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What We Know with Max Foster

Jamaica Devastated By Its Strongest-Ever Hurricane; U.S. And South Korea Agree To $350 Billion Trade Deal; Israel Conducts "Targeted" Strike In Northern Gaza; 130-Plus Killed In Largest Ever Police Operation In Rio De Janeiro; Trump: "I'm Not Allowed To Run" For Third Term; Fed Lowers Interest Rate By Quarter-Point Amid Government Shutdown. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired October 29, 2025 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:25]

MAX FOSTER, CNN HOST: Jamaicans come to terms with the destruction left behind by Hurricane Melissa.

This is WHAT WE KNOW.

Hurricane Melissa's powerful winds are expanding. The storm is now eyeing the Bahamas after ripping through Cuba and Jamaica, the eye passed over

more rural areas in western Jamaica, while the capital, Kingston, was spared the very worst of the storm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was terrible. The wind. It was violent. It was terrible for all of us. I have a son here and believe me, it was actually

crying. So, we were all full up and we was weeping when we hear the breeze.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it was going to be worse than this. I think it was going to be worse because the wind was going. But it's still -- it's

still good because we only lost three fruit trees and stuff like that. My neighbor lost our roof, and it damaged our house, but that's it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, Melissa has caused major damage to public infrastructure, though its full extent remains unclear, with some areas still inaccessible.

Government officials say it's too early to provide an update on potential hurricane deaths. Earlier, the Jamaican senator, Dana Morris Dixon, had

this to say about ongoing power outages.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. DANA MORRIS DIXON, MINISTER OF EDUCATION, SKILLS, YOUTH AND INFORMATION: In terms of our telecom's providers, they are getting

assistance from Starlink to use satellite technology to assist many of our individuals and our companies to get back online. I know so many people

have said they cannot reach their families in western Jamaica. That's because of damage to the telecoms infrastructure. As you would imagine, a

category five hurricane is catastrophic. And so, it would have left significant damage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam traveled to the hard hit west side of Jamaica and has this report for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: We're now traveling to the western side of Jamaica. That's where obviously hurricane Melissa made landfall. And

this is the first time we've been safely been able to get out of the capital city of Kingston.

And you can see just some of the overwash here on the roadways. We've encountered a lot of rock slides and mudslides and downed trees. Some power

lines over the roads.

And it's difficult to navigate this area. I mean, here's an electrical wire dangling right in front of us as well. This is obviously very typical of

hurricane damage. But as we get further and further into the disaster area where the core of the hurricane struck, we anticipate the destruction to be

more widespread.

And obviously, the weather has been a challenge as well. We've encountered a lot of fog, so these narrow roads that wind through these regions as we

head towards the Saint Elizabeth Parish, the western portions of Jamaica, we're getting closer and closer to new hope, where the official land point,

landfall point was.

This is going to be quite a challenge, but we're going to try and report from this area that was so heavily impacted by the hurricane. Look at this

gully here that was washed out from the heavy rain -- just really, really incredible.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Derek there in Jamaica.

Now, experts say Hurricane Melissa is a prime example of what climate change can do to the planets most fierce storms. The water around Jamaica

has been simmering all summer, and that heat and moisture helps supercharge Melissa into a monster category five storm.

Meteorologist Chris Warren has a look at the timeline now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS WARREN, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hurricane Melissa, absolutely one for the history books. It made landfall near New Hope, Jamaica as the strongest

landfalling hurricane in Jamaica's history that we know of. One o'clock in the afternoon on Tuesday is when it came on shore with 185 mile per hour

winds, a category five hurricane. The upper end of storms here, 892 millibars.

So, this puts it in some really elite company here. Melissa also tied for the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record, 185 miles an hour with Dorian,

Wilma, Gilbert and the Labor Day hurricane. Now also tied for the strongest landfalling hurricane in the Atlantic basin with Dorian and the Labor Day

hurricane.

Now, Alan was stronger but didn't make landfall as stronger than 185. And this is how it played out. So, this is Saturday at 11:00 in the morning,

when it was a tropical storm. The next day was a category four hurricane. So rapid intensification happening and that slow movement.

[15:05:03]

Now, the fact that it was so far south from Jamaica may have really spared Jamaica from the worst of the rain and flooding, as bad as it has been, and

as bad as we've seen, it could have been much worse with the rainfall and then coming onshore as a category five again near New Hope here in Jamaica.

