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

A Call to Arms: Teachers in Conservative States Are Volunteering to Carry Guns

By Darlene McCormick Sanchez Crosses and flowers laid out in the public square of the grief-stricken town Uvalde, where a teen gunman killed 19 students ...

FBI ‘Purging’ Employees With Conservative Views: Rep. Jordan

By Katabella Roberts Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) on Tuesday claimed that the FBI is “purging” employees who hold conservative viewpoints. In a letter (pdf) to FBI Director Christopher Wray, Jordan, the ranking ...

Simone Biles, Other Women Sue FBI Over Botched Probe Into Larry Nassar

By Zachary Stieber Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and dozens of other women who say they were sexually assaulted by Larry Nassar are seeking more than $1 ...

Former US Congressman Pleads Guilty to Election Fraud

By Zachary Stieber A former U.S. congressman from Philadelphia has pleaded guilty to several election fraud charges, including bribery and falsification of voting records, according to the ...

Jan. 6 Committee Is Used to ‘Abolish Electoral College’ and as a ‘Cover Up’ for Pelosi: House Republicans

By Mimi Nguyen Ly House Republicans on Wednesday spoke out against the Jan. 6 Committee, accusing the entire effort of being a “partisan witch hunt” ...

Steve Bannon Subpoenas Pelosi, Jan. 6 Panel Members in Contempt of Congress Case

By Joseph Lord Steve Bannon’s legal team has issued subpoenas to top Democrats and members of the controversial Jan. 6 House of Representatives panel in a development ...

Man Arrested Near Home of Supreme Court Justice Had a Gun, Wanted to Kill: Officials

By Zachary Stieber A California man arrested near the home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh on June 8 has been charged with attempted murder. Nicholas John Roske ...

Grassley, Franken, Nunn Win Iowa Primary Races

By Jeff Louderback Seven-term Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) easily won in his race against state Sen. Jim Carlin (R) while Republican state Senator and Air Force ...

Trump-Backed Candidate Leads Challenger in Montana GOP Primary

By Allan Stein MISSOULA, Mont.—Five percentage points separate former U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and his closest Republican rival, former Montana Sen. Al Olszewski in a hotly ...

Pro-Trump Candidate Leads California Election to Fill Seat Vacated by Devin Nunes

By Brad Jones Connie Conway leads the congressional seat previously held by Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) who resigned in January to lead former President Donald ...

San Francisco Voters Oust Progressive Soros-Backed Prosecutor in Recall Vote

By Brad Jones Voters have ousted Chesa Boudin (D) as San Francisco’s district attorney. Unlike California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent recall election, Boudin didn’t face any opponents. On June 7, San ...

How Fake Is Twitter’s User Data?

By Jeffrey A. Tucker Over the last several weeks, the perception has grown that Elon Musk will not be the emancipator of Twitter, freeing it finally from its ...