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

Used-Car Prices Soar to Record High Amid New-Vehicle Inventory Slump

By Tom Ozimek Wholesale used car prices hit a record high in September with the chip shortage and other supply constraints squeezing new-vehicle inventories and ...

Oil Up as Industries Switch From Gas, Little Sign Supply Crunch Easing

By Reuters Oil prices rose on Friday, and were on track for gains of nearly 5 percent this week, on signs some industries have begun switching fuel from ...

Virginia Judge Hands Victory to Parents, Sides Against Prosecutor on School Board Recall

By Jack Phillips A Virginia-based parent group attempting to oust five Loudoun County School Board members was given a small win after a Loudoun County Circuit Court judge ...

American Employers Added 194,000 Jobs in September, Far Below Expectations

By Tom Ozimek U.S. employers added fewer than 200,000 jobs in September, sharply undershooting market expectations and painting a picture of labor market recovery that’s ...

400 Workers Quit Large Michigan Hospital System Over COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

By Zachary Stieber Approximately 400 healthcare workers at one of Michigan’s largest hospital systems have resigned over the system’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The roughly 33,000 workers at ...

Pennsylvania Democrats Protest Curriculum Transparency Bill

By Beth Belje The idea of parents having easy access to their children’s school curriculum was vigorously debated Wednesday in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Pennsylvania code already ...

Pfizer Scientists in Undercover Videos Say Natural Immunity Likely Better Than COVID-19 Vaccination

By Zachary Stieber A trio of scientists at Pfizer were recorded speaking to undercover reporters about the existence of natural immunity to the virus that causes COVID-19, ...

Households Brace for Higher Winter Heating Costs as Natural Gas Prices Vault

By Tom Ozimek The relentless rise in natural gas prices continued on Wednesday, highlighting the looming threat to American households bracing for higher heating costs in the ...

Zuckerberg Responds to Facebook Whistleblower’s Testimony, Says Claims ‘Don’t Make Sense’

By Katabella Roberts Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has responded to claims made by former employee and whistleblower Frances Haugen in testimony before Congress on Oct. 5. Hague, who used to work as a lead ...

Six Key Takeaways From Senate Hearing With Facebook Whistleblower

By Joseph Lord The Senate heard testimony Tuesday from former Facebook employee Frances Haugen, who came before the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security to ...

Constitution Focus Groups Form in North Carolina to Question Local Governments’ Authority

By Matt McGregor ‘School boards being misled’ into making draconian mandates, says legal expert. Amid a climate of tightening restrictions, mandates, and dwindling freedoms, U.S. Constitution ...

Vermont Woman Fired, Denied Unemployment for Refusing Vaccine, Becomes Homeless and Flees to Florida

By Patricia Tolson ‘It Was Simply Because I Stood Up to This Vaccine Thing’. Karen “Kay Sea” Skau is a single mother of two adult children, ...