THE REGISTER

Today's stories

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

1. US strikes Iranian sites after warships attacked

   Three US Navy destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz came under fire from Iranian missiles, drones, and small boats, according to US Central Command. The US military responded with strikes on Iranian drone and missile launch sites along the coast. The exchange marks a significant escalation between the two countries in one of the world's most critical shipping lanes.

   "The US military responded by targeting Iranian facilities, including drone and missile launch sites."

   5 outlets · Read more →

2. Hantavirus Cases Confirmed Aboard Cruise Ship

   Health authorities in at least 12 countries are monitoring passengers who disembarked the MV Hondius after hantavirus cases were confirmed on board. The WHO announced the international surveillance effort at a press conference Thursday. Three people have died and several others have been hospitalized, with five cases confirmed and additional suspected infections under investigation across multiple US states.

   "At least 12 countries are currently monitoring people who had disembarked the MV Hondius before cases of hantavirus were confirmed."

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3. US Trade Court Strikes Down Trump's Global Tariff

   The US Court of International Trade ruled that President Trump's 10% blanket tariff on imports from most countries exceeds his legal authority. The decision, if it stands, would relieve businesses and importers who have been paying the levy since it took effect earlier this year. The administration is expected to appeal, and the tariff is likely to remain in place while litigation continues.

   "The court found that the emergency powers invoked to justify the tariff do not grant the president unlimited authority to set import taxes."

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4. Instructure Canvas Breach Exposes Millions of Student Records

   A ransomware group has stolen personal data belonging to millions of students and teachers by compromising Instructure, the company behind the Canvas learning management system. Universities including Harvard experienced platform outages following the attack. The breach affects institutions across the United States, with the full scope of exposed data still being assessed. Instructure has not yet publicly named the responsible group.

   "Millions of students' personal data stolen in major education breach."

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5. Germany cuts revenue forecast, cites Iran war costs

   Germany has revised its projected tax revenue for 2026–2030 downward by around €70 billion, with Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil attributing the shortfall directly to economic disruption caused by the US-led conflict in Iran. Energy price surges and disrupted shipping in the Gulf have raised costs for households and governments across the world. Defence and oil sector firms have largely benefited, while public budgets absorb the losses.

   "The downgrade shows just how much the war in Iran is harming our economy."

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6. Reform UK gains ground in English local elections

   Reform UK made significant advances in England's 2026 local elections, drawing heavily from the former Conservative voter base that backed Boris Johnson in 2019. Labour also lost ground, signalling discontent with Keir Starmer's government among local voters. The results suggest the right-of-centre vote has consolidated around Nigel Farage's party rather than returning to the Conservatives.

   "Reform have taken from the Conservative party the coalition of people who voted for Boris Johnson to get Brexit done in 2019."

   3 outlets · Read more →

7. Three Australian women charged over IS-era crimes

   Australian Federal Police have charged three women repatriated from a Syrian detention camp with crimes against humanity. Kawsar Ahmad faces four counts, with police alleging she kept a female slave in her home after travelling to Syria in 2014. Zeinab Ahmad and Janai Safar face related charges. All three have been remanded in custody following their return to Australia.

   "Kawsar Ahmad faces four charges of crimes against humanity, with police alleging she kept a female slave in her home."

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8. Tennessee redraws map, splitting Memphis Black district

   Tennessee's Republican-controlled legislature has approved a new congressional map that dissolves the state's only majority-Black congressional district, centered on Memphis. The district's Black voting population will be divided among multiple surrounding districts, reducing its collective electoral influence ahead of the 2026 elections. Critics say the redraw is a deliberate effort to dilute Black political representation in the state.

   "These maps were drawn to maximize our partisan advantage."

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9. Two men convicted of spying for China in Britain

   Chi Leung 'Peter' Wai and Chung Biu Yuen were found guilty at the Old Bailey of assisting a foreign intelligence service, becoming the first people in British history convicted of spying for China. The case carried a significant human cost: a third man connected to the investigation, Matthew Trickett, died by suicide before trial. The convictions mark a notable moment in British counter-intelligence history.

   "They were the first people in British history to be convicted of spying for China."

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10. Instagram removes end-to-end encryption from direct messages

    Meta has disabled end-to-end encryption for Instagram direct messages, meaning the company can now read the content of private conversations, including images, videos, and voice notes. The change affects users worldwide who had come to rely on the feature for private communication. Meta has not offered a detailed public explanation for the rollback.

    "By switching off E2EE, Instagram will now be able to access all the content of direct messages, including images, videos and voice notes."

    2 outlets · Read more →