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

With DOGE, Musk, Ramaswamy Confront the ‘Immovable Object’

By Mark Tapscott After Elon Musk asserted during the 2024 campaign that he could eliminate at least $2 trillion of unnecessary federal spending, the once ...

Powerful 7.0 Earthquake Strikes Off Coast of Northern California; Tsunami Warning Canceled

By Jack Phillips A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Northern California on Dec. 5, according to U.S. officials, triggering a brief tsunami warning. The ...

US Must Do More to Replenish Munitions Stockpiles, Says White House’s Sullivan

By Andrew Thornebrooke The United States’ ability to replenish stockpiles of critical munitions is still insufficient for deterring a war with China’s communist regime, according ...

NYPD Releases New Photos of ‘Person of Interest’ in UnitedHealthcare CEO Shooting

By Jack Phillips Police released new photos of an individual wanted for questioning in the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City ...

Republicans Split on Whether to Cut Earmarks Ahead of DOGE Meeting With Musk, Ramaswamy

By Arjun Singh WASHINGTON–Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, leaders of the incoming Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, will meet with Republicans in ...

Trump Nominates Michael Faulkender as Deputy Treasury Secretary

By Austin Alonzo President-elect Donald Trump is nominating an ally and member of his first administration as his deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of ...

UnitedHealthcare CEO Killed in Manhattan by Masked Gunman, Reports Say

By Jack Phillips The CEO of insurance company UnitedHealthcare’s insurance unit, Brian Thompson, was shot and killed by a masked gunman in what appears to ...

House Republicans Will Have 3-Seat Majority After Final Race Called in 2024 Election

By Arjun Singh WASHINGTON—Republicans will have 220 seats in the House of Representatives in the 119th Congress, completing their majority caucus, after the last election ...

Cucumbers, Salads, Mustard Greens Recalled Across Country

By Naveen Athrappully A wide range of food products are being pulled from markets nationwide because of concerns about bacterial contamination. Arizona-based SunFed Produce, Baloian Farms ...

Schumer Reelected Senate Democrat Leader, Durbin as Whip

By Jackson Richman Senate Democrats reelected Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) on Dec. 3 as their leader and whip, respectively. Sens. Amy Klobuchar ...

Court Orders District Attorney Fani Willis to Produce Communications and Records in Trump Case

By Jack Phillips The district attorney of Fulton County, Georgia, was ordered by a judge to turn over communications she may have had with federal ...

Democrats Ask Biden to Try to Limit Trump’s Proposed Use of Military on US Soil

By Bill Pan Two Democratic senators are urging the Biden administration to try to limit President-elect Donald Trump’s ability to deploy military forces inside the ...