That's where landfall was.

Let's talk about the forecast, because even late last week, it was looking like a big hurricane was coming to or a strong hurricane was coming to

Jamaica. Thursday at 11:00. So close to where it actually made landfall. That's the forecast from the National Hurricane Center. And they nailed it

Friday at 11:00 in the morning.

Now, it would move around a little bit with each forecast, but the one that was farthest away was only 60 miles. And that was on Saturday. It didn't

make landfall until Tuesday. So, the forecast just got better and better through time.

So, there was a lot of time to prepare. However, we know it's almost virtually impossible to be completely ready for a cat five -- category five

monster hurricane.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Well, let's get the latest right now then, from someone who rode out the storm on the island, we're joined by Natassia Wright, the co-

founder of Mind Food International.

Thank you so much for joining us.

What was it like?

NATASSIA WRIGHT, CO-FOUNDER, MIND FOOD INTERNATIONAL: Thanks so much, Max.

Well, it was really, really terrifying. I have to tell you, it was one of those experiences that you would say is one for the books. Into the night

when the winds were just pummeling, we were so scared. It was a very horrifying sound.

And then when we woke up this morning to hear of the devastation that has actually occurred on the western side of the island, I was listening to an

interview with the mayor of Black River, which is right in Saint Elizabeth, where the hurricane actually had a direct hit. And he said, catastrophic is

a mild, mild description of what has taken place in Black River, in Saint Elizabeth.

The entire place looks like it was put inside a mixer, and it was just shaken up and then just let loose. It's flat.

FOSTER: There are large parts of the country that still don't have any power or communications. So presumably, you're particularly worried about

them right now.

WRIGHT: Absolutely. I'm trying to reach my sister, who is in Montego Bay. That's in the Saint James area, and they would have gotten hit as well.

There is no electricity in those areas. And not only that, but the cell towers or the cell service is quite limited.

So, most persons are trying to reach their relatives in that area. But in Jamaica at large, 77 percent of the island is without electricity and that

directly affects water directly affects the networks, the phone networks. So there's a lot happening right now.

FOSTER: Is it as bad as everyone expected? Because I know the government was trying as best they could. It seems to communicate the dangers here,

but you're used to hurricanes. It was whether or not this was one worth moving out for, right?

WRIGHT: Max, that's an absolutely important question to ask, I believe over the years, because, you know, Jamaicans have always been hearing of

impending hurricanes. You will have some persons who did not prepare as they truly should have. Although, you know, the government was putting out

advisory. We were being warned.

There are persons who did not prepare. But you also have persons who did the best they could. And it still was not enough.

When you look at the infrastructural damage in the western side of the island and some other places, hospitals are destroyed -- police stations,

schools, churches. It's so widespread that in some cases we really couldn't have prepared for all of that.

But yes, it really is devastating for those areas that got direct hit. It really was as bad as we expected. The superstorm to cause damage.

FOSTER: Well, good to hear you're okay, and the people around you at least.

Natassia Wright in Portmore, Jamaica, thank you so much for the update there from the ground.

Now, U.S. President Donald Trump wrapping up his three-country trip through Asia, U.S. and South Korean officials agreed to a $350 billion trade deal.

Tariffs on cars were also lowered to 15 percent, which is the same rate as Japan.

Now, President Trump was also treated to a special gold themed dessert, we're told, and President Trump caps off his trip with a bilateral meeting

with Chinese President Xi.

[15:10:00]

The two are scheduled to meet in the coming hours in South Korea. Tensions have flared, of course, between the U.S. and China. The U.S. tightened

control of tech exports and in retaliation, China has restricted exports of rare earth minerals.

Ivan Watson joins us now.

I mean, this is really a meeting that matters to the whole world, and it's going to be a lot about the personal connection between the two, Ivan.

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Sure, the leaders of the world's two largest economies. To start with, President Trump landed in

Korea and was lavished with praise and accolades from the South Korean president, Lee Jae-myung, who awarded President Trump the Grand Order of

Mugunghwa, which is South Koreas highest honor, the gold crown, the imitation of a fifth century Korean crown. He made President Trump the

guest of honor at a dinner attended by other heads of state.

