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U.S. and Iran Hold High-Stakes Nuclear Talks; British Prime Minister Faces Growing Pressure to Resign; Search for Nancy Guthrie Continues; How Abandoned U.S. Weapons Fuel Pakistan's Insurgency; Japanese PM Rides High On Popularity Ahead Of Elections; Team USA Fans Excited For Winter Games In Italy. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired February 06, 2026 - 02:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[02:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN HOST: Welcome to all of you watching us around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is "CNN Newsroom." Officials from Washington and Tehran are at the negotiating table right now in what may be the final act of diplomacy over Iran's nuclear program as U.S. President Donald Trump threatens military action. The British Prime Minister is facing growing pressure to step down as fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein files reaches his government and raises questions about his judgment. And the latest on the investigation into the apparent kidnapping of an American news host's mother and the ransom deadline that has now just passed.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is "CNN Newsroom with Kim Brunhuber."

BRUNHUBER: Negotiators from the U.S. and Iran are in Oman at this hour for new talks aimed at resolving the standoff over Tehran's nuclear program. Iranian delegation arrived for talks a short time ago led by the country's foreign minister. Now, the backdrop for the meeting is a massive U.S. military force sent to the region, and President Trump has threatened new strikes on Iran if there's no nuclear agreement.

And with talks on the agenda, Iran's state-run T.V. announced the deployment of what it called the country's most advanced long-range ballistic missile. Iran's supreme leader said earlier that a U.S. strike would lead to a regional war.

Paula Hancocks is monitoring the talks, and she's in Abu Dhabi. Paula, what's the latest?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the two sides are sitting down for talks, the first time since last year when we saw the U.S. and Iranian officials talking just before Israel carried out those strikes against Iran, and then the United States became involved as well. So, it's certainly critical that the two sides have agreed to get this far and to be sitting down together in Oman, in Muscat. Now, as we understand it, there are still some discussions as to what exactly they will be talking about. Even the agenda appears to be up for grabs.

We've heard from the U.S. secretary of state, Marco Rubio. He has said that the agenda will be the nuclear program of Iran, the ballistic missile program, the mistreatment of its own people, and also sponsoring terrorist organizations around the region.

What we've heard from the Iranian side, according to state-run media, is that they only want to talk about the Iranian nuclear program and that they want to see some of the sanctions being lifted against them.

So, even before we see these talks begin, there is disagreement as to what the main substance should be.

But it does come at a time when there is significant U.S. military presence and buildup in the region. We have heard U.S. President Donald Trump saying to NBC News in an interview that the supreme leader of Iran should be -- quote -- "very worried."

We've heard from Iran saying that if there are any U.S. military strikes against the country, against its personnel, then there will be significant retaliation also against U.S. personnel and assets in the region and that it would end in a regional war.

So, we're seeing some very strong rhetoric from both sides, but we are seeing them both sit down to negotiate in Muscat today.

Now, we've also heard from the White House spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt. She has said that the first option for the U.S. president is diplomacy.

But, of course, we are hearing as well some very bellicose statements from President Trump, which really started once the anti-regime protests started in Iran. They started at the end of December. And we have heard consistently the U.S. president saying that help is on its way, saying that they support these protests.

But, certainly, as far as we understand it, these talks today will specifically focus on the nuclear program, if the U.S. gets its way also on the ballistic missile program. So, it will be watched very closely, certainly in this region, but also around the world. Kim?

BRUNHUBER: Yes. Absolutely. All right, Paula Hancock, thanks so much for that. Appreciate it.

Now, for more analysis, we're joined from Berlin by Ali Fathollah- Nejad. He's the founder and director of the Center for Middle East and Global Order. Thank you so much for being here with us.

[02:05:00]

I appreciate it. So, I want to pick up where Paula left off there, talking about how there wasn't a lot of clarity around the agenda. We're hearing Iran wants to keep this focused on just the nuclear issue. The U.S. wants to talk about missiles and Iran's proxies across the region. Can you actually get a deal when the two sides won't even agree basically on what they're negotiating?

