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Trump Heads To Asia Seeking A Key Trade Deal With China; U.S. Strikes On Vessels In Caribbean And Pacific Kill 43 People; Sources: Trump Weighing Plans To Target Drug Sites Inside Venezuela; Tropical Storm Melissa Expected To Become Category 4 Hurricane; Kamala Harris Hints At Another Presidential Run: "I Am Not Done"; Dems In High- Stakes Races Test Party Appeal As Early Voting Begins; Zelenskyy Renews Calls For Patriot Missiles After Russia's Deadly Attacks; Trump Hopes China Will "Help" Bring End To War In Ukraine; Blue Jays Power Past Dodgers In Thrilling Game One; Chicago Flower Farm Creating Jobs For At-Risk Youth. Aired 12-1p ET

Aired October 25, 2025 - 12:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PHILIP PULLMAN, AUTHOR: And I was -- I was pleased to see her at that age because this book sets in place the beginning of a story which is going to come into full fruition 20 years later.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN ANCHOR: That's all we have time for. Don't forget you can find all of our shows online as podcasts at CNN.com/audio and on all other major platforms.

I'm Christiane Amanpour in London, thank you for watching and I'll see you again next week.

[12:00:39]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Hello, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me this Saturday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

All right, right now, President Trump is on his way to Asia for a high-stakes five-day diplomatic visit. The marquee event of the trip is his first sit-down of his second term with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The meeting comes at a time of growing tensions between the U.S. and China over Trump's tariff policy. And on his flight overseas the President had plenty to say as he commented on U.S.-China relations, his trade spat with Canada and a possible meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

CNN's Julia Benbrook is joining us right now to walk us through all that's at stake at this trip and what the President had to say en route. Julia?

JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred, lots to unpack here. President Donald Trump is traveling all day for this diplomatic visit to Asia and there are several high-stakes meetings on his schedule. We do expect there to be a lot of trade talk during this visit. We've outlined some of the highlights of his trip to pull up for you there, and in the coming days, he's making stops in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea. That's where all eyes will be on this first meeting of his second term with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. As you mentioned that meeting comes at a precarious time for relations between the United States and China after both countries recently slapped sweeping measures on the other.

We do expect officials from both countries to meet ahead of this sit- down in hopes of having some negotiations and to keep tensions from escalating. Now on Air Force One, Trump said that he does expect to discuss tariffs but also a lot of other topics during that meeting adding that he expects it to be a good meeting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have a good relationship with, as you know, with President Xi, very good. We're going to be meeting, have a good meeting. I'm pretty sure we're going to have a great meeting, maybe a great meeting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BENBROOK: When it comes to a potential deal with China, he did go on to say that he believes that China would have to make concessions but added this, quote, "I guess we would too."

WHITFIELD: And then Julia, you know, Canada's Prime Minister will also be at the Asia Summit. Do we know whether President Trump and the Prime Minister of Canada plan to meet, have some time together?

BENBROOK: He was asked about this specifically and what Canada could do to get back on track. Trump said essentially that he doesn't know if there's much that they can do right now and that he does not have immediate plans to meet with Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney during this trip.

Taking a step back here, Fred, just a couple of days ago Trump said that he was ending trade negotiations with Canada. He took issue specifically with an ad put out by the government of Ontario. It focused in on a 1987 audio clip from then President Ronald Reagan where he spoke out against tariffs essentially.

And while the Reagan Foundation did put out a statement where they said that they believe that ad misrepresented what was said, it did lack context and it was cut down, but the overall theme of Reagan's address was support for free and fair trade. So it's not immediately clear which specifics of that the foundation took issue with but Trump did up the stakes here.

He wrote this on social media, quote, "The Ronald Reagan Foundation has just announced that Canada has fraudulently used an advertisement which is fake featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about tariffs." Adding then in all caps, "ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED." Now in brief remarks as he traveled, Carney said that his country is focused on what it can control which he says includes developing new partnerships and opportunities.

