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Guthrie Family Begs For Mother's Return in New Video; U.S. Security Teams Work to Protect Athletes, Visitors At Games; Minneapolis Holds Memorial For U.S. Citizens Killed By ICE; Judge Postpones Asylum Case of Liam Conejo Ramos & Family; Extreme Cold Turns Deadly in New York City; Iran: Not Ready to Entirely Give Up Nuclear Enrichment. Aired 5-6 am ET

Aired February 08, 2026 - 05:00   ET

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

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[05:00:35]

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN Newsroom.

An emotional new plea from the family of Nancy Guthrie will have the latest turn in the investigation.

Plus, CNN speaks with New York's most vulnerable communities as temperatures plummet, why finding shelter isn't always as easy as it may seem. And Lindsey Vonn is set to race in her first Olympic event despite a recent injury.

Look at how she's able to compete with knee damage that would knock other athletes out of the game.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN Newsroom with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER: Nancy Guthrie's children are making a new plea for her safe return more than a week after she disappeared from her Arizona home. Police believe Guthrie was taken from her home against her will. They haven't identified any suspects in the case, but the search continues. Earlier this year, at least three deputy sheriffs were seen at her eldest daughter's home. They appeared to be taking photos. Nancy Guthrie's youngest daughter, NBC Today show host Savannah Guthrie posted this video on Instagram on Saturday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, "TODAY" SHOW HOST/NANCY GUTHRIE'S DAUGHTER: We received your message, and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BRUNHUBER: It's not clear if the Guthrie family has received any new information after they called for proof of life from their mother's possible captor. Federal investigators are examining two messages related to the case that were sent to media outlets this week. One was an apparent ransom note.

For more on this, I want to bring in Donell Harvin, who's a Homeland Security Analyst and faculty member with Georgetown University's emergency and disaster management master's program. And he joins me now from Washington.

Thank you so much for being here with us. I really appreciate it. So, the family posted these public pleas. What does it tell you that they're doing this publicly rather than communicating privately with whoever might be holding their mom?

DONELL HARVIN, HOMELAND SECURITY ANALYST: Yeah, it suggests that there's one line of communication, and that's from the kidnapper to the family or law enforcement. It shows that there's no kind of bilateral communication. There may not be an open line of communication back. And that's not uncommon because that would expose whoever's kidnapping this individual to being tracked.

BRUNHUBER: Oh, interesting. So -- and that would then -- the flip side of that, why -- why these people are sending notes to KOLD and not to the family. That's -- that's just makes it harder for -- for authorities to track them down.

HARVIN: Absolutely. I mean, you know, I mean, this isn't like television where, you know, there's some type of burner phone that's dropped off or something like that. Or, you know, the kidnapper is not going to say, well, here's how you connect to me or, you know, I'll meet you at some, you know, park bench at a certain time or drop off a note.

I mean, this is, you know, high stakes stuff. Clearly, this individual, individuals, we don't know if it's more than one person, you know, have planned this really, really extensively to be able to pull this off. And obviously, we're so weak into this and not be caught.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. I mean, hard to speculate, but just given sort of on what you're saying there, are you learning anything or at least thinking something about who these suspects might be there, their level of experience and so on?

HARVIN: You know, it's hard. I think back to the Brown University case, and that's clearly nothing to do with this and a completely different kind of attack or threat pattern. And we were all thinking that this was the professional, you know, kind of this computer age where information's available to so many people.

You know, I'd hate to speculate that this is someone who's well trained and, you know, knows what they're doing. Quite frankly, there is no online training for kidnapping.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah.

HARVIN: What really is interesting, however, is the fact that there's no surveillance footage of this individual. The fact that there's no, apparently very little evidence. Law enforcement actually just a few days ago had to go back to the scene to pick up what they thought was a camera and to tow an SUV.

[05:05:04]

So, they're still chasing down leads. And so, whoever did this really is covered up their tracks in a way that is making it very difficult for law enforcement to get them.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. On that, I mean, the fact that investigators went back to the scene yesterday, one analyst I spoke to yesterday said essentially authorities are going back to square one. I mean, what are you reading into the fact that they have to go back to where they'd looked previously?

HARVIN: I mean, there's two different ways to read this. I mean, I've done crime scene investigation and forensics for many years, and sometimes you get new information. Sometimes the information that you collected, maybe it's forensics, didn't pan out in the lab. Sometimes it can take a few days to get laboratory results and you may have to go back and get more samples. Or sometimes, you know, you get fresh eyes on the problem, right? We have the FBI involved now.

