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CNN International: Rescue Efforts Continue In Myanmar And Thailand; J.D. Vance In Greenland; Trump: "We Have To Have Greenland"; Quake-Hit Myanmar Grapples With Cuts To USAID; Israeli Strike In Lebanon; Wall Street U.S. Stocks Tumble. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired March 28, 2025 - 18:00   ET

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

[18:00:00]

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN HOST: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington, D.C.

And just ahead this hour, extraordinary scenes as rescue efforts continue in Myanmar and Thailand following a devastating earthquake, which has left more than 150 people dead. U.S. Vice President J. D. Vance says he does not see military force necessary in Greenland. While Donald Trump says the U.S. must have the territory any way possible. And inflation worries and tariff turmoil spark a sell-off once again on Wall Street.

We begin with a powerful earthquake carving through a vast and varied corner of Southeast Asia. In Thailand panic on the streets as water cascades from rooftop swimming pools, and an emergency zone declared in Bangkok. Authorities say at least 10 people have died in that city. Many of them killed when this happened, a skyscraper under construction simply collapsed in the cloud of smoke. More than a hundred people still unaccounted for there. Rescue teams are working through the night to sift through the rubble.

In contrast to the relative prosperity of neighboring Thailand, the quake also sliced through Myanmar, one of Asia's poorest countries. The epicenter closed to its second largest city, Mandalay. Difficult to get a full picture right now of the damage, but according to the military junta, which we should note, only controls a portion of the country, at least 144 people have died, more than 730 injured. That number likely to rise.

The country is already struggling through a civil war, economic sanctions, diplomatic isolation, and the recent cancellation of U.S. humanitarian aid, it's now making a rare appeal for outside help. Will Ripley is in Bangkok for us. And, Will, I imagine, at this point, folks are still trying to assess the extent of the damage and the loss of life.

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. We have a vantage point that they just actually lifted up the sheet behind me here, Jim. So, I'm not sure if we can zoom in anymore. But let me just describe what's happening here.

This is what's left of a 30-story building that collapsed here and has now been the site of a very intensive, basically a search through the piles of concrete and metal by hand. They've identified a pocket where all of those workers are, where they think that they might be eight people who are alive, six people who are dead. So, far, they've found 16 survivors and they have found 10 bodies, but they believe around a hundred people are still trapped inside this building.

And we, Jim, are around 600 miles from the epicenter of this massive earthquake. Just to give you a sense of the destruction as you get closer.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RIPLEY (voice-over): The terrifying moment a 30-story tower collapsed in Bangkok, Thailand. Construction workers running for their lives, many others feared trapped inside. Shockwaves from a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in neighboring Myanmar ravaging this region.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The whole building collapsed.

RIPLEY (voice-over): Close to the epicenter in Myanmar's second largest city, Mandalay, people huddling together in terror. Others running as buildings tilt and crumble, including historic landmarks, some hundreds of years old here. The moment a temple seems to just disappear from the skyline. And this iconic bridge in the water in pieces.

Information is slowly filtering out from Myanmar's ruling military junta, caught in the throes of a four-year civil war. After visiting the affected areas, Myanmar's leader announcing a state of emergency, making a rare call for international assistance.

MIN AUNG HLAING, MYANMAR JUNTA LEADER (through translator): Any country, any foreign organization, and anyone inside the country are invited to provide help. The death toll and injuries are expected to be high.

RIPLEY (voice-over): The 7.7 magnitude earthquake, the worst in the country since at least 1946, the world's strongest on land since the Turkey quake in 2023, that one killed more than 50,000 people.

[18:05:00]

Friday's tremors so strong they were felt in China, and more than 600 miles away. here in Thailand's capitol, water seen surging from pools atop high rise hotels and residential towers, turning those buildings into waterfalls.

Rescue efforts underway around the clock in Bangkok. Emergency crews trying to reach possible survivors of the skyscraper collapse, including search dogs deployed into the rubble.

RIPLEY: I'm probably standing about 500 feet from this massive pile behind me. I mean, you can see the people and the heavy machinery are just dwarfed by the concrete and the twisted steel that they're trying to delicately go through to get to as many of the hundred or so people who are believed to be trapped inside before too much time passes. RIPLEY (voice-over): One worker telling us of his narrow escape.

