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Gaza Ceasefire Holding After First Major Test; Trump: Russia And Ukraine Should Stop Fighting At Beattle Lines; Two Dead After Cargo Plane Skids Off Hong Kong Runway Into Sea; Priceless Jewels Stolen In Raid On Louvre Museum In Paris; Trump Set to Impose New Tariffs on Colombia; U.S. Carries Out Seventh Strike on Alleged Drug Vessels; Centrist Rodrigo Paz Wins Bolivia's Presidential Vote; U.S. Shutdown Grinds On; Trump on Tariffs: "Not Looking to Hurt China"; Trump will Meet China's Xi in South Korea in Two Weeks; Hindu Festival of Lights Begins on Monday. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired October 20, 2025 - 01:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:00:53]

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Polo Sandoval, live in New York. Welcome to CNN Newsroom. And here's what's ahead. U.S. President Donald Trump says that the ceasefire he brokered between Israel and Hamas is holding despite violence on Sunday. But will an upcoming U.S. delegation visit help keep the peace? We'll ask an expert.

A daring jewel heist at the Louvre Museum in Paris. It has people asking how and why this happened.

And going greener, a time honored tradition of the Indian festival of Lights. Getting some changes. We'll tell you how.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from New York. This is CNN Newsroom with Polo Sandoval.

SANDOVAL: Let's begin with U.S. President Donald Trump as he says that the ceasefire in Gaza is holding this despite a new round of deadly attacks. Israel and Hamas, they are now renewing their pledge to the agreement after accusing each other of violating it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We want to make sure that it's going to be very peaceful with Hamas. And as you know, they've been quite rambunctious. They've been doing some shooting and we think maybe the leadership isn't involved in that, you know, some rebels within. But either way, it's going to be handled properly. It's going to be handled toughly but properly.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is the ceasefire still in place?

TRUMP: Yes. Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: President Trump as he flew back to Washington Monday night, Israel says Hamas carried out an attack on Sunday, killing these two soldiers, these two Israeli soldiers. Israel then launched a wave of airstrikes that Gaza hospital officials say killed at least 44 people.

Then there are the aid deliveries. Those were blocked. But an Israeli official says that they will resume on Monday. At least that's what they say will happen. Sources tell CNN that U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance is expected to lead a delegation to Israel in the coming days.

Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, all key architects of the deal. They will also reportedly travel to the region in the coming days. CNN's Jeremy Diamond has more on how the deadly attacks unfolded in Gaza.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: The Israeli military conducted a wave of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Sunday after two Israeli soldiers were killed in what Israel says was a Hamas attack. And all of this represents a major test, the most significant test for this ceasefire today, just nine days after it went into effect.

These are the most intense Israeli airstrikes that we've seen since the ceasefire went into place. One large underground tunnel route was struck in Gaza, as well as an additional 15 plus targets in just the southern part of the Gaza Strip alone, according to an Israeli military official.

But we do know that there were strikes in southern, central and northern Gaza and they took place after the Israeli Prime Minister convened security officials for a consultation and after the Israeli Defense Minister vowed that Hamas would pay a, quote, heavy price for this attack.

Now, this Hamas attack on Sunday apparently took place in the southern part of the Gaza Strip with rocket propelled grenade fire and sniper fire being directed at these troops, killing two Israeli soldiers and severely wounding one other, according to the Israeli military.

Now, Hamas, for its part, says that it is committed to this ceasefire. The Al Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military wings, claim to have no knowledge of any incidents in the Rafah area in southern Gaza where this all took place. They say that their communication has been cut off with their fighters in that area. It's also important to note that we have seen other instances of fire in Gaza since this ceasefire went into effect with Israeli troops opening fire at Palestinians who either approached or crossed this invisible yellow line in Gaza where Israeli troops withdrew to once the ceasefire went into effect.

