09.02.2026 – WEEKLY BRIEFING

Vatican announces Pope Leo will not visit U.S. this year – 08.02.2026

The Vatican announced on February 8, 2026, that Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pope, will not visit the United States in 2026, despite earlier expectations of a possible trip connected to the United Nations General Assembly. The decision is widely seen as a strategic choice to avoid privileging the United States within the global Catholic Church and to minimize political sensitivities during a U.S. election year. Pope Leo has emphasized his universal pastoral role and is expected to prioritize visits to regions such as Africa and Latin America, where Catholicism is growing and where he has prior missionary and episcopal experience, including Peru. While he has previously criticized U.S. policies on migration and military intervention, he has adopted a more cautious and measured diplomatic tone than his predecessor, Pope Francis. Vatican officials stress that the decision reflects continuity with Holy See norms and does not signal reluctance to address U.S. issues, though it has disappointed many American Catholics hoping for a symbolic homecoming.

Thailand PM Anutin consolidates power with dominating election win – 08.02.2026

Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul won a decisive victory in the February 8, 2026 general election, with his Bhumjaithai Party leading the count and emerging as the dominant force in parliament. The snap election, called amid a Thailand–Cambodia border dispute and following the ouster of the previous prime minister, allowed Anutin to capitalize on rising nationalist sentiment. Preliminary results showed Bhumjaithai securing around 192 seats, ahead of the People’s Party and Pheu Thai, enabling Anutin to form a stable governing coalition despite falling short of an outright majority. The People’s Party, which had led pre-election polls, conceded defeat and declined to join a coalition government. Voters also approved a referendum to initiate the drafting of a new constitution to replace the 2017 military-backed charter, marking a potential shift in Thailand’s political framework.

‘Only Trump can stop the war’: Ukraine’s foreign minister calls for acceleration of peace talks – 08.02.2026

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated on February 8, 2026, that accelerating peace efforts with Russia is a priority and argued that only U.S. President Donald Trump has the political leverage to secure an agreement, as talks reach their most sensitive stage. He said most elements of a 20-point peace framework have been addressed, with remaining disputes, particularly over territorial control in eastern Ukraine and the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant requiring direct talks between national leaders. While recent U.S.-brokered trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi yielded no breakthrough, they resulted in a major prisoner exchange and plans for a new round of talks in Miami, reflecting what Kyiv views as growing momentum that could be disrupted by the U.S. midterm election cycle. Ukraine has emphasized the need for firm Western security guarantees, including a U.S. congressional commitment and a multinational ceasefire monitoring mechanism, while rejecting any peace settlement that recognizes Russian sovereignty over Crimea or the Donbas, which Sybiha described as legally invalid under international law.

Nicaraguan government blocks key pathway used by Cuban migrants to reach United States – 09.02.2026

Nicaragua announced on February 9, 2026, that it has suspended visa-free entry for Cuban citizens, effectively blocking a major migration route long used by Cubans traveling to the United States. The decision ends Nicaragua’s role as a transit hub where Cuban migrants typically flew in and then continued north through Central America and Mexico with the help of smugglers. Analysts note that Nicaragua had previously kept its borders open to migrants from countries such as Cuba and Haiti as a means of exerting pressure on the United States, but the policy shift comes amid intensified pressure from the Trump administration on Latin American governments to align with its regional agenda on migration and security. The move coincides with increased U.S. economic pressure on Cuba, including threats of tariffs on countries supplying oil to the island, worsening Cuba’s economic crisis and potentially driving further migration. Although overall migration to the U.S. has declined sharply due to stricter U.S. border and asylum policies, Nicaragua’s decision creates new barriers for Cuban migrants, leaving limited alternatives such as traveling via Guyana and the dangerous Darién Gap or undertaking risky maritime journeys directly to Florida.

Meta warned EU plans to impose measures on tech giant to reverse WhatsApp AI policy – 09.02.2026

The European Commission has informed Meta that it intends to impose interim measures to prevent the company from excluding third-party AI assistants from WhatsApp, following a preliminary finding that Meta’s updated WhatsApp Business Solution policy may breach EU antitrust rules. The policy, implemented in January 2026, effectively bars general-purpose third-party AI tools from the platform. Commissioner for Competition Teresa Ribera emphasized that the measures aim to preserve competition while the investigation continues and prevent dominant tech firms from leveraging their market position unfairly. Meta has contested the intervention, arguing that the WhatsApp Business API is not a critical distribution channel for AI applications, and noting the availability of alternative AI tools across devices and platforms. The move follows a broader pattern of EU antitrust enforcement, including fines against Apple, Meta, and Google in 2025 for various regulatory breaches.

