While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Feb 21, 2026
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US President Donald Trump delivers remarks on reciprocal tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House on April 2, 2025.
PHOTO: AFP
US Supreme Court strikes down Trump’s tariffs
The US Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s sweeping trade tariffs on Feb 20 in a setback that shatters the cornerstone of his economic policy.
The court, in a 6-3 decision, established that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) did not give the President the power to impose the tariffs.
“IEEPA does not authorise the President to impose tariffs,” the court said in a 170-page ruling.
The 1977 law is designed for sanctions and capital controls during national emergencies linked to a foreign threat.
UK government considers removing ex-prince Andrew from line of succession
PHOTO: EPA
The British government on Feb 20 mulled passing a law to remove former prince Andrew from the line of succession, as police stepped up investigations into his conduct, quizzing the disgraced royal’s former protection officers.
Amid a torrent of often tawdry revelations from the files of late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, King Charles III has already stripped his younger brother of all his titles and ousted him from his home in Windsor.
But the son of the late Queen Elizabeth II remains eighth in line to the British throne after Princess Lilibet, the daughter of his nephew, Prince Harry.
Hungary threatens to block Ukraine aid over oil row
PHOTO: AFP
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban threatened on Feb 20 to veto the European Union’s US$106‑billion (S$134 billion) loan to Ukraine unless Kyiv restored Russian oil deliveries through a pipeline on its territory.
Ukrainian authorities say the Druzhba pipeline, which runs from Russia through its territory to Slovakia and Hungary, was shut down after being damaged during a Russian attack in January.
The shutdown angered Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico and Orban. The two are among Russia’s closest allies in Europe.
US strikes on Iran could target individual leaders, officials say
PHOTO: REUTERS
US military planning on Iran has reached an advanced stage with options including targeting individuals as part of an attack and even pursuing regime change in Tehran, if ordered by President Donald Trump, two US officials told Reuters.
The military options are the latest signs that the United States is preparing for a serious conflict with Iran should diplomatic efforts fail. Reuters first reported last week that the US military is preparing for a sustained, weeks-long operation against Iran that could include striking Iranian security facilities as well as nuclear infrastructure.
The latest revelations suggest more granular, ambitious planning ahead of a decision by Mr Trump, who has in recent days publicly floated the idea of regime change in the Islamic Republic.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc tops F1 pre-season testing timesheets
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc topped the timesheets on the final day of pre-season testing at the Sakhir circuit in Bahrain on Feb 20 while Aston Martin’s plans to make an impact in the new Formula One season crumbled into chaos.
The new Adrian Newey-designed Aston Martin car is radically different to the others on the grid, although all have undergone major changes as teams adapt to new regulations on chassis and engines.
The eye-catching Aston Martin ran into problems with its Honda power unit on Feb 19 when Fernando Alonso suffered a battery failure.