ALI FATHOLLAH-NEJAD, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR MIDDLE EAST AND GLOBAL ORDER: Well, that's true, it's going to be really difficult. So, we're basically back to square one. Remember that last year, when we had several rounds of negotiations between the United States and Iran prior to the June 12-day war, we've had the same kind of controversies. In fact, the Iranians want to focus any negotiations with the United States on the nuclear deal only because they don't want to see any limitations, mostly on their ballistic missile program. The third area of contention, which is Iran's support for the proxies, is also of concern to the United States and regional states.

But on two fronts, actually, Iran has really weakened, which is on the nuclear front with the devastation, you know, by U.S. bombs during the June war of Iran's nuclear sites and with the proxies that was decimated at the hands of Israel in 2024. So, the main, you know, area of contention really is the limitation to the ballistic missile program.

BRUNHUBER: You say they're back to square one. At least, they are talking though the atmosphere, as we heard there, so heated. Strong rhetoric on both sides. Both sides making these sorts of military moves. They are talking about this as they're sitting down to talk. I mean, what does all of that tell you about where this is really headed, you think?

FATHOLLAH-NEJAD: Well, we're really at a historical juncture. We don't have to forget the context in which these rounds of negotiations are happening.

First of all, we have this historic massacre perpetrated by the Iranian state against this nationwide revolutionary protest wave that we've seen over the last few weeks, which saw tens of thousands of Iranians being killed by their own state. So, the Islamic Republic, given also the other crises that it has been chiefly responsible for, that it has to deal with, and most notably, the economic crisis is really feeling the heat from its own population.

Secondly, we have this considerable military buildup from the United States in the region. And just as, you know, last week, the Iranian representatives said that they are not willing to negotiate under military threats, but it seems that they are ready to do so because they feel the heat also from the United States.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. Iran's leader warned of a regional war. But you talked about how Iran is weaker now. Are there threats, a real fear here?

FATHOLLAH-NEJAD: Well, U.S. military threats are taken seriously. We've seen, you know, some new developments just last Saturday when we had some, you know, explosions happening in Iran mysteriously at the same time. Maybe, you know, the Navy commander of the IRGC was targeted in an operation in Bandar Abbas. So, maybe there is also some Israeli and U.S. coordination to increase the pressure on Iran. But it seems that the Trump administration is really preferring a deal with the Iranians.

But I think the domestic arena is really important to the international politics and world politics at large. How do you deal with a state that has just, you know, massacred a lot of its own people? Do you grant legitimacy through a new deal? What happens if sanctions relief is approved upon? Is it going to only fill the coffers of that same regime? So, we have a lot of questions surrounding this new round of diplomacy.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. And then, from an Iranian point of view, I mean, you've written about how Iran has been shifting its focus towards countries like China, away from the West. So, if these talks do eventually collapse, I mean, does Iran need an agreement with Washington anymore?

FATHOLLAH-NEJAD: Well, despite Iran's so-called look to this geopolitical orientation, you know, drawing closer to China and Russia, those partnerships have proven to be precarious partnerships.

You know, during the June war, neither Moscow nor Beijing stepped in to provide military support for the Iranians. China is still the number one importer of Iranian oil. So, this is something that Western policy could look at when increasing the pressure upon Tehran now.

[02:10:04]

So -- but those are not partnerships that is going to help the Iranian side because it's up to the United States to grant sanctions relief and not those two states.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. A tricky path forward. We'll have to leave it there. Ali Fathollah-Nejad, thank you so much for being here with us.

FATHOLLAH-NEJAD: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. say they will meet again soon after they wrapped up two days of peace talks in Abu Dhabi. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the next meeting will be held in the near future.

CNN's Fred Pleitgen has the latest from Moscow.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it seems as though the talks, as Steve Witkoff, the U.S. envoy, put it, seem to have been constructive. That's certainly something that we're hearing from the Russian side and from the Ukrainian side as well. In fact, Kyrylo Budanov, who is, of course, the head of the presidential administration of Ukraine, he came out and said that they were extraordinarily constructive, as he put it.