WHITFIELD: All right, Julia Benbrook, we'll leave it there for now. Thanks so much.

All right President Trump is also signaling that his administration could soon take military action inside Venezuela in a push to stop drugs from entering the U.S. Three U.S. officials tell CNN the President is considering plans to target cocaine facilities and trafficking routes inside the country in a sign of potential escalation the USS Gerald Ford and its strike group are now heading to the Caribbean. The U.S. has already carried out several military strikes on boats off the Venezuelan coast claiming without proof that they were carrying drugs.

[12:05:08]

CNN Contributor Stefano Pozzebon is joining us live now from Venezuela's capital. So Stefano, you know, how is Venezuela responding?

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, I think, Fredricka, we're seeing a real closing of the ranks from the Maduro government. For example late last night on Friday night, the President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro was calling for -- to explore the possibility of stripping off the nationality, the Venezuelan nationality from those citizens who are advocating for foreign intervention.

These of course are opposition leader who are applauding that strategy of maximum pressure from the White House. And we're seeing these because of course the potential, just like you said, the potential for open conflict is real. The President of the United States, Donald Trump, for example, made a reference to these potential for conflict also on his way to Asia just like as Julia was saying with reference to Canada.

Here is what he told earlier today.

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TRUMP: I can tell you one thing, we stop all drugs virtually from coming in by sea and we'll stop all drugs from coming in by land very shortly. You'll see that starting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

POZZEBON: So he says that we'll see that very shortly, we'll see the starting. We know that the Gerald Ford, that ship that you made reference to, Fredricka, is the largest and the most advanced the warship ever put to the sea according to the U.S. Navy. It was taken away from the Adriatic Sea from the Mediterranean to come here towards the Caribbean.

It will take the ship and the other ships that are traveling with her about a week to arrive into position, but of course that will bring an enormous amount of higher firepower if indeed the President decides to take action within the Venezuelan territory. We know that most of the drugs apparent are not actually coming in from Venezuela, the majority of the drugs are coming in from Colombia, which is a neighboring nation and a different nation.

We see also that these escalation is already spilling over the border with Colombia, with the Colombian President Gustavo Petro also in a stand fight with the U.S. President Donald Trump. So a very high potential for conflict will bring you when we hear next. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: Yes, a regional problem.

All right, Stefano Pozzebon, thank you so much in Venezuela.

All right, now to the breaking news on the threat from Tropical Storm Melissa. It is strengthening right now and it's in the Caribbean and it's expected to become a hurricane later on today because of its slow movement. Melissa has dropped torrential amounts of rain over the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

You're looking at some of the images that have come in from later on in the week. But Jamaica is right in Melissa's path and the island is bracing for the possibility of a direct hit from this storm that could potentially reach category 5 strength.

CNN Meteorologist Chris Warren is here and we're talking about it's the slow movement of this storm that really is most threatening with a lot of rain to fall.

CHRIS WARREN, CNN METEOROLOGIST: And rain really is the big concern initially with the rain starting and continuing and then eventually a possibly category 5 landfall. Remember, the categories are based on wind and just wind but it is going to be the catastrophic flooding landslides that will be a huge threat to life and a lot of property here in the Caribbean, but first off it will be Jamaica.

Already seen it in Haiti and Haiti's not done yet. 70-mile-per-hour hurricane right now expected over the next few days to get up to 155- mile-per-hour category 4, 2 miles away from being a category 5 hurricane. So in a major hurricane, possibly a category 5, and look how long it takes to get across Jamaica, and then to eastern Cuba by Wednesday morning.

So several days of heavy rain. Even a little bit of movement, whether it goes -- the center of it goes over here a bit more, over here a little bit more, it's a big swath of rain. You can see that here, from here to here.

