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Former British Prince Arrested; Trump Extends Timeline for Iran; Board of Peace Lays Out Lofty Pledges but Questions Remain; Former South Korean President Yoon Sentenced to Life in Prison; Mexican Officials: No Sign Nancy Guthrie Is In Mexico; DHS Admits "Worst Of Worst" Website Rife With Errors; Europe Facing Deadly Avalanche Season. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired February 20, 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)

BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Hello, wherever you are in the world. You are now in "CNN Newsroom" with me, Ben Hunte, in Atlanta. It is so good to have you with me.

Coming up on the show, Britain's former Prince Andrew now the highest profile figure under criminal investigation in the wake of the Jeffrey Epstein fallout. What could be next for the British royal? Washington leaving the door open for diplomacy with Tehran while also hinting at when a military action could take place if a nuclear deal isn't reached. And how China is reportedly using artificial intelligence to monitor its citizens.

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

HUNTE: Welcome. Let's begin with ex-Prince Andrew and his extraordinary fall from grace and the biggest crisis that hit the British monarchy since the death of Princess Diana. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, as he's now known, was seen slouched down in the back of a Range Rover after his release from police custody. The king's brother was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Mountbatten-Windsor has not been charged but remains under investigation.

British authorities did not reveal the reason for the arrest, but previously said they were reviewing claims he shared sensitive information with Jeffrey Epstein while serving as trade envoy. He stepped down from that role in 2011 after coming under fire for his association with the late convicted pedophile.

The king released a brief statement, but has remained very tight- lipped about the arrest. President Trump, however, has not.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I think it's a shame. I think it's very sad. I think it's so bad for the royal family. It's very, very sad to me. It's a very sad thing. When I see that, it's a very sad thing. To see it -- had to see what's going on with his brother, who's obviously coming to our country very soon. I mean, he's a fantastic man, king. So, I think it's a very sad thing.

It's really interesting because nobody used to speak about Epstein when he was alive. But, now, they speak. But I'm the one that can talk about it because I've been totally exonerated. I did nothing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: It has been centuries since a senior member of the royal family has been arrested. CNN royal correspondent Max Foster picks up the story for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAX FOSTER, CNN LONDON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested after new revelations in the Epstein files in an extraordinary development without precedent in modern history. British police took the former prince into custody on Thursday morning on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

Cameras capturing him leaving a U.K. police station late on Thursday. Released under investigation. Having said earlier this month that they were assessing claims that Andrew had shared sensitive information with the late Jeffrey Epstein while serving as the U.K.'s trade envoy. They've not said exactly what led them to this arrest, which comes after the latest tranche of emails released by the U.S. Justice Department appeared to show that Andrew was sending confidential material to Epstein.

ANDREW MOUNTBATTEN-WINDSOR, MEMBER, MOUNTBATTEN-WINDSOR FAMILY: Great pleasure. You know our ambassador.

FOSTER (voice-over): Sparking renewed scrutiny of the already disgraced royal. He has previously denied any wrongdoing and hasn't commented publicly on these more recent misconduct allegations.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Your Majesty, how are you feeling after your brother's arrest?

FOSTER (voice-over): King Charles didn't answer reporters' questions about his brother's arrest, but said in a statement that he learned with the deepest concern of the news and reiterated his wholehearted support and cooperation with the authorities.

Andrew became trade envoy in 2001. That position saw him travel the world, carrying a duty of confidentiality. He stepped down a decade later after coming under fire over his association with Epstein. Questions over his friendship have haunted him ever since. That's in part because of Epstein's conviction in 2008 when the financier pleaded guilty to state prostitution charges involving an underage minor and served time in jail. And yet the senior royal stayed in contact with Epstein even after claiming in a BBC interview to have cut ties with the convicted pedophile in late 2010 during a trip to New York.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOUNTBATTEN-WINDSOR: Now, I went there with the sole purpose of saying to him that, because he had been convicted, it was inappropriate for us to be seen together.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER (voice-over): Emails released since then call that timeline into question, and Andrew has been dogged by a years-long crescendo of Epstein-related scandals and allegations.

[02:05:04]

Late last year, the 66-year-old was stripped of all his royal titles and kicked out of his residence and essentially vanished from the monarchy.

