Author: EchoAsiaNews

U.S. President Donald Trump met Vietnamese leader To Lam at the White House on Friday and pledged to work toward removing Vietnam from U.S. restricted export lists, according to details released following the talks The meeting marked the first formal in-person engagement between Trump and To Lam, who heads Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party. The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral ties, expanding trade cooperation and enhancing technological partnerships between the two countries. According to information released after the meeting, Trump expressed support for reviewing U.S. restrictions that limit Vietnam’s access to certain advanced American technologies, including aerospace, semiconductor and high-tech industrial…

U.S. President Donald Trump has moved swiftly to impose a new 10 percent tariff on imports from virtually all trading partners after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down his earlier global tariff program, deepening uncertainty in international trade relations. In a 6–3 decision issued on Friday, the Supreme Court ruled that Trump exceeded his constitutional authority by using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose broad tariffs without explicit approval from Congress. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, said only Congress has the power to levy taxes and duties, undercutting a central pillar of Trump’s economic…

The United States has significantly increased its military presence in the Middle East, rapidly deploying forces and assets near Iran amid rising tensions between the two countries. The build-up includes naval strike groups, airpower, logistics support and advanced missile defenses positioned in and around the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Sea as diplomatic efforts continue alongside mounting rhetoric. US deployments consist of multiple aircraft carriers, escort vessels and fighter aircraft to project power and prepare for possible contingencies should diplomatic negotiations with Tehran fail. President Donald Trump has intensified pressure on Iran over its nuclear and regional activities, warning…

Israeli authorities have severely limited Palestinian access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound for the first Friday prayers of the holy month of Ramadan, allowing only a small portion of worshippers from the occupied West Bank to enter. Only 10,000 Palestinians with permits were permitted to enter the compound in occupied East Jerusalem, a sharp reduction from the hundreds of thousands who have traditionally prayed there on the first Friday of Ramadan. Eligibility was restricted to children under 12, men over 55 and women over 50, according to Israeli officials. By mid-morning, only about 2,000 worshippers had passed through the Qalandiya…

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has welcomed Pakistan’s economic reform progress, saying policy measures under the IMF-supported program have helped stabilise the economy, contain inflation and rebuild investor confidence. An IMF spokesperson confirmed that a staff team will visit Pakistan from February 25 to begin discussions on the third review of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the second review of the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). According to the IMF, Pakistan’s fiscal performance remained strong, with a primary fiscal surplus of 1.3% of GDP in the fiscal year 2025, aligning with programme targets. The economy also recorded its first…

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman, Niaz Ahmed Akhtar, has announced that students selected under the Prime Minister’s Youth Laptop Scheme should now collect their laptops from their respective universities. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), he confirmed that laptop distribution is now fully underway and urged eligible students to visit their university, submit the required documents to the focal person, and collect their laptops. The laptop initiative was announced in August 2025 by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, with a plan to provide 100,000 free laptops to talented students across Pakistan based on merit. Students from all four provinces, the Federal…

Semiconductor giant NVIDIA is close to finalising a $30 billion investment in OpenAI, the artificial intelligence company behind ChatGPT, according to a report by the Financial Times citing people familiar with the matter. The deal would be part of OpenAI’s current fundraising round and replace an earlier, larger $100 billion commitment that was announced last year but never finalised. The proposed investment is expected to be completed as early as this weekend, the report added, and would be included in a broader capital raise that could see OpenAI secure more than $100 billion in total funding, potentially valuing the company at around $830 billion.…

American actor Eric Dane, best known for his roles on Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria, has died at the age of 53 after a year‑long battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), his family confirmed on Friday. Dane passed away on Thursday afternoon, February 19, 2026, after courageously facing the progressive neurodegenerative disease, often called Lou Gehrig’s disease, which affects nerve cells controlling muscles. In a statement shared with media outlets, his family said he spent his final days surrounded by close friends, his devoted wife Rebecca Gayheart, and their two daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were “the center of his world.”…

U.S. President Donald Trump has directed federal agencies, including the Pentagon, to begin identifying and releasing government files related to unidentified flying objects (UFOs), unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and potential extraterrestrial life. Trump made the announcement on social media, describing the move as a response to “extremely interesting and important” public interest in the subject. He instructed Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and other agency leaders to review records and determine what can be made public. The directive covers government documents, reports, and other records concerning aliens, UFOs, and related unexplained phenomena. Officials have not yet confirmed which files will be…

At least 18 people were killed and three others injured on Thursday afternoon following a collision between a heavy truck and a passenger pickup truck on a major highway in northeastern Egypt, officials said. The crash occurred at approximately 12:30 p.m. local time on the 30 June Axis highway south of Port Said province. The pickup truck was reportedly carrying workers and fishermen travelling to fish farms in the coastal area when it was struck by the larger vehicle, according to official and eyewitness accounts. Emergency services rushed ambulances to the scene. The bodies of the deceased were taken to several…