So even just a little bit of a movement still means a lot of rain in Jamaica, a lot of rain in Haiti by a lot. I mean a couple of feet, maybe a few feet of rain. This is some very serious business. You add in the mountains, the extra lift from the moisture at the tropics going up, you get that much more rain out of what is already an atmosphere ready to do a lot of raining here. And here is Jamaica. The mountains also help funnel that water into the streams and again can create landslides.

Fredricka, take a look at this. Here's Sunday now into Monday. Look at the movement of this. This is one possible scenario. And here's now Monday afternoon, still raining, still now getting pounded by surge. So salt water flooding a serious concern as the rains coming out of the mountains Tuesday midnight, OK?

Now we're getting into Tuesday during the day, just now leaving. So here it is Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. This really, Fredricka, could for Jamaica be really a worst case scenario, especially if we get to that category 5 strength.

[12:10:12]

WHITFIELD: Yes, pretty horrible stuff.

All right. Thanks so much, Chris Warren. We'll check back with you. Appreciate it.

All right, coming up, Former Vice President Kamala Harris says she is not ruling out another presidential bid after losing last year's elections. The not so subtle hints that she's dropping about her future.

Plus, another round of deadly attacks by Russia in Ukraine on key infrastructure. We'll have the latest details from Kyiv.

And the Toronto Blue Jays take game one of the World Series, delivering a dominant performance against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Some of the top moments, including a thrilling pinch hit Grand Slam that ignited the home crowd.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Comes in here, struggles.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Barger sends a towering drive, right center field. Kiss it goodbye.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:15:41]

WHITFIELD: All right, former Vice President Kamala Harris is hinting that she could make another run for the White House. In an interview with the BBC that will air tomorrow, Harris marked her clearest indication yet that she might launch another presidential campaign.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAURA KUENSSBERG, SUNDAY WITH LAURA KUENSSBERG: In terms then of what is next for you, you write very powerfully about the differences that many women have made to your life, whether that was your meeting with Angela Merkel or the experience of growing up with your extraordinary mother, or the stories of your baby nieces, Mara and Lila. When are they going to see a woman in charge in the White House?

KAMALA HARRIS, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In their lifetime, for sure.

KUENSSBERG: Could it be you?

HARRIS: Possibly.

KUENSSBERG: Have you made a decision yet?

HARRIS: No, I have not.

KUENSSBERG: But you say in your book, "I'm not done."

HARRIS: That is correct. I am not done. I have lived my entire career a life of service, and it's in my bones. And there are many ways to serve. I have not decided yet what I will do in the future beyond what I am doing right now.

KUENSSBERG: But you've been very clear that it's a possibility you might run again to become president. And in my experience interviewing politicians, when someone says, I'm not done, it means they are thinking seriously about running. But when you look at the bookie's odds, they put you as an outsider, even behind Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. I mean, is that underestimating you?

HARRIS: I think there are all kinds of polls that will tell you a variety of things. I've never listened to polls. If I listen to polls, I would have not run for my first office or my second office, and I certainly wouldn't be sitting here in this interview.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: OK. In 10 days, voters in two key states will head to the polls to pick new governors. The outcome of those races could serve as a referendum on how voters feel about the Trump administration and provide insight into what could happen in the upcoming midterms.

CNN's Jeff Zeleny takes a closer look at how Democrats are hoping these races will propel them back into power.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ABIGAIL SPANBERGER (D), VIRGINIA GUBERNATORIAL NOMINEE: Are you ready to win?

CROWD: Yes!

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There's little doubt Democrats are ready to win. The more pressing question is how. As the party searches for a way back to power, Abigail Spanberger in Virginia --

SPANBERGER: It's not just vote against something, but we will vote for the policies that we believe in.

ZELENY (voice-over): And Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey.

REP. MIKIE SHERRILL (D), NEW JERSEY GUBERNATORIAL NOMINEE: So as governor, I'm going to be accountable to all of you. You should demand nothing less.

