If no candidate wins more than 50 in the first round. But with many of mr putins opponents unable to run, it seems inevitable that Vladimir Putin will be re elected without the need for that second ballot. Our russia editor, steve rosenberg, is following developments in moscow. Vladimir putin has been in power a long time, right, 25 years almost as president or Prime Minister. And hes expected to win a fifth president ial term. Now, this whole event, this three day event, which starts today, is being presented by the russian authorities almost as a celebration of democracy. The kremlin just a few days ago described russian democracy as the best democracy in the world. Critics of the kremlin would disagree and would say that this poll is neither free nor fair nor transparent. Vladimir putin does not face a major challenge. There are three other candidates on the ballot paper, but his most vocal critics, his fiercest opponents, are either in exile or in prison, which kind of helps you to
- advertising is based on one thing: happiness. - [shouting excitedly] - is there any taboo that you wouldn t break? - not if there was a funny idea. - what is wrong with you? - there s so much different storytelling - and so many different stories being told - about so many different people. - i don t think dramatic series television has ever been stronger. - there s no longer this theory of what - popular entertainment must be. - incoming! - who are the heroes? the people who watch this show. [slowly building orchestral music] - this is the week when the major broadcast networks unveil their fall lineup of shows, and every executive in hollywood knows how well the sopranos is doing on cable, which is a network problem. - i think hbo altered everything for this reason alone, is there were no commercials. - we are dependent on sponsors. there is so much we can do in terms of language, in terms of violence, and in terms of sex. - to a large degree, a lot of executives we
or african backgrounds out on the streets. being a young north african black or arab male in the estates, is intolerable for police. boys suffer abusive controlled racial profiling. now they are killing them. this is far from the first time this happens. i ve lived in france and i ve covered plenty of riots there. they re rarely as violent as these latest ones, and i ve seen for myself the way the french police deal with them with a ferocity that often shocks a mere anglo saxon. after the major riots of 2005, the police were given the kind of anti riot weapons which are banned in most european countries, and they use them. on average, the french police kill four times as many people as they did only 12 years ago. the gendarmes, as opposed to the ordinary police, are courier soldiers. they re allowed to use armed force more easily than the police are. and there s a lot less political control over policing in france than there is, say, in germany or britain. the police deny t
out on the streets. translation: being a young north african black or arab male in the estates. boys suffer abusive controlled racial profiling. now they are killing them. this is far from the first time this happens. i ve lived in france and i ve covered plenty of riots there. they re rarely as violent as these latest ones, and i ve seen for myself the way the french police deal with them with a ferocity that often shocks a mere anglo saxon. after the major riots of 2005, the police were given the kind of anti riot weapons which are banned in most european countries, and they use them. on average the french police kill four times as many people as they did only 12 years ago. the gendarmes, as opposed to the ordinary police, are courier soldiers. they re allowed to use armed force more easily than the police are. and there s a lot less political control over policing in france than there is, say, in germany or britain. the police deny that there s a culture of racism and br
hello and welcome to the bbc s newsroom here in new broadcasting house in london. this week on unspun, the ferocious riots right across france seems to have died down after the shooting of a 17 year old boy at a police check. in cities and towns, the housing estates and the grim outer suburbs, kept far away from the attractive centres have seen people of mostly arab, north african or african backgrounds out on the streets. translation: being a young - north african, black or arab male in the estates is intolerable for french police. boys suffer abusive controlled racial profiling. now they are killing them. this is far from the first time this happens. i ve lived in france and i ve covered plenty of riots there. they re rarely as violent as these latest ones, and i ve seen for myself the way the french police deal with them with a ferocity that often shocks a mere anglo saxon. after the major riots of 2005, the police were given the kind of anti riot weapons which are banne