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FBI Analyzes DNA from Glove Found 2 Miles from Guthrie's Home; Rubio: Trump Seeks Diplomatic Solution in Iran; Rubio at Munich Security Forum: U.S., Europe 'Belong Together'; Partial U.S. Government Shutdown Over Failure to Fund DHS; Nancy Guthrie's Neighbor on Investigation; CNN Speaks to Team USA Hype Man Flavor Flav; China's Marriage Rates Rise after Law. Aired 12-1a ET
Aired February 16, 2026 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JULIE K. BROWN, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER, "MIAMI HERALD": Plant stories in the media that were negative of the police chief, that it was some kind of a vendetta by the police. I mean, it was just very baseless claims that they were making to try to discredit the police, the detective, the victims.
[00:00:14]
They followed the victims. They followed the victims' families. I mean, it was an all-out campaign to discredit anyone who was trying to implicate or accuse Epstein of any of these crimes.
ANDERSON COOPER, ANN ANCHOR: Wow. Well, Julie K. Brown, I appreciate you being on. Thank you.
The news continues right here on CNN.
BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello. Wherever you are in the world, you are now in the CNN NEWSROOM with me, Ben Hunte, in Atlanta, and it is so good to have you with me.
Coming up on the show, Savannah Guthrie makes a new plea for her missing mother, saying it's never too late to do the right thing.
This, as the FBI says, a glove found near Nancy Guthrie's home appears to match those worn by the suspect captured on her doorbell video.
And Coy Wire busts some rhymes with rapper Flavor Flav, the bobsled and skeleton hype man at the Winter Olympics.
ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Ben Hunte.
HUNTE: Welcome. Let's begin in Arizona, where the desperate search for missing 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie now stretches into a third week.
On Sunday, Nancy's daughter -- that's "Today Show" host Savannah Guthrie -- posted yet another plea for her mother's safe return. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, "TODAY SHOW" HOST: I wanted to come on and -- It's
been two weeks since our mom was taken, and I just wanted to come on and say that we still have hope. And we still believe.
And I wanted to say to whoever has her or knows where she is that it's never too late. And you're not lost or alone. And it is never too late to do the right thing.
And we are here, and we believe. And we believe in the essential goodness of every human being. And it's never too late.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTE: This comes as authorities are still trying to identify the person seen approaching Nancy Guthrie's home on February 1st just hours before she was reported missing. So far, no suspects have been named in Guthrie's disappearance.
The FBI says they are now awaiting final DNA test results from a glove recovered about two miles away from Guthrie's home.
CNN's Ivan Rodriguez has the latest for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IVAN RODRIGUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The FBI says a glove found near Nancy Guthrie property --
RODRIGUEZ (voice-over): -- matches that of a man approaching Nancy Guthrie's front door when he was caught on that doorbell footage.
The FBI says that DNA from that recovered glove is currently being analyzed and could take anywhere between 24 to 48 hours.
The FBI has described this man as anywhere between five-foot 9 to 5 foot ten inches tall, with an average build.
Now, beyond the DNA testing, if the recovered glove is found to belong to that man approaching Nancy's front door, it could become an important clue for investigators to help track the movements of this person after they allegedly abducted Nancy Guthrie.
The sheriff's department is also asking neighbors who live --
RODRIGUEZ: -- within a two-mile radius of Nancy's home to check their surveillance cameras for any sort of footage between January 1 and February 2, and they can submit that footage through their online evidence portal.
Now, a big obstacle for investigators has been getting that clear image and videos from other neighbors in the area, because homes are pushed back from the road. And there's a lot of trees obstructing the view here of the road.
RODRIGUEZ (voice-over): Throughout the day, we've also seen plenty of people come by and leave behind yellow flowers of hope, hoping for Nancy Guthrie's safe return.
RODRIGUEZ: In Catalina Foothills, Arizona, I'm Ivan Rodriguez.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTE: Joining me now is Dan O'Shea, a retired Navy SEAL commander and former U.S. hostage negotiator.
Dan, we are now entering the third week since Nancy Guthrie disappeared and still no arrests. But investigators say new DNA evidence from a glove appears to match the suspect.
How significant is that development? And is this potentially a turning point, or are investigators still searching for a clearer break, do you think?
DAN O'SHEA, FORMER U.S. HOSTAGE NEGOTIATOR: If the DNA is confirmed, connected to the same glove we saw on that video of the perpetrator, this -- this could be a game changer.