The Russians, for their side, also said that there had been movement on the talks. However, those comments came from Kirill Dmitriev, who's the chief Russian negotiator, ahead of that round of talks that happened today. It was quite interesting to hear that Steve Witkoff also said that there had been some progress made on key issues. But he also said that difficult issues still remain.

And one of the things that appears to have happened in this round of talks is that, first of all, they went into a trilateral meeting, which is sort of a large meeting with the U.S., Russian, and Ukrainian delegations, but then also tried to compartmentalize things into working groups to try and work through some of those very difficult issues.

Of course, what we've been hearing from both the U.S. and the Ukrainian side is that territorial concessions that Ukraine might have to make as part of any sort of peace agreement are still something that's very difficult.

For the Russian side, of course, they also say that they certainly want to have all of the Donetsk region of Ukraine as part of any peace agreement. Those are still some of very difficult things to work through.

The U.S. side has said that at the same time as this is going on, the atmosphere is still very constructive. And, certainly, that prisoner swap that happened today, they say, is also something that's a direct tangible result of these negotiations and the constructive atmosphere that they're in. Again, 314 prisoners being exchanged. The Ukrainian side saying that 139 of the prisoners that they received now had been in custody in the Russian Federation since 2022. So, certainly, a large step for the Ukrainians. It sorts of sets the tone.

And one of the things that we picked up on is that Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, he also came out and said that they want to continue this momentum that has now started and want to have the next round of talks to happen as soon as possible.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: President Trump wants the U.S. to negotiate a new, improved, and modernized nuclear treaty with Russia. The last remaining nuclear treaty between the two countries has expired, sparking fears about an arms race between the world's nuclear superpowers. President Trump says the new START treaty was badly negotiated by the U.S. and being grossly violated. There's also a push to include China in any future treaties as Beijing expands its nuclear stockpile.

U.S. forces have struck another alleged drug trafficking boat in the Eastern Pacific. U.S. Southern Command says two people were killed on the vessel, which it says was operated by terrorists. No U.S. personnel were harmed. At least 119 people have now been killed in U.S. strikes on boats as part of Operation Southern Spear, which aims to curtail narcotics trafficking. The Trump administration has produced little evidence that the boats carry drugs.

The U.S. Justice Department says it has released the last of the Epstein files but the fallout is far from over. The latest revelations could cost the British prime minister his job. We'll have that story ahead on CNN. Plus, new information about the night Nancy Guthrie went missing. A new message from her family. We will have that straight ahead. You're on "CNN Newsroom." Stay with us.

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[02:15:00]

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BRUNHUBER: Fallout from the final release of the Jeffrey Epstein's files is continuing to grow. A new email appears to confirm the authenticity of a photo of Britain's then-Prince Andrew with Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre. Giuffre claims she was repeatedly forced to have sex with the prince when she was underage. Andrew has denied ever even meeting Giuffre and suggested the photo might be doctored. But last week's file release included an email to Epstein purportedly from longtime accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell referencing the photo.

It all comes as U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing growing pressure to step down over his former U.S. ambassador's close ties to Epstein.

Our Melissa Bell has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: There was a conspiracy against me, literally, by Epstein and other people. But I think it is time now for the country to maybe get onto something else.

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): But the rest of the world is not moving on, with the British leader now fighting for his political survival. Prime Minister Keir Starmer apologizing on Thursday to Jeffrey Epstein's victims.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I am sorry. Sorry for what was done to you. Sorry that so many people with power failed you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Beautifully stated. What a beautiful accent.

(LAUGHTER)

I'd like to have that accent. Thank you.

PETER MANDELSON, FORMER BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES: My mother would be proud.

