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Trump and Obama Headline Rallies in Battleground States; Israelis Demand Independent Inquiry into October 7 failures; France Protests Mostly Peaceful; Kim Crosses New Bridge, Signals Support for More Trade; Brazil Presidential Election; Ukraine: Four Injured After "Double Tap" Strike in Kharkiv. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired October 25, 2026 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and a very warm welcome to our viewers all around the world. I'm Salma Abdelaziz in London.

Let's go straight to our headlines. Presidents Trump and Obama hold competing rallies in key battleground states as the rush to the finish line and control of Congress looms large. Demonstrations across France this weekend were not as violent as what we saw last weekend. Did the massive police presence have anything to do with that? And how one man is melting hearts with his yearly Halloween displays and the cause that he supports.

ANNOUNCER: Live from London, this is CNN Newsroom with Salma Abdelaziz.

ABDELAZIZ: With just days to go until the U.S. midterm election, President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama are both rallying supporters in key battleground states where election results could tip the scales of power in Congress. President Donald Trump rallied his supporters in Georgia on Saturday as Republicans fight to unseat Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff. CNN correspondent Rafael Romo has the latest from the campaign trail for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is the fourth time President Donald Trump has traveled to Georgia so far this year. And the second one in the last eight days. Once again to campaign for Republicans in a state where his party has held complete control of the governorship in both houses of the legislature for over two decades.

Trump was here in Georgia to support Republicans, especially Congressman Mike Collins who's facing an uphill battle in his bid to unseat Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, the incumbent, and Republican businessman Rick Jackson who's in a tight race for the governor's office with former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat.

The energized crowd composed of the Republican base here in deep red Houston County would chant USA often during the president's speech, especially when he spoke about what he described as his accomplishments during his nearly one hour and 40-minute speech, including securing the border, the U.S. relationship with Venezuela after the American military captured its former leader and foreign investment.

As he's done in previous rallies, President Trump referred in a derogatory way to Senator Ossoff and criticized his physical appearance instead of focusing on his policies.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: He's going to want to terminate your second amendment. He's going to want to do everything you can do. What the hell? How can Georgia vote for him? They can't vote for him, including Democrats in Georgia. But Ossoff is an open border extremist who betrayed his most sacred duty in keeping Georgia safe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: Earlier on Saturday, Senator Jon Ossoff had strongly criticized the president in a campaign event in Atlanta with former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JON OSSOFF (D-GA): To wallow in his failure and disgrace. To remind Georgians of his failure as commander in chief and the reckless war he lied us into that he knows not how to end or how to win. To remind Georgians of his tariffs that have driven grocery prices to all-time highs. To remind Georgians that he cut your health care and doubled your health insurance premiums for what? To cut taxes for his donors.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: Voters here in Georgia are very energized. As the Secretary of State says, early voting has shown record-breaking turnout. Georgia surpassed 1 million in-person early votes on Tuesday compared to more than 894,000 in the 2022 midterm election. And on Saturday, more than 1.6 million people had already cast ballots.

Ultimately, the question is whether President Trump is just preaching to the choir, meaning the base of his supporters who are going to vote for Republicans no matter what, or whether he can move the needle with his rallies here in Georgia and elsewhere in any significant way.

Rafael Romo, CNN, Perry, Georgia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: Former President Obama took to the stage in Michigan on Saturday in support of Democratic Senate candidate Abdul Sayed. His race against Republican Mike Rogers could play a critical role in the Democrats' efforts to regain control of Congress. CNN's Arlette Saenz has more from Detroit.

[04:05:00] ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: At a rally here in Michigan, former President Barack Obama strongly criticized President Donald Trump, painting his administration as one focused on chaos, corruption, and cruelty. Obama's remarks here in Detroit created a rare presidential split screen. While Obama was speaking here, President Donald Trump was rallying voters down in Georgia, and he has set the campaign here in Michigan on Sunday as well, the two presidents really offering contrasting visions for the country. Obama tried to use some of his criticism of President Trump to motivate voters in this must-win state for Democrats in the Senate race. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: After 10 years of chaos, and cruelty, and corruption, and incompetence, tomfoolery, nonsense, the likes of which this country has not seen in modern times at least, you get to say enough is enough? We're voting for change right here in Michigan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: Now, Michigan is home to one of the country's most contentious Senate races this cycle between Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers. Obama tailored his pitch directly to the State of Michigan, criticizing President Donald Trump for enacting tariffs on Canada, at times even mocking the way that Trump has portrayed Canada as an enemy.