South Korea and the U.S. are strategic allies, in addition to being economic partners. And the South Korean president made a vow that his

country would extend expand its defense funding. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEE JAE MYUNG, SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I know that it is important to continue to lessen your burden, military and defense burden

for us. So we will continue to increase our military spending.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: He also asked President Trump to help South Korea develop nuclear powered submarines, not armed, but powered submarines. We don't know the

answer to that request. As you reported, they agreed on a trade deal which will lower the tariffs imposed on South Korean cars exported to the U.S.

When it came to the question about whether President Trump would get to meet with North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, well, that is not apparently in

the cards. President Trump acknowledged that and said he might travel back to Asia sometime in the future to try to organize that type of a meeting.

But North Korea has been conspicuously silent despite numerous statements that Trump has made about wanting to meet the North Korean dictator.

And finally, the main event, which I think Trump himself has said is the main event of this trip, is his expected face to face meeting with the

Chinese leader, Xi Jinping on Thursday morning in Korea. The Chinese waited until Wednesday to finally confirm publicly that this meeting would in fact

take place.

The trade negotiations came down to the wire. They were taking place just last weekend in Kuala Lumpur. Both sides have sounded optimistic, but we'll

just have to wait and see what these two leaders decide upon when they meet face to face with the long list of trade tensions between them, this will

be the first time that Xi Jinping and Trump will have met face to face since 2019, during Trump's first term in office.

FOSTER: Okay, Ivan, we look ahead to that. Thank you so much.

Now to the Middle East, where Israel has resumed strikes on Gaza despite the U.S. backed ceasefire with Hamas. A few hours ago, Israel said it

conducted a targeted strike in northern Gaza.

Overnight strikes in the strip left more than 100 people dead. That's according to Palestinian health officials. The renewed action comes as

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas breached the ceasefire agreement.

Speaking to reporters earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump said in his words, nothing's going to jeopardize the ceasefire.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: That is a very small part of peace in the Middle East and they have to behave. They're on the rough

side, but they said they would be good, and if they're good, they're going to be happy. And if they're not good, they're going to be terminated. Their

lives will be terminated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, as President Trump said that getting all sides to behave is proving difficult and violent.

CNN's Jeremy Diamond has a report for you. A warning there are graphic and distressing images in this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Gaza's morgues are full once again filled with the sights and sounds of mourning, with the

bodies of children who had no say in their deaths. And with scenes like this -- of one child bidding farewell to another. This girl says her

cousins, uncles and aunts were all killed in an Israeli strike.

"God is sufficient for us," she says, but it is all just too much to bear.

"They were bombed inside the tent," this man says, lying beside his great grandchild's body.

[15:15:02]

"Innocent ones, children, children, children." Crawling over their bodies, he has come to kiss them, to say goodbye one by one.

Painful moments made that much worse by the timing, killed during a ceasefire that was meant to end the carnage.

"There was no ceasefire at all," he says. "They keep making excuses all along the way while they're striking. This is all a lie. It is all lies."

Those children were killed when Israel struck this tent encampment in central Gaza overnight. They are among more than 100 people Israel killed

across Gaza, nearly half of whom were children, according to the Palestinian health ministry, the single deadliest day since the ceasefire

went into effect.

"What did this one do? Is this a rocket, for example," this woman asks. It's a bottle. He was only one year old. He didn't even start to walk.

Israel says it targeted more than 30 Hamas militants launching strikes after accusing Hamas of killing an Israeli soldier in southern Gaza on

Tuesday. The Israeli military also published this video, which appears to show Hamas militants staging the recovery of the remains of a deceased

hostage, violating the deal, according to Israel.

Gaza's civilians are once again paying the highest price, as Israel claims it is enforcing the ceasefire. The wounded children being treated at this

Gaza hospital played no part in any alleged violation of the deal, nor did this baby, whose body is cradled one last time before joining several

others to be buried. All victims during a ceasefire that is supposedly back enforced.

Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Tel Aviv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Now an incredibly deadly police raid in Brazil has left at least 132 people dead, including four police officers. The operation was the

largest ever police raid to take place in Rio de Janeiro, involving thousands of military and police officers.

Now, officials tell CNN the operation targeted criminal gangs. Video from the scene shows the raid as it was happening, including burned out cars

being used as barricades. The footage, captured later shows the bodies of the dead being lined up on the streets, waiting for their families to

identify them.

