ALI ROGIN: Tonight on PBS News Weekend, millions# turn out in what organizers call an historic## flood of nationwide protests to push back against# President Trump and his administration's policies.

Then, a little known that helped# create China's infamous Internet## firewall is quietly selling the system# to other countries around the world.

And a new book from a former CDC# director offers an insider's formula## for defeating the world's worst diseases# and winning the battle for good health.

MAN: Nobody's going to slap sunblock on you# or move your legs to exercise.

There's certain## things that you need to do yourself.

But we# as a society can do things that will allow## each of us to live longer, healthier# lives and as a country, to be helpful.

(BREAK) ALI## ROGIN: Good even.. today for a coordinated day of protest against# President Donald Trump and his administration's## policies.

Organizers expected more than 2,600# No Kings rallies in big cities and small towns## across all 50 states and some European capitals,# including Paris, London, Madrid and Berlin.

A similar event in June brought out more than 5## million demonstrators across# the country.

But this time,## organizers the mobilization was even bigger.

ALI ROGIN (voice-over): Today's protests spanned## the nation and other parts of the globe.

Massive# crowds turned out in major cities including New## York, Washington, D.C., Boston and Chicago.# Demonstrators also gathered in tiny towns## like this one in rural Virginia and across the# country.

They all shared a singular message.

SEN.

CHRIS MURPHY (D) Connecticut:# Simple words, no kings.

ALISON ELLIOTT: We want to show our support# for democracy and for fighting what is right.

ALI ROGIN (voice-over): Protesters named# immigration raids and President Donald## Trump's deployment of the National Guard to# certain cities.

Among the reasons they came out.

MAN: He should not be able to conduct these# overreaches of his power invading cities.

JENNIE LITSER-NEVES: As an# immigrant here in Germany,## it's really important to me that America was# founded on immigrants, by immigrants and the## fact that they are trying to shut that out# and rewrite history is a really big deal.

ALI ROGIN (voice-over): President# Trump's allies criticized the## rallies as gatherings of extremists.

On Friday,## House Speaker Mike Johnson said they showed# how fringe the political left had become.

REP.

MIKE JOHNSON, Speaker of the House: If you# think about what's going to happen here tomorrow,## you're going to bring together# the Marxists, the socialists,## the Antifa advocates, the anarchists and the# pro-Hamas wing of the far left Democrat Party,## that is the modern Democratic# Party.

That's where they've gone.

ALI ROGIN (voice-over): But on streets# across America, the crowds were energized,## what organizers said was a large# scale exercise in peaceful protest.

ALI ROGIN: For more now on those protests, we# turn to Robert Weissman, co-president of Public## Citizen, a consumer advocacy group that is one# of the protest organizers.

Robert, thank you so## much for being here.

You just got back from the# D.C.

rally downtown from your office.

How was it?

ROBERT WEISSMAN, Co-President, Public# Citizen: How was awesome.

We had hundreds## of thousands of people on the street to# protest Dona.. It was passionate, then it was joyful.

There# was a dance party on the steps of the Labor## Department where people inflatable# costumes.

There were hysterical signs.

But there was a really clear message# that we intend to defend our democracy## by exercising our democratic rights.# We're not capitulating to Donald## Trump and his authoritarianism, his# effort to scare us into submission.

ALI ROGIN: And as we mentioned,# the turnout today was anticipated## to be bigger than the no Kings# protests that were held in June,## with more people attending and more rallies# across the country.

Why do you think that is?

ROBERT WEISSMAN: I think there's two things# going on.

I think that Trump's authoritarianism## is getting worse and mobilizing more people, but I# think his effort to intimidate is failing as well.## And each time people turn out, each time# people protest, each time people stand up,## it makes it easier for the next set of# people to do that.

So we think that today,## when all is said and done, it will have been# the largest day of protest in American history.

All to defend our democracy, oppose the ICE# raids, oppose the National Guard on our streets,## oppose the illegal firings of federal employees,# opposing the illegal shutdown of agencies.

And## more people want a government that works for us,# not for Donald Trump and his oligarch friends.

ALI ROGIN: You mentioned some of the# issues that drove people out today.

