Aung San Suu Kyi
The Myanmar opposition leader and parliamentarian ventured outside her country for the first time since 1988, when she arrived from Britain for what was supposed to be a brief visit that instead transformed her into a symbol of popular resistance against the ruling military junta. For more than two decades she dared not leave, fearing that she would not be allowed to return home. She plans to stay in Thailand for four or five days. She also intends to travel to Europe, including Britain, where she lived with her family before 1988.
Mark Woodford
The former chief executive of Japanese camera maker Olympus received a settlement from the firm for unfair dismissal, after they fell out over his allegations of corporate malfeasance. Woodford, a British national, was reported to be seeking US$60 million at an employment tribunal in London. That was based on up to 10 years' lost salary and could have been a record payout, British newspapers reported. The terms of the settlement were not made public, but he is thought to have received only US$15.7 million.
Loreen
The Swedish pop singer saw off stiff competition from a group of Russian grannies and other rivals to win the Eurovision Song Contest, which this year was held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, before an international television audience of 100 million. The 28-year-old pop singer had angered Azeri authorities by meeting activists critical of their country's human rights record, but Loreen steered clear of any further controversy, and danced barefoot as she sang the winning song, Euphoria. The Grannies from Buranovo came second.