Newshour

The US Secretary of State has told the Munich Security Conference that Washington is seeking to "revitalise" its alliance with European countries. Marco Rubio said the US would always be a "child of Europe", insisting that his country wants to preserve that relationship rather than end it. The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said she was "very much reassured" by his remarks, adding that Europe "needs to step up" and take more responsibility for its own security. A day earlier, the leaders of Germany and France had warned of frictions in the transatlantic alliance.

Also in the programme: Newshour's Lyse Doucet speaks to traders at a market in Iran about protests, the dire economy and the possibility of a nuclear deal; and on Valentine's Day - we talk about the science behind a good kiss.

(Credit: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio walks to a meeting of G7 foreign ministers at the Munich Security Conference, Germany, February 14, 2026. Alex Brandon/Pool via Reuters)

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has told other world leaders that 'our freedom is not guaranteed' in an era of big power politics. Opening the annual Munich Security Conference, Merz said that Europeans must be ready to make a 'sacrifice'. He also admitted that 'a deep divide has opened between Europe and the United States'. We'll speak to a senior German politician and a former member of the first Trump administration.
Also in the programme: a BBC Investigation uncovers devastating side effects of a set of widely used prescription drugs that can trigger impulsive behaviours; and we speak to the Oscar-winning cinematographer Roger Deakins about his memoir.
(Picture: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks during the Munich Security Conference on February 13, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Liesa Johannssen)

Tarique Rahman is set to become the country's next prime minister. He comes from a family dynasty and has been living in self-imposed exile in London for the past 17 years. After a period of violent upheaval, what comes next for Bangladesh?
Also on the programme: reaction from Ukraine after skeleton bob racer Vladyslav Heraskevych is disqualified from the Winter Olympics; and award-winning British cinematographer Roger Deakins has written a memoir. We hear from the man behind Fargo, the Big Lebowski, Skyfall and others.
(Photo: Tarique Rahman greets supporters during an election campaign rally in Dhaka, Bangladesh, 09 February 2026 / Credit: MONIRUL ALAM/EPA/Shutterstock)

More countries advise against all but essential travel to Cuba, as US squeeze on oil supplies bites. It follows moves by the Trump administration to impose what is in effect an oil blockade on the island by threatening tariffs on any country supplying Havana.
Also in the programme: President Trump has repealed a government scientific finding that carbon emissions endanger human health, removing the legal basis for federal climate change regulations; and we ask, is the artificial intelligence revolution going to transform humanity?
(Photo: A man fishes near the Cuban-flagged tanker Alicia, docked at the Matanzas terminal, in Matanzas, Cuba, February 10, 2026. Credit Reuters/Norlys Perez)

Vote counting is underway in Bangladesh after its first election since the protests that overthrew the authoritarian Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024. We hear about the circumstances surrounding these elections.
Also on the programme: in China, annual emissions of carbon dioxide fell for the first time last year. Lauri Myllyvirta of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, which compiled the data, explains the significance behind this, and the Berlin film festival opens tonight with an Afghanistan romcom. We hear from its writer, director and star, Shahrbanoo Sadat.
(Photo: Electoral workers count the votes, during the 13th general election in Dhaka, Bangladesh, 12 February, 2026. Credit: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters)