Burmese people

The Edge, lead guitarist with the Irish band U2, has become the first rock star to play in the Sistine Chapel, a venue he described as "the most beautiful parish hall in the world." 

Myanmar's lawmakers on March 15 elected a close aide and longtime friend of Aung San Suu Kyi to become the country's first civilian president in decades, a historic moment for the formerly junta-run nation.

The party of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi officially confirmed March 10 that she will not become Myanmar's next president.

Myanmar's parliament will begin its election of the new president on March 17, cutting very close to an April 1 deadline, suggesting talks between Aung San Suu Kyi's victorious party and the military are likely to take longer than planned. 

Myanmar entered a new political era Feb. 1 as Aung San Suu Kyi's pro-democracy MPs took their seats in parliament, carrying the hopes of a nation subjugated for decades by the military.

Myanmar's democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi held talks on Nov. 2 with the president and military chief about the handover of power, the first such discussions since her opposition party's election triumph.

Myanmar's military-backed government vowed on Nov. 11 to respect the country's election result despite staring at a poll wipeout, as opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi called for talks with the president and the powerful army chief.

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party is on the brink of a majority after it took over 85 percent of the seats declared so far.  

Myanmar democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi made it clear on Nov. 10 that she was ready to defy the powerful military's attempts to clip her wings, as fresh results from Sunday's historic election showed her party heading for a resounding win.

Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition party said Nov. 9 it was set to claim over 70 percent of seats following Myanmar's election, a tally that could sweep it to power after decades of military dominance.

Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi called on her party June 21 to push for a landslide victory at crucial elections expected later this year as she celebrated her birthday with supporters.