World - USNN World News

World

CENTCOM commander doubts Russian bounty intel tied to US troop deaths in Afghanistan

by USNN World NewsJuly 8, 2020July 8, 2020

World

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

by USNN World NewsJuly 6, 2020July 6, 2020

World

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

World

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

by USNN World NewsJuly 3, 2020July 3, 2020

World

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

World

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

by USNN World NewsJune 23, 2020June 23, 2020

NATIONAL NEWS

Biden’s Indo-Pacific Trade Agreement Could Further Strengthen Big Tech Monopolies, Lawmakers Warn

By Joseph Lord A coalition of congressional Republicans are speaking out against President Joe Biden’s proposal for a trade agreement they say could further strengthen ...

Auto Worker’s Union Withholds Support for Biden’s Reelection Campaign Over His EV Policies

By Savannah Hulsey Pointer United Auto Workers (UAW) is delaying its endorsement of President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign, according to a May 2 union memo. The Detroit-based ...

Former Intelligence Heads Brennan, Clapper to Testify to House Panel Over Role in Hunter Biden Laptop Letter

By Savannah Hulsey Pointer Former CIA Director John Brennan and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper are scheduled to testify before a Congressional panel ...

Florida Legislature Passes Sex-Specific Bathroom Bill

By Katabella Roberts Florida Republicans passed legislation on May 3 that would make it a crime for individuals to use public restrooms that do not align ...

FBI Director Subpoenaed After Whistleblower Reveals ‘Criminal Scheme’ Involving Joe Biden

By Jack Phillips The Republican-led House Oversight Committee on May 3 subpoenaed the FBI for a file alleging that a whistleblower linked President Joe Biden ...

Billionaire Who Funded Lawsuit Against Trump Met With Jeffrey Epstein

By Zachary Stieber The Democrat megadonor who funded a lawsuit accusing former President Donald Trump of defamation met with Jeffrey Epstein at the sex offender’s home. Reid Hoffman, ...

‘Quit Building Big’: Space Force Officials Talk Need for Speed and Agility

By Nathan Worcester Defense officials told senators what they think the United States must do to compete with China and other rivals in space. Time, they ...

IRS Spent $10 Million on Weapons Since COVID-19 Pandemic Began: Watchdog

By Katabella Roberts The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been splashing out millions stocking up on guns, ammunition, and combat gear since 2020, according to the findings ...

Trump to Partake in CNN Town Hall

By Jackson Richman Former President Donald Trump, the current frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination in 2024, is set to participate in a May 10 ...

Biden’s Delayed Offshore Oil and Gas Plan Sparks Pushback From Congress

By John Haughey The U.S. Department of Interior’s (DOI) reauthorization of its five-year National Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing Program is months overdue and ...

Florida May Dodge Catastrophic Seaweed Bullet, Oceanographer Says

By Dan M. Berger In what’s become an annual occurrence, seaweed has begun washing ashore from Miami south to Key West. But a Florida oceanographer says ...

California, New York, Illinois Biggest Losers Amid Exodus to Low-Tax States: IRS

By Bill Pan The latest tax migration data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) shows that the exodus of taxpayers from high-tax states continued from ...