Canadian

A Canadian man living in the UK recently travelled to Newcastle for the first time and was blown away by the city and the surrounding area

Discovering new parts of the UK can reveal some truly stunning sights, from hidden forests to quaint villages boasting top-notch independent coffee shops. However, one Canadian man’s first visit to Newcastle has left locals scratching their heads after he likened a part just outside of the city to the sunny beaches of Greece.

Matt Giffen, originally from Canada but now residing in the UK, recently embarked on his first-ever trip to Newcastle and the surrounding Tyne and Wear area. Keen to explore beyond the city limits, Matt sought out a beach, and his social media followers directed him towards Tynemouth.

Located just eight miles from Newcastle, Tynemouth is easily accessible via the Tyne and Wear Metro, which is precisely how Matt travelled. Within half an hour, he was soaking up local attractions, including the Tynemouth Market, held at the station every weekend.

In a TikTok video documenting his journey, Matt praised Tynemouth for its “wholesome vibes” and suggested it seemed like a “very nice place to live”.

Before hitting the beach, Matt indulged in a classic British dish of fish and chips from Longsands Fish Kitchen, accompanied by a pot of curry sauce.

He remarked: “Can I just say, everyone here is so friendly. It’s like a little pixie fairy town here, it’s not a real place.”

When Matt finally reached King Edward’s Bay, he was taken aback by the tranquillity and cleanliness of the beach. Despite the overcast skies, he even compared the sandy shore to Greece.

He questioned: “Why has nobody told me that the UK has beaches like this? It’s probably so busy here in the summer.”

While enjoying the beach, Matt savoured three oysters from Riley’s Fish Shack, a local eatery perched on the edge of the bay that serves food all year round.

But King Edward’s Bay isn’t Tynemouth’s only beach, and Matt took a brief stroll to Long Sands Beach to give his followers a glimpse of the larger seafront. Capturing footage of surfers, he likened the beach to the renowned Bondi Beach near Sydney, Australia.

He exclaimed: “It’s giving the British version of Bondi Beach.”

Viewers were astonished to learn that Matt, a frequent traveller around the UK, had visited Newcastle and Tynemouth. Many expressed delight that he was sampling local cuisine.

One individual commented: “Thank you, pal! Tynemouth and Whitley Bay are what make us proud of the North East. To be literally 30 mins on a metro near the beach and a city and have the diameter of Newcastle United fans is why we are proud of where we are from. Thank you for putting this on your platform.”

Another chimed in: “I am loving Americans discovering UK food and realising that it isn’t bland and horrible!”

The Trump administration says it has ‘terminated’ all trade talks with Canada over a commercial published by the Ontario government that features comments on tariffs by the late US President Ronald Reagan, which his foundation says are misleading.

Oct. 16 (UPI) — Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford said he received an assurance from Jeep maker Stellantis’ Canadian chief the company will keep its Canadian plant open for future manufacturing.

Ford said Wednesday that the company’s Brampton auto plant will continue running despite Tuesday’s revelation that Jeep Compass production will shift to an American facility.

“I want to keep the Brampton plant open, no matter what,” Ford said following talks with Stellantis Canada president Jeff Hines. “He’s given me his word, they are going to keep it open.”

Stellantis, the parent company of multiple auto brands including Jeep and Chrysler, announced this week plans to invest billions in the United States to reopen facilities and add roughly 5,000 U.S. jobs plants in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Indiana over the next four years.

In April, Stellantis put a hold on production of its new electric SUV at its Canadian plant on Williams Parkway in the wake of tax-like tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

It was set to move forward with production later this year.

“Our government will continue to use every tool we have, including through our $20 million investment in POWER Centers to support displaced workers, including through retraining to re-enter the workforce as quickly as possible,” Ford posted Wednesday on X.

On Tuesday, Ford spoke with Canada’s Stellantis chief who reportedly said the company is “going to postpone it for a year” and claimed Stellantis will “find a new model” to build at the Canadian site.

“They are going to see what products they are going to put in there,” said Ford.

Ford, the leader of Ontario’s Progressive Conservative Party, added plans exist to add a third shift to a Windsor plant to possibly transfer up to 3,000 or less workers.

A Stellantis spokesperson pointed to its 100-year history in Canada and said Britain’s fellow commonwealth nation was “very important” to Jeep’s parent owner.

“We have plans for Brampton and will share them upon further discussions with the Canadian government,” the company stated.

