Myanmar lifts emergency, ready for vote

MYANMAR's military government announced Thursday it was ending the state of emergency it first declared after seizing power 4 1/2 years ago and restructuring its administrative bodies to prepare for a new election at the end of the year.

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The plans for the polls on an unspecified date in December face serious obstacles, including a civil war raging over most of the country and vows by opponents of military rule to derail the election because they believe it can be neither free nor fair.

Under the restructuring, the head of the military government, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, gives up two posts but will serve in other positions that keep him at the center of power.

The joint announcements came as the last of seven consecutive six-month, emergency-rule decrees was set to expire Thursday at midnight.