Maybe they've pulled someone in who's a more of a better forensic expert and they may say, have you turned this stone? Right. So, we'd like to think that law enforcement's turning every stone and leaving no one's stone unturned. But that sometimes can take a little bit while. So, it's not necessarily a forensic or investigative failure. Just may be new leads, new intelligence or new eyes on the case.

BRUNHUBER: Anything you're learning from the videos, from the family, the language they're using, any -- any clues you're getting from -- from what they're saying?

HARVIN: You know, I don't like to look into people's behavior or affect, but it seems that they're very calm. They're very measured. For me, just as a lay person like you kind of taking all this in, it seems like that they have some level of confidence that they're actually talking to the people or person that abducted their mother and that they're relatively calm in thinking that maybe she is in good -- in good health.

If it was me, I would probably not be that measured and calm. And so they're clearly well coached and they clearly have an amount of information thinking they're not wasting their time in this effort.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. Authorities say they're investigating multiple messages that claim to be ransom notes. I mean, how -- how common is it in a case like this to get false leads or -- or people even pretending to be the kidnapper?

HARVIN: Yeah, unfortunately, there's a lot of -- there's no technical term for this nut jobs out there who just want to, you know, mislead law enforcement or have a good time. There's some people quite unstable, but there's also a community of online sleuths. When you have such a public case like this that get involved, sometimes they can lead you astray with leads. But there's many been many times where online sleuths help solve these cases through some of the forensics that they're able to do.

I might also mention that, you know, using cryptocurrency as a as a ransom currency is not new. It's -- it's -- it's rare, but it's not new. In fact, we've had multiple high -- high level cases that have involved cryptocurrencies. These actors think that this type of currency can't be tracked. However, law enforcement over the last three or four years have gotten really good in tracking these type of transactions, so.

BRUNHUBER: I really appreciate getting your insights on this sad case. Donell Harvin, thanks so much for speaking with us.

HARVIN: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: A key Trump ally is awaiting the results of what's sure to be the biggest gamble of her political career. Polls are closing soon in a rare winter snap election that could deliver a big win for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. She called the election just three months after taking office in Japan, and she has vowed to step down if her party fails to secure a majority.

Takaichi's approval ratings are high among Japan's young and older voters alike. But there is some concern that the record snowfall that's blanketing much of the country could impact voter turnout.

Well, not long from now, American skier Lindsey Vonn will compete in the women's downhill, one of the premier events of the Milan-Cortina Olympics, and she's fighting through a tear in her ACL, a key ligament in her knee suffered in a skiing wipeout about a week ago.

The 41-year-old competed and completed two training runs on Saturday and posted the third fastest time in another run cut short by weather. Vonn already has three medals, including a gold from previous games. She wants a gold this time to cap her return from a six-year retirement. Her coach says she landed awkwardly on one training run, but is in good shape and ready to go.

Now, Vonn is one of many world class Olympic athletes that's ready for action as the second full day of the Milan Cortina Winter Games gets underway. So -- so far, host country Italy has secured three medals tied for first with Japan and Norway in the overall medal count.

Switzerland took home the first gold medal of the Winter Games on Saturday in men's downhill skiing. 24-year-old Franjo von Allmen topped the podium over Italy, whose skiers took both silver and bronze.

[05:10:09]

Protests against the Winter Games turned violent after night fell in Milan on Saturday. Turned violent after night fell in Milan on Saturday.

Clashes began after demonstrators shot fireworks and smoke bombs toward athletes housing near the Olympic Village. Police in riot gear responded by charging the protesters and dispersing them with water cannons and tear gas. Many demonstrators claim this year's games are causing environmental, economic and social harm.

And travelers saw delays in northern Italy on the first full day of the games because of what authorities are calling a possible premeditated attack on the rail lines. The railway says there were three separate incidents, including one involving an explosive device. Electrical cables were also cut and a fire was set in an electrical cabin. Investigators aren't ruling out anarchists, citing similarities to the rail attacks during the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Now, concerns about these kinds of security issues are top of mind for U.S. officials in Milan for the Winter Games. Special teams have been working behind the scenes for two years to ensure American athletes and visitors stay safe during their time in Italy. But as our Antonia Mortensen reports, the effort isn't without some controversy this year.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANTONIA MORTENSEN, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: I'm outside of the U.S. consulate in Milan, and we're about to go inside to have a look at U.S. security operations that will be in place here during the Winter Olympics.

