JOHN YANG: Tonight on "PBS News Weekend," as rescue and recovery efforts continue, we get the latest from on the ground in Syria and Turkey.

DIDEM CELIK, Earthquake Survivor (through translator): My mother and sister are still under the rubble and I can't reach them in any way.

My soul is gone.

They're dying under the rubble.

I'm dying here.

JOHN YANG: Then, with the push to put more electric vehicles on the road, we look at the potential hurdles to reaching that green goal.

And Aan artist's wreath but spectacular take on privilege and forgiveness.

(BREAK) JOHN YANG: Good evening.

I'm John Yang.

The death toll from last week's earthquakes in Turkey and Syria is now above 33,000.

Rescue teams are recovering more and more bodies from beneath the rubble.

Officials say the number of dead will very likely grow much higher.

And as special correspondent Jane Ferguson reports, frustration at the pace of rescue operations is also growing.

Jane Ferguson: Rescue workers in Turkey refuse to give up on pulling whatever life they can from the ruins.

In the city of Adiyaman, amid the sprawling destruction, hundreds searched for the last miracle survivors.

On the street level, many here are speaking various languages as experts from around the world team up with Turkish workers, pooling global knowledge and strength on saving lives against the odds.

In this building, American rescue workers battle to reach the last known survivor inside, a nearly 200 strong team from the U.S. is coordinating disaster response here, helping find the living and treat the wounded.

Stephen Allen leads USAID's Disaster Assistance Response team in Turkey.

Have you ever dealt with natural disaster on this scale before?

STEPHEN ALLEN, USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team: I have not.

This is much bigger than anything we're used to seeing in the region.

This is on a scale that really blows the mind and it's really hard to comprehend.

Driving up here, driving through towns and then spending time in Adiyaman, I, frankly, was not expecting the level of destruction that we encountered.

Just the number of buildings that are completely destroyed, driving down any side street, any main street, you're going to come across piles of rubble, people are working on.

It is a tragedy, I think, beyond what most people can comprehend.

JANE FERGUSON: Yet few of these highly experienced professionals have seen something like this before.

The destruction here is beyond anything in their lifetime.

Elsewhere in Turkey, the rescue scenes continue to astound.

In Hatay, 10-year old Cudi was pulled from the rubble after being trapped for 147 hours.

Another team crawling through a collapsed building found a father and his five year old daughter promising them a drink of tea once they got out.

But for many, the rescues have been too slow and hope is fading.

DIDEM CELIK (through translator): The situation is beyond terrible here.

My mother and sister are still under the rubble and I can't reach them in any way.

My soul is gone.

They are dying under the rubble.

I'm dying here.

JANE FERGUSON: Thousands of buildings tumbled to the ground in these quakes, raising questions over how or if authorities enforced construction codes.

Turkish officials are now targeting more than 130 people for overseeing allegedly shoddy or illegal construction.

Across the border in Syria, the head of the World Health Organization visited quake victims today.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the need in the war ravaged country is great.

TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, Director General, World Health Organization: The water supply has been damaged, and other infrastructure, so there could be diarrhea diseases or pneumonia, and we will support you with that.

JANE FERGUSON: Yet support is something few Syrians in the rebel controlled areas of the Northwest are getting.

While the world's experts painstakingly search for survivors in Turkey, Syrians have spent a week with no such help.

There will be no international crews coming here and sniffer dogs or medics waiting.

ZAHORA HAJJ, Earthquake Survivor (through translator): We were sleeping and when we woke up it was like a dream.

I tried to run out holding my little daughter, but as soon as we stepped onto the stairs, the building started to collapse.

We stayed in the dark for two hours under the destroyed building.

No one came to rescue us.

I asked the person nearby to clear the rubble until they found light or the sky.

JANE FERGUSON: We were able to travel here on a rare visit by international journalists.

Permissions to cross the border from Turkey into this restive area have been difficult for years.

In Syria, only the White Helmets are helping clear the rubble, and even they don't expect to find any survivors anymore.

Selwa Johar lives in this house with her children and grandchildren.

Much of her street has been destroyed.

Her neighbors perishing under the rubble.

Her house survived, but she doesn't trust it.

Do you feel safe when you sleep at night?

SELWA JOHAR, Earthquake Survivor (through translator): I don't feel safe, no.

Even until now.

We sleep in the streets.

We sleep here or in the car.

I put on a stove outside during the day in case something happens.

We run out.

JANE FERGUSON: Millions have been displaced by Syria's brutal 12-year civil war.

