HAVANA TIMES – We bring you some of the top international news stories compiled by Democracy Now on Friday, November 6, 2026.
Democrats Lead in Alaska and Mississippi Senate Races as House Majority Approaches 260 Seats
Nov 06, 2026
Democrats continue to build on their historic gains in Tuesday’s midterm elections as final results are tabulated. So far, Democrats have won 253 House seats compared to Republicans’ 157, with 25 races still undecided.
In Mississippi, Democrat Scott Colom has added to his narrow lead over incumbent Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. He’s currently ahead by more than 1,800 votes as election officials process provisional ballots and late-arriving mail ballots. Colom would be the first Black senator from Mississippi since Blanche K. Bruce was elected in 1875, during the Reconstruction era.
In Alaska, Democrat Mary Peltola narrowly leads incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan by just over 600 votes, though a quarter of ballots remain to be counted. If Democrats win Alaska and Mississippi, their Senate caucus will grow to 56 members.
Incoming Freshman Senators Call for New Leadership to Replace Top Democrat Chuck Schumer
Nov 06, 2026
There are growing calls for new leadership to challenge Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries. Senators-elect Peggy Flanagan, Troy Jackson, Abdul El-Sayed, Juliana Stratton and Adam Hamilton have all said they won’t support Schumer, as has Senate candidate Scott Colom in Mississippi. This is Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed speaking with The Bulwark after Tuesday’s election.
Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed: “I’ve had conversations, obviously, with Senator Schumer in the context of this race. I’ve been clear: I want new leadership, and I want leadership that is focused on getting money out of politics, putting money in your pocket, passing Medicare for All. But at the end of the day, it’s a choice between two or more options, so I want to see who else is willing to put their hat in the ring.”
On Wednesday, CNN’s Manu Raju asked Senator Schumer about growing calls for him to step down as Senate Democratic leader.
Manu Raju: “How do you deal with those candidates who won who say they’re not going to vote for you?”
Sen. Chuck Schumer: “Look” —
Manu Raju: “Adam Hamilton, Troy Jackson, Abdul El-Sayed?”
Sen. Chuck Schumer: “OK, again, to repeat the answer: The issue is not me. I’ll be reelected as majority leader.”
In Texas, Senator-elect James Talarico has refused to commit to backing Schumer. Talarico is also calling on fellow Democrats to abolish the filibuster, a rule that effectively requires 60 of the Senate’s 100 members to pass legislation. Talarico spoke with NBC News.
Sen.-elect James Talarico: “I believe that the majority has the right to govern in this country. And the filibuster, which is not in the Constitution — it’s a Jim Crow relic — it is — it is leading to gridlock.”
Meanwhile, an online petition calling on Democrats to reject New York Congressmember Hakeem Jeffries as House speaker in the new Congress has garnered over 830,000 signatures.
Pete Hegseth Defends Iran War, Demands $350B in Additional Funding and Vows to Fight Impeachment
Nov 06, 2026
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the Iran war and lashed out at his critics on Thursday, as the House of Representatives prepares to vote as early as next week on articles of impeachment. The effort to oust Hegseth is being led by Kentucky’s outgoing Republican Congressmember Thomas Massie, who gave Hegseth an ultimatum after Tuesday’s historic losses for Republicans: Resign or be removed by Congress. The effort appears to have enough bipartisan support to pass, after many Republican lawmakers turned on Hegseth following their party’s election rout. On Thursday, Hegseth posted a defiant video on social media in which he lavished praise on President Trump, demanded at least $350 billion in additional military funding, said transgender troops have a mental illness incompatible with military service, and claimed victory over diversity, equity and inclusion, which he called a “Marxist ideology built to destroy us.” And Hegseth vowed to fight against impeachment.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth: “It’s all about the politics of personal destruction. Didn’t work against President Trump, and it won’t work with me.”
Marco Rubio Reportedly Considers Resigning as Secretary of State Ahead of Presidential Run
Nov 06, 2026
Multiple news outlets are reporting that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is considering leaving the Trump administration ahead of a run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2028. One Washington insider told The Independent that Rubio needs to “distance himself from the Iran war and pin that one on Trump.”
Harmeet Dhillon Resigns as Head of DOJ’s Civil Rights Division
Nov 06, 2026
Harmeet Dhillon has resigned from her post as chief of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Dhillon is the first top official to leave the Trump administration following the Republicans’ crushing defeat in the midterm elections. Ahead of the midterms, Dhillon was part of Trump’s unsuccessful crusade to force states to turn over sensitive voting data. Dhillon spent her 19-month tenure gutting civil rights, and diversity, equity and inclusion protections in education, and led the campaign to target dozens of universities nationwide over student-led pro-Palestine activism and campus protests. Under Dhillon, the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division stopped investigating accusations of systemic racism and sexism, and in January refused to probe the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. Dhillon overhauled the Civil Rights Division from its original purpose of fighting discrimination and Jim Crow-era injustices to prosecute the left and other dissent.
DSA Candidates Win Mayor’s Races in L.A., D.C., Ann Arbor and Providence
Nov 06, 2026
At least four members of the Democratic Socialists of America have won mayor’s races in major U.S. cities, following Zohran Mamdani’s successful campaign for New York City mayor one year ago. In Los Angeles, Nithya Raman has defeated incumbent Mayor Karen Bass. Raman shared this video message yesterday.
