Myanmar earthquake death toll tops 1,700 amid rescue efforts

[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

GOOD MORNING

I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI

IT’S MONDAY, MARCH 31ST, 2025 

AND THESE ARE YOUR UNBIASED UPDATES:

INCREDIBLE DEVASTATION IN MYAN-MAR AND THAILAND.  THE DEATH TOLL FROM A KILLER EARTHQUAKE IS RISING THIS MORNING AS RESCUE EFFORTS CONTINUE.  WE HAVE SOME OF THE HEART-BREAKING NUMBERS.   

AND PRESIDENT TRUMP AIRS HIS FRUSTRATIONS WITH BOTH RUSSIA AND UKRAINE.  WHAT HE BELIEVES IS HOLDING UP A PEACE DEAL  TO THE END THE WAR AND WHAT HAPPENS FROM HERE.  

L3: SEARCH FOR EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS CONTINUES IN MYANMAR; DEATH TOLL TOPS 1,700

THIS MORNING — SEARCH AND RESCUE EFFORTS CONTINUE IN MYANMAR AND THAILAND AS THE DEATH TOLL CLIMBS IN THE WAKE OF  FRIDAY’S 7 POINT 7 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE.

IN MYANMAR, MORE THAN 17-HUNDRED PEOPLE ARE CONFIRMED DEAD, SO FAR.  A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAYS AT LEAST 300 PEOPLE  REMAIN MISSING.  ANOTHER THREE-THOUSAND ARE INJURED.

JUST THIS MORNING — RESCUERS PULLED A WOMAN FROM THE RUINS OF A HOTEL IN IN MYANMAR’S SECOND LARGEST CITY,  MANDALAY,  AFTER SJHE AS  TRAPPED UNDER RUBBLE FOR MORE THAN 65 HOURS.

MANDALAY IS NEAR THE EPICENTER OF THE QUAKE.

A LACK OF HEAVY MACHINERY HAS SLOWED SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS — FORCING MANY RESCUERS TO SLOWLY SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS **BY HAND** IN THE RELENTLESS HEAT,  WITH DAILY TEMPERATURES ABOVE 100 DEGREES.

THE U-S GEOLOGICAL SERVICE IS PREDICTING MYANMAR’S DEATH TOLL COULD TOP 10-THOUSAND, WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE.

L3: SIGNS OF LIFE DETECTED AMID RUBBLE OF COLLAPSED SKYSCRAPER IN BANGKOK

MEANWHILE, RESCUE EFFORTS ALSO CONTINUE IN BANGKOK, THAILAND — AS MORE THAN 70 PEOPLE ARE BELIEVED TO  BE TRAPPED UNDER THE RUBBLE OF SKYSCRAPER.  IT WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND  COLLAPSED.

THAILAND’S PRIME MINISTER WAS SET TO VISIT THE SITE — BUT THAT WAS DELAYED AFTER CREWS DETECTED POSSIBLE SIGNS OF LIFE.

BANGKOK’S DEPUTY GOVERNOR TOLD REPORTERS SHE WAS NOT SURE **WHAT** THE SIGN OF POSSIBLE LIFE WAS, AND CAUTIONED THERE WAS NO CERTAINTY THE SIGNAL, THAT  CREWS DETECTED INDICATED A SURVIVOR.

SO FAR, AT LEAST 18 PEOPLE ARE CONFIRMED DEAD IN THAILAND.

L3: TRUMP CRITICIZES BOTH PUTIN AND ZELENSKYY AS PUSH FOR CEASEFIRE CONTINUES

AS PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP PRESSES FORWARD TO FULFILL HIS CAMPAIGN PROMISE OF ENDING THE WAR BETWEEN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE — HE’S EXPRESSING FRUSTRATION WITH BOTH COUNTRIES’ LEADERS.

ON SUNDAY — THE PRESIDENT TOLD REPORTERS NEGOTIATORS ARE QUOTE “MAKING A LOT OF PROGRESS” — BUT ALSO SAID THERE’S ‘TREMENDOUS HATRED” BETWEEN RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN AND UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY,  MAKING IT TOUGH TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT.

N-B-C NEWS REPORTED THE CRITICISM BEGAN WITH AN EARLY MORNING PHONE INTERVIEW BETWEEN PRESIDENT TRUMP AND “MEET THE PRESS” ANCHOR KRISTEN WELKER, IN WHICH PRESIDENT TRUMP REPORTEDLY SAID HE’S QUOTE “PISSED OFF” AT PUTIN FOR RECENT COMMENTS PUTIN MADE ABOUT ZELENSKYY’S CREDIBILITY.