Now even those who finally managed to build humble homes are back in tents, joining thousands of other families bedding down in the winter cold tonight under nothing more than canvas.

For PBS News Weekend, I'm Jane Ferguson in Gaziantep, Turkey.

JOHN YANG: There are reports that this afternoon the U.S. military shot down another unidentified object, this time over Lake Huron.

It's the fourth one to have been downed after entering North American airspace in just the past two weeks.

Meanwhile, in the wilds of Yukon, Canadian recovery teams are searching for the wreckage of the unidentified object that was shot down yesterday.

And the U.S. military is still combing Alaskan waters for debris from Friday shoot down.

Far, there are few details about any of these aerial objects.

U.S. and Canadian leaders have offered varied descriptions.

ANITA ANAND, Defense Minister, Canada: We have no further details about the object at this time, other than it appears to be a small cylindrical object.

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER, Majority Leader: Until they get that comprehensive analysis, however, we have to look at each balloon individually see what this does.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, ABC News Host: Were these balloons Friday and Saturday night?

CHUCK SCHUMER: They believe they were, yes, but much smaller than the one the first one.

JOHN YANG: The White House says the object shot down over Alaska and the Yukon did not resemble the Chinese surveillance balloon that was brought down last weekend.

A tropical cyclone is bearing down on New Zealand's Northern Islands that's led airlines to cancel flights and schools to cancel classes.

Sheets of rain soaked areas that were already swamped by record deadly rainfall just last month.

It's increasing the threat of landslides.

Residents prepared for more drenching, filling sandbags to protect against heavy flooding.

And tonight's Super Bowl may be number 57, but it's also a game of first.

Of course, it's been much discussed that it's the first time two black quarterbacks will start.

It's also the first time two brothers will be on opposing teams, the first time a black woman will be on the sidelines as a coach, and the first time that the pregame flyover will be done by an all-female team of naval aviators.

Still to come on "PBS News Weekend," the potential hurdles to getting more electric vehicles on the road and a brief but spectacular take on privilege and forgiveness.

(BREAK) JOHN YANG: Devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria has left more than 5 million people without homes, compounding the region's humanitarian disaster.

Earlier, I spoke with Ayham Taha, who is with CARE, the international humanitarian organization.

He's in Mardin in southeastern Turkey.

I asked him what survivors need most.

AYHAM TAHA, Technical Adviser, CARE: The need is diverse, especially when we speak about northwest India, which is affected, as well as the south of Turkey.

The common sense between both sides of the border is the same pain and also the lack of shelter, whether it is a temporary shelter or it is a permanent shelter.

We have received several requests from different peer organizations, partners and also authorities asking for shelter, including tents, blankets, mattresses and of course, food items.

We are also looking at addressing women specific needs with hygiene kits and also taking care of children, especially their nutrition aspects, because they are very sensitive to food consumption gaps.

JOHN YANG: You told me you're in your car because the hotel where you're staying is so crowded, you couldn't find a quiet place.

Are temporary shelters being set up?

Is there any long term thought, given that so many buildings have collapsed, that they're going to have to do something long term for housing?

AYHAM TAHA: Some buildings were immediately damaged, collapsed.

Some of them are evaluated that they will be collapsing soon.

Some of them are high risk to enter and some of them need immediate rehabilitation and some maintenance.

Then it will be safe to access.

This will take months and months.

So that's why we evacuated.

We spent a few days, of course, in the car, like two or three days.

People are still who are staying in Gaziantep, they are still spending the time in cars.

Or there was provided collective shelter, like mosques, basketball courts, schools.

Now, at some open spaces there was established tents for those who are preferring tents, they have no access to other options.

JOHN YANG: Tell us about the efforts to feed these people as well.

AYHAM TAHA: Access to food items, commodities and drinking water was not possible at the first 24 hours.

But some restaurants decided on a personal initiative to open and cook some warm soup distributed to people.

And they distributed some rice, an apple Perry cider, something like that.

That was only for the local neighborhood.

And that meant to me personally a lot, because otherwise we will be eating only canned food that we brought from whatever accessible place we shared in the open space.

JOHN YANG: I should ask, Ayham, how is your house?

Did your house survive the earthquake?

AYHAM TAHA: I found it standing, but there was some cracks in the walls.

I'm not an engineer, so I'm expecting the building to be assessed again.

Then we can assure whether it is safe to go back or not.

I can tell you that my son, for example, lost trust in that wall in his room, and I'm not sure if I ever will go back to that house again.

JOHN YANG: Ayham, we heard early on of difficulties getting relief aid into Syria.

The government insisting that it all flow through them.

