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One World with Zain Asher
CNN International: Myanmar's Military Junta: At Least 144 Dead, And More Than 730 People injured In; Thai Rescue: Missing People From Building Collapse In Bangkok at 117, Five Dead; Israel Strikes Beirut For First Time Since November. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired March 28, 2025 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ZAIN ASHER, HOST, "ONE WORLD": All right. Many are feared dead after a massive quake hits Southeast Asia.
BIANNA GOLODRYGA, HOST, "ONE WORLD": One World starts right now. Rescue workers are racing against the clock to save dozens of people trapped in
the rubble of a collapsed building.
ASHER: Plus, Israel strikes Beirut for the first time since November ceasefire.
GOLODRYGA: And U.S. Vice President Vance and his wife are expected to land in Greenland this hour in a contentious visit to the semi-autonomous Danish
territory.
All right. Hello, everyone. Live from New York, Bianna Golodryga.
ASHER: I'm Zain Asher. You are watching One World.
We want to begin with some major breaking news out of Southeast Asia. Myanmar's military junta says that at least 144 people right now are feared
dead, with hundreds injured as well. A 7.7 magnitude quake hit Myanmar with tremors felt across the region. It is just after 10 o'clock in the evening
there we know that rescue workers are desperately continuing to search for survivors of a building that collapsed in Bangkok. Authorities in Thailand
have declared the capital Bangkok an emergency zone.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah. The shaking was felt as far away as China's Southwestern Yunnan Province. Rescue crews are scrambling to respond to the disaster in
countries with very different resources. You are looking at scenes from Myanmar's second largest city, Mandalay, close to the quake's epicenter.
Now, the government has declared an emergency situation there and is now calling for blood donations.
CNN's Nada Bashir is monitoring what's happening in Myanmar. And what's so tragic, Nada, is that it's very difficult to get any sort of cameras into
Myanmar to get a sense of the damage there. We've been spending a lot of time focusing on neighboring Thailand and the damage in Bangkok, but of
course, so much more information needs to be researched there in terms of the damage in Myanmar. What are we hearing?
NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Yeah, absolutely. We've seen these devastating images coming out of Bangkok, but it is proving that much more difficult to
get up to date and accurate information out of Myanmar. Of course, the military regime in power there over the last few years has essentially
isolated the country from the outside world. There are severe restrictions on access to social media. The independent press and media in Myanmar has
effectively been banned by the government, and the UN humanitarian affairs office has described the military regime as enforcing essentially a digital
dictatorship. So, it is proving difficult to get that access and information from the ground.
As you mentioned, the military regime has declared an emergency situation across much of central Myanmar that was impacted by the 7.7 magnitude
earthquake. We have, just in the last few minutes, received an update from the head of the military government. At least 144 people are believed to be
dead, more than 730 injured at this stage. But again, these are early figures. That number could continue to rise. It is expected to rise. As you
mentioned, rescue teams are still working to recover those impacted by the earthquake. So, certainly a devastating situation on the ground for many.
We are working to get updates from those on the ground with regards to the extent of the impact of this earthquake.
But, of course, it's important to note that this is a country that had already been grappling with a disastrous humanitarian situation prior to
the earthquake. Of course, the military regime took power in a military coup back in 2021, and ever since, we have seen internal conflict between
the military regime and rebel groups, including pro-democracy resistance groups. A number of areas within this central region impacted by the
earthquake have been essentially battlegrounds between these groups over the last few years, and more than three million people have already been
displaced. Hunger levels are at an alarming rate across the country, and there have been severe restrictions on the operations of aid organizations
on the ground as well.
So, for those impacted, they were already dealing with a disastrous situation. This is going to make the situation that much more difficult.
And we've heard from the Red Cross on the ground. They have said that their teams are providing emergency first aid, that there is an emergency
response there. But, we've also heard from the likes of Amnesty International, calling on the regime to allow more humanitarian access,
more humanitarian aid groups to operate more freely on the ground, to provide that essential and crucial emergency relief following this
earthquake, and there will be, of course, calls for international support.
[11:05:00]
We've already heard from the Indian government. They have pledged support for the government of Myanmar to provide relief for those impacted by the
earthquake.
But again, these are early figures that we're getting from the government. That figure is expected to rise with regard to the death toll and the
number of those injured, and of course, the destruction as well for infrastructure will have a huge impact. The Red Cross has said that there
has been significant destruction for public infrastructure, public buildings, roads, bridges. There is concern around the safety and security
of dams in the region as well the potential for the dams to break as a result of this earthquake, and of course, aftershocks as well. That is a
huge point of concern whether we see any further aftershocks in Myanmar that could cause further damage and further destruction.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah. Those aftershocks may be coming for the next hours, perhaps even days. Nada Bashir, you're so right to point out, Myanmar, one
of the poorest countries in the region there. So, it is notable to hear from this military junta regime actually pleading for international help,
something they rarely do, given how highly sanctioned they are.
