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

Arizona’s 11 Electoral Votes Challenged by GOP Senator, Reps During Joint Session

By Jack Phillips More than 60 Republican House representatives led by Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) and one senator objected to Arizona’s 11 electoral votes during ...

Pence: Constitution ‘Constrains Me’ From Rejecting Electoral Votes

By Zachary Stieber Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday said that he doesn’t believe he has the “unilateral authority” to decide between competing slates of electors. “It ...

Handful of States Begin Paying Out Extra $300 Weekly Jobless Benefit

By Tom Ozimek Around a dozen states have begun paying out the extra $300 per week in unemployment benefits that are part of the recently enacted COVID-19 ...

Trump: Pence ‘Has the Power to Reject Fraudulently Chosen Electors’

By Jack Phillips President Donald Trump asserted on Tuesday that Vice President Mike Pence has the power to reject electors that were fraudulently chosen, echoing statements made by his ...

Trump: ‘I Hope Mike Pence Comes Through for Us’

By Janita Kan President Donald Trump said on Monday that he hopes Vice President Mike Pence will do more than just carry out a ceremonial role ...

GOP Congressman Signs First Objection to States’ Certifications for Jan. 6 Electoral Challenge

By Jack Phillips Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) said Monday that he signed an objection to the electoral vote in six states ahead of the Joint Session of ...

Sen. Kelly Loeffler to Object to Electoral College Certification Process

By Mimi Nguyen Ly Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) announced on Monday that she will object to Electoral College votes when lawmakers gather for a joint session ...

Leaked Report Reveals ‘Systematic Malpractice’ in China’s Organ Transplant System: Expert

By Nicole Hau and Cathy He Evidence of large-scale forced organ harvesting has cast a shadow on China’s organ transplant system for more than a decade. Now an internal ...

Americans’ Distrust of Media Reaches New High, Gallup Says

By Matthew Vadum Americans’ distrust of mass media has reached a record high, with 33 percent of those polled by Gallup saying they had no confidence at all in ...

Pro-Trump Protest Organizers Announce New Details for Jan. 6

By Zachary Stieber People organizing pro-President Donald Trump protests in Washington for Jan. 6 announced new details over the weekend. Amy Kremer, a “March for Trump” ...

Pence: ‘We’ll Have Our Day in Congress’ During Jan. 6 Electoral Challenge

By Jack Phillips Vice President Mike Pence addressed the upcoming Jan. 6 electoral challenge, saying that President Donald Trump and Republicans will “have our day in Congress.” “I ...

DC National Guard Activated to Help Support Police During Pro-Trump Protests

By Zachary Stieber More than 300 District of Columbia National Guardsmen will be in Washington this week to help support police officers patrolling protests scheduled by supporters of ...