5 at 5: Hurricane Arthur heads toward Atlantic Canada

Here are five of the top stories making headlines this afternoon:

Atlantic coast braces for Hurricane Arthur. Tropical storm Arthur has officially become Hurricane Arthur and it’s expected to hit Atlantic Canada on Saturday. While it’s too early to predict exactly where Arthur will make landfall in Canada, the U.S. National Hurricane Center predicts the highest winds in Nova Scotia and heavy rainfall in P.E.I. and New Brunswick. Much of the North Carolina coast—a hot-spot for tourists over the July 4 holiday weekend—is already under a hurricane warning.

Eugenie Bouchard moves on to Wimbledon final. It was another huge day for Canadian tennis as Bouchard beat Romania’s Simona Halep in the Wimbledon semi-final to earn a spot in the women’s single final on Saturday where she will take on Petra Kvitova. It’s the first time a Canadian woman has ever made it to the Wimbledon final. “I totally feel like I belong, and I’m just so excited for the next match,” the 20-year-old told reporters after her win. Tomorrow, fellow Canuck Milos Raonic will also have a chance to advance to the finals if he can beat Roger Federer in the semifinals.

Ukraine’s new Defence Minister Valeriy Heletey vows victory in Crimea. Russia can expect some competition in Crimea if the new Ukrainian defence minister’s comments today are any indication. “There will be a victory parade… in Ukraine’s Sevastopol,” Heletey told parliament Thursday. Crimea has been under Russian control since it annexed the eastern coastal area in March and held a referendum there. However, the results of the referendum aren’t recognized as legitimate.

Man charged with deaths of three RCMP officers to undergo psychiatric assessment. Justin Bourque, the 24-year-old charged with first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of three RCMP officers in Moncton, will undergo a mental evaluation before he next appears in court. Bourque is also facing two charges of attempted murder. He hasn’t entered a plea yet. Bourque appeared briefly in a Moncton court Thursday, but did not speak as his lawyer made the request for the psychiatric assessment. Bourque will appear in court next on July 31.

Booze service starts bright and early in Calgary during Stampede. The Calgary Stampede kicks off tomorrow morning with its annual parade and, just in case Calgarians needed more incentive to drink during the 10-day party, the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission has altered its rules to allow bars to start serving alcohol at 7 a.m. on parade day and at 8 a.m. during the rest of Stampede. So pass the whiskey pancake syrup and let’s get a yeah-hoo for beers in the morning!