Even if this gentleman's DNA isn't in the FBI database, there's likely that a relative is. And if that's the case, they'll be able to narrow down the subject of the investigation. And this could be the break they've been looking for since, you know, 15 days ago.
[00:05:17]
HUNTE: Savannah Guthrie made a direct emotional plea earlier to whoever has her mother, saying it's never too late to do the right thing.
In these sorts of real-world hostage situations, do public appeals like that help change things? Or can they potentially complicate things happening behind the scenes?
O'SHEA: No, they're -- they're absolutely -- she's humanizing her mother. Someone, and it doesn't need to be the individual directly involved, but someone knows something about where mother is. And if that person, as she pled, do the right thing, can call to that FBI tip line, that -- that could also break open the case.
HUNTE: We have also seen reported ransom notes demanding bitcoin, but no confirmed proof of life. What does that signal to you so far?
O'SHEA: Well, from the beginning, there has been no direct correlation between the ransom notes and the purported folks that are holding her mother.
This bitcoin request, they said, we will -- we can give up the individual that was on that video for bitcoin, which is roughly $65,000. That's the -- the price of the FBI reward just went up to 100,000. They don't need a bitcoin. They can just call on that tip line and collect 100,000.
So, I really believe these ransom notes have been more of a distraction than anything else. And I don't think they have had a direct connection to who has her mother, unfortunately.
HUNTE: This case is drawing comparisons to some high-profile abductions from the past. What lessons should law enforcement and the family keep in mind from some of those massive historic cases?
O'SHEA: Well, most kidnappings -- everyone wants everything to be solved quickly. Most kidnappings can take weeks, months, and years.
This is truly -- they're looking for a needle in a haystack. People need to be patient. There is a tremendous law enforcement footprint, from the FBI to local authorities, on the ground. And they need to continue to call into those -- into that tip line.
And, you know, in the 24 hours after that video appeared, there were 4,000 leads. So, there's still a lot of work being done by investigators on the ground. People need to show patience, because these cases are not resolved quickly.
HUNTE: Authorities say that thousands of tips have poured in. Can you walk us through how teams actually break down that massive volume of information, especially in a relatively short window, to make sure they don't miss any major things?
O'SHEA: Oh, it's -- it's -- we never had anything like this. We did have a tip line. We did have some intelligence come in, but we had to fight for every -- every piece of intelligence that came in, in the cases we were working in Iraq. And these were hostage rescue cases being held by terrorist groups. So, a little bit different scenario here.
Again, 4,000 tips came in, in that 24-hour window after that video came out. And I've heard prior to that, that they had had -- received 18,000.
So, think about that. If you've got 100 FBI agents on the ground, do the math. You know, just divide and conquer that. That's -- that's a lot of work being done by analysts and investigators on the ground.
That's what we've seen. Repeated attempts for the teams to go back out to the House, collect forensics.
But it's an all-hands effort. And this -- this case is reminiscent of maybe the Charles Lindbergh case almost 100 years ago. Very tragic. It was in international headlines. There had been a ransom demand.
And ultimately, their -- their child was found, you know -- you know, relatively near to the House. And the suspicions were that he had probably been killed on the first day.
So, we don't want to go down that path. But there are -- this -- this is going to go in the annals of one of the most prominent kidnapping cases, simply from the media coverage, for sure, on this case.
HUNTE: From that huge amount of experience that you do have, based on what you know so far, what are you genuinely expecting to happen in the next few days? O'SHEA: Well again, I'm -- I'm -- my hope -- you can never give up
hope. But it -- it just gets harder and harder with each passing day.
We know she was a senior citizen. She had medicine she was supposed to be on every day. We don't know if she's been on her medications. We're going into the third week.
It gets very hard. But let's -- let's hope that that -- Savannah Guthrie's latest plea to the -- directly to the -- to the folks responsible for taking her mother, that someone will make a call, and we can -- we can end this nightmare.
HUNTE: OK. Well, Dan O'Shea, thank you so much for that. We appreciate it. I'm sure we'll speak to you again very soon.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to meet with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the coming hours.
Rubio arrived in Budapest on Sunday as part of his European trip. Earlier that day, he was in Slovakia, where he said the White House does not want Europe to be dependent on the U.S., but wants it to be a partner.
[00:10:06]
Hungary's far-right prime minister has a very good relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump. In November, Trump granted Hungary a one- year exemption from U.S. sanctions for buying Russian oil and gas.
U.S. and Iranian officials are set to hold a new round of high-stakes nuclear talks in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday. Sources say U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to attend.
