I'm involved with the Ubuntu project in various teams, including the Ubuntu News team, and I've read no such news!
I also attend (when I can) the flavor sync meetings and more, and so am familiar with some news that isn't public, but again I'm unaware of such news.
The main news I'm aware of was from 2 December 2025, where I'll quote from UWN 921
LTS qualifications for Resolute Raccoon
Robie Basak reports the Ubuntu Technical Board have agreed that Ubuntu Budgie, Ubuntu Kylin, Xubuntu, Lubuntu, Edubuntu, Ubuntu Studio, and Ubuntu Cinnamon have been approved for LTS status for the Ubuntu 26.04 release. The remaining flavors are still subject to approval on request and will be non-LTS.
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/technical-board/2025-December/003082.html
ie. the LTS status is no longer to be expected, but Ubuntu MATE 26.04 is still assumed (at this stage) will release.
If you recall back to the 25.10 cycle; a milestone was missed by the Ubuntu MATE team, BUT they still applied belatedly and got approval to release Ubuntu MATE 25.10, which was required so they could release Ubuntu MATE 26.04. The team haven't lost that right yet.
The Ubuntu MATE team lacks contributors as I see it.