Obama really argued that those tariffs are part of what have driven up costs in this country. Obama also defended Abdul El-Sayed, whose Muslim faith has been at the center of Republican attacks in this campaign. Obama compared El-Sayed's experience to his own experience.

Remember back when President Trump had questioned whether Obama was born here in the United States. Obama said that those attacks did not work on him, and they won't work on Abdul El-Sayed. Now, this is a must-win state for Democrats. If Democrats were to lose the state of Michigan in this Senate race, it would complicate their quest to win back the Senate majority, as it would push them to even deeper territory in red states to win if they wanted to win back control of the Senate.

So, Democrats are hoping that Obama will be a key motivator, a closer, not just in this race here in Michigan, but also in Ohio, with just under 10 days to go until the election.

Arlette Saenz, CNN, Detroit.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: Now, to Israel, where protesters are demanding answers from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government just days ahead of their crucial election. Thousands gathered in Tel Aviv's hostage square on Saturday, calling for an independent inquiry into failures around the October 7th attack and the events that led up to it. The anti-government demonstrations come just three days before Israel's first national election since that attack took place three years ago.

CNN's Oren Liebermann breaks down the key issues Israelis are voting on during this election, and whether Netanyahu's party nor the opposition face a clear path to victory.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Israelis are voting on Tuesday, and it's the first election since the October 7, 2023 Hamas- led attack on Israel. That means it's the country's first chance to pass judgment over the government that presided over the failures of that day, should that leadership stay or go.

Most recent elections here have been a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and this one is no different, but it goes much further than that. What to do about unfinished conflicts in Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza? How to handle the West Bank? And should there be mandatory military conscription for the country's ultra-Orthodox population?

Netanyahu's main rival is his former military chief of staff, Gadi Eisenkot, and the final round of polls gave Eisenkot's bloc a slight edge over Netanyahu, though neither had a clear path to outright victory in the elections. So, it comes down to coalitions. Netanyahu's coalition relies on far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties that have shown tremendous loyalty to Israel's longest-serving prime minister. Eisenkot's bloc spans right-wing, centrist, and left-wing parties, a more diverse coalition that's not as ideologically aligned as Netanyahu's parties.

To oust Netanyahu, Eisenkot will likely have to rely on the support of Arab parties in some fashion, though it's unclear if all of the parties in his coalition would be willing to do so. And when the polls close on Tuesday, it may not be clear who the winner is. The vote may not be the end of the turmoil.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: For more on the elections in Israel, we're joined now live by Yaakov Katz from Jerusalem. He is the co-founder of the Middle East-America Dialogue and a senior columnist at The Jerusalem Post. Good morning to you, first of all. Thank you so much for joining us.

[04:10:00]

I want to begin with really what's at stake here. How consequential is this election for Israel? What will it tell us about the country that it could become, from the independence of its institutions to the influence of the religious and far-right parties? Where do voters face the clearest choice here when it comes to shaping the future of their country?

YAAKOV KATZ, SENIOR COLUMNIST, THE JERUSALEM POST AND CO-FOUNDER, MIDDLE EAST AMERICA DIALOGUE: Well, I think, Salma, you hit it on the head. This is really about the future of the country, and it's about the direction that we want the country to go in. This is the first election after October 7th, and after that attack, and after the war that's gone on now for three years and is not resolved on any of the different fronts, neither in Gaza, in Lebanon, in Syria, Iran, and, of course, just recent violence that we saw over the weekend in the West Bank.

This is a question that is going to be about where does Israel want to go domestically, the internal issues, the questions that Oren spoke about. Do the ultra-Orthodox serve? Do they not serve? That feeling of inequity, that my children serve, but other people's children do not serve. Why should that continue? And, of course, a referendum on Benjamin Netanyahu himself.

