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Trump Declares Historic Dawn Of A New Middle East; Elation In The West Bank And Gaza As Palestinians Welcome Released Detainees; Zelenskyy To Meet Trump At White House Amid Discussion On Tomahawk Missiles; Gaza Ceasefire Deal Signed, But Questions Remains; Gaza Ceasefire Deal Signed but Questions Remain; U.S. Homelessness Crisis; U.S. Markets Respond after Trump Walks Back China Tariff Threats. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired October 14, 2025 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is CNN Breaking News.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: And hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from around the world. I'm Becky Anderson live for you from Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt. Well, Donald Trump will be back in Washington shortly after wrapping up the Gaza ceasefire summit here in Egypt and declaring a historic dawn of a new Middle East.
The U.S. President's whirlwind trip to the region coinciding with the first phase of his Gaza plan that saw the release of all living Israeli hostages and the freeing of hundreds of Palestinian detainees. But still many questions remain and the future of Gaza far from certain.
The second, more complex phase of his plan, which would involve dismantling Hamas and determining the enclave's governance, is yet to be negotiated. For now, though, there is relief, at least in Israel, as all living hostages are back home.
So far, only four of the 28 deceased hostages were released. Israeli security forces could be seen saluting vehicles carrying their remains on Monday.
President Trump traveled to Egypt after stopping in Israel to meet the families of hostages and delivering an address to Parliament. It was here in Sharm El-Sheikh that he co-hosted a Gaza summit attended by more than 20 nations. The president declined to directly address whether he supports recognizing a Palestinian state, as he and other leaders took part in a signing ceremony for the Gaza ceasefire deal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We listened and we exchanged ideas and we kept pushing forward until the job was done. And the first steps to peace are always the hardest. And today we've taken them and we've put them all together and we've come up with this beautiful mix like nobody thought was possible.
And as you know, I've just come from Israel. It was an amazing day to watch the hostages come in. It'll be the new beginning for an entire beautiful Middle East. From this moment forward, we can build a region that's strong and stable and prosperous and united in regional, rejecting the path of terror once and for all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, that official document is now called the Trump Declaration for Enduring Peace and Prosperity. Across Israel there's been joy and relief as all living hostages return home. It was a day so many families had hoped and prayed for. CNN's Jeremy Diamond has more on what was the powerful and emotional reunions.
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JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Two years of pent up anguish unleashed in an instant. One after another, 20 newly freed hostages and their families hug, cry, kiss, scream and pray, reveling in their new, almost unbelievable reality. Their nightmare is finally over.
These moments were never guaranteed. When Bar Kuperstein was kidnapped from the Nova music festival, his father was still paralyzed. He vowed he would embrace his son again on his own two feet. For a Nav Sengokar (ph), who became an icon in the hostage family's protest movement, this is the culmination of a relentless fight.
Israel's national nightmare is also now finally over. After 738 days, every single living hostage is now free. The open wound that has been October 7th can now finally begin to heal. For the hostages, the journey to freedom began in Red Cross vehicles flanked by massed Hamas militants.
An Israeli convoy completed the trip to a military base near Gaza, where hundreds of Israelis lined the route.
DIAMOND: This liftoff is a moment more than two years in the making, some of the last living Israeli hostages getting their own taste of freedom.
DIAMOND (voice-over): Newfound freedom filled with moments that seemed frighteningly out of reach just weeks ago, like two former hostages embracing for the first time in years.
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It was an emotional day in Gaza too, when more than 1,700 Palestinians detained without charge were finally freed. Tears of joy and questions answered after months in the dark about their loved ones fate. Thank God for this blessing, this woman says, reuniting with her husband. It's my birthday today, he says, tearing up. It's an indescribable feeling being here next to my wife. The Israelis may have destroyed Gaza, but they can't destroy us. In the occupied west bank, dozens of Palestinian prisoners serving
long term sentences also received a hero's welcome. They are among 250 high security prisoners released as part of the deal, most of them tied to deadly attacks on Israelis.
