World - USNN World News

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

World

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

World

Trudeau slams ‘political’ detentions, after China spy charges

by USNN World NewsJune 23, 2020June 23, 2020

NATIONAL NEWS

Trump Attorney: New York Attorney General Has No Case

By Jack Phillips A member of former President Donald Trump’s legal team said that New York Attorney General Letitia James doesn’t have a case as ...

RFK Jr. Team Continues to Press Biden Administration for Secret Service Protection

By Jeff Louderback The Trump administration in 2020 provided Secret Service protection for Joe Biden during his run for the presidency, but President Biden has ...

State Auditors Say ESG Agenda Has Forced Them to Push Back

By Kevin Stocklin Oklahoma State Auditor Cindy Byrd says she would rather be at her desk, crunching numbers, than taking on political causes. “Usually, when an ...

Vivek Ramaswamy Reveals ‘Declaration of Independence From China’

By Nathan Worcester At an industrial facility in his home state of Ohio, GOP presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy outlined his “declaration of independence from China.” “There’s ...

Former Trump Campaign Attorney Says Fulton County Case Based on Illegal Evidence

By Catherine Yang Kenneth Chesebro, who served as an attorney for the Trump Campaign during the then-president’s challenge of the 2020 elections, is arguing that ...

Judge Hands Federal Government Major Legal Defeat in Gulf of Mexico

By Jack Phillips A federal judge struck down a Biden administration rule that would place significant restrictions on an offshore oil and gas lease sale, ...

Trump Says If Reelected He Will Send Troops to Southern Border

By Kos Temenes Former U.S. President Donald Trump said that if reelected, he would shift resources from federal law enforcement agencies and send thousands of ...

Defense Bill Doesn’t Pass Procedural Vote in House For a Second Time

By Lawrence Wilson House Republicans failed for a second time to pass a procedural vote that would allow consideration of the $826 billion defense appropriations ...

Judge Denies Request, Orders Hunter Biden to Appear in Court

By Catherine Yang A judge ruled that Hunter Biden will need to be arraigned in person, denying his request this week to attend his hearing ...

Republicans Embrace Ballot Harvesting for 2024, Some Foresee Legal Battles

By Patricia Tolson After years of condemning ballot harvesting and early voting, Republicans are switching course for 2024 and embracing both policies wholeheartedly. The results, ...

Kari Lake Seriously Considering US Senate Bid

By Caden Pearson Kari Lake said Wednesday that she is seriously weighing the possibility of a Senate bid in 2024, but has refrained from making ...

Garland Says He Doesn’t Remember If He Discussed Hunter Biden Case With FBI

By Joseph Lord Attorney General Merrick Garland says he doesn’t remember if he discussed Hunter Biden’s case with the FBI. During his Sept. 20 testimony to ...