SUNAN KENKIAT, CONSTRUCTION WORKER WHO ESCAPED BUILDING COLLAPSE (through translator): It was shaking and I felt dizzy. After that, debris like cement pieces started falling down and the shaking got stronger. So, I shouted for everyone to run.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RIPLEY (on camera): Back here in Bangkok, this is the most urgent situation. This is the worst building collapse in the city. But there are a number of buildings, about a thousand reports have been called into buildings that need to be inspected because people in them are concerned that they might have damage that could put the integrity of the structure risk.

And already, we know the two residential complexes have been evacuated. People are staying at a number of different shelters around here. But of course, the real story is the one that we can't show you and we don't know the details of yet, Jim, because we're not there in Myanmar. Even navigating the -- you know, the complex web of which malicious control, which areas to get aid in, even though the military junta had made that rare call for help, it's going to be a herculean effort to say the least just to get a handle on how many people are in need, never mind actually getting to them and getting them help.

But this is just the early hours, Jim, of what's going to be -- a story that's going to be going on for a long time here. Here and across this region.

SCIUTTO: Well, let's hope that in that one site behind you there that someone managed to survive. Will Ripley in Bangkok, thanks so much.

I want to bring in now, Michai Bunchaiyo who lives in Bangkok was having lunch when the quake struck. Good to have you on. I imagine it's been a harrowing several hours for you. First, can you describe the moment when the quake struck? What did it feel like? How long was the ground shaking?

MICHAI BUNCHAIYO, BANGKOK RESIDENT: So, we were having lunch in the restaurant, and then suddenly, grandma next me said to me that she feels a bit dizzy as she's about to black out. And then, I felt it too. And then, certainly, everyone said the same thing, that they feel like they're blacking out or they feel really dizzy. And then, the ground was shaking or feel like it's moving.

We live in a very densely public neighborhood and everyone just rushing out from their building. And the ground keeps shaking for probably about five minutes and then it stopped.

SCIUTTO: Wow. Five minutes is -- I mean, it's long. It gives you a sense of just the scale of this earthquake?

BUNCHAIYO: Yes.

SCIUTTO: Tell us what you saw after the ground stopped shaking. Did -- what damage were you able to see?

BUNCHAIYO: We all looked up to make sure that our building was OK. But -- so, we saw the wire, the electric wires are swinging and like never happened before. And it was all confusion back then. And everyone just, you know, screaming and all that. Some of the people -- I saw some of the people just couldn't stand the dissonant and they just freaked out.

SCIUTTO: I'm certain. And there have been aftershocks I imagine?

BUNCHAIYO: There was several aftershock report by our government, yes. But a couple hours after that aftershock, we didn't feel that much. But the first couple aftershock, we can still feel it too. It wasn't -- but it wasn't that bad, the very first one, but we still feel it a couple times before it's getting better.

SCIUTTO: Now, is Thailand -- do people in Thailand normally prepare for earthquakes of this size? Is it a danger typically in Thailand?

BUNCHAIYO: Not at all. I would say in -- because we all know that Thailand is not really near the -- any danger zone or near the connection of the plates. So, we are not really prepared for it. No one knew what to do. And we don't get much of the information from authority.

[18:10:00]

I mean, this is the first time that ever happened to us. So, it was all -- we all confused what to do. And then -- but we tried to help each other. A couple hours after that, everyone were pitching it on social media and try to send information how to handle the earthquake and situation what is the emergency response and who to call.

SCIUTTO: Well, Michai, we're glad you're safe and we appreciate you joining this evening.

BUNCHAIYO: Yes. You're welcome.

SCIUTTO: Well, for Myanmar, the earthquake could not have come at a worse time. The U.N. says that more than 20 million people there were already in need of humanitarian aid even before this catastrophe, due in part to the country's ongoing and bloody civil war. Aid workers say that key infrastructure in Myanmar has been damaged by the quake, and we are getting some images of that, but they're still having trouble simply assessing the fullest extent of the damage.

Nadia Khoury joins me now. She's the head of a Delegation for IFRC Myanmar. That's the division of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Thanks so much for joining.

NADIA KHOURY, HEAD OF DELEGATION, IFRC MYANMAR: Thanks for having me.

SCIUTTO: So, first, and I understand the limitations here, given limited access to Myanmar and just the state of the country that you have so many different warring groups in charge of different areas, but what is the latest assessment of the damage and to the extent it's possible to assess the death toll of this quake there?

