Russian opposition to stage huge anti-Putin rally

Thousands of anti-government protesters are expected to march through the Russian capital of Moscow on Tuesday, demanding fresh elections and a new president, a day after police raided the homes of several prominent activists. Tuesday's rally is the first since Russian President Vladimir Putin returned to office after he won a third presidential term in March despite protests over alleged fraud in December's parliamentary vote. Putin appears to be taking a harder line against the opposition. Last week, he signed a new law increasing fines for those who hold unsanctioned protests. Yesterday, the Russian police searched the homes of opposition leaders in raids Kremlin critics said smacked of the era of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. Those targeted by police included leading opposition activists Alexei Navalny, Sergei Udaltsov and Ilya Yashin. Police also searched the home of Ksenia Sobchak - a well known TV presenter and daughter of Putin's late mentor and St Petersburg mayor Anatoly Sobchak - who has joined the protest movement. Federal investigators summoned prominent opposition leaders to appear for questioning just one hour before the scheduled start of the demonstration.