He's been the longest-serving prime minister for Israel. He has led Israel to where we are today. Is this going to be an Israel that continues to fight, that continues to become what he has called Super Sparta, that is going to be closed off from the world, cannot rely on any alliance with any foreign actor, needs to now invest in blockchain and crypto to be able to do economic business, or is this going to be a country that is part of the international community and is part of the world and wants to have those alliances? Can we investigate October 7th? Can we not investigate October 7th? There's a lot at stake here.

ABDELAZIZ: Let's dig into that further, because you did describe this in some ways as a referendum on Netanyahu, and what Netanyahu is saying is, trust me, right? I'm Mr. Security, and you can see his recent actions in the West Bank potentially as a reflection of that. But, of course, the opposition is saying this is a man who needs to be held accountable for what happened on October 7th. Which argument is winning here?

KATZ: Look, Netanyahu somewhat, to a large extent, still has that appeal to a lot of people. Even after everything that this country has been through, people looked at him as the known commodity. And when they vote, Israelis tend to vote on one very basic question. After all the other issues. Who's going to keep me safe at night? Who do I trust that can manage these threats from Iran to Hamas to Hezbollah and much more? And they know Netanyahu, even though it's a mixed bag at the moment. He was Prime Minister when Hamas surprised Israel and launched that horrific attack that pulled us into this three-year-long war.

But they still rely and fall back on that known commodity. And the other people, even though Gadi Eisenkot, 40 years in the military, a former IDF Chief of Staff, definitely has military credentials, many people still look at him as a gamble. And they don't want a gamble. And therefore, they are still able to fall back on Netanyahu.

But what Netanyahu is trying to do is very much make the conversation about security. He did that immediately after the attack on Friday. Tragic. Two Israeli soldiers killed, others wounded. He went straight away to the West Bank city of Hebron, stood there and said, we're going to launch an operation. When the conversation is about security, it is good for him.

And just last night, he put out a video where he basically said, if you don't vote for me, Iran will destroy the state of Israel. And that's absurd, of course, because this country is much stronger than just one individual. But people still buy into that. And that is a source of his political strength.

ABDELAZIZ: So, let me push you a little bit further on that. When it comes to Israel's confrontations in Gaza and Iran, the conflict in the West Bank, what would a change of government actually change in Israel's approach to those confrontations and conflicts? Are voters actually being offered substantially different strategies? And perhaps a question that I'm personally interested in, is it even top of mind for voters? Is that in the top three issues for voters?

KATZ: Sadly, we're not talking about policy here. The conversation is very much about personality. It's not -- if I look at Netanyahu's party, I look at Eisenkot's party, I look at the party of former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, I don't see much of an ideological difference.

Now, it's true, Netanyahu and his current coalition, with the ultra- Orthodox, with the far-right, has gone in a very damaging, I would say, direction for the state of Israel. But if you were to go into a coalition with Eisenkot and Bennett and maybe Avigdor Lieberman, what would be the ideological difference? And it's hard to find one. So, I think that ultimately, policy is less the issue.

But what we do find, is that if there is going to be a coalition of the other side, the bloc of the opposition led by Eisenkot, they would be able to do things very different.

[04:15:00]

For example, settler violence, which has been running rampant, which has not been cracked down on by the current coalition, because of the fact that Netanyahu relies on the far-right, they would be able to put a stop to it. On the other hand, when it comes to Gaza, the Board of Peace is trying to move things forward, is trying to prevent another large-scale offensive.

It's true that Hamas is not disarming, and that has to be first and foremost as the objective. But what about trying to get in temporary housing, rebuild some of the areas at least under Israeli control? There's a lot that can move forward there that Netanyahu's not willing to, also because of his coalition.

So, a different government would be able to move things a little different, but the world, and I think this is what you're referring to, Salma, should not expect dramatic changes. That's not what's in the cards right now for the state of Israel. It would be a different government, it would lower toxicity, it would lower the temperature, but it wouldn't dramatically change all of the policies that we've seen until now.

ABDELAZIZ: Yaakov Katz there with excellent analysis. We may be talking about personalities over policies, as you mentioned there, as Israel prepares for a very critical election. Thank you so much for joining us.

KATZ: Thank you.

