Here are some facts about Aung San Suu Kyi, the 75-year-old who rode to power after a 2015 landslide election win that established Myanmar's first civilian government in half a century.
Early years abroad
– The daughter of independence hero Aung San, who was assassinated when she was two years old, Ms Suu Kyi spent much of her youth overseas.
– At Oxford University, Ms Suu Kyi met British academic Michael Aris, who would become her husband. They had two sons and settled in Oxford.
1988: Rise to prominence
– In 1988, Ms Suu Kyi returned to Yangon, then the capital, to care for her dying mother. There, she was swept up in student-led protests against the military, which had ruled since a 1962 coup.
– An eloquent public speaker, Ms Suu Kyi was a likely candidate to lead the movement but the protests were crushed, its leaders killed and jailed. She was soon imprisoned in her lakeside family home, where she remained until 2010, despite brief releases from house arrest.
– Ms Suu Kyi made a decision to remain in Myanmar to lead a campaign for democracy. Although the military made it clear she could leave, she feared she would not be allowed to return.
1991: Nobel Peace Prize
– Ms Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, which her elder son Alexander collected on her behalf.
– In August 2011, Ms Suu Kyi had her first meeting with Thein Sein, a former general and, as president at the time, head of the quasi-civilian administration. This marked the start of a pragmatic period of engagement with the government of former soldiers.
2015: Myanmar's leader
– In 2015, Ms Suu Kyi came to power on a platform of ending civil war, drumming up foreign investment, and reducing the army's role in politics. Ms Suu Kyi also promised Western allies she would address the plight of the Rohingya Muslim people, forming an advisory commission headed by Kofi Annan, the former UN secretary-general.
2017: Rohingya crisis
– A day after Mr Annan's report was released in August 2017, advising sweeping changes, Rohingya militants attacked security forces in Rakhine State. The military responded with a campaign that included the torching of hundreds of villages and killings. It was described by the UN human rights high commissioner as "a textbook example of ethnic cleansing."
Ms Suu Kyi blamed "terrorists" for an "iceberg of misinformation" about the crisis and said the military was exercising the "rule of law". In a September 2017 address to the nation, she appeared baffled about the exodus of Rohingyas, saying in reference to refugees: "We want to know why they are leaving."
– She went to The Hague in 2019 to face charges of genocide brought against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice. Ms Suu Kyi acknowledged the possibility war crimes had been committed but framed the crackdown as a legitimate military operation against terrorists.
– In 2020, a survey by election watchdog the People's Alliance for Credible Elections found that 79 per cent of people had trust in Ms Suu Kyi – still beloved as "The Lady" – up from 70 per cent the year before.
2021: Military coup after disputed election
– After a November 2020 parliamentary election, official results show her ruling party, the National League of Democracy , had won enough parliamentary seats to form the next administration. The NLD said it would seek to form a government of national unity.
– After weeks of disputes about the election results involving the military, in the early hours of February 1, Ms Suu Kyi, President Win Myint and other senior figures from the ruling party were detained.
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
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The specs: 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
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Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission 10-speed automatic
Power 421hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 678Nm @ 3,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.1L / 100km
The biog
Favourite book: Animal Farm by George Orwell
Favourite music: Classical
Hobbies: Reading and writing
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Gully Boy
Director: Zoya Akhtar
Producer: Excel Entertainment & Tiger Baby
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi
Rating: 4/5 stars
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Freezer tips
- Always make sure food is completely cool before freezing.
- If you’re cooking in large batches, divide into either family-sized or individual portions to freeze.
- Ensure the food is well wrapped in foil or cling film. Even better, store in fully sealable, labelled containers or zip-lock freezer bags.
- The easiest and safest way to defrost items such as the stews and sauces mentioned is to do so in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Gulf Under 19s
Pools
A – Dubai College, Deira International School, Al Ain Amblers, Warriors
B – Dubai English Speaking College, Repton Royals, Jumeirah College, Gems World Academy
C – British School Al Khubairat, Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Dubai Hurricanes, Al Yasmina Academy
D – Dubai Exiles, Jumeirah English Speaking School, English College, Bahrain Colts
Recent winners
2018 – Dubai College
2017 – British School Al Khubairat
2016 – Dubai English Speaking School
2015 – Al Ain Amblers
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Specs
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