Author: EchoAsiaNews

At least 10 people were killed in a shooting in the Canadian province of British Columbia on Tuesday, CBC News reported, citing information later carried by Reuters. Police said the shooting took place in a community in northeastern British Columbia, triggering a major emergency response. Residents were temporarily advised to stay indoors while law enforcement secured the area. Authorities have not released details about the victims and have yet to confirm a motive for the attack. It also remains unclear whether the suspected shooter was among those killed. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the situation has been contained and…

Singer and actress Ariana Grande has shared a humorous take on how a biographical film about her life might look, saying she would prefer an unconventional and light-hearted approach rather than a traditional Hollywood portrayal. Speaking during a recent interview shared on social media, Grande said she has little interest in seeing her life adapted into a standard biopic. Instead, she jokingly suggested a short animated-style film starring a “tiny mouse,” complete with subtitles, reenacting key moments from her life. Grande added that if such a project were ever made, she would want it to be deliberately whimsical and understated,…

U.S. banking trade associations said they welcomed a White House meeting this week on proposed crypto market structure legislation that aims to clarify rules for digital asset markets and stablecoins, issuing a joint statement saying they look forward to continued engagement with policymakers. The American Bankers Association, Bank Policy Institute, Consumer Bankers Association, Financial Services Forum and the Independent Community Bankers of America said in a joint press release that they were “thankful” for the opportunity to discuss legislative proposals at the White House and that banks of all sizes “will continue to work with lawmakers and the administration” on…

Paramount has revised its takeover proposal for Warner Bros. Discovery, offering shareholders an additional cash incentive if the transaction is delayed, according to Reuters. Under the updated terms, Paramount said it would pay a 25-cent per share quarterly “ticking fee” starting after the end of 2026 if the deal has not yet closed. The added payment is intended to compensate shareholders for any prolonged regulatory or closing delays. The base offer of $30 per share in cash remains unchanged. Reuters reported that the ticking fee would amount to roughly $650 million per quarter, based on Warner Bros Discovery’s outstanding shares.…

The family of Leqaa Kordia, a pro-Palestine activist being held by US immigration authorities, has demanded her immediate release after she was hospitalized while in detention, according to reports and statements cited by Al Jazeera. Kordia, who has been in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was taken to hospital last week following a medical emergency. Her family and legal representatives said she suffered a serious health episode and accused authorities of failing to provide timely information about her condition and whereabouts. Relatives said they were not informed where Kordia was hospitalised and expressed concern about her health…

Protests were held in New Delhi on Tuesday after opposition activists raised concerns over the mention of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in recently released documents linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to footage and reporting by Al Jazeera. Demonstrators, including members of opposition youth groups, gathered at central protest sites in the capital, calling for transparency and demanding an explanation from the government. Protesters accused the prime minister’s office of failing to adequately address the issue following the public release of the documents. The documents form part of a broader disclosure of records connected to Epstein, whose…

Nearly 125 million people watched the Seattle Seahawks defeat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX, according to early audience estimates cited by Reuters, making it one of the most-watched sporting events in U.S. television history. The National Football League’s championship game, broadcast by NBCUniversal across platforms including NBC, Peacock, Telemundo and NFL+, averaged 124.9 million viewers, with peak viewership reaching nearly 138 million, the report said. Although the audience was slightly lower than the record set last year, the game still ranked as the second most-watched Super Bowl on record, underscoring the event’s continued dominance in live television…

Global demand for memory chips is expected to remain strong throughout 2026 and extend into 2027, a senior executive at Samsung Electronics said, pointing to continued growth in artificial intelligence and data-centre investments, according to Reuters. The executive said that while the memory semiconductor sector has traditionally been marked by sharp cycles, current demand drivers are more structural and long-term in nature. Increased adoption of AI technologies and expansion by cloud service providers are driving higher usage of advanced memory products, particularly high-performance chips. Samsung is seeing rising interest in its latest memory offerings, including high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and DDR5…

Oil prices traded in a narrow range on Tuesday as geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran continued to underpin the market, while investors awaited key US inventory data, Reuters reported. International benchmark Brent crude edged up by around 20 cents to trade near $69 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained a similar amount to hover above $64, according to market data cited by Reuters. Traders remained cautious as Washington and Tehran prepare for another round of indirect negotiations following talks facilitated by Oman last week. Iranian officials said the discussions helped gauge US intent…

US forces positioned mobile missile launchers at their largest military base in the Middle East as tensions with Iran escalated earlier this year, according to a Reuters analysis of satellite imagery. The images show that American troops at Al Udeid Air Base mounted Patriot air defence missiles on mobile truck launchers, allowing the systems to be moved more rapidly than fixed installations. The changes were visible in satellite photographs taken in early February compared with images from mid-January. Military analysts cited by Reuters said the use of mobile launchers increases flexibility and survivability, enabling US forces to reposition missile defences…