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

Igor Danchenko Had an Immunity Agreement and Other Takeaways From Day 1 of His Trial

By John Haughey and Zachary Stieber ALEXANDRIA, Va.—The primary source for the anti-Donald Trump dossier struck an immunity agreement with the government that he breached ...

30,000 Noncitizens in Colorado Receive Voter Registration Notices

By Rita Li Roughly 30,000 noncitizens in Colorado received postcards prompting them to register to vote late last month. The state’s secretary of state office put it down ...

FBI’s Handling of Hunter Biden Laptop Scandal Reveals US ‘Has a Two-Tiered Justice System,’ Delaware State Rep Says

By Lily Sun and William Huang DEWEY BEACH, Del.—Computer repair store owner, John Paul Mac Isaac—who was caught up in the Hunter Biden laptop scandal—was unable to attend ...

Trump Urges Clean Sweep of Democrats in November Elections at Arizona Rally

By Allan Stein MESA, Ariz.—The hour is late and the choice for the United States is clear, former President Donald Trump told thousands of fired-up supporters during ...

Former Democrat Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard Leaving Party

By Zachary Stieber Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) announced on Oct. 11 that she’s leaving the Democrat Party. In two videos, Gabbard said the move is driven in ...

Is Green Hydrogen America’s Next Big Renewable Energy Gamble?

By Autumn Spredemann As the strained U.S. electric grid labors under the soaring demand for renewable energy, green hydrogen is ramping up and has stepped into the ...

Plaintiffs to Seek Depositions of Top Biden Administration Officials in Big Tech Censorship Case

By Zachary Stieber Plaintiffs in a case charging that the Biden administration was deeply involved in censoring users across Big Tech platforms are preparing to ask a ...

Trump Says Republicans Should Clarify Their Support for Exceptions to Abortion Bans

By Naveen Athrappully Former President Donald Trump said Republicans need to do a better job of explaining their positions on abortion—with exceptions for rape, incest, and ...

New Rule Requires Firearms Dealers to Disclose Buyer Information to Government

By Naveen Athrappully A new policy was implemented last week by the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), which seeks to collect the ...

‘DOJ Will Come After You’ If It Disagrees With Your Position, Says Subpoenaed Nonprofit

By Steve Lance and Naveen Athrappully The Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued a subpoena to Alabama-based conservative non-profit Eagle Forum for exercising its constitutionally ...

Sharp Rise in Marijuana-Related Psychosis: American Board of Pain Medicine President

By Masooma Haq and Cindy Drukier As drug legalization groups and the cannabis industry lobby to legalize cannabis across the United States, with initiatives to legalize marijuana on ...

National Guard Lost 7,500 Service Members in Past Year, Could Lose More Amid COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate: Service Officials

By Mimi Nguyen Ly The National Guard lost about 7,500 members over the past year, and membership could dwindle even more due to potential future discharges of ...