JOHN YANG: Tonight on PBS News Weekend, ICE# shootings spark protest around the country## as the Trump administration deploys more Border# Patrol agents to Minneapolis.

Then, why critics## say Myanmar's first election since a military# coup five years ago are a sham.

And a new book## offers a glimpse into one of the most secretive# and controversial companies in Silicon Valley.

MAN: It enables lots of companies to# make better use of the information## they collect.

Most of the work it does# is pretty benign.

Some of it is quite## laudable.

But then there's other stuff that# gives a lot of people cause for concern.

(BREAK) JOHN YANG:## Good evening.

I'm John Yang.

This week's series# of shootings by federal agents enforcing President## Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration# has sparked a weekend of protests.

There## were rallies and demonstrations across the# country.

They were organized after a woman## was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs# Enforcement agent in Minneapolis on Wednesday and## a Customs and Border Protection agent wounded# two people the next day in Portland, Oregon.

In Minneapolis, crowds gathered in the city where# an ICE officer shot and killed 37 year-old- Renee## Nicole Good and demanded that ICE leave.

Voices of# anger and outrage were heard across the country.

STEVEN EUBANKS, Protester: Killing# people in the streets intimidation## tactics is horrifying and we can't# allow it.

We have to stand up.

WOMAN: We want ICE off the streets.

JOHN YANG: From Durham, North Carolina, to# rainy Washington, D.C.

and Philadelphia,## demonstrators in hundreds of cities and towns# took to the streets in a mass protest dubbed## the ICE out for Good Weekend of Action.

Some# protesters say ICE is overstepping its legal## power and jeopardizing public safety.

For others,# the threat to democracy is just as urgent.

KELLY MIKEL WILLIAMS, Candidate for U.S.# Congress: We will win when we come together,## because it's not about them, it's about us.# Trump must go now.

ICE must go for good.

JOHN YANG: More protests are scheduled for# tomorrow.

Lisa Gilbert is the co-president of## Public Citizen, a progressive advocacy group# that helped organize today's protests.

Lisa,## what are you hearing from around the# country about turnout and whether or## not there have been any problems or troubles?

LISA GILBERT, Co-President, Public Citizen:# Well, turnout has been amazing.

We're holding## 1,000 plus events, peaceful, lawful vigils# around the country in this astounding moment## where people are reacting to an atrocity.# It was organized in only 48 hours and so the## massive numbers we're seeing the number of people# turning out telling their neighbors to turn out## all of it just demonstrates the real magnitude# of the outrage that I think people are.

JOHN YANG: Were you surprised# that it came together so quickly?

LISA GILBERT: I think this issue really# impacts us all.

No one in America should## walk the street fearful of masked agents should# be worrying that their businesses could be## ransacked or facing intimidation and violence# or even death just for being a good neighbor## I think many people see themselves in this# incident have been truly horrified at the## escalating violence that they've seen from ICE# and CBP and this moment sparked a people are## reacting to an abuse of power that they've# been watching for many weeks and months.

JOHN YANG: what was the goal for# today what do you hope to accomplish?

LISA GILBERT: The goal for today is to have# a community led non-violent lawful reaction## to the horrors that we've been seeing the# deadly violence the terror wielded by ICE## the abuse of power from Trump none of# it is acceptable.

So we want to honor## and humanize the lives that have been taken# by ICE.

We want to demand accountability and## transparency and immediate investigation# into the killing of Renee Good and just## really expose the systematic pattern of violence# which, you know, it does not just include Renee.

It includes 30 plus lives that have been lost in# ICE detention just in 2025.

So calling attention,## calling for accountability, these are our goals.

JOHN YANG: The Trump administration has# already said that they're going to send in,## deploy more a bigger federal presence# into Minneapolis.

What do you say to that?

LISA GILBERT: I think it is exactly the# wrong reaction.

People are calling for this## nonessential, unnecessary, militarized# force to leave.

The reaction has been## clear.

And what more troops will spark is more# intensity.

And what we want to do is deescalate,## focus on accountability for# the harms that have already## been perpetrated and move forward.

This# is exactly the wrong direction to go.

