USNN World News

World

China appoints Communist Party hardliner to oversee Hong Kong’s new security office

by USNN World NewsJuly 3, 2020July 3, 2020

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

Inside ‘Office 39’: North Korea’s illicit global smuggling network

by USNN World NewsJune 28, 2020June 28, 2020

National News

Biden VP hopeful Karen Bass slammed over past praise for Fidel Castro

by USNN World NewsJune 28, 2020August 9, 2025

World

China to create controversial Hong Kong security bureau

by USNN World NewsJune 21, 2020February 26, 2025

World

China has arrested hundreds for speaking out about coronavirus, reports show

by USNN World NewsMay 13, 2020May 13, 2020

World

Trump claims he knows how Kim Jong Un is doing: ‘I do have a very good idea’

by USNN World NewsApril 27, 2020January 14, 2025

World

The mystery surrounding Kim Jong Un: What’s going on with the North Korean dictator’s health?

by USNN World NewsApril 25, 2020March 27, 2025

World

Tyranny Versus Free World: Responses to Pandemic Expose Dark Side of Communism

by USNN World NewsApril 8, 2020April 8, 2020

Opinion

China’s coronavirus deception campaign – three parts to their cover-up strategy

by USNN World NewsApril 6, 2020April 6, 2020

National News

Charlie Kirk: This is why millennials will flee Bernie Sanders

by USNN World NewsMarch 7, 2020March 7, 2020

Opinion

The Mind of the Sanders Millennial

by USNN World NewsMarch 7, 2020February 19, 2025

NATIONAL NEWS

Federal Judge Dismisses Criminal Case Against Boeing for 737 MAX Crashes

By Arjun Singh Chief Judge Reed O’Connor of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas on Nov. 6 dismissed a federal criminal ...

Supreme Court Allows Trump’s Policy Requiring Sex at Birth on Passports

By Matthew Vadum The U.S. Supreme Court on Nov. 6 allowed the Trump administration to enforce its policy requiring the sex designation on a U.S. ...

Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport to Reopen Wednesday Morning After Deadly UPS Crash

By Jacki Thrapp Smoke billowed through the air over the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky early Wednesday morning after a UPS cargo plane ...

At Least 7 Killed, 11 Injured in UPS Cargo Plane Crash in Kentucky

By Kimberly Hayek A UPS cargo plane crashed on Tuesday near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) in Kentucky, killing at least seven and injuring ...

Cybersecurity Agents Accused of Working With Notorious Blackcat Hackers to Extort Firms

By Rachel Roberts Three rogue cybersecurity professionals ran a covert ransomware operation aimed at extorting companies across the United States by encrypting their networks, prosecutors ...

‘Massive Fraud’ Uncovered in Food Stamp Program, Says Agriculture Secretary as Benefits Lapse

By Jack Phillips Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins on Sunday said that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamps, is “a broken and ...

2 Men Charged for Allegedly Plotting ISIS-Linked Halloween Attack

By Jacob Burg Two men with links to the ISIS terrorist group who had purchased high-powered weapons and practiced at gun ranges were planning a ...

FBI Confirms 10 Missing Children, Teens Rescued in Hawaii Joint Operation

By Jack Phillips State and federal authorities announced on Thursday that an operation in Hawaii resulted in the rescue of 10 missing children and teens ...

Trump Directs Pentagon to Start Testing Nuclear Weapons Again

By Joseph Lord The United States will begin conducting nuclear weapons testing again after decades of rejecting the practice, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday. “Because of ...

Texas Sues Tylenol Maker Over Allegedly Omitting Evidence of Autism Link From Marketing

By Zachary Stieber Tylenol’s current and former manufacturer intentionally withheld evidence of a link between the drug and autism, a new lawsuit alleges. “Defendants had the ...

Coast Guard Opens Fire on U-Haul at San Francisco Base

By Jill McLaughlin The U.S. Coast Guard in Northern California opened fire on a U-Haul on Thursday night that was allegedly trying to ram through ...

FBI Confirms 10 Missing Children, Teens Rescued in Hawaii Joint Operation

By Jack Phillips State and federal authorities announced on Thursday that an operation in Hawaii resulted in the rescue of 10 missing children and teens ...