ABDELAZIZ: Still to come on CNN Newsroom, French students say the government is neglecting their education and their futures inside the student protest movement when we return.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:20:00]

ABDELAZIZ: Welcome back. Protesters in France are growing frustrated, saying they feel the government is ignoring the social crisis that they are living in. More than 400,000 people marched in mostly peaceful rallies across the country on Saturday. This is according to French officials. The protesters are demanding greater investment in education and social services, more opportunities for young people and economic relief.

70,000 police officers and specialist units were mobilized across the country ahead of these demonstrations. The French interior minister says many of them faced a quote extremely high level of violence from smaller extremist groups after the main marches.

Our Paris bureau chief Saskya Vandoorne joins me now live from Paris for more on all of this. Good morning, first of all, to you, Saskia. I know you've been speaking to some of these protesters. What are they telling you about the demonstrations? Do they feel that they were successful?

SASKYA VANDOORNE, CNN PARIS BUREAU CHIEF: I think they feel that they were successful because they were largely peaceful. We did see some scuffles break out at the end of the marches here in Paris and in places like Marseille, where protesters faced off with riot police. We saw some water cannons being deployed, some tear gas.

But really, overall, as you said, Salma, incredibly calm. And that is because there was such a heavy police presence. The French government wanted to avoid at all cost the chaotic scenes that we saw last Saturday when we saw widespread looting and destruction.

So, police officers were deployed in front of public buildings, in front of shops to protect them. And over a thousand people were detained yesterday. Now, who turned up to the protests? Well, we saw the yellow vests. We saw the trade unionists protesting the high cost of living. And there were, of course, the students who were there to ask for more education funding.

And I am joined here now by Manes Nadel. Manes Nadel, who is a student, who's been with the movement from the beginning. And you were there yesterday in the Paris protest. First of all, thank you, Manes, for joining us. I know it's early on a Sunday, so we appreciate it. So, there wasn't destruction, but the anger is still there.

MANES NADEL, STUDENT PROTESTER: Yes, the anger is there because we are protesting and blockading for one month now. And we only faced repression, fake discussions or chaos. So, the anger is there because the tension is there. The chaos is there. And I think the government is responsible for that and they show it.

So, it's incredible that yesterday's protests were still massive, huge and calm. This is the only strategy we try to have. And now, I would say that they should deal now with this movement, because if they continue to play that game, at the end it will be more chaotic, more angry and more difficult for them.

VANDOORNE: How can the government, as you say, deal with this movement? What kind of concessions can they make? What can be done to appease the protesters?

NADEL: Now, it's not ever about concessions, discussions. We've seen that a lot of times, even Macron did the same play. It's about letting this movement win. We are asking for almost 10 billions to change our system, Parcoursup, to pay more teachers and just to have daily, basic, minimal conditions for students. It's about that.

But yes, if they continue to play that game, it's more difficult for them because gilets jaunes, teachers, workers are joining this fight and they are asking for more things. So, yes, I think it's about a simple deal. It's about finding out a political, democratic solution to this movement, this huge movement and its aspirations, six months before a presidential election. They should do that because if they don't, yes, the next months will be very, very tense.

VANDOORNE: So, there you have it, Salma. Another tense month ahead, according to Manes, and there are protests that are planned for next Saturday and we expect a big protest on the 5th of November. Salma.

ABDELAZIZ: Saskya Vandoorne there, bringing us the voice of a student protester who says the anger is still there, the frustration is still there and the solutions are not there. Thank you so much for bringing us his voice.

Now, the French protest movement is inspiring others in Europe and we are seeing demonstrations across the continent.

[04:25:00]

In Bologna, Italy, protesters clashed with security forces, leaving several people wounded. About a thousand people gathered in the city center to denounce the soaring cost of living. But the rally took a violent turn, with protesters hurling bottles and firecrackers and officers firing tear gas and water cannons.

There also were clashes with police in Turin. Police used batons and shields to push back protesters who were attempting to march through the city's streets. They, too, were demonstrating about high prices and increased military and defense spending.

Now, to North Korea, where the leader is indicating that he is fully behind boosting trade with his top ally. Kim Jong-un visited China on Saturday, crossing a new bridge connecting the two countries. The facility is expected to give a shot in the arm to trade between Beijing and Pyongyang. North Korea has been expanding its military ties with Russia, leading to speculation that it is becoming somewhat less reliant on China. But experts say Kim's trip indicates he still wants to boost economic ties with Beijing.