The same police force that arrested Andrew on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office is also looking to allegations that a woman was trafficked to the U.K. by Jeffrey Epstein to have a sexual encounter with Andrew. That investigation is ongoing.

Max Foster, CNN, Buckingham Palace, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: The most well-known accuser of Epstein and the former Prince Andrew is the late Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide last year. She repeatedly said that she was forced to have sex with the then prince while underage. Her relatives say Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest is a step in the right direction.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SKY ROBERTS, BROTHER OF VIRGINIA GIUFFRE: Before it, we don't know. But we're hopeful. I think we're very hopeful that the -- this is the start of the domino effect. This is where the house of cards starts falling.

And, you know, kudos to the U.K. for taking the first step, for saying, you know what, we are going to arrest somebody who was held to one of the highest esteems out there, somebody who was a former prince.

I mean, this hasn't been done before. And so, to know what we should expect, it's really naive to say that we do, but we won't stop. I mean, Virginia said it so clearly in her statements, and I'll say it again here today, like, we won't stop until justice is served.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Bidisha Mamata is a royal watcher and comes to us live from London. Thank you so much for being up early for me. I'll get straight into it. This is being described as absolutely unprecedented. A senior royal being questioned by a local police force in plain clothes. Just how huge is this moment for the British monarchy?

BIDISHA MAMATA, BROADCASTER, ROYAL WATCHER: It's completely and utterly staggering and unbelievable. It is so unexpected. It is completely a public statement on behalf of the rest of the royal family and indeed the police forces that everyone should be equal under the law and it doesn't matter if you're a prince and ex-prince. Justice, the law will eventually catch up with you, and in the way that Andrew himself would least want.

He has been trouble for the royal family for many decades. Exactly as Max outlined in his report. He has been known for not being hardworking, for being hedonistic for, as we now know, fostering extremely negative friendships, and it's all coming home to roost.

HUNTE: Yes. The king's statement that the law must take its course was so blunt. How significant is it that King Charles appears to be publicly siding with the police rather than offering support for his own brother?

MAMATA: Blunt. It definitely was. It was like a hammer falling down on this fraternal royal relationship. I was waiting for even one line of King Charles to say, my brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. None of that. And, in fact, every statement of loyalty and faith and fidelity that the king made was towards the police, the law, the legal process, victims, witnesses, and survivors. He has completely thrown Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, as he refers to his own brother, to the dogs.

And that is as it must be because, usually, the royal family are very good at getting out ahead of a scandal, getting out ahead of public disapproval. They've been lagging behind here because all over the world, on both sides of the Atlantic, people are demanding, what are you going to do about this mess? At the moment this is still at the level of scandal and gossip. People are picking over all of the available details released in the Epstein files.

But the next question has to be, if there's evidence of wrongdoing, surely that's a legal matter. It's not really a tabloid matter or a casual discussion matter. Now, that is beginning.

HUNTE: Do you get the sense that this is the palace cutting ties with the former prince, and could this be the final stage of his formal exile from royal life?

MAMATA: Yes, I think so. For a very long time, I'd argued that the palace as an institution and then the royal family as a family were two different things, and that even though there was a public and very obvious shunning over the last few years, they were probably still on speaking terms privately.

I think that once you've stood by while your brother is arrested very publicly on his birthday, that private dimension is over. We know that the royal family is a centuries-old institution and it will always endure. How does it do that? Through pragmatism, through ruthlessness, even when it comes to your own relatives.

He is still eighth in line to the throne, but I don't think that that is really ever going to happen.

[02:10:02]

I think he's out. He's being iced out.

HUNTE: Wow! I love that you don't hold back. So juicy. For viewers outside the U.K., misconduct in public office can sound very technical. How serious is that offense in British law, and what would prosecutors actually need to prove to bring charges?

MAMATA: It's incredibly serious, but it's not a sexualized crime. Andrew has not been called up in front of the police at the moment to talk about anything to do with trafficking or the abuse of women and girls. And the incredibly moving and distressing case of the late Virginia Giuffre is separate from this.