Nada, thank you so much.
ASHER: All right. I want to turn now to Seismologist Maureen Long. She is the Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Yale University. So, as my
colleagues were just pointing out there, Myanmar already dealing with a massive humanitarian crisis. This is really the last thing that they
needed. We know that this earthquake we're seeing today is the largest one that we've seen in Myanmar since 1946. We also know that it ruptured along
the Sagaing Fault. Based on the 7.7 magnitude and also based on how shallow it was, I believe it was about six miles deep or so, quite shallow, just
explain to us the sorts of -- the sort of damage we expect as a result of this quake.
MAUREEN LONG, SEISMOLOGIST: That's right. You really hit the nail on the head by pointing out the size and the shallow depth of this earthquake.
Those are really two of the factors that really affect how much shaking is going to be felt and how much damage to expect. This was a magnitude 7.7
earthquake, very, very large earthquake, was centered directly beneath a major city, the city of Mandalay, with about 100 -- sorry, 1.5 million
people population, and a very shallow earthquake. So, for that combination, we expect that -- that area experienced very strong, violent shaking, and
unfortunately, this is an earthquake for which high casualties, extensive damage and significant economic losses are all very probable.
GOLODRYGA: Given that the resources internally in Myanmar are so poor, it will require international aid to come in to help those afflicted. Given
that we also know that we will likely see aftershocks for days and hours to come, how challenging will that be?
LONG: I certainly expect that it's going to be very challenging. As you pointed out, this is a region that is experiencing already major political
challenges, and this is going to be a big humanitarian challenge. Certainly from the point of view of aftershocks with an earthquake this size, we do
expect fairly large aftershocks, and we expect them to go on for the next hours to days to weeks. There has already been a magnitude 6.4 aftershock
and several more that are -- that were a bit smaller than that, and we do expect that those -- that aftershock sequences is going to continue again,
hours to days to even weeks. So, this certainly makes it a very challenging situation for earthquake response.
ASHER: Maureen, last time an earthquake of this magnitude struck on land was in 2023 and it was the earthquake in Turkey, and we ended up seeing
about 50,000 people dead. Now I really hope that it's not going to be the same this time around in terms of the extent to the death toll. But, what
can you tell us about how this earthquake compares to what we saw in Turkey, which was of a similar magnitude?
LONG: Yeah. I'm glad you brought up that comparison with the Turkey earthquakes from January 2023. That was a couple of events. The larger one
was the magnitude 7.8 and the smaller 7.5, and then, of course, a lot of aftershocks as well. This is very comparable in size and comparable in the
sense of, again, shallow depth and close to a lot of vulnerable population. As you said, the Turkey-Syria earthquake saw about 50,000 casualties, and
while I certainly hope and pray that we don't see that here, I do think that is a useful comparison. And I do think, unfortunately, that the
probable number of fatalities certainly is very likely to rise quite substantially from what has already been reported.
[11:10:00]
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, and the structural integrity of the buildings in Turkey were much more --
LONG: Yeah.
GOLODRYGA: -- substantial when you recall there were a lot of legal fallouts because they didn't meet certain guidelines, and that was in
Turkey. One would imagine that the infrastructure is not up to par in Myanmar as well, and this occurring in the second largest city, the
epicenter there with over a million people.
Maureen, in talking to eye witnesses, they describe this shock wave as lasting about two minutes, which, when you're in the moment, could likely
feel like an eternity. Is that unusual?
LONG: No. Actually, for an earthquake this size of a -- again, this is quite a substantial earthquake at a magnitude 7.7, shaking can last for
quite a long time. And again, I'm sure, for people on the ground, it must feel like an eternity. This earthquake occurred right on a plate
boundaries, so, at the boundaries of tectonic plates, that's where we expect to see often large and devastating earthquakes. This was right on
the boundary between the Indian plate in the Eurasian plate, with the two plates really sliding right past each other, and n what seismologists call
a strike-slip earthquake. And yep, that type of earthquake, when it's located very shallow, is going to cause violent and prolonged shaking, and
that, unfortunately, is what we what we saw today.
ASHER: In the aftermath of an extremely severe earthquake, and I put that as anything above seven or 7.5 on the Richter scale, is a significant one,
what can be done to minimize the number of casualties? I mean, obviously we're seeing buildings and bridges collapse, and Bianna was just pointing
out the fact that there are a lot of buildings that really aren't up to par, and people are trapped in the rubble. So, what can be done to minimize
the number of casualties from this point onwards, do you think, Maureen?