Meanwhile, Canada’s Industry Minister Melanie Joly reminded CEO Antonio Filosa in a letter that Stellantis made critical commitments to Canadians.

“While the current U.S. tariff environment is creating complex challenges, Stellantis has made important commitments to Canada and to its workforce,” Joly wrote.

Joly said if Stellantis chooses not “to respect its obligations,” the Canadian government would “act in the interests of all Canadians and hold the company to full account, and exercise all options, including legal.”

“We have to die so people can keep working.” Canada’s Grassy Narrows First Nation is taking on the government over a local employer’s poisoning of their water.

Oct. 7 (UPI) — A shuttered Canadian amusement park said that without an infusion of cash it will have to euthanize 30 beluga whales after a government official blocked it from sending the marine mammals to a Chinese theme park.

Marineland, the aquatic theme park located in Niagara Falls, Ontario, laid out the dire situation in a letter Friday to Canadian Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson, The New York Times reported.

Thompson announced days earlier that she denied Marineland’s request to export the belugas to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom theme park in China because it “would have meant a continued life in captivity and a return to public entertainment.”

She further said that she was following requirements of the Fisheries Act meant to prevent the exploitation of marine mammals.

“Like many of you, I am angered that these whales have lived a life of captivity and as a result their health has deteriorated,” Thompson said. “As Canadians, we know that whales belong in the ocean, not in tanks for our amusement.”

Thompson told CBC News that she had visited the closed Marineland facility and concluded the whales belong in the ocean after she “looked the belugas in the eyes.”

Marineland’s business model struggled after a federal law passed in 2019 that banned keeping whales, dolphins and porpoises for breeding or amusement, according to the CBC.

The theme park said there is no suitable ocean “sanctuary” or facility for the whales. Meanwhile, Marineland said its financial situation continues to crumble, leaving it unable to meet the whales’ costly care.

However, Thompson told Marineland in a letter sent Monday that there would be no bailout, The Canadian Press reported.

“The fact that Marineland has not planned for a viable alternative despite raising these whales in captivity for many years, does not place the onus on the Canadian government to cover your expenses,” Thompson wrote.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford told The Canadian Press that the federal government should rethink its position.

“It should be the federal government that allows them to move (the belugas) to China or other marine areas that will take them, but saying no to everything and not coming up with a solution is not a great suggestion,” Ford said.

A dozen groups including the Toronto Zoo, World Animal Protection and Animal Justice wrote to Ford urging the provincial government to seize the animals.

WASHINGTON — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will meet with President Trump in the Oval Office on Tuesday at a time when one of the world’s most durable and amicable alliances has been fractured by Trump’s trade war and annexation threats.

Carney’s second visit to the White House comes ahead of a review next year of the free trade agreement, which is critical to Canada’s economy. More than 77% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S.

Trump’s talk of making Canada the 51st state and his tariffs have Canadians feeling an undeniable sense of betrayal. Relations with Canada’s southern neighbor and longtime ally haven’t been worse.

“We’ve had ups and downs, but this is the lowest point in relations that I can recall,” said Frank McKenna, a former Canadian ambassador to the United States and current deputy chairman of TD Bank.

“Canadians aren’t being instructed what to do. They are simply voting with their feet,” he said. “I talk every day to ordinary citizens who are changing their vacation plans, and I talk to large business owners who are moving reward trips away or executive business trips. There is an outright rebellion.”

There is fear in Canada over what will happen to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Carney is looking to get some relief on some sector-specific tariffs, but expectations are low.

“Improving relations with the White House ahead of the USMCA review is certainly an objective of the trip, but opposition parties and part of the Canadian public will criticize Prime Minister Carney if he doesn’t achieve some progress on the tariff front at this stage,” said Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal.

Trump said Monday that he anticipated Carney wanted to use the meeting to discuss trade.

“I guess he’s going to ask about tariffs, because a lot of companies from Canada are moving into the United States,” Trump, a Republican, told reporters after signing an executive order related to Alaska. “He’s losing a lot of companies in Canada.”

Carney has said the USMCA, which is up for review in 2026, is an advantage for Canada at a time when it is clear that the U.S. is charging for access to its market. Carney has said the commitment of the U.S. to the core of USMCA means that more than 85% of Canada-U.S. trade continues to be free of tariffs. He said the U.S. average tariff rate on Canadian goods is 5.6% and remains the lowest among all its trading partners.

