WEEK NINE：Aung San Suu Kyi

Aung San Suu Kyi led the National League for Democracy (NLD) to a majority win in Myanmar's first openly contested election in 25 years in November 2015.

The win came five years to the day since she was released from 15 years of house arrest.

Although the Myanmar constitution forbids her from becoming president because she has children who are foreign nationals, Ms Suu Kyi is widely seen as de facto leader.

Her official title is state counsellor. The president, Htin Kyaw, is a close confidante.

The 70-year-old spent much of her time between 1989 and 2010 in some form of detention because of her efforts to bring democracy to then military-ruled Myanmar (also known as Burma) - a fact that made her an international symbol of peaceful resistance in the face of oppression.

In 1991, "The Lady" as she's known, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and the committee chairman called her "an outstanding example of the power of the powerless".

However, after her release and subsequent political career, Ms Suu Kyi has come in for criticism by some rights groups for what they say has been a failure to speak up for Myanmar's minority groups during a time of ethnic violence in parts of the country.

Re-entering politics

She was sidelined from Myanmar's first elections in two decades on 7 November 2010 but released from house arrest six days later.

Her son Kim Aris was allowed to visit her for the first time in a decade.

As the new government embarked on a process of reform, Aung San Suu Kyi and her party rejoined the political process.

When by-elections were held in April 2012, to fill seats vacated by politicians who had taken government posts, she and her party contested seats, despite reservations.

"Some are a little bit too optimistic about the situation," she said in an interview before the vote. "We are cautiously optimistic. We are at the beginning of a road."

She and the NLD won 43 of the 45 seats contested, in an emphatic statement of support. Weeks later, Ms Suu Kyi took the oath in parliament and became the leader of the opposition.

And the following May, she embarked on a visit outside Myanmar for the first time in 24 years, in a sign of apparent confidence that its new leaders would allow her to return.

Part from:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-11685977

What:Aung San Suu Kyi led the National League for Democracy  to a majority win in Myanmar's first openly contested election 

Who:Aung San Suu Kyi

When:November 2015

Where:Myanmar

Why:Not given

Week ten：What next for US-Cuba relations?

A year has passed since one of the most symbolic moments in the long and tangled history between the United States and Cuba: the official reopening of the long-shuttered US embassy in Havana.

On a stiflingly hot August morning, the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, presided over the flag-raising ceremony and the speeches laden with pomp, emotion and bold statements of intent to move on from the hostilities of the past.

Since that day, a lot has happened between the former Cold War foes. Direct flights are due to begin this month, travel restrictions have been eased for US citizens and bilateral cooperation increased in science and the arts.

Plus of course, there was a historic visit by President Obama.

"I have come here to extend the hand of friendship to the Cuban people," he told the nation in a televised address.

But while many Cubans would happily accept another four years of Mr Obama, a new administration in Washington is coming. And the outcome could have a significant impact on the new spirit of cordiality between the two countries.

"Obviously the big problem in US-Cuban relations is the embargo. That is the elephant in the room," says Carlos Azugaray, a former Cuban diplomat.

He says the key to the next phase of United States' normalisation with Cuba has to be the lifting of the decades-long economic embargo on the island: "The elephant has already started to leave the room, you already have the trunk out!

"We can see that with the recent opening of a Sheraton hotel in Havana, with the decision that some US credit cards can be used in Cuba, that travel restrictions have been eased."

If the Democratic Party regains control of Congress, he argues, they are "bound to do something about the embargo".

But most attention is on the race for the White House. So how would a Clinton or a Trump presidency affect the rapprochement with Cuba?

"I understand the scepticism in this community about any policy of engagement towards Cuba," Hillary Clinton recently told an audience in Miami.

"I've been sceptical too. But we can't wait any longer for a failed policy to bear fruit. We have to seize this moment."

The embargo on Cuba is obsolete she told them and needs to go "once and for all".

Whereas previously those sentiments might have spelt the end of a presidential candidate's hopes in Florida, in this election they were greeted with applause - admittedly among a select audience - in Miami.

However in Cuba, where people have long called for the embargo to be lifted and where the benefits of such a change in policy would actually be felt, many ordinary Cubans don't entirely trust Mrs Clinton.

Part from:http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-37059700

What:the official reopening of the long-shuttered US embassy in Havana.

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