Yahoo Finance's Akiko Fujita breaks down the top stories from around the world.

Video Transcript

AKIKO FUJITA: In our worldview today, President Biden is set to address the ongoing evacuation efforts out of Afghanistan in a press conference this afternoon. Biden faces mounting criticism over his handling of the withdrawal in the face of these chaotic scenes we have seen play out at Kabul Airport. The US military has evacuated at least 7,000 Americans and Afghans so far, but roughly 6,000 people are reportedly still waiting to leave. And images from Kabul airport point to growing desperation as the Taliban take over the country.

Take a look at this video here. It shows somebody handing off a baby girl to US soldiers over barbed wire. US officials say roughly 6,000 troops are now at the airport to help with evacuations. Meanwhile, we have now learned that a member of Afghanistan's National Youth soccer team was among those killed while clinging to a US military plane evacuating people. Zaki Anwari there was just 17 years old.

Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to face tough questions about Afghanistan's collapse, as she begins a visit across Southeast Asia this weekend. Harris will be traveling to Singapore and Vietnam, where she's expected to outline how the US plans to increase engagement in the region, as China grows its influence there. She'll also be meeting with business leaders to discuss supply chain issues.

COVID-19, of course, expected to be top of mind, with Vietnam facing record high coronavirus infections, fueled by the Delta barrier and low vaccination rates. The US has already provided more than 23 million vaccine doses, along with millions of dollars in medical equipment, to those two countries.

And Malaysia has its third prime minister in three years. Ismail Sabri Yaakob is set to be sworn in on Saturday, after he was appointed by Malaysia's king. He takes over less than a week after his predecessor resigned, just 17 months after he took office. Yaakob's ascent marks the return of the country's longest governing political party. The United Malaysia National Organization Coalition ruled the country for more than 60 years until it was ousted in 2018 following a scandal involving the 1MDB Sovereign Wealth Fund.