A devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar early morning, described as "300 times stronger than Amatrice." Coverage intensified throughout the day as the death toll reached 144 with 738 injured, though authorities feared thousands of casualties. A building collapsed in Bangkok, trapping dozens of workers.
Putin's proposal for a UN-administered transitional government in Ukraine followed by elections received modest attention but was overshadowed by the earthquake. Prime Minister Meloni rejected Macron's suggestion of sending troops to Ukraine while emphasizing Trump as "Italy's primary ally" in a Financial Times interview.
Markets continued declining amid concerns over impending US auto tariffs scheduled for April 2, continuing the previous day's sharp drop after Trump's announcement. By evening, Italy's government approved new regulations for citizenship and Albania migration centers, while Wall Street saw the Nasdaq plummet 2.70%.