, journalist and academic Mohamed Suleiman was unable to convey fully the horrors he was witnessing, call for help or warn others of dangers due to a communications blackout. After the city fell in October, he made his way to the relative safety of Port Sudan, where for the first time in almost three years he was able to get signal on his mobile phone, only to be inundated with an inventory of loss.

Angel Delgadillo stands in the middle of wide street on Route 66. he wears a blue baseball hat, glasses, and a denim shirt.

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SOMETHING DIFFERENT