I'm## wondering what you've been hearing from folks# participating in the rally in D.C.

all over## the rest of the country.

Are people motivated# by individual issues?

Are they motivated by## the overall approach of this administration, or# have you found it to be a combination of factors?

ROBERT WEISSMAN: Yeah, I think it's both.

I# mean, I think people are really worried about## the fate of our country and understand# that, in total, what Trump is trying## to do is take away our democracy and# replace it with authoritarian regime.

So some people may be more motivated# by the pressure on universities or by## the illegal abductions of immigrants or# by the deployment of the National Guard,## or by the shutdown of the Consumer# Financial Protection Bureau that's## protecting us from financial fraudsters, or by# the weaponization of the Department of Justice.

But everybody understands whatever# the thing that gets them going,## it's all part of a bigger tapestry of this# authoritarian agenda, and they're ready,## willing, and passionate about standing up to it.

ALI ROGIN: As you well know, Republicans,# other allies of President Trump, have been## criticizing these rallies.

Speaker Mike Johnson# referred to it as a Hate America Day of Protest,## and that it's -- it was really there to# stand against everything that America## stands for.

And I wonder, what# do you make of that criticism?

ROBERT WEISSMAN: Well, it was both# ridiculous.

We had millions of## Americans on the street today from# all walks of life, in every state,## in every congressional district, in Speaker# Johnson's district, with 12 different events,## all kinds of people.

They don't# hate America, they love America.

But it was shameful, too, because you may# disagree with what the protesters are asking for,## but you should be embracing and celebrating# our right to protest instead of telling us stay## home and be quiet or claiming that we're seeking# violence by exercising our First Amendment rights.

Protest is what's driven every significant moment# of progress in American history, including our## independence.

And it's protest now that's going to# block this authoritarian agenda of Donald Trump.

ALI ROGIN: And what do you want Americans# to take away from today's events?

ROBERT WEISSMAN: I think what Trump is trying# to do is make people feel scared and isolated## and that his agenda is inevitable.

And when you# see this outpouring of people on the streets,## even if you weren't part of it, you# should know that you're not alone,## that people don't agree with this agenda.

And# if you didn't join today, join the next one.## Find a community organization.

There's power# in togetherness and in solidarity and love.

And I think that's the way we're going# to defeat authoritarianism.

That's what## the best of what America is, when we# come together unified.

And I think## that's what we display today and people who# weren't part of it.

Join us the next time.

ALI ROGIN: Robert Weissman with Public## Citizen.

Thank you so much.

ROBERT WEISMAN: Thank you.

ALI ROGIN: In tonight's other headlines, there# is uncertainty whether Palestinians trying to## get back to Gaza will have a way through the# Rafah border crossing.

The Palestinian Embassy## in Egypt said the crossing will reopen Monday.

But# Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office## issued its own statement today that saying the# crossing will remain closed until further notice.

Before the war, the Rafah crossing, which# connects the Gaza Strip to Egypt, was the## only way for Palestinians to leave the area along# a route not controlled by Israel.

Israel said all## the bodies of the hostages must be returned# before the crossing can be allowed to reopen.

Late this evening, the IDF said# it would soon receive the remains## of several hostages.

Hamas blames its slow# progress in returning remains on a lack of## heavy machinery to dig through the rubble# and ash of what's left of the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, Gaza Civil Defense blamed the# Israeli military for the deaths of nearly## a dozen people overnight.

It's been widely# reported that 11 people from the same family## were killed after their bus was hit by a tank# shell.

The IDF said its soldiers fired at a## suspicious vehicle that crossed into an area# where Israeli forces continue to operate.

This## is the deadliest incident since the# ceasefire took effect eight days ago.

President Trump said tonight two survivors# who were detained after a U.S.

strike on a## vessel Thursday in the Caribbean will# be returned to their home countries.

In a social media post, the president# said the military targeted an alleged## drug carrying submarine because it was going# to bring fentanyl and other narcotics to the## US.

Two people on board were killed while two# survivors were rescued.

According to Mr.

Trump,## they will soon be sent to Ecuador and# Colombia, where they will face detention## and prosecution.

Thursday's strike is at least# the sixth such attack since early September.