Has that been resolved and is aid now flowing easily into Syria or are there still problems?

AYHAM TAHA: So basically, yes, the area is very much affected and it requires immediate support no matter what are the entry points.

We encourage that every single possible entry point to deliver aid should be used because we are speaking about the World worst strabbed on set natural disaster in over a decade.

In Syria, for example, we are not speaking about only earthquake.

Before a few days the earthquake, we were reading reports about cholera, acute food insecurity, like lack of education, many issues.

And of course, this is a war zone still.

These regions are refugees that have been displaced several times.

And in Syria we are speaking about 4.5 million that are dependent on aid.

They don't have sustainable livelihoods.

So they are actually now without any support.

They feel that they were left behind.

JOHN YANG: As you say, this is going to take a very long time.

Are you concerned that in the long run there won't be the resources you need?

AYHAM TAHA: To be honest, I have seen a lot of communities sending in solidarity with other communities like the Turkish and Syrian that are in need now.

Yes, the crisis in Syria and Turkey is huge.

It's massive.

That doesn't mean that I should contribute with a massive amount to support.

Me as a person, I should know and be aware that 1 pound or dollar counts.

It is a mattress, it is a blanket.

It is one hot meal that will make a child sleep, not being hungry, or he will be sleeping warm or he will not sleep on the floor.

JOHN YANG: Ayham Taha of CARE.

Ayham, we thank you very, very much, and we are all thinking of your family, and all those you're trying to help.

AYHAM TAHA: Thank you very much.

JOHN YANG: For ways to help survivors of the earthquake, visit Pbs.org/NewsHour.

The Biden administration wants to see more electric vehicles in American driveways, a commitment reaffirmed in the State of the Union address.

It's estimated that by 2030, half of all new vehicle sales will be electric vehicles.

William Brangham looks at the infrastructure hurdles, policy challenges, and public misconceptions facing electric vehicles.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: This move toward vehicles powered by electricity instead of gas has obvious benefits for tackling climate change.

Transportation overall accounts for roughly a third of America's carbon emissions, but there are still many questions about this transition.

How beneficial are EVs?

Can our infrastructure handle a surge of them?

Even questions about the batteries that power them?

Here to help us separate fact from fiction is Alan Ohnsman.

He is the senior transportation editor Forbes.

Alan, thank you so much for doing this.

I briefly touched on the environmental case for EVs.

What would you add to that?

What is the best argument as to why EVs are good for the planet?

ALAN OHNSMAN, Senior Transportation Editor, Forbes: Carbon emissions is a big one, but just straight up exhaust emissions.

For decades and decades, you know, governments have been trying to reduce the amount of tailpipe pollutants from regular gasoline and diesel powered cars.

I'm in Southern California.

It's been a huge problem here since the 1950s.

And so with an EV, obviously, in addition to eliminating carbon emissions while you're using the vehicle, you also have zero tailpipe pollution.

You're not getting things that can cause heart and lung disease from exhaust emissions.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: OK, so the cars themselves are not burning fossil fuels, but when you go to charge those vehicles, sometimes that electricity itself has been made by burning coal or gas.

How do we address that particular issue?

ALAN OHNSMAN: Depending on where you are in the country, the grid is going to be different.

If you're in New York State, for example, you get lots of hydroelectricity from Niagara Falls.

Wonderful.

That's a great source of electricity to power an EV.

There are other states that still use a significant amount of coal and natural gas, and there are carbon emissions and air pollution emissions associated with both.

The argument in favor, though, is even in that case, in grids that have somewhat dirtier energy inputs, it's easier to control the pollution created at the plant than at your tailpipe.

Even in parts of the country where they are still relying on a lot more carbon intensive forms of electricity.

It is getting better because more renewables are coming all the time.

Lots more solar, lots more wind in particular.

The other challenge, of course, is we will need to figure out ways to store more of that electricity.

Because right now in Southern California, we have too much solar at peak, in Texas, too much wind at different times of the day.

So you have more power coming in than the grid can even handle.

And so to solve that, we've got to figure out better, more efficient ways to store all of that electricity.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: One of the big things that you hear in EV circles is what's called range anxiety.

The idea that you'll get out on the road and your battery will be drained and you won't have access to a charging station except for certain regions in the country.

That is still a huge impediment, isn't it?

ALAN OHNSMAN: It really is.

In terms of charging infrastructure, it's very inadequate right now.

There's just no way we have enough chargers at the moment to support massive numbers of additional EVs across the country.

California probably has the highest penetration per capita of EV chargers.

And even here they're not ubiquitous.

We need more of them everywhere.

