Organizers have cancelled the 2020 Surrey Vaisakhi Parade, one of Metro Vancouver’s largest annual gatherings, citing COVID-19 health risks and advice from provincial officials. The event, hosted by Gurdwara Dashmesh Darbar, had been scheduled for April 25 and typically draws more than 500,000 people, making it the largest Vaisakhi parade outside India. Parade organizers said the decision followed consultations with Fraser Health and the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, adding that “public safety remains the highest priority.” The cancellation will have ripple effects across Surrey, wher

An RCMP officer in British Columbia has been charged with 11 counts related to alleged indecent acts. A statement from the Richmond detachment says the incidents allegedly occurred near a school in Vancouver. Supt. Will Ng, the detachment commander for the Richmond RCMP, says senior Mounties were alerted early last year that an off-duty officer was the subject of an investigation by Vancouver police. Ng says the RCMP also launched an internal code of conduct investigation. The BC Prosecution Service has approved charges against Andrew Seangio, including 10 counts of indecent act and one count

Health Minister Patty Hajdu says Canadians looking at whether to travel for March break should consider staying home. Speaking to reporters before question period in the House of Commons today, Hajdu said her advice to Canadians considering travel during school spring break is that they should consider a ``staycation.'' Canadians are being encouraged to continue to check travel advisories before leaving for any international trips.

A daycare in a downtown Calgary office tower has closed after a child tested positive for COVID-19.Suncor Energy spokeswoman Erin Rees says the Pump-Kin Patch Child Care Centre is closed until March 23.She says families of children there have been told to self-quarantine until March 20.Suncor doesn't operate the daycare but the centre is located in Suncor's office building, and Rees says many employees have children that attend.She says the company is responding to the pandemic by cleaning more often, restricting business travel to high-risk areas and preparing for remote working.As of Wednesd

President Donald Trump says he is suspending all travel from Europe to the U.S. for 30 days beginning Friday as he seeks to combat a viral pandemic.Trump made the announcement Wednesday in an Oval Office address to the nation, blaming the European Union for not acting quickly enough to address the novel coronavirus and saying U.S. clusters were ``seeded'' by European travellers.Trump says the restrictions won't apply to the United Kingdom and the U.S. will monitor the situation to determine if travel can be reopened earlier.The White House has also cancelled a planned trip by the president to

Justin Trudeau and his wife Sofie Trudeau are in self-isolation after she exhibited flu-like symptoms on her return from London, U.K. The First Leaders meeting scheduled to begin today has been cancelled after this announcement. Trudeau was supposed to meet the premiers and indigenous leaders in Ottawa today for a two-day meeting to discuss various issues including COVID-19, national unity and financial crisis. Prime Minister Trudeau is not exhibiting any symptoms as of now and is isolating himself just for precaution as Sofie Trudeau awaits her test results.NDP leader Jagmeet Singh also tweet

The Central government on Wednesday announced the suspension of all visas to India till April 15, as part of the measures to contain the spread of novel coronavirus.The suspension, which will come into effect on March 13 at the port of departure, excludes diplomatic, official, United Nations or international organisations, employment, and project visas, as per an official release.The discussion in this regard was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan with several Union Ministers at Nirmal Bhawan in the national capital on Wednesday."All existing visas

The NBA has suspended its season ``until further notice'' after a Utah Jazz player tested positive Wednesday for the coronavirus, a move that came only hours after the majority of the league's owners were leaning toward playing games without fans in arenas. Now there will be no games at all, at least for the time being. A person with knowledge of the situation said the Jazz player who tested positive was centre Rudy Gobert. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the league nor the team confirmed the presumptive positive test.

Tom Hanks and his actress-singer wife Rita Wilson have tested positive for the coronavirus, the actor said in a statement Wednesday. Hanks said the couple were in Australia and felt tired, with colds, body aches and slight fevers. ``To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the coronavirus and were found to be positive,'' Hanks said. The 63-year-old actor said they will be ``tested, observed and isolated for as long as public health and safety requires.'' ``Not much more to it than a one-day-a-time approach, no?'' added Hanks. Hanks, who also posted his mes