As expected, Vladimir Putin won the Russian presidential election, getting about 65% of the vote. But the opposition, which has been in the streets even in the dead of winter, plans to challenge Putin's victory which came amid widespread accusations of fraud. New York Times: "We have gained a clean victory!" he said, standing next to Dmitri A. Medvedev, the protégé he chose to succeed him as president just over four years ago, and who now, in a job swap, has been promised the post of prime minister. "We won!" Mr. Putin said. "Glory to Russia!" Amid renewed allegations of voting fraud, some opposition leaders called for demonstrations beyond those allowed by government permits, raising the prospect of a sharp response from the authorities and threatening to undercut Mr. Putin's promise of stability. "This is not an election; it's a shame," Sergei Udaltsov, the leader of the Left Front, a radical socialist group, posted on Twitter. "Once again they spat in our face....(Read Full Post)