International News Briefs for Thursday, February 5, 2026
HAVANA TIMES – We bring you some of the top international news stories compiled by Democracy Now on Thursday, February 5, 2026.
Minnesota Officials Demand All Federal Agents Leave as Trump Administration Announces Drawdown
Feb 05, 2026
President Trump’s so-called border czar Tom Homan said Wednesday 700 federal agents will be leaving Minnesota. Homan cited what he called “significant progress” in forcing local officials to cooperate with the federal government’s crackdown. Minnesota’s Governor Tim Walz called the move a “step in the right direction” but demanded a faster drawdown of federal forces. Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota’s House of Representatives called for a complete withdrawal, writing, “There are still more than 2,000 ICE agents terrorizing Minnesota’s communities every day. ICE OUT NOW.” ICE agents far outnumber the Minneapolis Police Department.
10-Year-Old Girl Seized by Federal Agents in Minnesota Freed from Texas ICE Jail
Feb 05, 2026
On Wednesday, Minnesota teachers’ unions joined a pair of local school districts in a lawsuit to keep federal immigration agents off school property and away from bus stops. Some schools in the Twin Cities have seen up to half of all students remain home during ICE’s crackdown. The lawsuit came just after 10-year-old Elizabeth Zuna Caisaguano walked free from an immigration detention center in Dilley, Texas, alongside her mother, after they were seized by ICE nearly a month ago on their way to school in the Minneapolis suburb of Columbia Heights. She’s reportedly experiencing flu-like symptoms and has broken out with hives, prompting fears over her health amid an outbreak of measles at the Dilley ICE jail.
ACLU Calls for U.N. Probe into Trump’s Immigration Crackdown over Human Rights Abuses
Feb 05, 2026
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota has removed an attorney from her post after she told a judge, “This job sucks.” The attorney, Julie Le, complained of a crushing workload due to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown — and the government’s refusal to comply with court orders.
Her complaints came as the American Civil Liberties Union called on the United Nations to investigate the U.S. immigration crackdown, writing, “The Trump administration’s egregious crackdown in Minnesota is not only flouting the Constitution but also United States international human rights obligations that prohibit the use of racial and ethnic profiling, extra-judicial killings and unlawful use of force against protesters and observers.”
“Have ICE Surround the Polls”: Steve Bannon Adds to Fears Trump Will Disrupt Midterm Elections
Feb 05, 2026
President Trump’s former White House adviser Steve Bannon is calling for ICE agents to be deployed at polling sites during the midterm elections. His comments come just days after President Trump called on Republicans to “nationalize” voting in the U.S.
Steve Bannon: “And you’re damn right we’re going to have ICE surround the polls come November. We’re not going to sit here and allow you to steal the country again. And you can — you can whine and cry and throw your toys out of the pram all you want, but we will never again allow an election to be stolen.”
In response, Democratic Senator Ed Markey said, “This is a red alert moment. We have to start working to protect polling places from Trump’s paramilitary ICE goons before it’s too late.” Meanwhile, Republican Congressmember Barry Loudermilk said he won’t seek reelection this November, becoming the 29th House Republican incumbent to leave office early or announce a resignation. Republicans currently hold a slim four-seat majority in the House.
Supreme Court Clears Congressional Map Gerrymandered to Benefit California Democrats
Feb 05, 2026
The U.S. Supreme Court will allow California to use a new congressional map approved by voters that’s designed to flip up to five seats now held by Republicans. On Wednesday, no justices dissented as the court issued a one-sentence order on its emergency docket, often called the court’s “shadow” docket. The brief ruling came exactly two months after justices signed off on a gerrymandered congressional map in Texas, where Republicans expect to pick up five additional House seats.
Palestinians Returning to Gaza Through Rafah Crossing Report Severe Restrictions by Israel
Feb 05, 2026
In the Gaza Strip, 25 more Palestinians returned through the Rafah border crossing early today, some of the first to return to the besieged territory since Israel partially reopened the crossing on Monday for the first time in nearly two years. Those returning to Gaza through Rafah described a harrowing journey, with severe Israeli restrictions that included hours of interrogation, physical abuse and the confiscation of personal belongings. One woman was stripped of essential medications, along with toys and cellphones for her children and siblings. On Wednesday, Palestinians gathered to mourn loved ones killed by Israeli tank fire and airstrikes that killed 23 people in a day. Among them was a medic who rushed to help victims of a strike on Khan Younis and was then killed by a second attack on the same location.
Raed al-Nems: “We were surprised today by the targeting of our colleague medic, Hussein al-Semiry, who was martyred while carrying out his humanitarian duty of transporting the wounded from Khan Younis. These attacks must stop. International law provides protection to providers of health and ambulance services.”
Chuck Schumer Defends U.S. Arming Israel as Trump Admin Approves $6.7 Billion Weapons Sale
Feb 05, 2026
The Trump administration has moved to approve $6.7 billion in new arms sales to Israel. Representative Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he had just one hour’s notice from the Trump administration that it would disregard congressional oversight to approve the weapons transfers. Meeks said the administration has repeatedly ignored Congress’s constitutional role by refusing to brief lawmakers on Gaza policy while failing to justify its actions.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Democrat Chuck Schumer is defending his record of helping to arm Israel. Schumer spoke to a breakfast gathering of Jewish leaders in New York on Sunday, a day after Israeli attacks killed at least 31 Palestinians in Gaza, including six children.