JOHN YANG: Both Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frye# and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz warned against## doing anything that could sort of be served, be# used as a pretext for sending in more federal## agents.

What do you say to that?

Was that a# concern when you were organizing these events?

LISA GILBERT: Well, our events are First# Amendment rights protests.

So long as they## are nonviolent and peaceful, which they have been# and which was the goal and undergirded all of## our organizing.

We were not concerned that what# were doing could spark reaction of this nature.

However, we know the Trump administration is# seeking any excuse to put further troops into## the nation to militarize at higher levels.# We've even been fearful, as many know,## of the Insurrection Act being invoked at any# spurious pretext.

So we are of course always## worried about what the Trump administration# will do.

They have clear authoritarian goals.

But I think what we can control is# how peaceful and clear our actions## are.

And they're needed in this moment of# violence.

We need to stand up together.

JOHN YANG: And do you think the# momentum will keep up tomorrow?

LISA GILBERT: I do, absolutely.

I think we've# only seen growth throughout the day.

Yesterday## there were 500 events.

By the night there were# 800, by the morning there were a thousand,## and so on and so forth.

People are# really outraged and it's showing up## everywhere across the country and# we expect it to continue building.

JOHN YANG: Lisa Gilbert, co-president# of Public Citizen, thank you very much.

LISA GILBERT: Thank you.

JOHN YANG: And tonight's other headlines.

Tensions# are escalating in Iran as protests near a second## week.

Today, Iran's attorney general warned# that protesters could face the death penalty.## President Trump has warned of retribution if# peaceful protesters are met with violence.

Despite efforts to clamp down on dissent,# demonstrations have grown fueled by anger## with the hard line ruling regime and the# worsening economy.

Human rights watchers## say at least 72 people have been killed and more# than 2,000 detained since the protests began.

The U.S.

military confirmed this evening that# it conducted several large scale strikes against## ISIS in Syria in retaliation for an ambush# on American forces last month.

U.S.

Central## Command said several airstrikes were launched# throughout Syria as part of Operation Hawkeye## Strike.

It's an effort to target Islamic# terrorism and prevent future attacks.

Last## month's attack killed two U.S.

troops and# a civilian translator working in Palmyra.

President Trump has moved to tighten U.S.

control# over revenue from the sale of Venezuelan oil.

An## executive order aims to prevent legal claims# on the funds by putting the money beyond the## reach of the courts.

The administration# says the purpose is to ensure economic## and political stability in Venezuela and to# curb illegal immigration.

It says the money## will be the property of Venezuela but# will be held in U.S.

treasury accounts.

Mr.

Trump signed the order after meeting# with more than a dozen oil executives at## the White House in an effort to raise $100 billion# investments to fix Venezuela's oil infrastructure.

And rescuers in the Philippines# say there's hope of finding more## survivors in a massive avalanche of garbage.

Disaster response teams say they're sending## special equipment to the scene after detecting# signs of life.

Four people were killed and dozens## went missing on Thursday after a mountain# of garbage suddenly collapsed.

Rescuers## have been racing the clock to find survivors.# So far, 12 injured workers have been rescued.

Still to come on PBS News Weekend,# with voting underway in Myanmar,## what's at stake as the country's civil war# rages on.

And a peek behind the curtain of## one of Silicon Valley's most secretive# and common controversial companies.

(BREAK) JOHN YANG: This weekend in Myanmar,# which is also known as Burma,## the second phase of national elections is# underway.

It's the first election since## the ruling military regime seized power five# years ago.

But with major opposition parties## barred from participating, leaders jailed, and# an ongoing civil war keeping many from voting,## the process is widely criticized as a sham.# Special correspondent Kira Kay has our story.

KIRA KAY (voice-over): The newsroom of the# Democratic Voice of Burma, DVB is on countdown,## their 2:00 p.m.

broadcast about to go live.# Today's news is the bombing of a hospital## by the Burmese military who took control# of the country in a coup five years ago.

Although the junta says they were striking# rebels, they are fighting, DVB's reporters## confirm that 34 civilians were killed, including# a pregnant woman and a three month old baby.

AYE CHAN NAING, Democratic Voice of# Burma: You see all these bombing in## Gaza or bombing in Ukraine almost# every day on the TV and similar## things happening in Burma every day.

