The Life and Times of Vladimir Putin

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Putin's real parents were Vladimir Putin Sr and Maria Putina, a couple who lived in Leningrad. Vera said that her Vova was born in 1950 - but he had to be kept back two years at school because his Russian wasn't really good enough. He also did beautiful calligraphy and sent greeting cards to the family's friends. When he did wrestling or judo, which he was very fond of, as of course a Putin still is, he would have to win the bout. And he didn't like having him round the house.

He is expected to be charged for failing to return classified documents and obstructing justice. The former president denies wrongdoing, and any possible convictions are still a long way away, but how does this affect his election campaign? Wildfires raging across Canada are choking New Yorkers. We take a closer look at the air quality data. And Putin’s alleged birth mother dies in Georgia.

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