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Tonight: Hawaii Could See First Hurricane Landfall In Decades; Zel Says Ukraine Urgently Needs U.S. Missile Interceptors; Florida Voters Prepare To Cast Ballots In Key Primary Races. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired August 15, 2026 - 18:00   ET

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

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She literally gives you all the tools you need to hit the ground running; also, she gives everybody a $50,000.00 grant.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

SUSAN BURTON, CNN HEROES: I, like the house, is a hand up for people to dream again, to live again, and to thrive!

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, "ANDERSON COOPER: 360": Safe Housing Network has grown to more than 30 partners and house more than 2,000 people. Susan and a new way of life have also expanded their mission, opening homes in New Orleans and North Carolina. They plan to build a campus in Los Angeles.

BURTON: We have just touched a fraction of the people that need a second chance at life.

You plant the seed and it gets watered and it grows.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN HOST: To learn more about Susan's important work, go to CNN.com/heroes.

Another hour of CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.

[18:01:03]

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN HOST: You're in the CNN NEWSROOM, everyone. I am Omar Jimenez in Atlanta.

Tonight, Hawaii is bracing for what could be the state's first hurricane landfall in decades. Hurricane Lala officially reached Category One status today and is lashing parts of Hawaii with strong winds and heavy rains.

The winds started getting to speeds of 75 miles per hour this morning, and the torrential rain could bring flash flooding across the Hawaiian Islands.

The National Hurricane Center is warning of life-threatening flooding and mudslides, as well.

Meteorologist, Tom Skilling joins us now from Kona on the West Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii.

Tom, I just wonder what are the conditions there? What are you seeing?

TOM SKILLING, FORMER METEOROLOGIST: Omar, well, first of all, I've got some news for you. I think we are going to avoid a direct landfall of this hurricane. It is passing about 150 miles south of my location on the Big Island here. But it is just south of south point, which is the southernmost point on the Big Island in the Hawaiian islands and the southernmost point in the United States.

As you mentioned, it officially became a hurricane based on the National Hurricane Center's declaration at 9:00 Hawaii time this morning. So we have a full blown hurricane.

Had it landfall here on the Big Island, it would have been the first landfalling hurricane on the Big Island by some accounts since 1871. And the most recent hurricane to landfall in the Hawaiian island chain somewhere occurred north of here, up on Kauai back in 1992 was Hurricane Iniki.

But I will tell you what we are seeing here, strong winds. It is raining here. We are the last place on the northwest side of the Big Island to get rain, but I was looking at rainfall reports, there up to 7 to 15 inches down in some parts of the island now.

Wind gusts here have been 60 to 75 miles per hour. They cut out, Omar, out over the ocean and produced quite a scene. There are whitecaps as far as the eye can see, and the winds are so strong they share the tops off the waves.

Now what -- we've got power here, and I am happy about that, but I will tell you, I don't know what the assessment is around the rest of the island. I suspect there will have been power outages and flooding. And this extends north, the strong winds and the heavier rain, as locally it extends northward into other Hawaiian islands as well.

But the Big Island, the southernmost of the Hawaiian chain, is where I am and it is closest to the storm itself.

JIMENEZ: How would you say that Hawaii's terrain makes the effects of this storm, if not more dangerous, at the very least, unique?

SKILLING: Oh, it is stunning. You know, we have here on the Big Island, the island's two largest tallest volcanoes, both over 13,000 feet high. We have Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa here and you know, it is interesting when they place weather radars, it is a devil when you've got walls of granite that are running upwards of 13,000 feet because it interferes with the radar signal. So you have to put certain radar locations in different locations to see what is going on across the state.

But this morning, the satellite and radar presentation on this storm, Hurricane Lala, is stunning. It has got an eye. One of the unique features of tropical cyclones, that's the calm center of the storm and it shows up beautifully on the satellite and on the radar. So, it is a sight to see and I am sure you've been showing that to folks. And folks have been checking that out, too.

JIMENEZ: You know, there is a meteorological specificity that I am sure you would be interested in here in terms of tropical storms that approach Hawaii typically hit those cooler ocean temperatures before getting to the island. But, Lala is staying over warmer waters because we are looking at an ongoing marine heat wave that is extending out even to California and developing a Super El Nino.