TIMOTHY AYERS, MAJOR EVENTS COORDINATION DIRECTOR, U.S. DIPLOMATIC SECURITY SERVICE: What you have behind me is an interagency group from the United States Security Service called the International Security Event Group. What we do is we plan the security support for all of the events that happen outside the U.S.

MORTENSEN (voice-over): Planning the security operation for Olympic Games begins years in advance.

AYERS: So, about three and a half years advance is when we start to plan the events. We start to reach out to host country.

MORTENSEN (voice-over): By the two-year mark, special agents deployed to Italy full time dedicated exclusively to Olympic security preparations. Their mission covers everything from athlete safety to Americans visiting the country.

Security challenges are vast, from transportation across mountainous terrain to cybersecurity threats and even unmanned aircraft activity, especially during these games, where the events will be held over eight locations in northern Italy with main hubs in Milan and Cortina.

AYERS: It's transportation, getting people to and from. It's getting people inside and out of stadiums.

MORTENSEN (voice-over): Inside the joint operations center, personnel come from across the U.S. government, homeland security, justice, defense and the State Department.

AYERS: We have diplomatic security service special agents that are at every single venue. It's not just the center you see behind me.

MORTENSEN (voice-over): Italy remains in charge of overall security, but U.S. officials stress the partnership is close and focus on safeguarding American interests.

NICK FANELLI, SUPERVISORY SPECIAL AGENT, U.S. DIPLOMATIC SECURITY SERVICE: When we begin our coordination two years out, interacting with the Ministry of Interior, with Milano, with Milano Cortina, you know, a lot of that is catered around our interest in the games, fully respecting, you know, this is Italy's operation to run. We just want to be a good partner and support as best we can.

MORTENSEN (voice-over): Last week, news emerged initially that ICE employees would be present at the Winter Olympics, sparking demonstrations. The Italian government and the International Olympic Committee moved quickly to clarify their role. Officials emphasized that Homeland Security Investigations, or HSI, a distinct investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, will operate only within the U.S. diplomatic missions, are not operational agents and hold no executive authority in Italy. Despite the public backlash, U.S. officials say the presence of HSI staff is consistent with past international events.

(On camera): We've seen a few demonstrations here in Milan regarding the news that ICE agency employees will be part of these games. Can you tell us exactly what their function is here?

FANELLI: The U.S. government has an international security events group. It's an interagency body comprised of many federal law enforcement security agencies, Homeland Security Investigations being one of them, ICE's investigative arm. And Homeland Security Investigations, their focus is everything from transnational criminal organizations, countering terrorism, international property, intellectual property rights protection and so on and so forth.

So, every agency brings with it a different focus, but under that ICE ag (ph) 10 umbrella to support the collective security interests of U.S. security stakeholders.

MORTENSEN (voice-over): Antonia Mortensen, CNN, Milan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: To a developing story out of Russia. The country's security service says it has arrested the suspected shooter in the attack on a top general in Moscow. The statement says the attacker was caught in Dubai and an alleged accomplice has been detained in Moscow while another person reportedly involved in the attack fled to Ukraine.

General Vladimir Alexeyev was shot and seriously wounded on Friday before the attackers fled. He reportedly has regained consciousness and doctors are now cautiously optimistic.

[05:15:06]

New protests pop up in Minneapolis as the city honors Renee Good and Alex Pretti. That's coming up.

And New York City has been plunged into brutal cold for more than a week and that's exposed a crisis for the unhoused.

Just ahead, the challenge it's creating for the city's new mayor. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: Video out of Minneapolis shows anti-ICE protesters taking over the middle of an intersection. They filled it with trash, blocking traffic on Saturday before the police showed up. While that was happening, people gathered nearby to pay tribute to the two U.S. citizens killed last month by federal agents, Renee Good and Alex Pretti. CNN's Julia Vargas Jones has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, despite some protests, the focus of Saturday's event was to be a memorial for Renee Good, the 37-year-old woman shot and killed in her car by an ICE agent a month ago on January 7th, and Alex Pretti, the 37-year-old ICU nurse who was shot and killed by federal agents on January 24th.

The event, according to organizers, was also an opportunity for those who had witnessed violence, loss, and those immigration detentions to come together as a community.

[05:20:08]

Now, protest -- the nationwide protests that have followed the recent events in Minneapolis gathered even more momentum after the case of Liam Conejo Ramos, the 5-year-old who was taken into ICE custody along with his father on January 20th.