LAST WEEK — PUTIN SAID ZELENSKYY LACKS THE LEGITIMACY TO SIGN A PEACE DEAL AND SUGGESTED UKRAINE NEEDS A TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT THAT MIGHT NOT INCLUDE ZELENSKYY. 

BUT IT WASN’T JUST PUTIN PRESIDENT TRUMP HAD HARSH WORDS FOR, HE ALSO ACCUSED  UKRANIAN LEADER ZELENSKYY,  OF TRYING TO BACK OUT OF A DEAL WITH THE U-S.

“I see he’s trying to back out of the rare earth deal, and if he does that, he’s got some problems. Big, big problems. We made a deal on rare earth, and now he’s saying, ‘well, you know, I want to renegotiate the deal’. He wants to be a member of NATO. Well, he was never going to be a member of NATO. He understands that. So if he’s looking to renegotiate the deal, he’s got big problems.”

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT ZELESNKYY, MEANWHILE, IS URGING THE U-S AND ITS PARTNERS TO INCREASE PRESSURE ON RUSSIA — SAYING QUOTE “PUTIN COULDN’T CARE LESS ABOUT DIPLOMACY.”

ZELENSKYY SAYS RUSSIA HAS INTENSIFIED ITS STRIKES AGAINST UKRAINE — DESPITE THE AMERICAN PROPOSAL FOR AN UNCONDITIONAL CEASEFIRE, WHICH RUSSIA HAS EFFECTIVELY REJECTED.

L3: ISRAEL ORDERS EVACUATIONS OF MOST OF RAFAH IN SOUTHERN GAZA

NOW TO THE ONGOING WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST — THE ISRAELI MILITARY ISSUED SWEEPING EVACUATION ORDERS THIS MORNING FOR MOST OF THE CITY OF RAFAH IN THE GAZA STRIP,  SUGGESTING THE MILITARY COULD SOON LAUNCH A MAJOR GROUND OPERATION THERE.

THE MOVE COMES AFTER ISRAEL ENDED ITS CEASEFIRE WITH HAMAS IN GAZA — AND RENEWED ITS AIR AND GROUND WAR EARLIER THIS MONTH,

 VOWING TO INTENSIFY ITS MILITARY OPERATIONS UNTIL HAMAS RELEASES THE REMAINING 59 HOSTAGES IT HOLDS — 24 OF WHOM ARE BELIEVED TO BE ALIVE.

ISRAEL IS ALSO NOW DEMANDING HAMAS DISARM AND LEAVE THE GAZA STRIP ENTIRELY.

AND ON SUNDAY — ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU SAID HIS COUNTRY WILL TAKE CHARGE OF SECURITY IN GAZA AFTER THE WAR AND IMPLEMENT PRESIDENT TRUMP’S PROPOSAL TO RESETTLE GAZA’S PALESTINIAN POPULATION IN OTHER COUNTRIES.

L3: U.S. CONTINUES AIRSTRIKES AGAINST HOUTHI TARGETS IN YEMEN

MEANWHILE — THE U-S IS CONTINUING ITS BOMBARDMENT OF HOUTHI TARGETS IN YEMEN.

THE IRAN-BACKED MILITANT GROUP IS AN ALLY OF HAMAS AND HAS REGULARLY FIRED MISSILES AT ISRAEL SINCE THE WAR IN GAZA BROKE OUT IN OCTOBER 20-23, AS WELL AS ATTACKED AMERICAN AND ISRAEL SHIPS IN THE RED SEA.

HOUTHI OFFICIALS SAY AT LEAST ONE PERSON WAS KILLED OVERNIGHT — BUT THE FULL EXTEND OF THE DAMAGE IS NOT YET CLEAR.

IT FOLLOWS A PARTICULARLY INTENSE ROUND OF U-S AIRSTRIKES AGAINST HOUTHI REBELS IN YEMEN ON FRIDAY.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS SAID IT’S PLACING THE BLAME FOR ANY ATTACKS BY HOUTHI REBELS — ON IRAN, THOUGH IRAN DENIES HAVING ANYTHING TO DO WITH THEM.

MEANTIMES — IRAN’S PRESIDENT SAID ON SUNDAY HIS COUNTRY HAS OFFICIALLY INFORMED THE U-S THAT IT REJECTS DIRECT NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE U-S OVER ITS RAPIDLY ADVANCING NUCLEAR PROGRAM, BUT HAS LEFT THE DOOR OPEN FOR INDIRECT NEGOTIATIONS.

L3: HEGSETH ANNOUNCES U.S. COMMAND UPGRADES IN JAPAN TO HELP DETER CHINA

DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH HAS ANNOUNCED A PLAN TO UPGRADE THE U-S MILITARY COMMAND IN JAPAN.