But if you are in an envoy role or any kind of cultural diplomatic role, you are not supposed to do certain things. Do not tell other people outside your immediate working relationships about trade deals, business deals, trips. Insider gossip is also illegal. Do not set up meetings, graces and favors, creating links. All of that is both unethical and illegal to do. In particular, if there is written evidence of it, you are not supposed to be setting up side meetings or fostering any kind of professional relationship if you're in a formal role.

HUNTE: There is outrage internationally over the Epstein files. In Britain today, is the reaction more about the alleged conduct itself or do you think this is also becoming a backlash against privilege and maybe the monarchy, too?

MAMATA: I think you're exactly right. Lots of different things are happening. There are anti-monarchist groups who are delighted by all of this because they are smelling the downfall, the potential downfall of an institution, which I don't think is actually ultimately going to happen.

There's such an extreme cost of living crisis and inequality social mobility crisis that people are saying, well, the royal family existed as a form of soft power, and to form some kind of entertainment for us, the living soap opera, this is not that, this is abuse and criminality. So, there's a sense of disgust and outrage and impunity.

And so many people are saying, oh, well, I always thought that the world was secretly run by a network of extremely negative and immoral characters who do exactly what they want with total impunity and think that there's a class of people who can do what they like. And then there's another class of people who could be used and abused and discarded and disbelieved. And they must think that we're mugs. And there's an element of that in the Epstein files as well.

It's also that this Andrew drama has dragged on for so long, and his lies and falsehoods and obfuscations and fudges of the truth have been so messy that people are sick of hearing his name, and they want this cathartic end, they want the spectacle of him being pulled out by police. So, there is some of that to it, too. HUNTE: Bidisha, you did not hold back in the slightest. And we're going to speak to you again in the next hour. But thank you so much for now. Speak to you soon.

MAMATA: Thank you.

HUNTE: Donald Trump is trying to pressure Iran to make a nuclear deal as the U.S. president orders the largest military buildup in the Middle East in decades. What we know about the possibility of U.S. military action against Iran, next. See you in a moment.

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[02:15:00]

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HUNTE: Welcome back. U.S. President Trump is facing perhaps one of the most important decisions of his second term, and that's what actions, if any, to take against Iran over its nuclear program. The president is extending his timeline for making decision on Iran, saying it could be another 10 to 15 days. Any possible attack could range from limited strikes to large operations potentially over weeks to targeting Iran's leaders and regime change.

This all comes as President Trump has ordered the largest military buildup in the Middle East in 22 years. Sources tell CNN the U.S. could be ready to strike Iran as early as this weekend, though officials do not expect strikes to happen that soon. President Trump gave another warning to Iran.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: They cannot continue to threaten the stability of the entire region. And they must make a deal or if that doesn't happen, I maybe can understand if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen, but bad things will happen if it doesn't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Meanwhile, Iran and Russia conducted joint military drills in the Gulf of Oman and Northern Indian Ocean on Thursday.

CNN's Kristen Holmes has more details on the U.S. tensions with Iran from the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Trump continues to weigh a range of options when it comes to military intervention in Iran. This would include either targeted strikes that might force Iran to the table for negotiating to a much longer, prolonged military operation. We are told that behind closed doors, President Trump just has not made a final decision here.

Now, the White House has stressed that the first option the president would like to take is diplomacy. And today, he discussed what that timeline would look like in terms of Iran coming back to the table before there could be potential strikes. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I would think that would be enough time, 10, 15 days, pretty much maximum.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: And now, he said 10 to 15 days. That was just hours after he had said 10 days. So, clearly, there is a shifting timeline. And really, this kind of ambiguity or vagueness is something that we are hearing is happening behind the scenes as well.

I talked to a number of advisors who seem to not know how to communicate or did not know why exactly it was in America's best interest to get involved now in some kind of military intervention in Iran and how to communicate that to the people.

[02:19:57]

Remember, there's still number of questions here as to what exactly the United States is hoping to achieve if they are going to, in fact, strike Iran. Is this going to be a targeting of top leadership? Is this a targeting of enrichment capabilities or ballistic missile facilities?

We do not have those answers from the White House or from the administration. And if it is, to be some kind of regime change that the United States is hoping for, it is unclear that the United States or the administration has a plan as to what exactly that would look like on day two after these strikes.