Now, at a court hearing on Friday, a judge postponed Liam's family's case to a later date, giving them more time to make their case for asylum. Now, family attorneys had asked the court for more time to respond to the motion for removals filed by the Department of Homeland Security. According to the attorneys, Liam's family entered the U.S. legally and applied for asylum in 2024.

Now, here's what Congressman Joaquin Castro, the Texas Democrat, who helped escort the family back to Minnesota, said that he's learned about the family's case.

JOAQUIN CASTRO, U.S. HOUSE DEMOCRAT: His family came in legally through the asylum process, and when I left the Dilley Detention Center, one of the ICE officers explained to me that his father was on a one-year parole-in-place, you know, permission, and so they should allow that to continue.

You know, they don't have a criminal record, have it -- but they're not a threat to the community. His mom is four months pregnant and had a medical emergency when she found out the news about Liam and Adrian, his father, being taken in.

So, they're in a very, very vulnerable situation right now, and they ought to be allowed to stay in Minnesota while their case is being heard.

JONES: In a statement to CNN, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said that the family is not slated for expedited removal and the motion is standard procedure. She said there is nothing retaliatory about enforcing the nation's immigration laws. At this time, there is no indication when the next hearing is expected, but an attorney for the family said that they are, quote, "grateful for the outpouring from the community."

Julia Vargas Jones, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: There's been more turmoil at "The Washington Post." Publisher Will Lewis has abruptly resigned his role. That comes just days after the newspaper laid off a third of its staff. Lewis was in the job just two years. In a brief note to the remaining staff, he thanked owner Jeff Bezos, saying, quote, "the institution could not have a better owner." Many "Post" journalists openly celebrated Lewis's departure, saying it was long overdue.

All right, taking a look at winter weather here in the U.S., some 80 million people on the east coast remain under extreme cold alerts. From Washington, D.C., to Philly and New York City, it's the same frigid temperatures that have been in place for weeks. But from the west coast to the central U.S., Americans are looking at temperatures well above average.

Now, those cold temperatures in New York City have taken a deadly toll. Nearly 20 people have died from exposure. And as CNN's Gloria Pazmino reports, dealing with the city's unhoused during this deep freeze has been a challenge for new mayor Zohran Mamdani.

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the cold temperatures have continued here in New York City for more than 10 days, and during this time period, the city of New York has been working to increase resources to help homeless people come inside. More than 1,200 homeless individuals have been moved into shelter, including 27 who had to be involuntarily removed from the streets. This cold temperature throughout the last several weeks has also exposed the reality of dealing with the crisis that the city has experienced for years.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROLANDO, HOMELESS NEW YORKER: I'm really going to tonight.

PAZMINO (voice-over): The words bring some relief to these homeless outreach workers. For weeks now, as New York City has been plunged into a persistent cold snap, they've been walking the streets of Harlem trying to convince homeless New Yorkers to take shelter.

ROLANDO: I promise you, I'm going it's cold now.

PAZMINO: Rolando has been on and off the streets of New York City for more than a decade.

ALY COLEMAN, PROGRAM DIRECTOR, CUCS STREET OUTREACH: It's so cold. I just don't want you outside.

PAZMINO: He is familiar with the workers from the Center for Urban Community Services. With freezing temperatures expected through this weekend, their outreach is likely to save lives.

COLEMAN: We're seeing who is on the street at this point in the day, who might be in need of assistance, clients that we don't know, people that we are trying to connect with.

PAZMINO: At least 17 people have died during the cold temperatures in recent days. Several of them had previously interacted with the shelter system.

MOLLY WASOW PARK, COMMISSIONER, NYC DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES: If you are living unsheltered in New York City, which is a right to shelter city, it means you have been failed by everybody in every system. Until we are thinking more holistically about how systems interact and also developing housing at a scale that we haven't seen in a long time, you know, we are going to have to continue to wrestle with homelessness.

[05:25:00]

PAZMINO: The city's cold weather emergency has created a challenge for Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The city has opened additional shelters, increased bed capacity, and set up dozens of warming centers. But not everyone is receptive right away.

ZOHRAN MAMDANI (D), NEW YORK CITY MAYOR: We want every New Yorker who needs help seeking warmth to be able to find it.

PAZMINO (voice-over): In the last two weeks, the city has opened two more safe haven sites in Lower Manhattan. The transitional housing facilities are designed to move chronically homeless people off the streets.