LONG: Well, I mean, that's a tough one, right, because, of course, it really is when the earthquake happens and when that infrastructure that is
exposed to shaking. That is when, of course, the damage happens. Certainly, the humanitarian response is going to be very important going forward and
making sure people have -- people whose homes may have been destroyed, have the food, water and shelter that they need, really for survival.
But, this definitely it is -- anytime there is events like this, an earthquake like this, in a place that has very vulnerable infrastructure, I
think that is a wake-up call for all of us around the world, in places that are prone to large earthquakes, to think about the type of infrastructure
that we have and how resilient it is for earthquake damage, and what kind of response we are collectively prepared to mount when a disaster like this
happens.
ASHER: All right. Maureen Long, really appreciate your perspective and your insight. Obviously, we are really thinking about the people of Myanmar. We
know that 144 people have been confirmed dead. And I think the really heartbreaking aspect of all of this is that we are -- it is very likely,
I'll put it like that, very likely that that number is going to rise significantly, especially when we consider what happened in Turkey, which
saw an earthquake of a similar magnitude back in 2023, just two years ago. Maureen Long, thank you so much. We appreciate that.
ASHER: And do stay with us for more on that deadly earthquake in Southeast Asia, ahead.
Also ahead for us, violence erupting between Israel and Lebanon for the first time since a ceasefire was agreed to last year. We will have the very
latest.
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ASHER: All right. You're watching CNN. We're going to have more on the earthquake, we were just reporting, in Southeast Asia a little bit later on
in the show.
But first, let's turn to another major story that we are following right now. For the first time in four months, Israel has dropped targets in
southern Beirut. It came after the Israeli military said that two projectiles were fired at Israel from Lebanon.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah. You're looking at the aftermath of the attack on Beirut as shared on social media. Now, this marks the first significant eruption of
violence since a ceasefire was agreed last November. Israel's defense minister is warning of serious repercussions if Lebanon does not enforce
the agreement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ISRAEL KATZ, ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER (Interpreted): For any attempts to harm the Galilee communities, the roof of the houses in the Dahiyeh
district of Beirut will shake. I am sending a clear message to the Lebanese government, if you do not enforce the ceasefire agreement, we will enforce
it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: Firas Maksad is the Managing Director for the Middle East and North Africa at the Eurasia Group. He joins us now from Washington. So, the
IDF saying that they launched these strikes following what they said were projectiles launched into Israel. Hezbollah has denied responsibility here,
but obviously a lot of pressure now coming on the newly formed Lebanese government. Just talk to us about the impact of this. It would be the first
of a break in the ceasefires that was set back in November, and what if anything the Lebanese government can do.
FIRAS MAKSAD, MANAGING DIRECTOR, MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA, EURASIA GROUP: Yeah. Thank you for that, Brianna. It's an important question. This is the
first time that Israel strikes at a suburb of Beirut since the ceasefire in November. It is important because this is the second time we see rockets
flying out of Lebanon, targeting these northern communities in Israel. So, it points in the direction of a sustained campaign and a new pattern that's
setting in.
At the broader regional level, this tells us that Iran, through Hezbollah in Lebanon, is not done flexing its muscles, showing that even though these
rocket fires from Lebanon are fairly limited, these are rudimentary rockets, they don't fly very far, they're hitting these communities right
on the border, it is a very politically sensitive issue for the Israeli Prime Minister. One of his campaign promises, one of his war promises, I
should say, was to return those thousands of Israelis back to their northern communities from which they were pushed out as a result of the war
with Hezbollah.
So, this is limited, but it is having a major impact in Israel, and therefore we see the Israelis now retaliating in full force, targeting
Beirut for the first time since November.
ASHER: It's interesting. So, how do you expect Hezbollah to respond to these strikes? I mean, it's one thing for Israel to strike southern
Lebanon, but it's a whole other thing for them to actually strike Beirut and its suburbs, especially because that's an area where Hezbollah actually
enjoys broad public support. So, how might they respond?
MAKSAD: Yeah. Well, first, it's important to point out that Hezbollah is claiming deniability, and plausible deniability is one of the ways that
both Hezbollah and Iran, more broadly, like to operate against Israel. That sort of washes their hand. It allows Hezbollah to say to its support base
that it's not us that's responsible for bringing those Israeli retaliation upon you. But also, Hezbollah doesn't really feel the need to respond full
force, because what's setting in in south Lebanon right now, despite the disproportional use of force, Israel much more powerful in its response, is
actually in Hezbollah's favor.
This equation that the Israeli Defense Minister Katz, you just heard him say that we will strike at Beirut in response to any attacks on our
northern communities, that actually does not impact Hezbollah very much.