(LAUGHTER)

BELL (voice-over): Keir Starmer's former ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, at the center of the political firestorm.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STARMER: It had been publicly known for some time that Mandelson knew Epstein. But none of us knew the depth of the darkness of that relationship.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[02:20:05]

BELL (voice-over): London's Metropolitan Police launching a criminal probe into allegations of misconduct when Peter Mandelson was business secretary back in the late 2000s. But the Prime Minister's judgment is also now under scrutiny.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STARMER: I regret appointing him. If I knew then what I know now, he would never have been anywhere near government.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BELL (voice-over): Given the fallout, there is also the question of what Epstein was doing and why. The Polish government is now investigating whether Russian intelligence services may have been involved.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TUSK, POLISH PRIME MINISTER (through translator): It is highly probable that this was a premeditated operation by the Russian KGB. This so-called honey trap, a sweet bait, a trap set for the elites of the Western world, primarily the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BELL (voice-over): Allegations the Kremlin has dismissed as a waste of time even as the fallout continues, consuming also the reputations of European royalty. Norway's Crown Princess Mett-Marit expressing embarrassment for her close friendship with Epstein. And the former Prince Andrew further disgraced by the latest revelations and now evicted by his brother, King Charles, from Windsor.

Revelations that may cost Mandelson his title, too. Starmer has called for legislation that would strip the man once known as Labour's "Prince of Darkness" of his peerage, making Lord Mandelson plain old Peter.

Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNKNOWN (voice-over): Charles, Charles, have you pressurized the police to start investigating Andrew?

BRUNHUBER: Well, that's Britain's King Charles being heckled about his brother, Andrew, over the Jeffrey Epstein files. Police escorted the man away. Andrew has been back in the spotlight since the latest release of the files by U.S. Justice Department. New details suggest the former prince maintained regular contact with Epstein for more than two years after he was convicted of child sex crimes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Five days after Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Arizona home, her family has released another desperate plea for her return, their second in as many days, this time coming from Nancy's son, the brother of NBC News anchor Savannah Guthrie.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAMRON GUTHRIE, SON OF NANCY GUTHRIE: This is Camron Guthrie. I'm speaking for the Guthrie family. Whoever is out there holding our mother, we want to hear from you. We haven't heard anything directly. We need you to reach out, and we need a way to communicate with you so we can move forward. But first, we have to know that you have our mom. We want to talk to you, and we are waiting for contact.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Meanwhile, unnerving new details are emerging about Guthrie's disappearance. The sheriff has confirmed that blood found at her home is hers, and investigators say her doorbell camera was removed.

CNN's Ed Lavandera picks up the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Pima County sheriff revealed key details in the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, including evidence that showed blood found on her front porch matches the 84-year-old mother and grandmother.

Investigators also laid out a timeline of her disappearance according to her family and data from digital devices, including multiple cameras in the Guthrie's home and a front door camera that is missing.

On Saturday at 5:32 p.m., Nancy traveled to visit her family in an Uber. At 9:48 p.m., Nancy is dropped off at home by a family member. And then at 9:50 p.m., Nancy's garage door closes. On Sunday at 1:47 a.m., the doorbell camera disconnects. At 2:12 a.m., the sheriff says software detects a person on camera. Then at 2:28 a.m., her pacemaker disconnects from the app on her phone. After receiving a call that morning at 11:56 a.m., the family checks on her home and finds that Nancy is missing. At 12:03, the family called 911.

The sheriff says the female Uber driver has been cleared in the case.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS NANOS, SHERIFF, PIMA COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: Uber car itself has a video of her. So, we knew that it was, in fact, Nancy, and what she had on and what she was wearing, all those things.

LAVANDERA: We are five days into this. Are we any closer to finding Nancy Guthrie?

NANOS: I would say we are. People are always asking. Do I believe she's alive? Absolutely. That, I hope, keeps us motivated because we do know the dangers of each passing day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA (voice-over): The FBI announced a $50,000 reward, but investigators say there are no suspects yet. FBI agents were on scene at Guthrie's home late Wednesday conducting an additional search of the crime scene, using detection dogs and taking bags of evidence.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA (voice-over): At the same time, Savannah Guthrie, along with her sister and brother, posted a heartbreaking video painting a loving picture of their mother.

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, DAUGHTER OF NANCY GUTHRIE: She is full of kindness and knowledge. Talk to her, and you'll see. She chooses joy day after day despite having already passed through great trials of pain and grief.