Former Congressman George Santos is out# of prison and back home tonight after## President Trump commuted his sentence.# The president wrote on social media that## he decided to sign the commutation to# release Santos from prison on Friday,## in part because Santos would always# vote Republican when he was in office.

Santos, a Republican who represented New York's# 3rd congressional district, was set to serve seven## years in federal prison after he pled guilty# in August to fraud and identity theft charges.

And baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani cemented# the Los Angeles Dodgers spot in the World Series## thanks to his hitting and pitching talents.# Ohtani hit three home runs, had 10 strikeouts## and pitched six shutout innings to lead his team# to a 5-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers late## Friday.

The Dodgers will soon try to earn# their third World Series ring since 2020.

Still to come on PBS News Weekend, a massive leak# exposes how a small company is exporting China's## Great Firewall to the world and the formula for# better health from a former director of the CDC.

(BREAK) ALI ROGIN: It's known as the Great Firewall,# and it's what the Chinese government uses to## censor the internet inside its country and# block access to select foreign websites.## Now a leak of tens of thousands of documents# shows that a little known Chinese company## with ties to that firewall is exporting those# tools to other countries in Africa and Asia,## including Myanmar, Pakistan,# Kazakhstan and Ethiopia.

Recently, I spoke with Zeyi Yang, a senior writer# at Wired who has been following the story.

Zeyi## Yang, thank you so much for joining us.

First# of all, what do we know about the release of## these documents itself?

What does it tell us?

ZEYI YANG, Senior Writer, WIRED: So this is a# trove of over 100,000 documents that came from## anonymous leak.

And collectively we see that# this documents coming from a Chinese company,## Geedge Network, shows that they have# very advanced capability to monitor## the internet traffic that goes into a# whole country and that they're trying## to sell and have succeeded in selling this# technology to some foreign governments.

ALI ROGIN: And this technology we believe,# also undergirds the great firewall itself.## So let's take a step back and talk# about how that firewall itself works.

ZEYI YANG: Anyone of the 1.4# billion people in China right now,## if they are trying to access internet through# their laptops, through their mobile phone,## they will have to go through this filtering# system that decides what information they## can get.

And they cannot.

It means that# blocking certain websites that you cannot see,## it means filtering all the results# that you get on search engines.

So it's really a very big infrastructure# that makes sure people can only see the## content that the government# deems acceptable to be seen.

ALI ROGIN: And this trove of documents# reveals the extent to which this company## Geedge is part of this infrastructure.# But of course there's also information## about the way in which it's selling# this technology to other countries.## So what do we know specifically# about that part of their endeavor?

ZEYI YANG: What we know so far is that# Geedge is a company that mostly operates## like any other commercial cybersecurity# company.

It has hardware and software## products that it sells to foreign# governments and it helps them makes## a very user friendly software to monitor# the traffic coming into their country.

ALI ROGIN: And what does this# company say in response to## criticism that it's engaging in this# with other authoritarian countries?

ZEYI YANG: I don't think a company# has responded to what we found this## time.

But over the years this company has# been mostly low profile.

It hasn't really## been the company that people talk about when# they talk about Chinese square firewall.

But## we are seeing that they actually# have quite advanced capabilities## and I'm sure we'll see them in news# headlines a lot more in the future.

ALI ROGIN: And can you tell us# about the connections that one## of Geedge shareholders has to the# creation of the Great Firewall?

ZEYI YANG: One thing we found is that back in# 2019, the second year that Gage was founded,## Fang Bingxin, which is a scientist in China, was# actually one of the investors in the companies.## And this is the guy who also created the very# first prototype of Chinese grid firewall and## was credited as the father of China's# Great Firewall.

And this might be one## of his attempts to commercialize that kind of# technology and sell it to foreign governments.

ALI ROGIN: Much of this is very opaque.# But what do we know about the strategy## here of reaching out to particular# countries?

Is China and or Geedge## specifically courting other countries# with records of human rights abuses?

ZEYI YANG: Well, what we do know is that they# are targeting companies who already have a will## in censorship.

For example, before Geedge comes# in, the Pakistani government actually has worked## with other companies from the Western hemisphere# to build their own internet censorship system.## But then those companies are sanctioned# and they have to withdraw from those local## business in Pakistan.