On Friday, for example, at least nine people were killed, including four children, when a family was in a vehicle traveling to northern Gaza and apparently crossed that yellow line, the death toll there, according to Gaza's civil defense. [01:05:07]

We should also note that the Israeli Prime Minister on Sunday also ordered a halt to humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip. But it appears that he made a rapid about face there with an Israeli official now telling us that aid deliveries will resume once these strikes end in Gaza.

But all of this represents a major test for this ceasefire. It has not yet fully collapsed, but certainly there are questions about its fate going forward, particularly as far right members of Israel's government call for an all-out return to war. But for now, again, the cease fire has not collapsed, but a very, very serious series of events that we'll be following very closely. Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Tel Aviv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Let's get some important analysis now from Jerusalem. And Gershon Baskin, he's a former hostage negotiator. He also now serves as director at the International Communities Organization. Gershon, it's good to have you with us. Thank you for your time.

GERSHON BASKIN, FORMER HOSTAGE NEGOTIATOR: Thank you.

SANDAOVAL: I'm curious what in your view of the situation right now, I'm wondering if we can get to that, of this tenuous situation there at the ground, on the ground at the moment with the cease fire tested that appears to be holding. Are you surprised? Were you expecting this truce to be broken by now?

BASKIN: No, it wasn't surprising at all. The exact details are only surprising. But with this kind of war that's gone on for two years and the parties involved breaking the ceasefire should be expected, not the opposite. And reports are of course conflicting from both sides on what actually went down. This morning in Israel is being reported in different news sources that in fact what started the major upset yesterday was an Israeli bulldozer that ran over an unexploded ordnance. And not that Hamas opened fire on them, but we don't know. And that's being checked.

In the end, people were killed. People have been killed almost every day since the beginning of the ceasefire. And what put the ceasefire back in place is of course, the work of the American side. Both Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were on the phone with the Israelis, with the Qataris, the Egyptians and the Turks, making sure they speak to Hamas.

Witkoff and Kushner are expected to come to Israel today and tomorrow Vice President J.D. Vance will arrive here. This is all very good, not just to hold the ceasefire in place, but to move forward with the upcoming details of the implementation of this agreement, which are essential, for instance, the placement of the Palestinian government in Gaza. The new technocratic non Hamas government. The deployment of a Palestinian police force, beginning with 10,000 cadets who have been trained in Jordan and Egypt over months. The U.N. Security Council resolution, which will embody this whole

agreement international law and provide a mandate for the multinational stabilization force that needs to come to the region, to the Gaza Strip, which will be the real buffer between Israel and Hamas, which will prevent the renewal of the war.

And of course, the billions of dollars that need to flow into Gaza to help to rebuild temporary housing to get electricity and water networks working, because there are 2 million homeless people in Gaza who've lost their homes in the war and they need to have a roof above their heads before the winter rains begin.

SANDOVAL: And Gershon, before all of this gets addressed, there's that critical visit that you mentioned. I'm glad you mentioned it. So it sets up my next question. Can you explain if that visit of Vice President J.D. Vance, Witkoff, Kushner, if that, you know, how critical will that be to try to preserve this cease fire? Do you think that it will keep the Israeli side from doing anything further to provoke Hamas or Hamas to do the same?

BASKIN: Both sides will be deterred to do anything. This deal would not have happened without the direct intervention of President Trump and his envoys. And here Jared Kushner joined in and played a critical role. This war had to end a long time ago, but it wouldn't end until President Trump made a decision that it would end. And that, of course, was conveyed by Mr. Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

They did a great job in negotiating together with the other mediators, the Egyptians, the Qataris and the Turks who locked in Hamas while President Trump locked in Benjamin Netanyahu into the deal. Netanyahu controls his government.

And even though there are people in his government yesterday who said, let's go back to war, it was sufficient to have phone calls from Witkoff and Kushner to Netanyahu and to one or two other members of the Israeli government to say that's not going to happen.

And as long as President Trump focuses on keeping this deal going forward, we will see it halting because Israel cannot go against the will of President Trump.

SANDOVAL: As you've laid out just a short while ago, that long list of objectives, this path to peace, it does exist.

