Good evening. Russians have begun voting in a president ial election which Vladimir Putin is certain to win when the polls close on sunday. There have very unusually been some protests such as this woman pouring dye into a ballot box but President Putin faces no serious opposition, with his rivals dead, in prison or in exile. This report from our russia editor, steve rosenberg. Russias democracy is the best in the world, the kremlin says. And at Polling Station 38 in moscow, we found a choice of candidates and plenty of voters. Democracy in action, right . Not quite. Realistically, only one man can win this. Vladimir putin the man whos been on russias political stage for the last quarter of a century. Vladimir putin faces no serious challenger. His fiercest rivals are in exile or in prison. Not that this woman, whose son is fighting in ukraine, wants any change at the top. Of course i voted for putin, she says. I trust him. But not everyone who came out today was actually voting. This,
Also coming up in half an hour on bbc london. The mother of a seven year old who died after being electrocuted by faulty wiring at a Pub Near Romford is calling for stricter regulations. And coming up on bbc news. Paris Saint Germain agree a deal to sell brazil forward neymar to Saudi Pro League side al hilal for a fee understood to be over £77 million. Good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. Two thirds of nhs cancer waiting time targets are expected to be scrapped in england in a move the Health Service says is designed to catch the disease earlier. Its thought that the nine current targets will be reduced to three. The proposals have been worked on by clinicians and have been out for consultation since last year. Some Cancer Charities, though, say more investment is needed in treatment capacity. Our Health Correspondent Dominic Hughes has the details. Nhs england says it wants to simplify and update cancer Waiting Time Standards following the advice of expert doctors. The
Yesterday was the warmest day of the year, 28 celsius, a month. Today feeling fresher with sunny spells and showers. The full forecast throughout the programme. Its friday, the 11th of august. Our main story. The latest round of strikes byJunior Doctors in england will start in just over an hour, as a long running dispute involving half of all doctors working in the uk continues. Nhs leaders are warning it means more significant disruption to the Health Service, with thousands of appointments and procedures postponed. Our Health Correspondent Dominic Hughes reports. Were now into the fifth round of strikes byJunior Doctors in england with little sign that their union, the british medical association, or ministers are prepared to yield. But the continuing Industrial Action is having an impact on patients. Former teacher margaret is trying to plan a holiday, but she also needs to get a new Pacemaker Battery fitted. One nhs appointment was cancelled because of an earlier walkout, and marg
At a Funeral Directors in hull that is at the centre of a major police investigation. The National Crime agency has been called in to assist. Detectives have received more than 1,500 calls in the past week from people who have used Legacy Independent Funeral Directors and are now worried about what happened to their relatives bodies. Danny savage has heard from some of them. This is rita shaw. She died last october after a short illness. Her husband has her ashes at home. I dont know if ive got ritas ashes at all. It could be anybody s, i think. But like so many people in the hull area who used legacy Funeral Directors, hes now wondering if they really are her ashes. You get over the initial part of rita passing away, its hard, but its on top of it, if they arent ritas ashes, its like torture for the rest of your life, i would have thought. Police have taken 35 bodies from this funeral home in hull. They now say they have contacted the families of those people. But richard is one of 1,