Obama congratulates Suu Kyi as poll win nears

Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was congratulated by US President Barack Obama as her party stood on the brink of a crushing election win Thursday, with the military pledging a smooth transition of power. The country has been dominated by the military for half a century through direct junta rule and -- since 2011 -- by a quasi-civilian government run by its allies. It has captured more than 80 percent of seats declared so far from Sunday's election -- a dramatic development in the