We're# seeing two or three airstrikes every day.

KIRA KAY (voice-over): Aye Chan Naing, DVB's# founder, relies on a network of journalists who## risk their lives daily to get footage out of the# country.

The newsroom sits in northern Thailand.

KIRA KAY: And this is all across the country?

KIRA KAY (voice-over): It had been founded in# exile in 1992 and now finds itself there again## after the coup.

Life in Myanmar today is a# far cry from its so called decade of hope,## which began in 2010 when the long repressed## country first tentatively opened# to the world and tried democracy.

That's when Nobel Prize winning opposition leader# Aung San Suu Kyi was released from house arrest,## allowed to run for parliament and eventually# became the country's de facto leader.

The## United States engaged, funding democracy efforts# and encouraging investment.

Newsrooms opened.

AYE CHAN NAING: We were quite excited to be able# to move back to Burma.

We were able to travel## around the country.

We can do stories from# anywhere.

Young people are really enjoying## the freedom, mobile phone, internet, it's# affordable to almost everybody and lots## of foreign companies are coming in.

So it's# a pretty promising future for the country.

KIRA KAY (voice-over): But the military never# fully let go.

The constitution guaranteed them## 25 percent of the seats in Parliament, giving them# an effective veto over true reform.

And the army's## genocide of the minority Rohingya people, which# happened under Aung San Suu Kyi's leadership,## was a black stain on her reputation.

She walked a# fragile line with the military from the beginning.

AUNG SAN SUU KYI: If you have read the present# constitution, you will understand that without## the backing of the military.

We can never say# that we are really on the road to democracy.

KIRA KAY (voice-over): Then on February 1, 2021,## following another humiliating loss at# the polls and claiming election fraud,## the military ended the democracy experiment.# Newly elected parliamentarians, including## these three from Aung San Suu Kyi's party,# were about to be sworn in for the new term.

THIDA NYEIN, Mandalay Regional Parliament# (through translator): They detained U.S.## regional representatives elect# at 2:00 a.m.

i.. Some of the male representatives were taken# away with hoods over their heads.

Civil## servants and students launched a nonviolent# protestant.

But then the junta cracked down.

THIDA WIN, Myanmar National Parliament# (through translator): We had to launch## our resistance together.

Students and# ot.. public.

None of us wanted to do armed# resistance.

But we had no other choice.

YIN MIN HLAING, Myanmar National# Parliament (through translator):## I took a leading role in organizing# units of the People's Defense Fo.. held basic military trainings on the border in# coordination with people from my constituency.

KIRA KAY (voice-over): Five years later,# Myanmar is in the grips of a brutal civil## war that an increasingly desperate junta has# not been able to win despite help from abroad.

TOM ANDREWS, Special Rapporteur for# Myanmar: We've been tracing the use## of sophisticated weapons of war to attack# civilians.

Where is the junta getting these## weapons?

Who's supplying them?

Well,# Russia number one, China number two.

KIRA KAY (voice-over): Tom Andrews# is a former U.S.

congressman and## current Special Rapporteur for# Myanmar to the United Nations.

TOM ANDREWS: The international# community has been not only## not providing the requisite# levels of humanitarian aid,## but have been unwilling to provide the pressures# necessary to back this military junta off.

KIRA KAY (voice-over): Western sanctions# on jet fuel and Myanmar's banking systems## have been partial and uncoordinated.# The Trump administration dropped some## American sanctions on allies of# the ruling generals this summer.

KIRA KAY: Aung San Suu Kyi.

Where# has she been?

Has anyone seen her?

TOM ANDREWS: No, we just don't know# what her condition is.

We don't know## where she is.

We've heard reports of# her being moved to harsher conditions,## but it's very difficult to get information.

KIRA KAY (voice-over): While fighting# rages in the country.

Across the border## in neighboring Thailand, a pro-democracy movement# is flourishing comprised of one selected leaders.

NAY PHONE LATT, National Unity Government: I will# try my best to take down this military junta.

KIRA KAY (voice-over): The NewsHour first met# Nay Phone Latt 10 years ago as he registered## to be a first time candidate with his father in# tow.