But Trump has some sector-specific tariffs on Canada, known as Section 232 tariffs, that are having an impact. There are 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, for example.

McKenna said he is hearing Canada might get some relief in steel and aluminum. “It could be 50% to 25% or agreeing on tariff-free quotas to allow the steel and aluminum to go through at last year’s levels,” he said.

The ties between the two countries are without parallel. About $2.5 billion (nearly $3.6 billion Canadian) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. There is close cooperation on defense, border security and law enforcement, and a vast overlap in culture, traditions and pastimes.

About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports are from Canada.

Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security.

“The bigger prize would be getting a mutual agreement to negotiate as quickly as possible the free trade relationship,” McKenna said. “If the United States were to threaten us with the six months’ notice of termination, I think it would represent a deep chill all across North America.”

Gillies writes for the Associated Press.

In the energy sector on Wednesday, a north-of-the-border stock was producing the most energy. Canadian Solar (CSIQ 14.11%) was having quite a day on the exchange, as investors were bidding its shares up by almost 14% in late-session action. This was on the back of the company’s news that it secured a new deal for its energy storage business.

A powerful development

Before market open today, Canadian Solar announced that its e-STORAGE unit had signed a set of agreements with privately held Aypa Power. Under those contracts, the Canadian Solar unit will provide its SolBank energy storage system to a pair of battery energy storage projects run by Aypa in Ontario, Canada’s most populous province.

Image source: Getty Images.

The deal will be in force for some time, assuming it goes fairly well. Canadian Solar said that the two partners had signed 20-year long term services agreements for this work.

The solar company added that delivery is slated to begin in the first quarter of next year, with the aim of launching commercial operations at some point in the first half of 2027. The deal expands an existing business relationship between Canadian Solar and Aypa.

The solar company did not provide any financial details of its new contracts with Aypa.

In for the long haul

As these particulars were lacking, it’s difficult to get a handle on how this rather lengthy arrangement will impact Canadian Solar’s key fundamentals like revenue or profitability. That said, any time a company secures a 20-year deal to supply its wares, the news is at least mildly positive. The bullish investor reaction and the double-digit share price pop feel entirely deserved.

Aug. 24 (UPI) — On the day celebrating Ukraine‘s independence, Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada made a surprise visit to Ukraine where Ottawa and Kyiv entered several agreements centered on defending the besieged European nation from Russia.

Carney made the official visit to Ukraine at President Volodymyr Zelensky‘s invitation, reaffirming their strong and enduring partnership, a joint communique read. The visit occurred on the 34th anniversary of the restoration of Ukraine’s independence. Canada was the first Western country that recognized its independence and sovereignty in 1991.

During a joint press conference in Kyiv with Zelensky, the Canadian leader said when Ottawa made that decision to recognize an independent Ukraine more than three decades ago, it was choosing between clinging to the past in the name of stability and “to recognize Ukrainian independence in the name of freedom, fairness and democracy.”

“I’d underscore the world faces a similar choice today,” he said.

“At this hinge moment in history, Ukraine is, once again, at the frontline of the struggle for democracy and freedom,” he continued. “This is a critical moment where allies must step up and lead, and Canada is answering that call. Canada is, has and always will be a steadfast ally in Ukraine’s relentless pursuit of freedom.”

He reiterated the widely held belief of Western leaders that an investment in Ukraine’s defense is an investment in their own, reaffirming Canada’s commitment to Ukraine.

Four documents were signed between the two governments on Sunday.

Carney and Zelensky signed a security cooperation action plan, which covers implementing mechanisms for cooperating in military training, defense capabilities development, intelligence sharing and more. It specifically sets out steps for the implementation of an agreement signed between the two in February.

A letter of joint defense production intent was signed by the countries’ defense chiefs to co-produce defense materials in both Canada and Ukraine.

A mutual administrative assistance in customs matters agreement was also signed, along with the joint communique, which states Ottawa and Kyiv agree to initiate annual foreign affairs and defense ministries consultations among other actions.

A statement from Canada’s prime minister’s office states that among funding allocated Sunday includes more than $600 million to buy armored vehicles medical supplies and other “critical equipment” for Ukraine; $500 million to buy military equipment sourced from the United States through NATO, about $160 million for drone, counter-drone and electronic warfare capabilities; $120 million to support Canada’s work in the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and $72 million to source ammunition and explosives through a Czech initiative.

Carney also announced $22.4 million for humanitarian assistance and investments in Ukraine’s democracy.

