World - USNN World News

World

Chinese virologist accuses Beijing of coronavirus cover-up, flees Hong Kong: ‘I know how they treat whistleblowers’

by USNN World NewsJuly 10, 2020June 20, 2024

World

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

by USNN World NewsJuly 8, 2020July 8, 2020

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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

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

NATIONAL NEWS

Gas Prices ‘Killer’ for Biden and Democrats in Midterm Elections: House Republican

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Democrats Face Turmoil As Concerns Mount About Biden’s Suitability to Run in 2024, Observers Say

By Michael Washburn The widely-expected losses that the Democratic Party will face in the November midterm elections, as voters register their frustration and anger over ...

Progress on Senate Gun Control Package Stalls as Senators Fail to Reach Final Agreement

By Joseph Lord After some optimistic signs for Democrats hoping to reach a bipartisan agreement on a gun control package, progress in the negotiations has ...

Florida to Go After Parents Who Pay Cartels to Smuggle Their Children Into the US

By Charlotte Cuthbertson Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is looking to investigate and prosecute parents who pay transnational criminal organizations to smuggle their children illegally across ...

Reversing 2018 Ruling, Iowa Supreme Court Finds State Constitution Does Not Protect Abortion Rights

By Matthew Vadum The Supreme Court of Iowa on June 17 overturned a four-year-old decision it made holding that the Iowa Constitution guarantees the right to abortion, and ...

Liberal Virginia Prosecutor Removed From Criminal Case for ‘Deliberately Misleading Court’

By Katabella Roberts A liberal prosecutor in Loudoun County, Virginia, has been removed and disqualified from a serial burglary case by a judge for allegedly “deliberately ...

Joe Biden Says He is Unpopular Because Americans Are Mentally Unwell

By Christina Laila Joe Biden’s poll collapse continues with the latest CIVIQS poll showing the man who we were told got 81 million votes for president just over a ...

Parents Rally Over ‘Malicious Misgendering’ School Policy in Northern Virginia

By Terri Wu FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va.—A group of parents rallied outside the Fairfax County school board meeting on Thursday night to protest the board’s new ...

US Refiners Boost Heavy Crude Imports as Biden Threatens Executive Action

By Katabella Roberts The United States has increased heavy crude imports amid Western sanctions on Russia and President Joe Biden’s letter calling on U.S. energy producers to ...

‘A Great Night!’: Trump Celebrates Primary Wins in Nevada, North Dakota, South Carolina

By Frank Fang Former President Donald Trump was excited to see many political candidates he endorsed have secured victory in recent primary races. “Every single endorsed by Trump ...

Elon Musk Reveals His Likely Choice for President in 2024

By Ivan Pentchoukov Elon Musk on June 15 said he is leaning toward voting for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for president in the 2024 election and predicted that ...

‘Red Wave’ Becoming More Likely in Eyes of Political Forecasters

By Nannette Holt Election forecasters changed their predictions Wednesday on the expected outcomes of four November midterm elections. They based those decisions partly on the way voters in ...