Putin scores landslide win to extend his 24-yr rule in Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday clinched a landslide election victory that will extend his nearly quarter-century of rule for six more years, consolidating his grip on power amid the country's war in Ukraine.Putin, 71, had won more than 87 percent of the votes with nearly 100 percent of the ballots counted, overwhelming three other candidates, the preliminary results from the country's election commission showed. The outcome drew critical reactions from Western nations that viewed the election as far from free and fair.Over 70 million votes went to Putin, topping the previous pos…READ FULL ARTICLE