BROOKE VANEGAS, DEPUTY CHIEF OFFICER, CUCS: When someone moves in, we do an intake with them, and part of that process is assessing their immediate needs. Do they need to see a doctor? Do they have a medical issue?

PAZMINO: Safe havens are only one part of the city's effort to combat a crisis that's been unfolding for years. More than 80,000 New Yorkers live in city shelters. An additional 4,500 people are estimated to live on the street. These transitional shelters can be the beginning of recovery for some.

KEITH ELAM, FORMERLY HOMELESS: For a person like myself, when I was addicted to drugs, you know, I needed to stay out.

PAZMINO (voice-over): Keith Elam was in and out of the system for years until he landed at this safe haven location in Lower Manhattan. Now, he's on his way to a permanent apartment.

ELAM: You see people just on sidewalks and everything, and you feel like you can't help. One of the things I like to say to people, it takes a village to raise a child. Maybe just ask a person, do you need help?

PAZMINO (on camera): In the last day, the city has continued to scale up its efforts. They have opened a new safe haven shelter in the Bronx, and they're also launching a new pilot program which will partner outreach workers with homeless individuals. The idea is that those homeless individuals will work to get other people who are still on the street to try and convince them that it's safe to come inside.

Gloria Pazmino, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Ukraine's president says the U.S. has a time frame in mind for reaching a peace deal in his country. Still ahead, we'll have the details of Washington's plan just as Russia steps up its military strikes.

Plus, the U.S. sends a message about its military might on the heels of nuclear talks with Iran, that Iran is still pushing back on a key U.S. demand. Those stories and more coming up. Stay with us.

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[05:30:44]

BRUNHUBER: Welcome back, I'm Kim Brunhuber. Let's check some of today's top stories.

"Today" show host Savannah Guthrie and her sibling say, quote, "we will pay" for the safe return of their mother. Police believe 84-year- old Nancy Guthrie was taken from her home against her will last week. The FBI is investigating two messages sent to media outlets this week relating to Guthrie's disappearance. The first demanded millions of dollars in Bitcoin for her release.

As the Winter Games get underway in Milan, not everybody is sharing the Olympic joy. Protesters shot fireworks and smoke bombs toward athletes' housing near the Olympic Village Saturday night. Police used water cannons and tear gas to break things up. Many demonstrators say the games are causing environmental, economic, and social harm.

Crowds gathered in Minneapolis on Saturday to honor Renee Good, one month after she was shot and killed by federal immigration agents. Organizers said the memorial was also for Alex Pretti and all those who faced violence and loss amid President Trump's immigration crackdown. The Ukrainian president says the U.S. expects Russia and his nation to be back at the negotiating table in about a week, with a peace deal concluded by June. Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the next meeting will likely be in Miami, and Ukraine will be there. He spoke as his country was picking up the pieces after an attack on the backbone of its power grid. More than 400 drones and missiles targeted high voltage power lines and thermal plants overnight on Friday, causing widespread outages. Zelenskyy says the attack also forced Ukraine's nuclear power plants to scale down their production.

Well, after indirect nuclear talks on Friday produced a handshake and some statements of goodwill, the U.S. is reminding Iran about its military muscle. American negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visited the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier on Saturday. It's part of the military force that President Trump has deployed to the region for possible strikes if there's no new agreement. A source told CNN that Tehran knew about the visit in advance, but Iran is still pushing back with a warning on Saturday that it would hit U.S. bases in the region if it comes under attack.

Iran's foreign minister is making it clear Tehran isn't ready to fully give up its nuclear enrichment, saying no one will tell his country what it can or cannot have. That's according to an Iranian news agency. As Nic Robertson reports, that statement is hardly what U.S. negotiators wanted to hear.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: It is a little surprising to hear the Iranian foreign minister sort of so robustly apparently scotching the hopes, desires of the U.S. negotiating team going into those talks yesterday where they'd gone in to talk about Iran's enrichment of uranium, its stockpiles of enriched uranium, its ballistic missiles, its funding of proxies, its repression of its own people.

To have the foreign minister, A, come out of that meeting yesterday and say that it was positive and he believed that there could be longer-term negotiations coming, which is reflected in what President Trump has had to say as well, but that he should come out today and say that it's an undeniable right for Iran to be able to enrich uranium.

I mean, that seems to fly directly in the face of the U.S. position, that these are negotiations. But he also said it's non-negotiable to negotiate about Iran's ballistic missiles. That also is a surprise, because that, again, would seem to be a line that would scupper the potential of talks here. And President Trump being very, very clear for the Iranian leadership, despite how well the talks seem to be going so far, what's at stake for them? This is what he said.

