These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
Get up to speed with what’s happening in the fastest growing region in the world.
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'We will hunt you down': Emotional Biden vows to avenge Afghan attack
US President Joe Biden, his voice breaking with emotion, vowed on Thursday (Aug 26) to avenge the Afghan attack, saying the United States would hunt down those responsible for twin explosions at the Kabul airport and that he had asked the Pentagon to develop plans to strike back at them.
Mr Biden spoke hours after the blasts killed at least 13 American troops and scores of civilians, the worst day of casualties for US forces there in a decade.
Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), an affiliate of militants who previously battled US forces in Syria and Iraq, claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that one of its suicide bombers targeted “translators and collaborators with the American army”.
“To those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm, know this: We will not forgive,” Mr Biden said in remarks at the White House, using language that had grim echoes of warnings President George W. Bush made after the terror attacks on Sept 11, 2001. “We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay.”
He added: “I have also ordered my commanders to develop operational plans to strike ISIS-K assets, leadership and facilities. We will respond with force and precision at our time, at the place we choose and the moment of our choosing."
Mr Biden promised US evacuations would continue. - Straits Times
80 suicides in Perak since first MCO in March 2020 until July 2021
A total 9,772 people are registered and are being treated at public psychiatric hospitals and clinics in Perak between Jan 2020 and June this year.
State Women Development, Family and Community Welfare committee chairman Datuk Dr Wan Norashikin Wan Noordin said according to statistics from the Perak Health Department, a total 5,213 patients registered last year, while 4,559 cases were registered between Jan and June, this year.
The BN-Kampung Gajah assemblyman said for suicide cases, a total 80 people had committed suicide since the first implementation of the Movement Control Order in March last year until July this year.
"According to Perak police statistics, among the factors are depression (33 cases), unknown (24), financial issues (13), illnesses (four), drug abuse (three) and mental health issues (three)," she said adding that 66 of them were men while 14 women.
Wan Norashikin was replying to a question from Datuk Mohd Azhar Jamaludin (BN-Changkat Jong) during the state assembly sitting at Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan, here, today.
She said preventive measures taken by the state involved cooperation from the Social Welfare Department, Women Development Department, Perak Health Department, police, Perak Islamic Religious Department and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.
Wan Norashikin said to tackle mental health issues, it is crucial to have a conducive environment in society that is balanced in various aspects. - New Straits Times
Nearly 90% of Bangkok residents get first jab
Almost 90% of Bangkok residents have received their first vaccine shot against Covid-19, according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).
BMA spokesman Pongsakorn Kwanmuang said that a total of 6,717,824 people who live in Bangkok have received the first shot, accounting for 87% of the population.
A total of 1,591,453 people have been fully vaccinated, accounting for 27%. - Bangkok Post
Manila completes ECQ aid distribution to over 380K families
A total of 380,820 families benefitted from the national government cash aid as the city government of Manila completed its 'ayuda' (aid) distribution on Thursday.
“All these families received about PHP4,000 cash aid each in just 16 days, from August 11 to August 26,” Manila Department of Social Welfare (MDSW) Director Ma. Asuncion Fugoso said in a statement Friday.
The financial aid was given by the national government to those affected by the two-week reimposition of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from August 6 to 20.
Fugoso said the 'ayuda' distribution was completed at around 11:30 p.m. on Thursday.
The MDSW reported that a total of PHP1,523,280,000 was distributed by the city government to ECQ affected individuals and families.
The amount was distributed to Manila residents in all six districts of the city, and to those who belong to the transport groups as well as the vulnerable groups that include solo parents and persons with disabilities. - Philippine News Agency
Government encourages localities, units to procure vaccines against COVID-19
Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chinh has assigned the Minister of Health to encourage localities and organisations to procure vaccines against COVID-19.
The move came after the People's Committee of southern Dong Nai Province, which is currently hit hard by the pandemic, sent a document seeking the PM’s permission for Donacoop Company to import vaccines from Pfizer.
The Ministry of Health is tasked with managing the licensing, quality control and preservation of vaccines, and offering free injections for people.
The ministry has coordinated with all ministries and sectors and encouraged all localities, businesses and units to participate in the search for and import of COVID-19 vaccines to administer quickly.
The Health Ministry will create the best conditions for all localities, units and businesses in the process of importing, licensing and accreditation of vaccines. In case the manufacturer requests exemption from liability, the ministry will be responsible for reporting to the Government and it will be the Government agency to implement the requirement. - Vietnam News
138 new ‘Delta’ variant cases detected in Cambodia
The Ministry of Health has announced another 138 new ‘Delta’ variant cases for Cambodia – bringing the total to 1534.
A provincial breakdown is as follows: Phnom Penh - 43, Banteay Meanchey - 35, Battambang - 2, Kampong Cham - 2, Kampong Chhnang - 3, Kampong Speu - 2, Kampong Thom - 1, Kandal - 6, Oddar Meanchey - 16, Preah Vihear - 8, Pursat - 1, Siem Reap - 15, Sihanoukville - 1, Stung Treng - 3
According to the statement, the provinces with the highest number of total ‘Delta’ cases were Phnom Penh (450), Banteay Meanchey (286), Oddar Meanchey (207) and Siem Reap (178)
Only 2 provinces have not been affected by ‘Delta’ so far – Kep and Kratie provinces. - Khmer Times
Min Aung Hlaing, who oversaw mass killings of Rohingya, enacts genocide law
Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing has enacted a law against genocide, which opponents of the coup regime say may be used to against resistance fighters launching guerilla attacks against the Myanmar military and its supporters.
The military-run Global New Light of Myanmar said the new law had been added as sections 311A and 311B to a section of the Penal Code that criminalises the offences of murder, robbery and kidnapping children.
The law, enacted on Tuesday, punishes killings and other offences committed “with intent to destroy, in whole or in part” a national, ethnic, racial or religious group – wording which follows that used in laws against genocide around the world.
Genocide offences involving killings are punishable by death while other genocide offences, such as forcibly tranfering the children of one group to another group, are punishable with life in prison, the announcement said. Perpetrators can be arrested without warrants, and the offences are non-bailable, it added.
Min Aung Hlaing is accused of being a chief architect and perpetrator of a genocidal campaign of mass murder, rape, arson and forced displacement against the Rohingya in Rakhine State in 2017, which led to a case being opened against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice. – Myanmar NOW
Indonesia's digital market potential projected at $124 billion by 2025
Indonesia's digital market potential will reach US$124 billion, or around Rp1,700 trillion, by 2025, deputy for small and micro enterprises (SMEs) at the Cooperatives and SMEs Ministry, Hanung Harimba Rachman, has said.
"The market is quite large since Indonesia has the most users of e-commerce in Southeast Asia," he noted here on Thursday.
According to Trade Ministry data, Indonesian e-commerce transactions in 2020 reached Rp266 trillion, he said. Meanwhile, as of the second quarter of 2021, the number had reached Rp186.8 trillion – an increase of 63.4 percent, he added.
"We are expecting that the growth will be over Rp400 trillion in 2021," Rachman said. - AntaraNews.Com