Right now, the White House has not really sold to the American public why there might be this heightened sense of needing or urgency to go into Iran. But we do know President Trump has not yet made up his mind. He is waiting, weighing these various military interventions, as well as this idea of trying to reach some kind of diplomatic solution.

Kristen Holmes, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: The first meeting of President Trump's Board of Peace saw lofty pledges for Gaza's future, but uncertainty remains about next steps. Mr. Trump said nine nations pledged more than $7 billion for relief aid. He vowed the U.S. would give $10 billion to the group, but he didn't say whether he'd asked Congress for those funds.

CNN's Kevin Liptak has more on Thursday's inaugural Board of Peace meeting.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: The most significant announcement out of the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace here in Washington on Thursday was President Trump's commitment of $10 billion from the United States towards Gaza.

Now, where that money comes from, whether it will require approval by Congress, remain unanswered questions, but it was clear the president is trying to create initiative towards the rebuilding of the Palestinian enclave.

This Board of Peace was created as part of the president's 20-point peace plan that was signed last year. Since then, more than 600 Palestinians have been killed by Israel. Hamas also refusing to disarm. But it's clear the ceasefire will have to hold in order for any reconstruction to begin in Gaza.

As part of Thursday's Board of Peace meetings, other member countries committed $7 billion towards reconstruction. Others committed troops as part of a stabilization force in Gaza. But, perhaps, the best way to look at this meeting was sort of a glimpse at what the Board of Peace actually is.

You know, a number of traditional U.S. allies were not present as actual participants in the meeting. Many countries in Europe have declined invitations by the president to join in. The president said Thursday that -- quote -- "some are playing cute" but that, eventually, they would join in. Instead, the Board of Peace sort of represented the president's view of this new world order. You saw some of the president's closest global allies come to Washington, including the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orban, the Argentine president, Javier Milei.

The president sort of ironically used his speech at the Board of Peace to threaten war against Iran, saying that bad things will happen if that country doesn't give up nuclear weapons.

The president also did very little to tamp down on fears that he may be trying to use the Board of Peace to supplant the United Nations. He said that the Board of Peace would be looking over the U.N. even as he said and committed that he would attempt to get the U.N. on better financial footing going ahead, saying that he still believes that that body as very, very important.

Kevin Liptak, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is celebrating what he views as major progress made in his country over the past half-decade. According to state media, Kim praised North Korea for making significant accomplishments in economics, politics, national defense, and culture at the opening of the Ninth Party Congress, held every five years as North Korea's most important political event. Analysts are watching to see if this year's event includes an appearance by Kim's teenage daughter, who many believe he's grooming to be his successor.

Meanwhile, South Korea is closing a book on one of its biggest political crises in its history. Supporters gathered outside the Central District Court in Seoul on Thursday as former president, Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of leading an insurrection. The charges stemmed from Yoon's short-lived imposition of martial law 14 months ago, which threatened to upend decades of democracy in South Korea.

Our Ivan Watson has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The verdict is in. A judge in Korea declares former president Yoon Suk Yeol guilty of insurrection.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JI GWI-YEON, PRESIDING JUDGE (through translator): The fact that armed soldiers were deployed to the National Assembly, entered the compound, using chopper or climbing over the fence, all amounted to acts of riot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[02:25:03]

WATSON (voice-over): The sentence, life in prison for the former president and 30 years behind bars for his former defense minister.

President Yoon declared martial law in a surprised televised announcement late on the night of December 3rd, 2024. Soon after, soldiers began arriving by helicopter near the grounds of the National Assembly.

Choppers were also filmed that night by Heo Woojin. He and his wife, Song Hwa, were among a growing crowd of protesters who spontaneously gathered outside the gates of the legislature that night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HEO WOOJIN, SEOUL RESIDENT (through translator): We looked up on the internet what could we do. And then my wife said, we need to go and stop it at the parliament.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON (voice-over): They say they left their cat extra food that night not knowing when or if they would ever come home.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SONG HWA, SEOUL RESIDENT (through translator): We arrived around midnight. There were already two or three hundred people gathered. We had been feeling quite scared, but were relieved to see a lot of other people.