For the Mehran family and most Israelis, a price well worth paying to make families whole again and give two little girls their father back after two long years. Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Re'im, Israel.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, here in Sharm El-Sheikh, fundamental questions loom about Gaza's future. Prior to Monday's summit where the deal was signed, I spoke with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Badr Abdelatty about what's next for the enclave's security and governance. He suggested the need for a continued presence of U.S. forces. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BADR ABDELATTY, EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: We need American boats on the ground, the troops in order --
ANDERSON: In Gaza.
ABDELATTY: Yes, why not? I mean, and that's very important in order --
ANDERSON: You had commitment from Donald Trump for American boots on the ground in Gaza.
ABDELATTY: We are in this process, we are talking and also, of course, we have to identify the nature of these forces. You know, is it peace enforcing or peacekeeping? That should be peacekeeping, of course.
ANDERSON: I'm interested that you say that because the White House is quite explicit about no U.S. boots on the ground in Gaza.
ABDELATTY: So I mean, they will participate with regard, I don't know, training, command and control. So any American engagement or involvement in this transitional force is important and welcomed. Of course.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Part of my wide ranging discussion. You can hear more of that on air and on digital. It was a fascinating conversation with the Egyptian foreign minister that was ahead of Donald Trump's arrival here in Sharm El-Sheikh.
Well, in Gaza on Monday, cheers. And in the west bank after buses of Palestinian detainees returned as part of the cease fire deal. My colleague Nada Bashir is in Ramallah with the latest on what were these emotional reunions.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Gathered in the hundreds waiting in anticipation to witness the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli detention.
BASHIR: Well, as you can see behind me, the buses are now arriving here in Ramallah carrying the Palestinian prisoners who have been released today from detention as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages held captive in Gaza.
BASHIR (voice-over): As part of the deal, 250 men serving long term or even life sentences were released, many of them to the occupied West Bank or East Jerusalem. But more than 150 of them deported to Egypt, forced into exile. All had been serving long term or life sentences in Israeli jails, often convicted of serious offenses, some of them members of Hamas and other militant groups. Some told us they were beaten and abused by Israeli forces in prison.
Ahmed Awad, who was convicted of murder and given three life sentences, told us inmates were beaten and humiliated on a daily basis without reason.
A member of the Palestinian Red Crescent we spoke to said some of those released had fresh fractures and were being treated in hospitals. Israel's prison service told us, quote, to the best of our knowledge, no such incidents occurred.
In Israel, the exchange is seen as a heavy but acceptable price to pay for the freedom of Israeli hostages. These prisoners, some say, have blood on their hands. But in the West Bank, these men are regarded by many as political prisoners, part of the Palestinian resistance movement.
Their return is something Palestinians have long hoped for, none more so than those reunited with their loved ones after decades behind bars, such as Samar Al Halabiya (ph), who was convicted of attempted murder.
This came as a surprise, and I'm still in shock, Samar (ph). I can't believe it. Honestly, I can't believe I'm with my mother.
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While reunions here were emotional, celebrations were short lived and muted. Israeli authorities warning Palestinians not to engage in any celebrations, dropping flyers by drone early Monday warning onlookers, we are watching you everywhere, printed in Arabic.
But in Gaza, celebrations were widespread as the delicate ceasefire continues to hold, some 1,700 Palestinians detained without charge over the course of the war will return to the Strip, bust across the border, returning to near total destruction, some unaware of the fate of their loved ones.
While the exchange may mark a significant step towards peace, optimism for Palestinians is coupled with great trepidation over what may come next for Gaza and for the West Bank. Nada Bashir, CNN, in Ramallah. (END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, fresh off his diplomatic victory in the Middle East, President Trump refocus Ukraine and threatening to provide Kyiv with a powerful weapon capable of striking Moscow. More on that is after this.
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MJ LEE, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL ENTERPRISE CORRESPONDENT: Welcome back to CNN Newsroom. I'm MJ Lee in Washington. The U.S. and Ukrainian presidents are discussing the possible use of a powerful weapon against Russia, American made Tomahawk missiles. They're expected to be a prime topic of discussion when Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet at the White House on Friday.
