Egypt's ruling generals 'to end' state of emergency

Egypt's military ruler has said that the decades-old state of emergency will be lifted on Wednesday, the first anniversary of the start of uprising against former President Hosni Mubarak.

Egypt's military ruler has said that the decades-old state of emergency will be lifted on Wednesday, the first anniversary of the start of uprising against former President Hosni Mubarak.

Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi made the announcement in a televised address.However, he said the state of emergency would still apply in "certain cases".Egypt has been governed under emergency law almost continuously since 1967, and without interruption since the 1981 assassination of President Anwar Sadat.It gave the authorities extensive powers to suspend basic rights, such as prohibiting protests, censoring the media, monitoring personal communications, and detaining people indefinitely without charge. (BBC)