This all comes as the Trump administration ramps up its military pressure on Tehran, sending a second U.S. aircraft carrier group to the Middle East.
Iran has said it will attack U.S. bases if the U.S. attacks again.
President Trump says if Iran wants to avoid a potential military strike, it should, quote, "give us a deal." But Secretary of State Marco Rubio insists President Trump is focused on a diplomatic solution.
CNN's Julia Benbrook has the latest for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Over the weekend, Secretary of State Marco Rubio --
BENBROOK (voice-over): -- said that President Donald Trump has made it clear that he prefers diplomacy when dealing with Iran and that they are focused in on negotiations right now.
These comments come as we do expect the next round of talks between the United States and Iran to take place in a matter of days.
According to sources who spoke with CNN, those talks will take place on Tuesday in Geneva, Switzerland. And both U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, as well as Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, will be in attendance.
Now, Rubio did say that those two are going to be having important meetings soon. And essentially, we'll see what happens. As he said, the goal here is to come to a successful deal.
BENBROOK: He also highlighted the complexity of the situation. Take a listen.
MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We're dealing with people who make political, geopolitical decisions on the basis of pure theology, and it's a complicated thing.
I mean, no one's ever been able to do a successful deal with Iran, but we're going to try.
Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will be traveling. I think they're traveling right now to have important meetings, and we'll see how that turns out.
And we'll always comply with the applicable laws of the United States in terms of involving Congress in any decisions. But right now, we're not talking about any of that.
BENBROOK: The United States recently dispatched a second aircraft carrier group --
BROOK (voice-over): -- to the Middle East, which Trump says is in place if they are not able to reach a diplomatic solution.
He did say those ships would depart if a solution is reached.
BENBROOK: Traveling with the president in Florida, Julia Benbrook, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTE: The United States' top diplomat told European allies at the Munich Security Conference that they, quote, "belong together." CNN's Fred Pleitgen wraps up the most important moments of that conference.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: High-stakes security conference coming to an end here in Munich, Germany.
Of course, one of the highlights was U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his speech in front of the delegates here in Munich.
And basically, the folks who are here breathing a sigh of relief after that speech. On the one hand, the U.S. secretary of state criticizing America's European allies, but also extending a welcoming hand, saying that the United States wants to continue to be an ally of European nations.
At the same time, the U.S. is trying to move along the negotiations process to try and end the war in Ukraine. The next round of talks is set to happen in Geneva, in Switzerland, in the next couple of days, involving, of course, the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia.
Now the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, he showed some frustration at the way the talks are going. Here's what he had to say.
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: The Americans often return to the topic of concessions, and too often, those concessions are discussed in the context only of Ukraine, not Russia. Europe is practically -- practically not present at the table. It's a big mistake, to my mind.
PLEITGEN: Now, when Zelenskyy speaks about concessions, he first and foremost, of course, means some of those territorial concessions the Ukrainians might have to make as part of any peace agreement.
At the same time, another big topic here at the Munich Security Conference is -- were some bold allegations by five European nations surrounding the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. He, of course, died in a Russian prison colony under mysterious circumstances, pretty much exactly two years ago.
And the European countries now say they have evidence that he most probably was poisoned.
Now, I asked the European Commission's foreign policy chief about all of this. Here's what she had to say.
KAJA KALLAS, EUROPEAN FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF: Well, it's not really surprising, is it? I mean, he's working like regular dictators are working. I mean, eliminate all the competitors and, you know, keep the power structures and oligarchs happy, and you stay in power. And you can do whatever you want, even if, you know, the people are not pleased.
PLEITGEN: It's a long way to go, though, to use dart frog poison, isn't it? That's --
KALLAS: Well --
PLEITGEN: -- on someone who's in a prison colony anyway.
[00:15:00]
KALLAS: Yes, but I think it also shows how the Russians are thinking; exploring new ways to actually use. So, this is -- this is the way they operate against their own people, against people in prison.
PLEITGEN: Now, the Russians have since come out and categorically denied those allegations. They call all of the things that are being said around the death of Alexei Navalny and Russia's alleged involvement, a farce.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Munich, Germany.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTE: U.S. President Donald Trump says his newly-formed Board of Peace will announce a $5 billion pledge for humanitarian aid and reconstruction in Gaza.
He posted on social media, saying that members have also committed thousands of personnel toward a stabilization force and local police to maintain security in the enclave.
The first so-called Board of Peace gathering will take place on Thursday at the U.S. Institute of Peace, which President Trump recently renamed after himself.