HEGSETH SAID JAPAN IS A QUOTE “INDISPENSABLE PARTNER” TO THE U-S IN COMBATING CHINESE AGGRESSION.

JAPAN’S DEFENSE MINISTER SAYS THE U-S AND JAPAN HAVE AGREED TO ACCELERATE PLANS TO JOINTLY DEVELOP AND PRODUCE MISSILES  TO HELP EASE A SHORTAGE OF MUNITIONS.

THEY’VE ALSO AGREED TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS INVOLVING THE MAINTENANCE OF U-S WARSHIPS AND WARPLANES IN JAPAN TO STRENGTHEN AND COMPLEMENT JAPANESE AND U-S DEFENSE INDUSTRIES.

L3: COURT ALLOWS MUSK TO GIVE AWAY $1M CHECKS AHEAD OF WISCONSIN ELECTION

PRESIDENT TRUMP’S RIGHT-HAND MAN, THE HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY, ELON MUSK, WAS IN GREEN BAY WISCONSIN ON SUNDAY, CAMPAIGNING FOR A CONSERVATIVE IN A KEY RACE FOR THE STATE’S HIGHEST COURT. 

MUSK GAVE OUT TWO, $1-MILLION-DOLLAR CHECKS TO VOTERS.

DEMOCRATS HAD TRIED TO STOP THE PAYOUT CLAIMING WISCONSIN LAW PROHIBITS OFFERING ANYTHING OF VALUE TO INDUCE ANYONE TO VOTE.   MUSK’S ATTORNEYS ARGUED THE GIVEAWAYS AMOUNT TO FREE SPEECH.

TWO LOWER COURTS REJECTED THE DEMOCRATS LEGAL CHALLENGE. 

AS FOR THE RACE ITSELF… CONSERVATIVE BRAD SCHIMEL IS RUNNING AGAINST LIBERAL SUSAN CRAWFORD FOR CONTROL OF THE WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT.

RIGHT NOW, LIBERALS HOLD A 4-3 MAJORITY.

MUSK, AND OTHER SUPPORTERS OF SCHIMEL, HAVE SPENT MORE THAN $20-MILLION-DOLLARS TRYING TO CHANGE THE COURT’S IDEOLOGICAL MAKE-UP IN A KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE.

IT IS LARGELY VIEWED AS RACE THAT MIGHT DETERMINE THE MAKEUP OF THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WITH THE HIGH COURT POSSIBLY DECIDING THE KEY ISSUE OF REDISTRICTING CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS IN WISCONSIN.

MUSK SAID QUOTE, “IF THE SUPREME COURT IS ABLE TO REDRAW THE DISTRICTS, THEY WILL GERRYMANDER THE DISTRICT AND DEPRIVE WISCONSIN OF TWO SEATS ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE. THEY WILL TRY TO STOP ALL GOVERNMENT REFORMS WE ARE GETTING DOWN FOR YOU, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.”

CRAWFORD’S ALLIES HAVE CAMPAIGNED AGAINST MUSK’S INFLUENCE IN THE RACE.

THE ELECTION IS TUESDAY.

L3: MARCH MADNESS MEN’S FINAL FOUR SET

FOR ONLY THE SECOND TIME,  THE SEEDING BEGAN IN 1979,,  THE TOP FOUR SEEDS IN THE NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT  HAVE MADE IT TO THE FINAL FOUR.

ON SUNDAY, AUBURN SEALED THE DEAL BY DEFEATING MICHIGAN STATE,  70-TO-64;  THE TIGERS WILL FACE THE FLORIDA GATORS. THE GATORS CAME FROM BEHIND SATURDAY TO BEAT TEXAS TECH 84-TO-79.   THAT SETS UP ONE SEMI-FINAL.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BRACKET.   NUMBER ONE DUKE  HAD A CONVINCING WIN IN PRIME-TIME SATURDAY NIGHT. THE BLUE DEVILS KNOCKED OFF ALABAMA 85-TO 65.  DUKE HAS THREE TOP-NOTCH FRESHMEN IN ITS LINEUP, INCLUDING COOPER FLAGG, WHO MANY CONSIDER TO BE THE BEST PLAYER IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL.  

DUKE WILL PLAY HOUSTON AND ITS STIFLING DEFENSE.  THE COUGARS HELD TENNESSEE TO JUST 15 FIRST HALF POINTS YESTERDAY AND ROUTED THE VOLS 69-TO-50. 

THE FINAL FOUR IS THIS SATURDAY IN SAN ANTONIO.