The Strategy 31 protests for the right to peaceful assembly are going global today, reports The Guardian, with rallies scheduled to be held in London, New York, Helsinki, Berlin, and Tel Aviv.  Environmentalists have appealed to President Dmitry Medvedev to arrange an independent assessment of the highway planned to run through the Khimki forest.  Medvedev says that his administration is keeping track of governor approval ratings ahead of next year’s parliamentary elections, and may remove unpopular leaders.  Medvedev says that regions should decide on the titles for their own leaders, although he approves of the idea to abolish regional presidential titles.  In another clash highlighting the discrepancy between ‘enormous‘ property values and poorly-kept historic buildings, says the Moscow Times, activists gathered yesterday to defend what they are calling the ‘illegal‘ demolition of the 19th century Volkonsky house.  A Barnaul police investigator has been sentenced to five years in prison for attempting to resell confiscated goods.  AFP profiles Russia’s police crimes, providing numerous recent case studies including kidnappings and attacks.