How does that difference between cooler and warmer water temperature impact Lala?

[18:05:10]

SKILLING: Well, let me say something, Omar, you have done your homework, my friend.

JIMENEZ: Yes.

SKILLING: You are absolutely right. There is a marine heat wave and we do have a Super El Nino under development. I was looking at ocean temperatures. The ocean temperature right here off Hapuna Beach, which is where I am, is 83 degrees. The ocean temperatures around Hawaii are running about one to three degrees warmer in Fahrenheit than they normally do. And you're absolutely right, tropical cyclones are different than the storms that occur in the mid-latitudes, in that they derive their energy from warm ocean water and the latent heat energy it provides through the evaporation and condensation of warm sea water.

So a hurricane that forms off Mexico, which is where a lot of storms are head toward Hawaii form will often encounter that cool current between Mexico and North America and Hawaii and that kills a lot of these storms and certainly, diminishes them in intensity.

But this warming of the ocean that's related to El Nino, and of course, just the fact that the oceans are warming with climate change, is in fact a factor in keeping this storm a viable tropical storm and enabling it to reach hurricane intensity here on the track.

Normally, like Iniki, that hit in 1992 came up from the south. It didn't have to deal with that cool water you mentioned, but most tropical cyclones, tropical storms and hurricanes come over that cool water. You're absolutely right and that diminishes them in most cases.

JIMENEZ: And Tom, I will always take a compliment for my meteorological knowledge, but I am going to pay my dues to Kat Samuelson on our team right here on our team who went deep on that research there and brought you that. So I am just a messenger sometimes. And tom, I appreciate your time.

SKILLING: And I will tell you --

JIMENEZ: Yes.

SKILLING: You've got a good one in Kat, hang on to her.

JIMENEZ: There we go.

SKILLING: That's terrific.

And by the way, about this terrain effect on the weather.

JIMENEZ: Yes, just quickly before we go.

SKILLING: Yes, the variation in rainfall and wind is just stunning.

JIMENEZ: Yes.

SKILLING: No question here in Hawaii.

JIMENEZ: Love it. Tom Skilling appreciate the time. Thanks for being here.

SKILLING: You bet! Good to talk to you, Omar. Have a great one.

JIMENEZ: You too.

All right, we are also watching the severe storms in the Midwest where there is dangerous flooding rain drenching the area for the seventh straight day. Eastern Indiana, for example, has seen the worst of this week's storms and the White River reached major flood stage this morning as residents in neighborhoods along the river have been told to evacuate.

Now, more than 12 million people across the Midwest are under flood watches tonight, as a new round of storms is going to start again this evening with Indiana and Ohio, and then spreading east overnight into tomorrow.

And we talked about this earlier, but three earthquakes rocked different parts of Indonesia within just hours. We will you through this here. The latest one, a 5.7 magnitude quake struck the northeast of the country. It followed a 6.9 earthquake that rattled the northwest province of North Sumatra, and then a 7.7 magnitude quake felt in Bali hit the eastern part of the country, killing at least 47 people.

Video shows some of the devastation, like this building that was practically leveled here. Disaster officials say dozens of people are hurt and thousands more have been forced to leave their homes.

CNN's Gage Goulding has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GAGE GOULDING, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Just minutes before the sun rose over Flores Island, Saturday morning, a major earthquake shook the northern Indonesian island, registering 7.7 magnitude. The quake crumbled buildings and sent local residents screaming, running for higher ground, many of them still sleeping.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): The quake was massive. The shock was so strong. We were resting at home with family. There were 13 of us inside the house and we all ran to save ourselves.

GOULDING (voice over): From a ship docked at the port, you can see a building collapsing.

In town, the walls of a local hospital were damaged and tourists climbing to a peak in Komodo National Park on Padar Island, you can see them sway as the earth is shaking beneath them.

Now rescue crews are facing the dangerous and daunting task of digging out those trapped in the rubble.

SPOKESMAN FOR BASAMAS, INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT'S SEARCH AND RESCUE (through translator): The Basamas Special Group is also prepared to deploy an advanced team using Indonesian Air Force facilities to carry out necessary measures on the ground and rescue lives affected by the disaster.

