Why it matters: The U.S. has responded to standoffs with North Korea, Russia, Iran and Venezuela in unorthodox and unpredictable ways. Alliances are rupturing, authoritarians are rising, and China is steadily becoming the most powerful rival America has ever faced.
President Trump and first lady Melania Trump at the Taj Mahal. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
President Trump visited India's Taj Mahal on Monday, hours after telling a massive crowd at a rally in Ahmedabad that he hopes to reach a trade deal with his "true friend" Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his two-day visit to the country.
Why it matters: The countries are forging deeper ties as India’s location, size and economic growth make it the "obvious counterweight to China" for American policymakers.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad gives a speech at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, Sept. 5. Photo: Vladimir Smirnov/AFP via Getty Images
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has submitted his resignation to the country's king, he confirmed in a statement on Monday.
Why it matters: The 94-year-old has been the world's oldest prime minister since coming to power in 2018, and his resignation shocked many, amid "rumours that he may form a new coalition without his designated successor, Anwar Ibrahim," per the BBC. His party has "exited the ruling coalition, kicking off a race to form the next government," Bloomberg notes.
Flashback: Malaysian opposition wins stunning election victory
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
Protesters in Hanau, Germany, march with banners and flags of the Syrian region Rojava. Photo: Michael Debets/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images
Approximately 10,000 people marched in the town of Hanau, Germany, Sunday to mourn the deaths of nine victims who were killed by an anti-immigrant gunman last Wednesday, AP reports.
Catch up quick: The attacker killed the nine people — five of which were reportedly Turkish citizens — in Hanau, a suburb of Frankfurt, before turning the gun on his mother and himself. He left behind racist videos and texts in which he called for genocide and claimed that he'd been surveilled since birth.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Photo: Iranian supreme leader press office/handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Iranian state TV announced Sunday that hardliners won a landslide victory in the country's parliamentary elections two days ago, including all 30 seats in Tehran, AP reports.
Why it matters: Voter turnout in the election reached only 42.57%, according to Iran's Interior Ministry, the first time turnout dipped below 50% since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The low turnout may signal dissatisfaction with the Iranian government and the election system.