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Rescuers work at the site of a building that collapsed after the strong earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar, on Sunday, March 30, 2025.
Myanmar struggles to cope with aftermath of quake
The death toll continues to rise in Myanmar after a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck near the central city of Mandalay on March 28. Approximately 1,700 people are dead and over 3,400 injured, with the US Geological Service estimating that casualties could top 10,000. The quake caused extensive damage to infrastructure, including bridges, roads, and hospitals, and left thousands homeless. Relief operations are further complicated by Myanmar’s ongoing civil war — the opposition said it would commence a two-week ceasefire in earthquake-affected areas, even as the junta reportedly continued bombing civilian areas.
Who’s helping? The international response has been broad and swift. The United Nations allocated $5 million for immediate relief efforts, the EU pledged $2.7 million in emergency aid, and Australia provided AU$2 million through the Red Cross. China, Russia, India, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Singapore have sent rescue and medical teams, while Vietnam, South Korea, New Zealand, and Malaysia are also providing assistance.
What about the US? President Donald Trump has offered help, but former officials with USAID question how cuts to that agency will impact relief efforts. The US pledged $2 million in aid “through Myanmar-based humanitarian assistance organizations” and said in a statement that an emergency response team from USAID is deploying to the country. However, Sarah Charles, a former senior USAID official during the Biden administration, described the agency as “in shambles” and lacking the necessary personnel and resources for disaster relief, such as rescuing survivors trapped in collapsed buildings. We’ll be watching whether America is able to deliver assistance effectively – and how that help is received.Photo illustration of TSMC logos.
Hard Numbers: TSMC’s boom, Gemini’s ambitions, Anduril takes Ohio, Synthesia’s ambitions, TSMC evacuates after earthquake
500 million: Google CEO Sundar Pichai told employees that he wants 500 million people to use the company’s Gemini AI technology by the end of 2025. It’s unclear how many users Gemini currently has, but it reportedly trails OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which boasts 300 million users.
1 billion: Anduril, which makes drones and other AI-powered military systems, plans to build a $1 billion factory in Columbus, Ohio. The company, based in California, said the Ohio facility, called Arsenal-1, will bring 4,000 new jobs to the Buckeye State.
2.1 billion: Synthesia, the British AI avatar company we wrote about in July, raised $180 million in a new funding round last week, raising its valuation to $2.1 billion. CEO Victor Riparbelli told the Financial Times that the UK is “the only country in the European region right now that has a real shot at becoming a top-three AI superpower.”
6.4: Taiwan was hit by a 6.4-magnitude earthquake on Tuesday, causing TSMC to evacuate its facilities. The chipmaker said that all of its staff were safe. It’s unclear how production was interrupted or whether the buildings sustained damage.An Afghan woman stands next to her house after a recent earthquake in Chahak village in the Enjil district of Herat province, Afghanistan. Three deadly quakes have plagued the region this month.
Hard Numbers: Quake hits Afghanistan again, Venezuela’s opposition field narrows, Oz rejects “The Voice,” antisemitic attacks on the rise
11: The field is narrowing slightly ahead of the opposition primary in Venezuela next week, the winner of which will face off with Nicolás Maduro in 2024. Freddy Superlano, of the Voluntad Popular party, withdrew from the race on Friday, throwing his support behind frontrunner Maria Corina Machado, a neoliberal from the Vente Venezuela party who supports privatization and reducing the size of the state. Machado is the leader of the remaining 11 candidates, and while she has been disqualified from running by Chavista-controlled courts, that isn’t stopping her – or her supporters.
60: Australians decisively voted “No” on Saturday to a proposal to amend the constitution to allow Indigenous people to create a body that represents them in government. Dubbed “The Voice,” the proposal was rejected by 60% of voters, while 40% voted yes. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, while disappointed by the result and divisiveness of the campaign, said he respected the results and the democratic process.
50: With war raging between Hamas and Israel, there has been a shocking rise in antisemitic attacks around the globe. In the UK, there was a fourfold increase in antisemitic incidents between Oct. 7 and 10 – a total of 89 episodes – compared to 21 from the same period a year ago. In France, home to Europe’s largest Jewish community, there were 50 antisemitic acts last week, and in the US, where hate crimes have already been on the rise, there is fear of a spike in antisemitic attacks linked to the violence in the Middle East.
UN mobilizes to help disaster-stricken Libya and Morocco
First, there was the devastating earthquake in Morocco. And then, cataclysmic flooding in Libya. Recent natural disasters in northern Africa have shocked the world. They've also mobilized United Nations rescue and support teams, says UN Secretary-General António Guterres in an exclusive GZERO World interview.
“We have a central emergency response fund, and we mobilized $10 million to support the operation in Libya," Guterres tells Ian Bremmer. "We are discussing, with Moroccan authorities, our best way to support them...We'll be doing everything to mobilize international community to support these two countries in this very, very tragic situation."
What role can the United Nations play in these devastated zones, and how much is a warming planet contributing to recent climate catastrophes?
For the full interview, tune into GZERO World with Ian Bremmerat gzeromedia.com/gzeroworld or on US public television. Check local listings.
Is the Middle East becoming the "new Europe”?
Ian Bremmer shares his insights on global politics this week on World In :60.
First, will there be long-term regional consequences following the devastating Moroccan earthquake?
I hopefully I think the answer to that is, no. I mean, the response from the government was relatively, it wasn't immediate. And it wasn't great to begin with, in part, because the king, I guess, was in Paris. And it's very vertical. Nothing happens without the king. But now they're moving. There's a lot of international humanitarian aid going in. And as devastating as it is in terms of human lives, the ability to keep Marrakech going is pretty high. Even the IMF annual meeting in a few weeks’ time should still be there. So on balance, I think this is one where the consequences are borne by all of the families, but not on Morocco more broadly.
Secondly, is the Middle East on its way to becoming “the new Europe,” as Mohammed bin Salman recently said?
Yeah, no, I wouldn't go that far. But certainly, Mohammed bin Salman has done more in terms of reform and dramatic transformation of his country, and yes, with some downside, than anyone could have imagined before he came in. That's why he's so incredibly popular among the young people in Saudi Arabia, and certainly, it's why he's attracting a lot more attention to the region, including capital investment from a lot of different places.
And finally, Kim Jong Un is traveling to meet Putin. How concerned is the West?
Should be concerned in part because that's the only person out there that really supports Putin right now. It's like Belarus, it's North Korea, it's Iran, it's rogue states that the Americans and the Europeans cannot contain or constrain. And that's a serious problem.
That's it for me. I'll talk to you real soon.
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