Page 763 – Texas Weekly Online

Soldier students: Job training gives hope to Myanmar’s military defectors

Myanmar-Thailand border – At a secret gathering above a cafe in a town on the Myanmar-Thailand border, Ko Aye examined the inside of an Android phone alongside 10 fellow defectors from Myanmar’s military and police forces. The trainer, an ex-captain in the Myanmar army, guided the group through the process of repairing a mobile phone, a skill that could help them build a future beyond the conflict they recently left behind. Having fled the notorious institutions they were once part of, these former police officers and soldiers now live in Thailand, near the Myanmar border, where they are learning new skills to adapt to a peaceful civilian life. “If Myanmar gets peace one day, I’ll return and repair phones there,” said Ko Aye, a transgender man, for whom the workshops mark a new chapter in a resilient life journey. “Although I’ll have to practise on some broken ones at home first,” Ko Aye added with a smile, wearing one of his homemade tie-dye shirts – a craft he taught himself to earn money. A defector from Myanmar’s armed forces learns to repair mobile phones near the Myanmar-Thailand border on November 2, 2024 [Valeria Mongelli/Al Jazeera] Mocked by colleagues about his gender during his time as an airport police officer, 31-year-old Ko Aye defected after the Myanmar military coup in February 2021. He retrained as a medic with the country’s pro-democracy resistance movement and it was during that time that Ko Aye witnessed firsthand the devastation of air attacks on the civilian population who are resisting military rule in Myanmar. Eventually, Ko Aye fled to Thailand in search of safety and mental recuperation. He is now part of the first cohort of graduates from a vocational training programme launched by People’s Goal, an advocacy group for military defectors. Alongside fixing mobile phones, the programme offers bicycle, e-bike and motorcycle repair training – skills that can help forge a new path for those who have taken part in years of waging war. A repair instructor and a defector from Myanmar’s armed forces fix a bicycle during an e-bike and bicycle repair workshop on November 1, 2024, near the Myanmar-Thailand border [Valeria Mongelli/Al Jazeera] ‘Our main goal is to give hope’ Many defectors from Myanmar’s army struggle to secure work and accommodation when they arrive in Thailand after fleeing Myanmar. They lack legal residency, exacerbating fears of being arrested by Thai immigration authorities and deported to their country, where they could face torture, long prison sentences, or even execution. Fearing infiltration by military spies into their midst, most of the soldiers-turned-students on the skill training programme prefer to use aliases to protect their identities and shield their families from any potential retaliation back home. “Our main goal is to give hope for people who want to defect,” said Naung Yoe, 40, a former army major who defected three years ago. He explains how People’s Goal also provides safe houses, counselling and political education on democracy and human rights for the former members of the armed forces. Naung Yoe, 40, one of People’s Goal directors, at a training centre near the Thailand-Myanmar border on November 1, 2024 [Valeria Mongelli/Al Jazeera] One of five directors of the organisation, Naung Yoe said the training courses also serve as a beacon for soldiers who are contemplating defection, as members of the armed forces often worry about what awaits them and their families outside the cloistered world of the military. Myanmar is approaching its fourth year of widespread civil war, which erupted after the military removed the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, detained civilian leaders, and then killed people who peacefully protested against the army’s takeover. According to United Nations investigators, reports of systematic torture, gang rape, and child abuse have escalated under military rule. On both sides of Myanmar’s conflict, thousands of young people have been shaped by years of brutality. A generation traumatised and desensitised to violence, with their education disrupted and ready access to weaponry, presents immense challenges for their reintegration into civilian life. Naung Yoe estimated that by December 2023, approximately 10,000 police officers and 3,900 military personnel had defected or surrendered following the coup. He believes that number has since surpassed 15,000, although verifying the exact figure is impossible. People’s Goal also cannot verify whether a former soldier who approaches them for skills training has been involved in war crimes, nor can the group sanction them for such involvement. “Generally, those who have committed war crimes are unlikely to defect,” Naung Yoe said. “They never feel safe outside the military.” If a former soldier confesses to crimes, however, the organisation will pass on information to investigators from international courts that are seeking evidence of such crimes carried out by Myanmar’s military, Naung Yoe said. “Defections weaken [the] regime, and after the revolution, everyone who has committed crimes will have to face justice, somehow,” he added. Former soldiers and analysts say Myanmar’s military brutalises troops, conditioning them to believe their bloody actions are righteous, but access to social media and smartphones has diluted that indoctrination. Naung Yoe explained that soldiers – who are closely watched by their superiors – have less access to information than most of the population, but they are still aware the military is killing civilians. “Those who opposed the killings enough defected,” he told Al Jazeera. “But some defectors have gaps in their knowledge. That’s why we offer democracy training and work with civilian organisations to help them learn.” ‘Now only military power and pressure’ Phone repairs trainer Thet Oo, 30, a former captain in the military, told Al Jazeera he was sceptical about whether vocational training could encourage would-be defectors. Although he is willing to teach soldiers and police officers who have deserted later than others, Thet Oo said he has little time for those “who haven’t stood by the people” and remain in the military. “I’m doing this training to help defectors provide for themselves and improve their lives,” he said. “Enough time

Delhi pollution: Air quality deteriorates to ‘severe’ category in Delhi-NCR; AQI at 419

At 6 am on Saturday, the CPCB recorded Delhi’s AQI at 419, which placed it back in the ‘severe’ category.

