British Columbia is planning to expand measures to support restaurants, bars and tourism operations hard hit by COVID-19 restrictions. The Ministry of Attorney General says a temporary wholesale pricing program will mean liquor licence holders can purchase beer, wine and spirits at reduced cost. The program is set to begin at the end of next month and be in place until March 31, when it will be reviewed. Restaurants, bars and pubs currently pay for liquor purchases at full retail price, which is the wholesale price, plus a retail markup set by the ministry's liquor distribution branch. The ne

Senior military officials say there was a ``conflict'' between a Cyclone helicopter and its pilot, moments before the aircraft plunged into the water off the coast of Greece in April. The Royal Canadian Air Force says reasons for that conflict remain under investigation, even as it announces the resumption of Cyclone flights. Officials say they are implementing new training as well as restrictions on certain flight activities to prevent similar problems. The entire helicopter fleet was temporarily grounded after the April 29th crash of a Cyclone into the Ionian Sea that left six service membe

China's Vice Foreign Minister Luo Zhaohui and Indian Ambassador to China Vikram Misri met in Beijing on Tuesday, sources said.The meeting came in the backdrop of a violent face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in which both sides suffered casualties in Ladakh's Galwan Valley.India said earlier in the day that a violent face-off happened on late evening and night of June 15 in Galwan Valley as a result of an attempt by the Chinese troops to "unilaterally change" the status quo during de-escalation and the situation could have been avoided if the agreement at the higher level been scrupulou

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada and the United States will continue to limit non-essential travel between the two countries until at least July 21.Despite mounting pressure from business interests and border communities, however, Trudeau is offering no clues about how the border restrictions will be eased when the time finally comes.The 30-day restrictions were first imposed in March in the face of the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, and have now been extended three times.While the measures prohibit discretionary travel like vacations and shopping trips, essential workers, trade shi

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his government's signature benefit for people whose jobs have vanished amid the COVID-19 pandemic will be extended by eight weeks. The Canada Emergency Response Benefit pays up to $500 a week and was slated to last 16 weeks starting in mid-March, meaning that people who signed up for it immediately would soon run out. Trudeau says the economy is recovering from the mass closures ordered to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus but there's a long way to go. Extending the CERB has been a demand from the New Democrats in exchange for the party's support for

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on June 15 chaired an all-party meeting to review the management of COVID-19 situation in Delhi. Ruling Aam Aadmi Party's Sanjay Singh attended the meeting on his party's behalf, whereas other parties such as Congress and BSP too took part in the crucial meeting. Congress in the meeting demanded COVID-19 testing should be provided to everyone, and Rs 10,000 be paid to every family whose member is infected or in containment zone. Shah had also reviewed the situation in Delhi with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on June 14, and had

There are 99,147 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada. Quebec: 54,054 confirmed (including 5,242 deaths, 22,213 resolved) Ontario: 32,370 confirmed (including 2,527 deaths, 27,213 resolved) Alberta: 7,453 confirmed (including 151 deaths, 6,862 resolved) British Columbia: 2,745 confirmed (including 168 deaths, 2,395 resolved) Nova Scotia: 1,061 confirmed (including 62 deaths, 996 resolved) Saskatchewan: 683 confirmed (including 13 deaths, 629 resolved) Manitoba: 293 confirmed (including 7 deaths, 292 resolved), 11 presumptive Newfoundland and Labrador: 261 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 2

British Columbia's top doctor says lifting more COVID-19 restrictions this week would not include allowing gathers beyond 50 people. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry was asked today about the possibility of restrictions being eased this week. Henry says any further openings would be on the lighter side of the scale, comparing it to adjusting a dimmer switch. But she said that would not involve increasing gatherings beyond 50 people. Restaurants, hair salons and personal services including dentist offices and physiotherapy clinics were permitted to reopen on May 19. Schools in B.C. h

As BC slowly returns to a slightly more normal routine in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, many people are beginning to travel more and that has prompted a response from bus and ferry operators. BC Ferries and TransLink want passengers to wear a non-medical grade mask while aboard, and while TransLink is strongly suggesting masks should be worn, BC Ferries has made face coverings mandatory. Starting today and continuing indefinitely, ferry passengers over the age of two without a face covering will not be permitted to board a vessel that will be at sea longer than 30 minutes. TransLink's ap