[11:20:00]
Politically, it undermines Israel that these communities in the north are being hit, and it reinforces the sense amongst Hezbollah's support base of
the need to continue to hold on to its weapons. Most importantly, perhaps, it undermines the newly elected government and President in Lebanon, which
are trying to steer Lebanon away from conflict. The moderate voices in Lebanon reinforces radicalism and Iran's proxies in the region.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah. The IDF says that it struck a Hezbollah drone storage site in Beirut. But, your point is, I think, the key one, the President there
meeting with President Macron of France today as this was occurring, and this really puts him in a bind now, a new administration in the U.S. trying
to prop up this newly formed government in Lebanon. What are their options here in response? As Israel says, the ball is in your court to make sure
that these projectiles stop going into Israel. Otherwise, as we heard from the defense minister and the Prime Minister, Israel will then respond.
MAKSAD: No doubt, a very difficult position for the Lebanese President, who, as you rightly pointed out, is in Paris today. This is a crucial
transition period from Lebanon. Lebanon is going from being almost entirely under Iranian domination, where Hezbollah was the preeminent power in the
country, to something that is more Western-leaning with this newly elected President and the new government in place.
I think for Israel, the challenge here is that -- I mean, we have to be mindful that Israel has continued, since the ceasefire, to target Hezbollah
leaders and commanders throughout Lebanon, not only just in south Lebanon. Those kind of very targeted operations have real operational impact on
Hezbollah. The broader operations, such as targeting Beirut, the way that they did today, those are actually operations that Hezbollah can benefit
from at a popular level. It undermines the newly elected President, as you were saying. It reinforces to its base the need for its weapons.
So, this new equation that Israel is trying to draw of the northern communities, should they be hit, we will target Beirut, I think that's an
equation that Israel should reconsider. It actually might work for Hezbollah's favor.
GOLODRYGA: All right. Firas Maksad, thank you so much for taking the time. Obviously, we will keep a close eye on this developing story as well. Thank
you.
ASHER: Thank you.
All right. Caught in the crosshairs of America's immigration crackdown, dozens of migrants deported by the Trump administration over the past
couple of months are now essentially stuck in Panama, a country that they have never even known.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah. CNN's Omar Jimenez went there to speak with some of them who have no idea how this nightmare will end for them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): So, we're on our way to a shelter right now here in Panama City, Panama, where migrants are caught in
this sort of Trump-created limbo, where they've been deported from the United States, but they also can't go home.
"AMBO", MIGRANT FROM CAMEROON: I left Cameroon due to political issues. It is either I'll be sentenced dead or I'll spend the rest of my life in
prison.
JIMENEZ (voice-over): Life for Ambo, as she asked to be called, is now this shelter. She is among the dozens of migrants here from places like
Afghanistan, Russia, China and more.
JIMENEZ (on camera): These are all people who say they can't go home because they fear either prosecution or potentially being killed.
JIMENEZ (voice-over): Ambo didn't want her face identified on camera. She says she arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border on January 23rd, hoping to make
a case for asylum. The U.S. eventually put her on a plane, and she thought she was being transferred to another American immigration facility until
they landed in Panama.
"AMBO": We're asking them, why are they bringing us to Panama? Why are we in Panama?
JIMENEZ (voice-over): It was actually part of the Trump administration's mass deportation plan, which it has pressured Latin American countries like
Panama to help with. The Panamanian government then took these migrants to a hotel in Panama City, guarded by tight security, the migrants say, with
little to no access to outside communication.
"AMBO": Maybe the immigration from the U.S. has come to Panama, to listen to our stories, why we went there. Maybe they were --
JIMENEZ (on camera): So, you still had hope that --
"AMBO": Yes.
JIMENEZ (on camera): -- someone from the United States --
"AMBO": Yeah.
JIMENEZ (on camera): -- will come and fix the situation.
"AMBO": Yeah.
JIMENEZ (voice-over): Her optimism was shattered.
"AMBO": They shouldn't just like abandon us like that without telling us what we have done wrong. It becomes very, very difficult and confusing to
us. I've left my children back home.
JIMENEZ (voice-over): Others don't have anything at home to go back to.
JIMENEZ (on camera): Why can't you go back to Ethiopia?
"SALAM", MIGRANT FROM ETHIOPIA: That is political. I cannot go back. I don't have family. They die already, our family. All of r my family.
JIMENEZ (voice-over): Salam, as she wanted to be called, is from Ethiopia. She also didn't want her face on camera.
JIMENEZ (on camera): Is this where you all sleep, in this room?
"SALAM": Yeah.
[11:25:00]
Everyone is in the bad situation.