ZELENY (voice-over): Or in the home stretch of their races for governor, which many Democrats hope could offer a roadmap for the way forward again. It was 2018 when Spanberger and Sherrill were stars of a blue wave as Democrats swept control of the House and the party began to roar back two years after President Trump's first election.

SPANBERGER: We brought respect and decency back to the political process.

SHERRILL: We know that in chaos lies opportunity.

ZELENY (voice-over): Back then, these Democrats won red seats through the power of their biographies. Sherrill, a Navy helicopter pilot, Spanberger, a federal agent and CIA officer. They forged a friendship, becoming roommates on Capitol Hill.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Navy helicopter pilot Mikie Sherrill.

ZELENY (voice-over): Their national security credentials are front and center again as they run for governor.

SHERRILL: The Navy taught me in a crisis. You either find a way or make one.

SPANBERGER: After 9/11, I walked the halls of CIA as a case officer working counterterrorism.

ZELENY: What is it like to be both in governor's races? You guys talk about that, or compare notes?

SHERRILL: It's hard to believe. Here is somebody who comes from that National Service background like I do. Someone who's a mom like I am. She has three kids. I have four. They're roughly the same ages.

Abigail and I, I don't think either of us thought we were going to run for office until in 2018. We felt called to serve again and have been in it ever since.

ZELENY (voice-over): Across the river in New York City, a far different approach for Democrats is unfolding in a mayor's race that has emerged as an epic generational and ideological clash between Andrew Cuomo and Zohran Mamdani.

ZOHRAN MAMDANI (D), NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL NOMINEE: It is the power of a movement that won the battle over the soul of the Democratic Party.

[12:20:04]

ZELENY (voice-over): But that battle for the party's soul may just be getting started. Bernie Sanders and the progressive wing are all in for Mamdani, while most other big name Democrats are hitting the campaign trail in support of a far more moderate direction.

PETE BUTTIGIEG (D), FORMER TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: Everything about her turns the GOP narrative about who Democrats are upside down.

ZELENY (voice-over): Barbara Lee is among the voters we met who is often frustrated by her fellow Democrats.

BARBARA LEE, VIRGINIA DEMOCRAT: Let me tell you about the Democrats.

ZELENY: Yes, tell me.

LEE: We just have too many people to please. That's why it's so hard for us. We are being attacked for all areas, not just Republicans, but from my own party. So let's get that out of the way and get going with the next.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZELENY (on-camera): And heading into the final stretch, Spanberger in Virginia appears to be in a much stronger position than Sherrill does in New Jersey. One reason that argument for change is different. Sherrill is running to succeed Governor Phil Murphy, a Democrat. Not since 1961 have New Jersey voters elected three Democratic governors in a row.

Jeff Zeleny, CNN, Washington.

WHITFIELD: All right, coming up, President Trump is heading to Asia for a series of high-stakes meetings. What he's expected to push for to pressure Russia to end its years long war in Ukraine?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:26:00]

WHITFIELD: All right. Today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is calling for more defense systems after Russia launched new deadly attacks overnight. Ukrainian officials said the targets included Kyiv, where crews rushed to put out flames after an aerial strike hit a warehouse, killing at least two people.

CNN's Paula Hancocks is in Abu Dhabi with more on these attacks.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Russia's deadly attack overnight, Friday into Saturday, came after a week of sanctions and diplomacy. Now, we did see a number of drones and missile strikes by Russia on a number of different areas in Ukraine, and there was loss of life and injuries.

Now, at one point in Kyiv, the capital residents were told to stay in the shelters until the attacks were over. Now, we heard from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs saying that once again, Russia was targeting critical infrastructure, meaning the energy grids, the railroads and also civilian housing. We also heard from Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president, calling once again for the Patriots missile defense system, saying that this is necessary, quote, "so that we can protect our cities from this horror."

Now Zelenskyy also said that this year alone, Russia has launched around 770 ballistic missiles against Ukraine, also saying that they've launched some 50 Kinzhal missiles. Now, these are missiles which can be fired from fighter jets, meaning they can reach deeper into Ukraine. They can be fired from multiple directions at the same time as well.