Mayor-elect Nithya Raman: “And that work starts now, so that we can build housing that people can afford, parks for our children to play in, a transit system that can get people where they need to go, a city that is safe for its working people and its families, and a city government that is actually capable of delivering on its promises.”
Democratic socialist Janeese Lewis George has been elected mayor of Washington, D.C., and becomes D.C.’s first new mayor since 2015, after incumbent Muriel Bowser did not seek reelection.
Providence, Rhode Island, elected democratic socialist David Morales as mayor. At 28 years old, he is also the youngest mayor in Providence’s history. Morales has vowed to fight for working people and immigrants.
And DSA candidate Yousef Rabhi has claimed victory in the mayoral race in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Rabhi campaigned on building more city-subsidized affordable housing, labor rights and proposing a moratorium on data centers.
Democratic Socialist Angela Gonzales-Torres Beats AIPAC-Backed Democrat for L.A. House Seat
Nov 06, 2026
A record number of candidates backed by the Democratic Socialists of America have won U.S. House seats. The latest victory comes in California’s 34th Congressional District, where DSA member Angela Gonzales-Torres has unseated Democratic incumbent Jimmy Gomez to represent parts of Los Angeles. Gomez faced a House ethics probe over sexual assault allegations from a former staffer. He also had the support of AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which spent more than $2.6 million on Gomez’s political campaigns.
Angela Gonzales-Torres was born in the neighborhood of Highland Park. Her father, an auto mechanic, was deported to Mexico when she was just 15 years old. She will represent one of the poorest districts in the United States. So far, at least six DSA-backed freshman Congressmembers are headed to the House, joining Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib.
Sunrise Movement Co-Founder William Lawrence Flips Battleground House District in Michigan
Nov 06, 2026
In Michigan, progressive William Lawrence has defeated incumbent Republican Congressmember Tom Barrett in what was one of the most competitive swing House races these midterms. Lawrence is co-founder of the Sunrise Movement and centered his campaign on opposition to data centers and Flock camera surveillance. He’s also proposed tighter AI restrictions. Lawrence will represent Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, which includes Lansing.
Gov. Gavin Newsom Commutes Death Sentences of All Death Row Prisoners
Nov 06, 2026
In California, outgoing Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom announced Thursday he will grant clemency to all prisoners currently on death row. They now face life in prison without the possibility of parole. Newsom’s move came seven years after he placed a moratorium on executions in California. In a statement, Nadia Daar, executive director of Amnesty International USA, said, “California has gone two decades without an execution, yet, with more than 550 people, has the largest death row in the nation. Governor Newsom’s decision turns that long pause into meaningful and lasting progress against an inherently cruel, discriminatory and irreversible system that is antithetical to human rights.”
U.S. Held Secret Talks with Tehran in Bid to Deport Iranians, Despite “Threat of Certain Death”
Nov 06, 2026
Newly published court transcripts have revealed the Trump administration is knowingly deporting people detained in the U.S. to Iran — despite ongoing U.S. attacks. Trump officials have reportedly been holding secret talks with Tehran to coordinate the removals, including of Iranians who fear torture and persecution if they’re returned to Iran. Court documents unsealed on Thursday show U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes appeared incredulous as a Justice Department lawyer revealed the plans. Judge Reyes asked, “What you’re telling me is that the United States of America is going to send individuals back to that region facing what you and I and everyone who would ever look at this would know would be at a minimum a serious threat of certain death?” The government lawyer responded, “Yes, Your Honor.”
Over 600,000 March in France as Unions Hold Strike to Protest Austerity and Rising Prices
Nov 06, 2026
In France, hundreds of thousands of workers walked off their jobs Thursday and marched in nearly 200 cities in a one-day nationwide strike to demand higher wages and funding for education and other public services. Most of the unions participating were in France’s public sector. The demonstrations follow weeks of protests led by high school students demanding an end to chronic teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and crumbling school buildings. This is the mother of a student protester who joined a march in Paris.
Julie Souman: “As the parent of a student, we have mobilized to protect our children, because we have seen the images, like everyone else, of police violence on the TV and what has been reported at other Paris high schools, particularly at Hélène Boucher and Ravel. And since we don’t want this to get out of hand, we are here to ensure their protection, quite simply.”
Paraguay’s Trump-Supported President Resigns, Faces Criminal Probe Following Bank’s Collapse
Nov 06, 2026
Paraguayan President Santiago Peña has resigned following the collapse of the major digital lender Ueno Bank, to which Peña had business ties. Ueno’s demise left at least 3 million people — nearly half of Paraguay’s population — without access to their money and froze hundreds of millions of dollars in public funds, including state pension money. Peña, who is a Trump ally, now faces a criminal investigation.
Russell Brand Found Guilty of Rape and Sexual Assaults
Nov 06, 2026
In the United Kingdom, the comedian, actor and podcaster Russell Brand has been found guilty of raping a fan and sexually assaulting three other women. The abuses occurred between 2004 and 2009 at the peak of Brand’s career. This is Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy speaking outside a London courthouse following the jury’s guilty verdicts.
Andy Furphy: “Russell Brand used his influence, status and fame to prey on and exploit women. As his profile grew, so, too, did his sense of entitlement. Today’s verdict sends a clear message that no one is above the law, regardless of their fame, wealth, influence or public profile.”
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