President Trump has already threatened to provide Ukraine with the long range Tomahawks which are capable of striking Moscow. It's unclear how serious President Trump is about supplying those weapons, but the possibility is being strongly criticized by Russian officials. CNN's Matthew Chance has our report from the Russian capital.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tomahawk cruise missile. Even the threat of sending these U.S. weapons to Ukraine with a range of over 1,500 miles may be enough to bring Russia to the negotiating table. At least that's what President Trump seems to think, telling reporters en route to the Middle East he may tell the Kremlin to end the Ukraine war or face these formidable weapons easily capable of reaching Moscow.
TRUMP: I might say, look, if this war is not going to get settled, I'm going to send them Tomahawks. I may send them. The Tomahawk is an incredible weapon, very offensive weapon. And honestly, Russia does not need that. They don't need that. Yes, I may tell them that if the war is not settled that we may very well, we may not, but we may do it.
CHANCE (voice-over): That uncertain threat hasn't come out of nowhere. For months now, Russia has been stepping up its own missile and drone attacks across Ukraine, stretching air defenses, fuelling Ukrainian calls for a powerful long range weapon to strike back. Potentially deep inside Russia.
We see and hear that Russia is afraid that the Americans may give us Tomahawks, the Ukrainian president declared at the weekend. It's a signal that exactly such pressure may work for peace, he added.
But in public, the Kremlin has been defiant, insisting the deployment of Tomahawks would have little impact on the battlefield. But seriously ratchet up tensions between Moscow and Washington.
VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN REPSIDENT (through translator): Using Tomahawks without the direct participation of American military personnel is impossible. This would mark a completely new, qualitatively new stage of escalation including in relations between Russia and the United States.
CHANCE (voice-over): And the missiles can potentially deliver a nuclear payload, leading to warnings yet again of a catastrophic scenario. It's impossible to tell whether a Tomahawk carries a nuclear or conventional warhead while it's in flight, the hawkish former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev posted. How is Russia supposed to respond? He asked.
CHANCE: Well, with President Trump now basking in the glory of his diplomatic success in the Middle East, he's clearly not given up on ending the war in Ukraine. But the hope that just one more powerful U.S. weapon, in this case the Tomahawk missile, could be the key to ending that conflict may prove a little misplaced. Matthew Chance, CNN, Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEE: And still to come, we'll have more on the questions that were left unanswered at the end of the Gaza summit when we come back.
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ANDERSON: Well, welcome back. You're watching CNN Newsroom. I'm Becky Anderson for you live in Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt. U.S. President Donald Trump back -- on his way back at least to Washington soon there after signing a cease fire document at the Gaza summit here in Sharm El-Sheikh Monday. And although the White House has now released the agreement, there is still not a great deal of clarity about what will happen next. CNN's Nic Robertson explains.
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NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Trump has talked, you know, what needs to be done in Gaza in terms of rebuilding, in terms of sort of finding the funding and money from that for leaders from the region.
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And he said some of those leaders have come forward and offered money. But the sort of hard and difficult issues that await Gaza are the international stabilization force. How many troops? We've heard 20,000 to 40,000. But who's going to provide them? What will their mandate be? Will they have a U.N. backing? What would their rules of engagement do? What happens if a gunman comes out on the street and points a weapon at them? Are they entitled to shoot first before they're shot at?
Questions like that, we got none of sense of detail from President Trump and he was in that room with all those leaders and really we understood they'd come in wanting to try to get momentum from phase one to phase two, from the cease fire, hostage release, prisoner release to all those other remaining questions on President Trump's 20-point plan.
And you can sort of look at the faces of the leaders that were lined up behind President Trump when he was speaking here in Sharm. You had Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis standing behind him, Giorgia Meloni, the Italian Prime Minister next to him, next to her was the Pakistani Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif.
He gave a very glowing speech of praise to President Trump, a speech, by the way, thanking the president for the peace that he brought between India and Pakistan, which that war had really escalated earlier on in the year. I was there, President Trump, the United States was heavily involved in deescalating there.