Trump picks Dr. Marty Makary as Food and Drug Administration commissioner

President-elect Trump on Friday announced he is nominating Johns Hopkins School of Medicine professor Dr. Marty Makary for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner. “I am very pleased to nominate Marty Makary MD, MPH, FACS, for FDA Commissioner,” Trump said in a statement. “FDA has lost the trust of Americans, and has lost sight of its primary goal as a regulator. The Agency needs Dr. Marty Makary, a Highly Respected Johns Hopkins Surgical Oncologist and Health Policy Expert, to course-correct and refocus the Agency.” Makary’s nomination comes after Trump nominated Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to “Make America healthy again.” TRUMP APPOINTS DR. OZ TO KEY HHS POSITION IN NEW ADMINISTRATION Trump said Makary will “work under the leadership of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to, among other things, properly evaluate harmful chemicals poisoning our Nation’s food supply and drugs and biologics being given to our Nation’s youth, so that we can finally address the Childhood Chronic Disease Epidemic.” Trump in his statement added that Makary, who was a Fox News medical contributor, is also a “member of the prestigious National Academy of Medicine” and “has devoted his career to improving Medical Quality and lowering Hospital and Drug Costs for all Americans. In addition, Dr. Makary is an accomplished Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, and a leading advocate for Healthcare Transparency. He has authored more than 300 scientific articles and three New York Times bestselling books on Healthcare. TRUMP NOMINATES SCOTT BESSENT AS TREASURY SECRETARY; PICKS RUSS VOUGHT TO LEAD BUDGET OFFICE Trump called Makary a “pioneer in the fields of Public Health, Cancer Care, and Surgery, and a tireless voice for vulnerable populations. He is the recipient of the Nobility in Science Award from the National Pancreas Foundation and numerous teaching awards. Dr. Makary currently leads the Evidence-Based Medicine and Public Policy Research Group at Johns Hopkins.” He added, “I am confident that Dr. Makary, having dedicated his career to High-Quality, Lower-Cost Care, will restore FDA to the Gold Standard of Scientific Research, and cut the bureaucratic red tape at the Agency to make sure Americans get the Medical Cures and Treatments they deserve.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Trump made several other announcements Friday evening as he continues his transition, including Dr. Janette Nesheiwat as surgeon general, and Dr. Dave Weldon to head the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Trump picks Scott Turner as secretary of Department of Housing and Urban Development

President-elect Trump nominated Scott Turner as the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Turner, who is chair of the Center for Education Opportunity and is a former professional football player, previously served as executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council (WHORC). “Scott is an NFL Veteran, who, during my First Term, served as the First Executive Director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council (WHORC), helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities,” Trump said in a Friday statement. “Those efforts, working together with former HUD Secretary, Ben Carson, were maximized by Scott’s guidance in overseeing 16 Federal Agencies which implemented more than 200 policy actions furthering Economic Development. Under Scott’s leadership, Opportunity Zones received over $50 Billion Dollars in Private Investment!” GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP’S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR? Turner, a graduate of the University of Illinois, played cornerback for the Washington Redskins before winning a state house race in Texas. He served in the Texas House of Representatives from 2013 to 2017. “Scott is the Founder & CEO of his Family’s Foundation, Community Engagement & Opportunity Council (CEOC), working to revitalize communities across America through Sports, Mentorship, and Economic Opportunity,” he said. “He is also on the Board of the American Cornerstone Institute, and an Associate Pastor at Prestonwood Baptist Church.” “Scott will work alongside me to Make America Great Again for EVERY American,” Trump said. “Congratulations to Scott, his wonderful wife, Robin, and his son, Solomon!”