CNN Brazil correspondent Mariana Janjacomo joins us now.

I mean, the scenes are just extraordinary, and the numbers just keep going up. I gather they're going to go up even higher.

MARIANA JANJACOMO, CNN BRASIL CORRESPONDENT: Exactly, Max. The scenes are horrific, just scenes of pure chaos and shootings happening in the middle

of the city. During the night, residents of the city went to search for bodies in the woods, where a big part of the operation also happened. They

then took the bodies to a central square and lined them down so that people could identify the bodies.

Now, the local police said they will investigate the people who took the bodies out of the woods. The police has also been -- is also still

searching for the leader of Comando Vermelho. That's Portuguese for "Red Command", the name of the criminal organization that was targeted in this

operation. They're offering a reward of $100,000 for any information leading to his arrest.

Now, Max, this massive operation has also exposed the big political divide in Brazil right now. The governor of Rio de Janeiro, Claudio Castro, said

he wasn't given any support from the federal government to the operation. The federal government argues that he has been providing support for many

security operations in Rio de Janeiro, but that it was not asked to help with this one specifically.

This morning, right wing state governors like Claudio Castro joined a meeting to express support for Castro and to discuss sending resources to

help him. These are names from the opposition to the federal government, and some of them are considering a run for presidency next year against

President Lula. President Lula also joined a meeting with government ministers this morning, and the just -- the justice minister, Ricardo

Lewandowski, said that President Lula was shocked with the high death toll and the fact that such an operation was carried out with no knowledge from

the federal government.

Now, the governor of Rio de Janeiro, Claudio Castro, says the operation was a success. Earlier in the afternoon, the secretary general of the United

Nations, Antonio Guterres, said that he is gravely concerned with the high death toll of this operation that has become the deadliest operation in the

history of the state of Rio de Janeiro -- Max.

FOSTER: Okay, Mariana, thank you for the update on that extraordinary operation.

In Sudan, civilians are fleeing violence and mass killings in the city of El Fasher in the Darfur region.

[15:20:03]

The Sudanese paramilitary rapid support forces claim they've captured the army's headquarters in El Fasher. It's the latest dangerous escalation in

the country's civil war, which broke out in April 2023.

Now, will there be a Trump administration 3.0? President Trump appears to change course on whether he'll run for a third term. We'll tell you what

he's been suggesting, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: The United States is pulling some troops from Eastern Europe, even some top Republican lawmakers are actually upset about this decision.

Troops are being sent home from Romania, which U.S. officials say is part of a plan to shift focus towards homeland defense and Latin America.

Republican lawmakers have said it sends the wrong message to Russia. But an army press release insists, quote, "This is not an American withdrawal from

Europe."

U.S. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, preparing to meet with the Chinese Leader Xi Jinping, as we were saying earlier. It happens in just a few

hours. It's clear he already has an eye on 2028. Meanwhile, after floating the idea of running for a third term, something not allowed under the U.S.

constitution, the president now acknowledges he can't be elected again.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: The best numbers for any president in many years, any president. And I would say that if you read it, it's pretty clear I'm not allowed to run.

It's too bad.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: So what we want to know is, will Donald Trump attempt to run for office in 2028, despite what he says there?

Joining me now is Toluse Olorunnipa, a staff writer at "The Atlantic".

Thank you so much for joining us, Toluse.

I mean, he's not really someone to be told he can't do something. So, what do you make of his comments on the plane?

TOLUSE OLORUNNIPA, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, there are definitely a lot of things that we thought a president could not do that President Trump has

decided to do over the past 10 months in his second term in office.

[15:25:04]

And so even though he has said that the rules and the Constitution bar him from being able to run for a third term, I would not say that this is the

end of the story. A number of his allies, some of the top political advisers that he has, are continuing to put into his ear the idea that he

could run for a third term or extend his current term and still be the president after this current term is supposed to end at the beginning of

January 2029.

And so, this story is one that I expect to continue. I think the president will continue to fan the flames of this, even if it's just to make sure

that he remains relevant and is not a lame duck. He's going to continue to flirt with the idea of being president beyond 2028, in part because he

thinks it's a good troll to get under the skin of his opponents, but also in part because he really wants to remain president beyond this term. He

said over and over again that he's owed more time because of the first term and in which he was under investigation for a large chunk of that term.