But also you have to remember the Pakistan prime minister looking for a better relationship with the U.S. President as well. Next to him you had the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, the Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney next to him. And the look on their faces sort of told like where is the momentum? They weren't necessarily rolling their eyes but they were standing behind the president giving a very long speech. And I think a lot of them had been hoping to get more or understand more or see more momentum.
And that didn't connect. And another sense of that lack of momentum perhaps came from the fact that the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, perhaps the closest country to Egypt, to Sharm El-Sheikh, didn't come. He sent his very capable foreign minister, the leader of the UAE, United Arab Emirates. He didn't come, very capable vice president.
But the symbolism and signaling that these very powerful and influential and rich leaders in the region, that they actually didn't come really symbolizes perhaps the fact that there wasn't a lot of detail in the document, there really are a lot of dots left to be joined up. And of course, that is the worry now. If you don't have the detail down now, how do you keep the momentum? How do you get that stabilizing force in quickly?
How do you prevent Hamas going, gaining ground, gaining strength again in Gaza? Israel is waiting for the international community to disarm Hamas. These are the sort of competing tensions and I don't believe we got a sense of progress on that from what President Trump said.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, that underscores the point my colleague on the ground, Mustafa Salem, made in his excellent analysis that you can find online and on your CNN app, quote, Trump leaves the Middle East with as many questions as when he arrived. What was clear was the language of business and transaction driving the U.S. President. His emphasis here in Sharm El-Sheikh yesterday was around rebuilding or as he put it, building Gaza because it's flattened, he said.
Joining me now from the west bank city of Ramallah is Raja Khalidi, who is Director General of the Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute. It's good to have you. So you've been steeped in sort of trade and development policy and issues for many, many years. This is your area of expertise.
What does it actually look like to build back Gaza and the Palestinian economy after complete ruin and can it happen without sovereignty, without Palestinian self-determination and statehood?
RAJA KHALIDI, DIRECTOR-GENERAL, PALESTINE ECONOMIC POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE: Yes, thanks a lot, Becky. These are great questions. It can happen without -- it can start without sovereignty, but it must lead to sovereignty. So any process, so if this does not turn in, you know, if this -- if we turn into a stalemate after the first phase of this agreement, then, you know, there is no reconstruction, there's no recovery.
If, on the other hand, the other elements of the non-reconstruction elements of this -- of the Trump plan begin to take form, then the multinational stabilization, security force, local governance handled by the Palestinian Authority and financing the reconstruction, if those other things can be put in place, then I think, yes, we can have not only a recovery, but you can have the beginnings of, in fact, establishing pillars of sovereignty through various economic, you know, economic functions that we need desperately to get the economy moving again.
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But this, I think, you know, would need -- is going to -- we're going -- I think we're going to a Security Council process. And in the Security Council, these issues will be thrashed out. And there -- you know, there'll be a place for the peace board or peace council.
The question is what authority does it have? Does it -- is it an authority or is it simply an advisory board? The role of the PA after the six-month -- six-month transitional technocratic Palestinian government, local government.
These issues are going to be thrashed out, I think, in a Security Council resolution. Once we have that, then everybody's on board.
I mean, you can't bring in 20 major nations of the world and then say, let's set up something separate. It's going to have to be within the context of the U.N. Security Council at least --
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: Yes.
KHALIDI: -- mandate. And I think that, by the way, you know, the reconstruction was always about the World Bank handling this.
ANDERSON: Yes. You've called for world leaders to create a New Marshall Plan for Palestinians. Can you can you paint more of a picture of how you hope that could unfold? And what kind of regional support it would take?
Look, I mean, in some ways, in a -- in a quite unseemly manner, the U.S. president kept referring to the wealth in the room, the incredible wealth convened yesterday in Sharm El Sheikh, the support he has. I mean, we know in just three gulf nations alone who have thrown
support behind this -- sort of this goal, this vision, you know, there will be $9 trillion in sovereign wealth by 2030. So what kind of regional support is this going to take?