We next met him in hiding in 2022 as helped## establish a pro-democracy national cabinet.# He admits he's tired, but no less determined.

NAY PHONE LATT: The young generation and# Generation Z, they are fighting against## military junta forces in the battlefield.

Compared# with them, you know, my situation is not so bad.

KIRA KAY (voice-over): Those young forces# have gained territory from junta control and## local administrations are taking over with# guidance from the pro-democracy leadership.

NAY PHONE LATT: In some control area, we have# to give the public service to the people,## especially education and also the hair care# system.

And also there are so many public## service things.

So we are trying to give# that kind of public service to the people.

KIRA KAY (voice-over): The women# parliamentarians are also actively## coordinating aid and services for the# communities in most desperate need.

WOMAN: Now we are collecting taxes# and rely on that money for public## services.

My ministry is the Ministry# of Electricity and Energy.

We oversee## road construction and can also provide# electricity to hundreds of villages.

But now, despite having lost control# of significant parts of the country,## Myanmar's military government has decided this# is the time to hold a new nationwide election.

TOM ANDREWS: The junta knows how much they# would lose in a free and fair election.

So## they're doing everything possible to go# through this ruse, this charade of an## election.

We're going to make sure that the actual# political parties that would overwhelmingly win,## that they're all outlawed.

We'll make sure that# freedom of speech is outlawed and hope that## the international community is going to ignore# everything and accept this so called election.

KIRA KAY (voice-over): Inside Myanmar,## brave Burmese activists are urging a boycott# openly on public str.. their lives.

There have already been more# than 300 arrests under a new so called## election interference law with violators# facing the potential of the death penalty.

YIN MIN HLAING (through translator): I# feel abandoned and have much less faith## in democracy.

The world doesn't need to do a# lot of things to help Myanmar.

First recognize## our truly elected leadership, put pressure on for# the release of our leaders, help prevent jet fuel## and arms by sanctioning and other methods,# and strongly reject these sham elections.

TOM ANDREWS: You have champions on the front# lines of the very values that are supposed## to be about what Americans are all about.

It's# also in our national security interests.

This## is a very strategically important part of the# world, the natural resources that are there.

The United States and other countries# really have an opportunity here to stand## for principle but also sees strategic interest.

KIRA KAY (voice-over): Myanmar's military# government says it will announce final results## after a third round of voting at the end of# January.

Voter turnout so far has been low.## For PBS News Weekend, I'm Kira Kay# along Thailand's border with Myanmar.

JOHN YANG: On January 26, the Trump# administration will end temporary## protected status for about 4,000 Burmese# refugees in the United States, saying it's## now safe for them to return.

Advocates for# these refugees say most of them are human## rights defenders who would be targeted by the# military regime if they were forced to go back.

Multimillion dollar Palantir Technologies# is one of the most secretive and powerful## companies in Silicon Valley.

It develops# software that can quickly analyze massive## amounts of data.

It's used by government# agencies, the military and major corporations.## A new book, "The Philosopher in the Valley: Alex# Karp, Palantir and the Rise of the Surveillance"## gives readers a glimpse inside this controversial# tech firm and its outspoken and colorful CEO.

Ali Rogin spoke with the author, New York Times# Magazine contributing writer Michael Steinberger.

ALI ROGIN: Michael, thank you so much# for joining us.

Let's start with the## most essential question.

Who is# Alex Karp and what is Palantir?

MICHAEL STEINBERGER, Author, "The Philosophy in# the Valley": Alex Karp is the CEO and co-founder## of Palantir.

And Palantir is a technology firm# that specializes in data analytics.

It makes## software that enables organizations to make# faster, more efficient use of their own data.## It's important to clear up some of the things# that Palantir doesn't do.

It doesn't collect## data.

It doesn't store data, and it doesn't# sell data.

It just enables organizations,## and these are typically large organizations,# to make better use of their own data.

ALI ROGIN: Depending on who you talk# to, Palantir is an amazing tool for## data collection and efficiency, or it's very# dangerous technology that has potential for## great abuse.

Why is it that this company arouses## such strong feelings on both sides?