GOULDING (voice over): Their work is no easy task, grinding through steel and moving concrete debris. But there is another threat -- aftershocks.

In the hours after the quake, more than 37 aftershocks were recorded, some as strong as 6.2 magnitude, all while the 48-hour time frame, known as the golden window to get to victims, is slowly ticking by.

Gage Goulding, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[18:10:07]

JIMENEZ: All right, Gage Goulding, really appreciate the reporting.

Still to come for us, Ukraine is seeking more weapons from the United States, but can America help its European ally when its military may have munitions problems of its own? We are going to discuss with the former U.S. Ambassador to NATO.

Plus, Democrats unveiling a different strategy for 2028, the new primary calendar that is aiming to give more power to Latino and Black voters and reshape the way Democrats pick their presidential nominee.

And a growing love story between golf and basketball. See my one-on- one interview with NBA champion and Finals MVP, Jalen Brunson as we talk about it all, just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:15:22]

JIMENEZ: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is claiming significant results from a strike deep inside Russian territory earlier today. Zelenskyy says an electronics production facility was hit that is more than 500 miles from Ukraine's border and it comes as both Russia and Ukraine are ramping up airstrikes. Russia is increasing the number of drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles it fires in a strategy intended to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses and it is prompting renewed pleas from Zelensky for interceptor missiles.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: I am asking American partners to sell me five percent -- five percent of missiles, what they have in their stocks.

If they sell us five percent, we will go through the winter and save people's lives. If they can sell us 10 percent, we will destroy all the Russians ballistic missiles.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JIMENEZ: Joining us now is former U.S. Ambassador to NATO, Kurt Volker. He has also served as U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine negotiations during President Trump's first term. And, Ambassador Volker, you know, we've heard President Zelenskyy plead his case many times over the course of this war and based on what you just heard there, is that an effective argument to get through to someone like President Trump?

KURT VOLKER, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO NATO: It is a good argument. He is talking about five percent or 10 percent, it doesn't sound like much, but I think President Trump is really focused on protecting American forces since we are still involved in this war against Iran, as well as making sure we can handle any contingencies in Asia that we might need. So I don't know whether that's going to be effective.

What I think President Trump really does pay attention to is the attacks on civilians that Russia does, and he gets -- you know, he gets the images of the people that have been killed, the apartment buildings, the civilian infrastructure and that does have some effect on him. But I think he is going to stay focused on what America needs are first, even if that means Ukraine is not getting what it needs.

JIMENEZ: and to that point, I mean, look, so much of President Trump's focus understandably on the Middle East right now. How would you be advising him when it comes to the Russia-Ukraine War, knowing that obviously, as you laid out, there is a war where you have American lives directly in the line of fire?

VOLKER: Yes. Well, what I would say first is you have to view them as linked. Russia is helping Iran. Iran is helping Russia. The Shahed drones that Russia uses are an Iranian design. The improvements to those that allow them to evade radars. They go into, say, Gulf states. Those are Russian improvements.

So we have to look at this as one war. And I would say we have to really make sure that Russia is neutralized here, because if they succeed in pushing back on Ukraine, they are going to be a bigger threat for all of Europe. Just look at what they are doing now with a missile in Poland, a drone in Germany, a drone in Romania. This is going to get worse if we don't give Ukrainians more support and have them push the Russians back farther.

JIMENEZ: You know, Zelenskyy has told CNN that there needs to be more American involvement in the stalled peace process at this point. Do you see that happening at all in this current reality? And if not the United States, is there an area where European allies can step up efforts here?

VOLKER: Well, on this one, look, as I understand that President's two envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are planning to visit Kyiv later this month. If that goes forward, I think that would be a great thing. I think it is important for them to see Ukraine with their own eyes, to see people there, to understand with their own eyes what Russia is doing to a major country, a civilized country in Europe, and to call for a ceasefire from Russia.

I don't believe that Vladimir Putin will ever be serious about negotiations. I think he can only be pushed to a point where he would agree to a ceasefire because he would need it for financial or military reasons. But his ideology is such that he does not believe Ukraine should exist as a sovereign, independent state. It should be subordinated to Moscow and he is not going to give up on that idea.