KHALIDI: Look, from the point of view of the Palestinians, it's major. The most recent estimate of the cost of building Gaza, again, it's something like $70 billion. I think that's probably, you know, a conservative estimate.
But, you know, from the point of view of the -- of the people at the table yesterday, that's peanuts, you know. So I think it's a question of the process. It's a question of where this is all leading.
And we know that. We know that the Saudis, you know, and you mentioned your report the Saudis were there, but not really there.
So they have a process going with the French. And if that's not linked up to the Trump-initiated plan, then were not going to see anything.
But if it does link up and if they can merge it in some form in the Security Council, then you have legitimacy. The state of Palestine and stuff.
I mean, Abbas was there yesterday, regardless of his role not being yet clear. You have Hamas, which is ultimately going to cede power. Instead, it's going to cede power and ultimately will be disarmed in one form or another, defanged, for sure.
And you then have a Palestinian people, by the way. You know, we, you know -- the first year, next year is all about relief. It's about relieving trauma. It's about getting people back on their, you know.
And you're talking about, say, $5 billion -- $6 billion just to do that next year before, you know, temporary decent shelter for maybe 300,000 families.
These are things that are needed urgently. And that's going to, you know, soak up all of the resources that are currently available.
And in the meantime, if we get a process going, then the rest is not going to be an issue.
And, you know, you have Palestinian capital out there in the Gulf, too. You know, this is going to be a private partner -- private-public partnership thing. It's not going to be governments coming in and handing out cash to somebody to rebuild.
And people in Gaza are going to put money into it, too. We're going to all put money into the West Bank. The economy has to be connected to the -- to Gaza for this to work.
ANDERSON: So you've talked in the past about the resilience of the Palestinians and the resilience of the economy, despite you know, occupation, despite, the fundamental issues that Palestinians deal with on a daily basis. Just how important is that resilience to you? Perhaps you would want
to just describe what we really mean by resilience when we're talking about Palestinians.
KHALIDI: Sure. Sure.
Yes. Its off -- the word, a word off the associated with Palestinians. And it's about being steadfast. It's about -- it's about being able to resist the pressure. It's about being able to push back. And this -- and it's about adaptability.
And so you have Palestinian families, Palestinian workers, Palestinian businesses, government. I mean, what more resilient government can you have when its -- all of its sources of income are cut off, but it's still functioning? And the same applies to the West Bank.
Now, the problem about the concept of resilience, briefly, is that it was very relevant up until the war. But since the war, we've been -- we've been shifted into a totally different mode of survival. And that is the key for the moment.
It remains the key. Survival in Gaza is still the only -- resilience is not relevant. And West Bank survival is now a question if the settlers are going to continue on their rampages.
So beyond that -- beyond surviving, we don't want to go back to resilience. Resilience is a way of coping with 50 years of occupation.
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KHALIDI: We want to go to state building. We want to build our institutions. We want to, you know, let this economy flourish. We want to re-gather in the exiles. We have five million Palestinians -- most brilliant people, most well-placed in top positions, finance, engineering, all the whole thing.
But we need a process, and we need a place for people to feel that they can be attached to. So the state of Palestine is that -- that address eventually.
I believe -- I mean, it's that concept and building that -- the institutions of that state which is going to bring the Palestinian people together. And we won't need to worry about it.
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ANDERSON: Right. It's good to have you. I really appreciate your time.
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KHALIDI: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Good points. It's good to have you, sir. Thank you very much indeed for joining us.
Some really important insight and analysis there by our guest. Well, for more, let's go to Antoine Renard, who is country director of
the World Food Programme for the Palestinian territories. He's joining us live from Jerusalem this morning.
There were several U.N. officials at the event here yesterday in Sharm El-Sheikh, pushing towards a surge in aid. As you understand it, what are the -- what's the concrete action and commitments on the ground at this point.
ANTOINE RENARD, COUNTRY DIRECTOR, WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME-PALESTINE: Well, the ceasefire actually opens the way. It means really that access, scale and reach now needs to be at the proper -- let's say reach for all the United Nations and the humanitarian.
