The Tokyo Olympics will open next year in July, the same slot scheduled for this year's games. Tokyo organizers say the opening ceremony will take place July 23, 2021. That is almost exactly one year after the games were due to start this year. The IOC and Japanese organizers last week postponed the Olympics because of the coronavirus pandemic. The rescheduled Olympics will start July 23, with the closing ceremony on Aug 8. The Paralympics were rescheduled to Aug 24-Sept 5.

The 2011 film “Contagion” has seen a huge surge in popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and now its stars have reunited for a series of public service announcements. Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Winslet and Jennifer Ehle have teamed up with scientists from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health on four videos. The PSA's stress washing your hands, keeping two metres apart from one another, and staying at home. “Contagion” is about a lethal and fast-moving influenza that spreads around the world.

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

Prince Charles has tested positive for the new coronavirus but is only showing mild symptoms and is self-isolating.The prince's Clarence House office says his wife Camilla has tested negative.Buckingham Palace says the 93 yearold Queen is in good health and remains at her home in Windsor with the 98 year old Duke of Edinburgh.

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.

US President Donald Trump is hoping the United States economy will be reopened by Easter as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread. Trump's optimism contradicted the warnings of some public health officials who called for stricter not looser restrictions on public interactions. Trump says any move to reopen the U-S for business will be rooted in facts.

Ukrainian Ambassador Andriy Shevchenko says about 250 Canadians are scheduled to return to Canada on a flight from Kyiv to Toronto that is scheduled for Wednesday. The Ukraine International Airlines flight was organized by the Canadian and Ukrainian governments. Shevchenko says the plane will then load up with Ukrainians, some of whom are on their way to Toronto Pearson International Airport from as far as Vancouver, and return to Kyiv on Thursday. He says future flights are possible depending on demand.

WestJet Airlines Ltd. says roughly half of its 14,000 employees will leave the company some temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 6,900 departures comprise early retirements, resignations and both voluntary and involuntary leaves after WestJet asked staff to choose one of those options or reduce their hours or pay, said CEO Ed Sims. Up to 600 Air Canada pilots will also go on unpaid leave in the coming months due to the fallout from the virus, their union said Tuesday.