[01:10:04]

The question is, how do they navigate that path, which means potentially scaling some mountains here. What in your view, do you believe in this plan, what kind of gaps are still existing there that do you see in that plan that could be standing in the way of implementing this day after sort of approach for Gaza?

BASKIN: First of all, I'm very cautious about using the word peace here. We don't have a peace deal. We have an end of war, a ceasefire, some kind of steps to rebuild Gaza. The broader peace that President Trump talked about both in the Israeli Parliament and then in the big meeting with 31 countries in Sharm El-Sheikh is a grand vision that can only happen after we have a change of leadership in Israel amongst the Palestinians.

That's a prerequisite for moving forward with expanding the Abraham Accords or with really talking about peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Neither the leadership of Israel nor the leadership of the Palestinians today is in a position to work for peace, real peace between Israel and Palestine, because the core of this conflict is the Israeli Palestinian conflict.

It's not really a conflict between Israel and any other Arab country. We need to deal with the core issue here. And the core issue can only be resolved on a two state solution. And I'm not even sure that President Trump has yet come to the conclusion that most of the world has come to, that there needs to be a Palestinian state next to Israel within the territory of the land between the Jordan river and the Mediterranean Sea.

That in my mind is a prerequisite for talking about Israeli Palestinian peace, which will expand the peace between Israel and every other Arab country in the region.

SANDOVAL: The issue of governance. Gershon Baskin, thank you so much for joining us this morning and for your insight.

BASKIN: Thank you.

SANDOVAL: The UN's Chief Emergency Relief coordinator, Tom Fletcher says that he was, quote, overwhelmed after witnessing the devastation in Gaza City firsthand. He described it as a wasteland after more than two years of Israel's war with Hamas.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM FLETCHER, U.N. EMERGENCY RELIEF COORDINATOR: So we're driving through south of Gaza City now. So these are parts of Gaza actually visited back in the start of the year. And vast areas that I came through then that were standing are now completely pulverized, flattened, wasteland. It's just such a massive task ahead. It's hard not to be overwhelmed by that.

But the people here, picking their way through the rubble and putting their tents back on their homes. They, I mean, of all the people in this equation, they're the ones who don't look overwhelmed. Somehow they're just living.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: And Donald Trump is again calling on both sides to freeze the war in Ukraine along current battle lines. His comments follow Friday's White House meeting with Ukraine's president where he denied Volodymyr Zelenskyy's request force shipment of long range Tomahawk missiles. And this comes as the Kremlin ramps up aerial barrages across Ukraine, looking to lock in territorial gains before winter really settles in. And during an appearance on NBC, President Zelenskyy was asked if the

U.S.sStance on negotiations has altered Ukraine's approach to ending the war.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KRISTEN WELKER, HOST, "MEET THE PRESS" NBC: Let me ask you, because President Trump said property lines should be defined, quote, by war and guts after your meeting, they should stop where they are, he said.

You have said territory would be the most difficult part of negotiations. Are you now willing to negotiate some territory to give up some of Ukraine's territory in order to end this war?

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: I understand that we have to finish this war and begin this finishing from the place where soldiers stay, from the contact line, as I understood correctly. Yes, I agree that if we want to stop this war and to go to peace negotiations to urgently and in diplomatic way, we need to stay where we stay, not to give something additional to Putin because he wants.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: While speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One, President Trump remained adamant about stopping the fighting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We think that what they should do is just stop at the lines where they are, the battle lines. You have a battle line right now. The rest is very tough to negotiate. If you're going to say you take this, we take that. You know, there's so many different permutations.

[01:15:05]

So what I say is they should stop right now at the battle lines, go home, stop killing people and be done.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you think should happen with the Donbas region?

TRUMP: Let it be cut the way it is. It's cut up right now. I think 78 percent of the land is already taken by Russia. You leave it the way it is right now. They can negotiate something later on down the line. But I said cut and stop at the battle. I go home, stop fighting, stop killing people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDAOVAL: And the Washington Post is now reporting the President Putin. President Putin laid out clear and clear terms to end the war during a phone call with President Trump. According to two senior officials speaking to the Post, Putin demanded that Ukraine surrender the strategically crucial Donetsk region to Moscow.