KHOURY: So, at the moment, we've received some official reports of the death toll from the authorities, about 150 fatalities so far, and over 1,400 people injured. But in these sorts of situations, we expect that toll to increase pretty sharply in the next 24 to 48 hours.

So, the Myanmar Red Cross staff and volunteers are on the ground. They're involved in the emergency search and rescue. They're providing first aid and referring people to hospitals, and they've triggered all of their emergency actions.

SCIUTTO: The -- given that some 80 percent of the country is outside of the control of the ruling military junta, how do aid groups even navigate a country that has so many different areas of control? Are they able to?

KHOURY: Well, in the case of the Myanmar Red Cross, who is our local branch, our national branch of the Red Cross, they are present before, during, and after disasters. And they are embedded, they're part of the communities. So, the volunteers come from the villages and from the cities where they live. So, in that sense, there's already trained volunteers and staff members who are already on the ground ready to act.

Now, the public and private infrastructure of the country has been quite badly damaged from what we see so far. Telephone lines are mostly down. Electricity is mostly down. And some of the major transport routes have been damaged. So, it means that it'll be hard to be moving items from one place to the other.

But fortunately, we've got some fairly well stocked warehouses in different key strategic areas of the country. So, we're hoping that we'll be able to get aid to people who need it as soon as possible. There are also many other community groups. And so, we hope that on their side they will be able to reach people in need closest to them.

SCIUTTO: It's unusual to hear this military junta say it is open to outside help. How crucial will outside help be and can you see outside groups cooperating with the junta to get out to the areas where they're most needed?

KHOURY: My understanding is some countries have already made offers of assistance and I think any assistance that can come in to help the people of Myanmar will be very welcome and very necessary. We've been coordinating with the U.N. agencies, with the International Committee of the Red Cross, who is also part of our Global Red Cross movement, and all of our colleagues from the Red Cross world, including the American Red Cross to try and find the best way to scale up assistance and reach people in need.

SCIUTTO: Before we go, the U.S., of course, has virtually ended its foreign aid programs and dissolved USAID, which often would be involved in responding to catastrophes such as this one. Is the U.S. at all a capable aid provider at this point for Myanmar?

KHOURY: My understanding is that some the number of staff members are still in Myanmar. I'm not sure on their actual activities. We don't -- as the IFRC, we don't receive any funding from them. So, I can't really speak to that. But I trust that different aid agencies will be fi finding the best way to provide assistance and help this relief effort, because the needs will be huge.

[18:15:00]

We're getting up to the hot season in Myanmar and it gets extremely hot in that part of the country. So, with the damage to the water infrastructure and the fact that already millions of people are internally displaced, we know the needs will be huge and we want to be able to respond.

SCIUTTO: Yes. Well, we only wish the people there the best now. Nadia Khoury, thanks so much for joining us.

KHOURY: Thanks to you.

SCIUTTO: Coming up, the fight over Greenland continues U.S. Vice President J. D. Vance took a somewhat softer approach during his visit to the island. President Trump, however, using much stronger language and threats. We'll have an update coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: The Trump administration is warning of Chinese and Russian interest in the Arctic as part of its latest pitch to, well, just take over Greenland. U.S. Vice President J. D. Vance visited a U.S. military base in Greenland on Friday. He attacked America's NATO ally Denmark for its rule over the island and urged Greenlanders to partner instead with the U.S. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

J. D. VANCE, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: We can't just ignore this place. We can't just ignore the president's desires. But most importantly, we can't ignore what I said earlier, which is the Russian and Chinese encroachment in Greenland. We have to do more. So, our message is very simple. Yes, the people of Greenland are going to have self- determination. We hope that they choose to partner with the United States because we're the only nation on Earth that will respect their sovereignty and respect their security, because their security is very much our security as these brave Americans show.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Trouble is the public polling in Greenland shows the Greenland public not interested. Vance took a slightly softer approach than President Trump. He said he does not believe military force would be necessary to take Greenland. President Trump has refused to rule out sending in troops to take Greenland. Here he was speaking about it earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We need Greenland very importantly for international security. We have to have Greenland. It's not a question of, do you think we can do without it? We can.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[18:20:00]

SCIUTTO: Joining me now is Christian Keldsen, CEO, of the Greenland Business Association. Christian, thanks so much for joining.

CHRISTIAN KELDSEN, CEO, GREENLAND BUSINESS ASSOCIATION: You're welcome. Jim.