MICHAEL STEINBERGER: Because both of those## things are true.

It enables lots of companies# to make big better use of the information## they collect.

It makes their businesses more# efficient, their operations more efficient.

But Palantir also works, for instance, with the# CIA and a number of other clandestine services.## Its technology is being used now by ICE to help# facilitate deportations here in the United States.## So it's used by a wide range of organizations.# Most of the work it does is pretty benign.

Some of## it is quite laudable.

But then there's other stuff# that gives a lot of people cause for concern.

ALI ROGIN: Much of the book is a case study# on who Alex Karp is.

And you write about the## fact that he is not a tech guy by training,# by background, but he does seem to embody## the dominant Silicon Valley ethos right now# with a lot of these companies making these## very powerful technologies with little to no# oversight, with great potential for misuse.

But what they say is if we don't make# them, these tools are going to fall## into the hands of the bad guys.

How do you# think about that as it relates to Alex Karp?

MICHAEL STEINBERGER: Well, that# has always been Karp's pitch.

He## has emphasized for over 20 years now that# Palantir takes great care to guard privacy,## is very concerned about protecting civil# liberties.

Basically, the idea has always## been that its software can enable law enforcement# to find the bad guys without pulling millions of## innocent people into their dragnet and so his# pitch essentially has always been, trust me.

But, you know, the reality is that Palantir# doesn't police the use of its own technology.## It is up to the client to decide how rigorously,# for instance, they wish to enforce the privacy## controls that the software is equipped# with.

And the concern has always been that## technology this powerful can lend itself to# abuse.

And there have been instances of abuse.

And there are obviously a lot of concerns at# the present moment about how it's being used,## for instance, by the U.S.

government,# by different government agencies.

ALI ROGIN: I want to press on# that.

You write in the book about## how Karp has defended his work with ICE.

Palantir# has had contracts with ICE for a number of years,## and, of course, ICE is coming under greater# scrutiny these days due to some of its actions.

How would you think Karp would explain Palantir's# work with ICE if he were asked about it today?

MICHAEL STEINBERGER: Well, he has defended# Palantir's work with ice.

You know, his view## on immigration has evolved.

During the first# Trump presidency, when Palantir software was## being used by ICE, he did not agree with Donald# Trump's views on immigration.

He's now singing## a very different tune during the second Trump# presidency.

He believes that the 2024 election,## among other things, signaled that basically# Americans wanted to keep the demographics of## the country the same way, and that essentially# empowered Trump to pursue this crackdown.

And you know, Karp has made very clear# that Palantir is happy to work with ICE to## implement that policy.

I have not spoken to him# about what happened in Minneapolis, for instance,## but he has kind of brushed aside the# concerns that people have expressed,## even people internally at Palantir, about# the work the company is doing with ice.

ALI ROGIN: And your book paints a really detailed# and intimate picture of who he is as a person,## his eccentricities.

And one of the things I wanted## to ask you about is the fact that his# alma mater, which you share with him,## Haverford College, will not invite him to# speak.

Why is he so obsessed with that?

MICHAEL STEINBERGER: Well, I# think with a lot of these guys,## there's always something in their lives,# something.

Someone not acknowledging## their success, someone not giving# them what they think they're due.

And for much of the time that I was reporting# the book, this was kind of a jokey thing.

I mean,## he would kind of joke about it, but# you knew that he was being serious.## He was very irritated that Haverford# wasn't inviting him to speak on campus## at commencement or on any other occasion,# despite the success he's had leading Palantir.

But it turned more serious after October# 7, after the October 7 massacre in Israel,## when protests erupted on college campuses across# the United States, including at Haverford.

And## he was very angry about what was happening# on the Haverford campus to the point that## he said to me that he would never give# a dime to the school.

So what's kind of## a joking through line through much of the# book turns quite serious towards the end.

ALI ROGIN: Michael Steinberger, the new# book is "The Philosopher in the Valley":## Thank you so much for joining us.

MICHAEL STEINBERGER: Thank you for having me.

JOHN YANG:## And that is PBS News Weekend f.. I'm John Yang.

For all of my colleagues,# thanks for joining us.

See you tomorrow.