Maine shaken by ICE raids as backlash threatens Republican Senate control – 09.02.2026

Maine experienced widespread disruption and public backlash following the Trump administration’s January 21, 2026 ICE operation, “Operation Catch of the Day,” which targeted individuals labeled as criminal undocumented immigrants. Workers, labor unions, and residents reported fear, racial profiling, and economic impacts, including absenteeism and difficulties commuting to work, while protests and community support efforts emerged in response. ICE and the Department of Homeland Security defended the operation as law enforcement actions based on “reasonable suspicion,” disputing allegations of racial profiling and questioning reported economic effects. The operation has placed additional political pressure on Senator Susan Collins, a Republican facing re-election in a state that leaned Democratic in 2024, as Democratic challengers criticized the raids and their social and economic consequences, highlighting the potential electoral implications for Republican Senate control.

Recapping Super Bowl 60 and an immigration official’s warning: Morning Rundown – 09.02.2026

On February 9, 2026, the Seattle Seahawks won Super Bowl 60, defeating the New England Patriots 29-13, with kicker Jason Myers setting a Super Bowl record of five field goals and running back Kenneth Walker III earning MVP honors. The halftime show featured Bad Bunny as the first solo Spanish-language performer, highlighting unity and Puerto Rican heritage. Separately, U.S. Border Czar Tom Homan emphasized that immigration enforcement should prioritize criminal undocumented immigrants to maintain public support, warning that a failure to do so could undermine confidence in administration policies. At the Winter Olympics, Team USA achieved notable successes, including gold medals in skiing and figure skating events, while some athletes suffered injuries. In a Super Bowl–timed interview, former President Trump claimed credit for the U.S. economy, despite polls indicating widespread public dissatisfaction with economic conditions.

Babies among 53 dead or missing after migrant boat sinks off Libya, UN says – 09.02.2026

On February 9, 2026, the UN’s International Organization for Migration reported that at least 53 migrants, including two babies, were dead or missing after an inflatable boat carrying 55 African migrants capsized off Libya’s coast near Zuwara. Two Nigerian women survived, while others perished during the crossing. The IOM highlighted that human trafficking networks exploit migrants along the central Mediterranean route, using unsafe vessels to transport them from Libya to Europe. Libya has become a major transit point for migrants fleeing conflict and poverty, but those intercepted are often held in detention centers with widespread abuses, including forced labor, beatings, sexual violence, and extortion, practices documented as crimes against humanity. In 2026, the central Mediterranean route has already claimed 484 migrants, reflecting the ongoing deadly risks of irregular migration.

Iran arrests prominent reformist politicians, cites links to US, Israel – 09.02.2026

On February 9, 2026, Iranian authorities arrested several prominent reformist politicians, including Azar Mansouri, Mohsen Aminzadeh, Ebrahim Asgharzadeh, and Javad Emam, accusing them of attempting to disrupt Iran’s political and social order and acting for the benefit of the United States and Israel during recent antigovernment protests. The arrests follow widespread demonstrations in January over economic grievances, which escalated into nationwide antigovernment unrest resulting in thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests, according to human rights organizations. The Iranian government characterized the protesters as terrorists and attributed the unrest to foreign interference. Analysts suggest the crackdown aims to suppress political dissent and reinforce state control, while the arrests occur amid ongoing indirect nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States in Oman, and ahead of a planned visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington.

Maxwell won’t answer questions from Congress, lawyer says – 09.02.2026

Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking in connection with Jeffrey Epstein, has informed her legal counsel that she intends to invoke her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during a closed-door deposition before the US House Oversight Committee. Maxwell is expected to appear virtually from her Texas prison and read a prepared statement at the start of the session. The committee, led by Representative Ro Khanna, plans to question her regarding court filings identifying alleged co-conspirators in the Epstein case, her relationship with the late financier, and any discussions about a potential pardon, including with former President Trump. This deposition, initially scheduled for August 2025, follows the recent congressional release of nearly three million pages of documents from the Department of Justice’s ongoing investigation into Epstein, with survivors advocating for greater transparency regarding redacted or unreleased materials.