Crooked Bough News Round-up

— Iran blocks Strait of Hormuz, fires on commercial ships

 

at 4/18/26 8:32am

A day after the Strait of Hormuz was declared open, Iran has blocked it again, citing a U.S. "breach of promise," and has fired on ships.

— Dubai police arrest alleged Irish organized crime boss

 

at 4/17/26 5:50pm

An Irish man accused of laundering money and trafficking drugs and firearms was caught in Dubai after police tracked him around the world.

— Kang Chang-il calls for efforts to improve inter-Korean ties

 

at 4/17/26 5:06pm

Kang Chang-il, new senior vice chairman of S. Korea's Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, called for joint efforts to improve inter-Korean relations.

— South Korea to aid war-hit businesses with emergency funds

 

at 4/17/26 5:00pm

S. Korea will provide 462.2 billion won ($308 million) in emergency support for small businesses and exporters affected by the Middle East war.

— Corporate loan delinquencies rise faster than household debt

 

at 4/17/26 4:53pm

Corporate loan delinquency rates in S. Korea are rising three times faster than household debt, increasing pressure on banks as lending expands.

— Japan to create control system for defense exports

 

at 4/17/26 4:45pm

Japan is moving to strengthen a government-wide system to boost defense exports, including creating a centralized control structure.

— South Korea opposition leader delays return from U.S.

 

at 4/17/26 4:27pm

Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of S. Korea's main opposition People Power Party, has delayed his return from a U.S. visit at the request of U.S. officials.

— Naver showcases AI robots across ‘lab-like’ headquarters

 

at 4/17/26 4:11pm

S. Korean tech company Naver is expanding its AI capabilities with robots operating throughout its headquarters, as the firm ramps up investment.

— China posts 5.0% Q1 growth, defying war concerns

 

at 4/17/26 4:02pm

China's economy grew 5.0% in 1Q, exceeding expectations despite concerns over the impact of the Iran conflict, official data showed Thursday.

— British foreign office official fired for not disclosing ambassador failed security check

 

at 4/17/26 2:58pm

The most senior civil servant in Britain's Foreign Office has been fired former ambassador Peter Mandelson's security vetting not being disclosed.

— Analysis: Lebanon set for complex post-truce negotiations with Israel

 

at 4/17/26 2:00pm

The Israel-Hezbollah war, temporarily halted by a 10-day cease-fire, has now opened a complex diplomatic process that seeks to end the conflict.

— Venezuela enacts mining law, thanks Trump for openness

 

at 4/17/26 12:39pm

Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, signed a mining law and thanked President Donald Trump for his advancing bilateral cooperation,

— South Korea to receive 27 million barrels of crude oil in June

 

at 4/17/26 12:07pm

S. Korea will begin receiving 27 million barrels of alternative crude oil in June, part of a broader effort to stabilize energy supplies and diversify.

— Police lock down Kensington Gardens in London over drone threat

 

at 4/17/26 12:01pm

London police closed down Kensington Gardens Friday after a video was shared online by a group making a threat against the Embassy of Israel.

— Chile study finds area with 30 years of nonstop tremors

 

at 4/17/26 11:25am

Researchers in Chile have identified a persistent cluster of microearthquakes beneath the capital, Santiago, which has lasted three decades.

— Seoul says it explained to U.S. background of minister's remarks on N. Korean Kusong nuclear facility

 

at 4/17/26 10:59am

The unification ministry explained to the United States that Minister Chung Dong-young's remarks on North Korea's Kusong uranium enrichment facility were based on public information, officials said Friday.

— Bolivia drafts hydrocarbons law to attract foreign capital

 

at 4/17/26 10:49am

Bolivia has finalized the draft of a new hydrocarbons law, marking a key reform and steering the sector toward greater natural gas and oil production.

— Lee hails S. Korean oil tanker exiting Red Sea

 

at 4/17/26 10:24am

President Lee Jae Myung on Friday shared a news report that a South Korean oil tanker exited the Red Sea, marking the first shipment of crude oil to the nation since the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

— Pope Leo XIV holds mass with estimated 120,000 in Cameroon

 

at 4/17/26 9:52am

Pope Leo XIV held a mass Friday in Douala, Cameroon in a stadium with an estimated 120,000 people, marking Catholicism's growth in Africa.

— Iran says Strait of Hormuz is open; oil prices fall 10%

 

at 4/17/26 8:46am

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi says the Strait of Hormuz is open Friday following a cease-fire in Lebanon while oil prices decline.

— EU officials arrive in Hungary for talks with incoming prime minister

 

at 4/17/26 8:43am

European Commission officials arrived in Budapest for talks with Péter Magyar, who will take office as Hungary's new prime minister in early May.

As of 4/18/26 10:59am. Last new 4/18/26 9:02am.