With many Canadians struggling financially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government is looking at ways to help people pay their bills. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Finance Minister Bill Morneau is in talks with Canadian banks asking them to lower interest rates. He says the government is also looking at extending lower-interest credit directly to consumers.

Canada's chief public health officer says random checks will be done to ensure Canadians returning to Canada from abroad are following the new mandatory 14 day quarantine. Dr. Theresa Tam says contact information about travellers will be collected when they arrive at the border to allow for follow up, which could include visits to their homes. She says federal health officials will be working closely with local public health agencies to enforce the mandatory quarantine, which could lead to fines or prison time if breached. Tam also said recent data on COVID-19 cases in Canada show one per cen

A 91 year old man from Quebec's Laurentians region is the eighth person to succumb to COVID-19 in the province. Regional health authorities confirmed the man, who lived in a seniors' home, died Wednesday. Quebec Premier Francois Legault says the province now has 1,629 confirmed cases of COVID-19, an increase of 290 from the day before. Provincial health authorities had confirmed two additional deaths Wednesday, and Montreal's public health department announced later in the day the city's first COVID-19 death.

The B.C. government stepped up its efforts under the Emergency Program Act on Thursday to ensure, among other things, that goods and services are getting to those who need them. Here's a look at what is happening: A new government unit will co-ordinate the distribution of goods and services, while bylaws that restrict the delivery of goods to certain times of the day are being suspended. The province is going after the black market, banning the resale of food, medical supplies, personal protective equipment and cleaning products. Municipal bylaw officers will enforce business closures and the

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says any move by the United States to send American soldiers to the border to intercept illegal migrants would be seen as damaging to Canada's relationship with the United States. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed that the two countries are discussing the possibility that U.S. troops could be deployed to the border, which was first reported by Global News. Freeland says Canada has made its position clear at a number of levels, including at the health and political levels that such a step would be unnecessary and not appropriate, given the current

The British Columbia government is taking what is says are ``unprecedented steps'' to protect supply chains for goods and services, and stop the resale of food and medical supplies.Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth issued a series of orders today to establish a unit to co-ordinate the distribution of goods and services, and he is allowing deliveries to be made at any time of the day.The resale of food, medical supplies, personal protective equipment and cleaning products has also been banned.Municipal bylaw officers will be allowed as well to enforce orders limiting the size of gatherings

An explosive device has disrupted a funeral service for 25 members of Afghanistan's Sikh minority community. No one was hurt by the blast Thursday. Frightened mourners struggled to continue with the funeral prayers and cremation. The 25 Sikhs had been killed Wednesday by a lone Islamic State gunman, rampaged through a Sikh house of worship in the heart of Kabul's old city. A 6 year old child was among the victims.

Worldwide infections from the coronavirus are soaring toward half a million people as health care systems struggle to keep up.American deaths passed the 1,000 mark.Both Italy and the United States appeared set Thursday to pass the number of infections in China, where the outbreak was first reported.The head of the World Health Organization is urging governments not to squander the opportunity to slow the spread of the virus while there is still time. The U.S. Senate passed a $2.2 trillion economic rescue package steering aid to businesses, workers and health care systems, and the House is exp

A FIR was registered against Congress MLA John Kumar for allegedly violating the lockdown orders issued by the Puducherry government to contain the spread of COVID-19. It has been alleged that Kumar was distributing bags containing vegetables to a gathering of more than 200 people near his residence in Nellithope. Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy had earlier announced that curfew will be imposed in the Union Territory till March 31.