And that's when# Geedge find an opportunity to come in.

They basically marketed the technology# to repurpose the hardware that Pakistan## government already have and use them to build# this more comprehensive, more updated censorships## infrastructure.

And what we see is that the# Pakistani government has agreed to do that.

ALI ROGIN: And there is some data linking# specific countries to using the technology## already.

But what do we know about other# countries that might also be seeking it?

ZEYI YANG: One thing we found this time is# that Geedge Networks has been recruiting## more engineers to maintain its infrastructure# overseas.

And in one specific recording post,## they specifically named five countries that# engineers might have to be troubled to.

And## those are Pakistan, Bahrain,# India, Malaysia and Algeria.

But we also know that Geedge has been hiring# translator who can speak Spanish and French.## So it's fair to say they are probably going# to target a lot more countries out there.

ALI ROGIN: The documents also show# that Geedge is providing services## within China to certain provincial# governments, including in Xinjiang,## where the government is accused# of committing human rights abuses## against the Uyghur Muslim minority.

What# do we know about that part of the project?

ZEYI YANG: I think this is one of the more# surprising findings from this leak.

We're## seeing that the experience of building a# commercialized product of censorship is also## helpful within China.

It's also attractive# to provincial government within China.

For example, in Xinjiang there will# be counterterrorism.

That will be how## to deal with the ethnic minorities# within this province.

But also in## some other provinces in China, it could be# detecting and combating financial scams.

ALI ROGIN: What does this tell us# about the way that Chinese corporations## work on behalf of the Chinese government's aims?

ZEYI YANG: I think this really demystifies# a lot of the ideas about the Great Firewall## because it seems it's so capable, it has# to be built by the government.

But in fact,## a lot of the things in there can come# back to commercialized operations.

ALI ROGIN: Is there anything we can deduce about## China's end game here in terms# of its geopolitical strategy?

ZEYI YANG: I think China very much like# other countries to adopt a kind of Internet## management system that's similar to China's,# because one thing we're seeing right now is## that countries are taking sides when it comes to# how will Internet look like in the next decade.

And China, with its Belt and Road Initiative# and with its other big foreign investment## projects are trying to get more countries# to be on its side.

And what Geedge offers,## I think is one of the things that other# government actually are interested in## because a lot of governments want to have more# control over what their citizens are seeing.## And so this is part of the offer that China can# provide to other countries to join their side.

ALI ROGIN: So interesting.# Zeyi Yang with WIRED.

Thank## you so much for joining us.

ZEYI YANG: Thank you, Ali.

ALI ROGIN: It isn't hard to find advice# for how to live a healthier life.## It's working that guidance into your daily# routine that can be the most difficult## part.

Turning those suggestions# for better health into effective## policy is the challenge public health# professionals grapple with every day.

And right now, officials who work on these# issues are under even more pressure than## usual.

Just this past weekend, the White house# fired about 1,300 staffers at the Centers for## Disease Control before rehiring half of them.# Former CDC director Dr.

Tom Frieden's new book,## "The Formula for Better Health,"# takes on these challenges.

In it,## he shares lessons from his own public# health career about how to close the gap## between awareness of health challenges# and the actions needed to solve them.

Dr.

Frieden, thank you so much# for joining us.

This book spans## your experiences over your entire career,# which you spent as a disease detective,## as New York City health commissioner during# a massive tuberculosis outbreak.

You were## CDC director during the Ebola crisis.

And# then you also witnessed the COVID pandemic.

As a former CDC director, why was it important# to you to write this book at this time?

DR.

TOM FRIEDEN, Author, "The Formula for Better# Health": I began writing this book a decade## ago in the world's first Ebola epidemic, when# West Africa was struggling with health systems## in free fall.

And it became really clear that# people don't understand what public health is,## why it is so important.

It might make the# difference between their life and their## death.

And for people in public health, there's# a lot to learn about how to do it successfully.

ALI ROGIN: You talk about the importance of# public health.

Not just that, but also the ways## in which it complements individual choices that# people make to keep their health up.

You write,## quote, promoting changes individual behavior is# not the core of public health.

It's a symptom## of public health failure.

