Russia Feature: Renewed Protests Against Putin... But Will the "Dear" Leader Hang On? (Rojansky and Soloveitchik/O'Flynn)

A campaign video by Wake up Russia (@WakeUpR) with citizens holding banners stating their names and calling for fair elections.

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Large protests are anticipated across Russia today, two weeks after tens of thousands took to the streets to demonstrate against alleged election fraud. More than 50,000 activists have signed up to the Facebook page organising the event, The public will behind the protest remains to be seen, however, and Russian media has withheld news of the planned marches and --- in notable contrast to the clamour which met events on 10 December 10 --- so has Western media.

Whilst hopes are strong amongst many protesters and some commentators that these actions may initiate a radical overhaul of the Putin government, Russian analysts remain cautious. Matthew Rojansky explores the realpolitik behind the headlines and Western projections.

At the same time the passion and social media savvy of many young Russians has proven fertile ground for networks of support to emerge and strengthen. Writing for The Moscow Times, Rina Soloveitchik and Kevin O'Flynn highlight the central battleground of Twitter as a medium for key opposition news and opinion, as well as for regime misinformation and mischief:

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Russia LiveBlog: The White-Ribbon Protests

An aerial camera captures the scale of protest in Moscow today

See also Russia Feature: Putin Accused --- Large Protests on Saturday?

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EA is working with INN to provide live coverage of today's protests in Russia:

17:35 GMT: Ridus News posts a series of remarkable photographs from today in Moscow taken from a radio-controlled helicopter above the demonstration.

16:58 GMT: Major rally planned in Irkutsk next Saturday.

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Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Pounding Away

2215: A resident of Daraa in southern Syria says, after a day in which 15 people were killed by security forces:"The city is empty, only the army is in the street. Tomorrow we will be more and more in the streets."

2200 GMT: At least 40 people have been killed in clashes between pro- and anti-regime tribesmen in the northern Yemeni governorate of Al-Jawf over the last five days.

Anti-regime tribesmen took over control of the 115th Infantry Division after its commander, Brigadier Abdurabu Hussein, refused to hand over the division to Brigadier Ali Haidara al-Henshi, appointed by President Ali Abdullah Saleh as a replacement.

An official with a non-government organisation said, "Strategic military positions in the governorate are now controlled by anti-government tribesmen and Houthi gunmen. About 20 troops and Houthi gunmen were killed in the latter's attack on the contingent."

2145 GMT: Video from Zintan in northwest Libya, as opposition fighters celebrate atop the regime's tanks and military vehicles. Soon after the filming, the cameraman was killed in the fighting:

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Sunday Music Video Special: Vladmir Putin Finds His Thrills on "Blueberry Hill"

Last weekend's treat was North Korean Dear Leader Kim Jong-Il Looking at Things. This week it is Russian Dear Leader Vladimir Putin Playing Piano and Singing Fats Domino.

From a charity concert on Friday in St Petersburg for children suffering from eye diseases and cancer:

Wikileaks Special: Pushing Back Against Italy's Berlusconi "The Mouthpiece of Putin"

To tackle the problem [of Berlusconi's affection for Putin] head-on, Post [the Embassy] has deployed a robust diplomatic and public affairs strategy targeting key figures inside and outside government. Our aim is two-fold: educate our interlocutors more profoundly on Russian activities and thus the context for U.S. policy, as well as build a counter-weight of dissenting opinion on Russia policy, especially within Berlusconi's political party.

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