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

Sen. Blackburn calls out Dems’ failed impeachment strategy: ‘When you’re in a hole, stop digging’

By Joshua Nelson | Fox News Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., told “America Newsroom” on Friday that the House Democrats’ impeachment was a failed strategy that placed them in an adverse ...

Ari Fleischer: Impeachment stalemate ‘the dumbest thing Democrats have ever done’

By Joshua Nelson | Fox News Former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer scorched the notion that the House Democrats would gain leverage by withholding the Articles of impeachment against President ...

Chris Wallace: What may be driving Nancy Pelosi’s impeachment delay

By David Montanaro | Fox News “Fox News Sunday” anchor Chris Wallace believes House Speaker Nancy Pelosi may be trying to frustrate President Trump by withholding the articles of impeachment from the Senate, as the ...

Former ICE Director Slams New York Over Illegal Immigrant Driver Licenses

By Charlotte Cuthbertson WASHINGTON—Tom Homan, former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), struck out at New York politicians for enacting a new law that allows ...

Woman spurned in alleged Ilhan Omar affair cut off by court in bizarre divorce proceedings

By Marisa Schultz | Fox News A local judge granted a divorce Thursday to a D.C. doctor who accused Rep. Ilhan Omar of having an affair with her husband, ...

5 New Jersey officials, political candidates accused of taking massive bribes indicted

By Morgan Phillips | Fox News Five current and former New Jersey public officials are facing charges of accepting bribes following a major corruption investigation, the ...

Alan Dershowitz rebuts Laurence Tribe: ‘Unconstitutional’ for Pelosi to delay Senate trial on impeachment

By Sam Dorman | Fox News Former Harvard Law School Professor Alan Dershowitz wrote on Thursday that he thinks it’s “difficult to imagine anything more unconstitutional” than House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, ...

Republican and ex-Dem senator agree impeachment partisanship hurting the country: ‘We can’t go on like this

By Julia Musto | Fox News Republican Ed Rollins, former Dem senator Torricelli agree impeachment bad for the country “We can’t go on like this,” said Bob Torricelli, ...

Nancy Pelosi dubbed ‘swamp mistress’ on New York Post impeachment front page: ‘It’s your funeral’

By Brian Flood | Fox News The New York Post labeled House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the “Swamp mistress” on its Thursday post-impeachment cover that says the decision will ...

Trump taunts Dems at Michigan rally: ‘Doesn’t really feel like we’re being impeached’

By Morgan Phillips | Fox News While the House voted to impeach him, President Trump took the stage in front of thousands of supporters who lined up ...

Stephanie Grisham blasts impeachment push: ‘History is not going to look kindly on these Democrats’

By Talia Kaplan | Fox News White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham spoke on “Fox & Friends” on Wednesday shortly before the House of Representatives was scheduled to vote on two articles ...

Trump Campaign Poll: Impeachment Hurting 30 Vulnerable Democrats’ Reelection Chances

By Jack Phillips President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign released polling numbers that suggest impeachment may imperil nearly three-dozen Democrats who hold seats in districts Trump carried in ...