Today's Top 3 News: What Are SEAblings and Knetz? Meaning of the Viral Terms

12 hours ago 6

February 21, 2026 | 05:37 pm

A meme of online debates between Southeast Asian people (SEAblings) and South Koreans. Photo: X

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Tempo English compiled the top 3 news on Saturday, February 21, 2026. Here are the highlights: What Are SEAblings and Knetz? Meaning of the Viral Terms; Indonesia and US Sign Trade Deal for New Golden Age Alliance; and Fact Check: Viral Cannibalism Photos Not Part of the Epstein Files.

The following is the list of the top 3 news on Tempo English today:

1. What Are SEAblings and Knetz? Meaning of the Viral Terms

The internet war between SEAblings and Knetz has escalated rapidly since its first round in early February 2026. What started as a dispute over camera etiquette in a concert has snowballed into widespread derogatory comments, hovering over sensitive topics such as skin color, misogyny, and socioeconomic status.

What Do SEAblings and Knetz Mean?

Knetz, short for Korean netizens, is a long-standing term used to refer to internet users from South Korea who actively engage in online discussions.

Initially, the term Knetz did not carry a negative sentiment as it was simply a descriptor for a vocal digital demographic. However, it has recently become associated with heated cross-border exchanges. In this context, a faction of South Korean netizens has been involved in escalating online disputes with users across several Southeast Asian countries.

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2. Indonesia and US Sign Trade Deal for New Golden Age Alliance

The Indonesian government officially signed a reciprocal trade agreement with the United States on Friday, February 20, 2026. The signing ceremony took place in Washington, D.C.

Streamed live on the official YouTube account of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, the document was signed by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and the United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Jamieson Greer. The document signed by both parties is the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade.

President Prabowo Subianto and President Donald Trump were not seen during the live broadcast of the signing. However, following the ceremony, Airlangga Hartarto confirmed in a press conference that Prabowo and Trump had signed the Implementation of the Agreement toward New Golden Age US-Indonesia Alliance document.

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3. Fact Check: Viral Cannibalism Photos Not Part of the Epstein Files

A number of X [archive] and Facebook accounts (account 1, account 2) posted a series of photos in early February 2026, claiming to be part of the Epstein Files and related to cannibalism. These images show individuals at a dinner table consuming dishes that resemble human bodies.

One account narrated that Epstein's circle practiced secret cannibalism in addition to child sexual abuse. Another post linked this narrative to the film What You Wish For, accusing it of depicting the Epstein group's consumption of infant flesh and organs.

"Not only child sexual abuse, but there are still many unrevealed issues, such as cannibalism," wrote one account.

So, is it true that the Epstein Files revealed photos of people eating human flesh?

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Today's Top 3 News: Indonesia and US Sign Trade Deal for New Golden Age Alliance

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