JIMENEZ: And, you know, initially in the soundbite that we played, you know, that was President Zelenskyy talking about those interceptor missiles. I mean, look, there is a -- it seems to be a shortage of those interceptor missiles, in part tied to the war with Iran.

[18:20:08]

On the sidelines of the NATO Summit in July, President Trump implied that Ukraine would be allowed to manufacture patriot interceptors. I will say the language is pretty vague, and we hadn't heard anything from any of the manufacturers, but that implication sort of raises the possibility that this technology is a closely guarded secret. Currently, only Japan and Germany are the countries with licenses to co-produce.

Would you support that as a solution for Ukraine's shortage here? How would you weigh that possibility?

VOLKER: Yes, I would say that is a very good idea. I was very happy when President Trump brought that up at Ankara. It would solve several problems at once.

We have not been able to ramp up production to what the global supply needs. We've been burning through our own supply, so we have less available for our friends and allies around the world, not only Ukraine, but also Israel, the Gulf states, countries in Asia. So having more production is essential.

Ukrainians are already producing missiles, including efforts at producing air defense missiles. Helping them produce anti-missiles that are compatible with the patriot system would be a very good step. It would help the Ukrainians in the near term. It would increase the global supply, and it would provide a financial windfall for the U.S. companies, which hopefully they would reinvest in more production on their own.

So I think it is a win-win-win. We just have to get through some of those hurdles that you mentioned about avoiding tech transfer and avoiding presenting Russia a juicy target in Ukraine that they would try to hit.

JIMENEZ: Ambassador Kurt Volker, really appreciate you taking the time. Thank you for being here.

VOLKER: Thank you.

JIMENEZ: All right, still to come, the Democratic National Committee already looking ahead to 2028. We are live from Austin, Texas, where members of the DNC just approved a new calendar for picking their party's presidential nominee in 2028. Stick around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:26:29]

JIMENEZ: Democrats are going to have a new presidential primary calendar during the 2028 election season. The new early voting schedule puts a focus on states with more diverse populations, like South Carolina, New Mexico and Nevada while pushing back both Iowa and New Hampshire.

CNN's Fredreka Schouten is in Austin, Texas for us, where Democrats are meeting this weekend. And Fredreka, can you just walk us through the significance of this change?

FREDREKA SCHOUTEN, CNN NATIONAL REPORTER: Yes, it is a big deal. I mean, for years and years, as you mentioned, we had New Hampshire and Iowa very small, predominantly White states on the front. And this calendar cements South Carolina as the leadoff state. That's significant because it has a large African-American population.

It could mean that a candidate, an African-American candidate, has a leg up in 2028. We don't know who might run yet and then you have Nevada and New Mexico with really high concentrations of Latino voters and that's one of the things that really matters to Democrats.

President Donald Trump made inroads with Latino voters in the 2024 election, and one New Mexico official said to me, when we have candidates who are coming to a state where nearly half the voters are Latino and listening to them and appealing to them, that is going to send a message all around the country that Democrats are not taking these voters for granted.

You also, of course, have some large states in here, too, Michigan and Virginia. Virginia will now be the sixth state in the lineup before Super Tuesday. It is a big state. It is going to be more expensive and it really is going to test the mettle of candidates before the big March race with a bunch of states in the contest.

JIMENEZ: Yes. It certainly shakes things up and gives people a different path to the nomination. We will see. Fredreka Schouten, I appreciate you laying that out. Thanks for being here.

Meanwhile, things are heating up in Florida ahead of Tuesday's primary elections.

Embattled Congressman Cory Mills, facing multiple challengers in his bid for reelection. One of those candidates, Ryan Elijah, joins us next. Stay with us. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:33:20]

JIMENEZ: Voters in Florida are heading to the polls on Tuesday to cast their ballots in several key primary races, including for a congressional seat currently held by embattled Republican Cory Mills, who is up for reelection. Now, he is facing a House Ethics investigation following misconduct allegations, which he has denied.

Mills, though, is backed by President Trump but is facing several Republican primary challengers who want to take his place in the November general election, including Ryan Elijah, who has been endorsed by some of Mills' Republican colleagues in Congress and he joins us now, Republican congressional candidate, Ryan Elijah, as I mentioned, President Trump has endorsed your opponent in this race, Cory Mills. What do you say to voters who question your lack of support from the President?

