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Jeffrey Epstein’s confidant Ghislaine Maxwell transferred to NY prison after arrest

by USNN World NewsJuly 6, 2020July 6, 2020

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Sasse slams ‘Chairman Xi’s spy web’ after reports UK will freeze Huawei out of 5G networks

by USNN World NewsJuly 6, 2020March 26, 2025

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China appoints Communist Party hardliner to oversee Hong Kong’s new security office

by USNN World NewsJuly 3, 2020July 3, 2020

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Behind the top-secret Russian military intelligence unit accused of paying insurgents to kill Americans in Afghanistan

by USNN World NewsJuly 2, 2020June 13, 2025

A nationwide vote on a package of constitutional reforms wrapped up Wednesday local time. Polls have been open for a week to help reduce crowds and to bolster turnout amid the coronavirus pandemic. Putin is all but guaranteed to get the result he wants following a massive campaign to get voters to say "yes" to the changes. However, the referendum -- intended to consolidate his hold on power -- could end up undermining his position because of the unconventional methods used to boost participation and the dubious legal basis for the balloting. FILE: Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, watches the Victory Day military parade marking the 75th anniversary of the Nazi defeat in Moscow. FILE: Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, watches the Victory Day military parade marking the 75th anniversary of the Nazi defeat in Moscow. (Sergei Guneyev/Host Photo Agency via AP) Political analyst Gleb Pavlovsky said Putin's push for holding the vote despite the ongoing pandemic reflects his potential vulnerabilities. "Putin lacks confidence in his inner circle and he's worried about the future," Pavlovsky said. "He wants an irrefutable proof of public support." The balloting completes a convoluted saga that began with Putin’s state-of-the-nation address in January, when Putin first proposed the constitutional changes. He offered to broaden the powers of parliament and redistribute authority among the branches of the Russian government, stoking speculation he might continue calling the shots as parliament speaker or as chairman of the State Council when his presidential term ends in 2024. The Russian president, who has been in power for more than two decades, said he would decide later whether or not to run again in 2024. He argued that resetting the term count was necessary to keep his lieutenants focused on their work. WHITE HOUSE INSISTS 'NO CONSENSUS' ON INTEL OF RUSSIAN BOUNTIES FOR US TROOPS, AS PRESSURE MOUNTS placeholder Putin complicated his constitutional plan by putting it to voters even though parliamentary approval was sufficient to make it law. The move was intended to showcase his broad support and add a democratic veneer to the constitutional changes. The plan backfired weeks later when the coronavirus pandemic engulfed Russia, forcing Putin to postpone the referendum, which had originally been scheduled for April 22. The delay stymied Putin's campaign blitz and left his constitutional reform plan hanging as the damage from the virus mounted and public discontent grew. Amid the uncertainty, Putin rescheduled the vote immediately upon seeing the first signs of a slowdown in Russia's infection rate even though the number of new confirmed daily cases reported remains high. Political analyst Ekaterina Schulmann said the Kremlin faced a difficult dilemma: holding the vote sooner would bring accusations of jeopardizing public health for political ends, while delaying it further raised the risk of defeat. "The early date has an advantage of coming soon after lifting the quarantine restrictions that made voters feel more optimistic," she said. "And in general, people are in a better mood during the summer season." Schulmann argued that the Kremlin's focus isn't so much on boosting overall turnout, but rather on increasing attendance by the public sector workers who make up Putin's base. The authorities have mounted a sweeping effort to persuade teachers, doctors, workers at public sector enterprises and others who are paid by the state to cast ballots. Reports surfaced from many corners of the vast country that managers were coercing people to vote. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Most observers expect the Kremlin to get its way, regardless of the opposition's strategies. Pavlovsky noted, however, that the unusual methods used by authorities to boost turnout and get the result Putin wants would undermine the legitimacy of the vote. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

World

Putin nears goal of changing Russian constitution, letting him stay in power until 2036

by USNN World NewsJune 30, 2020June 30, 2020

World

How much of the United States does China really own?

by USNN World NewsJune 30, 2020May 30, 2025

World

Inside ‘Office 39’: North Korea’s illicit global smuggling network

by USNN World NewsJune 28, 2020June 28, 2020

World

Trump pushes back on NY Times report on Russian Afghan attacks, says ‘nobody briefed’ him, Pence

by USNN World NewsJune 28, 2020June 13, 2025

World

Lightning kills 83 people across India’s Bihar state

by USNN World NewsJune 25, 2020June 25, 2020

World

Everywhere Statues Are Torn Down By The Mob, History Promises People Are Next

by USNN World NewsJune 24, 2020August 15, 2025

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Trudeau points to ‘direct link’ between detained Canadians and arrest of Huawei executive

by USNN World NewsJune 23, 2020June 23, 2020

World

Trudeau slams ‘political’ detentions, after China spy charges

by USNN World NewsJune 23, 2020June 23, 2020

NATIONAL NEWS

EPA Begins Arduous Task Removing Toxic Materials From Areas Devastated by Wildfires in Maui

By Allan Stein The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has begun a phased cleanup of toxic materials from areas impacted by Maui’s wildfires. At the request ...

Kari Lake Has ‘Utmost Confidence’ in Victory After Court Finds Maricopa County Signature Verification Unlawful

By Tom Ozimek Conservative firebrand Kari Lake said she’s highly confident in a legal victory in her upcoming trial after a judge ruled that Maricopa ...

Beer Cans Recovered From a Dumpster Help Send Florida Man to Prison for Life

By Jacob Burg A Florida man has been convicted and sentenced to life in prison for stabbing an unarmed convenience store clerk 73 times. Beer cans ...

Court Finds Arizona’s Signature Matching Process Unlawful in ‘Massive Win’ for Election Integrity

By Tom Ozimek A judge has found that Arizona’s signature matching process for mail-in ballots is unlawful, delivering what the plaintiffs in the lawsuit called ...

Federal, State Lawsuits Seek Constitutional Clarity on ‘Racial Gerrymanders’

By John Haughey It’s a fine litigative line: Gerrymandering by a majority party for political purposes is legal because elections have consequences. But if the ...

Concerns About Auto Workers Strike at Ford, GM, and Stellantis Gain Steam

By Andrew Moran There is growing concern that workers at the Big Three automakers—Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis—will strike when the United Auto Workers (UAW) ...

Judge Skeptical as Prosecutors Claim Trump Georgia Trial Could Take Four Months

By Jack Phillips A Georgia judge handling the trials of former President Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants appeared to be skeptical of prosecutors’ proposals to ...

Utah, Rhode Island Voters Select Nominees for Congressional Contests

By Samantha Flom Special elections held Tuesday in Rhode Island and Utah narrowed the field of candidates for two hotly contested races for U.S. Congress. In ...

Judge Reverses Decision on Motion After Trump Attorneys Say She Broke Court Rules

By Petr Svab Federal District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who oversees the election interference case against former President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., revoked an earlier approval ...

Biden Admin Officials Subpoenaed Over Hunter Biden Tax Probe Tip-Off

By Tom Ozimek Six Biden administration officials have been hit with subpoenas by House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) over allegations that the Secret ...

Astronauts Return to Earth in SpaceX Capsule to Wrap up 6-Month Station Mission

By The Associated Press CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—Four astronauts returned to Earth early Monday after a six-month stay at the International Space Station. Their SpaceX capsule parachuted ...

Federal Court Strikes Down Alabama Congressional Map After Lawmakers Defy Court Order

By Matthew Vadum A federal court on Sept. 5 struck down the Alabama Legislature’s congressional map that was drawn in July, finding that state lawmakers ...