It means that all the crossings have to be open. So far, we had only Kerem Shalom, and we had Kissufim, which are two main entry points.
We have only six (ph) in terms of humanitarian. We've done it in January 2025, but now is so important coming out of Sharm El-Sheikh that we have the proper backup from the international community to make it happen.
ANDERSON: Right. Why aren't all the crossings open?
RENARD: Well, so far we were still having only the two in the south, because we still are, and as we speak, the World Food Programme for the last two days, were actually clearing the roads coming from two of the main entry points, which are Zikim (ph) and (INAUDIBLE).
ANDERSON: Ok.
RENARD: We need to actually ensure that the roads are feasible for the trucks. We need to make sure also that there are no unexploded ordnance. So that's what we've been working on. As well yesterday, as you know, the hostages were being released and therefore it was a bit of a day where food and different humanitarian assistance was become still.
So I hope that today we'll have all the crossings open and we're making everything to make it happen.
ANDERSON: And Israel has committed to upwards of 600 trucks a day, that is, tons and tons and tons of supply -- supplies and aid. Is that what you expect going forward? Are you seeing evidence that that commitment is going to hold? I mean, that's the sort of surge that's needed, correct?
RENARD: Well, that's where we're hopeful that what were the conditions in January 2025 will actually also be the one being applied.
We have commitment on that. We have also commitment on the fact that all the different actors, being with the goods that they have in Egypt or in Asia (ph), which is the port in Israel, as well as in Jordan, that all the corridors are actually now ready to actually flood the Gaza Strip with assistance. ANDERSON: and this is all about U.N. agencies getting together, as they do all over the world, as they were doing in Gaza and getting this done.
As you understand it, this is a U.N.-led mechanism to flood the enclave with aid, correct?
RENARD: It is U.N.-led, but it's also humanitarian-led. All the different NGOs that have been working now for decades into the Gaza Strip. What we need to ensure is that all the actors that know and have been working in the Gaza Strip are able to operate into it.
There are still some denial related to some of the actors. We need to make sure that all those that have the proper understanding of the Strip are able to operate.
ANDERSON: You've talked about the logistics on the ground, just the sheer volume of debris, you know, getting roads secured.
There is also, of course, a key question about security inside Gaza. And, you know, serious concerns about a vacuum insecurity at this point.
What are you hearing from your colleagues on the ground about security arrangements? I mean, we've certainly or -- security structures at present. We have heard, for example, that there have been incidents between Hamas and other groups on the ground. You know, there are at least worrying, signs, pockets that things could get really messy.
[01:39:51]
RENARD: The law and order has always been paramount. But what I would like to flag to you is that prior ceasefires, even in the conditions where we were forced to work, we were still able as the World Food Programme to provide practically 45 percent of staple food into Gaza.
We managed last week to reinstate ten bakeries that are up and running. They are practically serving half a million people as we speak.
When you are within the Strip, we are not facing any interferences. We are able actually to reach the people.
But the law and order is beyond the humanitarian. This is where the international community and this is where what has been the Trump plan needs to ensure that we are giving proper conditions.
It is beyond the humanitarian related to the law and order, and I hope that out of Sharm El-Sheikh, we do have this being addressed as soon as possible.
ANDERSON: Yes. Very good point, Antoine. Thank you very much indeed for joining us this morning.
Antoine Renard there in Jerusalem. Well, still to come, CNN gets an up close and personal look at the
homelessness crisis in the United States. We hear the stories of people living on Skid Row after this.
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M.J. LEE, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. is experiencing an unprecedented rise in homelessness. That's according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, a nonpartisan organization. There are many reasons for this including the lack of mental health care and a crisis in housing affordability.
Skid Row in Los Angeles is one of the most visible examples. And CNN's Nick Watt speaks to the people living there and here's their perspective.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're telling me about work.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Get a job, a real job.
NICK WATT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tensions are a little -- tensions are a little high.
(CROSSTALKING)
WATT: Tensions a little high. What's going on?