The amount equals the roughly $1.4 billion in aid that Canada pledge for Ukraine in February.

The visit occurs as the United States under President Donald Trump is pushing to secure a halt in the fighting in the nearly 3 1/2-year war if not a full peace agreement.

Zelensky has been seeking to confirm security guarantees from allies, and said during a press conference that followed a meeting between the two leaders that it is important to Ukraine that Canada participate at the same level as European countries, seeking assurances that Carney will deploy troops on the ground.

“We are counting on the presence of Canadian forces in Ukraine,” Zelensky said. “This is important for us.”

Carney said that the frontlines will be a “robust” Ukrainian military, and that they are working with ally nations through “the modalities of those security guarantees, on land, in the air and the sea, and I would not exclude the presence of troops.”

Ukraine officially declared independence from the former Soviet Union on Aug. 24, 1991.

After beginning the season with a 22-match unbeaten run on the second-tier ITF Tour, Mboko has shown over the past two weeks that she can mix it with the elite – beating Grand Slam winners Coco Gauff, Sofia Kenin, Elena Rybakina and Osaka.

It’s validation of hard work from the age of three, and for parents who landed in a very different United States in 1999 – one which provided solace from political unrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

But it’s in Toronto where Mboko – who was born in Charlotte in the US – was inspired to play tennis.

“I remember going there as a kid and watching all the great players playing,” Mboko told the Women’s Tennis Association.

“We were watching a lot of Serena and Venus [Williams], and that’s where I took a lot of inspiration, because Serena was literally the greatest of all time. I used to see how the pros are and I used to be in so much awe of them. And now I’m seeing them like right beside me.”

Mboko’s coach Nathalie Tauziat – a former world number three and Wimbledon finalist in the 1998 – has overseen Mboko’s remarkable form after previously guiding her in the junior ranks.

“I think what is important for her is to see us not panic when something happens. I remember at the beginning of the year, she always told me: ‘Oh, you’re so calm during the match,” Tauziat said.

“The US Open is the objective – who knows, maybe she can do something good? Here, we are going match by match, and hoping for no injury.”

Teenager Victoria Mboko will face Naomi Osaka in the final of the Canadian Open after defying the odds to upset former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.

The 18-year-old Canadian, ranked 85th in the world, lost the first set and saved a match point in the second before going on to seal a 1-6 7-5 7-6 (7-4) victory in Montreal.

Mboko, a wildcard entry for the tournament, will face former world number one Osaka on Thursday in her first WTA 1000 final.

“I had everyone supporting me and pushing me through,” said Mboko.

“Without you guys, I don’t think I would’ve been able to pull this through.”

The Canadian, who is set to move into the top 50 in the rankings when they are updated next week, has already beaten Coco Gauff and Sofia Kenin on her remarkable run to the final.

She started the year ranked 333rd in the world but opened the season with a stunning 22-match winning streak.

Osaka stands in her way of a famous victory, following the Japanese’s 6-2 7-6 (9-7) win against Danish 16th seed Clara Tauson.

In the men’s event, taking place in Toronto, Alexander Zverev battled back from a set down to beat defending champion Alexei Popyrin 6-7 (6-8) 6-4 6-3.

The 28-year-old German is into his 75th semi-final on the ATP Tour, becoming the only active men’s player to have reached that milestone alongside Novak Djokovic.

He will face Russian Karen Khachanov, who moved past Alex Michelsen of the United States 6-4 7-6 (7-3).

The Cincinnati Open confirmed Djokovic had withdrawn for “non-medical” reasons from the tournament, which begins on Thursday.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion, who is not competing in Toronto because of a groin injury, has not played since losing to Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals of Wimbledon.

The 38-year-old is unlikely to play before the US Open, which starts on 24 August.

Naomi Osaka lost just one game as she outplayed Anastasija Sevastova to reach the Canadian Open quarter-finals in Montreal.

The four-time Grand Slam champion took just 49 minutes to wrap up a 6-1 6-0 victory against the 35-year-old Latvian, who had knocked out defending champion Jessica Pegula in the previous round.

Japan’s Osaka, a winner twice at the US and Australian Opens, is seeking her first title since returning from maternity leave early in 2024.

The 27-year-old parted with coach Patrick Mouratoglou after less than a year and is now working with Poland’s Tomasz Wiktorowski, former coach of Iga Swiatek.

“I had a solid plan coming in here and it just happened to work out pretty well,” said Osaka, currently ranked 49 in the world.

