Aung San Suu Kyi s image has gone from human rights hero to international pariah
Aung San Suu Kyi has been the most visible and polarizing political figure in Myanmar s modern history.
Formerly venerated as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, human rights icon and champion of democracy, Suu Kyi has been vilified more recently as an accomplice of Myanmar s military in the expulsion and genocide of the Muslim Rohingya minority.
It is therefore rather ironic that Suu Kyi ended up being detained by the military and removed from her position as state counselor on Monday.
Suu Kyi was born shortly before the end of World War II on June 19, 1945. She is the daughter of Aung San, a hero of Burmese independence.
Myanmar s military has staged a coup and detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The country s democratic experiment has failed, says Rodion Ebbighausen.
Many initially wondered how much power Myanmar s military would really be willing to cede, now we know
When Myanmar s military began withdrawing from civilian politics in 2011, one question was front and center how much power would the military give up?
The skeptics didn t trust the generals, and only saw a military dictatorship in the guise of a democracy. Optimists, however, saw a genuine new beginning and opportunities for democratization.
Progress at first
Initially, positive signs prevailed. The military, led by Thein Sein, the former general and reformist president, got serious about opening up the country. Aung San Suu Kyi was released from house arrest, as were many imprisoned National League for Democracy (NLD) politicians. Restrictions on press freedom were also eased.
Myanmar coup: UN Security Council to hold emergency meeting
The US and others in the international community have swiftly and sharply condemned the military coup in Myanmar, but it remains to be seen what action the UN Security Council will take.
Activists in Nepal took part in a protest against the coup in Myanmar
The UN Security Council is set to meet on Tuesday to discuss developments and a potential international response to the military coup in Myanmar.
The military seized power in early morning raids on Monday, detaining members of Myanmar s government, including Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
Big brother: Germany s foreign intelligence service under pressure
Germany s foreign intelligence agency (BND) screens hundreds of millions of emails annually. The European Court of Human Rights is now looking into this practice.
German data protection activists are wary of the BND s trawling of content online
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has admitted a Reporters Without Borders (RSF) complaint claiming that people are not properly protected against groundless and unjustified mass surveillance by Germany s foreign intelligence service, the BND.
The admission of the complaint on a European level opens up the possibility, of finally remedying this untenable abuse of law, said Christian Mihr, executive director of the RSF, an international organization that represents the interests and safety of journalist worldwide.
The Middle East has been torn by a polarizing feud between Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia and Shiite-dominated Iran. DW examines the tense relationship and why both countries are fueling regional conflicts.
Divisive rhetoric serves Saudi Arabia and Iran s interests in the Middle East, but sectarianism is not the root of conflict between the two Muslim-majority nations. Rather, the tense relationship between Riyadh and Tehran revolves around power and influence, whether in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Bahrain, Lebanon or at home.
US: Twin pillars policy
With support from the United States, Riyadh and Tehran attempted to improve ties during the 1960s, Saudi Arabia s King Faisal and Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi making official state visits to each other s respective countries.