DONALD TRUMP (R), U.S. PRESIDENT: The results today were with Iran. It was a meeting. We're going to meet again early next week. And they want to make a deal, Iran, as they should want to make a deal, you know, the consequences. If they don't -- they don't make a deal, the consequences are very steep. So, we'll see what happens. ROBERTSON: So, the president there really putting forward the possibility of military action. Consequences could be very -- could be very steep. The Abraham Lincoln, the other naval vessels that are in the Gulf, they're all capable of being involved in a much larger amount of military pressure on Iran. That's being held back at the moment.

[05:35:01]

But the president also doubling down on what else he can do beyond the military level of pressure. And those were the sanctions that we saw just yesterday. And these are sanctions that are intended, according to the State Department, to stop Iran funding terrorists in the region. Their proxies like Hezbollah to the north of here, Hamas in the south of Israel, in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen, all of that.

And as well to stop Iran to cut off its funding that the State Department says is being used to repress its people. So, it's not just military pressure that's being sort of held up, if you will, as a stake, but there's actual economic pressure being added into Iran.

So, where do the talks go from here? Expect talks in the next couple of days. But they're so far very slow and seem to be much more talks about talks rather than substance, which is really tough territory at the moment.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Now, those negotiations will undoubtedly be a leading topic of conversation this week when Israel's prime minister visits the White House. Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet with President Trump on Wednesday. In a statement, the prime minister's office says he plans to discuss the Iran talks specifically. Netanyahu's belief that any negotiations with Tehran must include limitations on ballistic missiles.

Sources tell CNN that the Trump administration plans to hold the first meeting of its Board of Peace on February 19th. It's expected to take place at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, which President Trump renamed in his own honor. Now, this would be the board's first meeting since the signing ceremony at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The group was originally pitched as a way to oversee Gaza's reconstruction, but its mission has changed and expanded to other world conflicts. Most European allies of the U.S. haven't agreed to join.

All right, now to the latest fallout in Europe from the release of files connected to Jeffrey Epstein. Jack Lang, a former French culture minister, has resigned as president of the Arab World Institute. He bowed to mounting pressure to step down after being linked to the convicted sex offender. Newly released documents revealed years of correspondence and financial links between Lang and Epstein that led authorities to launch an investigation. That's according to French media reports.

And joining me live now from Paris is CNN's Melissa Bell. So, Melissa, I mean, these Epstein files, the repercussions going far and wide. Take us through what's happening there.

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What's remarkable is, first of all, I think, Kim, the number of countries where you've seen this sort of fallout, but also the time that it's taken, the sheer volume of the latest release of files means that it takes, first of all, a while to comb through them. In terms of the individual countries that have seen personalities caught up in this, it then takes the pressure to build. And that's been the case for Jack Lang.

He's been on the front page of the French press now for a week. He's been summoned to the foreign ministry. There was pressure from the Elysee as well. And then the announcement from the judiciary of this tax evasion probe. All of this pressure, in the end, led to the 86- year-old who so far refused to stand down from that pretty plump position at the head of the Arab World Institute that he's had since 2013.

Finally, what we heard yesterday was that he was standing down to try and clear his name and to fend off this judicial probe.

Now, Jack Lang is one example amongst many, many others. There are more than 600 mentions of him in the Epstein documents that were released in this latest series of releases. They implicate him and his daughter, not just in terms of the friendly, cozy relationship that Jeffrey Epstein and Jack Lang apparently had, but also because of this offshore company that had been built between Jeffrey Epstein and the Lang family to try and promote young artists.

Still, there is a financial involvement as well. And I think that is probably what, in the end, led to the pressure. And it's a pattern that you've seen repeated in country after country. The United Kingdom, the British prime minister still fighting for his political survival with growing rumblings, Kim, on his back benches regarding his appointment of Peter Mandelson as the job of Washington ambassador for the United Kingdom. It has hit the British royal family in the shape of Prince Andrew, further disgraced by the latest revelations. It's hit the Norwegian royal family, the Norwegian political classes as well, in the shape of a former prime minister.