Trump brings back former aide Sebastian Gorka, ex-State Department official Alex Wong to serve in admin

President-elect Trump on Friday announced that former State Department official Alex Wong will be appointed assistant to the president and principal deputy national security advisor, and that Sebastian Gorka, a former aide, will serve as deputy assistant to the president and senior director for counterterrorism. Both men served under Trump during his first term. Wong served in the State Department as deputy special representative for North Korea, and the deputy assistant secretary for East Asian and pacific affairs. MATT GAETZ SAYS HE WILL NOT SERVE IN THE UPCOMING SESSION OF CONGRESS Gorka, a former Trump aide, previously served as deputy assistant to the president during Trump’s first term. He’s also a former Fox News contributor. “Since 2015, Dr. Gorka has been a tireless advocate for the America First Agenda and the MAGA Movement, serving previously as Strategist to the President in the first Trump Administration,” Trump said. Gorka previously served during the first seven months of the Trump administration as a deputy assistant and strategist focused on foreign policy and national security. He left the Trump White House in 2017. The appointments were part of a slew of announcements from Trump as he begins to shape his cabinet for his second term.

Trump nominates Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer as secretary of labor

President-elect Trump announced on Friday he is nominating Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Ore., for secretary of labor. “I am proud to hereby nominate Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer, from the Great State of Oregon, as United States Secretary of Labor,” Trump wrote in an official statement. “Lori has worked tirelessly with both Business and Labor to build America’s workforce, and support the hardworking men and women of America. I look forward to working with her to create tremendous opportunity for American Workers, to expand Training and Apprenticeships, to grow wages and improve working conditions, to bring back our Manufacturing jobs. Together, we will achieve historic cooperation between Business and Labor that will restore the American Dream for Working Families.” He added, “Lori’s strong support from both the Business and Labor communities will ensure that the Labor Department can unite Americans of all backgrounds behind our Agenda for unprecedented National Success – Making America Richer, Wealthier, Stronger and more Prosperous than ever before!” PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP ANNOUNCES PAM BONDI AS HIS NEW PICK FOR US ATTORNEY GENERAL Chavez-DeRemer was first elected to Congress in 2022, and lost re-election in a close race against Democrat Janelle Bynum earlier this month. Chavez-DeRemer’s candidacy was backed by the Teamsters Union, who Trump allies had been trying to court earlier this year in their bid to broaden the Republican base ahead of the 2024 election. “Thank you @realDonaldTrump for putting American workers first by nominating Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer for US Labor Secretary,” Sean O’Brien, General president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, wrote on X after the announcement. “Nearly a year ago, you joined us for a @Teamsters roundtable and pledged to listen to workers and find common ground to protect and respect labor in America. You put words into action. Now let’s grow wages and improve working conditions nationwide. Congratulations to @LChavezDeRemer on your nomination! North America’s strongest union is ready to work with you every step of the way to expand good union jobs and rebuild our nation’s middle class. Let’s get to work! #TeamsterStrong.” TRUMP’S SPEEDY CABINET PICKS SHOW HIS ‘PRIORITY TO PUT AMERICA FIRST,’ TRANSITION TEAM SAYS Chavez-DeRemer’is the fourth current House Republican selected for the new Trump administration after House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and Reps. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., and Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. Gaetz withdrew from consideration on Thursday. She previously shared a statement after the Teamsters endorsed her for the role. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I’d be honored to have the opportunity to support President Trump’s mission to empower and grow our nation’s workforce,” she said. “Hardworking Americans finally have a lifeline with the president, and I’d work tirelessly to support his impressive efforts to remake the Republican Party into the Party of the American worker,” she said. Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.

Trump picks former Florida Rep. Dr. Dave Weldon as director of CDC

President-elect Trump announced that former Rep. Dr. Dave Weldon, R-Fla., is his pick as the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “In addition to being a Medical Doctor for 40 years, and an Army Veteran, Dave has been a respected conservative leader on fiscal and social issues, and served on the Labor/HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, working for Accountability on HHS and CDC Policy and Budgeting,” Trump said in the Friday evening announcement. “Dave also served in a leading role in Government Oversight and Reform Committee Hearings, addressing issues within HHS and CDC. Dave has successfully worked with the CDC to enact a ban on patents for human embryos,” Trump said. Trump said that Dr. Weldon will play a key part in “Making America Healthy Again,” saying that he will work on correcting “past errors.” “Americans have lost trust in the CDC and in our Federal Health Authorities, who have engaged in censorship, data manipulation, and misinformation,” he said. “Given the current Chronic Health Crisis in our Country, the CDC must step up and correct past errors to focus on the Prevention of Disease. The current Health of Americans is critical, and CDC will play a big role in helping to ensure Americans have the tools and resources they need to understand the underlying causes of diseases, and the solutions to cure these diseases,” Trump added. GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP’S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR? Trump said that Dr. Weldon “understands American Family Values.” “As a father of two and a husband of 45 years, Dave understands American Family Values, and views Health as one of utmost importance,” he said. “Dave will prioritize Transparency, Competence, and High Standards at CDC. Dave will proudly restore the CDC to its true purpose, and will work to end the Chronic Disease Epidemic, and Make America Healthy Again!”