And so, I wouldn't be surprised if the president tries to find a way to go beyond the bounds of the Constitution and at least float the idea of

running for a third term or extending the second term beyond the standard four years that it's expected to go.

FOSTER: I guess he's not in a rush, but do you think he sees a gap in the fact that it hasn't been tested before? Because this is how he's operated

on so many things, right. Something hasn't been tested before. He tests it and then suddenly America realizes they don't actually have a system for

it.

OLORUNNIPA: Yeah. That's right. I mean, the language is pretty clear in the constitution, but it's about how do you enforce that language? The courts

have bent to the presidents will over and over again when we thought that there are laws and statutes in place, in place that make it clear that

certain things are off limits. In many cases, the Supreme Court, which is stacked with people that Trump appointed and people who are of the same

ideological background, they have found a way to support a number of the things that he wants to do.

Now, trying to run for a third term when the constitution clearly bars that the 22nd Amendment, that would be a step further than what this Supreme

Court has been willing to do, and even some Supreme Court justices have come out and said that the language is pretty clear, that that's not

something that's allowed under the U.S. Constitution.

But again, if it's not tested, it's hard to know exactly how the courts would respond, how the Republican Party would respond, and how we would

enforce something like that. Even if the courts were to say this was not allowed, if Trump decided to do it anyways, would the court find a way to

enforce its own, its own measures? And that is something that has not yet been tested. And I wouldn't be surprised if this president is the one who

decides to test it in that way.

FOSTER: Well, the other legal -- the other route, the legal route is to extend his current term as well, isn't it? How would that work? Has that

been tested?

OLORUNNIPA: That has not been tested. The president has shown some interest in the idea of not holding elections, saying that there's an emergency.

He's seen this happen in other countries. He's joked about the idea that Ukraine, because it's in a war, has not held elections. And he said, oh,

that would be nice to do here as well.

And so, there are multiple avenues the president could have. We've already seen him try to meddle with the idea of free and fair elections. And so, I

wouldn't be surprised if he tries to find a way to call off or delay or postpone the 2028 elections.

He tried to do this during 2020, when there was the COVID pandemic. He floated the idea of saying, we need to delay this election. There are too

many mail-in ballots. We're not sure what's going on. And so that was quickly rejected by the Republican Party then.

But, you know, he has a much more pliant Republican Party who's been willing to go along with the things that he's proposed. And so, if he

decides that in his mind, the election cannot be held in a fair way, as we've seen in many third world countries, that presidents have delayed

elections and said that it's not safe or it's not secure to run an election. And they've asked for more time, and that's allowed them to

extend their terms. That's something that could clearly be on the president's agenda as well.

And so, he could try to find a way, maybe not to run for a third term, but to extend his second term beyond the traditional four year term that U.S.

presidents typically get.

FOSTER: He's going to keep you busy. Toluse Olorunnipa, thank you so much for joining us from "The Atlantic". It's a fascinating discussion.

Beginning Thursday, the Trump administration will stop automatically extending work permits for immigrants, a move that could put thousands of

workers in limbo. Visa holders are typically given 540 days to remain in their jobs, whilst their application for an extension is being considered.

An administration official says they're ending the practice in an effort to ensure appropriate vetting and screening.

Well, still to come, many borrowers are applauding the Fed's rate cut. So why are investors less happy? We'll clear it all up for you after the

break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:33:08]

FOSTER: Returning to our top story, Hurricane Melissa moving away from Cuba, now eyeing the Bahamas, it leaves behind a trail of destruction

across the region.

Melissa is the strongest storm ever to hit Jamaica. More than 70 percent of the island is without electricity, and Jamaica's prime minister has

declared the whole island a disaster area.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DESMOND MCKENZIE, MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, JAMAICA: A lot of homes have been destroyed, so persons now are now going

to the shelters. We are going to be looking at a long-term basis as to how we are going to deal with the numbers. I want to say to all shelter

managers parish disaster coordinators and to the municipal corporations. No one must be turned back from the shelters.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: We've also learned that 25 people were killed in southern Haiti after a river burst its banks due to heavy rain from Melissa, a local mayor

says the people remain trapped in several homes that collapsed.

