Articles by USNN World News

Life, Nature and Tradition

California woman gored by bison at Yellowstone National Park after getting within 10 feet to take photos

by USNN World NewsJune 30, 2020June 30, 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

Opinion

Matt Schlapp: Trump’s federal court legacy – how these judges will make a difference

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

Opinion

Brian Arbour: Copy Obama and Bush – IF Trump follows their example he can be reelected

by USNN World NewsJune 30, 2020June 30, 2020

Opinion

Kamala Harris will be Joe Biden’s VP pick, Miranda Devine says

by USNN World NewsJune 30, 2020May 14, 2025

Supreme Court

Supreme Court strikes down state ban on taxpayer funding for religious schools

by USNN World NewsJune 30, 2020June 30, 2020

Healthcare

What your doctor might not know about coronavirus

by USNN World NewsJune 29, 2020June 29, 2020

National News

Never Trumpers cross line with party operatives by targeting GOP senators: ‘Taking it too far’

by USNN World NewsJune 29, 2020June 29, 2020

Opinion

Democrats can save our party – by voting Republican

by USNN World NewsJune 29, 2020June 29, 2020

Business

Musk defends Tesla as Texas county considers millions in tax breaks to land ‘gigafactory’

by USNN World NewsJune 29, 2020August 31, 2024

National News

Protesters set up guillotine in front of Jeff Bezos’ DC home

by USNN World NewsJune 29, 2020June 29, 2020

NATIONAL NEWS

Trump Megabill Clears Rules Vote After Fiscal Conservatives Persuaded

By Joseph Lord and Nathan Worcester WASHINGTON—After House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Republican leaders spent hours scrambling to flip holdouts, President Donald Trump’s One ...

Trump, Noem Say CNN’s Coverage of ICE Tracking App Could Warrant Prosecution

By Tom Ozimek President Donald Trump on July 1 suggested that CNN should face possible prosecution both for reporting on a mobile app that alerts ...

DHS Announces $81.5 Billion in Customs Revenue From Trump’s Tariffs

By Tom Ozimek The Department of Homeland Security said on June 30 that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has collected more than $106 billion in ...

Senate Passes Megabill With Vance Casting Tie-Breaker

By Joseph Lord, Nathan Worcester, Jackson Richman, Lawrence Richman WASHINGTON—The Senate passed its version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act at midday on July ...

Suspect in Idaho Ambush Identified, Along With 2 Firefighter Victims

By Rudy Blalock A wildfire call on Canfield Mountain turned into a deadly ambush Sunday when two firefighters were killed and another wounded by gunfire. ...

Musk Vows to Primary Republicans Who Vote for GOP Megabill

By Joseph Lord Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk vowed on June 30 that he would primary any Republican who casts a vote for the ...

Senate Heads Toward Final Vote for Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’

By Joseph Lord The Senate on Monday began the amendment process known as a vote-a-rama on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act ahead of the ...

DOJ Sues Los Angeles Over Sanctuary Policies

By Jill McLaughlin The Trump administration sued the city of Los Angeles on June 30, alleging that the city’s sanctuary policies prohibited immigration officers from ...

Senate Wraps up Debate on Republican Megabill as ‘Vote-a-Rama’ Set to Begin Monday

By Joseph Lord The Senate in the early hours of Monday morning wrapped up its debate on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act ahead of ...

Trump Says US to Send Tariff Letters to Trade Partners Before July 9 Deadline

By Emel Akan WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump said on June 29 that he will soon send letters to trading partners detailing the tariffs to be imposed ...

Federal Judge Refuses to Block DOGE Access to Sensitive Government Data

By Tom Ozimek A federal judge on Friday allowed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to continue to access sensitive data on millions of Americans ...

Supreme Court Sides With Trump Admin, Limits Nationwide Injunctions

By Sam Dorman The Supreme Court partially allowed President Donald Trump’s birthright citizenship executive order on June 27 in a decision that said universal injunctions likely ...