Trump picks Dr. Janette Nesheiwat as nation’s next surgeon general

President-elect Trump has nominated Dr. Janette Nesheiwat as surgeon general. In a statement on Friday evening, Trump said that Dr. Nesheiwat is a “fierce advocate and strong communicator for preventative medicine and public health.” GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP’S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR? “I am proud to announce that Dr. Janette Nesheiwat will be the Nation’s Doctor as the United States Surgeon General. Dr. Nesheiwat is a double board-certified Medical Doctor with an unwavering commitment to saving and treating thousands of American lives,” he said. Nesheiwat is a former Fox News medical contributor. “Dr. Nesheiwat is a fierce advocate and strong communicator for preventive medicine and public health,” he said. “She is committed to ensuring that Americans have access to affordable, quality healthcare, and believes in empowering individuals to take charge of their health to live longer, healthier lives.”

Trump picks Dr. Janette Nesheiwat as nation’s next surgeon general

ICE Buffalo official takes shot at NY Gov Hochul after arrest of wanted illegal immigrant

Officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Buffalo, New York, took a shot at Gov. Kathy Hochul’s disastrous immigration policies while announcing the arrest of a wanted illegal migrant. Buffalo Field Office Director Thomas Brophy said that they will continue to protect residents “regardless of what the governor of New York says.” “The men and women of ERO [Enforcement and Removal Operations] will continue to protect our communities from dangerous offenders, regardless of what the governor of New York state says,” he said in a release on Friday. “We will not be deterred by politicians putting votes over protecting the citizens of this nation,” Brophy said. MASSACHUSETTS GOP SLAMS LIBERAL LEADERS AFTER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ACCUSED OF CHILD RAPE ARRESTED BY ICE Brophy’s response came after ICE Buffalo announced the arrest of a Brazilian national who had a slew of local charges as well as charges in his home country of Brazil. The agency said that the unidentified migrant had pending charges for strangulation and endangering the welfare of a child. He was also under investigation in Brazil for several crimes, including homicide. TRUMP CONFIRMS SUPPORT FOR MAJOR STEP IN MASS DEPORTATION PUSH TO ‘REVERSE THE BIDEN INVASION’ “This is the second case in as many days of ERO Buffalo officers arresting a foreign national attempting to outrun his criminal past by illegally entering the United States,” Brophy said. He said that this case is a reminder of the dangers of the state’s sanctuary status for migrants. DENVER MAYOR MIKE JOHNSTON SAYS TRUMP’S MASS DEPORTATIONS WILL CREATE ‘TIANANMEN SQUARE MOMENT’ “These cases highlight the dangers of ‘sanctuary’ jurisdictions and state policies that obstruct law enforcement from cooperating with ERO,” Brophy said. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has said that New York, which has seen over 220,000 migrants arrive in the city since spring 2022, has been “devastated” by the surge of migrants. The New York Times reported that Manuel Castro, New York’s commissioner of migrant affairs, has vowed not to follow “the instructions of the federal government in cases of mass deportations.” Castro’s statement reflects a trend by state and local officials saying they would reject President-elect Trump’s immigration policies. Trump campaigned, in part, on enforcing stringent immigration laws and deporting migrants. ‘SANCTUARY’ CITY MAYOR VOWS SHE WILL DEFY TRUMP’S MASS DEPORTATION PUSH: ‘CAUSING WIDESPREAD FEAR’ In Illinois, Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker promised to uphold sanctuary status, boldly declaring, “If you come for my people, you come through me.” In Los Angeles, Democratic Mayor Karen Bass was instrumental in passing a local ordinance limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities. “Especially in the face of growing threats to the immigrant communities here in Los Angeles, I stand with the people of this city,” Bass said. “This moment demands urgency. Immigrant protections make our communities stronger and our city better.” In Denver, Democratic Mayor Mike Johnston pledged to resist Trump’s proposed immigration policies, predicting a “Tiananmen Square moment” if federal immigration officials attempted to do their job. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS “More than us having DPD [Denver Police Department] stationed at the county line to keep them out, you would have 50,000 Denverites there,” Johnston told the Denverite. “It’s like the Tiananmen Square moment with the rose and the gun, right? You’d have every one of those Highland moms who came out for the migrants.” Trump has vowed to initiate deportation efforts on his first day back in office, recently saying he would be open to declaring a national emergency and using the military to make it happen. Trump’s commitment to closing the border was cemented by his pick for “border czar,” Tom Homan, who served as the acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during the first Trump administration. “If you don’t want to work with us, then get the hell out all the way. We’re going to do it,’ Homan recently said. Fox News Digital has reached out to ICE Buffalo and Hochul’s office for comment.

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