Still to come here on CNN Newsroom, it's election day in Brazil, and voters are preparing to cast their ballots in that presidential runoff. Ahead, how the two candidates closed out their hard-fought campaigns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ABDELAZIZ: Welcome back to CNN Newsroom. I'm Salma Abdelaziz in London. With the U.S. midterm elections just right around the corner CNN's chief data analyst Harry Enten takes a look at recent polling. He tells us what Americans are most concerned about heading into those polls.

[04:30:00]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: You know, I love looking at the polls. I look at them day. I look at them night. I look at them overnight. I look on weekdays. I dream polls. And you know what? Oftentimes, when I see a piece of polling data, I go, you know what, that's what I generally expected.

But sometimes there's a surprise that sort of jumps off the page. And I'm talking about the secret top issue of 2026. And what is the secret top issue of 2026? Well, for me, it's government corruption. Look at this. Take a look here. Voters who are extremely concerned. Number one on your list is government corruption at 60 percent. That beats out inflation, which comes in at 58 percent. It beats out gas prices, 50 percent. And it beats out government leadership at 49 percent.

Government corruption in poll after poll that I am now seeing ranks at or near the top of the list of the list of issues, the issues that voters are most concerned about. Now, why is that? What is going on here? Well, what is going on is rather simple. OK. Say government corruption is widespread. This number, up like a rocket through the roof. You know, in 2006, it was 59 percent. By 2016, it was 76 percent.

Now, look at this. You never see an issue on which 89 percent of the American people agree. But they now do agree. It's a record high this year. They say that government corruption is widespread. And you know one of the people that they do not like on corruption at all? Well, it's the President of the United States. These are not good numbers. If you are a Republican in the White House or a Republican running for Congress. Trump's net approval rating on corruption at this time in Trump's terms.

Look at this. In 2018, it wasn't too hot to trot, right? 13 points underwater. Way down there, we're talking well underneath the Hudson River. But look now. Look at Trump's net approval rating now on corruption. It's 35 points underwater. I mean, my goodness gracious, you can't get lower than that. I mean, woof. This is absolutely atrocious. We're talking about a drop of, what is that? That's 22 points in the wrong direction for Trump at this point going into this midterm compared to his first presidency back in 2018.

But to me, part of what's going on here and why this is such a troubling sign is because corruption to me sort of ties in to how voters feel that the system is not working for them. Whether it be on corruption or whether it be on the economy, which I think in their minds are linked. Because look at this. OK, say Trump is prioritizing a lot since taking office in 2025. His business interests come in at 56 percent.

Look at this. Look at this right here. People like me, just 11 percent. People do not feel that the Trump administration is focusing on the issues that are most important to them. We see that in poll after poll after poll. They instead think that he is, in fact, focusing too much on his business interests.

Now, this, of course, isn't just about Donald John Trump, right? What we're really talking about is the midterm elections. And this is the number that I think should really scare Republicans because it's a historical comparison. And take a look here. OK, trust which party more on corruption? Look at this. Democrats now have a 10-point advantage on that issue.

Now, compare that to 2006, which of course was a midterm in which Democrats absolutely ran the table. They took back not just the House of Representatives, but gained a majority in the United States as well. Look at this. Ten, nine, nine, 10. Very similar numbers. And I will note that in 2006, one of the main issues of that campaign, what was government corruption, just like it is during this campaign, according to the most recent polling that we have.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: Let's go to Ukraine next. The country says that four people are injured after a so-called double-tap strike on its second- largest city. Emergency services say Russia has hit a shopping center. This is in Kharkiv on Saturday night, causing a fire. But while first responders were at the scene, multiple new strikes came in, resulting in injuries. Officials say three of the four victims are emergency workers.

The Starshield satellite service is now back up and running in Ukraine. But the country is still at loggerheads with Elon Musk, who is, of course, the Starshield founder. Starshield is a military-grade version of his Starlink system. Musk is now accusing Ukraine of using Starlink in a way it was not supposed to. But Kyiv says it couldn't do that even if it tried. This is happening amid open questions about who ordered the recent slowdown in Starshield's service.