(END VIDEO CLIP) WATSON (voice-over): Amid confrontations with soldiers and police, lawmakers also rushed to the assembly, including opposition leader and current elected president, Lee Jae Myung, who live-streamed himself jumping a wall to get into the compound. Within hours, assembly members voted to overturn martial law. Huge pro-democracy crowds swelled on Seoul's streets. And in the following weeks, lawmakers voted to impeach Yoon. The Constitutional Court stripped him from office, and authorities arrested him.

Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk was among the politicians quick to denounce Yoon's short-lived power grab.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHO KUK, FORMER JUSTICE MINISTER, REBUILDING KOREA PARTY LEADER (through translator): At the very least, Yoon Suk Yeol should get a life sentence because he tried to destroy South Korea's democracy. There are many places where democracy is faltering. South Korea's experience shows the power to protect and recover democracy lies within the people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON (voice-over): People like Heo Woojin and Song Hwa. She resells used clothes. He has a trading business. But on the night their president declared martial law, they sprang into action to defend South Korea's democracy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WOOJIN (through translator): The strength of the citizens who acted, even when they were afraid, was truly incredible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON (voice-over): In previous court appearances, Yoon showed no remorse, calling the investigation a political conspiracy and claiming he had no choice but to declare martial law to break political gridlock.

WATSON: Those arguments clearly failed to impress the judges. It's something the former president may want to consider if he chooses to exercise his right to appeal his guilty verdict.

Ivan Watson, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: The search for Nancy Guthrie reaches Mexico. But officials say it's unlikely she crossed the border. The latest on her disappearance just after the breaks. See you in a moment.

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[02:32:21]

BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back.

Pressure is mounting for investigators amid the ongoing search for Nancy Guthrie. Mexican officials say there is no indication the 84- year-old is in their country.

Authorities on both sides of the border were told to be on the lookout for clues as part of standard investigative procedures. Guthrie was last seen on January 31st before she was apparently kidnapped from her home in Arizona. Investigators continue to run analysis on DNA that was found at the house, and right now, they have no leading theory about a motive.

Mexican authorities are looking for clues in Nancy Guthrie's disappearance, but news of her apparent kidnapping has not reached many residents in Mexico City.

CNN's Valeria Leon reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In the streets of Mexico City, most people we spoke with had never heard of Nancy Guthrie.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know much about the case.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm not aware of it.

LEON (voice-over): For many Mexicans, this lack of awareness is not surprising. Mexico faces its own crisis of disappearances.

LEON: In Mexico City, there's even a traffic circle where faces of the disappeared are on display. A constant reminder for families still waiting for answers of their loved ones.

MIGUEL ANGEL, MEXICO CITY RESIDENT: Here, we've had many people go missing, and this shouldn't happen because we all want to make it home.

LEON: In our research, we found very little newspaper coverage. If you take a glimpse at newspapers here, you'll see there's no mention of the Guthrie case on any of their front pages. And with so little information available, people remain largely uninformed about her apparent kidnapping.

ISABEL, MEXICO CITY RESIDENT: That's all I know that she's been kidnapped. It's been several days already. I don't know how many.

LEON: That stands in sharp contrast to the United States where the case continues to generate intense speculation.

For now, on this side of the border, the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie remains distant.

Valeria Leon, CNN, Mexico City.

(END VIDEOTAPE) HUNTE: And now to a CNN exclusive. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is admitting that its website showcasing arrested immigrants, they claimed, were, quote, "the worst of the worst" was rife with errors. They made the admission after a CNN analysis of the site found discrepancies in the charges associated with hundreds of immigrants on the site. The Trump administration has heavily promoted the site on social media to justify its aggressive immigration enforcement tactics.

In response to CNN's review of the site, a Homeland Security spokesperson said the discrepancies were due to a glitch.

The Trump administration is also still facing criticism over its immigration enforcement policy, and that includes in Minneapolis, where the recent immigration operation is causing fear for many residents.

[02:35:09]

As CNN's Omar Jimenez reports, the city now struggles with the economic fallout from the operation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You look out here. I mean, look there are plenty of tables here, but I plenty of tables here but I don't see --

DANIEL HERNANDEZ, OWNER, COLONIAL MARKET: Only if they're 99 percent close, you know.