So, it is ministers, it is former prime ministers, it is royalty being caught up in this scandal that you learn more and more about the depths of these relationships that, by the way, were formed or continued after Jeffrey Epstein had been convicted as a child sex offender. And this, in the terms of how the public see things these days, the more they find out about these kinds of relationships, I think the less tolerance there is that these people should still be in positions of power. And I think that's, in the end, what has finally cost Jack Lang his position, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, I appreciate that. Melissa Bell in Paris, thanks so much.

[05:40:02]

Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn is defying her age and the odds by competing Sunday with a knee injury. Ahead, we'll speak to a sports injury specialist about her recovery and what it may mean for her Olympic dreams. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: Well, we're now into the heart of competitions at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games as the world's top athletes compete for their golden moment. And American star skier Lindsey Vonn is among them, braving steep competition in the women's downhill race, which just started a few minutes ago. Vonn is still waiting for her turn at the top of the mountain.

Now, Vonn's journey to Milan has been anything but straightforward. The 41-year-old three-time medalist is returning from a six-year retirement and just last week suffered the tear of her ACL, a key ligament in her knee, when she wiped out in a race in Switzerland.

Joining me now for more on this live from Zurich, Switzerland, is orthopedic and trauma surgeon Dr. Andreas Kruger. Thank you so much for being here with us. Appreciate it. So, having watched, you know, Lindsey Vonn going down those training runs, I mean, the third fastest time, you know, myself, most of our audience are wondering, I mean, how is this possible?

So, let's -- let's start with the knee itself. For people who aren't familiar with the ACL, help us understand what it does and why losing it is such a big deal for an athlete like Lindsey Vonn.

DR. ANDREAS KRUGER, ORTHOPEDIC AND TRAUMA SURGEON: Well, thank you for the introduction. The ACL is one of the most important parts of your knee. It's like the ligament which keeps the rotation stability and also the AP. This means the anterior posterior stability in the knee. When you lose it, you have a risk to actually have a loss of stability in the knee.

BRUNHUBER: OK, well, I mean --

KRUGER: It's a common injury we see here. So, we have a lot of these injuries coming up with the snow conditions we have at the moment.

[05:45:01]

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, I can imagine. And, I mean, you have plenty of experience treating skiers where you are. So, just how remarkable is what she's doing here? I mean, we're competing, you know, we're talking about competing in the Olympics just a week after completely rupturing her ACL in the way you've explained it. I mean, it's so crucial keeping that stability. How is she able to do it?

KRUGER: Well, Lindsey Vonn is -- is one of a kind. I mean, she has broken all the records. She did things which other people will never achieve in her life, so -- in their life. So, imagine what she can do when she wants to do something. She is really keen to compete in the Olympics. This is her greatest goal in life. So, she will do everything to be able to do it. And she is known for being excellent in stability. She is known for being excellent with leg power, explosive leg power. And she is an absolute pro athlete, beating all the records.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, I mean, I'm keen too. But, you know, just the physics of -- of having these injuries means you can have all the will in the world, but, you know, your body sometimes lets you down. Now, you talked about her musculature. We were showing pictures of her squatting. And obviously, she is a supremely powerful athlete. But on the other hand, I know, you know, from my own knee problems, unfortunately, when you injure your knee, the muscles in your leg can -- can kind of shut down. So, explain how all of this works and what her body is doing right now to keep her knee stable.

KRUGER: Yeah, you're absolutely right that there are people who actually cannot walk one step after they injured the ACL. Just a singular ACL injury can give a lot of people a lot of trouble. And there are other people, they just feel a little pop that something happened. And like two weeks later, they walk like nearly normal. So, there's people we call them coper. This means they can cope with this injury. And there are other ones which are not able to cope. They are actually needed this graft.

So, whenever you're a coper, you can be fine just by controlling your knee and your leg by muscle power. Officially, the knee is stabilized by both, by muscle power and by the ligaments. So, it would be best to have both. And some people just are happy when they have their muscle power.

BRUNHUBER: Interesting. All right. So, I mean, it looks not having, you know, looked at her, but it sounds like she would be a coper, I guess.

In skiing, though, the margins are milliseconds, not seconds. I mean, do you think she can actually perform at 100 percent with this injury?

KRUGER: Well, for sure, she will do everything to be on the peak of her performance. And she did some extra trainings as I heard. So, she will be ready for the moment. This is her lifetime moment. So, I think she will be able to compete the level we will see. I mean, this is always a competition. It can be the moment where you fail or the moment where you win. So, everything is in.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. No matter what happens here, you know, there are still the long-term consequences. I mean, even if she gets through a race OK, I mean, what kind of damage could she be doing to her knee by competing on a ruptured ACL?