For details, Stefano Pozzebon joins us now live from Rome. So, Stefano, could you just break down this controversy, this tit-for-tat, this war of words, if you will, between Elon Musk and Kyiv? Elon Musk is accusing the Ukrainian military of violating the company's terms. What is he accusing them of, and how could it potentially impact Ukraine's access to that service?

[04:35:00] STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Salma, yes, it's a tit- for-tat, but that could have enormous consequences for the development of the war in Ukraine, because this conflict is being fought, Salma, more and more as a drone conflict in the air, and how are drones driven and managed? On the Internet. And the Internet on the front line of Ukraine is often Starlink and Starshield. It's important to notice that here we're talking about two very different systems.

Starlink is the commercial system. It's very similar to the one that you and I can, for example, apply for here in Europe. Well, Starshield is the military grade. It's different, and it's controlled by the U.S. government. That is crucial, because last week Ukraine has denounced that the speed of the Starshield access and the Internet access on the front line was being reduced. That, of course, impacted any high-speed ordnance that Ukraine uses to, for example, intercept, attract from drones from Russia, like those drones that caused the strike on the commercial center in Kharkiv that we saw in the intro.

And so, here it's understanding who actually ordered that. Donald Trump said that he had nothing to do with it. Elon Musk instead said that the Starshield is controlled by the U.S. government. And in a tweet yesterday, he said what they decide to do is up to them. And then he doubled down, saying that instead Ukraine was going against violating the Starlink terms of services in this tweet from last night. And the loophole was closed last week, basically accusing Ukraine of using Starlink in order to attack for offensive strikes that resulted in people being killed. And that is, of course, a violation of the commercial service.

Ukraine instead said that they cannot use Starlink in order for offensive attacks, such as mid-range or long-range strikes into Russia, because Starlink is not available in Russia. It doesn't work on the over-Russian territory. So, the Ukrainian drones cannot rely on that service in order to operate these strikes.

Nevertheless, the potential here is enormous, because if Ukraine loses access to the Internet, it loses the possibility of flying the drones. And if you lose the possibility of flying the drones, well, you're going to see more and more people being killed in the front line. Five people have been killed in recent hours, three in Ukraine and two more in Russia, according to each country's respective emergency services.

So, you can see that while the world leaders are accusing each other, pointing at each other's fingers and violating terms of contract, here the consequences are really, really serious for the politicians, for the people on the front line.

In the meantime, the war goes on. There is talks of a potential ceasefire around the City of Oleshky, in the south of Ukraine, where the population has been unable to receive aid and, in particular, food for months. That ceasefire has been apparently brokered by the U.S. first lady, Melania Trump. We'll see if that actually comes to happen and if at least in that specific instance there will be some good news in the upcoming days. Salma.

ABDELAZIZ: On the misunderstanding or the miscommunication or the outright conflict between Elon Musk and Kyiv that could have impact on the front lines in Ukraine. Thank you so much.

The countdown is on in Brazil's tight presidential race with voters set to cast their ballots in the hours ahead. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is facing off against Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of convicted former President Jair Bolsonaro. Polls have them neck in neck as each candidate offers deeply different visions of Brazil.

On Saturday, they each wrapped up their campaigns, making a final push for those undecided voters. Lula campaigned in Rio de Janeiro before heading to Sao Paulo, where thousands of supporters joined him in a march. The event was bittersweet for many as the 80-year-old leftist politician is widely expected to be making a final bid for office. Meanwhile, Flavio Bolsonaro's supporters cheered and waved Brazilian flags as the right-wing senator paraded through Rio. CNN's Julia Vargas Jones has more on what to expect.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is one of the most popular campaign ads in Brazil's presidential election. This one too. Both are A.I.-generated videos that have added to the cacophony of A.I. content in this presidential race. IRL, it has also spilled over beyond Brazil's borders.

MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI (D-NY): Such a pleasure to meet with President Lula.

VARGAS JONES: Both candidates making campaign stops on American soil, one boasting closeness, the other sovereignty.

LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA, BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Brazilian democracy belongs to Brazilians.

VARGAS JONES: The incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva rose from the factory floor to become the defining figure of Brazil's modern left.

[04:40:00]

At 80 years old, he is seeking his fourth term. His opponent is almost half his age. Senator Flavio Bolsonaro is campaigning as the political heir to his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, now serving a 27- year sentence for plotting to overturn his 2022 election loss when his supporters rioted in Brazil's capital, much like Trump supporters, on January 6.