As you referenced earlier, there is a federal push to really change that.

A lot of new money going for public charging.

So things are happening, but today it's generally tough to do maybe a cross country drive conveniently with an EV.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: About those batteries themselves.

One of the things you hear a lot of skeptics say is, well, don't forget about what it takes to make those batteries, the minerals that go into them, how those minerals are mined.

What are some of the problems on that front?

ALAN OHNSMAN: That is a real challenge.

Lithium ion technology is really what we have today, and it has improved dramatically over the last 20 years.

But it does rely on a very complex global supply chain.

Lithium coming from places like Argentina and South America and Australia, and cobalt from the Congo and nickel coming from Russia.

It's expensive, and there is great demand for all of those raw materials.

Lithium has some environmental impacts in terms of how it is mined and produced.

It can be very water intensive, and sometimes that can be a problem for places that don't have that much water to begin with.

Something like cobalt is a little more troubling because much of it today comes from Congo, where, unfortunately, there are a lot of small, unregulated, what are called artisanal mines, where child labor is a frequent occurrence.

There's a recent report suggesting that 10 percent of all the cobalt in all the batteries in the world is currently coming from these artisanal mines that employ child labor in Congo.

So that's an issue as well.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: My understanding, too, is that China is the principal manufacturer of these batteries, and I know the Inflation Reduction Act is trying to create a more domestic supply chain.

How close are we to that becoming a reality?

ALAN OHNSMAN: China has really cornered the market for the time being as the processor of a lot of these materials that go into a battery.

So a lot of these U.S. plants that have been announced recently by companies like General Motors and Ford and Toyota, that's great, but they're still going to be sourcing.

A lot of key components that are being processed in Asia, primarily China, South Korea and Japan as well.

There is a push to localize more of that processing and fabrication of those materials.

There are companies like Redwood Materials, which recently has announced it's going to begin production of Cathode and Anode materials in South Carolina and Nevada.

But that's just one company.

And we are still going to be in a situation for several years where the bulk of these raw materials and the process materials needed at these battery plants, they're going to be coming from overseas, primarily Asia.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: All right.

That is Alan Ohnsman of Forbes.

Thank you so much for helping us wade through all of this.

ALAN OHNSMAN: Thanks.

Thanks for having me.

JOHN YANG: Adam Falkner is a poet, musician, and educator.

He describes the focus of his work as race, gender, queer life, and social justice.

Tonight, Falkner shares his Brief But Spectacular take on performing privilege and forgiveness.

ADAM FALKNER, Poet and Musician: The name of this poem is called let's Get One Thing Halfway Straight.

Said I would like to get one thing halfway straight I have spent my entire life trying on costumes because nobody told me I couldn't.

And the stakes were never that high which I have come to think is mostly what makes a white writer.

The last time anyone referred to me by that name was exactly never.

But that is also the point.

I am a queer poet.

I am a child of an addict.

I am a masquerading white boy.

My best friend died, and it was sad.

And these are the stories I water into bloom.

I am camp counselor, test cheat, choir boy, cipher rapper, scratch golfer, honor roll, pothead, point guard.

And Whitman?

Well, Whitman says very well.

You contain multitudes.

But Whitman was a white writer, too.

The not so funny thing about spending a life proving you aren't something is that any story you tell that isn't the story is just survival or a brick for laying until the wall is high enough that you are safe inside.

And one day you wake up and you say, my God, whose house is this?

Who did I hurt to get here?

And is it too late to call for help?

I am a poet, an artist, and an educator.

I grew up in the Midwest, and I am based in Brooklyn, New York.

Two themes that I think a lot about in my work are forgiveness and accountability.

And in this poem, I'm trying to lift up some of the examples, I think, from my own life of what privilege is and how it shows up in the lives of a lot white people, often subconsciously.

And in that how when we are confronted with the discomfort or the frustration of the reality that is unearned access or advantage in our lives, we often overattach to other marginalized identities or stories or wounds that we hold.

But the question for me is more of the stories that am most silent about which ones are harming other people.

So I'm often wrestling with those questions in my work and what it means for us to show up with forgiveness of our past selves and of each other, but also how do we hold ourselves accountable to still growing and learning and evolving and listening even when it's painful?

My name is Adam Falkner, and this is my Brief But Spectacular take on performing privilege and forgiveness.

JOHN YANG: And you can find more of our Brief But Spectacular videos on our website, pbs.org/NewsHour/Brief.

And that is PBS News Weekend for this Sunday.

I'm John Yang.

For all of my colleagues, thanks for joining us.

Have a good week.