And we also heard once again President Zelenskyy renewing his calls for long-range missiles, the Tomahawk missiles, which we know in recent days, U.S. President Donald Trump has rejected. But we did hear from the U.S. President that he was going to order sanctions against Russia's two largest oil producers. It also came as the E.U. increased its sanctions. It rolled out new sanctions and did guarantee to finance Kyiv for the next two years.

And then on Friday, we also had that meeting in London, the Coalition of the Willing, where leaders called on nations to increase sanctions against Russia. We heard from the U.K. Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, saying the fact that these sanctions were coming from the U.S., the U.K. and the E.U., it was showing they are in close coordination, also showing that they can further cripple Russia's economy and that they can isolate the country further.

Paula Hancocks, CNN, Abu Dhabi.

WHITFIELD: All right, Paula, thank you so much.

Let's discuss more now with Global Affairs Analyst and Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, Michael Bociurkiw. Michael, great to see you.

So just yesterday, Zelenskyy was London in meeting with European leaders who have made financial and military commitments to Kyiv. How might this help Ukraine sustain its fight against Russia?

MICHAEL BOCIURKIW, GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Yes, great to be with you again, Fredricka. Well, as they were meeting, Russian missiles were coming down on my usual base of Odesa, which is why I'm in Moldova right now. Three Russian missiles, and fortunately, two of them were taken down when landed into field. So this goes to show you while Europe is debating what to do to put more sanctions. While Russia has had all of this time to sanction proof itself, I don't think it will make that much of a difference.

What the Ukrainians were really hoping for, as Paula pointed out, was number one, those Tomahawk missiles, but number two, the Europeans were unable to find their way to release $162 billion worth of frozen Russian assets. This is something Ukraine needs very, very badly. But because of fears, especially by Belgium, it's not going to happen, at least for now.

But one quick thing here, Fredricka, you know, they can delay this now, but it's going to be a lot more costlier when Russia goes further into Europe with hybrid warfare or other means, and they have to start building bomb shelters, you know.

[12:30:13]

WHITFIELD: OK, well, let's shift gears a little bit because, you know, President Trump, he's on his way to Asia earlier today aboard Air Force One.

BOCIURKIW: Yes.

WHITFIELD: He was asked about what influence he wanted China to exert on Russia to try and stop this war in Ukraine, and this is how he responded.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, I'd love China to help us out with Russia. We've put very big sanctions on Russia. I think those sanctions are going to be, you know, they're very biting, they're very strong, but I'd like to see China help us out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Might China, you know, have a role in being influential, helping to end this conflict?

BOCIURKIW: Ain't going to happen. We all know that China and Russia have a very tight relationship. I -- I do believe that China is the only state. Xi Jinping is the only leader that could actually sway Mr. Putin to end the war, but he doesn't want to do that. The -- the Chinese have been providing dual-use technology to the Russians to help this war continue, and, you know, I think in the kind of longer range, China is also looking at perhaps, you know, gain -- gaining access to Ukrainian rare minerals, Russian resources as well, so they have no interest to stop the war right now.

It's a sad thing to say, and by the way, here's a little anecdote for you. Maybe they know something we don't, but they just temporarily closed their huge Chinese consulate in Odessa. I don't know, again, if they know something we don't, but that's a very bad sign as well, or perhaps worse things to come.

WHITFIELD: One has to wonder, is, you know, Trump kind of passing the buck? I mean, it's been hard to figure out, you know, if there's any real consistency in his strategy, or even what that strategy is coming out of the White House.

BOCIURKIW: Yes.

WHITFIELD: You know, first the President, you know, meeting with Putin, wanting to quickly make a deal to end the war. Then Trump promises to send more military aid to Ukraine. After that, you know, he agrees, then cancels another meeting with Putin, and now, you know, putting sanctions on Russia. So what is the messaging, you think, that's coming from Trump or the White House to the rest of the world as it pertains to Ukraine?