[02:25:00]

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Well, officials say there is no evidence that reported ransom notes are legitimate, though they are still investigating, including one sent to media outlets that set today as a deadline for payment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HEITH JANKE, SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE, FBI: It was five o'clock today. And then it had a second deadline after that. So, we are continuing. In a normal kidnapping case, there would be contact by now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA (voice-over): The sheriff meanwhile says they're following the evidence to bring Nancy home again.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NANOS: Every day, we're working. Something -- we're like everybody else. We're waiting for that one big break. (END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: The sheriff tells me he still believes that Nancy Guthrie is out there and alive and needs to be rescued. He says more than a hundred tips have come through since they've been pleading with the public to call in any kind of tip that is out there, and they feel that is one of those tips that is going to finally crack this case open.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Tucson, Arizona.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Armed and unchecked. How weapons left behind by the U.S. Military in Afghanistan are making their way into Pakistan and causing all sorts of problems. Plus, President Trump makes an important announcement concerning Japan's prime minister. Why he's endorsing Sanae Takaichi. That's next. Stay with us.

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[02:30:45]

BRUNHUBER: Welcome back to all you watching us around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

A community in western Nigeria is starting to bury its dead after one of the area's deadliest attacks in months. Authorities in Kwara state said 75 people are confirmed dead after gunmen stormed the village of Woro Tuesday night, but that number could be as high as 170. Villagers say the attacks were jihadists, who demanded locals abandon the Nigerian state and switched to sharia law. When people resisted, witnesses say the militants opened fire.

Well, now to Pakistan, where abandoned U.S. weapons have become a real threat to the country's security and they're stalling its future growth.

CNN's Ivan Watson traveled to the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: These are M-16 rifles, property of U.S. government.

WATSON (voice-over): Along the border with Afghanistan, the newest generation of jihadi militants carry out insurgent attacks using weapons that were made in the USA.

WATSON: And it's manufactured by FN.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

WATSON: USA, out of Columbia, South Carolina. WATSON (voice-over): The Pakistani military gives me an exclusive

look bringing me to the border town of Wana and the aftermath of a recent suicide truck bomb.

WATSON: The size of this explosion, you can tell, was massive. It ripped out the fortifications. The walls here at the front, at the gate of this school and killed in this location at least three Pakistani army soldiers.

WATSON (voice-over): Moments after the blast, four insurgents stormed the school.

WATSON: These steps are still splattered with the blood of a school cook and a waiter who were both killed.

WATSON (voice-over): This could have been a bloodbath because there were more than 500 students aged 12 to 18 on campus. But over the next 24 hours, Pakistani soldiers successfully evacuated all of them before killing all of the insurgents.

Colonel Muhammad Tahir (ph) of the Pakistani special forces says the attackers were all citizens of Afghanistan.

WATSON: Look closely here. What does it say, colonel?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah, it says property of U.S. government.

WATSON: Yeah.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: M-16

WATSON: I'm taking photos of the serial numbers of these M-16s. And what well try to do is go back and kind of cross-reference them, check with the U.S. government to find out what they're doing here.

WATSON (voice-over): The U.S. military confirmed to CNN that three out of the four rifles were supplied to Afghan security forces in and around Kabul, years before the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. The Pentagon declined to comment further on this matter.

WATSON: I've counted more than 100 M-16s, all with the marking property of U.S. government and the Pakistani military says that these were all captured from the hands of killed Taliban fighters.

What happens to the weapons that were supplied to the Afghan government?

JOHN SOPKO, SPECIAL INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR AFGHAN RECONSTRUCTION (2012- 2025): Well, the Taliban get it all, or a majority of it.

WATSON (voice-over): John Sopko spent 12 years as special inspector general for the U.S.'s $148 billion Afghanistan reconstruction program. It provided billions in weapons to the Afghan security forces. SOPKO: Three hundred thousand some small arms weapons ended up with

the Taliban and it could go down the list. I mean, grenade launchers, communication stuff.

WATSON (voice-over): In a video statement, a spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban denied accusations that the Afghan government was arming his fighters.

Pakistani military statistics show a surge in casualties since 2021, the year the Taliban took over Afghanistan. This war is getting worse, violence fueled in part by a huge armory of U.S. weapons, a legacy of America's 20-year-long war in Afghanistan.