American Madison Keys had to fight back to beat Czech Karolina Muchova 4-6 6-3 7-5 in two hours and 20 minutes.

Teenager Victoria Mboko produced the shock of the tournament as she defeated top seed Coco Gauff to reach the quarter-finals of the Canadian Open in Montreal.

The 18-year-old Canadian, who was handed a wildcard entry into the main draw, needed just 62 minutes to defeat the two-time Grand Slam champion 6-1 6-4 and continue her meteoric rise up the rankings.

Mboko converted four of five break points against Gauff and has now dropped just one set in four matches at the tournament.

“Coming into the match, I was so locked in,” Mboko said.

“I tried to keep my composure as much as I could, especially playing in front of so many people. This is a very special experience for me.”

She began the year ranked 333rd in the world, and proceeded to win 22 successive matches without dropping a set on her way to securing five titles on the second-tier ITF Tour.

Mboko entered the tournament ranked 85th, but victory against Gauff will move her up to 53rd, and in the quarter-finals she will face Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, ranked just two places higher.

Gauff once again struggled with her serve, committing six double faults to take her tournament total to 43 in three matches.

“I think she’s going to have a lot of success on tour. I’m sure we’re going to have many more battles in the future,” Gauff said.

Meanwhile, second seed Iga Swiatek cruised into the last 16 with a 6-2 6-2 victory against Eva Lys.

In Toronto Casper Ruud suffered a 6-4 7-5 defeat against Karen Khachanov, before top seed Alexander Zverev advanced to the quarter-finals with a walkover victory against Francisco Cerundolo.

Fifth seed Holger Rune threw away an early lead to lose 6-4 2-6 3-6 to Australian Alexei Popyrin.

Blazes across several Canadian provinces and territories pose health risks to Canadians and their southern neighbours.

Smoke from wildfires burning in Canada has triggered air quality alerts over the border in the United States.

Several blazes continued to rage across Canada on Saturday, sending smoke wafting over several states in the US Midwest and bringing warnings of unhealthy air for at least the third day.

Air quality alerts were in effect in the US states of Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, as well as eastern Nebraska and parts of Indiana and Illinois.

Conditions were especially dire in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with the Switzerland-based air quality monitoring database IQAir reporting that the US city had some of the worst air pollution in the world since Friday.

The Air Quality Index (AQI), a system used to communicate how much pollution is in the air, is expected to reach the red or unhealthy category in a large swath of Minnesota, and will likely remain so through Saturday.

“We’ve sort of been dealing with this, day in and day out, where you walk outside and you can taste the smoke, you can smell it,” said Joe Strus, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area.

Forecasters warned that smoky skies would remain across the Midwest for much of Saturday, but could start to dissipate before spreading as far south as Tennessee and Missouri.

The poor air quality poses particular risks for people with lung and heart conditions, as well as children, the elderly and pregnant women.

This is not the first time that Canadian wildfires have prompted air quality alerts in the US and further afield. In 2023, a record early wildfire season sent smoke across the Atlantic into northern Europe.

On Saturday, the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre reported “out-of-control” blazes in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario, as well as in Yukon and the Northwest Territories.

The centre said that 717 fires were active across the country.

Environment Canada also said “extremely high” levels of air pollution were present in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and the Northwest Territories, according to a report by The Canadian Press news agency.

Areas in British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec were also under air-quality watch, though risks to health were reportedly lower.

Environment Canada said reduced visibility and poor air quality would persist into Sunday.

American Pegula has an excellent record in Canada – she was on an 11-match winning run in Montreal.

But she was shocked by world number 386 Sevastova who, like Osaka, returned from maternity leave in early 2024.

This was the 35-year-old’s first win over an opponent ranked in the WTA top five since beating Karolina Pliskova in 2017.

There was no hint of an upset when Pegula broke her in the opening game and again to love to claim the first set.

But a forehand winner earned Sevastova a break for a 5-4 lead in the second set and she denied Pegula three chances to break for a crucial hold to force a decider.

And when Pegula sent a down-the-line forehand wide to surrender a break and hand Sevastova a 2-1 lead, the Latvian did not let the momentum go.

She swept up the remaining games, including two further breaks, to claim a remarkable win in one hour and 41 minutes.

“It was a weird match for me,” said Pegula. “I felt like I had total control and then I just played a couple of terrible games for, like three games.

“That totally flipped the momentum of the match, and I went from being up a set and 2-0 to being down very quickly.

