World Business Report

The US entertainment giants Disney gets tough with ByteDance over alleged copyright infringement.
Disney accuses the Chinese tech firm ByteDance of stealing its intellectual property by training its new AI tool, Seedance, on Disney characters and images of real-life actors. ByteDance says it will address Disney’s concerns.
Cuba cancels a prestigious cigar festival in a worsening fuel crisis caused by the US blocking oil from reaching the island. We examine the chequered history in relations between Cuba and the US.
And Dave Stewart, one half of British eighties pop duo, The Eurythmics, talks to the BBC about his new business venture
Presenter: Gideon Long
Senior Producer: Craig Henderson

Cuba goes dark as fuel shortages affect power supplies. We hear from the people affected by the outages, and the price the island nation is paying as the darkness spreads.
As we approach the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we speak to the man in charge of keeping the power going as Ukraine approaches a humanitarian crisis.
In Bangladesh, we get reaction as the Bangladesh National Party and allies win a commanding, two‑thirds‑plus majority in the first general election since the student‑led uprising that drove Sheikh Hasina from office in 2024. And we ask - what next for an economy hit so hard by US tariffs?
And PlayStation has surprise‑launched a new God of War game, Sons of Sparta, on the PS5. We hear from a gaming expert on why this franchise is such a big deal.
(Picture: A bicitaxi rides in a street of Havana, on February 13, 2026. Credit: YAMIL LAGE / AFP via Getty Images.)

The next government faces the huge task of restoring stability to key sectors, including the vital garment industry.
We hear from a denim manufacturer and young voters about what they want next.
And the designer behind Japan’s Hello Kitty character for more than four decades is stepping down.
Presenter: Andrew Peach
Producer: David Cann
Editor: Stephen Ryan

President Trump says greenhouse gas emissions do not endanger public health, rolling back a landmark finding that formed the legal basis for US climate regulation. Andrew Peach gets reactions.

Also, South Africa's president sets out his plans to tackle growing water shortages.

And a dispute over the future of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.
(Photo: US President Donald Trump speaks in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 12 February 2026. Credit: WILL OLIVER/EPA/Shutterstock).

Russia has ordered a block on WhatsApp, as the Kremlin continues to tighten restrictions on foreign messaging platforms and digital communications.
Also, China is heading into the Lunar New Year holiday after a turbulent period in its trade relationship with the United States. Despite tensions, Beijing says it’s striking deals across Europe, India, Africa and South America. We hear from Rutie Zhang, Chief Strategy Officer at China Minmetal Futures in Shanghai, on what’s really driving the numbers.
And Irish artists could soon receive a weekly payment worth about three hundred and eighty dollars, under a new government scheme designed to support creative work.
Presenter: Leanna Byrne
Producer: David Cann
Editor: Stephen Ryan