[02:35:04]

Ivan Watson, CNN, along the Pakistani border with Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Torrential rains swamped southern Portugal, prompting more flood warnings on Thursday. Some restaurant terraces were completely underwater. People stacked sandbags in front of doors to protect their homes and shops. Authorities say at least one person was killed after his car was swept away on a flooded road near a dam. Leonardo is the latest storm in a wave of half a dozen winter storms to hit Portugal and Spain since the start of the year.

In southern Spain, police had to rescue a family and their pets from rising floodwaters. Crews are also searching for a woman who was swept away in a fast moving river as she tried to save her dog. Heavy winds that accompanied the storm were strong enough to knock down a flower sculpture from Seville's historic cathedral.

And more than 57 million people in the northeastern U.S. are facing another weekend of brutally cold weather. A blast of Arctic cold will send temperatures to dangerously low levels from Virginia to Maine, including Washington, Philadelphia and New York City. Wind chills will make it seem even colder as the temperatures drop on Saturday. Up to an inch or two of snow will cover parts of the region.

All right. Still to come here on CNN NEWSROOM, Japan's charismatic first female prime minister is immensely popular in Japan and is galvanizing young voters. But will it be enough for Sunday's legislative elections? We'll have that story next.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:41:10]

BRUNHUBER: U.S. President Donald Trump is wading into Japanese politics. He's endorsed the country's prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, ahead of Japan's legislative elections, calling her a, quote, strong, powerful and wise leader. Now this comes as Prime Minister Takaichi is expected to meet with Trump at the White House next month. CNN's Hanako Montgomery has the latest on the upcoming Japanese

election.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Japan has caught the Takaichi fever. On social media videos of the country's first female prime minister get millions of views. Recent polling shows strong approval ratings. And unlike her recent predecessors, she's managed to tap into young voters, some who obsess over her handbag, shoes, even her stationery.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I use the same pen, Sana-chan.

YUHO ISHI, TAKAICHI SUPPORTER: You see her working hard all the time. Her smile is so cute.

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): But while her charisma and star power are obvious, her policies as prime minister are less clear. In a short time in office, her vague economic agenda has rattled markets and relations with the country's biggest economic partner, China, have soured since she made comments that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan could trigger a Japanese military response.

She's done well in diplomacy, courting leaders from Italy, South Korea, the U.K. and even the U.S. President Donald Trump.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Prime minister in the history.

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Now she's turning that momentum into a high stakes gamble, calling for a parliamentary election at a time when her long ruling conservative party is deeply unpopular.

MONTGOMERY: There are thousands of people here at this campaign rally to watch the Japanese prime minister speak. Sanae Takaichi has called for an election just three months into her job. And she says that if her party loses, she would step down as premier. But judging by the sheer number of people out here to support her, this is a political gamble that she thinks is going to pay off.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She's a drummer. I'm a rock and roll musician. Mr. Takaichi is the same age as me, and when she became prime minister, seeing her work so hard made me feel like life was worth living

MONTGOMERY: We're in Nara prefecture right now, which is where the Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is from, and where she started her political career. And we've traveled back to her hometown to meet some of her old friends, and to understand why she's so popular among the Japanese public.

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Osamu Kikuchi (ph) has known Takaichi for more than 30 years, in part thanks to the sports car.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She's a passionate person. That's why her car is red hot too. MONTGOMERY (voice-over): He fixed up her beloved Toyota Supra, a car

that helps her image as a cool girl. Takaichi is clearly a local legend in Nara, and it's not hard to find traces of her here.

MONTGOMERY : You've got some cookies here with Takahashi's face on them, and the British former prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, Iron Lady, Takahashi's role model. And here you have Takaichi with the U.S. president, Donald Trump.

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): In the same neighborhood is Takaichi's district office. Here we meet her secretary of 16 years.

MONTGOMERY: Why do you think she is so popular among the general public?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: First, her consistent approach to policy, never wavering, steadfastly upholding what she says from start to finish. It's fundamentally sound. What particularly resonates with younger people is that she writes policies in her own words, making them easy to understand.