RYAN ELIJAH (R), FLORIDA CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE: You know, Omar, first of all, it is great to be with you and discuss this tonight. Look, we have talked a lot about this with voters. We've been voting early voting here in Florida for the past two weeks and a lot of voters have looked through this.

I will say this: We have very good supporters that have great relationships with the President. We have had an open dialogue and I will also add that he has not said anything, the President has not, since we got in this race in February. And I think that's important, I think it is the right call on his part to let the voters decide this and let this very competitive primary play out in the seventh district.

JIMENEZ: You know, you raised, I believe, roughly five times more money than Mills last quarter and I asked him last week about that. I just want to play a little bit of what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. CORY MILLS (R-FL): Everyone thinks that fundraising is key to everything, which is why we need campaign finance reform, and I've actually pushed for that. But I am actually a self-funder, so I don't go out knowing that we have a lot of people who are working very hard and trying to take money out of their pockets.

(END VIDEO CLIP) JIMENEZ: What is your response to that?

[18:35:10]

ELIJAH: Well, I mean, he has self-funded in the past, he has not in this race. And the fact of the matter is, we outraised him four or five times and we've worked really hard.

As you know, the system is not geared to run against an incumbent, and we've had to work really hard to get that money. The ice started breaking once we got the support, and we've got a number of people, in fact, people that actually gave to Democrat before we got in the race that have given to our campaign. So we've had to work very hard.

It is not easy in this field to outraise an incumbent, but we've been able to do that. We've been able to outspend him here just about 72 hours ahead of the election.

JIMENEZ: And, you know, Governor Ron DeSantis told reporters yesterday he will not be endorsing or supporting Mills for reelection. Have you spoken with the Governor since he made that statement?

ELIJAH: So we have got a lot of key supporters that are very close to the Governor. I have not spoken with Governor DeSantis since then, but I think it was one of the most compelling things we've seen in this race.

Brady Judd, who is a very respected Sheriff, came out three days before and endorsed us and said, I do not want Cory Mills representing the seventh district of Florida. And for the Governor to say this at the end of his press conference, I think was huge for us. His numbers are very high in the state of Florida, and it just adds to the list. We've got 20 endorsements against an incumbent and to hear the governor say that, I think was very big for us.

And it was a big shot of confidence that he wouldn't say that unless he knew someone could beat the incumbent.

JIMENEZ: And, you know, look, we've asked questions of Democratic candidates on this front. But if Mills does win this primary, are you prepared to back him in a general election?

ELIJAH: Boy, that's a great question. Obviously, you always back the Republican nominee. But I say right now we are focused on winning this ourselves because I am concerned about what we've seen in terms of being effective in this district and I think that's why a lot of people have pushed for us.

So at this point, we are focused on our race and winning this race and we had a poll tonight that showed us up 17 points in this. That is a massive momentum swing from where we were just three weeks ago.

JIMENEZ: And look, let's talk about the campaign a little, because your top campaign issue has been affordability to this point. But as I am sure you know, latest data out this week shows, Americans are not happy. Consumer sentiment dropped by eight percent with Republicans, as reported, showing the strongest month-to-month decline in August.

Gas prices obviously have not been ideal. Just bottom line, why should Florida voters trust you to help turn all of this around?

ELIJAH: Well, that's the one thing we've said is number one, affordability. I had two teachers the other day. They say, Ryan, we support you, but you've got to fight for us. And let's be clear, Omar, both parties have to do a better job with affordability. This has been a multiyear problem. It started years ago with the COVID pandemic, and we saw inflation spike to where we've not seen it in a long time.

It doesn't happen overnight, but both parties have to do a better job. I believe the Republican Party has made some good strides. We've got -- energy is a big part of that. We have to become energy dominant. We've had record crude production last year, record LNG output. Those are steps for a long-term fix.

But let's be clear, Congress has got to do a better job on the affordability front, because I think it is critical, and I think it is going to be critical heading into the November election. We have made strides. We've still got a ways to go.

