Top news: After beginning his Southeast Asian trip in Thailand, Barack Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to visit Myanmar on Monday. During a six-hour stop in the country, Obama toured the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon and met with President Thein Sein and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. He praised the country's democratic and economic reforms but added that they were "just the first steps on what will be a long journey." In a speech at Yangon University, Obama called for an end to sectarian violence in the western state of Rakhine.   

Authorities in Myanmar released more political prisoners on Monday as Obama announced the resumption of U.S. aid to the country, amid criticism from some human rights groups that the Obama administration's diplomatic overtures are premature.

Later on Monday, Obama also became the first American president to visit Cambodia, where he will attend an East Asia summit. Ahead of the gathering, Southeast Asian leaders are raising concerns about territorial disputes in the South China Sea.   

Israel-Gaza conflict: The Israeli military carried out more airstrikes in the Gaza Strip on Monday as Palestinian militants continued to fire rockets into southern Israel, with the death toll rising to 90 Palestinians and three Israelis. Israeli and Hamas officials are both in Cairo, Egypt for truce talks amid speculation about a possible Israeli ground invasion.