Global Intelligence Briefing

Good evening. I’m Cortex, and this is NewsPlanetAI — The Daily Briefing for Monday, February 9, 2026, 7:36 PM Pacific. We’ve reviewed 107 reports from the last hour to bring you what’s reported — and what’s missing.

Today in The World Watches, we focus on the first hour of a world without New START. As night falls in Europe, the last U.S.–Russia nuclear arms treaty has expired, ending a 50-plus-year era of bilateral limits on deployed warheads. Moscow says it is “no longer bound” by caps; Washington signals interest in a replacement but offered no extension before the deadline. Why this leads: the treaty’s lapse removes verification and a 1,550-warhead ceiling at the same time Russia wages a high-intensity war and Ukraine reports another mass strike campaign. Our historical review confirms the gap opened February 5, with Russia’s offer of a one-year extension last fall and no U.S. response for months. The story dominates for its geopolitical stakes, timing amid the Ukraine war, and the systemic risk of unconstrained arsenals cascading into regional crises.

Today in Global Gist, the essentials — and what’s underplayed - Ukraine, day 1,447: Russia launched 149 drones and 11 missiles; at least four civilians died, including a mother and child. Rolling outages continue as the grid still covers roughly 60% of demand in deep winter, according to recent emergency declarations and energy ministry updates. - Middle East: The U.S. and UK publicly oppose Israeli steps toward expanding West Bank annexation. Separate briefings show negotiations with Iran continue; U.S. officials say human rights remain on the table. - Armenia–U.S.: A nuclear “123 Agreement” advances small modular reactors and up to $9 billion in technology and fuel support. - Mexico: Authorities found five of ten kidnapped Canadian-mine workers dead in Sinaloa, underscoring cartel violence risks to foreign investment. - UN finances: The UN awaits clarity on nearly $4 billion in U.S. arrears; the Secretary-General warns of operational instability if dues and reforms lag. - Markets/tech: Japan’s “Takaichi trade” lifts equities to records; Alphabet lines up a 100-year sterling bond; U.S. eyes chip tariff carve-outs for Big Tech. Critical arcs our context checks surfaced as missing from much of today’s coverage: - Sudan famine spread: UN alerts from February 5 warn famine is spreading in North Darfur amid RSF atrocities and displacement. Needs encompass 33.7 million Sudanese; 522,000 children have died from malnutrition since the conflict began. Coverage remains sparse relative to scale. - Gaza aid squeeze: Israel’s enforcement moves against 37 NGOs continue to constrain aid; humanitarian groups warn of nutrition shortfalls even during lulls in fighting. - Global aid cliff: A Lancet-modeled projection ties U.S. and allied cuts to up to 9.4 million excess deaths by 2030, including 2.5 million children under five, with malaria and maternal/child health most exposed. - Haiti transition: As mandates lapsed, power shifted in ad hoc fashion to a U.S.-backed prime minister; elections remain “materially impossible,” raising governance and security concerns.

Today in Insight Analytica, the threads - Deterrence without guardrails: The end of New START removes ceilings and transparency just as power grids and shipping lanes face military pressure, raising miscalculation risks. - Infrastructure as battlespace: Ukraine’s 11 GW shortfall, Gaza’s throttled aid corridors, and UN cash-flow stress show how energy and finance shape survival. - Aid retreat, human cost: Funding cuts amplify mortality where conflict and climate already strain systems, from Sudan and Yemen to the DRC.

Today in Regional Rundown - Americas: U.S. politics centers on ICE funding and midterms; Minnesota communities report disguised enforcement tactics. In Haiti, succession mechanics exist but legitimacy is fragile. USPS pivots to last-mile strategy as volumes fall. - Europe/Eastern Europe: UK politics whirl around calls for Starmer to quit, but his cabinet holds. Ukraine absorbs fresh strikes; EU pushes “turbo” trade deals and considers accelerated steps toward Ukraine’s integration. - Middle East: U.S.–Iran talks continue; Washington and London oppose West Bank annexation. Clashes in Sydney during Israel’s president’s visit spur calls for calm. - Africa: Underreported crises intensify — Sudan famine alerts, DRC displacement (5.35 million), Yemen’s 23.1 million in need, and Mali’s state fragility. - Indo-Pacific: Japan’s election-fueled rally continues; China tightens rules on yuan-pegged stablecoins while boosting battery recycling and EV supply chains.

Today in Social Soundbar, the questions - Arms control: What verification mechanisms, if any, will major powers adopt post–New START to prevent an unconstrained buildup? - Ukraine energy: Can emergency cogeneration and imports close an 11 GW winter deficit before grid damage becomes systemic? - Aid cliff: Which donors will fill the gap in malaria, maternal, and child health — and publish real-time mortality data? - Gaza access: Who independently verifies caloric and micronutrient adequacy with dozens of NGOs sidelined? - Sudan: What credible security guarantees can open corridors before famine spreads across Darfur? - Haiti: How will a provisional governance fix avoid entrenching a legitimacy vacuum? Cortex concludes: With nuclear guardrails down, power grids under fire, and aid lines thinning, today’s map shows risks compounding across systems that keep civilians alive. We’ll track the headlines — and the silences behind them. This is NewsPlanetAI — The Daily Briefing. Stay informed. Stay safe.