JIMENEZ: Well, and look, one of the responsibilities of Congress is obviously, you are representing your district, and at times that might go against the executive in office. And, you know, some of the factors that have led to these increases in prices have tied to the war in Iran. And as you know, polling shows many Americans disapprove of the war in Iran. So I guess the question for you is, if you got into Congress here, would you vote to limit the President's war powers?

I mean, how would you plan to rectify some of these affordability issues that it sounds like you are hearing from your from your constituents?

ELIJAH: Yes, war has a cost, Omar. There is no question about that. I think you have to tell people, first of all, why you got into the war. We got in this war, which we were hoping would be a shorter war because of what Iran has done to our citizens for years. And Marco Rubio, of course, among those saying there is an imminent threat, then you have to get out at that point, we've got to finish the job at this point.

I am optimistic that is going to happen and when that does, we are going to see both oil prices come down and inflation come down. But you've got to focus on the key part of that. We can't be there for months and not finish what we have right now and that's getting the Strait open, making sure there is not a nuclear threat and I want them to focus on that. Let's hope in a month from now, we are not talking about this, but there is a price of war and I have talked to thousands of people.

Look, there are different feelings on this, no questions, even across the Republican Party. But they do understand there is a price for freedom. And look, the longer the war goes on, we don't want endless wars, but we do need to focus on getting the result that we want. JIMENEZ: But to be clear, you trust the President's vision in how the war is being executed to this point. You just hope it is over soon. Is that what I am hearing?

ELIJAH: I trust that they have an end goal in mind, and I trust that that is sooner rather than later. And again, it is tough to put a timeframe on war. Iran knows they can't win from a military strategic side. They can win with the public sentiment side. So I think the President and certainly the Department of War understands where we are in the time frame, and they've got that goal in mind. So, yes, I do trust that.

[18:40:03]

JIMENEZ: Well, all of this will be left up to the voters very soon. Florida Republican congressional candidate, Ryan Elijah, I really appreciate your time. Thank you for being here.

ELIJAH: Omar, it is great to be with you. Thank you.

JIMENEZ: Of course.

And be sure to watch CNN for the primary results and analysis in Florida, Wyoming as well and Alaska: Election Night in America, live coverage starts Tuesday at 7:00 P.M. Eastern on CNN and on the CNN app.

We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:45:08]

JIMENEZ: It has now been five years since the United States left Afghanistan, meaning it has been back under Taliban control. New figures from Save the Children reveal that nearly one in 10 children under the age of five is suffering from acute malnutrition.

CNN international correspondent, Isobel Yeung shows us the heartbreaking conditions of life for women and children.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ISOBEL YEUNG, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): These images marked the end of America's longest war: The Taliban were back in Kabul.

Airport crowds of Afghans desperately trying to flee as the country entered an uncertain era. Some parents were even willing to hand their children over the airport fence, anything to get them out of a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

Five years later, the Taliban government has survived. They say they're bringing much-needed stability and security after decades of war. But at the same time, Afghan women and girls now face some of the starkest restrictions in the world. According to the United Nations, more than a hundred decrees and directives have cut off their access to education, employment, and public life. Girls over 12 can no longer attend school. Women are restricted from working as lawyers, doctors, or in NGOs. Women can't travel without a male guardian or even visit parks.

MAHBOUBA SERAJ, AFGHAN WOMEN'S RIGHTS ACTIVIST: They don't have money to buy anything. They don't have any place to go to. They're not allowed to.

So why should they walk on the streets? They don't want to get out. So, they're staying home. It's by force. And it's been happening by force from day one.

YEUNG (voice over): For Afghan children, another crisis is unfolding. Nearly one in children under five is suffering from acute malnutrition, according to Save the Children. The organization says that since humanitarian funding has dried up, nearly 600 health clinics have been forced to close.

Last year, we traveled to Afghanistan to see what the withdrawal of U.S. aid was already doing to the country's fragile healthcare system. We met Muhammad Omar, who had severe malnutrition and meningitis. His grandmother, Nazugal, was in the middle of explaining his condition to us when we noticed Muhammad had stopped breathing.

YEUNG (on camera): Is he breathing? Is he breathing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You need to go!

YEUNG: We need to go. Sorry.

YEUNG (voice-over): Muhammad's mother returns to the room. And the most devastating news.