JIMENEZ (voice-over): It's typically full at this immigrant-led market in south Minneapolis residents say. Danny Hernandez comes here often. He owns a set of grocery stores in the area and worries about what comes after ICE agents begin to leave Minnesota.

HERNANDEZ: After the storm, there is the cleanup, there is the aftermath. How many people actually are going to be able to reopen their businesses? The next biggest need in Minnesota is going to be eviction.

JIMENEZ (voice-over): We walked this market just before the Trump administration announced it was ending its surge of federal agents. But the fear from it was already deep rooted.

GLADYS RAMOS BENITES, SHOP OWNER: We only want to work.

JIMENEZ (voice-over): Gladys Ramos Benites flagged us down as we walked through. She owns two newly struggling shops in the market and tells us she has legal status, but that for the first time in her decades working in the U.S., she's now behind on her house payments.

BENITES: Go after the scammers. Go after the thieves, but not us. We pay taxes. We support the United States.

I'm desperate. I'm sick. My nerves can't take it anymore. My anxiety is killing me. I can't sleep. But I can't stop coming.

JIMENEZ (voice-over): It hasn't just been business either

CHIEF BRIAN O'HARA, MINNEAPOLIS POLICE: It's just been a dramatic increase in calls for service around ICE activity that's happening in the city.

JIMENEZ: In terms of task forces tracing weapons that are used in crimes, you work with federal partners every day.

O'HARA: Yes. Every single day.

JIMENEZ: Has this changed those relationships in any way?

O'HARA: It hasn't changed the individual relationships, but many of the prosecutors have left. Some of the agents are now gone. So, a lot of people's time is being diverted from the serious cases that had the most impact to immigration issues.

JIMENEZ (voice-over): Some of the federal immigration enforcement efforts have arrested or detained people with violent criminal records, but many haven't. Like this refugee family here legally, as they move forward with their process, they now largely stay indoors. Their son was detained for days. He suspects it was because he recently got a speeding ticket they didn't want their faces or names used in this interview.

JIMENEZ: You still can't sleep?

MOTHER: No.

JIMENEZ: Why?

MOTHER: I have nightmares.

JIMENEZ: What are you thinking of?

MOTHER: Because all of this is really affecting my family, truly. Sorry.

JIMENEZ (voice-over): In the middle of the interview a neighbor was at the door asking about one of our team member's black SUV parked outside.

PHOTOGRAPHER: No, no, we're only doing a report.

JIMENEZ (voice-over): Our photographer reassures him. We're just doing an interview.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Don't worry, everything is okay.

MOTHER: We're all scared.

MOTHER: Relax neighbor, nothing is going to happen.

JIMENEZ (voice-over): Neighbors vigilant, business owners navigating a new reality.

BENITES: All vacant. This wasn't like this.

JIMENEZ (voice-over): This day, she says she took a babysitting job later just for extra cash. And that this shop may not survive.

BENITES: I'm almost 70 years old, my plan was different. But now, with one kick they knocked it all down and this may possibly come to an end.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JIMENEZ: Now for perspective, the city of Minneapolis estimates this federal surge cost the city more than $200 million in January alone, and that it would take at least that for these community groups and businesses to be made whole. Another business leader I spoke to likened the recovery here to COVID, and that it's not going to happen overnight, that its going to be a gradual return as people begin to feel more comfortable meanwhile, the Trump administration has defended its surge of federal agents to the city as DHS has claimed that they've arrested thousands of undocumented immigrants since the beginning of their operation there. But this is also an operation that included two dead Americans, included another person shot by an ICE agent who is now being investigated by ICE for potentially lying about that incident. And now this trail of fear in its wake for some, that again, won't change overnight.

Omar Jimenez, CNN, New York

HUNTE: CNN NEWSROOM will be right back after a quick break. See you in a moment.

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[02:44:33]

HUNTE: Heavy snow and strong winds are expected to subside in the coming hours in northern California, a possible reprieve for search crews there have been trying to resume the recovery of the bodies of eight skiers who died in an avalanche near Lake Tahoe on Tuesday. One skier is still missing and presumed dead. The avalanche is the deadliest in Californias recorded history. It's forced officials to close all lands and trails in the Castle Peak area of the Tahoe National Forest until next month.

