Afghan watchdog alters vote recount after criticism

The U.N.-backed watchdog overseeing a fraud investigation in Afghanistan's August 20 vote altered its ballot-counting rules Wednesday, ditching a plan criticized for favoring President Hamid Karzai. The new recount rules, which watchdog officials said were a "clarification," take into account the possibility one candidate may have disproportionately benefitted from fraud, a finding that would be necessary in order for Karzai to be forced to face a second round. Preliminary results gave Karzai 54.6 percent of the vote. If the fraud investigation reduces his share below 50 percent, he would face a run-off against his main challenger, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah.