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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

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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

World

Trudeau slams ‘political’ detentions, after China spy charges

by USNN World NewsJune 23, 2020June 23, 2020

NATIONAL NEWS

California wildfires rage as wine country blaze forces evacuation of hospital, hundreds of homes

By Travis Fedschun | Fox News The Glass Fire has scorched at least 11,000 acres and spurred evacuations in Napa and Sonoma Counties. Hundreds of homes and a ...

Some Minneapolis City Council members may regret pledge to dismantle police department: report

By Lucas Manfredi | Fox News Residents have voiced concerns about rising crime and frustration with city’s response civil unrest. Some members of the Minneapolis City Council may ...

Trump calls New York Times report that he avoid paying taxes ‘totally made up’

By Andrew O’Reilly | Fox News ‘Everything was wrong, they are so bad,’ Trump said. President Trump lambasted a New York Times report that said he paid no federal income taxes ...

Trump takes press to task for skipping over Hunter Biden scandals

By Edmund DeMarche | Fox News President Trump on Sunday may have shown a preview of this week’s upcoming presidential debate when he asked reporters at the ...

Wildfire erupts in California’s Napa County, emergency evacuations over ‘dangerous rate of spread’

By Travis Fedschun | Fox News The Glass Fire near St. Helena has consumed at least 800 acres. Mandatory evacuations were issued Sunday morning in areas of Northern California after a fast-moving wildfire erupted ...

Trump calls for Biden to take a drug test before upcoming presidential debate

By Danielle Wallace | Fox News Trump said Biden’s past debate performances have been ‘record setting UNEVEN’. President Trump said Sunday that he demanded his Democratic opponent Joe Biden take a drug ...

Pelosi doubles down that Biden shouldn’t debate Trump: ‘Why bother?’

By Megan Henney | Fox News House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday doubled down on her argument that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden should not debate President Trump, claiming the Republican incumbent ...

LA police detain, release driver after vehicle plows into protesters; at least 1 injured: report

By David Aaro | Fox News Later, another vehicle approached the same protesters, reports said. At least one person was taken to a hospital Thursday night after multiple vehicles ...

Breonna Taylor shooting: Video purportedly shows tense moments after officer was struck by gunfire

By Greg Norman | Fox News Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly was not indicted by a grand jury following Taylor’s death. A new video has emerged purportedly showing the tense ...

Republicans on North Carolina Board of Elections resign after mail-in ballot changes

By Evie Fordham | Fox News Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, can nominate their replacements. Both Republicans on the five-person North Carolina State Board of Elections submitted their resignations on Wednesday night, ...

Trump says Biden ‘should leave the campaign’ after Senate GOP report on Hunter Biden’s business dealings

By Brooke Singman | Fox News The president made the comments during an interview on ‘The Brian Kilmeade Show’. President Trump on Thursday said his Democratic opponent Joe Biden “should leave ...

Breonna Taylor protests: Suspect accused of shooting cops ID’d as Louisville sees nearly 100 arrests after grand jury decision

By Danielle Wallace | Fox News No update was provided on the two officers wounded during demonstrations. The Louisville Metro Police Department announced Thursday nearly 100 arrests were made overnight amid demonstrations following a ...