MONTGOMERY: Do you think her comments on a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan were an accident, or do you think that was on purpose

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do not consider it a gaffe. Naturally, it was simply a scenario. If Taiwan had warships and if those ships were attacked, it would fall within a hypothetical assumption.

[02:45:00]

Her response was fully consistent with previous answers

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Voters will soon decide whether her star power alone can revive her party, or if her meteoric rise will end as quickly as it began, leaving Japan at its most politically uncertain in years.

Hanako Montgomery, CNN, Nara.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: The Winter Olympics officially open in just a few hours. Still to come, we'll preview Team USA's chances in the hockey rinks and on the slopes. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: The Winter Olympics opening ceremonies are just hours away in Milan and Cortina, Italy, 2,900 athletes from more than 90 nations will compete, and for some events, the games are already underway.

CNN's Amanda Davies has the latest from Milan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, the action is underway already here in Milan, and we got our first taste of it here at the women's hockey with a pretty ambitious team USA looking to get their hands back on those gold medals for the first time in eight years. Comprehensively beating the Czech Republic, the fourth best ranked team in the world, 5-1.

But whatever organizers might hope, we got one of those pretty visual reminders that the politics is never too far away from these major sporting events, particularly the day ahead of the opening ceremony. The U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, his wife Usha, and the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, were here watching on. But so to a large contingent of largely USA-supporting fans.

We've seen at Olympic Games in years gone by. They travel really well. And from what we've seen here this evening, this games in Milan is going to be no different.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought it was great. I love seeing a 5-1 win and I thought we had a great -- we have a great team and I'm excited for the next rounds.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I thought it was super exciting. I really enjoyed the hockey game. There were so many goals scored and the energy was incredible.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I loved the whole scene and the stadium was full and it was great. And just so much fun. It was so much fun.

DAVIES: Host Italy got off to a decent start as well. They beat France 4-1 in their opener.

But up in the mountains in Cortina, fans of Lindsey Vonn were made to wait to see how she and that knee is faring after the women's downhill training session was canceled because of the weather.

[02:50:07]

But what a video she posted on social media. No ACL, no problem, it seems, she wrote. I'm not giving up working as hard as I can to make it happen.

That can also be said for the Italian team. A one, two, three fastest times in men's downhill training, raising hopes and expectations for the hosts of an early medal at the games and excitement about the official start, particularly now the Olympic cauldron has been lit here in the center of Milan at the Duomo, ahead of what is set to be an iconic opening ceremony on Friday.

Amanda Davies, CNN, Milan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: And I want to go to Adelong, Australia, and Tracey Holmes with "The Sports Ambassador" podcast and Substack.

Thank you so much for being here with us. I appreciate it.

So, I want to pick up where that piece left off. The opening ceremonies later today. I mean, what are we expecting?

TRACEY HOLMES, "THE SPORTS AMBASSADOR" PODCAST & SUBSTACK: Well, I think if you can go on the past record of the ceremony director, whose name is Marco Balich, he put on a very eclectic show back in 2006, when he was basically the master of ceremonies for the opening event there in Torino. He had Formula One cars whizzing around. He had Pavarotti singing, Yoko Ono was there. There was a rendition of "Imagine" by John Lennon.

And so, I think you can expect maybe, you know, again, he will appeal to all of the senses in a way that, appears to be quite ad hoc for many. But there's a method to his madness. And he said that the theme of the opening ceremony tonight will be all about harmony, which is much needed in today's world.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, absolutely. Sounds fascinating. All that, that potential chaos there. Speaking of chaos, I mean, many people are saying, I mean, the venues themselves, right? I mean, really spread out this time around. What's that been like so far for the athletes and the teams trying to get around? How do you see that sort of playing into the competitions and for the fans as well?

HOLMES: Well, this is really interesting. It was one of the tests under the new norm, which was a series of adjustments that the IOC was trying to make in hosting these major events around the world. So, it was designed so that cities didn't have to host everything in that way. It reduced the need to build new venues and new stadia if required. You could use existing stadia in other parts of the country.