JIMENEZ (voice-over): It's one of the multiple places in Panama where these migrants are trying to navigate life in a country they've never known.
ARTEMIS GHASEMZADEH, MIGRANT FROM IRAN: We are lost here.
JIMENEZ (voice-over): Artemis Ghasemzadeh fled Iran.
GHASEMZADEH: Well, I changed my religion in Iran, and the punishment of that is maybe a long prison or at the end is death.
JIMENEZ (voice-over): She was seen in this February photo from The New York Times with the words "Help us" written on the hotel window where these
migrants were first taken. They were then moved to a location hours outside the city.
JIMENEZ (on camera): Over 100 of the migrants that were sent here to Panama City were then taken to a remote jungle camp away from the resources of
Panama City, but also, for the most part, away from effective means of communication.
GHASEMZADEH: The food was really disgusting. The bathroom was really dirty, no privacy, no door.
"SALAM": The water is, even you will take shower, it's itchy. You can see my leg. All my body is like this.
JIMENEZ (on camera): Through every step along the way, attorneys for these migrants argue their rights were violated.
SILVIA SERNA ROMAN, REGIONAL LITIGATOR FOR MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA: When they got to America and when they got to Panama, they were never allowed to
speak to an official. They wanted an attorney to hear their story and their circumstance. And so, even though they all claim to be asylum seekers, they
have never had the right to be heard.
JIMENEZ (voice-over): In early March, the government released the over 100 migrants from the remote jungle camp, but gave them temporary permits to
find another place to go or risk deportation from Panama.
ROMAN: It might be like involuntarily be taken back to your countries, and that's our concern.
JIMENEZ (on camera): If you went back to your country, do you think you would be killed?
"SALAM": Yeah.
GHASEMZADEH: If I come back to my country, my government kill me.
JIMENEZ (voice-over): Ambo still dreams of America, but has no idea how this nightmare will end.
"AMBO": I don't think I can stay in Panama but now the point is, where am I going to go to?
JIMENEZ (voice-over): Omar Jimenez, CNN, Panama City, Panama.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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[11:30:00]
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ASHER: All right. Welcome back to One World. I'm Zain Asher.
GOLODRYGA: And I'm Bianna Golodryga. Here are some international headlines that we are watching today.
ASHER: The head of Myanmar's military government says 144 people are dead following a 7.7 magnitude earthquake Friday. The Red Cross says communities
there are reporting visible cracks in its structures. The quake also triggered the deadly collapse of buildings hundreds of miles away in
Thailand.
GOLODRYGA: People have been fleeing Beirut after strikes by Israel on the south of the city earlier on Friday. The IDF says it was in response to two
projectiles being fired at Israel from Lebanon, and says it targeted a Hezbollah stronghold. It's the first significant escalation of violence
since a ceasefire was agreed last November.
ASHER: And U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife are due to land in Greenland this hour. They're visiting a U.S. base far from cities where
public protests are planned. J.D. Vance is expected to criticize the Danish government, as Trump vows to gain control of the island of Denmark.
GOLODRYGA: Yolanda Saldivar, the woman who shot and killed Tejano music superstar Selena in 1995, has been denied parole in Texas. Saldivar, who
had a business relationship with Selena, was sentenced to life in prison three decades ago, and will be next eligible for parole in 2030.
Now, let's return to the breaking news out of Southeast Asia. The head of Myanmar's military government says at least 144 people are dead and more
than 700 injured after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit earlier today.
ASHER: And right now, emergency services are scrambling through the night in neighboring Thailand. The deadly quake triggered the catastrophic
collapse of buildings in Bangkok.
Mike Valerio is following it all for us. So, Mike, at this point in time, 144 people have been confirmed dead. But, of course, we know that in these
sorts of situations, that number is, of course, expected to rise by the minute. What more can you tell us about what is happening on the ground,
particularly in Myanmar, which sustained the worst of the damage here?
MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I thought it was interesting, Zain and Bianna, that we heard from Myanmar's acting President, this is the leader,
as he noted, of the military junta that took control of the country in February of 2021, Min Aung Hlaing, and notable because he is an
international pariah and has not cooperated with the international community in myriad circumstances. So, there were all of these
international organizations that were reaching out to us, and still are, and are concerned about whether or not aid is going to be weaponized. We
heard that from the United Nations Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews, who was speaking to Becky Anderson about an hour and a half ago.
And let's just read what the acting President has said. He gave a speech on TV. I'm just looking at the quote here in my notes, and he said, "I've
declared a state of emergency and requested international assistance", adding that India is going to be sending in aid for help, aid to the
country. He continues on by saying, quote, "I would like to extend an open invitation to any organization and nation willing to come in to help people
in need within our country."