Muhammad's death came as Afghanistan's malnutrition crisis was worsening. The World Food Programme estimates nearly four million Afghan children will suffer acute malnutrition this year without urgent investment.

Now Afghanistan is no longer in the chaos of the takeover, but as the country remains internationally isolated and heavily dependent on humanitarian assistance, the uncertainty for millions of Afghans has not gone away, it has become their new reality.

Isobel Yeung, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:52:53]

JIMENEZ: Jalen Brunson has more than proven he is a basketball star, winning the NBA championship with the Knicks, earning the nickname the King of New York as the team's reigning Finals MVP. But the second round draft pick once felt overlooked.

Earlier this week, I sat down with Jalen and his mom, Sandra, about their second round foundation and what he has been up to since the Knicks' big win.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIMENEZ: What's the summer been like, Jalen, since the Finals?

JALEN BRUNSON, NEW YORK KNICKS: It has been a little hectic, but it has been all great problems to have. I found a little downtime and saw some family as well, so it has been a great summer.

JIMENEZ: Yes. It is a good way to come down.

LeBron going to Philly, what did you think about that.

BRUNSON: Honestly, I've been enjoying this as much as I could and so there has been a lot on my plate since we obviously we won. When it comes time to get back with my team, we will focus on that. But just to experience this with my teammates and my family and everything like that, that's all I have been really focused on right now.

JIMENEZ: I mean, that's what the offseason is really for and you know, I was looking at just the mission statement of your foundation, how it was born out of the idea that success doesn't always look like a first round pick. It is talking about the overlooked.

BRUNSON: You can go down so many different roads with that term, I feel like I was overlooked in sport, but there are a lot of kids and people who are overlooked just in life.

JIMENEZ: Tell me about how this started.

BRUNSON: It was definitely my parents' idea.

SANDRA BRUNSON, JALEN BRUNSON'S MOTHER: Pretty much the day after the draft, to not have a pity party in my eyes.

JIMENEZ: That's how I know you're a competitor, by the way, because most people, all right, second round, all right, cool. But you're like, you know what? No, no, no! It is time to get to work.

What is it that you're trying to build with this foundation?

S. BRUNSON: Well, we are trying to build a level of consistency with youth that feel overlooked, trying to provide equity and access to them and their families.

Overlooked is a term that I think many people can associate with. But when it comes to children, it is as if everyone needs to start on the same playing field and we are just happy to be able to help and to provide whatever resources we can to young people throughout the New York City area, Illinois, Chicagoland and Dallas. We are just trying to just help wherever -- whatever cities have welcomed Jalen and impacted him in his life. [18:55:27]

JIMENEZ: This is the fourth Annual Jalen Brunson Charity Golf Classic to benefit the foundation. But generally speaking, I feel like every offseason, my social media is just full of players out on the golf course somewhere. Whether it is you, Steph Curry, I mean, Josh Hart too, what would you say the game of golf means to the game of basketball? Like, what is that relationship?

BRUNSON: I think it is a perfect getaway where you're still being competitive, but also you're taking the main thing out. And so for us, for me personally, the reason why I started golf is because my dad stopped playing me in one-on-one on the court, so I needed to find something else to beat him in.

But then, yes, you see all of these players wanting to play. I think it is the perfect getaway, like I said, and you know, you can do a lot of things with it and you could -- you can benefit others from it. You can go on trips with it. There is a lot surrounding it that makes it like the perfect getaway for a lot of not just basketball players, but athletes.

JIMENEZ: How prevalent would you say it is in the NBA?

BRUNSON: It is definitely a good group. I mean, playing here in the winter, it is kind of tough. But, I know -- I mean, there are a lot of players around the league who bring clubs on the road when you're in the warm cities. And so, it has become a thing. And so I think just, it is just best to capitalize on it.

JIMENEZ: Yes, yes. I was actually reading something the PGA put out that they tried to formalize that relationship and was like, oh, well, you know, basketball, you're using your legs and you know, the swing is kind of like the repetitiveness of a jump shot. It sounds like it is not that deep.

BRUNSON: It can be.

JIMENEZ: Sure.

BRUNSON: It can be, but for me, not yet, not yet. We are getting there.