Earlier in Cuba, the hurricane made its second landfall, this time as a category three storm. It drenched the Caribbean island with heavy rain and

flooding. Around 140,000 people are cut off by rising river levels, as we speak.

Patrick Oppmann is there for us in Santiago de Cuba.

How's it looking, Patrick?

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, a lot of those people were cut off, have now been reached by the government. So that is the update we have

for you. Of course, you know, it is continuing to rain throughout the day, and that makes the people who are still cut off in the mountainous areas

and some of the coastal areas where the roads were washed out.

It makes reaching them that much harder. It also means that for a lot of people who had the roofs damaged here in Cubas second largest city,

Santiago de Cuba, that means that water is coming into their homes.

So we've been hearing all morning and all day people repairing the roofs themselves, you know, not waiting to get about doing that because the more

it rains, the more damage they have in an island as poor as this one, when you have any kind of property damage, it can take years to recover from

that.

[15:35:12]

People here are happy. As happy as they can be that they did not get the direct, absolutely devastating hit that Jamaica did. But this is a storm

that once again damaged Cuba's very fragile infrastructure. That's why we have not had power for about 24 hours now. A lot of electricity lines are

down, so the government has to go about reestablishing that service, making sure that it is safe to do so.

But as well, we've seen all summer long how Cuba's electrical grid gives out at any moment when we arrived already, they're only getting about four

hours of power a day here in many places. So, people, as they go on longer and longer without the power, tempers get short, food begins to spoil. But,

of course, we've seen repeatedly the government does not put up with any protests from people here.

All the same, this point, people seem like they are willing to wait a little bit longer for the lights to come back on and you know, are content

that it could have been much, much worse, and they seem to escape the worst of this hurricane, at least this time.

FOSTER: Yeah. You were talking yesterday about how a lot of the storm would go through areas with really weak buildings. So it didn't take as big a

storm to do as much damage there.

OPPMANN: No, we saw walls collapse. The building next to ours, a huge wall came crashing down in the street, which could have absolutely killed

someone and had anyone been there. But there was a curfew at that point.

Other homes we've seen are made out of wood. And of course, there were just blown down. By and large, though, you know, people, the damage we've seen

is not the catastrophic damage we've seen here from other storms or that were seeing, frankly, from Jamaica.

You know, it just goes to show the difference. These categories of hurricane, what they mean.

And right now in Cuba, it means trees are down. There's no electricity. Roofs are damaged. Repairs are having to be made. But it's not that massive

loss of life that at one point we feared when they talked about this hurricane coming across, here's a category four or five and making a direct

hit in Santiago that seemed to indicate that there could have been a large loss of life.

No update from the government on if anyone's died at this point, but it appears that Cuba missed a bullet. Of course, you know, this is life in the

Caribbean. And as we've seen all summer long, these storms just seem to get stronger and stronger.

FOSTER: Okay, Patrick, thank you so much for that.

We are starting to get some death figures from Jamaica, hearing that four bodies were recovered in Jamaica Saint Elizabeth Parish. Those numbers are

going to be quite slow because, as we were saying, hard to reach areas, particularly in Jamaica.

Now, it's the final moments of trade on Wall Street, and stocks are down. The Dow is slightly down after pushing above 48,000 earlier in the day,

which was a first in history. Stocks fell late in the day after the Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said a December rate cut is not a foregone

conclusion.

This is our business breakout for you.

Donald Trump will come face to face with Chinese Leader Xi Jinping in the coming hours. The sit down is happening at the world's two largest

economies are locked in a trade war that's upended the global economy. They'll meet on the sidelines of an economic cooperation summit in South

Korea. The final stop on Trump's Asia tour.

Three of the world's biggest tech firms will announce their quarterly earnings in about 20 minutes. Google's parent company, Alphabet, Facebook

owner Meta and Microsoft are all set to report results after markets close. Apple and Amazon will report on Thursday, with markets watching closely for

details of their plans for continuing A.I. investment.

Nvidia just redefined the term tech giant. The company is now worth $5 trillion thanks to two letters. You guessed it A, and I. The unprecedented

demand for its A.I. chips has propelled its stock into the stratosphere. Investors hope today's meeting between U.S. and Chinese leaders will open

up China to Nvidia's high end chips.