This election is also a test of whether Trump-style politics can return to power in Latin America's largest democracy. The United States are looming so large in these elections, with supporters of Flavio Bolsonaro waving American flags in the streets. Some are even asking for a U.S. military intervention, and it was in defense of Jair Bolsonaro that Trump announced those 50 percent tariffs on Brazil. So, why not endorse Flavio?

JAMES GREEN, PROFESSOR EMERITUS, BRAZILIAN STUDIES, BROWN UNIVERSITY: I think that they understand that this could backfire because when they announced the original 50 percent tariffs, it gave a huge boost to his support. There's a very strong national sentiment in the country that goes beyond the left, beyond the center. It's across the board. Now, Flavio is using this to say, well, I have good relations with Trump, and therefore I can negotiate the end of these high tariffs.

VARGAS JONES: And it's not just Trump drawing attention from Brazil. Lula's campaign is also taking on Meta, accusing the U.S. tech giant of tilting its platform toward Bolsonaro, a claim the company denies. The dispute has now reached Brazil's electoral court and the streets.

All of this with the race already extraordinarily close. In 2022, Lula won the first round by just over 5 percent. The runoff became the closest presidential election in Brazilian history. This time, Flavio won the first round by less than 2 percent, or just 2.2 million votes, setting up an even tighter runoff. And while security, cost of living, and corruption are top of mind for voters, attacks have become quite personal.

FLAVIO BOLSONARO, BRAZILIAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (through translator): Lula, with you, crime has exploded in Brazil. In fact, can you explain why 73 percent of inmates voted for you?

LULA DA SILVA (through translator): I wish it were 100 percent including your father. Your father can vote for me.

VARGAS JONES (voice-over): A Flavio win could pull Brazil politically closer to Washington, but ironically, Trump's tariffs have made it more complicated than that.

GREEN: Flavio will carry out a very close relationship with the United States, encouraging collaboration and the subservient role that Trump seems to want to have in all of Latin America, but he has a big problem because exports, Brazilian exports, depend heavily now on China. It will be a complex foreign policy, but it will basically revolve around Trump.

VARGAS JONES (voice-over): Julia Vargas Jones, CNN, Los Angeles.

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ABDELAZIZ: Still to come on CNN Newsroom, the threat ahead as Hurricane Vance strengthens in the Pacific. That forecast is coming up next.

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[04:45:00]

ABDELAZIZ: Welcome back. As hurricane season ramps up, Hurricane Vance is holding steady in the Pacific while drifting northwest with sustained winds of 90 miles per hour. That's about 515 kilometers or 320 miles southwest of Acapulco, Mexico. The National Hurricane Center's latest update says there are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

But in the days ahead, Hurricane Vance is expected to bring heavy rain and life-threatening flooding and mudslides along the western coast of Mexico. Evacuation orders remain in place after severe flooding swept through parts of the U.S. Southwest after days of heavy rain. CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar has what's expected for the region and for the rest of the U.S.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's right. We have two separate areas of flooding concern. The first is going to be off the coast of the southeastern portion of the country. The second is out to the west. Now, this is the flooding that has already been impacting the Four Corners region the last few days. Now, we're just finally starting to see the bulk of that moisture begin to shift eastward so that by the time we get to this afternoon, you can see that strong line of showers and thunderstorms extending from western Nebraska and western Kansas all the way down through Texas and into New Mexico.

Some of those showers and thunderstorms, especially through the evening hours, do have the potential for some very heavy downpour. Again, not to mention the ground is already saturated from days of rain. Now, we're going to be adding some heavy downpours, which is why there is the concern of flooding in this region.

Our other area of concern is actually wind-driven flooding. You have all of these very strong winds coming in not only today, but extending through Monday and into Tuesday. What that wind is doing is it's pushing all of that water onshore, stretching from North Carolina all the way down to the Atlantic coast of Florida. These winds are 30-40 miles per hour pushing all of that water inland.

