Putin Protested

BBC News - Moscow protest: Thousands rally against Vladimir Putin

Tens of thousands of people have rallied in central Moscow in a show of anger at alleged electoral fraud.

They passed a resolution "not to give a single vote to Vladimir Putin" at next year's presidential election.

Protest leader Alexei Navalny told the crowd to loud applause that Russians would no longer tolerate corruption.

"I see enough people here to take the Kremlin and [Government House] right now but we are peaceful people and won't do that just yet," he said.

Demonstrators say parliamentary elections on 4 December, which were won by Mr Putin's party, were rigged. The government denies the accusation...

Global Tidbits

Suicide Bombers Kill Scores of Shiite Worshipers in Afghanistan - NYTimes.com

At least 63 people were killed and scores wounded after bombers struck Shiite religious observances on Tuesday in three cities, detonating explosives amid crowds of worshipers in the first such sectarian attacks in a decade of war in Afghanistan...

Western Monitors Criticize Russian Vote That Cost Putin’s Party Seats - NYTimes.com

...Election monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said that they, too, had observed blatant fraud, including the brazen stuffing of ballot boxes. While the monitors declined to draw firm conclusions, it was clear from their report that vote stealing and other alleged malfeasance might have spared the presumed beneficiary, Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin’s United Russia, an even worse blow than it officially received...

Tiny Tax on Financial Trades Gains Advocates - NYTimes.com

They call it the Robin Hood tax — a tiny levy on trades in the financial markets that would take money from the banks and give it to the world’s poor.

And like the mythical hero of Sherwood Forest, it is beginning to capture the public’s imagination...

Some Russians Unhappy Over US Marchers

Russia: U.S. troops march in Red Square for first time in Victory Day parade - latimes.com

"U.S. troops marched through Red Square for the first time in a Victory Day parade on Sunday as Russia celebrated the 65th anniversary of the end of World War II.

U.S. troops marched through Red Square for the first time in a Victory Day parade on Sunday as Russia celebrated the 65th anniversary of the end of World War II.

It was a scene cut from Russia's Cold War nightmares: 71 Americans in dark blue dress uniforms carried the U.S. flag over the cobblestones, past the mausoleum of Vladimir Lenin and the towers of the Kremlin wall to salute Russian leaders.

French, British and Polish soldiers also took part in the parade in a tribute to the role the Allies played in what Russia called the Great Patriotic War. Under clear skies, the reviewing stands were packed with Russian officials, foreign dignitaries and hundreds of aging war veterans..."

Who Briefed Little O?

Barack Obama makes basic error over balance of power in Kremlin - Times Online: "President Obama has made his first mistake in Russia even before he arrives in Moscow today. His attempt to cast Vladimir Putin as yesterday’s man and to drive a wedge between the Prime Minister and President Medvedev demonstrates a misreading of relations in the Kremlin..."

Protesters Pummeled In Petersburg

Russian cops break up large protest - Europe - MSNBC.com: "ST. PETERSBURG, Russia - Police violently broke up an unauthorized opposition rally in Russia’s second-largest city Saturday, clubbing dozens of activists before dragging them into waiting buses.

Several thousand members of liberal and leftist groups chanted “Shame!” as they marched down St. Petersburg’s main avenue to protest what they said was Russia’s roll back from democracy. The demonstration, called the March of Those Who Disagree, was a rare gathering of the country’s beleaguered and often fractious opposition."