The new benefit for workers losing income because of the COVID-19 pandemic will provide $2,000 a month for up to four months. It's being called the Canada Emergency Response Benefit and is designed to streamline the programs the Liberal government had previously proposed as part their $27 billion in direct support to Canadians.The benefit is part of legislation being studied by Parliament today with the hopes it becomes law this afternoon.The application program for the new benefit should open in early April.

At least 25 civilians were killed and 8 were wounded in a terror attack on a Gurudwara in the capital of Afghanistan, Kabul.The attack on Wednesday was claimed by the ISIL (ISIS) armed group.The Interior Ministry says IS gunmen rampaged through a Sikh place of worship, called Gurudwara, in the heart of the Afghan capital on Wednesday.It says that the gunmen held many of the worshippers hostage for several hours as Afghan special forces, helped by international troops, tried to clear the building. Afghan special forces confirmed that all four gunmen were killed.

BC is reporting 145 new cases of COVID-19 but no new deaths. Provincial medical officer of health Dr. Bonnie Henry says that brings the total cases in the province to 617 most in the Lower Mainland. Henry says the good news is that 173 people or 28 per cent have now fully recovered. But she says cases are escalating across the province and social distancing is crucial to break chains of transmission.

The Tokyo Olympics have been officially postponed until 2021. The International Olympic Committee along with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and local organizers have decided that the Tokyo Games cannot go ahead as scheduled this year because of the coronavirus outbreak. The IOC says the games will be held “not later than summer 2021” but they will still be called the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

British Columbia has recorded three more deaths from COVID-19 since Saturday.Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says 472 people have now tested positive for the respiratory virus. She says the three deaths were all related to long-term care facilities, including one in the Lynn Valley care centre in North Vancouver where several other deaths have occurred, and another at a care home in downtown Vancouver.Henry says of the 472 positive cases, 33 people have been hospitalized and 14 are in intensive care.She says 100 people now listed as ``recovered'' have been released from isolation.In

Ontario is reporting 78 new COVID-19 cases today, bringing the provincial total to 503.It's the largest increase in a day so far.The total includes six deaths and eight cases that have fully resolved.At least six of the new cases are hospitalized, including a woman in her 30s, a man in his 40s, two people in their 50s and two people in their 70s.Information on dozens of the new cases is listed as pending.Since Sunday, more than 1,950 people tested negative, while more than 8,000 people are still awaiting their test results.

Air Transat says it has temporarily laid off about 3,600 staff including all flight crew personnel.That's about 70 % of its workforce in Canada.The company says the final Air Transat flight prior to the full suspension of its operations is scheduled for April 1st.Non-essential travel around the world has come to a near standstill as governments close borders in an effort to slow the COVID-19 pandemic.

The latest numbers of confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 8.42a.m. on March 23, 2020: There are 1563 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada. British Columbia: 424 confirmed (including 10 deaths, 6 resolved)Ontario: 503 confirmed (including 6 deaths, 8 resolved)Alberta: 259 confirmed (including 1 death)Quebec: 219 confirmed (including 4 deaths, 1 resolved)Saskatchewan: 33 confirmed, 19 presumptiveNova Scotia: 41 confirmedManitoba: 11 confirmed, 9 presumptiveNew Brunswick: 8 confirmed, 9 presumptiveCanadians quarantined at CFB Trenton: 13 confirmedNewfoundland and Labrado

British Columbia's provincial health officer says there are 74 new cases of COVID-19 in the province, bringing the total to 424. Dr. Bonnie Henry says there are 27 people in hospital, 12 of whom are in intensive care. Six people have recovered. She says there has also been another death associated with the Lynn Valley long-term care home in North Vancouver. Henry says the province is ordering all personal service establishments to close, including salons, spas, and massage and tattoo parlours.