SCIUTTO: I spoke yesterday with a Danish lawmaker who said, this is, quote, "against the will of the people of Greenland." Do you agree?

KELDSEN: I think the recent demonstrations and the media have showed quite clearly what the opinion seems to be here in Greenland. Yes.

SCIUTTO: The vice president, as he visited Greenland, said that ultimately it's up to the people of Greenland, but he hopes that they choose an American takeover in effect, or at least a greater American role. President Trump has said outright, the U.S. needs Greenland and will get it one way or the other, not even taking military force off the table.

What do you believe is the U.S. position? Do you believe it's President Trump's or do you believe it's the vice president's seeming position that the U.S. will leave it up to the people of Greenland?

KELDSEN: I choose to believe the latter, because what we've seen over many, many years is actually strong relationships between the U.S. and Greenland. And Trump did offer to buy Greenland back in 2019. He was turned down very politely and he upped the presence in Greenland and that continued under the Biden administration.

So, to some degree, this is a continuation of the relationship. And what I'm hearing Mr. Vance say today is that we're going to respect -- or they're going to respect the sovereignty of Greenland and leave it up to the people of Greenland to make a decision come the day that Greenland may choose to do something different than the current position.

SCIUTTO: The U.S. seems to be trying to drive a wedge between Greenland and Denmark that the vice president took a shot at America's NATO ally, Denmark, just saying it's not doing its job there. And I wonder, do you believe that could work, that he could effectively say, Denmark's not taking care of you, we will?

KELDSEN: I think trying to drag a wedge between Greenland and Denmark is an overestimation of the things going on in the relationship. Obviously, Greenland and Denmark have been together close to a thousand years, and that's a long relationship and you tend to need to talk things out within your relationship.

Someone else trying to come in will just make you sit together even closer, and that's what we're seeing at the moment. We are seeing very strong ties. We are seeing politicians on both sides making amendments, trying to get closer to each other. And I think Mr. Vance should look to the election of the -- of last week or two weeks ago in Greenland as a clear signal what Greenland wants in terms of the relationship with other countries.

SCIUTTO: Is there a middle ground of sorts where the people of Greenland and the businesses of Greenland might accept a greater U.S. presence, perhaps an agreement to -- on natural resources in Greenland, perhaps greater U.S. military presence there? Do you see that as a potential solution?

KELDSEN: I think we don't even need to be looking for middle ground because that would indicate that we are at different ends. I think that there is a lot of alignment in the interests. You're mentioning the CRM, the underground, for one. We have very strong correlation with the U.S., with the E.U. as well. And I think we are going to see the -- see Greenland keep on negotiating with both parties and have an interest in doing business with both places. And from the business community side, which I represent, we are open to business with the world for sure.

SCIUTTO: Before we go, there seems to be a phenomenon here because, of course, Greenland is not the only country President Trump is bullying now. Canada is one. And Canada, it seems that he has changed the politics there and that he has resurrected the Liberal Party there as it stands up to the U.S. pressure. So, an indicator perhaps that the pressure is backfiring.

And I wonder, in Greenland could the same thing happen, that the bullying will lead Greenlanders to want U.S. involvement less than they might have otherwise?

KELDSEN: That's speculation, but that's definitely something that could happen. But I think a very important point to be making is the relationship between Greenland and Denmark is, first of all, very long standing, but it's our families, it's our culture, it's our history, it's our politics, and it's our corporations. And that's not something you just get in the middle of overnight. That's -- those are very strong ties.

And definitely, the more pressure you put on that system, on people's histories and families and ties, definitely that could backfire for sure.

[18:25:00]

SCIUTTO: Yes. Well, Christian Keldsen, CEO of the Greenland Business Association, we hope there's a peaceful solution to all this. Thanks so much for joining.

KELDSEN: You're welcome. And thanks for having me.

SCIUTTO: Well, coming up, Southeast Asia just reeling from a deadly earthquake. This as the U.S. is cutting funding for international aid. We're going to give you the latest updates and the impact of that retreat right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: Welcome back to CNN Newsroom. I'm Jim Sciutto. And here are more international headlines we're following today. Israel's launched an airstrike on Southern Beirut in the first significant escalation of violence since last November's ceasefire agreement. The IDF says it targeted a Hezbollah stronghold in response to two projectiles fired from Lebanon into Israel.