The hard line stand suggesting that Putin is not backing down from past demands. Earlier, CNN spoke with the Washington Post's White House reporter who actually explains why this territory is so significant.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL BIRNBAUM, WHITE HOUSE REPORTER, WASHINGTON POST: Strategically important to both sides. The war in Donetsk has been going on for 11 years. It's really been the site of a lot of fighting ever since the first round of war started between Ukraine and Russia.

Russia has controlled most of this region for a long time, but the parts that Ukraine still has are strongholds for Kyiv. And they've been able to hold onto it for a long time. It's strategically important territory. They're really dug in.

Russia -- the Ukrainians say, would like it because it will give them an advantage in any future war. It'll help them press even deeper into Ukraine. And the Ukrainians don't want to give up that last territory. President Trump is saying he wants to end this war. He's saying publicly that he wants to freeze the conflict along the current lines.

And that's not what Putin is saying is his price to end the war, the conflict. And it's suggesting that he's continuing to push forward. It would be a major sacrifice, the Ukrainians say, for them to give up this territory. And Putin continues to want to bite off pieces of Ukraine that he hasn't been able to conquer by force. So it's notable that even at this late point when Trump is really focusing on ending the war in Ukraine, Putin is not backing down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: Still to come here on CNN Newsroom, a deadly incident at Hong Kong's international airport after a cargo plane slid off the Runway and into the sea.

Plus, a historic heist unfolds at the Louvre museum in Paris. Still ahead, an update on the priceless items that were stolen by jewel thieves and the evidence trail that they left behind.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:22:18]

SANDOVAL: At least two people are dead after a cargo plane slid off a runway and into the sea at Hong Kong International Airport. Officials say the victims were airport ground staff whose vehicle plunged into the water along with the aircraft when it veered off course while landing four crew members aboard that 747. They were taken to hospitals for treatment. Authorities are now investigating how this happened.

And French police are searching for priceless jewelry following a daring daytime heist at the Louvre Museum in Paris. Look at the trail that these thieves took. According to the early evidence, it shows that either three or four thieves broke into an upper story balcony before stealing French crown jewels from the Apollo Gallery. The heist was carried out in just seven minutes. And this happened as the museum was filling up with museum goers on Sunday. For the latest, let's go now to CNN's Melissa Bell.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Not since theft of the Mona Lisa in the early 20th century had anything quite this brazen been attempted here at the world's most visited museum. It was just after 9:30 a.m. even as the museum had opened its doors to the public, that three to four people, the early elements of the investigation are showing, managed to get in to the building.

We're now understanding from the French press that this may have been the truck that they used, using angle driver after to force open the window. The room that they entered in was the one that houses France's crown jewels. This is what the early elements of the investigation show.

ARIEL WELL, MAYOR, PARIS CENTRE: It does appear that these were extremely well trained robbers. They planned this meticulously, obviously.

BELL: For the rest of this Sunday, the museum will remain closed as authorities try to piece together how this theft, this robbery could have happened. 9:30 a.m. in broad daylight with thieves making off with what have been described as inestimably precious valuables, jewelry from that era.

One piece has been found near the scene after they fled on motorcycles. But even now the list of what they made off with is being compiled. Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: And joining me now for more on this and live from Amsterdam is art recovery expert Arthur Brand. Arthur, thank you so much for spending some time with us.

Trying to wrap my head around this. It is incredible. It is shocking. I mean, what did you think on Sunday morning when you found out about this heist, that not only that it happened, but it happened in the morning as museum goers were heading into the museum?

ARTHUR BRAND, ART RECOVERY EXPERT: Well, I think it's the heist of the decade, you know the Louvre, the most famous museum in the world, and then targeting Napoleon's crown jewels.

