BBC News Briefing

4 February, 2026

Alex has dark blonde, bobbed hair and is smiling. She is wearing a dark grey, high-necked top with a pink jumper on top.

Alex Binley

Hello. With the last nuclear weapons control treaty between the US and Russia set to expire on Thursday, defence correspondent Jonathan Beale assesses what it means for global security. In Colombia, senior international correspondent Orla Guerin joins commandos as they destroy cocaine labs deep in the jungle. And find out why Florida's iguanas have suddenly started falling out of trees.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

Last nuclear weapons control treaty between US and Russia set to expire

A large, cream-coloured missile which looks a bit like a space shuttle sits in a huge cyclinder, the sides of which are covered by pannelling.

The 2010 New Start treaty replaced an earlier one from 1991. Credit: AFP via Getty Images

The expiration of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or "New Start", raises "fears of a new arms race", writes Jonathan Beale. The 2010 agreement between Washington and Moscow capped the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads and established some transparency measures. Going forwards, Russia said it intends "to act responsibly and in a balanced manner", while last month, US President Donald Trump said the two sides would "do a better agreement". Yet the "expiry follows a worrying pattern. Other long-standing arms control treaties have already fallen by the wayside", writes Jonathan. "Both the US and Russia are currently modernising their nuclear forces... A new arms race is already under way."

Jonathan's analysis

GET UP TO SPEED

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AT THE SCENE

Colombia

BBC joins Colombia commandos fighting 'never-ending battle' against drug gangs

For their own safety, the commandos aim to spend as little time as possible on the ground. Credit: BBC/Goktay Koraltan

Colombia produces 70% of the world's cocaine. Ahead of a meeting between Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Tuesday in which the pair discussed combatting drug trafficking, Orla Guerin joined a police special-operations unit armed by the Americans and originally trained by Britain's SAS, tasked with finding and destroying jungle cocaine labs.

Orla has long bown hair and is looking ahead at the camera. She has blue eyes and only her head can be seen.

Orla Guerin, senior international correspondent

The helicopter is ready for take off – its rotor blades slicing through the air in the deadening heat of the Colombian Amazon. We duck low and cram in alongside the Jungle Commandos. They are heavily armed... but there is tension on board. When you go after any part of the drug trade in Colombia, you have to be ready for trouble.

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We land at a clearing in the jungle and the commandos lead us to a crude cocaine lab. It's little more than a shack but it has the key ingredients – drums of chemicals and a mound of fresh coca leaves.... Minutes later we are rushed away as the commandos prepare to set the lab alight.

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