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Trudeau promises to arm Ukraine with modern military equipment – CBC News

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Ukraine’s long-standing pleas — and prayers — for advanced Western weapons are beginning to be answered as Canada announced Thursday it plans to send dozens of brand-new armoured personnel carriers to the embattled country.

It is part of an overall push by NATO, which has said it will help the eastern European country convert to a modern military kit.

At the conclusion of the NATO leaders summit in Madrid, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canada is working on finalizing a deal to provide Ukraine with 39 armoured combat support vehicles (ACSVs). They had been destined for the Canadian Army and were in the process of being delivered, but instead will be diverted.

“The light armoured vehicles we will be sending over will be extremely effective,” Trudeau told reporters as the summit ended. “We’re just glad to help and we’re going to continue to look and respond to things that they need.”

Trudeau pledged the Canadian Army, especially in light of decisions at the NATO summit, will not go without.

“Stocks for the Canadian military will be replenished as quickly as possible,” he said. “We need to make sure that the women and men of the Canadian Forces have the equipment they need to continue their mission and step up as necessary. We also recognize that the best use, right now, of things like howitzers and sniper rifles and all of the other equipment we’ve been sending to Ukraine — the best use for Canadian security, for geopolitical stability — is to put them in the hands of Ukrainians.”

In addition, the Ukrainians will get an additional six high-resolution cameras for use on their highly effective, Turkish-built Bayraktar drones, which have become lauded for their accuracy in taking out Russian tanks and armoured personnel carriers.

The deal to provide armoured support vehicles, which are meant exclusively for troop transport, will come with a support, in-service package and be provided by the manufacturer General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada, based in London, Ont. They are different from infantry fighting vehicles, which come equipped with a turret and 25-millimetre cannon.

The Canadian Army had ordered 360 of the armoured support vehicles and a senior government official, speaking on background before the announcement, said there is a commitment to replace what is being taken out of the army’s stock.

The source said the vehicles are expected to be in service with Ukrainian troops this summer, after a bit of training.

The latest donation of equipment will effectively exhaust the $500 million the Liberal government set aside for military gear to support Ukraine.

WATCH | Canada will increase the number of its troops in Latvia as NATO boosts its presence in Europe:

Canada to add troops as NATO boosts European presence

15 hours ago
Duration 2:02

Canada will increase the number of its troops in Latvia as NATO increases its presence in Europe and the U.S. sends ships to Spain.

The announcement comes a day after it was announced that Canada had signed a deal with Latvia to help bolster the NATO battle group in the Baltic country to bring it up to brigade size, as alliance leaders have mandated.

Trudeau said that decision will mean the commitment of additional Canadian troops.

NATO vows to bolster Ukraine’s military supplies

It was part of a series of historic decisions made over a two-day summit of leaders of the Western military alliance in Madrid.

“A strong independent Ukraine is vital for the stability of the Euro-Atlantic area,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said while briefing the media late Wednesday.

His remarks came after what was a blistering video address to alliance leaders by Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky, whose country has for more than a dozen years been trying to join NATO.

NATO’s Chair of the Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer, right, talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the start of the session during the NATO summit on Thursday in Madrid. The alliance has agreed to arm Ukraine with more modern military equipment. (Christophe Ena/The Associated Press)

He asked them: Has Ukraine “not paid enough” to join the alliance? His remarks came on the same day as Finland and Sweden were put on the fast track to join the alliance.

“We will help Ukraine transition from Soviet-era equipment to modern NATO equipment, boost interoperability and strengthen its defence and security institutions,” said Stoltenberg.

Ukraine has lost tanks, armoured personnel carriers

CBC News has learned that NATO planners and U.S. officials are looking at how to switch the Ukrainians to modern battle tanks from the older Soviet-style T-72s and T-80s they’ve been fighting with.

An older model Russian T-72 tank sits burned out and destroyed in the village of Biskvitne, east of Kharkiv. It was wrecked in fighting with Ukrainian troops, who retook the area in April 2022. (Murray Brewster/CBC)

Although the Ukrainians will not confirm the number, defence experts estimate a little less than half of Ukraine’s tank force has been lost in combat, along with two-thirds of their armoured personnel carriers.

Additionally, there have been reports that suggest the U.S. has purchased a modern National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System for Ukraine — similar to the one that already protects the U.S. capital.

It would boost Ukraine’s ability to protect its skies from Russian aircraft and cruise missiles.

The country is currently using older Soviet-built systems, such as the S-300 long-range missile batteries.

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Florida State asks judge to rule on parts of suit against ACC, hoping for resolution without trial

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida State has asked a judge to decide key parts of its lawsuit against the Atlantic Coast Conference without a trial, hoping for a quicker resolution and path to a possible exit from the league.

Florida State requested a partial summary judgment from Circuit Judge John Cooper in a 574-page document filed earlier this week in Leon County, the Tallahassee-based school’s home court.

Florida State sued the ACC in December, challenging the validity of a contract that binds member schools to the conference and each other through media rights and claiming the league’s exit fees and penalties for withdrawal are exorbitant and unfair.

In its original compliant, Florida State said it would cost the school more than half a billion dollars to break the grant of rights and leave the ACC.

“The recently-produced 2016 ESPN agreements expose that the ACC has no rights to FSU home games played after it leaves the conference,” Florida State said in the filing.