Now, Medecins Sans Frontieres, Doctors Without Borders, about two hours ago, they released a statement saying, A, all of their people are accounted
for, so certainly great news on that front, and B, they are urging the military junta to open up fully all areas of the country to international
aid.
So, when you think about how this aid effort is going to be controlled and organized, it's going to be a Herculean humanitarian task, because you have
a country that is controlled by military government that is an open civil war with rebel factions in the cities and in the jungles. So, how are you
going to coordinate an effort to help people who, in some cases, are buried under rubble, mosques and temples have been crumbled by this magnitude 7.7
quake, when so much of the country is in open civil war? That is the huge question that is being posed, not just by journalists, but by Amnesty
International, the United Nations refugee arm that operates in Southeast Asia. So, that is a huge question.
And as we migrate to Bangkok, the other emotional center of gravity, we have the rubble collapse site where, right now, the Defense Ministry of
Thailand tells us that up to 81 people could be trapped underneath those piles and piles of concrete. We were able to hear from somebody who
actually escaped, who said that he was in the building, Bianna and Zain.
[11:35:00]
When the shaking happened, he started to feel so dizzy, feeling the structure beginning to buckle, and he told everybody, run, at the top of
his lungs, somehow gets out of there, and now he is still back at that site, trying to find friends on his team who he doesn't know what happened
to them.
In some of these pictures, we've been able to see K9 teams. And you know, I was speaking with Wolf Blitzer a couple of hours ago. He rightfully noted
that when you see that video of the 30-storey structure, a pancake, floor after floor on top of another, just evokes that image of the South Tower
911 coming down with one of our friends, N. J. Burkett at WABC, running for his life along with so many people in the crowd.
So, to think, there we go, to think that a similar rescue effort of people hoping for a miracle to pull people out is ongoing right now. Our hearts go
out to them. So, we're going to be looking to see if that 81 figure stays relatively -- what happens to that figure throughout the overnight hours
here in Asia. And then we're also going to be acutely interested in what the hospital picture in Yangon, the former capital, what the hospital
picture in Naypyidaw, the new capital established by the military junta, what the hospitals look like? Are we going to start seeing pictures on
Facebook, posts on X, IG shorts, and other social media posts of just hospitals overflowing with people, and really lending themselves to --
conveying everybody that this is such a dire situation.
Magnitude 7.7, I think, as you noted, Zain, earlier in the broadcast, nothing like this has happened to Myanmar in almost 80 years. So, that is
what we're watching for, those myriad issues in the next couple of hours.
ASHER: Yeah. We will be watching closely. Mike, thank you so much for keeping an eye on this story for us. It's not going away, and obviously,
our hearts and our thoughts go out to all the people in Myanmar and Thailand, who, of course, are suffering right now because of this
earthquake.
Let's bring in Dominic Faulder. He is an Associate Editor with Nikkei Asia, and joins us on the phone, as he is driving out of Bangkok. Dominic, we
know that most of the damage, the bulk of the damage, has been in Myanmar. But, just walk us through what is happening on the ground where you are,
and what you're seeing and experiencing in Bangkok.
VOICE OF DOMINIC FAULDER, ASSOC. EDITOR, NIKKEI ASIA BANGKOK, THAILAND: Well, one point to add to what the previous speaker was saying, an irony
that's been missed is that this is a construction site, and almost all the workers in Thailand at the moment come from Myanmar. These are people who
have escaped the Civil War to find employments in neighboring Thailand. And I think the proportion of the workers in this collapsed building that are
Burmese is going to be very high.
It was -- this occurred today at about lunchtime and caught everybody unawares. What was remarkable was that Thailand is not susceptible to
seismic activity, particularly despite the tsunami that occurred in 2004. And so, what it receives is tremors, and the idea that a tremor could be so
powerful as to bring down a building over 600 miles away from the epicenter, which was in Mandalay in northern central Myanmar, is quite
remarkable.
Now, ties are not used to this kind of thing. I can remember tremors in the early 80s that everybody noticed, but they were extremely mild by
comparison. This one was enough for everybody to realize something very serious was going on. And what was notable was that it actually went on for
about 30 seconds. And then everybody, I was in a ground floor restaurant, so I wasn't battering around some high-rise building, but everybody in this
restaurant suddenly realized what was going on. And people came out of these buildings, this is in the central business district of Bangkok,
visibly shocked, I wouldn't say panic, but shocked that something like this had happened. They were mystified. And then, basically they stayed out of
the buildings. A lot of buildings were actually locked immediately.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah. Dominic, it's important that you note that earthquakes are rare in Thailand, and you detailed just the surprise there among those who
you were with when this earthquake happened. The Prime Minister said that the situation is, quote, "starting to ease and that people can safely
return indoors", and went on to say "It is now safe for everyone to return to their accommodations", and that buildings with issues are those under
construction where both structural integrity and wall stability are the main concerns. This was just a couple of hours we heard from the Prime
Minister. Is there a sense of relief there? Do people there trust the words from the Prime Minister? Are they starting to return home?
