Vietnam's government said on Thursday it would set up a task force and other Southeast Asian nations said they plan to seek talks with Washington as they reel from being hit with some of U.S. President Donald Trump's heftiest tariffs.

President Trump’s punitive tariffs hit Asia, with largest levies on Vietnam and smaller textile exporters. The largest economies in the region, such as India, Japan, and South Korea, fared better. Overall, downside risks to growth and inflation could accelerate monetary policy easing and add to depreciation pressures on currencies

Asian stocks were down across the board in Thursday trading after President Trump released his tariff plan. Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average was down 3% and the VN index in Vietnam—a country that would be subject to some of the highest levies under Trump’s plan—fell 6%.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the US has no plans to withdraw troops from Europe, though militaries in the region should “step up” as Washington focuses more on Asia.

The dour mood in markets extended to Asia, with stock markets from Japan to Korea falling in early trading. Japan and South Korea are among countries that the president considers bad actors on trade,

Vietnam cut import duties on Monday while other governments like Japan and Australia have tried negotiating with Washington.

Newsweek has created a map showing where in Asia the U.S. has travel warnings in place. The U.S. State Department told Newsweek: "We have no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas.

Alabama agriculture officials are spreading the warning about packets of unsolicited seeds being delivered to mailboxes in the state. The seed packages have return addresses from Asia and can be disguised as packages of greeting cards, according to the the Alabama Extension System. Similar mailings went out during the spring of 2020.

Local people walks past damaged buildings in the aftermath of an earthquake in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Sunday, March 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) In this photo taken from video released by Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service on Sunday,