5 things to know for Oct. 20: ‘No Kings’ protests, Louvre robbery, Government shutdown, Colombia aid, Gaza ceasefire
By Alexandra Banner, CNN
More than a billion Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists around the world today are celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights. Also known as Deepavali, it is one of India’s most cherished holidays, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil.
Here’s what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day.
1️⃣ ‘No Kings’ protests
President Donald Trump swiped at Saturday’s “No Kings” protests across the US, telling reporters on Air Force One that people who attended the rallies “are not representative of the people of our country.” Nearly 7 million people showed up for Saturday’s rallies against the administration’s policies — including more than 100,000 people in New York — according to organizers and officials. Along with larger events in major cities, small pockets of “No Kings” protesters cropped up along busy thoroughfares, in small-town squares and at municipal parks in red and blue states alike. Trump and Vice President JD Vance also posted AI memes to social media depicting Trump wearing a crown, appearing to mock the protesters.
2️⃣ Louvre robbery
French police are searching for eight pieces of “priceless” jewelry following a daring daytime heist at the Louvre in Paris on Sunday. Early evidence suggests that the thieves used an extendable ladder and other tools to break into a window off a balcony before stealing French Crown Jewels and other treasures from the Apollo Gallery. The heist was carried out in seven minutes as the museum was opening to the public at 9:30 a.m. local time. Four perpetrators appear to have been involved in the theft, who were unarmed and fled on motorcycles. French President Emmanuel Macron said that “everything is being done” to catch the suspects. The Louvre, which houses world-famous artworks including Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, has not been the target of a robbery in more than a century, a local official said.
3️⃣ Government shutdown
A new week begins with no end in sight for the government shutdown, now entering its 20th day. Democrats and Republicans are still locked in a standoff over health care subsidies as senators prepare to return to Washington in the coming hours. Meanwhile, the federal agency responsible for overseeing and modernizing the US nuclear stockpile will furlough the vast majority of its staff today as the stalemate drags on, according to the Department of Energy. About 1,400 employees at the National Nuclear Security Administration will receive furlough notices, while fewer than 400 employees will remain on the job to safeguard the stockpile, Energy Department spokesperson Ben Dietderich told CNN. The furloughs will first impact NNSA sites that assemble nuclear weapons and will force those sites into safe shutdown mode. For now, two NNSA sources told CNN there is no immediate national security threat.
4️⃣ Colombia aid
President Trump announced Sunday he would end all US payments and subsidies to Colombia, marking a dramatic escalation in his clash with the country’s president, Gustavo Petro. Trump said in a social media post that Petro “does nothing to stop” the production of drugs in his country, “despite large scale payments and subsidies from the USA that are nothing more than a long term rip off of America.” The US has provided about $210 million in aid to Colombia this fiscal year, including around $31 million in agricultural support, according to the US Department of State. Trump also said he plans to impose tariffs on the Latin American country over allegations of drug trafficking. This comes as tensions in the region are growing as the US carries out military strikes on boats that are allegedly involved in illegal drug trafficking in the Caribbean.
5️⃣ Gaza ceasefire
Vice President JD Vance will lead a delegation to Israel this week, sources told CNN, as the administration works to implement the next phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement. This comes after the US-brokered deal endured its first major test over the weekend, with both sides reaffirming their commitments after a deadly flare-up. On Sunday, Israel carried out a series of strikes across Gaza after it accused Hamas of carrying out an attack that killed two Israeli soldiers. The Israeli strikes killed at least 44 people in several parts of the enclave, according to data from Gaza’s hospitals. Both Hamas and Israeli forces blamed the other for violating the ceasefire.
This just in …
Huge global outage impacts Amazon, Fortnite and Snapchat
Amazon has said its cloud computing services unit, AWS, has been hit by an outage, disrupting several popular websites and apps worldwide, including Snapchat, Facebook, and Fortnite. A rapidly growing list of sites are experiencing issues, according to Downdetector, which tracks internet disruptions. Follow live updates here.
Breakfast browse
I can track my college sons’ movements on my phone, but should I?
Parents — when does tracking your child’s location turn from protection to an invasion of privacy? CNN’s Don Riddell shares his take as a father of adult twins.
NHL team apologizes for ‘offensively worded message’ displayed on scoreboard
The San Jose Sharks have apologized after this offensive message was displayed on the arena’s scoreboard during the team’s Hispanic Heritage Night.
Runner wrestles bear: ‘In one bite my arm was done’
What began as a routine run through familiar woods became a desperate sprint for survival. A runner tells CNN what it feels like to survive a bear attack.
Why are you seeing cowboys everywhere?
From billboards to runways, it seems like everyone is grabbing their fringe and boots made for walking. CNN’s Leah Asmelash explains why you may be seeing a “wholehearted embrace of the American West.”
This Bollywood classic still captivates Indian movie-goers 30 years on
Fans of “Diwale Dulhania Le Jayenge” or “DDLJ” still flock to a Mumbai cinema that has shown the film every day for three decades straight.
Number of the day
42 million
That’s roughly how many people are at risk of losing food stamps next month amid the federal government shutdown. It’s not clear whether the Trump administration will find the funds to continue paying benefits as it has with other priorities.
Weather
🌤️ Check your local forecast to see what you can expect.
And finally…
▶️ Comedians react to food chains inside the Pentagon
How about an intelligence briefing with a side of fries? In this video, Roy Wood Jr. and his panel on “Have I Got News for You” joke about the Pentagon’s offering of restaurants.
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Today’s edition of 5 Things AM was edited and produced by CNN’s Andrew Torgan.