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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

World

Trudeau points to ‘direct link’ between detained Canadians and arrest of Huawei executive

by USNN World NewsJune 23, 2020June 23, 2020

NATIONAL NEWS

The Disinformation-Industrial Complex vs. Domestic Terror

By Benjamin Weingarten and RealClearInvestigations Combating disinformation has been elevated to a national security imperative under the Biden administration, as codified in its first-of-its-kind National Strategy for Countering ...

Kellyanne Conway Breaks Silence on Michael Cohen’s Trump Allegations

By Jack Phillips Former White House adviser Kellyanne Conway disputed allegations made by former President Donald Trump’s attorney Michael Cohen that are being investigated by ...

Arizona Supreme Court Breathes New Life Into Key Part of Kari Lake’s Election Lawsuit

By Tom Ozimek The Arizona Supreme Court has sent a key part of Kari Lake’s election lawsuit back to trial court for review, breathing new ...

Trump Lawyer Says Manhattan DA Bragg Should Be Investigated, Ethics Complaint Filed

By Gary Bai Joseph Tacopina, attorney for former President Donald Trump, has accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of violating prosecutorial conduct in his case ...

TikTok a CCP ‘Intelligence Weapon’: Experts Sound Alarm on Threat

By Andrew Thornebrooke News Analysis Social media giant TikTok is aggressively lobbying in Washington ahead of congressional hearings on the company’s ties to China’s communist regime. TikTok ...

‘Totally Exculpatory’: Trump Reveals Cohen Attorney Letter He Says Will Undercut Manhattan DA’s Case

By Gary Bai Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday revealed a letter that he says is “totally exculpatory” evidence proving his innocence in the Stormy ...

Manchin Says Biden’s ‘Radical’ ESG Agenda Is ‘Absolutely Infuriating,’ Undermines National Security

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DeSantis Says He Could Win in 2024, but Stops Short of Announcing a Run

By Katabella Roberts Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has touted his ability to defeat President Joe Biden in the 2024 elections if he enters the presidential race. In ...

Trump Says Key Witness ‘Told the Truth’ and Left ‘Great’ Impression on Manhattan Grand Jury

By Jack Phillips Former President Donald Trump said that his former attorney, Michael Cohen, isn’t a credible witness as another Trump-affiliated lawyer, Robert Costello, indicated ...

Senate Votes to Begin Debate on Bill Repealing Iraq War Authorizations

By Jackson Richman The Senate voted on March 21 to advance a repeal of two U.S. authorizations for military action against Iraq. The upper congressional chamber ...

Ahead of Potential Trump Indictment Manhattan DA Faces Questions Over ‘Tenuous and Untested’ Legal Theory

By Janice Hisle America’s 45th president, Donald Trump, appears poised to become the nation’s first president to be indicted on criminal charges. Such a prosecution ...

Judge Blocks 1999 California Law Requiring Specific Safety Features for Handguns

By Katabella Roberts A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction against key parts of California’s Unsafe Handgun Act that would require new semiautomatic handguns to be ...