VOICE OF FAULDER: Well, I think she is probably correct. This afternoon, the whole city was just locked up with the most unbelievable gridlock. And
if you walked around, people were on pavements. They were sitting in any grassy areas they could find, or lobbies of large, properly built
buildings, just cooling off, and they were there was no panic. People were very, very controlled. But, I mean, who is to say in terms of aftershocks
what might happen? I wouldn't speculate on that.
But, certainly, the situation has eased. The traffic is now flowing out of Bangkok. People are able to go home. This is the last Friday of the month.
It's payday. Traffic with any -- is always bad on a Friday, but I've never seen anything like this. But, it's definitely easing.
ASHER: And Dominic, just --
VOICE OF FAULDER: The big problem, of course, has been that they shut -- I'll just finish this. They had to shut the mass transit systems. OK? So,
that meant that everybody couldn't get on them, even if they wanted to. And Thailand has a very well -- Bangkok has very well developed mass transit.
It's superior to almost anything else in Southeast Asia. So, for the city to lose that jugular for a number of hours, and as far as I know, I'm on
the outskirts now, as far as I know, still locked down, hasn't reopened. It's being checked. That is absolutely devastating. So, everybody gets
immobilized, and we'll see tomorrow if the mass transits have reopened. That will be a measure of Bangkok getting back to normalcy.
ASHER: And Dominic, just shifting gears to Myanmar, obviously this is a country that has been in a civil war since 2021 and things, of course,
escalated on the ground there after that coup to attack. Just talk us through how much that's going to complicate humanitarian efforts,
especially when it comes to getting help to the regions in the parts of the country that have been most affected by this quake.
VOICE OF FAULDER: Right. Well, look, Myanmar has a very, very bad history of allowing access on humanitarian brands. There was a massive power in
Mandalay that nobody ever noticed in 1981 and another city was raised to the ground. Nobody in the outside world knew about it. If you go back to
Cyclone Nargis in 2008, that killed 140,000 people in the Irrawaddy Delta, and the junta, at that time, an earlier junta, was very, very reluctant to
let any humanitarian agent. We had the U.S. Navy off the coast at that time, well-supplied naval vessels that could have given immediate relief,
and they were denied access completely. They were never allowed in. The ASEAN states, which are basically neighboring Myanmar, finally cajoled the
junta at that time to let them in, and they did a great deal of good.
So, this announcement by General Min Aung Hlaing is very out of character for a Burmese junta, and it comes at a time when the whole world, China,
America, ASEAN, the United Nations, is trying to get the situation to calm down and behave better and declare a safe bar so that things can be taken
in a more productive direction. So, Min Aung Hlaing to come out with this request for international assistance is very significant. It's very out of
character, and it's going to be some -- we're going to be seeing some amazingly interesting diplomacy in the weeks to come on the basis of this.
This might be the lever to something better for Burma, but the earthquake they suffered is clearly utterly catastrophic.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah. The WHO issuing a statement and really highlighting what we've all feared, and that is that this earthquake damage will be enormous
and many injuries are expected. They're also trying to activate logistics hubs there to look for trauma supplies that can help treat the victims.
Dominic Faulder, thank you so much for joining us. Please stay safe.
And we'll be right back with more.
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[11:40:00]
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ASHER: Supporters of Mahmoud Khalil are gathered outside a New Jersey courthouse today to voice their outrage at his detention. Lawyers for the
Columbia University student have argued Khalil should be released from federal custody.
GOLODRYGA: Not, the Trump administration wants to deport Khalil because they say his role in pro-Palestinian protests on campus harms U.S. foreign
policy. Today's hearing dealt with preliminary matters, including whether this court is even the right place to hear this case.
Also today, the Trump administration is now asking the U.S. Supreme Court to help it with another deportation matter.
ASHER: Just minutes ago, it filed an emergency appeal, asking the Supreme Court to lift the ban on those deportation flights carrying alleged
Venezuelan gang members. You may recall, this case is one that pitted the White House against a federal judge who accused the administration of
ignoring his rulings.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah. CNN's Priscilla Alvarez is tracking both of these legal battles for us. And Priscilla, many had predicted that going to the Supreme
Court with this case is exactly what the Trump administration had in mind. Now, it's a matter of whether the Supreme Court itself decides to take up
this case after a lower court's ruling.
PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, and we'll wait to hear that response from the Supreme Court. But, this has certainly been an escalating
legal battle and a fraught one at that. Of course, as you mentioned there, this has been a contentious back and forth between the Trump administration
and this federal judge, Boasberg. And in this appeal to the Supreme Court, the administration asking - requesting, rather, that they overturn
Boasberg's order that says that they cannot continue, or rather, they cannot continue deportations under the Alien Enemies Act, and I'll explain
that act in a moment.
But, the acting Solicitor General said this to the Supreme Court, quote, "This case presents fundamental questions about who decides how to conduct
sensitive national security-related operations in this country, the President through Article Two or the judiciary." The acting Solicitor
General went on to say, the Constitution supplies a clear answer, the President, the Republic cannot afford a different choice.
Now, that really captures what has been the argument over the course of these legal proceedings, which has been that the administration has said
that they are in their right to invoke the Alien Enemies Act, a rarely used wartime authority. It's only been used three times in major military
conflicts, including World War I and World War II. And in this case, they are saying that they do not have to disclose more information about this
operation. That is something that the judge has not agreed with and is pushing for more details on.
[11:50:00]
But, all of this, of course, just at the center of this fight about how much authority the Trump administration has when it comes to speedy
deportations, and in this case that now the Supreme Court has before it about the Alien Enemies Act, which has been a sweeping wartime authority,
if they are trying to use to target Venezuelan migrants that they say are affiliated with Tren de Aragua.
ASHER: And Priscilla, just in terms of Mahmoud Khalil, we know that his lawyers were in court today. I believe that hearing has been adjourned.
But, what came out of this hearing?
ALVAREASHER: Well, we're still waiting to hear from our reporter Gloria Pazmino, who is in -- who was in the courtroom, with -- for the
proceedings, and we'll wait to see what ultimately the lawyers argued and what the judge will ultimately order. As you mentioned, a lot of this is
quite logistical in terms of where the case will continue. The Trump administration wants it to happen in Louisiana, where Mahmoud Khalil is in
detention and other -- and his attorneys wanted to be back in New Jersey. Of course, he was arrested in New York.
This has been the -- really the beginnings of a legal fight, not only with Mahmoud Khalil, but with other students, foreign nationals who are
affiliated with these prestigious American universities that the Trump administration has continued to target. His was the first case, and it will
be interesting to see how the judge rules in terms of whether they can bring that case back to New Jersey. Of course, the other part of this too
from the attorneys is that they want him to be released from custody, as these proceedings are ongoing, citing, of course, the limited or no
evidence from the Trump administration as to him being a Hamas sympathizer, which has been the administration's position.
GOLODRYGA: All right. Priscilla Alvarez, thank you so much.
And we'll have much more after a quick break.
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GOLODRYGA: Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife Usha are set to arrive in Greenland at any moment in a visit that the Prime Minister initially called
highly aggressive.
ASHER: Yeah. It comes at a time of soaring tensions between the U.S. and the semi-autonomous Danish territory. The delegation is expected to visit a
remote U.S. military base, far from any civilian population center.
CNN's Matthew Chance joins us live now from London. So, Matthew, the fact that they are visiting the U.S. Space Force outpost really minimizes the
chances that they're going to run into civilians who are, of course, angry with their visit. But, J.D. Vance is expected to still make the case that
Denmark has mistreated the Greenlandic population.
[11:55:00]
Just walk us through what the real purpose of this visit is by these sort of senior officials from the Trump administration.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, of course, Zain, it started off as a cultural visit, which was announced by Usha Vance
a few days ago. That provoked a very strong reaction from the Danish authorities, from local Greenlandic people as well, who basically are quite
bewildered but quite angry and opposed as well to the idea that the United States intends to, in some way, take ownership of the territory. They've
been fighting, of course, and arguing for decades for independence from Denmark. And the last thing they want, frankly, is another country
overseeing their sovereignty.
And so, it hasn't gone down well at all. And so, that meant that Usha Vance canceled the cultural aspect of it all. She was going to see the world's
most prominent dogsled event, we're told, up in in the north of the island of Greenland. But, that's now been called off. Instead, it's J.D. Vance,
Usha Vance as well, a couple of members of the Cabinet, including Mike Waltz, the National Security Advisor, and a senior ranking -- high-ranking
Senator as well, Mike Lee. He is going along on the trip as well. And it's become a much more political statement, frankly, which I expect will be
used to reiterate the White House position that by hook or by crook, the Trump administration intends to take ownership in some way of Greenland,
and that's obviously been highly controversial, both there and across Europe as well.
ASHER: All right. Matthew Chance live for us there. Thank you so much.
Stay with us. We'll have much more One World after this short break. Don't go away.
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