In addition to that, you also have rain that is going to bring its own concern for flooding. It really ramps up later on this afternoon and continuing through Sunday night, but it will even extend into Monday as well. You can see a lot of that moisture just kind of spinning offshore. It's that combined with the wind-driven that's really going to ramp up the flooding concerns from the Carolinas all the way down through Miami. And again, not just for the remainder of Sunday, but into Monday and Tuesday as well.

ABDELAZIZ: Now, to Indonesia, where the country is battling its most intense forest and land fires in 11 years. This year's El Nino has driven up temperatures and dryness, causing its forests to be very vulnerable. One of the islands affected is Sulawesi, where flames have gone within a few meters of limestone caves that house the world's oldest cave paintings. Researchers say that if the fire reaches inside the cave, heat and soot would cause the most damage to the paintings.

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BASRAN BURHAN, GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY ARCHAEOLOGIST (through translator): If we don't do something about this quick, if there isn't any tactical mitigation efforts for this incident, we will lose one of the most amazing evidence of human history and Maros Pangkep. And that is a great shame.

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ABDELAZIZ: Artwork in one limestone cave depicts human-like figures interacting with a pig. Researchers say it dates back at least 51,000 years. Another artwork, they say, is at least 67,000 years old.

Still to come this hour, a Rhode Island man's love of fall and all things Halloween helped his community feel extra festive. That story and more right after the break.

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ABDELAZIZ: A Rhode Island Special Olympics athlete is sharing the Halloween spirit. But it's more social than scary. The man delighted his neighbors by bringing them together to celebrate all things fall. Sam Read of affiliate WJAR has the story.

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SAM READ, WJAR (voice-over): For the last 10 years, 25-year-old Mike Castelli, who has cognitive and motor skill challenges, spends weeks planning what his lawn will look like. It's purpose. Make my neighbor smile. His mom and dad say it's something he's been doing since around age 15.

MIKE CASTELLI: Because I like it.

READ (voice-over): The holidays make him most happy.

THERESA CASTELI, MIKE'S MOM: Every birthday and Christmas, you know, he doesn't really want a whole lot of stuff that, you know, most kids want. But yes, Halloween and Christmas decorations.

READ (voice-over): In fact, he puts so much effort into all of this, neighbors have noticed.

DONNA COUTURE, NEIGHBOR: I've seen him out here for hours from dawn to dusk. I've seen him out here for days.

READ (voice-over): And as the display has grown over the years, so has their appreciation for what's to come the following one.

JOSEPH SPAZIANO, NEIGHBOR: I absolutely expect to see him out there, you know, setting up his display. It makes me very happy.

READ (voice-over): What neighbors didn't expect, though, was something they all recently received.

SPAZIANO: Instead like be at our house at this time.

[04:55:00]

READ (voice-over): A homemade invitation for Mike's Great Halloween Spectacular. A pumpkin themed party to see his display and enjoy fall treats.

T. CASTELLI: He hand delivered all of them to everybody's mailboxes. And he wanted to invite everyone, not just the people that he was very familiar with. READ (voice-over): Wondering who would show up for the blowups was top of his family's mind.

T. CASTELLI: We're really surprised the turnout we had.

READ (voice-over): The entire neighborhood, new neighbors and natives.

COUTURE: Nobody was left out. Nobody was, you know, sitting on a chair, reading a phone.

READ (voice-over): Gathered to support Mike and his holiday mission to spread happiness while also collecting clothes for his special Olympics team.

T. CASTELLI: It really made me cry. We know he's how awesome he is. But to have people that he meets, whether he's at work or people in the neighborhood, to realize how awesome he is.

READ (voice-over): With great gratitude, neighbors say it was just what they needed.

SPAZIANO: It's really good to just get everybody together and let him have his thing and just spread his joy.

READ (voice-over): And while life is busy and people are always on the go, how beautiful is it that some people still take the time to slow down for others.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: Lights, floats, and people dressed as skeletons filled the streets and the famous river in San Antonio, Texas this weekend. Crowds gathered at the city's Riverwalk to mark Day of the Dead on Friday. Spectators lined the banks for a parade of illuminated floats along the river. The celebration is to remember and honor lost loved ones while sharing traditions with younger family members. Participants wore elaborate costumes and traditional face paint while mariachi musicians performed.

Thank you so much for watching. I'm Salma Abdelaziz. I'll be back with another hour of CNN Newsroom right after a quick break.

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