OK, still to come, U.S. lawmakers clash over proposals to fund the Department of Homeland Security. But can they end this new shutdown in enough time to avoid disaster? See you in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HUNTE: Welcome back. High tensions in Washington this week as lawmakers clash over funding proposals for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
[00:20:05]
The department shut down over the weekend after Congress failed to agree on a deal, and little movement could come this week, since both chambers are now in recess.
Among the Democrats' demands for agreeing to funding are mandatory body cameras for immigration agents. They also want to prevent agents from wearing masks and obscuring their identities.
Democrats also want to require immigration agents to use judicial warrants instead of their easier-to-obtain administrative warrants they've been using. And put an end to roving agent patrols, too.
Despite the partial shutdown, many DHS employees will still be required to work but won't be paid. That includes agencies like FEMA, the Coast Guard, TSA, and even the Secret Service.
CNN's Camila DeChalus has more details on the shutdown from Washington.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAMILA DECHALUS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, in the last few hours, we're hearing more from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers --
DECHALUS (voice-over): -- that they want to see this partial government shutdown end. But they're still trying to figure out a deal that both sides can agree on, in order to make that happen. Now, the big issue here is that the Department of Homeland Security
has really come under intense criticism in the last few weeks over the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal agents.
And that's why you hear more Democratic lawmakers calling for reforms around immigration enforcement in exchange for them supporting a spending bill to fund DHS.
Now, recently, we had the House minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries, tell CNN that Democrats are kind of working on a counter-proposal to send back to the White House.
DECHALUS: And we are hearing more from lawmakers on both sides that bipartisan talks are underway to try to strike some type of a deal, but those details really haven't been ironed out yet. Take a listen to what both sides had to say.
SEN. MARKWAYNE MULLIN (R-OK): ICE and the Border Patrol is funded through the one Big, Beautiful Bill up until 2028. And so, the only thing they have shut down is the federal agents -- agencies that are named, like FEMA, and the Coast Guard, and TSA. So, they're shutting down thousands of workers for nothing but a talking point.
SEN. CHRIS COONS (D-DE): The outcry from Americans has caused the White House to be willing to negotiate with us on reasonable standards of conduct. That's a positive.
We need to see that get into statute before we vote on this last piece of federal funding.
This isn't a big government shutdown. It is a, hopefully, temporary disagreement over the standards of conduct of the officers who operate under the Department of Homeland Security.
DECHALUS: Now, as a partial government shutdown continues --
DECHALUS (voice-over): -- with the lapse of funding for the Department of Homeland Security, that really does mean that critical federal agencies that have nothing to do with immigration enforcement, like the Coast Guard, FEMA, and TSA, they will also be impacted.
And the significance of this, really, is the fact that hundreds and thousands of federal employees under DHS will have to stay on the job, but many of them will go without pay.
And so, what you're hearing now is more urgency --
DECHALUS: -- from lawmakers to get something done. But where things stand right now is that --
DECHALUS (voice-over): -- both the House and the Senate side, they're not expected to return back to Capitol Hill until February 23.
DECHALUS: But GOP leaders tell us that they could still call back members of Congress if a deal has been reached. And so, that's something that we're actively monitoring. Camile DeChalus, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTE: Joining us now is Larry Sabato, director for the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia and editor of "A Return to Normalcy: The 2020 Election that Almost Broke America."
Thank you so much for being with me again, Larry.
We are back in a government shutdown, a partial shutdown at the moment, at Department of Homeland Security, centered on funding for ICE.
Politically, who has more leverage right now in this standoff? Who's winning?
LARRY SABATO, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR POLITICS, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: I don't think there's any question about it. The Democrats have more leverage, because the public has turned strongly against ICE and against Trump's immigration and deportation policies.
And that gives Democrats a much better chance of getting some of what they want. They won't get all of it, but they'll get some of what they want -- demands to control ICE -- than they did in the shutdown we had just a few months ago that lasted 43 days, and the Democrats caved on that one.
HUNTE: Democrats say that they want guardrails on immigration agents, like warrant requirements and limits on face coverings.
Republicans say, but that's just tying the hands of law enforcement. How is all of this playing out with voters beyond the Capitol?
SABATO: I have really been stunned at the rapidity of change in public opinion on this subject. Because if you just go back a year, there's no question that immigration, even more than the economy, propelled Trump back into the White House. And pretty solidly, he had the support not just of his base, but a group of independents and even some Democrats.
Well, no longer. Now you have 60 to 62 percent of Americans opposing the Trump policies on deportation. And that pretty much summarizes where Americans are.
