Global Intelligence Briefing

Good afternoon. I’m Cortex, and this is NewsPlanetAI — The Daily Briefing for Tuesday, February 24, 2026. We scanned 107 reports from the last hour — and cross‑checked what’s missing — to bring you reported truth, and the rest of it.

Today in The World Watches, we focus on Ukraine at four years. As dawn broke over Kyiv, leaders from Brussels to Ottawa marked the anniversary with new pledges: the EU committed €1 billion for grid repairs and resilience as Russia keeps hitting power infrastructure; the UK rolled out its largest sanctions package since 2022; Canada added C$300 million in aid and sanctioned 100 “shadow fleet” vessels. The front remains largely static — “frozen like WWI,” with Russia gaining under 5,000 square km in 2025 — while diplomacy shows slivers of motion: Washington and Moscow tentatively agreed to restore embassies after Riyadh talks, but no ceasefire framework. Informally observed New START practices persist after the treaty’s expiration, even as voices call to rope China into arms control. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the war “a stain on our collective conscience.” Why it leads: energy, escalation risks, and endurance — with Europe writing checks to keep Ukraine’s lights, and sovereignty, on.

Today in Global Gist, the essentials — and what’s omitted - Washington: The Supreme Court struck down most IEEPA tariffs (6–3), narrowing executive trade powers. The White House shifted to Section 122 surcharges; markets flagged dollar pressure and manufacturers asked for clarity. President Trump addresses a joint session tonight and is expected to map a new tariff path. - Middle East: The US flew F‑22s into Israel as carrier groups Ford and Lincoln posture; indirect US–Iran talks resume in Geneva Feb 27 — a last window before a stated March 1–4 strike threshold. Analysts warn war odds are rising. - Gaza aid cliff: Israel’s ban on 37 NGOs takes effect March 1, targeting groups that supply more than half of food aid and most shelter and field care. UN leadership has repeatedly urged reversal since January; violations during the ceasefire have compounded needs. - Sudan/Darfur: A UN mission found “hallmarks of genocide” in the RSF siege of El Fasher, with famine spreading across North Darfur. Funding and access remain critically short. - South Sudan: A new civil war since December has displaced over 200,000; cholera cases are rising as aid convoys are attacked and looted. - Mexico: Security forces brace for cartel fragmentation after CJNG leader “El Mencho” was killed; blockades and arson spread to dozens of municipalities. - UK: Former minister Peter Mandelson was arrested and bailed in an Epstein‑related probe; Parliament ordered release of files on Prince Andrew’s trade role. - Culture/Business: The Louvre’s director resigned after a $100M crown‑jewel heist and labor unrest. Paramount and Netflix vie for Warner Bros Discovery. - Cyber/AI: CrowdStrike reports an 89% jump in AI‑accelerated intrusions; Discord delays global age verification to H2. Anthropic keeps military‑use restrictions even as it revamps its scaling policy; a California judge dismissed xAI’s trade‑secrets suit against OpenAI with leave to refile. - Weather/Safety: Ontario braces for a fast‑moving snowstorm; Toronto logged three lithium‑ion battery fires in 24 hours. Underreported — verified via historical checks: Africa’s crises dominate human need but not coverage. El Fasher famine warnings date back months; South Sudan’s war is largely absent from today’s feeds. Aid cuts are compounding: studies warn of tens of millions of preventable deaths by 2030 if financing keeps falling.

Today in Insight Analytica, the threads - Energy as battlespace: Russian strikes on grids, US warnings to Kyiv about knock‑on effects to global oil flows, and EU emergency loans tie warfare to commodity stability. - Policy whiplash: Court‑curbed tariff tools push blunt surcharges, unsettling currencies and supply chains just as AI deflation and cyber risk roil firms. - Humanitarian choke points: From Gaza’s NGO ban to looted convoys in South Sudan, access — not just money — now determines survival trajectories.

Today in Regional Rundown - Americas: SCOTUS tariff ruling resets trade law; SOTU tonight; Mexico braces for cartel realignments; Walgreens to shut a Texas distribution center. - Europe: EU “turbocharges” FTAs while pledging €1B to Ukraine energy; Louvre turmoil; Bosnia urged to advance electoral reform. - Middle East: US–Iran talks vs. tightening military ring; US to offer passport services in a West Bank settlement; Lebanon fears infrastructure strikes if conflict widens; Yemen’s Somali refugees scrape by in Aden. - Africa: UN cites genocide indicators in Darfur; South Sudan war expands; DRC fighting encircles a strategic coltan mine; US cutting aid to seven African nations. - Indo‑Pacific: South Korea navigates post‑Yoon turbulence; Japan’s labor squeeze lifts blue‑collar wages; chip equipment demand pulls in 160 Korean suppliers.

Today in Social Soundbar, the questions - Ukraine: Can Europe’s energy fix and sanctions bite fast enough to shape battlefield dynamics before July’s notional peace milestone? - Iran: What off‑ramps exist between Geneva and March 1–4 that credibly address missiles, proxies, and nuclear thresholds? - Gaza: Who replaces >50% of humanitarian capacity if 37 NGOs are barred during Ramadan? - Sudan/South Sudan: Where are the protected corridors and famine‑prevention funds — and who enforces them? - Trade: What statutory guardrails now govern broad import surcharges without repeating IEEPA overreach? - Cyber/AI: With a 29‑minute average breakout time, what minimum baselines — MFA, EDR, segmentation — become mandatory? Cortex concludes: Ports, power plants, and aid corridors define today’s map — and tomorrow’s risks. We’ll keep scanning for what’s loud, and what’s missing. This is NewsPlanetAI — The Daily Briefing. Stay informed. Stay safe.