BOCIURKIW: Yes. Well, you know, Fredricka, in Canada, we call him the zigzag president, for the very reason that he always changes his opinion or his policies. I think what would be a great thing for Ukraine right now, and for Europe for that matter, is for the center of gravity for these peace negotiations, peace efforts to shift to Europe. But, you know, we saw the role, for example, of Turkish President Erdogan in that Gaza-Israel deal, very central role.

He has a lot of leverage, I think, over Mr. Putin. He has good relationships with the Ukrainians. I think the shift should happen more onto his side, onto his desk, and I think we would see progress. But the Ukrainians are becoming very weary, as they should be, of Mr. Trump and his, again, zigzagging policies. I think a lot more could be done here at the moment, if, a big if, the Europeans can get their act together for those long-range weapons and also financial support to Ukraine.

WHITFIELD: In the meantime, sanctions, whether there are more that come from Europe or even the United States against Russia, is it at all influential?

BOCIURKIW: Well, you know, it's interesting. If you read the fine print of the new U.S. sanctions against Russian oil companies, it gives them, if I'm not mistaken, about 40 days or more to adapt. I mean, what the heck does that mean? This gives them time to further sanction-proof themselves. It gives them time to expand their fleet of ghost ships that carry this oil.

And then, if you can't go after the big purchasers of Russian oil in a -- in a coordinated, strong way, India, China, among others, it's not going to -- to hurt Russia. It's a sad state of affairs right now, because sanctions was a very sharp tool in the toolbox to begin with. But they've had a lot of time and, by the way, a lot of support from China, North Korea, Iran, and others to sanction-proof themselves.

WHITFIELD: All right. Michael Bociurkiw, always a pleasure to have you. Thanks so much.

BOCIURKIW: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, coming up, the U.S. government has been shut down now for nearly a month. Millions of federal employees going without paychecks and worried about how to afford food and basic supplies.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm going to really be depending on the food banks, stuff that I can make a meal out of, or if I'm just going to be eating soup for the month.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Means it's a whole lot more that's got to come out of my Social Security check to buy food, and just a lot of other things, like things I need in toiletries that I won't be able to get, because of the fact that food will be a priority.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: With my rent due next week, I could take anything I can get. At this point, I haven't gotten a paycheck this month. So the free groceries is very important, very helpful. [12:35:03]

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's overwhelming. There are at least 2 to 300 people in this line that we're servicing today, federal employees. It's mind-boggling.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: From missed paychecks to shuttered services, Americans in every corner of the country are feeling the effects of the federal government shutdown. The impacts are showing up in everyday life at airports, grocery stores, and even classrooms.

[12:40:06]

Let's start with the skies. You've probably heard about the growing chaos at airports. Flight delays and cancellations are piling up, as TSA employees and air traffic controllers continue to work without pay.

And since the shutdown began, there have been more than 215 air traffic control staffing shortages reported at FAA facilities nationwide. And that's more than four times the number reported this time last year. And just yesterday, Transportation Secretary warned that if the FAA determines flights cannot operate safely, you can expect more delays and cancellations straight ahead.

And it's not just flying that is taking a hit. Transportation projects on the ground could also come to a halt. That's everything from subway repair projects to major roadway construction.

Without federal funding, much of that work could be paused indefinitely. Families are also feeling the strain. Many homebuyers, for example, are being left in limbo, according to the National Association of Realtors.

More than a third of all homebuyers rely on federally backed loans. But with the shutdown, applications for programs like USDA loans have stopped entirely, putting countless deals on hold.

Food assistance programs are on the line as well. In just one week, funding could run out for programs that help nearly 42 million Americans put food on the table. About one in eight Americans rely on SNAP. That's the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, better known as Food Stamps.