No decision yet in the case of Mahmoud Khalil, the Palestinian activist fighting deportation from the U.S. Khalil was actively involved in protest last year at Columbia University. He was detained by immigration officers earlier this month. His green card has since been revoked. A hearing on where the case should continue ended in New Jersey just a few hours ago without a ruling yet. Protestors were outside the courthouse to show their support.

Officials in South Korea said the country's worst foreign forest fire on record is now mostly contained. Rain has helped and better conditions allowed helicopters to douse the flames. The fires have killed at least 28 people in the southeastern region of the company -- of the country.

And recapping our top story. The number of dead is climbing in Southeast Asia after a massive 7.7 magnitude quake. Search and rescue operations are underway in Myanmar and Thailand. The death toll now stands at more than 150, more than 700 injured. Sadly, that toll is expected to rise.

[18:30:00]

International aid workers say the damage is just enormous. It could be weeks until the full extent of the destruction is understood.

The quake hit near Myanmar's second largest City of Mandalay. Tremors have also caused significant damage in neighboring Thailand.

Authorities have declared a state of emergency in the capital Bangkok after this, a high rise under construction just collapsing into a cloud of smoke. The U.N. says the earthquake is a disaster on top of a disaster for Myanmar. The country was already struggling with years of civil war, political instability, shortages of humanitarian aid. It's estimated some 20 million people there are in need of aid. That was before the quake.

At the same time, U.S. President Donald Trump is making sweeping cuts to American foreign aid programs working to permanently shut down USAID. The Center for Global Developments as the Trump administration has cut more than $50 million to USAID funding to Myanmar alone.

Jeremy Konyndyk joins me now. He's president of Refugees International, also a former director of USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance. Thanks so much for joining.

JEREMY KONYNDYK, PRESIDENT, REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL AND FORMER DIRECTOR, USAID OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE: Thank you. SCIUTTO: I wonder, this must be particularly frustrating for you, because I imagine in previous times the USAID would be mobilizing teams right now. They might already be on the ground in Myanmar to distribute aid. What role will the U.S. have, if any, to help deliver aid to those in need after this quake?

KONYNDYK: It's not clear what, if anything, the U.S. government is in a position to do. All of the tools that the U.S. government would normally use have been systematically dismantled over the past two months by Trump and by DOGE.

So, the -- you know, the staff who would deploy on these missions have been have been pushed out the door. The staff who supported and backstop those missions, the logistical support, they have all been pushed out the door.

And just today, ironically, all of the remaining personnel working for USAID got termination notices and were asked to leave the building by 1:00 p.m. So, the very team, the kind of rump remaining team that was trying to at least mobilize some small assistance, they too were pushed out the door even as their work was ongoing.

SCIUTTO: Who, what country, what organizations, if anyone or anything can fill the gap left by USAID?

KONYNDYK: There's really no one who can fill what the U.S. did. You know, the U.S. is the wealthiest and most powerful country in the world, and this government has decided that we should nonetheless stop helping some of the world's poorest and most vulnerable people. There's no one who can step in to fill that gap.

You can be sure that China will capitalize on some of it, particularly in an event like this, which is in their backyard. I suspect you will see Chinese search and rescue teams showing up and American teams will not.

SCIUTTO: Yes. I wonder, I was remembering, as we were discussing this today, following the 2004 Aceh earthquake, the U.S. Navy ship parked off the coast there and was able to deliver so much aid. Of course, that's not going to happen now, it seems.

In your experience, did people of the countries where USAID was operating, did they tend to appreciate that aid? Right? See it as a positive intervention?

KONYNDYK: They absolutely did. You know, when I was at USAID, I oversaw major disaster responses after the largest typhoon ever to make landfall. When that hit the Philippines, a major seven plus earthquake that hit Katmandu in Nepal and many, many others, and always there is appreciation from the population for the lifesaving work that USAID would provide.

You know, every bag of food that USAID has ever sent around the world has the words printed on it from the American people, and that is understood. And now, it's being lost. SCIUTTO: Yes. Some of USAID's functions are being put under the State Department now, though only a fraction of what USAID did previously. Can the State Department effectively fill at least some of the kinds of projects and work previously done by USAID, particularly following an event like this in Myanmar?

KONYNDYK: They're really going to have their work cut out for them. You know, USAID is an operational agency and particularly the teams that I used to lead, the disaster responders, you know, they are the, almost like the special forces of humanitarian relief. They are deploying to the frontlines and doing the hands-on work. That is very different from the day-to-day work of diplomacy, the core work at the State Department.