When public# health succeeds, societal changes make## the individual's default choices healthy.

I# thought that really summed it up really well.

So why is it that public health# is a really important complement## to those individual choices?

Why is# it such a key part of the formula?

TOM FRIEDEN: It's not a question of,# is it individual responsibility or## societal responsibility?

It's both.

Society has a# responsibility to structure things so that if you## just go with the flow and go about your business,# you won't end up sick or disabled or dying young.

At the same time, it doesn't take any of us# off the hook.

There are things that we can do## as individuals.

Nobody's going to slap sunblock# on you or move your legs to exercise.

There are## certain things that you need to do yourself.

But# we as a society, we collectively as a community,## can do things that I outline in this book# that will allow each of us to live longer,## healthier lives.

They will help# our businesses be more productive,## our economy better, and as# a country, to be healthier.

ALI ROGIN: You also write about how public health# falls victim to what you call the Cassandra Curse,## named for the prophet of Greek mythology# who was able to see future tragedies,## but cursed so that nobody# would believe her.

Give us## an example of the Cassandra Curse# and how do we break free from it?

TOM FRIEDEN: Fundamentally, the Cassandra Curse# is about our inability to take actions in our own## best interest.

And what drives it.

What became# clear, as I did the research for this book,## what drives it is that our perceptions of# ourselves, of our world and of the future, are## not accurate.

There are inaccuracies there that# make us vulnerable to getting harmed or killed.

One of them is something called hyperbolic# discounting that we shortchange the future.## If smokers knew that they had a 50-50 chance# of dropping dead after their next cigarette,## very few people would smoke.

And# yet the likelihood of dying from## tobacco use is 50 percent, unless people quit.

One thing that we can do is we can imagine those# distant consequences as happening tomorrow,## or we can reward ourselves with things that# are good in the short term and also good in## the long term.

There are ways to break the# Cassandra Curse, but if we don't do that,## we may be condemned to tragic illnesses# and deaths that could have been prevented.

ALI ROGIN: And the framework for breaking that# curse that you lay out, you call it that See,## Believe, create, formula.

How does that work?

TOM FRIEDEN: The formula for better health is# a formula that has already saved millions of## lives.

It can save millions more, and it may# save your own.

It is see, believe, create,## see the invisible.

See things that are# affecting your health or driving things## in society or blocking your from acting or whether## or not you're succeeding.

See that# clearly to understand your health.

Believe that you can make a difference.# Because sometimes we think things are## inevitable when they're not.

And then the hardest# part, create a healthier future through rigorous,## simple, clear, systematic action# that overcomes the barriers that## will otherwise undermine our health, our# children's health, our community's health.

ALI ROGIN: The HHS is in a# period of tremendous upheaval.## Many of the programs that you champion in# this book that are critical to this formula,## such as surveillance of communities over the long# term, global health efforts, have been affected## and many of them cut.

What concerns you most# about this moment we're in terms of public health?

TOM FRIEDEN: What we're seeing is# very aggressive destruction of our## public health protections.

And you see# sometimes some of the things put back,## disease detectives put back, or people who# are working on Ebola outbreaks put back,## or the National Center for Health Statistics,# some of those individuals restored.

What worries me is that think of public health# as a house.

You know, if the window or the## door or the roof falls off, you fix it.

But if the# basics, if the foundations are being undermined,## we are less safe and we as a country# will be sicker.

We will have higher## health care costs and we will have tragic# illnesses that could have been prevented.

ALI ROGIN: The tone of this book# is still very optimistic despite## some of the challenges.

What# gives you optimism right now?

TOM FRIEDEN: I am optimistic.

Facts are# stubborn things and even if they are## ignored and suppressed, they're still facts.

And# everyone wants to live a longer, healthier life.## And there are many things that we can agree on.# We should have healthier food.

Everyone should## have a primary care clinician who supports their# health.

Our health care system should do much## more for our health and we should get conflicts# of interest out of the decision making process.

ALI ROGIN: The book is "The Formula# for Better Health."

Dr.

Tom Frieden,## thank you so much for joining us.

TOM FRIEDEN: Thank you.

ALI ROGIN: And that's our program for tonight.# I'm Ali Rogin.

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

See you tomorrow.