And nearly 7 million pregnant women, new moms and young children who usually get help through WIC, women, infants and children. Those programs, without government funding, all of those benefits could vanish.

Some education programs that serve some of the nation's neediest preschoolers are also at risk. Head Start programs serving about 6,500 low-income kids are already operating without funding. And the National Head Start Association warns that programs supporting another 59,000 kids could lose funding by next week.

Even the courts are feeling the pinch. The judicial branch ran out of full funding on Monday, which could lead to court closures, delayed cases and widespread disruptions in the federal system.

And if you're hoping to spend your weekend exploring a national museum or park, well, you might be out of luck. All Smithsonian museums, including research centers and the National Zoo in the nation's capital remain closed. The zoo assures that animals are being cared for, but the doors are still shut for the public.

And while many national parks are still partially open, access is limited. About 9,000 park employees have been furloughed, leaving many visitor centers unstaffed, bathrooms unattended and could mean emergency responses are delayed.

This shutdown is already the second longest in U.S. history. And with no end in sight, we could see even more disruptions in the days ahead. The impacts look different depending on where you live. Check your state's official website for the latest information on how the U.S. government shutdown could be affecting you.

[12:43:29]

All right, coming up, a tropical storm churning in the Caribbean may soon explode into a massive category 5 hurricane. Jamaica is gearing up for fierce winds and flooding as other islands are already seeing damage.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, game two of the World Series is tonight in Toronto and the Blue Jays are flying high. Toronto's monster sixth inning helped them win big against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game one last night. CNN's Andy Scholes reports from the outfield of the Rogers Center.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: It was an absolute party here at the Rogers Center for game one of the World Series. And one thing is for sure, Blue Jays fans are never going to forget the sixth inning of this game.

It was all tied up at two coming into the inning. The Blue Jays were able to knock out Dodgers ace Blake Snell from the game. Then with the score five to two, Addison Barger coming through with a pinch hit grand slam that just sends the stadium into a frenzy.

This was the first ever pinch hit grand slam in World Series history. And the Jays did not stop there. Alejandro Kirk then also hit a two run home run later in the inning. Blue Jays have a nine run sixth inning. Shohei Ohtani would hit his first World Series home run in the next inning, but the Dodgers just never recovered. Blue Jays run away with game one, 11 to four to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ADDISON BARGER, TORONTO BLUE JAYS OUTFIELDER: I think that's probably as good as it gets.

JOHN SCHNEIDER, TORONTO BLUE JAYS MANAGER: Barge, man, he didn't budge. He was ready to go and hit a mistake pitch. So that was a little bit more than what we could have hoped for. But that inning to watch those guys navigate that was pretty cool.

BARGER: Just madness. I mean, the fans are so energetic and, you know, we really feel it. And yes, I thought we put together a lot of really good at bats and we made things happen and it worked out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[12:50:04]

SCHOLES: And Blue Jays fans had been waiting 32 years for a night like this. And it was only one game. But taking game one of the World Series has been a very good sign recently, 23 of the last 27 teams that won game one went on to win this series.

And the Blue Jays fans certainly going to be pumped up for game two. You can expect another crazy atmosphere here at the Rogers Center Saturday night. Back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Lots of excitement and it continues.

All right. Tomorrow, a one-hour special on that shocking broad daylight jewelry heist last weekend at Paris's beloved Louvre Museum. How did that happen? Are investigators any closer to learning the identities of those behind this brazen whodunit? We've got the latest from France on "The Heist: The Louvre's Stolen Crown Jewels." That's tomorrow, 8:00 p.m. right here on CNN.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I heard an alert on my radio given by a colleague in the Galerie d'Apollon. She was saying, it's urgent, it's urgent. It's very, very urgent.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They had these angle cutters that they had bought from a hardware store.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And this is what you use to cut glass, it turns out, rather effectively.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They didn't know that there were thieves. Many thought that they were terrorists because the Louvre Museum is a very big monument. And unfortunately, we had this in mind. So can you imagine people in the Galerie d'Apollon seeing intruders entering by the windows? They were very afraid. They were very afraid.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And they threatened the guards with the angle cutters to hold them back.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The guards then evacuate people as they're trained to do and get them out of the museum as quickly as they can.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They told the visitors, get out, get out, get out.