[18:35:00]

And ironically, they are firing. They're firing all of the experts who work for the U.S. government, who have done this on behalf of their country for decades. So, rather than taking those capacities and moving them over to the State Department, they're completely burning them to the ground at USAID and then forcing the State Department to start from scratch. You know, for a department that's supposedly about efficiency, that is not very efficient.

SCIUTTO: Yes, getting rid of so much experience, right, and knowledge. Before we go, I just wonder, and I can see it in your voice and in your face, but what does the closure mean to the people who worked there for so many years and now been forced out?

KONYNDYK: It is a brutal insult. And an appalling abuse of people who have dedicated their entire lives to serving their country. You know, as someone who's been in humanitarian response my entire career, there is really something unique and special about being able to help the world on behalf of your country and on behalf of your fellow Americans. And it is a slap in the face to people who have really put themselves at great risk over the years to do that, deploying into dangerous situations for them to be forced out like this.

SCIUTTO: Well, Jeremy Konyndyk, we appreciate the work you and your colleagues have done. Thanks so much for joining.

KONYNDYK: Thank you. Thank you.

SCIUTTO: Well, this earthquake centered in Myanmar was caused by a strike-slip flaw -- fault, where two tectonic plates move side by side. Derek Van Dam explains why it was so destructive and how some buildings were designed to withstand that shaking.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Extraordinary video coming out of Thailand and Myanmar from this devastating 7.7 earthquake. Let's talk about this video behind me. This coming out of Bangkok, Thailand. Look at the water sloshing around on this high-rise building, doing as it's supposed to. In fact, some of these high-rise buildings are actually designed to have a pool at the top of them to absorb and dampen the intense shaking from an earthquake nearby. So, it is working as it is planned to. Unfortunately, not all buildings survived this earthquake.

And we've seen multiple instances of that pancaking effect of the buildings collapsing one floor by one floor as the severe shaking from this intense earthquake took place. 7.7., the depth though, that's so crucial, 10 kilometers below the surface, puts it very, very close to the surface of the ground. So, where the general population lives, right?

If this was a deeper focused epicenter, we're talking well over 300 kilometers below the surface, there would be plenty more ground to absorb that shaking that occurred. But because this was only 10 kilometers deep, that means the potential here for this to create catastrophic damage, and we've already seen that with the videos coming out of the region.

This was a strike-slip fault. So, the ground in Central Myanmar actually moved like this next to each other, and that built up tension and the energy associated with that slipping action occurred and resulted in an earthquake that was felt by millions.

In terms of the weak and light shaking, we're talking nearly 90 million people feeling the impacts of this earthquake. We know that Bangkok, which is over a thousand kilometers away, saw damage and felt the shaking from the epicenter that is well to the north and west, near this particular part of Myanmar. So, just incredible.

But the significant shaking, the severe and violent shaking was also felt by millions bear the epicenter. So, we can anticipate aftershocks to continue for days, if not weeks to come. This is how it works with this powerful of an earthquake.

And unfortunately, we need to prepare ourselves for at least the potential of a high fatality event because we can compare to previous events of similar magnitude taking into consideration the type of building material that was used to construct the homes, the buildings, the houses in and around this region. And the damage that we've already seen on the ground, this will likely be a high impact event, and we know that just basing it off of previous events.

So, let's talk about going forward. The search and recovery effort that is ongoing and will be for the days and weeks to come, no significant weather situations in this forecast. I guess that's the glimmer of hope here. The only concern that I do have is that it is extremely hot in and around Mandalay, for instance, near the epicenter.

So, with this type of heat, without electricity, without the ability to cool oneself, without hospitals being able to create ice, for instance, this could serve as a compounding factor in this search and recovery effort.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: No question. Well, coming up, suburbs of the Lebanese capital attacked by the Israeli military. We're going to look at whether or not that ceasefire can survive this. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:40:00]

SCIUTTO: From the Middle East to Ukraine agreements meant to pause the fighting or breaking. In the Middle East, Israel has struck Beirut for the first time since it reached an agreement with Hezbollah back in November. The IDF says it targeted a Hezbollah drone facility after two projectiles were fired from Lebanon into Israel. Hezbollah denies firing those projectiles and says it remains committed to the ceasefire.