[00:25:00]
HUNTE: Even though DHS funding has lapsed, most employees, including ICE and TSA agents, are still working without pay. Does that take the heat off lawmakers, or could it make the public even angrier?
SABATO: That lasts for a while. You know, there's no question that people want to see government employees paid, and the government employees even more so want to see them -- see themselves paid.
So, at a certain point, if they start calling in sick, particularly the TSA workers, and airports have to be shut down, then you'll see a reaction.
But will the public turn against Republicans or the Democrats? Because of Trump, I think it's more likely to be the Republicans.
HUNTE: We have seen Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer call ICE a rogue police force, and former President Barack Obama talk about rogue behavior by federal agents in Minneapolis.
How much do you think that language shapes the national debate on immigration enforcement, as you were talking about before?
SABATO: I don't think that language shapes it. I think that both of those politicians are reflecting the change that's already taken place in public opinion.
Barack Obama went further than I've ever heard him go before in saying that this is a sort of policy, an arrangement with law enforcement, that reminds him of dictatorships abroad.
And increasingly, you hear Americans talking about that. The fear of interference in the midterm elections coming up in November. You didn't hear a lot of that by prominent people in public. You heard some of that behind the scenes, but it's becoming the norm.
HUNTE: If this shutdown does drag on, what could shift public opinion one way or another? And what lessons from past shutdowns should lawmakers be paying attention to, especially considering that some Democrats gave up last time and still didn't even get their way?
SABATO: Well, you just put your finger on why Democrats can't afford to give up this time. The base, the Democratic base, was furious at the Democratic leadership giving up just a few months ago. They will absolutely be in open revolt if they do it again.
So, Democrats are going to have to carry this through, no matter what pain is apparent, at least for the short term.
Now, it's not as though Republicans will necessarily cave, because Donald Trump would have to give at least partial permission, and so would the Republican leadership in both Houses of Congress. And it isn't obvious how they will do that.
So, you can always hope for a quick resolution and compromise. It's there behind the scenes. But you have to have the big players willing to give that green light, and then you can have a quick resolution.
Otherwise, we could have another long, in this case, partial shutdown.
HUNTE: I can't believe we're back. It just felt like yesterday that the last one happened. My goodness.
For now, though, Larry Sabato, appreciate it. We'll speak to you again soon.
SABATO: Thank you, Ben. HUNTE: OK. True crime enthusiasts are descending on Arizona as the
search for Nancy Guthrie continues. They claim they're helping to keep attention on the case, but some officials say they're doing more harm than good. That story just ahead.
See you in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[00:31:39]
HUNTE: Welcome back. I'm Ben Hunte. Let's take a look at today's top stories.
The U.S. and Iran are set to hold a new round of nuclear talks in Geneva on Tuesday. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the Trump administration wants diplomacy.
But this comes as the U.S. is moving another aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East, with Trump saying, quote, "In case we don't make a deal, we'll need it."
White House border czar Tom Homan is pushing back against the demands that Democrats are making before they'll vote to reopen the Department of Homeland Security.
On Sunday, Homan said claims of racial profiling by immigration agents were, quote, "just not occurring." He also defended agents wearing face coverings to conceal their identities.
DHS will stay closed until lawmakers can agree on a funding package.
It's now been more than two weeks since 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie was reported missing, but her family is still holding onto hope.
Her daughter, "Today Show" host Savannah Guthrie, appeared to address her mother's alleged abductor directly on Sunday. In her latest social media post, she said it is never too late to do the right thing.
The high-profile case has drawn many true crime live streamers and podcasters to Arizona, and not everyone thinks they're helping the search.
State lawmaker Alma Hernandez took to social media to accuse them of undermining the investigation, saying in part, quote, "I am so sick of watching the reporting, grifting insane speculation, lies, and B.S. by random wannabe journalists and youtubers who have now caused more harm than good to this entire situation and put this serious case in jeopardy. Please go home. Let law enforcement do their jobs."
Tell us what you really think.
A Tucson native herself, Hernandez warns the influx of true crime enthusiasts could harm the investigation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) REP. ALMA HERNANDEZ (D), ARIZONA STATE HOUSE: Everyone in our communities, everyone in Arizona, really wants to make sure that Nancy comes home to her family, both safe and unharmed.
However, at the end of the day, what we're seeing in our community and our city right now is just not normal, right? We have individuals who are calling themselves journalists, who are youtubers and, quite frankly, just really random individuals who are out there with their cameras and live streaming.
