Myanmar’s army chief, Min Aung Hlaing, has taken over as interim president, succeeding Myint Swe, who is dealing with health issues.
The country's military junta had appointed Swe to serve as acting president in the aftermath of a military coup in February 2021 that saw civilian leaders jailed, including Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, military loyalists installed in their place, and a state of emergency introduced.
The state of emergency, which has been extended several times since then, was to have ended this month.
On Friday, the state-owned Global New Light of Myanmar reported that 73-year-old Swe had been suffering from “psychomotor retardation” and “malnutrition” since early 2023, according to US TV channel CNN.
The paper added that Swe was unable to "do normal daily activities, including eating food.
In the meantime, the military has proposed holding elections in 2025.