In Europe, Russia and Ukraine are accusing each other of breaking what was a tentative U.S. brokered deal to pause attacks simply on energy infrastructure. Former U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell is calling the White House's dealings with the Kremlin, quote, "embarrassing naivete." He warns that, quote, "Weakness in the face of one adversary would invite aggression from another even closer to home."

Joining me now is Ivo Daalder. He is a former U.S. Ambassador to NATO. Good to have you on. Thanks so much for joining.

IVO DAALDER, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO NATO AND CEO, CHICAGO COUNCIL ON GLOBAL AFFAIRS: Glad to be here. Jim.

SCIUTTO: I wonder if you see a connection between the, and I want to quite say, failing of these ceasefires as it relates to Gaza and Lebanon and Ukraine or agreements to pause the fighting, but certainly, cracks appearing in them. Do you see connection into why they're not holding?

DAALDER: Well, at a very basic level, you know, it's just a lot easier to start wars than to end them. Ending wars is always difficult. They don't tend to end just because, you know, a new president arrives and said, I want to end these wars, which is what President Trump has been trying to do.

And because either one side is winning and the other side has said, OK, I have had enough, or they end because the sides are exhausted. And the problem we have in the Middle East and in Europe is that the sides are not exhausted. They're willing to fight. And certainly, Israel's willing to fight and Putin is willing to fight, and that doesn't give Hamas or anybody else much of a choice but to continue to do so as well.

SCIUTTO: Did the Trump administration and President Trump himself specifically overestimate his power to bring about an end of the fighting simply by fiat, simply because he says so and pressures the parties involved?

[18:45:00]

DAALDER: Yes, I would agree with Mitch McConnell. I think there's a certain naivete that has been there from the very start. This idea that wars will end in 24 hours, just because I say so, you know, just completely misunderstands why wars are fought in the first place.

I mean, Mr. Witkoff, who was nominally in charge of trying to end both the wars in the Middle East and in Ukraine, admitted the other day in his interview with Tucker Carlson that he underestimated how difficult it was. Well, I -- you know, I'm not surprised. It's just not the same to end the war, to negotiate a peace with people like Vladimir Putin or indeed with Hamas or even Benjamin Netanyahu as it is to close a real estate deal. It's just is a very fundamentally different thing to do. And this idea that just if you say something will happen, it will happen, yes, it's clearly naive and it has consequence.

SCIUTTO: Did Trump choose the wrong partners in effect in Russia and Ukraine and Israel, in terms of relying on them, right, to stick to it?

DAALDER: Well, I mean, he needs to work with all sides. What he's done in the case of Ukraine, in particular, he's decided that he will back up the stronger side, which has no interest in ending this war, that's Russia, and try to force the weaker side to come to heel. Except that the weaker side's future is at stake. For Ukraine, this is existential. It's truly existential. For Putin, frankly, it's not.

And so, yes, he's back in the wrong side from the get-go, but not only from a moral and value-based sense, after all, Ukraine is the victim and Putin is the aggressor, but from the perspective of ending this conflict. Only pressure on Russia, only when Russia decides that this war makes no sense will it actually end. And instead, what we have seen is Russia playing this administration and this president, in particular, quite really as -- again, as Mitch McConnell rightly says, in an embarrassing way because of their naivete.

SCIUTTO: Before we go, given that you were an ambassador to NATO, there are signals coming from NATO officials and leaders quite publicly that they've lost confidence in the U.S. as a treaty ally. And you have an open brewing battle among NATO allies, between the U.S. and Canada, between the U.S. and Denmark now over Greenland. Do you see America's relationship with NATO -- commitment to NATO has fundamentally changed?

DAALDER: Yes, it has fundamentally changed for a very simple reason, everybody thinks it has fundamentally changed. And unlike the case of the first term, it's really hard to see how you move back to the status quo ante.

Clearly, as Mark Carney has said just recently, the relationship of the United States has fundamentally changed. I think this is true for most Europeans who are looking to Donald Trump and saying, this president is just fundamentally different than anything we've seen before, and we can't trust him, we can't rely on him. And therefore, as the incoming chancellor of Germany has said, we need to find an independent way to provide for our own defense.

And so, we're in the process of Europeanizing NATO. I have a piece today in Foreign Affairs arguing in detail how that should be done. But it will take time and it can't happen with U.S. cooperation, and that is going to be the key. SCIUTTO: Yes, it's a remarkable change in such a short period of time. Ivo Daalder, former U.S. ambassador to NATO, thanks so much.