But I think at the end of the day, what we need to be talking about is the fact that these individuals are actually, like I said, causing more harm than good.
I have, you know, just on social media these last few weeks, we've seen rumors start that -- post -- individuals posting videos and pictures of people that have nothing to do at all with anything in this case.
And they're trying to point at -- you know, they're trying to find anything at this point to stay relevant and get the clicks on social media.
And it's extremely frustrating. And, you know, I felt like I needed to call it out, because every single day when I log on to social media -- and I live here in Tucson.
Every day I log into social media, it's a random, you know, quote, unquote, "reporter," if you want to call it that, who's saying, you know, oh, I'm following FBI. I'm on the mission to go and find these individuals, that they're -- they're serving a warrant on. And I just think that's extremely inappropriate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTE: Joining me now from Arizona is Marla Handler, one of Nancy Guthrie's neighbors.
Marla, firstly, thank you so much for being with me. We really appreciate it. How are you doing at the moment?
[00:35:06]
MARLA HANDLER, NEIGHBOR OF NANCY GUTHRIE: Yes, it's -- it's really tough. It's really tough. Neighbors are saying that they are heartbroken, that humanity can be so cruel at times. And it's just painful to see how people can treat another person.
HUNTE: You have lived near Nancy Guthrie around Tucson. Where were you and what was your first reaction when you first heard that she was missing? And how did the community immediately respond?
HANDLER: Yes, we heard it on the news, just like everyone in the Catalina Foothills. We're a very small community. It's only -- Tucson makes up about a half a million people. So, we're very close-knit and kind, helpful people. And we were all shocked. We heard it on the news. We expected something to be resolved within a
day or so. But this is going on now two weeks, and there is still no proof of life. And we're not hearing, and it sounds like we're not getting any further to -- to an arrest and to get Nancy Guthrie back home to her family.
HUNTE: Investigators have been asking neighbors to share surveillance footage. Were you approached? Anyone you know been approached? And how cooperative has a neighbor have been with law enforcement?
HANDLER: Yes, the -- the FBI has been very diligent. They have been turning over every rock. They have been in our neighborhood, the streets. The main street right off Nancy's House is Campbell. And they are asking everyone.
They have -- we've seen them in our neighborhood, closer to our street. They have not asked us. But our neighborhood has, as well, looked for anything suspicious on our cameras, on our security alarms.
And we personally, within the blocks around us, we have not identified anything suspicious, or automatically, we would share this with the FBI.
HUNTE: And on that, there have been a lot of law enforcement vehicles, FBI personnel. We've had road closures, huge amounts of media crews around your streets.
What has the atmosphere been like day-to-day for you and your neighbors?
HANDLER: Yes, it's just -- you know, there's just a deep sadness, disheartening. I mean, our neighborhood is very peaceful and quiet in the Catalina Foothills.
And experiencing something so traumatic as this. I mean, this has become a national manhunt. And we are just not used to this kind of experience, where there's helicopters above our homes every day. There's drones above us every couple of hours.
I mean, the FBI. You know, we're just seeing so much security presence, looking for Nancy, trying to find out any kind of information.
It's just very, very sad. You know, everyone is just, you know, just shocked by this whole thing. And you know, there's just a heavy sadness in our neighborhood.
I can just add to you that the Catalina Foothills, we have increased communication. Neighbors are texting and emailing, updating each other quickly if we're seeing anything unusual occur.
There's been more Neighborhood Watch efforts, more people actively observing, reporting suspicious activity, if we see such -- such a thing. Strengthening our home security systems has been a big, big plus in this neighborhood. And taking extra precautions for security for our homes, our family,
our friends, and just being really proactive on security steps. Motion sensor lights, street-facing cameras, outdoor cameras, alarm systems.
We, in the Catalina Foothills, which are a lovely environment, beautiful mountain views. But we are definitely revving up our security systems and making sure that this doesn't happen again.
And we have -- you know, we're getting Nancy to come back to her family and return her to safe and sound.
HUNTE: Yes.
HANDLER: So, you know, this is a family crisis for Savannah Guthrie. And you know, we just -- I applaud Savannah Guthrie for saying, you know, her emotional public appeal today, that we still have hope, we still believe. And it's never too late to do the right thing and bring Nancy home to her family.
HUNTE: I just wondered if you did have any views on these influencers and random online people that aren't official media personnel who are profiting from your area and jumping into your area? What do you think about them?
HANDLER: Yes, I -- your last person that was speaking, I totally agree. It's -- it's unfortunate that a lot of people are trying to monopolize and financially gain from this kind of thing. This is a horrible thing.
