National News

WASHINGTON — A Canadian man has pleaded guilty in what U.S. prosecutors described Wednesday as a scheme by hackers linked to military intelligence in North Korea to steal more than $1.3 billion from banks, governments and companies around the world.

VANCOUVER — A month-long crackdown has resulted in nearly 300 recommended criminal charges against people police allege are violent and prolific shoplifters working in downtown Vancouver.

OTTAWA — A former Liberal MP facing charges of fraud and breach of trust related to his time in office is slated for a trial later this year. Raj Grewal is scheduled to go before an Ontario judge in an eight-week criminal trial starting Oct. 18.

In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what's on the radar of our editors for the morning of Feb. 17 ... What we are watching in Canada ...

OTTAWA — Canada is expected to face pressure this week to reverse a recent drawdown of troops from Iraq as the NATO military alliance prepares to expand its presence in the country.

OTTAWA — The federal government owes Canadian families in three provinces more than $200 million after underestimating how much it would raise from the carbon tax during the first year of the program.

The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021. There are 831,577 confirmed cases in Canada. _ Canada: 831,577 confirmed cases (35,669 active, 774,511 resolved, 21,397 deaths).

The latest numbers on COVID-19 vaccinations in Canada as of 4 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021. In Canada, the provinces are reporting 33,289 new vaccinations administered for a total of 1,306,784 doses given.

VICTORIA — The first Black person elected in British Columbia was an American abolitionist and entrepreneur who won a Victoria city council seat in 1866 and played a role in Confederation.

Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting a sharp downturn in daily COVID-19 cases, with seven new ones confirmed Tuesday as fears over a rapidly spreading variant of the virus linger on the island and across Canada.