DAALDER: Always my pleasure. Thank you.

SCIUTTO: Still ahead, just a dismal day, another one, on Wall Street. U.S. stocks tumbling as investors brace for a new wave of trade. Headlines widening trade war next week.

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SCIUTTO: Just a miserable end to another losing week on Wall Street. All the major averages finishing Friday's session deep in the red. The NASDAQ falling more than 2 percent, close to 3 percent. New economic numbers helped trigger the sell-off. U.S. consumers sentiment falling a stunning 12 percent in just one month.

The Fed's preferred measure of inflation came in hotter than expected as well. Investigators are also nervously awaiting another potentially de-stabling set of tariff headlines. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned that his country will announce retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. next week. This is President Trump readies his much- touted reciprocal tariff announcement on Wednesday.

U.S. Vice President J. D. Vance had this to say about Carney's tariff threat during his trip to Greenland today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VANCE: The Canadian leadership threatening retaliatory tariffs against the United States, as President Trump often says, they just don't have the cards. There is no way that Canada can win a trade war with the United States. What President Trump has said is he wants to level the playing field. The long-term consequence of this is going to be higher wages, more manufacturing, and more economic security for the American people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Yes, a lot of economists don't believe that, frankly. President Trump said he had an extremely productive phone conversation with the prime minister of Canada, Carney, today. And that they will talk again after Canada's general election next month.

Paul La Monica joins me now. He's a senior market analyst writer for Barron's. Paul, good to have you.

PAUL R. LA MONICA, SENIOR MARKETS ANALYSIS WRITER, BARRON'S: Thank you.

SCIUTTO: So, Vance says this is going to bring economic prosperity for America. Trump says that the market doesn't seem to believe that.

LA MONICA: No, I think investors are incredibly nervous that, you know, you hear J. D. Vance -- Vice President Vance say that Canada won't win a trade war. The problem with a trade war is that usually nobody wins. Investors don't win. Companies don't win. Consumers don't win. And that's the big concern on Wall Street.

The data that came out today showing consumer, you know, inflation is still a major concern with core prices going up at the same time that sentiment is very weak, it's really raising the specter of stagflation, stagnant growth coupled with higher prices. That's a very difficult problem for investors because it's very hard for the Federal Reserve to solve.

The Fed has been, you know, had cut rates last year. Now, they've been on pause. They're waiting what to do next. They won't be able to cut rates that aggressively if inflation is still a huge problem.

SCIUTTO: Yes, that inflation number today must have really concerned investors, right, because that's one that the Fed likes to watch here. So, where does that leave, not just the direction of the economy, but the direction of interest rates in the near-term?

LA MONICA: Yes, I think that the Fed is likely to stay on pause at its next meeting in May after keeping rates steady January and earlier this month. The hope is that they start cutting rates again maybe in the summer and in the fall. But again, they won't be able to do that with confidence if inflation remains a huge problem.

And again, we now know that with tariffs, some already having been put into effect and more on the way, that potentially could raise prices further. The debate is whether or not it's, quote/unquote, "transitory or long lasting."

SCIUTTO: Yes, yes.

LA MONICA: But either way, consumers are likely to suffer.

SCIUTTO: Yes. That word transitory should be forever banished from any description of the inflation given its last most famous or infamous use. I want to ask you before we go about this Wall Street Journal story that Trump warned U.S. automakers not to raise prices in response to his new tariffs, although those tariffs are going to raise their own costs. That sounds to me like price controls under duress.

[18:55:00]

LA MONICA: Yes, it would be, I think, a major problem if the automakers felt that they had to follow the president's lead in that respect because we all know that GM, Ford, Stellantis, the owner of Chrysler, they are going to have higher input costs because of these tariffs. And if they can't pass some of them on to consumers, they're going to have to eat all of them, which potentially could mean lower profits, lower stock prices, and eventually, you know, that's something that could have a ripple effect of job cuts or, you know, other ways for the big three to try and keep costs under control.

So, it's a very complicated problem right now for the automotive industry, and I think consumers are probably going to see higher prices as a result, regardless of what the president might want.

SCIUTTO: Paul La Monica from Barron's, thanks so much.

LA MONICA: Thank you.

SCIUTTO: Thanks so much to all of you as well for joining me today. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington, D.C. And I hope you have a great weekend. Please do stay with CNN.

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