Florida State is asking a judge to rule on the exit fees and for a summary judgment on its breach of contract claim, which says the conference broke its bylaws when it sued the school without first getting a majority vote from the entire league membership.

The case is one of four active right now involving the ACC and one of its members.

The ACC has sued Florida State in North Carolina, claiming the school is breaching a contract that it has signed twice in the last decade simply by challenging it.

The judge in Florida has already denied the ACC’s motion to dismiss or pause that case because the conference filed first in North Carolina. The conference appealed the Florida decision in a hearing earlier this week.

Clemson is also suing the ACC in South Carolina, trying to find an affordable potential exit, and the conference has countersued that school in North Carolina, too.

Florida State and the ACC completed court-mandated mediation last month without resolution.

The dispute is tied to the ACC’s long-term deal with ESPN, which runs through 2036, and leaves those schools lagging well behind competitors in the Southeastern Conference and Big Ten when it comes to conference-payout revenue.

Florida State has said the athletic department is in danger of falling behind by as much as $40 million annually by being in the ACC.

“Postponing the resolution of this question only compounds the expense and travesty,” the school said in the latest filing.

The ACC has implemented a bonus system called a success initiative that will reward schools for accomplishments on the field and court, but Florida State and Clemson are looking for more as two of the conference’s highest-profile brands and most successful football programs.

The ACC evenly distributes revenue from its broadcast deal, though new members California, Stanford and SMU receive a reduced and no distribution. That money is used to fund the pool for the success initiative.

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Australia’s Michael Matthews earns third win at Quebec cycling GP

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QUEBEC – Australian road cyclist Michael Matthews raced to victory at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec on Friday.

Matthews earned a record third career victory in Quebec City. He was previously tied with Slovakia’s Peter Sagan with two wins.

The Jayco-AlUla rider won the fastest edition of the Quebec race on the UCI World Tour calendar.

Matthews, who claimed titles in 2018 and 2019, edged out Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay and France’s Rudy Molard in a thrilling sprint.

Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar, the heavy favourite, was unable to follow through with his attack launched just over two kilometres from the finish line. He finished in seventh place.

Pogacar will look to redeem himself at the Montreal cycling Grand Prix on Sunday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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Whitecaps loan Herdman to CPL’s Cavalry, sign two reserve players to first-team deals

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VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Whitecaps have loaned midfielder Jay Herdman to Cavalry FC of the Canadian Premier League and rewarded two Whitecaps FC 2 players with MLS contracts.

Midfielder Jeevan Badwal signed as a homegrown player through 2027, with options for 2028 and 2029, while forward Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau signed an MLS contract through 2025, with club options for 2026 and 2027.

Both have been playing for the Whitecaps’ MLS Next Pro team along with the 20-year-old Herdman, the son of Toronto FC coach John Herdman.

The moves were made before Friday’s MLS and CPL roster freeze.

Born in New Zealand while his father was working for the New Zealand Football Federation, Jay Herdman was also part of the New Zealand soccer team at the Paris Olympics with three appearances including two starts. Herdman’s loan deal runs through the end of the CPL season.

“Jay is an important signing for us, who will provide another attacking option for the run-in,” Cavalry coach and GM Tommy Wheeldon Jr. said in a statement. “He’s a player that we’ve been tracking since we played against Whitecaps in pre-season and he has very good quality, with terrific energy and the ability to contribute to goals.

“With the recent injury to Mael Henry, Jay’s positional profile and age helps us with on-field options and minutes that count towards the league’s required 2,000 U-21 domestic minutes during the regular season.”

Badwal, an 18-year-old from suburban Surrey, is the 26th academy player to sign an MLS contract with the Whitecaps.

“Having joined our academy in 2019, Jeevan continues to progress through our club and takes every challenge in stride,” Whitecaps FC sporting director Axel Schuster said in a statement. “He is comfortable on the ball, positionally sound, and does the simple things very well. We are excited for Jeevan to make the next step in his young career.”

Badwal has made 19 appearances with Whitecaps 2 this season, scoring two goals and adding three assists. A Canadian youth international, he started all three matches for Canada at the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup

Badwal made his first-team debut off the bench in the first leg of the Canadian Championship semifinal against Pacific FC.

Chateau was originally selected 74th overall by the Whitecaps in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft after spending two years at St. John’s University.

The 22-year-old from Ottawa signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Whitecaps FC 2 in March. He leads Whitecaps FC 2 in goal-scoring this season with eight goals across 21 appearances (including eight starts).

“Nicolas leads MLS NEXT Pro in shots on target, has a very strong work rate and willpower. We are looking forward to seeing his growth as he builds on his young professional career,” said Schuster.

Chateau made his first-team debut as a second-half substitute at CF Montreal on July 6.

Herdman, who joined the Whitecaps academy as a 13-year-old, has made 19 appearances for Whitecaps FC 2 in 2024, scoring six goals and adding three assists. He made his MLS debut in April as a second-half substitute in a 2-0 victory at the Seattle Sounders.

Internationally, Herdman has represented New Zealand 29 times across the U-19, U-20, and U-23 sides. He was part of New Zealand’s squad at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup, starting three matches at the tournament and scoring against Uzbekistan.

The Whitecaps host San Jose on Saturday while Cavalry entertains Atletico Ottawa on Sunday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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