CHECHENYA

BBC: Poisoned Chechen leader 'better'

Acting Chechen leader Anatoly Popov says he is feeling better after an apparent weekend poisoning incident.

He was flown to Moscow from Chechnya on Sunday after doctors said he had been fed an unknown toxin.

Tests are under way to determine whether it was an attempt to kill him, or just a case of food poisoning.

The incident comes a week before elections in the troubled Russian republic.

The pro-Moscow Mr Popov is not a candidate

The Kremlin-backed candidate, Akhmad Kadyrov, is widely expected to win the presidential poll since all the other major candidates have either been barred or have withdrawn from the race.