President lifts emergency decree
From Times Wire Reports
The government lifted a nine-day state of emergency and President Mikheil Saakashvili appointed a new prime minister, banker Lado Gurgenidze.
Saakashvili promised not to impede opposition parties in the run-up to a Jan. 5 presidential vote. Western allies have been pressing him to lift the restrictions on media and demonstrations since a violent crackdown on protesters last week.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
