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

World

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

NATIONAL NEWS

Ocasio-Cortez’s Campaign Finance Records, Website Contradict Claims That Merchandise Profits Go to Charity

By Katabella Roberts Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) this week claimed that proceeds from sales of her campaign merchandise go to charity groups, a claim that appears to be at ...

Trump Drops Major Hint About Running for President in 2024

By Frank Fang Former President Donald Trump on Nov. 3 gave arguably the clearest signal that he plans to run for president in 2024, telling supporters in ...

Man Charged After Confronting GOP Senate Candidate Before New Hampshire Debate

By Lorenz Duchamps Authorities in New Hampshire have charged a man for approaching Republican Senate candidate Donald C. Bolduc moments before his Nov. 2 debate against incumbent Sen. Maggie ...

Biden Says Winners of Midterm Election Won’t Be Known ‘Until After a Few Days’ In Some Cases

By Tom Ozimek President Joe Biden said in a recent speech that, in some cases, the results of the upcoming midterm election won’t be known for several ...

Private Eyes–How Government Makes Your Bank Spy on You

By Kevin Stocklin When you open a bank account, do you surrender all rights to your privacy and personal data? Today, the answer is yes. The ...

Border Patrol Agents Find $43,000 Worth of Cocaine Washed Up on Florida Coastline

By Katabella Roberts U.S. Border Patrol agents in Florida discovered 3 pounds of cocaine that had washed up near the coastline of Cape Canaveral on Thursday. Officials said they found the drugs, which ...

The Bureaucratic Erasure of Culture, Identity, and Freedom

By Edward Ring Commentary Exploring the roadways of California yields scenery evoking two distinct worlds. On the big freeways, surrounding every major interchange, the 21st century asserts itself in ...

Police Respond to Trespassing Call at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago, Secret Service Performs Sweep

By Jack Phillips Police in Palm Beach, Florida, responded to a trespassing call at former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort on Thursday, authorities said. The Palm Beach ...

Alleged Paul Pelosi Attacker Is an Illegal Immigrant, Officials Confirm

By Zachary Stieber The man who allegedly attacked Paul Pelosi is an illegal immigrant, U.S. officials have confirmed. “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged an immigration detainer ...

Biden Takes Heat From Both Sides Over Speech Criticizing ‘Extreme MAGA Republicans’

By Samantha Flom While President Joe Biden undoubtedly expected to receive backlash from Republicans following his Nov. 2 speech warning that “democracy is under threat” from supporters of ...

A Key Date in the Efforts Against an Incoming President

By Jeff Carlson News Analysis Jan. 12, 2017, has proven to be an incredibly important date in American politics. It was on this date that Igor Dancehnko’s ...

Plaintiffs Ask Judge to Find Benson in Contempt of Court for Failing to Correct Election Guidance Manual

By Steven Kovac A Michigan Court of Claims judge has been asked to declare Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, in contempt for noncompliance ...