[01:25:04]

It's unheard of. And I couldn't believe it. And that it happened on a Sunday is normal because, you know, it's the best day to do it. Everybody's still sleepy from Saturday night. Police is not on duty. Most police is off. So I think they took the right time Sunday morning, just after opening hours.

SANDOVAL: In trying to understand this, if one steals France's crown jewels, they don't head to their neighborhood pawn shop. What can these thieves do or perhaps may have already done with this kind of priceless loot?

BRAND: Yes, these jewels are so well known, so they are too hot. You cannot just sell them, not even to other criminals. So what they probably want to do is to dismantle these objects. There is gold in it, silver in it, diamonds in it. You can melt down the gold, you can melt down the silver, you can cut to jewels. And if you sell them separately, there is no lead to this theft. So that's probably their plan right now.

SANDOVAL: I remember standing in that room a little over a year ago and just marveling at these items, at these pieces. Just tell me a little bit more about what these pieces were and also the cultural significance. I mean, this is more than just a theft. It is -- it's a crime against those who value these items and its cultural significance, especially in France.

BRAND: Yes, these are the crown jewels from Napoleon, his wife and his successors. So these are the natural pride of France. They are on the Louvre and there are crown jewels, necklaces, all kind of stuff like that. And for France, it's a national disaster. Of course, you know, the Louvre is something sacred in France and nobody would have thought this possible.

The last big theft in the Louvre was in 1911, the Mona Lisa. Fortunately, that piece came back. But I think these are some of France most precious items. It's not only natural heritage, this belongs to the whole world from such an important era, the Napoleonic era. So it's a great loss.

SANDOVAL: And then there's a question of what happened and how they can prevent this from happening again. The thieves forced open a window to gain access as an institution. What do you think some of the questions that officials at the Louvre Museum are asking right now and perhaps how do you believe that they dropped the ball?

BRAND: Well, you know, this was a disaster. The four guys came in with yellow jackets. They had a mechanized lift brought with them. There was construction work being done there. So they try to fit in with those people.

But, you know, it has even been seven minutes. We now know it has been only four minutes. They went in from the first floor, they broke the vitrines, and they got away with these priceless jewels in four minutes. And that should not be possible. So I think something was wrong there. But in general, it's always difficult, you know, to protect a museum. They can even come in with a gun.

But what they should do is slow them down, if thieves know that it will take them like 7, 8, 9 minutes to get in to break the glass, they won't do it because they know the police is already waiting for them downstairs. So they should be able to slow down the thieves. And in this case, that didn't work, obviously.

SANDOVAL: And finally, I have a few more seconds with you, Arthur. Given that there is really no buyer for this kind of priceless artifact, how likely is it, you think that these will surface someday that will make their way back to the museum?

BRAND: Well, the thieves will get caught. The police is working on it. Most likely the Secret Service is involved. The thieves will get caught. The only thing is, will they be caught within a week before they can sell or dismantle these diamonds? That's our hope that in the next few days these people will get caught.

And then the big question is, where is the loot? Where are the diamonds? Those are two separate things, especially after one or two weeks.

SANDOVAL: Yes, it is awful to see this happen. It does look like something out of a movie. And really sorry to see that this took place. Arthur Brand, thank you so much for joining us for this valuable insight. Appreciate your time.

Well still ahead here on CNA Newsroom, tensions they are escalating between the U.S. and yet another Latin American country. Why? President Trump is now set to impose new tariffs on Colombia.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:34:58]

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Polo Sandoval in New York.

Amid a clash between the U.S. and Colombian president, Donald Trump now plans to impose tariffs on the Latin American country over allegations of drug trafficking.

Tensions in the region, they have been growing as the U.S. carries out military strikes in the Caribbean on vessels that it claims are smuggling drugs.

Colombia's President Gustavo Petro, recently accused the U.S. of murdering an innocent Colombian national in one of those strikes.

President Trump posted on social media this weekend that he would be canceling all U.S. payments and subsidies to Colombia, while calling that country's president, quote, "an illegal drug dealer".

