THE REGISTER

Today's stories

More from today's coverage, told in the same calm voice.

1. Train driver killed in Bedford collision, 89 injured

   Two passenger trains collided near Bedford on a British mainline, killing the driver of one train and injuring 89 people, 11 of them very seriously. Bedfordshire Police are leading the response alongside rail investigators. It is the first fatal collision between two passenger trains on a British mainline this century, and early figures suggest it carries the highest number of serious injuries in any UK rail accident in roughly twenty years.

   "The first fatal collision between two passenger trains on a British mainline this century."

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2. Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire Holds Uneasily After Strikes

   Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a renewed ceasefire brokered with US involvement, but Lebanese rescue officials reported at least 12 Israeli air strikes in the Nabatieh area within hours of the agreement taking effect. At least 47 Lebanese civilians were killed in strikes preceding or coinciding with the ceasefire window, and four Israeli soldiers died in Hezbollah attacks. Both sides have accepted the terms on paper while conditions on the ground remain contested.

   "Rescue officials in Nabatieh reported at least 12 air strikes since the ceasefire began."

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3. Qatar gifts Trump a $400 million presidential jet

   President Trump accepted a Boeing 747-8 from the Qatari government, presenting it publicly as the new Air Force One. The aircraft, valued at $400 million, would replace the current presidential fleet. The arrangement has drawn scrutiny from ethics observers and legal analysts, who question whether accepting a foreign government's gift of this scale is permissible under the Constitution's emoluments clause.

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4. Television director James Burrows dies at 85

   James Burrows, who co-created Cheers and directed episodes of Taxi, Frasier, Friends, Will & Grace, and dozens of other sitcoms, died this week at the age of 85. Over more than five decades, Burrows shaped the visual and comedic language of American television more than almost any other single director. He is credited with directing over a thousand episodes across his career.

   "For more than five decades, Burrows was one of the most influential and beloved directors in television history."

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5. Burnham wins Makerfield, Starmer faces leadership question

   Andy Burnham won the Makerfield by-election in 2026, returning to Westminster as a Labour MP after years as Mayor of Greater Manchester. His entry into Parliament is widely read as the opening move of a leadership bid. Keir Starmer now governs with a senior figure in his own party whose supporters regard a future prime ministership as a matter of timing rather than possibility.

   "The only open question is the precise path for getting there."

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6. Man charged after boy forced into crocodile enclosure

   A man has been charged by Cambridgeshire Police after a three-year-old boy was critically injured at Johnsons of Old Hurst Zoo in England. Police say the man forced the child into a crocodile enclosure. The suspect was subsequently released on bail while the investigation continues. The boy's condition and the family's circumstances have not been fully disclosed.

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7. Reflecting Pool Contract Went to Trump Donor's Firm

   The National Park Service awarded a $1.7 million no-bid contract for a filtration system at the National Mall's Reflecting Pool to Green Water Solutions, an Ohio company linked to a Trump donor. The contract, which bypassed competitive bidding, covers installation of a 'Nano Bubble' system. No-bid contracts are permitted under certain federal rules but typically require justification. The arrangement has drawn scrutiny given the donor connection.

   "The no-bid contract went to Green Water Solutions, whose owner is listed on federal contracting documents as 'JJ Cafaro Investment Trust.'"

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8. Meloni denies Trump's G7 photo-begging claim

   Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has publicly contradicted Donald Trump's account that she asked him for a photograph at the G7 summit. Trump claimed she had begged for the photo; Meloni called the story fabricated. She noted this was not the first time Trump had made such remarks about allied leaders, raising questions about the reliability of US conduct toward its partners.

   "I don't know why the US president behaves this way towards allies."

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9. DRC Ebola Outbreak May Be Worst Ever

   The Democratic Republic of Congo is facing what Africa CDC describes as potentially its worst Ebola outbreak on record, with at least 230 people dead and nearly 900 confirmed cases. More than 75 health workers have been infected and 17 have died, straining the medical response. Children in orphanages within the outbreak zone are among those killed, leaving aid workers concerned about the most vulnerable populations as the virus continues to spread.

   "The outbreak is spreading fast, and the infection of more than 75 health workers threatens to hollow out the very response needed to contain it."

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10. Iran deal exposes rift between Trump and Netanyahu

    A memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran has highlighted a growing divide between President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu over how to end the conflict. Trump appears willing to pursue a diplomatic off-ramp, while Netanyahu faces domestic pressure to sustain military operations. Analysts say Netanyahu's political survival depends on avoiding accountability for promises made at the war's outset. Three people were reported killed amid the ongoing tensions.

    "Netanyahu, for political reasons, can't end this war because he hasn't delivered these incredible promises, and because he doesn't want to face a reckoning with the Israeli public."

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