Now, amid the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, the Federal Reserve is cutting interest rates a quarter point for the second time this year.

Last hour, Chairman Jerome Powell was asked about the Fed's next possible move when it -- when it meets in December.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEROME POWELL, FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN: A further reduction in the policy rate of December meeting is not a foregone conclusion. As I've just said,

so I would say that that needs to be taken on board. We had, you know, I would just say this, 19 participants on the committee. Everyone works very

hard at this and takes their obligations to serve the American people very seriously.

And at a time when we have tension between our two goals, we have you know, strong views across the committee. And as I mentioned, there were strongly

differing views today. And the takeaway from that is that we haven't made a decision about December.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[15:40:00]

FOSTER: Our Fed translator is Richard Quest.

Richard, thanks for joining us. I mean, just explain in layman's terms what that means.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN BUSINESS EDITOR AT LARGE: I'm going to tell you what it means. This is ready for Quest translation.

I am saying something on additional. This is not to be seen as a foregone conclusion. In fact, far from it. In other words, it's likely that they

won't cut in December.

They say they're data dependent. They don't really have the data at the moment because of the government shutdown. They committee, whilst not split

in a sort of a meaningful sense, there is a wide range and entrenched difference of opinion.

You have one, Miran, wanting to raise rates higher. You have one wanting to do nothing and you have the majority basically going along with it. So, I

would say bearing in mind inflation is rising, inflation is becoming sticky, as they say, they're taking out their own insurance against doing

anything in December.

And that's what the market didn't like. And that's why if you look at the Dow, Max, you had this absolute bifurcated session where all of a sudden,

it turns turtle and it's all because of a foregone -- it's not foregone.

FOSTER: Some of the other dynamics, Nvidia today, we've also got these big tech company results coming out later on. But the Nvidia story is

extraordinary isn't it. The pure value of this giant. Does that really reflect how much it's making at the moment. Or is this completely based on

future projections?

QUEST: Yeah, it's a bit of both. I mean, it is very valuable. It has got the chips that everybody wants. There is justification for a strong price

because it's going to sell more to China, but it doesn't justify necessarily the current.

I mean, I was going to say elevated price, but it's stratospheric. But that's the way markets work. They are calibrated over the longer period,

not the short term. And what we are seeing is that irrational exuberance.

But here, you know, I will say one thing, Max, I've been here at FII now for two or three days, and there is a common view that, yes, there may be a

market correction, but there's no necessity for a market collapse. And Cathy Jenkins (ph), who will be having on "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" tonight

one of the biggest gurus in the market, will tell us on the show. She's still extremely Ark Investments, extremely bullish on the market. And there

is justification for it.

So yes, Nvidia, fully priced, some say overpriced, but there is some justification.

FOSTER: Richard in Riyadh, thank you for joining us. Okay. People are still asking, where are the jewels? Two suspects arrested in the brazen Louvre

jewel heist, admit they were involved. But the location of the loot still isn't known. We do have some more details. We'll bring them to you next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:46:05]

FOSTER: A quick update on our top story for you. Authorities in Jamaica have recovered four bodies in the badly hit Saint Elizabeth parish in the

aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. That's according to a government source.

CNN has reached out to the police superintendent and parish disaster coordinator for more information on that. The hurricane leaves behind a

trail of destruction across the region. Melissa is the strongest storm ever to hit Jamaica that we know of, and it's now tracking towards the Bahamas

as a category two hurricane.

Now, the two suspects arrested in connection with the brazen heist of France's crown jewels from the Louvre have admitted their involvement in

the robbery. That's according to the Paris prosecutors office. And while the two remain in custody, the jewels aren't in the possession of the

authorities.

During Wednesday's news conference, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said the suspects went before an investigative judge.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAURE BECCUAU, PARIS PROSECUTOR: As I'm speaking to you, the two have partially admitted their participation in the robbery before investigators.

They're currently before an investigating judge with a view to placing them under formal investigation for the crimes of robberies as part of an

organized gang. Crimes, carrying a 15-year prison sentence and a heavy fine. Also, the qualification of criminal association has been selected,

and offense carrying a ten-year prison sentence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: The audacious seven-minute daytime theft in October, October the 19th captured the world's attention after thieves got away with jewels

worth more than an estimated 88 million euros.