Petro, later responding to that statement, calling Trump "rude" and "ignorant" toward Colombia. President Trump has already rejected the idea that denying aid to Colombia could impact its ability to fight drug trafficking.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They are a drug manufacturing machine, Colombia. and we're not going to be part of it. So we're going to drop all money that we're giving to them.

It has nothing to do with them stopping drug production. (END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: And while the presidents trade these jabs, the U.S. Defense Department confirmed yet another military strike on Friday on an alleged drug trafficking boat in the Caribbean. This is now the seventh known similar strike. The video in this unclassified -- these unclassified images released by the government. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claims that the boat was loaded with narcotics and that it had ties to a Colombian guerrilla group designated as a terror organization by the Trump administration.

Hegseth called these drug cartels, quote, "the al Qaeda of the western hemisphere". The strikes have already sparked criticism from lawmakers, even some Republicans, as the White House uses a classified legal opinion to justify this lethal action.

Republican Senator Rand Paul criticizing the strike, saying that the U.S. is, quote, "summarily executing people".

And earlier I did speak with CNN military analyst Colonel Cedric Leighton on how the current military action in the Caribbean compares to past U.S. involvements in the region. This is what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: In some ways, there are - the similarities are that there are drugs, but other than that, what you're dealing with is a very different approach.

In the current approach that the Trump administration is using, what you're seeing is a really large force, about 4,500 sailors and marines being deployed around and near Venezuela, especially along the coastal areas.

That really contrasts completely with the way in which we approached the Medellin cartel back in the early 90s. And that basically was very discreet (ph) deployments of U.S. forces that were there to aid and train the Colombian forces, including the army, as well as the national police.

And those forces were quite successful in getting not only Pablo Escobar, who was the head of the Medellin cartel, but also in decimating the cartel itself. So in that particular case, it was a success.

But of course, when you look at what has happened since then, drugs have continued to flow into the United States. And there's clearly a need to perform some kind of interdiction and major mission against those drugs.

SANDOVAL: As you point out, those missions were discreet. Not really a whole lot of discretion with this, where they will publicize after unclassified some of these images and sharing them around the world.

And here we are now, we're what, seven weeks -- seven strikes later. Now, the Trump administration yet to offer any sort of evidence to substantiate why they continue to target these boats, simply saying that they are suspected of drug trafficking.

In your opinion, Colonel, how unusual is it to know so little with the stakes so high, even after nearly two months?

LEIGHTON: Yes, I think it is really unusual, Polo. One of the aspects of this that makes it so different is that when you go into an area where there is little known about the drug cartels and the people that are running them, what you want to do is you want to collect the intelligence first before you strike those particular targets.

When we were working the Medellin cartel, it was very clear that we needed to know a lot about them. So the intelligence preparation for those missions that eventually took down Pablo Escobar was incredibly intense.

It used a lot of resources that the United States has, but it also used a lot of Colombian resources. And it was one of the aspects of that that led not only to greater cooperation between the two countries, but it also led us -- really execute those missions in a very concerted fashion that was aligned with national strategies.

[01:39:49]

LEIGHTON: We don't see that alignment with the national strategies in this particular case.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: Centrist candidate Rodrigo Paz won Bolivia's presidential runoff on Sunday. In an election dominated by economic trouble in the country, Paz defeated conservative rival Jorge Tuto Quiroga. And this with nearly 55 percent of the vote.

The 58-year-old senator from the Christian Democratic Party assumes office on November 8th. He pledged to open the country to further investments and to govern for all people in Bolivia, he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RODRIGO PAZ, BOLIVIAN PRESIDENT-ELECT: And today from this victory, we extend our hand to govern with all men and women who love the homeland. This is not an ideological issue because Bolivians know ideology doesn't feed us. What feeds us is the right to work, strong institutions, the rule of law, respect for private property, and having certainty about our future.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: And we still have much more on the way, including the latest on the efforts to bring the U.S. government back online as we enter the fourth straight week of the ongoing shutdown.

