5 Big News Stories Overnight - Monday, February 9, 2026

U.S.: Trump Rips U.S. Olympian

President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social on Sunday afternoon:

U.S. Olympic Skier, Hunter Hess, a real Loser, says he doesn’t represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics. If that’s the case, he shouldn’t have tried out for the Team, and it’s too bad he’s on it. Very hard to root for someone like this. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

Hess had previously said he had "mixed emotions" about representing Team USA at the Winter Olympics, saying “it’s a little hard, there’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of and I think a lot of people aren’t.” 

Iran: Nobel Prize Winner Gets Six Years in Prison

France 24 reports:

An Iranian court sentenced Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi to a six-year prison term, her lawyer told AFP on Sunday.

"She has been sentenced to six years in prison for gathering and collusion to commit crimes," lawyer Mostafa Nili said, adding that she had also received a two-year ban on leaving the country.

Mohammadi was also handed a one-and-a-half-year prison sentence for propaganda activities and is to be exiled for two years to the city of Khosf in the eastern province of South Khorasan, the lawyer stated.

Under Iranian law, jail sentences run concurrently.

Nili expressed hope that due to Mohammadi's health issues, she could be temporarily "released on bail to receive treatment". Nili, who was able to speak briefly with his client for the very first time nearly two months after her arrest, "was not informed that this unfair trial was taking place," said her lawyer in France, Chirinne Ardakani.

PHOTO: Anastasiya d, Unplash

Portugal: Elects Socialist President

Al Jazeera reports:

Antonio Jose Seguro of the centre-left Socialist Party has secured a landslide victory and a five-year term as Portugal’s president in a run-off vote, beating his far-right, anti-establishment rival, Andre Ventura, according to partial results.

With 95 percent of votes counted, 63-year-old Seguro has garnered 66 percent. Ventura trailed at 34 percent, still likely to secure a much stronger result than the 22.8 percent his anti-immigration Chega party achieved in last year’s general election. Ballots in large cities such as Lisbon and Porto are counted towards the end.

Hong Kong: Pro-Democracy Jimmy Lai Sentenced to 20 Years

BBC reports:

A Hong Kong court jailed pro-democracy tycoon Jimmy Lai for 20 years on Monday after he was found guilty of national security offences last December.

This is the harshest sentence under the controversial national security law, which China says is necessary for the city's stability.

Lai, who is a British citizen, was one of the loudest critics of Beijing, often wielding his pro-democracy paper, Apple Daily, as a tool of protest.

PHOTO: Iris Tong, CC: 2.0

U.S.: Trump Says "Super Bowl Halftime Show Is Absolutely Terrible"

President Trump posted to social media:

The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER! It makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America, and doesn’t represent our standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence. Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting, especially for young children that are watching from throughout the U.S.A., and all over the World. This “Show” is just a “slap in the face” to our Country, which is setting new standards and records every single day — including the Best Stock Market and 401(k)s in History! There is nothing inspirational about this mess of a Halftime Show and watch, it will get great reviews from the Fake News Media, because they haven’t got a clue of what is going on in the REAL WORLD — And, by the way, the NFL should immediately replace its ridiculous new Kickoff Rule. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! President DONALD J. TRUMP

PHOTO: White House