JIMENEZ: Yes, yes.

BRUNSON: Little by little.

JIMENEZ: Little by little. You would send Jalen texts before games, right, to just help with perspective.

S. BRUNSON: Yes.

JIMENEZ: Do you remember what you sent him either before game four or the game clinching --for the Finals clinching game.

S. BRUNSON: I typically send him a message about an hour or two before the game.

BRUNSON: Sometimes later.

S. BRUNSON: Thirty minutes before he takes the court.

BRUNSON: There you go.

JIMENEZ: Okay. I was going to say, all right!

S. BRUNSON: I have my traditional opening emojis and things like that. But I told him that he needed to -- he and his team had an opportunity to create history.

JIMENEZ: I bring that up because I saw a picture of you. I believe it was at the end of game four where you're like slumped in the seats. You wrote on LinkedIn that you don't remember much of what happened, but also that you were so proud, not just of the comeback, but of the character it takes to keep fighting when the odds say otherwise.

S. BRUNSON: I was just trying to will myself into believing that they could do it and I've been through a lot of games with Jalen on every level, but that one in particular, it was tremendous. And, I hope that game and maybe that picture just kind of symbolizes what every parent thinks when they're watching their child play sports. You kind of melt and you want the best for them.

JIMENEZ: Tell me about this event. What are we going to see?

BRUNSON: Well, you will see me not swinging the club.

JIMENEZ: Fair enough!

BRUNSON: Unfortunately.

JIMENEZ: Fair enough. I kind of -- I kind of guessed that. But you know what? I don't want to doubt your game ever.

Do you send invites out to other players or --

BRUNSON: I definitely send invites. People also sign up as well.

S. BRUNSON: In his defense, I will tell you, I send the invites.

JIMENEZ: Okay.

S. BRUNSON: So if anybody didn't get one, it is on me.

JIMENEZ: Look at mom. Look at mom jumping in. That's a good mom.

BRUNSON: I mean, was going to throw her under the bus anyway.

JIMENEZ: Yes!

S. BRUNSON: So we try to invite, you know, our supporters, our benefactors, our beneficiaries, representatives of organizations that align with our mission and our vision. And also we try to celebrate Jalen's love of golf. I don't golf, no one in my family has ever even attempted to or invite me to a golf outing.

JIMENEZ: It is never too late --

S. BRUNSON: -- to participate. When I they get there.

BRUNSON: I haven't seen her touch a club, so --

JIMENEZ: All right, so then, you have a long way to go.

BRUNSON: And we are trying and we are trying to play. We are not -- we are not giving her lessons.

S. BRUNSON: Exactly.

JIMENEZ: That's true.

S. BRUNSON: My daughter has a club, my granddaughter has clubs. I don't even have clubs.

JIMENEZ: I have a feeling for swing competitiveness, you'll be locked in.

S. BRUNSON: Oh, yes, Yes.

JIMENEZ: Yes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JIMENEZ: It is never too late. By the way, I asked Jalen if the Knicks had made any decisions on visiting The White House after the Knicks winning, he says, they have not spoken about that as a team. We will see.

But thank you to Jalen and Sandra Brunson.

You like sports? Well tomorrow night, a brand new episode of "Decades in Sports" is going to take a look at the 90s when scandals fueled the headlines and the Buffalo Bills showed how heartbreak could define a decade. Here is a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE POSNANSKI, AUTHOR: A whole bunch of new heroes came along for the 90s. It is true in tennis. You talk about Lendl, you talk about McInroe, Connors and Martina Navratilova, you know they stayed as long as they could and now, Monica Seles and Sampras and Agassi, you know, are beginning to take over.

VAN LATHAN, PODCASTER: In the 90s, there was also the changing of the guard in the NBA when the Bulls finally got over the hump against the Detroit Pistons.

BOMANI JONES, SPORTS JOURNALIST: The 1991 Eastern Conference Finals is the end of an era where a great team in NBA history who has been to the finals three straight years is now being dispatched. The Pistons enmasse all of who could, walked off the floor without shaking the Bulls' hands.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JIMENEZ: Be sure to tune in tomorrow night at 9:00 Eastern and Pacific only on CNN.

Another hour of CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.

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