[01:40:56]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) SANDOVAL: A live picture out of Washington, D.C. and Capitol Hill, where it is now Monday morning, which means that the U.S. Senate is back in session this week.

And all of this as the country enters day 20 -- day 20 of the federal government shutdown. More federal workers will soon be out of work. In fact, on Monday, the agency overseeing the U.S. nuclear stockpile will furlough most of its workforce.

But there's no indication that Democratic and Republican lawmakers will come to an agreement on funding at any -- anytime soon.

For the latest now, let's go to CNN's Camila DeChalus.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAMILA DECHALUS, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: The government shutdown is now entering its fourth week. And it is very clear that there is still no clear path forward for lawmakers to take to potentially reopen the government.

Now, lawmakers still remain deeply divided over how to fund the government. And both parties are really blaming each other for the continued stalemate.

Now the Republican side, the House Speaker Mike Johnson, has really been pointing the finger saying that it's the excessive Democratic spending priorities that they have when it comes to health care and funding for public broadcasting. And it's some of the reasons that he's claiming that the negotiations have stalled.

But Democrats are really pushing back on this argument, saying that it's really Republicans who are the ones trying to make massive, sweeping cuts to health care and social programs.

Take a listen.

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: They want to reinstate free health care paid for by taxpayers to illegal aliens -- that's $200 billion as part of it. They want to -- they want to give money back to the corporation for public broadcasting. They want to take half a billion from rural hospitals. And they want to engage in all sorts of spending on foreign projects around the globe.

That's -- that is actually on paper, that's their counterproposal. We can't do that.

REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY), HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: We're talking about the largest cut to Medicaid in American history. Hospitals, nursing homes and community-based health centers are closing all across America because of what Republicans have done with their one, big, ugly bill. And now they refuse to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits.

DECHALUS: Now, both sides are really framing this as a fight over health care spending, not just about reopening the government, but also about what the country should prioritize moving forward.

And as the government shutdown continues, there's really this building pressure we're seeing not just from federal workers who are going without a paycheck, but also from constituents who are calling their lawmakers and really voicing their concerns about how much longer this is going to go on.

Camila DeChalus at CNN -- Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: U.S. President Donald Trump says that he's not looking to hurt China with high tariffs amid ongoing trade tensions. He says that he is calling for a fair deal.

Listen to what he said just a few hours ago aboard Air Force One as he went back to Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I'm not looking to hurt China, but they have to give us things, too.

(CROSSTALKING)

TRUMP: I want them to buy soybeans. One of the things I want is China is going to buy soybeans. I want China to stop with the fentanyl. Very, you know, normal things. I don't want them to play the rare earth game with us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: In an interview with Fox News, President Trump said that China forced him to raise tariff rates earlier this month after Beijing tightened its rules for exports on some of those rare earth minerals that the president mentioned.

The U.S. President now says that he will be meeting with China's President Xi Jinping in two weeks' time in South Korea on the sidelines of the APEC summit.

That's one of many stories in the region right now because ahead of that the Chinese leader is conveying a key closed-door meeting of the Elite Central Committee, which is actually set to discuss China's five-year plan over the next four days.

CNN's Ivan Watson, following developments out of Hong Kong, joining us live.

Ivan, what do you -- what can you share right now about China's five- year plan? What does it entail?

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I mean, you're going to have more than 300 Chinese government officials. They'll be gathering behind closed doors and mapping out a blueprint, strategies for running the country over the course of the next five years.

And this is a very closed, opaque process. So were not likely to learn what they decide for some time to come. But it could have big implications for the world's second largest economy.

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WATSON: We've just gotten the most recent GDP figures for China, saying that in the last two months that the economy grew at a rate of about 4.8 percent.

That would be the envy of many other economies around the world. But it's actually the slowest growth rate -- economic growth rate that China has had this year at a time when government officials there are aiming for 5 percent for the year.

So officials are attributing the relative slowdown to the quote, "complex and severe external environment". In other words, the trade war with the U.S. That certainly isn't helping.

