Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the U.S. and Canada have agreed to keep their border closed to nonessential travel for another 30 days. Trudeau says it will keep people on both sides of the border safe amid the pandemic. U.S. President Donald Trump said this past Wednesday that the U.S.-Canada border will be among the first borders to open and says the U.S. and Canada are doing well in handling the pandemic. The U.S. and Canada agreed last month to limit border crossings to essential travel amid the pandemic, but that agreement was due to expire this coming week.

A police constable on Friday dressed up as 'Yamraj', the God of death, appealing people to 'stay at home' during the COVID-19 lockdown here in Indore. Police Constable Jawahar Singh dressed in black with a golden headgear shouted slogans on the streets making people aware of the dangers of stepping out of homes during the lockdown. With 50 new COVID-19 cases reported on Friday, the total number of coronavirus positive patients reached 892 in Indore."50 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Indore on April 17. Total positive cases in the district stand at 892," said Indore Chief Medical

There are 31,927 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada. Quebec: 16,798 confirmed (including 688 deaths, 3,068 resolved) Ontario: 9,525 confirmed (including 478 deaths, 4,556 resolved) Alberta: 2,397 confirmed (including 50 deaths, 1,124 resolved) British Columbia: 1,618 confirmed (including 78 deaths, 966 resolved) Nova Scotia: 606 confirmed (including 4 deaths, 177 resolved) Saskatchewan: 306 confirmed (including 4 deaths, 228 resolved), 1 presumptive Newfoundland and Labrador: 256 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 176 resolved) Manitoba: 239 confirmed (including 5 deaths, 132 resolved), 11

British Columbia is reporting 43 new COVID-19 cases, but no new deaths. A joint statement from Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says B.C. now has a total of 1,618 COVID-19 cases. The statement says 119 people are in hospital with 52 of those people in intensive care. It says 966 people have recovered from COVID-19. Earlier Friday, Henry and Dix released modelling data showing B.C. is flattening the COVID-19 curve to the point where plans are underway to loosen some provincial restrictions.

The Saskatchewan government says the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to a $3.3 billion decline in provincial revenue. Officials have released projections based on different scenarios where revenue declines range from $1.3 billion to $3.3 billion. Finance Minister Donna Harpauer says it's still unclear how long restrictions on public interaction will be in place. Meanwhile, officials announced one new and one presumptive case of the virus bringing the total in Saskatchewan to 307. It says 228 people have recovered and four have died.

The latest health models examining British Columbia's response to the COVID-19 pandemic show the province has managed to ``flatten the curve,'' slowing the spread of the virus. Officials say B.C.'s rate of cases of the new coronavirus is below expected levels, and well below those recorded in Italy or in China's Hubei province, where the virus was first reported. Henry says the data shows early implementation of measures such as social distancing allowed B.C. to cut the number of cases of the illness. She says B.C. is experiencing a slowing of the rate of infections but warns the ``new normal

Transport Canada says that starting Monday, people flying to or from Canadian airports will have to have masks to contain their germs. Minister Marc Garneau says that starting at noon on April 20, passengers won't be allowed to board planes unless they have non-medical face coverings, to try to slow the spread of COVID-19. They'll only have to wear the masks when they have to be close to others, such as at screening points or if the planes are crowded. Masks are being encouraged for passengers on boats, ferries, trains and buses but aren't being made mandatory.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government will provide $500 million in support to the arts, culture and sports sectors through Heritage Canada. The move comes as part of broader efforts to support creative industries impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Trudeau says those industries ``continue to make us dream, particularly in dark times.'' More details on the financial support are expected to be outlined today by Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault.

The BC Wildfire Service says an aggressive blaze near Squamish, B.C., is being held at one-square kilometre in size but residents pushed out by the flames say several homes have been lost. Toni Kerekes runs a riding school in the area and says she saw one home burning and what remains of at least two others as she left the area late Wednesday. She says the situation is calmer today with the fire mostly burning on a ridge between the Squamish and Paradise valleys. Evacuation orders and alerts issued by the Squamish Lillooet Regional District remain in place. The District of Squamish is also ma