The Catalina Foothills is a peaceful, quiet neighborhood. This is not a place to come to think that you're going to financially gain from social media, and making up stories, and expanding on something that's not there, and talking about a glove and -- and DNA and things that you don't know about.
[00:40:17]
And I certainly agree with the person before you that it's not a place for social media to gain any kind of exposure.
We really need to get this done and find Nancy Guthrie, return her to her family. That is the goal. That is what we're after.
The FBI are doing an amazing job. The Tucson Police Department are unbelievable. They are speaking to everyone. They are talking to people. They are doing an amazing job. That is what the -- our neighborhoods are all saying.
And we are just focused on finding Nancy Guthrie and returning to her, to her family.
HUNTE: OK, we have to leave it there, but thank you so much, Marla. We really, really appreciate it. Marla Handler there.
HANDLER: Thank you. Thank you.
HUNTE: We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HUNTE: Well, it was a day of momentum and milestones on the slopes of the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games.
Norway's Johannes Hosflot Klaebo became the most successful gold medalist in Winter Olympic history, anchoring his team to victory in a men's cross-country relay for his ninth Olympic gold.
On home snow, Italy's Federica Brignone added another giant slalom gold to her collection, less than a year after a devastating leg injury.
And Team USA's Mikaela Shiffrin, the most decorated alpine skier in World Cup history, finished 11th in the event, missing the podium by just fractions of a second.
Though off to a challenging start in these games, she still has another chance at a medal later this week.
Rapper Flavor Flav is at the Olympics again. From encouraging U.S. athletes at their events to entertaining the crowd, he can be seen all around this year's Winter Olympics. How random.
[00:45:08]
CNN's Coy Wire has this exclusive interview with Team USA's official hype man for the bobsled and skeleton teams. Let's go.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR/CORRESPONDENT: As these athletes are out here chasing gold, we found the man who is TV gold.
Flav, good to see you, man.
FLAVOR FLAV, RAPPER: Yo, what's up, Coy?
WIRE: Pleasure to see you.
FLAV: How you doing, Coy?
WIRE: Sitting reminiscing about the very last time I was at the Olympics, trying to bust a rhyme. I was at the House of WBD. I looked up, who do I see? Yes, boy, it's Flavor Flav. You said, Yes, Coy -- I'm going to stop it there.
FLAV: That's my boy.
WIRE: And there we go.
Listen, you've done the Summer Olympics, now your first Winter Olympics.
FLAV: Yes. WIRE: What do you make of it?
FLAV: Hey, yo, man, let me tell you something. I'm looking to watch my girl Kaysha Love do her thing. You know what I'm saying?
WIRE: And Elana Meyers Taylor has an incredible story in bobsled, right?
FLAV: Yes.
WIRE: You know, for Team USA, it's just so inspiring. As a mom of, you know, children that have disabilities, as you can only imagine, it's so difficult. And here she is, one of the best ever at bobsled.
FLAV: Yes.
WIRE: I'm really looking forward to her.
FLAV: Yes, no doubt. Well, the reason why, too, I say Kaysha Love is because, you know, I went up to Park City, you know? And I took bobsled ride in the four-man bobsled.
Coy, that ride was crazy.
WIRE: What was it like?
FLAV: But I really enjoyed it. And see, I'm an adrenaline junkie, you know?
WIRE: Yes.
FLAV: I'm a big kid. I never grew up. You know what I'm saying? I like -- like exciting things. And then I saw -- I saw the skeleton. I said, oh, my God, I've got to try that. Yo, Coy, you let your boy Flav get on the sled.
WIRE: Come on.
FLAV: I topped out at 66 miles per hour, bro.
WIRE: Oh!
FLAV: I enjoyed it so much, Coy, I joined the team.
WIRE: You've hyped up arenas all around the world. When you're here hyping up these athletes, you bring them life and joy. When you see them, what -- what reminds you of your own grind when you were coming up in the hip-hop game?
FLAV: Well, it reminds me of, you know, how I wanted to be accepted when people saw me perform. And, you know, when I go out there and I perform, I give it my all. And I just wanted people to really recognize that and embrace it.
So, that's what it reminds me of when I see these athletes get on their sleds and stuff, and they slide. All they want to do is -- is be recognized, you know, for the hard work that they put in.
You know, no matter how hard you try, you don't give up, No. 1. You know what I'm saying? And as long -- as long as you keep trying, you're guaranteed to succeed, you know?