But there are also internal factors: high youth unemployment, you have deflation, you have industries that China has really surged forward with manufacturing of electric vehicles and batteries and solar panels. But there's just too much of this stuff being produced.

And critics are arguing that China is dumping these products on international markets and leading to more protectionism.

So some of these issues are likely, of course, to be discussed. And they're important what's going to happen with talks expected between the U.S. and Chinese governments in the days ahead.

The U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, saying he'll meet with his Chinese counterpart in Malaysia later this week. That could lead to a face-to-face meeting between Xi Jinping and President Trump. So a lot is riding on what could happen between these two leaders and their governments.

It's not just the economy, though. At these five-year planning sessions, five-year plan meetings. It's also political.

And look what Xi Jinping announced his government just on Friday. They purged nine top officials, commanders from the Chinese armed forces, and they included the number two general, He Weidong, who has a long history of working for decades alongside Xi Jinping; and another general, Miao Hua, all accused of corruption likely to face prosecution.

As a result of this, China watchers, Polo, they say that this is evidence of what extensive control Xi Jinping has over the political and security bureaucracy in China.

And if there is going to be a face-to-face meeting with President Trump in the weeks ahead, look at the comparison. China is planning, how it's going to govern itself and its economy for the next five years. Meanwhile, the U.S. is trapped in political gridlock with its government shutdown and no end to that crisis in sight, Polo.

SANDOVAL: CNN's Ivan Watson, with that live report out of Hong Kong. Thank you.

And we'll be right back with much more.

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SANDOVAL: And these pictures say it all. It is full on spooky season in Chile. Crowds gathering there in Chile in the capital city, Santiago, on Sunday to take part in the annual zombie walk.

The parade was equal parts horror and fun, with people dressing up in their most gruesome costumes, some of them even crawling.

This year's motto was "monsters gathered to celebrate", and you see all sorts of creativity on display this year.

The event paid tribute to the sinister character Doctor Mortis, a Chilean horror icon.

[01:54:50]

SANDOVAL: And Hindus around the world, they are preparing to celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights, that started on Monday. But in a world more conscious of the environment, there's one tradition that's undergoing a rethink.

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SANDOVAL: Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is an iconic Indian holiday celebrated by the lighting of lamps, big family dinners and in some places, setting off firecrackers or crackers, as they're called in India.

Vendors in New Delhi, they are stocked up with all types of illuminations to mark the occasion, which symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness.

But some residents are worried that India's persistent pollution will once again put a damper on the festivities.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think we should not burn crackers, but rather spend a healthy and wealthy Diwali.

The less the pollution, the better it is for us.

SANDOVAL: The air quality index in the country's capital has been hovering at levels considered poor or very poor ahead of the holiday. And each year the smog gets worse around this time because of crop burning and colder temperatures, which trap pollutants in the air.

There are bans on traditional firecrackers in New Delhi to try to reduce pollution levels. But recently, the Indian top court permitted the use of so-called green crackers for a limited time during Diwali.

Some residents say it brings some of the joy back to the festival.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a good order. Every year children celebrate Diwali with a lot of restrictions. This year they can just celebrate and that's why children are very happy.

SANDOVAL: Manufacturers say the green crackers emit 20 to 30 percent less pollutants, but that's still a concern for environmentalists, who say the crackers may be cleaner and quieter, but they still give off some harmful emissions.

VIMLENDU KUMAR JHA, ENVIRONMENTALIST: Delhi already has a pollution baseline, you know, of being one of the worst polluted cities of the world. And each year we see in -- on the eve of Diwali or the night of Diwali, the air quality index reaches almost 20 to 30 times worse than the permissible limits.

SANDOVAL: Delhi's environment minister says preparations are underway to conduct cloud-seeding after the holiday to clean up the air.

The lights of Diwali are once again shining, but not without casting a spotlight on one of India's lingering health and environmental problems.

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SANDOVAL: And from the entire team, want to thank you so much for watching. I'm Polo Sandoval in New York.

The news continues with my colleague Lynda Kinkade standing by in Atlanta in just a few moments

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