But what's happened is they're now getting feedback from many of the national Olympic teams, saying its just not possible for us to be able to be in Milan to support our team that are competing in the indoor events there, and then to be in the Alps, sometimes 250 kilometer away, to be able to support our team there. It also means that there are added costs for national Olympic teams, and that's fine for some of the bigger teams like the USA, but a lot of smaller teams can't afford that kind of cost to replicate everything, not just in one place, but in several hubs, which is what were seeing in Milano.

So, the IOC is going to take very close note of this and get all the feedback at the end of the games to determine whether it is something that they will continue to do with future bids.

BRUNHUBER: You mentioned the IOC. I mean, this is the first winter Olympics for the new IOC president, Kirsty Coventry. I mean, what are you hearing about the challenges besides the one you just mentioned that she's facing, you know, right out of the gate here?

HOLMES: Well, there are multiple challenges, aren't there? And many of them are in your country as well, with the next Summer Olympics, which are much bigger than the Winter Olympics and a whole lot of political issues that are being played out there.

So, Kirsty Coventry has adopted an Olympic games, the first female president these will be her first games, games, and she's going to be put to the test in all sorts of arenas. Political arenas, the sporting arenas, the conflicts of various sides. We know that there will be some Russian athletes competing as neutrals. The Ukrainian team does not like that, given the war is ongoing.

But there are discussions. We've seen Kirsty Coventry very close with the FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, who will be running the World Cup, the men's World Cup in your country later this year, and they've been speaking very closely. And the word is that they're really looking at ways to try and bring Russia back into the sporting fold.

We know that sports like the IOC and FIFA, the governing bodies, like to say that sport and politics don't mix, and they are apolitical. But there's a lot of pressure from the outside, as you well understand, the politics is always buzzing all around, and it's not so much that, you know, they, they intersect, they just crash right into each other.

And this is what Kirsty Coventry has to deal with.

[02:55:02]

And in fact, given that the summer Olympics are in the USA next, she still has not met U.S. President Donald Trump. And that is of concern to some Olympic watchers because they believe it's one of the biggest potentials for things to go right or wrong under Kirsty Coventry's watch.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, plenty of political stories to follow. Looking ahead, we only have about a minute or so left, but what other story lines are you going to be watching as these games unfold over the next few weeks?

HOLMES: Well, you know, one of the other things I think that we should mention, because the USA plays a part in this as well, is what goes on with the relationship with WADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency.

So, as we know, the USA has refused to pay what they're liable for the past two years, about $3.5 million for each of those years. And there's been a bit of a standoff between the U.S. government and USADA, the local anti-doping agency in the USA. And this, this conflict again, that is playing out around the outside of the Olympic movement.

So, there's plenty happening. There's the geopolitics with Ukraine and Russia. We've got what's happening in the USA with countries wondering whether they'll be able to get their athletes in to L.A. and of course, their officials and their spectators during 2028 Summer Olympics. And these are the sorts of conversations that are had around the Olympic games whenever they're staged.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, hopefully all those issues don't overshadow, the magic of the sports that we'll be watching.

Tracey Holmes in Sydney, or rather in Adelong, Australia -- thank you so much for speaking to us. Really appreciate it.

HOLMES: Thanks for having me, Kim BRUNHUBER: Music superstar Bad Bunny is keeping his cards close to

his chest about what to expect from the Super Bowl halftime show this Sunday. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BAD BUNNY, HEADLINER, SUPER BOWL LX HALFTIME SHOW: I don't want to give any spoilers. It's going to be fun and it's going to be -- it's going to be easy and people only have to worry about dance. I know that I that I told them that they had four months to learn Spanish. They don't even have to learn Spanish. They just -- it's better if they learn to dance. But I think there's no -- there's no better dance than the one that can come from the heart.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Well, the Puerto Rican rapper is making history as the first Spanish language artist to headline the iconic event. He insists, as you heard there, you won't have to understand Spanish to enjoy the show.

Meanwhile, the artists involvement with the Super Bowl has drawn some backlash from President Trump and conservatives. Bad Bunny recently condemned ICE during his award speech at the Grammys.

All right. That wraps this hour of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Kim Brunhuber. I'll be back in just a moment with more news.