Our senior international correspondent Melissa Bell has more from Paris.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Paris prosecutor has been giving more details about the latest on the investigation into the

heist at the louvre museum, confirming many of the details that we had understood already about the two men currently in custody, that they are in

their 30s, that they were known to police before the heist for things like low level delinquency, petty thefts and that they had been tracked down

thanks to DNA that had been found on one of the helmets they left behind.

They are of Algerian nationality and come from the outskirts of Paris. What the prosecutor said, though, is that they do believe that there were four

people involved in the heist on the day itself. Two others remain at large, and that she wouldn't give that many details because this was an ongoing

investigation. She also pointed out that whilst these other two were at large and they were looking for four altogether, they had not excluded the

possibility that someone else may have been involved, whether to commission the theft or in other ways.

She also added that there was no suggestion that anyone on the inside of the Louvre had been complicit in the heist. The latest details, then, in an

investigation that continues and no sign yet, she explained of the jewels themselves.

Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: And we just had an update. One of the two suspects has been placed under formal investigation for organized theft and criminal conspiracy,

according to the Paris prosecutor.

Still to come, winter is coming. So, the Winter Olympics. That means CNN takes you to Italy for a look at the preparations for next year's games.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:51:55]

FOSTER: Final preparations are underway for the 2026 Winter Olympics in northern Italy. Sixteen events will be spread across eight locations,

including Milan, where the new Olympic Village has been completed.

CNN's Antonia Mortensen reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANTONIA MORTENSEN, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER (voice-over): Countdown to the 25th Edition of the Winter Olympics is on. Preparations are in full swing in

Northern Italy, where the games will be spread across eight locations, with major hubs in Milan, Cortina and across the Dolomites. Indoor sports

competitions like ice hockey and skating will be held here in Milan, while outdoor disciplines will be spread across the mountain resorts.

MORTENSEN: We're about to give you a sneak peek of this Olympic Village where all the athletes competing here in Milan will be staying.

MORTENSEN (voice-over): This newly completed village has thousand rooms with 1700 beds. This development is part of a larger redevelopment project

in the Porta Romana area of Milan.

MORTENSEN: There is a real lack of affordable housing here in Milan, and that's because prices have shot up over the last few years. This

development has been built with that in mind, so that when the games finish, this will become student housing.

LUCA MANGI, COIMA GENERAL MANAGER: All the square is empty because this is a request for Fonda Seminar and Cortina, because they need to have the free

space during the Olympic Games and after, when we complete the Olympic Games, we complete all the external works with the landscaping and the

trees.

MORTENSEN: OK, so now we're going to see where the athletes are going to be staying.

MANGI: This is the first room. This is a double room.

MORTENSEN: So, this is the furniture that the athletes will be sleeping on?

MANGI: Yes, exactly no temporary beds, but final and solid.

MORTENSEN: It's pretty comfortable actually.

MORTENSEN (voice-over): This is one of the first venues to be completed, and after the games, it will become Italy's largest student housing

development. Organizers say that the other venues are also on track.

KIRSTY COVENTRY, INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE PRESIDENT: We were earlier at the ice -- what will be the home of ice hockey, and it was really

wonderful to see the fast pace and the progression, and now, we're here in this beautiful venue that is making me want to become a winter athlete.

So, the venue, the rooms, are beautiful. Even more importantly, the legacy of the venue for student housing, which I know is so important for Milano,

it's incredible. So, we're looking forward to walking back in a few months, seeing all the country's flags out the windows.

MORTENSEN (voice-over): The online booking system for students is already open for the 2026, `27 academic year, and rent will be significantly below

the market average. Organizers hoping that the games will leave a positive legacy on this fast-growing city.

Antonia Mortensen, CNN, Milan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Finally, tonight, a newly found Dr. Seuss book will be published next year. Singh, the 50 United States asks readers to learn and name all

the states, along with the cat in the hat and two little cat helpers as well.

[15:55:08]

The manuscript was found earlier this year at the U.C. San Diego's Geisel Library, named in honor of Ted Geisel. The real name of Dr. Seuss.

There was a full text and a cover sketch by the author, along with notes on the overall art direction. So, it's all there. The book comes out next

June, just in time for America's 250th birthday.

I'm Max Foster. That's WHAT WE KNOW.

Stay with CNN. More after the break.

END

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