KRUGER: So, from an athlete's standpoint, I mean, for sure, she wants to do that race. From a medical standpoint, it's always better to have a healthy, stable knee. So, when there is an automatic instability by losing your ACL, you have more chance to rotate your knee. And there are certain situations, for example, when you land in an awkward position of your knee, then you have -- you need more power to hold the position.

So, when you get into that risky situation, which is quite often in skiing, you can lose the control over your knee and then you start rotating. And whenever rotation comes with axial load, this is the moment where actually all the structures get challenged. And whenever there is no ACL, then for sure you're going to have some more rotation in that knee. And that challenged the ligaments on the outside, which gave the envelope for the knee, and also the meniscus and cartilage, which is inside the knee.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. A challenge upon challenges for Lindsey Vonn, I'm sure. Millions of Americans, and I dare say probably millions of people around the world, will be cheering her on. The race has started. She hasn't gone down yet, as I understand it, but so many people will be watching and hoping.

Dr. Andreas Kruger, thank you so much for speaking with us. Appreciate it.

KRUGER: Pleasure to have me. All the best for Lindsey.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. All right, we'll be right back with more here on "CNN Newsroom." Stay with us.

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[05:53:41]

BRUNHUBER: Well, later today, more than 100 million people are expected to tune in to watch the Super Bowl matchup taking place between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. CNN's Andy Scholes is in California with more on what's at stake for both teams in the biggest game of the year.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: We are now less than 24 hours away from Super Bowl 60 here in the Bay Area, and come tomorrow night, either Drake Maye will become the youngest quarterback ever to win the Super Bowl, or Sam Darnold will have completed the incredible comeback journey from bust to champion.

Now, Maye is just 23 years old, and when he was 13, his dad brought him to the Super Bowl here in the Bay Area to see his favorite team, the Panthers, play Peyton Manning and the Broncos, and Maye says it's pretty incredible that he is now back playing in the big game.

DRAKE MAYE, QUARTERBACK, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: It's a full circle moment. I think that's the biggest thing. You know, what a moment. Just so thankful for my dad who was able to take, you know, take me to the Super Bowl. Don't take it for granted. Not every kid gets to experience that.

I was watching my favorite team at the time, and got a chance to watch, you know, Peyton Manning's last game. You know, what a cool experience that was. And now to be here and playing, you know, one myself, you know, I don't take it for granted. I know how special this is. I'm just trying to enjoy it, enjoy it with my teammates, enjoy it with everybody who helped get me here, and from there, I'll go try to win it.

SCHOLES: And we're talking with people here in the Bay Area this week. Lots of people are polling for Sam Darnold, but if he is to win the game on Sunday, Darnold's going to have to do something he's never done before, and that's play well against the Patriots.

[05:55:11]

In his career, Darnold is 0-4 against New England with one touchdown pass and nine interceptions, but he's not dwelling on the past. He's looking to complete his incredible comeback journey on football's biggest stage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAM DARNOLD, QUARTERBACK, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: I grew up dreaming of this moment, so you know, I grew up watching, you know, a ton of great football players and a ton of great football teams get to this moment and make great plays. And I feel like, you know, whenever that happened after the Super Bowl, I was always, you know, emulating that in my backyard, my front yard with my friends. So, yeah, I always dreamed of -- of moments like this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Now, according to the American Gaming Association, a record $1.76 billion is expected to be bet on Super Bowl 60. And, of course, there are tons of fun prop bets you can do. For example, what will Bad Bunny's first song be? Titi Me Pregunto is the favorite. And will Stefon Diggs propose to his girlfriend Cardi B after the Super Bowl is another one? Yes Pays 11 to 1. And there's actually a lot of Cardi B bets. She's the betting favorite to join Bad Bunny during his Super Bowl halftime performance.

JLO, also one of the favorites there. You could also bet on if a player or coach will be shown crying during the national anthem. We've seen it before, and, well, the odds suggest we're going to see it again. And, of course, you can bet on what color Gatorade is going to get poured on the winning coach. Orange, yellow, and blue, basically all the same odds. Yellow did win last year. And before the game, there's always the coin toss. You can bet on that. And Tails is actually winning right now, 31 to 28 in Super Bowl. So, I guess heads is due.

BRUNHUBER: All right, that wraps this hour of "CNN Newsroom." I'm Kim Brunhuber. For our viewers in North America, "CNN This Morning" is next. For the rest of the world, it's "Connecting Africa."

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