This year's ski season in Europe has been particularly deadly. An intense rainy season means more snow in the mountains, which has led to several avalanches. One led to some very scary moments for people on a train in the alps.

CNN's Melissa Bell explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A sight no one ever wants to be confronted with, even from inside a train. The passengers traveling through the Swiss Alps worried but not panicked despite the violence of the avalanche. In the end it caused no injuries everyone on the train was evacuated within a couple of hours.

Less fortunate were the passengers of this Swiss train, which police say was likely derailed by an avalanche that left five of the 29 people on board injured. It is on the slopes that the avalanches are proving deadly. Last week, Italian rescuers pulled a man from under five feet of snow miraculously alive.

So far, avalanches have killed 28 people since October in France which means that this ski season is looking particularly deadly. There have also been dozens of fatalities in Italy and Switzerland since the start of the year. Record rainfall has triggered unprecedented flooding across Europe that has left many areas in Spain, Portugal and France underwater for weeks.

At higher altitudes, that same moisture turns into heavy snowfall powder perfect conditions that delight many, but when combined with strong winds, can prove deadly.

STEPHANE BORNET, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF SNOW AND AVALANCHES: The snow pack will be fed by the wind, so a large slab will form from snow from the sky and snow transported by the wind. That will then trigger large scale avalanches.

BELL (voice-over): Some French skiers are avoiding going off Piste at all this season.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With the avalanches, were definitely going to try to stay on the slopes for the next few days because what happened is pretty terrible.

BELL (voice-over): At this refuge, some 2,500 meters up in the French alps, a shock for its owner. Windows shattered and kitchen equipment pushed against the wall. But luckily nobody was hurt. The clients had canceled because of the weather conditions.

BORNET: The current danger on the slopes will persist for several days or even several weeks in some areas, particularly at very high altitudes above 2,000 to 2,500 meters, where there is a risk of still having a very unstable snowpack.

BELL: Which means that skiers are having to think twice this season. Those perfect powdery conditions are the very ones that can prove so deadly.

Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Returning to our top story and some breaking news coming in CNN. British police say they're continuing their search of Royal Lodge. That is Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's former home in Berkshire. The king's brother was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public life. Mountbatten-Windsor has not been charged but remains under investigation British authorities did not reveal the reason for the arrest but previously said they were reviewing claims he shared sensitive information with Jeffrey Epstein while serving as trade envoy.

Thames Valley Police say their searches in Norfolk, where the former prince is currently residing, had concluded. But searchers in Berkshire are still underway. We'll have more on this. In a live report from London just ahead.

Day 13 of the Winter Olympics was golden for Team USA. Alysa Liu became the first American in 24 years to win the top prize in women's figure skating. And the American women's hockey team beat the defending champs, Canada, in overtime nail biter.

CNN WORLD SPORT's Coy Wire has those stories and so much more from northern Italy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COY WIRE, CNN WORLD SPORTS: One of the most highly anticipated events of the Winter Games, women's figure skating and Team USA's Alysa Liu is the new Olympic champion. She retired after last Winter Games needing time away and it paid off. She told me she loves dancing and fashion, therefore she missed skating.

Unlike the stereotypical skater with her unconventional piercings and carefree striped hair skating to the beat of her own drum, the 20- year-old Liu takes gold. Great sportsmanship afterwards, as Japan's Amina Kai took the bronze, celebrated with her. Japan's Kaori Sakamoto takes the silver.

One of the greatest sports rivalries on the planet, Team USA and Team Canada women's hockey delivering an epic Olympic final. Again, these two nations have won every Olympic gold dating back to the '98 Nagano Games. Canada was up one nothing in the third, but Captain Hilary Knight scores the equalizer to send it to overtime, becoming America's all time Olympic goal scorer.

And in overtime, it was Megan Keller hammering home the game winner.

[02:50:00]

Team USA taking down the defending Olympic champs in dramatic fashion, unreal scenes in Milan.