SYLVIA, SKID ROW RESIDENT: I just moved here two days ago.
WATT: You just moved where? To -- to just down here?
SYLVIA: Yes. It's my second day here.
WATT: On Skid Row, 50 or so squalid blocks in the shadow of downtown Los Angeles, one of the richest cities on earth.
What's it like living on the streets here?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It feels Like a failure. I failed. I fell hard in some areas of my life.
WATT: We came for a day to find out what it's like to live here and why Skid Row even exists.
When the transcontinental railroad reached L.A. in the 1870s, this was the end of the line.
This place has been like this for over 100 years, one way or another, right.
(CROSSTALKING) KEVIN CALL, UNOFFICIAL MAYOR OF SKID ROW: Right, right. But every mayor that come in -- Garcetti, all of them say, oh, we're going to fix it. We're going to work on it.
They start off trying to fix it, but something is wrong. If you can put a man on the moon, you can clean these streets up.
WATT: What's your plan for the day?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pretty much -- I read. I like to do puzzles. Sometimes I get on the bus and I ride out and I think.
HOWARD FERGUSON, SKID ROW RESIDENT: I've been here two weeks. First time ever being homeless, first time being evicted.
WATT: Is there like a pathway for you to get back into like a permanent house?
FERGUSON: Oh, that's what they do here. They told -- they told me three to six months.
WATT: How long have you been here?
RICKY, SKID ROW RESIDENT: I've been here about 22 -- 23 years.
WATT: Ricky won't move into a shelter.
RICKY: I wouldn't want to be in an area with some of the people that's in there, because a lot of momentum.
WATT: What do you think should happen? I mean, these people need somewhere to live, right?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. They need (EXPLETIVE DELETED) to get them off the drugs.
WATT: But we're told by several people that there's a nonprofit giving out free crack pipes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're giving away the stuff to keep the people getting high.
PAUL READ, SKID ROW ACTIVIST AND VOLUNTEER: There's a large percentage that said, Paul, I never did drugs. I never stole anything until I got down here. I do things to kill the pain or to try to survive.
So many people come here or get dumped here.
WATT: Who's dumping people here?
READ: I mean, sometimes it might be friends or family, but other times it's hospital.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're going to see a lot of things we didn't see before. So many more kids, school buses come here now.
WATT: Dropped off at school on wheels, which runs an after-school program here.
Where do you guys live?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I live --
VICTORIA MALONE, SKID ROW RESIDENT: A shelter.
WATT: Do you live at a shelter? How is that?
MALONE: Nasty.
WATT: Nasty?
MALONE: Because sometimes the shoes are dirty and, I didn't (INAUDIBLE). Sometimes, and sometimes people are crazy. They steal there's other stuff.
WATT: Right?
MALONE: And they. And they, and they say (INAUDIBLE) to the security guards and buys.
WATT: And where do you want to live?
MALONE: At a big house.
There's a lot of people smoking, and there's a lot of crazy people outside.
WATT: Does that make you scared? Yes. Yes.
In the mid-1970s, planners suggested constructing restrooms and benches in Skid Row to serve as a magnet to hold undesirable population elements in Skid Row. Some say that containment policy persists.
[01:49:49]
READ: At least it's a place where people can go because I know the shelters are there to help. The thing is, when they get here, then what happens?
WATT: Someone was killed here yesterday?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yesterday on the streets here. They stabbed him.
WATT: What happened that led you to be on the street?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been -- I've battled, like, mental health issues from a young age. I expended so much energy trying to just maintain and keep afloat. And then --
WATT: Right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- yes, the wheels kind of just fell off.
WATT: Right. You seem like too gentle a soul to be surviving here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's Hollywood, you know, I could turn the corner and come back in 10 or 15 minutes having psyched myself out in the mirror and splashed a little water on my face. And all of a sudden you're looking at a brand-new character.
Stay dangerous. If you can't stay safe, stay dangerous.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anybody who. Don't want to go live inside, it's got to be something here.
Until we can address the mental health part of this thing, it's an uphill battle.
