USNN World News

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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

Jonathan Turley: Biden’s Supreme Court ‘diversity’ criteria ‘unconstitutional’

By Art Moore President Biden confirmed Thursday that he will fulfill his campaign promise to nominate a black woman to the Supreme Court, but constitutional ...

Internal Revenue Service Seeing ‘Mountains of Fraud’ in Cryptocurrencies, NFTs: Special Agent

By Katabella Roberts A special agent from the Internal Revenue Service has warned that non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and cryptocurrencies are highly susceptible to fraud and manipulation as they ...

Top House Republicans Allege Democrats ‘Not Serious’ About Confronting China in Chips, Competition Bill

By Mimi Nguyen Ly Top House Republicans say their Democrat colleagues are “not serious” about confronting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), after the House unveiled ...

US Semiconductor Chip Shortage Poses Economic, National Security Risks: Commerce Dept.

By Katabella Roberts The United States is facing a chronic shortage of semiconductor chips and a long-term solution is desperately needed to avoid economic and national security risks ...

Biden Administration Is Withdrawing OSHA COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

By Jack Phillips The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced Tuesday it will formally withdraw its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for private businesses with 100 ...

‘Null, Void, and Unenforceable’: NY Judge Strikes Down Governor’s Mask Mandate

By Jack Phillips A New York Supreme Court judge on Monday evening ruled that Gov. Kathy Hochul’s mask mandate for schools and public places is unconstitutional, ...

Schweizer: Bidens got $31 million from China intelligence-linked sources

By Bob Unruh Peter Schweizer, the president of Governmental Accountability Institute and author of “Profiles in Corruption” and “Clinton Cash,” previously has warned China’s influence ...

Sen. Sinema Censured by Arizona Democratic Party

By Jack Phillips Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) was censured by the Arizona Democratic Party’s executive board over the weekend for voting to keep the Senate’s filibuster, which effectively blocked ...

US Now Requires All Foreign Travelers to Be COVID-19 Vaccinated When Crossing Land Ports, Ferry Terminals

By Mimi Nguyen Ly Starting Saturday, non-U.S. travelers who wish to enter the United States via ferry terminals or land ports of entry at the U.S.–Mexico ...

Biden’s COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate for Federal Workers Blocked Nationwide

By Zachary Stieber President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal employees was blocked on Friday by a federal judge. Biden does not have the authority to impose such ...

Scientists Who Were Instrumental to COVID-19 ‘Natural Origins’ Narrative Received Over $50 Million in NIAID Funding in 2020-2021

By Jeff Carlson and Hans Mahncke News Analysis Four prominent scientists who played key roles in shaping the public narrative around the origin of COVID-19 received ...

Hunter Biden Invested in Chinese Company Tied to Senior Chinese Communist Party Officials: Emails

By Frank Fang Hunter Biden, the second son of U.S. President Joe Biden, once held a stake in a Chinese company with ties to senior party ...