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

Senate Passes Funding Bill to Avert Government Shutdown

By Joseph Lord, Jackson Richman and Arjun Singh WASHINGTON—The U.S. Senate on March 14 approved a House-passed bill to extend government funding by six months, ...

Trump Expresses Confidence That US Will Acquire Greenland During Meeting With NATO Chief

By Emel Akan and Travis Gillmore President Donald Trump on March 13 expressed optimism about the United States acquiring Greenland, highlighting the effort as vital ...

Judge Rules Against Trump in Labor Case With Implications for DOGE

By Kimberly Hayek A federal judge ruled on March 12 against President Donald Trump in a case that could have major implications regarding his attempts ...

EPA to Roll Back Raft of Climate Regulations, Including EV Rule

By Austin Alonzo Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin on March 12 made what he called the “largest deregulatory announcement in U.S. history.” In a ...

USAID Staff Ordered to Destroy Records, Court Filing Says

By Aldgra Fredly Some U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) employees have received instructions to empty classified safes and destroy agency records, according to a ...

Ontario to Suspend Electricity Export Tariff After Premier, US Commerce Secretary Speak

By Jennifer Cowen Ontario says it will suspend its 25 percent surcharge on electricity exports to Michigan, New York, and Minnesota after Premier Doug Ford ...

Trump to Declare Emergency After Ontario Imposes Tariffs on Electricity Sold to US

By Travis Gillmore President Donald Trump announced on March 11 that he is planning to declare a national emergency after Canada’s Ontario province placed a ...

More Than 200,000 Government Credit Cards Deactivated: DOGE

By Jack Phillips The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) said more than 200,000 government credit cards linked to a handful of federal agencies were canceled ...

Zelenskyy Apologized to Trump After Oval Office Clash, Witkoff Says

By Tom Ozimek Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy apologized to President Donald Trump for a heated Oval Office meeting this past week in a letter that ...

Secret Service Shoots Armed Man Near White House

By Jacob Burg The U.S. Secret Service shot an adult male near the White House following an “armed confrontation” with law enforcement shortly after midnight ...

DOGE Says It Found $312 Million in Loans That Were Given to Children During Pandemic

By Jack Phillips The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) said over the weekend that it found that the Small Business Administration (SBA) granted thousands of ...

Commerce Secretary Says Trump Will Not Ease Up on Fentanyl-Related Tariffs

By Jacob Burg Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on March 9 that President Donald Trump is likely to maintain his tariff pressure on Mexico, Canada, ...