Chechnya marks 'special' birthday

Minutes after this photograph was taken, Akhmad Kadyrov was killed

The Russian-backed authorities in Chechnya say children born on the birthday of the assassinated president, Akhmad Kadyrov, will get a cash reward.

A gift of $170 (£92) will be made to those born on 23 August and that will double for boys who are named Akhmad.

The gift is one of many plans to commemorate Mr Kadyrov, who died in a rebel bomb attack in May.

Streets are to be renamed after him, and a commemorative museum will be opened in the war-ravaged republic.

Mr Kadyrov's birthday comes six days before elections for a new president.

New strongman

His interior minister, Alu Alkhanov, is widely expected to win the poll. Backed by the Russian authorities and Kadyrov family, he currently directs police helping Russian troops to fight the Chechen separatist rebels.

The bombers struck during a Victory Day ceremony

In addition to the museum in Gudermes, east of the capital Grozny, the authorities plan to devote TV programmes to Mr Kadyrov and give bicycles to children's homes and kindergartens to mark the late leader's birthday.

Mr Kadyrov died on 9 May when a bomb went off in a VIP seating area of Dynamo stadium in Grozny during a ceremony marking victory in World War II.

Rebel warlord Shamil Basayev claimed responsibility for killing the Moscow-backed president and six others.

Moscow has almost total control of the state apparatus in Chechnya, and in last year's presidential poll all the main rivals to Mr Kadyrov were either sidelined or pulled out.

Rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov has said his supporters will not be taking part in the elections, reiterating the rebel position that no elections since the start of the current war in 1999 are legitimate.