Tajikistan postpones poll

DUSHANBE (Reuter) - Tajik authorities, bowing to pressure from the Kremlin, yesterday postponed presidential elections and a referendum on a new constitution to allow Islamic rebels to take part. The Central Asian state's 230-member parliament voted to hold both votes, crucial for the future of the war-torn country, on 6 November. Russia and Tajikistan's western neighbour, Uzbekistan, had argued that the original date, 25 September, did not give the opposition enough time to put forward their candidates. Imamali Rakhmonov, the parliamentary chairman, said it would allow the opposition to enter the contest.