And don't let failure be discouragement. You know what I'm saying? Because part of success is failure.
It takes a lot to get out there and try. You know, there's a lot of people that are scared to get out there to do that. But the ones that's out there doing it are the ones that have the heart. You know what I'm saying? And those are the ones that's giving us our entertainment, too, because it is an entertaining sport.
WIRE: Absolutely.
FLAV: Yes. It's an entertainment. And absolutely don't only make vodka baby. Hey.
WIRE: All right, Flavor Flav, thank you so much for being here, man. Can't wait to watch you continue to inspire these athletes out here. Inspire everyone you come into contact with. I really appreciate you.
FLAV: Hey, I just thank you guys for letting me be here. This is an honor and a pleasure and the perfect measure. And I'm going to keep this memory as a perfect treasure. Says me and says, yes yes, boy.
WIRE: Yes, boy!
FLAV: Yes, Coy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTE: OK. That happened.
Here's where the medal count stands. Norway remains on top overall, extending its lead in the second week of the competition.
But the story right now is host nation Italy, climbing to 22 total medals, including its first ever gold in a biathlon event. It's officially Italy's best Winter Olympics performance ever, surpassing its previous record of 20 medals back in 1994.
All right. More couples are tying the knot in China. Just ahead, how the country is encouraging new marriages and the reasons behind it. See you in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[00:53:05]
HUNTE: Welcome back.
According to the Chinese zodiac, 2026 is the year of the horse. Anyone born on or after February 17th of this year would fall under the sign of the horse, as would people born in 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, and 2014.
People born in the year of the horse are said to be self-confident and animated. Also active, energetic, and elegant, as well as independent, gentle, and hardworking, too.
Some famous horses include Nelson Mandela, Paul McCartney, and Jackie Chan.
The lunar new year is known to trigger the world's biggest annual human migration. The travel rush is so large it has its own name, Chunyun.
This year, travel is expected to reach an all-time high. Chinese authorities say an estimated 9.5 billion trips will be made across the country during the 40-day period around the festival, as revelers make the trek home for a holiday marked with family time and traditions, too.
China saw an increase of new marriages last year after introducing incentives to encourage couples to wed. This is all part of Beijing's plan to reverse its declining birthrate.
CNN's Simone McCarthy has details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SIMONE MCCARTHY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): China changed one rule and saw a major rise in marriages last year.
MCCARTHY: Today is Valentine's Day, and marriage registries across the country, including the one behind me here in Beijing, have seen a lot of bookings.
China's government is pushing hard --
MCCARTHY (voice-over): -- to encourage more young people to get married as Beijing tries to reverse a declining birthrate that could hurt its economy.
MCCARTHY: Last year, Chinese officials made a major change.
MCCARTHY (voice-over): For the first time, people can get married anywhere in the country. That means couples living in major cities don't have to return to their hometowns, and can even choose any destination for their marriage.
MR. ZHANG & MS. MA, NEWLY MARRIED COUPLE (through translator): We are working in Beijing. It's really convenient. We don't have to go back to our hometown right here where we work. We are able to complete all the procedures.
[00:55:06]
MCCARTHY (voice-over): And there are signs that's paying off.
China last year recorded 6.76 million marriages. That's 650,000 more than the previous year, when marriages hit a record low.
MCCARTHY: Now, marriages have generally declined over the past decade, and the 2025 numbers are still less than just a couple years ago.
MCCARTHY (voice-over): Young people typically say that economic strain, as well as wanting to focus on their career and independence, are reasons to delay or avoid getting married altogether.
MR. WU & MS. JIANG, NEWLY MARRIED COUPLE (through translator): A lot of stress because of things like work and family. But getting married, that's something two people, if they're meant to be or like each other, they'll surely get married.
MCCARTHY (voice-over): Chinese officials are trying other perks, like extended marriage leave --
MCCARTHY: -- while also cracking down on online comments deemed to be critical of marriage and childbirth.
MCCARTHY (voice-over): The government still needs to find out whether the latest uptick is a lasting trend, and most critically, whether more marriages will bring more babies.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTE: The streets of Rio de Janeiro are alive with celebration.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTE: Fifty-six official street parties kicked off carnival season on Sunday. The festivities showcased vibrant music and dance traditions across the city.
Groups danced and sang, following musicians or a sound truck through the streets.
The street parties are expected to continue through the carnival period.
All right. Well, thanks for joining me and the team. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta. Don't go anywhere. There is so much more CNN NEWSROOM after a quick break. See you in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
