USNN World News

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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

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

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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

Dennis Prager: Capitol Siege Was ‘Vile’ but Left’s Suppression of Free Speech Is Worse

By Tom Ozimek and Jan Jekielek ‘The left in the United States is totalitarian’ Radio talk show host and columnist Dennis Prager said in an interview with ...

McConnell Formally Rejects Calls for Early Start for Senate Impeachment Trial

By Janita Kan Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said on Wednesday that the second impeachment trial for President Donald Trump would not begin until after President-elect ...

Florida State Rep. Calls on Gov. DeSantis to Divest From Big Tech Over Censorship

By Masooma Haq Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) is calling on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to divest from Big Tech companies after the tech giants suspended President ...

Sen. Wicker to ‘Stand Strong Against Proposals That Could Lead Our Country Toward Socialism’

By Zachary Stieber A Republican senator on Monday said he would “stand strong” against any proposals that could lead the United States “toward socialism.” The Senate will ...

Navarro: Trump ‘Itching to Defend Himself’ Against Impeachment

By Zachary Stieber President Donald Trump is eager to defend himself against accusations laid out by Democrats in a fresh impeachment push, a top adviser said ...

Trump Approval Rating Steady Despite Fallout From Capitol Breach: Rasmussen Poll

By Ivan Pentchoukov President Donald Trump’s approval rating has remained high despite a media frenzy surrounding the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 ...

Trump Awards Medal of Freedom to US Rep. Jim Jordan

By Zachary Stieber President Donald Trump has awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, to Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). The Medal of Freedom, established by President John F. ...

Trump Not Resigning, Will ‘Not Leave the Public Stage at All:’ Gaetz

By Zachary Stieber President Donald Trump has no plans to resign and remains the most powerful, most influential Republican, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) said late Sunday. “I spoke with ...

Democrats Cannot Impeach Trump, and You Can’t Impeach Him After Leaving Office: Dershowitz

By Jack Phillips Harvard Law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz said Democrats have virtually no chance of successfully impeaching and removing President Donald Trump before Inauguration Day on Jan. 20. “The ...

Graham Says He Is ‘More Determined’ to Roll Back Protections for Big Tech After Twitter Bans Trump

By Janita Kan Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said on Saturday that he was “more determined” to rollback liability protections for big tech companies after Twitter ...

Trump Orders Flags to Half-Staff to Honor Capitol Police Officers, Law Enforcement

By Ivan Pentchoukov President Donald Trump ordered U.S. flags across the nation and abroad to be flown at half-staff until Jan. 13 in honor of ...

Secretary Carson: Haven’t Talked About Using 25th Amendment

By Zachary Stieber One of President Donald Trump’s longest-tenured Cabinet members on Friday said he has not spoken with anybody about using the 25th Amendment to remove ...