Storms continued to batter the Iberian Peninsula over the weekend, marking the third deadly storm to hit Spain and Portugal in just two weeks, while elsewhere, the United States issued a warning to its ships in the Strait of Hormuz and France announced a campaign encouraging citizens to have children. These events, along with a Russian drone strike in Ukraine and arrests in Iran, dominated headlines on Monday, February 9, 2026.
The Iberian Peninsula was once again hit by severe weather, following the devastation caused by Storms Kristin and Leonardo. According to The Guardian, the latest storm, named Marta, brought further flooding and damage to the region. Residents in the village of Ubrique, in Cadiz, south-west Spain, were seen surveying flooded streets.
Meanwhile, tensions in the Middle East remained high. The United States issued a new advisory to US-flagged ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, urging them to stay away from Iranian territorial waters, according to Al Jazeera. The advisory also cautioned captains against allowing Iranian forces to board US vessels.
In Ukraine, a Russian drone strike hit a fuel station in Kramatorsk, a city that is one of Ukraine's last strongholds in the Donetsk region, Al Jazeera reported. Firefighters worked to extinguish the extensive blaze.
In other international news, Iran arrested several reformist politicians, accusing them of attempting to disrupt the country's political and social order and working for the benefit of Israel and the US during recent protests, according to Al Jazeera.
Finally, the French government announced a campaign encouraging all 29-year-old citizens to have babies, Sky News reported. Health officials stated the aim was to avoid fertility problems later in life. This initiative is part of a 16-point plan to boost the fertility rate in France, which, like many Western countries, is facing declining birth rates.
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