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer: “All the aid that Israel needs, I will continue to fight for it. And we delivered more security assistance to Israel, our ally, under my leadership than ever, ever before. We will keep doing that, everybody.”
Six Palestine Action Protesters Found Not Guilty of Aggravated Burglary
Feb 05, 2026
In the U.K., six Palestine Action protesters were found not guilty Wednesday of aggravated burglary, even after they admitted to breaking into a factory operated by Israeli defense firm Elbit. The pro-Palestinian activists had spent 18 months in jail awaiting trial. Eighteen other alleged Palestine Action members are currently awaiting trials scheduled for later this year. The British government has banned Palestine Action under its Terrorism Act over direct action protests against Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. A spokesperson for the group Defend Our Juries said, “These verdicts are a huge blow to government ministers who have tried to portray Palestine Action as a violent group to justify banning it under badly drafted terrorism legislation.”
Nuclear Arms Control Treaty Between U.S. and Russia Expires
Feb 05, 2026
The last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia expired at midnight. The New START treaty put limits on each side’s missiles, launchers and strategic nuclear warheads. In October, President Trump directed the Pentagon to resume testing nuclear weapons for the first time since 1992.
Drop Site News: U.S. Military Officials Informed Middle East Ally That Trump Could Soon Attack Iran
Feb 05, 2026
The White House has confirmed that high-level talks with Iran over its nuclear program will take place Friday in the nation of Oman, instead of in Turkey as initially planned. Mediators from Qatar, Turkey and Egypt will propose a deal that includes limits to Iran’s enrichment of uranium. Meanwhile, Drop Site News is reporting that senior U.S. military officials have informed the leadership of a key U.S. ally in the Middle East that President Trump could authorize a U.S. attack on Iran this weekend. Strikes could reportedly start as early as Sunday if the U.S. decides to move forward. On Wednesday, President Trump renewed his threat to attack Iran; he was speaking with NBC’s Tom Llamas.
Tom Llamas: “Should the supreme leader in Iran be worried right now?”
President Donald Trump: “I would say he should be very worried, yeah. He should be.”
In more news from Iran, CNN is reporting Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi has gone on hunger strike in prison, where she’s been held since her arrest in December for joining a memorial service for a lawyer and human rights activist who was found dead in his office.
WSJ: Abu Dhabi Royal Purchased 49% Stake in Trump Family’s Cryptocurrency Firm
Feb 05, 2026
There are new revelations about an Abu Dhabi royal purchasing a stake in the Trump family’s cryptocurrency company World Liberty Financial just days before President Trump’s second inauguration. The Wall Street Journal reports Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, known as the “Spy Sheikh,” purchased a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial for a half-billion dollars. Months later, the Trump administration gave the United Arab Emirates access to tightly guarded artificial intelligence chips. As part of the deal, $31 million was funneled into entities affiliated with the family of Steve Witkoff, the U.S. envoy to the Middle East, who is also a co-founder of World Liberty Financial. His son Zach Witkoff is currently the CEO of World Liberty Financial. In response, Congressmember Ro Khanna announced that he was investigating the deal between World Liberty Financial and the Abu Dhabi royal. In a letter to Zach Witkoff, Khanna wrote, “These arrangements are not just a scandal, but may even represent a violation of multiple laws and the United States Constitution.” We’ll speak with Congressmember Ro Khanna after headlines.
Washington Post Lays Off More Than 300 Journalists
Feb 05, 2026
The Washington Post laid off more than 300 journalists — about 30% of all its employees — dismantling its sports, local news and international coverage. The Washington Post Newspaper Guild said in a statement, “In just the last three years, The Post’s workforce has shrunk by roughly 400 people. Continuing to eliminate workers only stands to weaken the newspaper, drive away readers and undercut The Post’s mission: to hold power to account without fear or favor and provide critical information for communities across the region, country and world.” A reporter dedicated to covering Amazon was among the staffers laid off. The Washington Post is owned by Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon. The company recently spent $40 million to purchase the rights to a film about first lady Melania Trump, then spent an additional $35 million to promote it, making the documentary the most expensive in history.
Human Rights Watch: Three-Quarters of the World’s Population Living Under “Autocracy”
Feb 05, 2026
A new report by Human Rights Watch says that almost three-quarters of the world’s population is currently living under “autocracy.” The report warned that the United States, China and Russia are “led by leaders who share open disdain for norms” and “wield considerable economic, military, and diplomatic power.” In reference to the U.S., the report said, “Trump’s second administration has been marked from the start by blatant disregard for human rights and egregious violations.” This is Philippe Bolopion, the executive director of Human Rights Watch.
Philippe Bolopion: “Undermining the trust in elections, the sanctity of elections, going after the judiciary and judges, going after journalists, going after political opponents, going after universities, going after, you know, big law firms, going after civil society foundations that are quick to be labeled, you know, domestic terrorists. And so we see a sort of very hostile environment in the U.S. and a very rapid decline of the, I would say, the quality of democracy in this country.”