WATT: Do you ever see this place going away?
READ: Can it happen? Yes. But it just -- it seems like it's so far away.
WATT: A lot of people are trying to help. They're spending a lot of money. Are they making any progress? Depends on who you talk to.
The beleaguered organization that oversees the homelessness effort, they tell me progress solving homelessness is slow, and it's absolutely frustrating. But there is progress. By their count, numbers are falling across the county and here at Skid Row. The mayor of Skid Row doesn't believe that.
And the Rand Corporation, they do their own count. They say numbers are falling elsewhere in Venice and Hollywood, but not here at Skid Row.
The other thing to always keep in mind is just the scale of the problem here. More than 70,000 people homeless in Los Angeles County.
Nick Watt, CNN -- Skid Row.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEE: Our thanks to Nick Watt for that report.
We'll be right back with more news. You're watching CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEE: Mali is hitting back at the United States with a new visa rule requiring American applicants to post a bond of up to $10,000. The move mirrors similar measures the U.S. imposed on Mali's citizens last week, citing high overstay rates and security concerns.
Mali's foreign ministry says its new rule follows the principle of reciprocity. The west African country, led by a military junta since 2021, has distanced itself from western allies and deepened its ties to Russia.
An A.I. tech company, OpenAI, is using so much power to run its platforms that it has signed a deal to develop new chips and systems to run them.
ChatGPT now has more than 800 million weekly users and a company executive suggested their new video generating app, Sora 2, is growing even faster.
OpenAI will work with Broadcom to develop ten gigawatts of new tech, which would use as much power as 8 million U.S. households.
The U.S. Department of Energy expects data centers will consume up to 12 percent of U.S. electricity by 2028, nearly triple the amount in 2023.
And U.S. stock futures are down right now, as you can see, following a healthy rebound on Monday that came after President Trump seemed to walk back threats of massive new tariffs on China.
Clare Duffy has more.
[01:54:42]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLARE DUFFY, CNN PODCAST HOST, "TERMS OF SERVICE": Yes. Over the last few weeks, investors had actually been hopeful that trade relations between the U.S. and China were improving following talks between U.S. and Chinese officials in Madrid last month and ahead of this planned meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the APEC Summit later this month.
But that progress hit a snag last week when Beijing announced new restrictions on exports of rare earth minerals. These are materials that are essential for building everything from electronics and semiconductors to electric vehicles and military equipment.
And could potentially cause problems for President Trump's goal of bringing back more manufacturing capacity to the United States.
So we saw President Trump respond on Friday with that Truth Social post that really roiled the markets, threatening to impose new triple- digit tariffs on exports from China starting on November 1st.
That, of course, caused concern that the U.S.-China trade war could be back on and could have significant implications both for individuals and U.S. businesses that rely on goods from China. That is what caused this massive sell off that we saw on Friday.
But since then, we've seen U.S. officials trying to de-escalate the situation and quell some of these investor concerns. President Trump posted on Truth Social on Sunday, saying "Don't worry about China, it will all be fine. Highly respected President Xi just had a bad moment. He doesn't want depression for his country and neither do I."
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also saying that he does expect that meeting between President Trump and President Xi to go forward later this month. And all of this does appear to have mollified investors, at least for
now. We saw all of the major indices in the U.S. ending in the green on Monday.
But I do think this raises the stakes for that meeting later this month between the two world leaders to go well. Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEE: Playing Dr. Frankenstein's creature was life-changing. That's according to Jacob Elordi. The 28-year-old Australian actor was speaking at the London premiere of "Frankenstein". It's a new adaptation written and directed by Oscar winner Guillermo Del Toro.
He depicts the creature made from human parts by Oscar Isaac's arrogant scientist, Victor Frankenstein as a towering, sensitive being who hungers for affection and knowledge.
The movie has a limited theatrical release from Friday, then streaming from November 7th.
And thank you so much all for joining us. I'm M.J. Lee.
CNN NEWSROOM continues with Becky Anderson and Rosemary Church after this short break.
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