“I don’t really feel like I’m playing great tennis. At times I am, but I feel very up and down, kind of sloppy, which I don’t like. I’ve got to figure it out.”

Top seed Coco Gauff progressed to the fourth round of the Canadian Open after a comeback win against Veronika Kudermetova in Montreal.

The world number two recovered from a set and a break down to win 4-6 7-5 6-2 and make it to the final 16 of the tournament for the fifth time running.

The 2025 French Open champion will now face the winner of the clash between 18-year-old wildcard Victoria Mboko of Canada and Czech Republic’s Marie Bouzkova.

Fourth seed Mirra Andreeva exited the competition after she was beaten 7-6 6-5 by 28th seed McCartney Kessler, who will meet Ukraine’s 27th seed Marta Kostyuk, who posted a 3-6 6-3 7-6 (7-4) win against 15th seed Daria Kasatkina.

Unseeded Zhu Lin of China is also through to the fourth round after a 6-2 6-2 victory against Suzan Lamens.

In the men’s draw in Toronto, third seed Lorenzo Musetti crashed out of the tournament after the Italian was beaten 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 by 26th seed Alex Michelsen of the United States in the third round.

Michelsen’s win sets up an all-American clash in the fourth round where he could face either Learner Tien or Reilly Opelka.

Eighth seed Casper Ruud also reached the fourth round with a 7-6 6-4 win against Nuno Borges and will face 11th seed Karen Khachanov, who overcame Emilio Nava 6-7 6-4 6-1.

Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo got the better of compatriot Tomas Martin Etcheverry in straight sets and will face either top seed Alexander Zverev or Matteo Arnaldi in the next stage.

The Briton showed resilience in the early stages by staving off five break points in her opening service game.

She then wrapped up the opening set in style by winning five successive games.

After exchanging a couple of breaks in the second set, Raducanu – who also beat Ruse in Auckland in 2024 – found the crucial break to lead 5-4 and served out for the match.

Since losing against Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon earlier in July, Raducanu has bounced back strongly with four victories from five appearances on hard courts.

If she gets past Stearns in Montreal, American fifth seed and 2025 Wimbledon finalist Amanda Anisimova could be waiting in the third round.

Boulter narrowly avoided being on the end of a bagel against Zarazua, saving two set points to get to 5-1, but the Mexican swiftly wrapped up the opener when back on serve.

The 28-year-old put up greater resistance in the second but never managed to get a foothold in the match as she crashed out.

Trial that sparked debate over culture of sexual assault in Canadian hockey ends after judge says allegations not ‘credible’.

A Canadian judge has found that five former members of the country’s 2018 World Junior Ice Hockey team are not guilty of sexual assault, following a trial that roiled Canada.

Judge Maria Carroccia told a courtroom on Thursday that she did not find allegations of assault against the five men “credible or reliable”, according to Canada’s CBC News.

A lawyer for the complainant said the justice system had fallen short in both the way her client was treated on the stand and the conclusions drawn by the judge.

“She’s obviously very disappointed with the verdict and very disappointed with Her Honour’s assessment of her honesty and reliability,” said Karen Bellehumeur, a lawyer for the complainant who is only known as EM due to a prohibition on publicising her identity. “She’s really never experienced not being believed like this before.”

The allegations of misconduct prompted debate over the culture of sexual assault within Canadian hockey, a favourite pastime of the North American country. But it also drew attention to the sceptical eye that authorities often cast on alleged victims.

Carroccia’s statement that she did not find evidence from the woman who was allegedly assaulted reliable prompted gasps in the courtroom, CBC reported.

All five men – Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, Carter Hart and Cal Foote – denied wrongdoing, stating that the alleged victim, EM, was a willing participant in sex acts at a hotel in London, Ontario, in 2018, following a team celebration.

The judge seemed to accept that claim, saying that the complainant had failed to establish that the encounter was “vitiated by fear”. She also said that the woman had a “tendency to blame others” when presented with inconsistencies in her memory of the night.

“Justice Carroccia’s carefully reasoned decision represents a resounding vindication for Mr McLeod and for his co-defendants,” said McLeod’s lawyer, David Humphrey.

Two previous juries in the case were dismissed, resulting in a trial where a single judge rendered a verdict.

The CEO of Hockey Canada and the organisation’s entire board of directors stepped down in October 2022 amid scrutiny of the alleged gang rape and an out-of-court settlement with the accuser.