We had a snowmageddon at the Olympics in Cortina Thursday. Our photojournalist Christian Streib was battling the elements and snowballs, as was my producer, Dan Moriarty. Sorry, Dan.

Our live shots survived the snow globe, but it was so bad we almost missed our interview with Mikaela Shiffrin. That's me in the blue pushing our van, did not work. We switched to another van with chains on the tires and made it to the winningest Alpine skier of all time, who finally cracked the code and won Olympic gold again for the first time in eight years.

Here's part of our chat with Mikaela, sharing some of the tactics that helped her pull off the comeback.

MIKAELA SHIFFRIN, WOMEN'S OLYMPIC SLALOM GOLD MEDAL WINNER: I've been writing sticky notes on my mirrors and all of this self-talk stuff. It's been more than I've ever done in my career, but in these couple weeks, I really -- I really bought into the self-talk idea. You know, all the work that we do day in and day out to be able to just achieve this for two runs, 47 seconds on a slalom course is -- it just feels monumental.

WIRE: Cheers and congratulations to you.

SHIFFRIN: Thanks for this. Yes, sustenance. Yes.

WIRE: So there you go. One of the greatest skiers ever. Mikaela's keys to success, plastering sticky notes. Visualizing goals that bring home the gold and celebrating with espresso martinis, of course.

Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Well, it sounds like a science fiction movie is actually becoming a reality in China. We'll take a deep dive into authoritarian A.I. when we return. See you in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HUNTE: Welcome back.

China is reportedly using artificial intelligence and millions of surveillance cameras to monitor its citizens. We're talking three cameras for every seven people.

CNN's Will Ripley gives us a chilling look inside China's expanding A.I. surveillance state.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kung Fu meets artificial intelligence. Humanoid robots powered by advanced A.I. performing live on China's biggest stage.

On Chinese social media, this A.I. generated video.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You roll up here dressed like a damn robot.

RIPLEY (voice-over): Robot dogs and soldiers liberating a backward, impoverished United States.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That rival's (ph) mine.

RIPLEY (voice-over): Seizing guns commandeering churches.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They came here for the worst.

RIPLEY (voice-over): A dystopian vision of a future America under Chinese control, powered by drones and A.I. tech made in China, some of it already in use.

[02:55:05]

These are robotic traffic police operating right now on streets in China, using cameras and artificial intelligence to manage traffic in real time.

U.S. experts refer to it as authoritarian A.I., tech designed to watch people, maintain control and in some cases, step in automatically without a human having to make the call.

This report from ASPI says China is using A.I. to turbocharge surveillance of its 1.4 billion people, with as many as 600 million cameras, roughly three cameras for every seven people. Many are now A.I.-enabled tracking faces, movements and behavioral patterns. The report says Chinese authorities use algorithms to predict people's actions, forecasting protests, flagging what authorities call abnormal behavior, even claiming to monitor the emotional state of prison inmates to stop dissent before it ever happens.

China's foreign ministry in Beijing tells CNN, ASPI is anti-China and long known for fabricating numerous lies and false information.

China's biggest tech firms are key to making this work, the report says. ByteDance censors politically sensitive content on Douyin, the Chinese TikTok. Tencent assigns risk scores to users based on online behavior. Baidu sells A.I. moderation tools used in criminal investigations.

CNN reached out to all three companies. So far, no response.

A.I.-powered weapons are also being deployed in China's military. The kind of technology Beijing imagines could play a future role in attacking Taiwan, a scenario illustrated in this A.I.-generated propaganda video from the People's Liberation Army.

China's military is also developing drones that swarm the way animals hunt, copying insects, hawks, even apex predators. A.I.-controlled weapons could someday coordinate, adapt and keep attacking without waiting for human commands.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RIPLEY: China argues the U.S. is doing this too, pointing to a Georgetown University report. ICE has built huge A.I. driven surveillance systems capable of pulling data on most American adults in the name of national security. The big question are we heading toward a future where life and death decisions are made by algorithms and not people?

Will Ripley, CNN, Taipei

HUNTE: Well, all right, thanks for joining me and the team. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta, and I'm going to run over there because more CNN NEWSROOM is coming up after this quick break.

See you in a moment.

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