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18th annual Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival cancelled over COVID-19 concerns
NANAIMO - There won't be dozens of dragon boats in Nanaimo waters and hundreds of spectators watching this summer. The annual Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival, in its 18th year, is cancelled for 2020. "Th...
Mar 21, 2020 Dozens of dragon boats won't be in the water this year as social distancing becomes the dominant way to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. (submitted/Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival)

IIHF cancels world championship scheduled for May in Switzerland
The International Ice Hockey Federation announced Saturday it was cancelling the 2020 world championship due to the COVID-19 outbreak. This year's tournament was scheduled to take place in Zurich...
Mar 21, 2020

The latest numbers of COVID-19 cases in Canada
The latest numbers of confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 1:44 p.m. ET on March 21, 2020: There are 1,189 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada. _ Ontario: 377 confirmed ...
Mar 21, 2020

The latest developments on COVID-19 in Canada
The latest news on the COVID-19 global pandemic (all times Eastern): 1:20 p.m. Quebec Premier Francois Legault says there are now 181 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the province, up f...
Mar 21, 2020

Trudeau says Canada working hard, but won't be able to get all Canadians home
OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says lock downs in other countries and air-space restrictions due to COVID-19 mean Canada won't be able to get every citizen home who is trapped abroad. Tru...
Mar 21, 2020

New York reviewing sites for more hospital beds, Cuomo says
ALBANY, N.Y. - New York is reviewing places to put new hospital beds in response to the coronavirus outbreak, including New York City's main convention centre and some state university campuses, Gov. ...
Mar 21, 2020

'There's nothing to compare this to:' tourism operators struggle to navigate COVID-19 uncertainty
NANAIMO - Local hospitality providers are being forced into survival mode as social distancing and self-isolation become common practices to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Several area restaurants have ...
Mar 21, 2020 The Grand Hotel in Nanaimo is one of dozens of hospitality providers struggling to navigate the constantly changing COVID-19 pandemic. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Actor, singer, 'The Gambler': Kenny Rogers dies at 81
Actor-singer Kenny Rogers, the smooth, Grammy-winning balladeer who spanned jazz, folk, country and pop with such hits as "Lucille," "Lady" and "Islands in the Stream" and embraced his persona as "The...
Mar 20, 2020

Canada, U.S. begin turning away casual travellers at shared border
WASHINGTON - Canada's shared border with the United States is now closed to casual, non-essential travel in a bilateral effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 in North America. A mutual ban o...
Mar 20, 2020

Swimming Canada supports US after Americans call for Olympic postponement
OTTAWA - Swimming Canada says it backs its rivals from the United States when it comes to finding a solution for the Olympic Games. Early Friday, the head of USA Swimming sent a letter urging the U.S....
Mar 20, 2020