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WHITFIELD: Wow, so fascinating, the mysterious moments behind this mystery. All right, back in this country on Chicago's south side, the neighborhood of Englewood is a classic example of urban blight.

Decades of economic decline have resulted in empty buildings, which often get torn down, leaving vacant lots behind. But where many only see decay, this week's CNN hero sees potential. Quilen -- Quilen rather, Blackwell is bringing life to these empty spaces and creating much needed jobs for young people in the community. As a result, hope and opportunity are starting to blossom.

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QUILEN BLACKWELL, SOUTHSIDE BLOOMS CO-FOUNDER: Most people wouldn't expect to see a full flower farm here on the south side of Chicago. It's really cool to be able to bring that beauty to places where people least expect it.

I've been living in Englewood since 2015. It's one of the more dangerous neighborhoods, high poverty, high urban blight. So you can kind of see like storefronts that are boarded up, the building gets condemned.

They'll knock the building down and now it's a vacant lot. Yes, these aren't parks. Most people will see the trash, the vacant lots. But for me, I see a potential. We're here to try to bring life. Southside Blooms is a farm to vase florists.

We'll take over vacant lots, grow our own flowers, design them in our flower shop. And then we do retail bouquets, weddings, corporate events and everything in between. This is about creating opportunity in a place that desperately needs it.

Try to get some good stem length, you know the drill.

A big part of what we do is creating jobs in the floral industry for at-risk youth.

What's your favorite flower?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The lily, cosmos. My favorite, it would be the red rose.

BLACKWELL: Growing up, I was very fortunate. I had a bevy of opportunity. I came to Chicago, started tutoring at a high school in Englewood. And I started to just realize, I could be any one of these kids.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to do them tiger lilies and yeasts.

BLACKWELL: There are people who want a chance at something better.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have to grow up fast around her. I lost a lot of friends, ended up in jail. I was looking for a job. One of my friends, he was like, hey bro, I got a job. I'm like, bro, flowers, what? Working here, I see myself changing. Calmer, into nature. This was just an empty parking lot. We did this. We started all this. We cleaned it up. It's our community. I'm proud.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ready for the event?

HANNAH BONHAM, SOUTHSIDE BLOOMS CO-FOUNDER: Getting there.

BLACKWELL: My wife, Hannah, trained at the floors. Figured out the youth training program.

BONHAM: It's a feel, so teaching kind of the basic concept and then kind of letting their creativity go.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I learned, I paid close attention, I asked questions and I fell in love with it. I'm an example. I purchased my first apartment. I purchased a car. I try to tell everybody it's an opportunity. Every place you step in, you take advantage of it.

BLACKWELL: Our young people are blossoming and blooming every single day.

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WHITFIELD: Aw, this flourishing full story about Quilen's work. Go to cnn.com/heroes.

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WHITFIELD: All right, a tender homecoming in Minneapolis this week to celebrate the last survivor of the Annunciation Catholic Church shooting leaving the hospital.

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Sophia Forchas was shot on the left side of her head in the August 27th attack and has been recovering at a St. Paul children's hospital ever since. Video shared by Mayor Jacob Fry shows Sophia returning home in a white limo with the police escort. And then people gathered there with signs, balloons and lots of hugs to cheer her on.

All right, that was some homecoming. Hennepin Healthcare shared an image of Sophia wrapped in a hug right there during a visit before she went home, saying she was inspired. She has rather inspired so many of us. And this day is truly a reason to celebrate, end quote. Sophia also made it home just in time to celebrate her birthday. She turned 13 this weekend. Happy birthday, Sophia.