Tajikistan votes in referendum to empower veteran President

DUSHANBE, Tajikistan: Ex-Soviet Tajikistan went to the polls Sunday in a referendum on constitutional changes almost certain to strengthen the hold of long-time President Emomali Rakhmon and his family over the impoverished Central Asian state.

After an early morning rush to the polls, the country's electoral commission said the vote was valid, claiming that 80 percent of 4.3 million eligible voters had cast their ballots by 1000 GMT in a referendum on whether Rakhmon can run for an unlimited number of terms, among other changes.