Ukraine's Coalition of the Willing launch a new Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition at Paris summit

President Zelenskiy was in Paris on July 13 for a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing where they agreed to set up a new Integrated Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition to counter the escalating missile war in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. / bne IntelliNewsFacebook

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By Ben Aris in Berlin July 14, 2026

President Zelenskiy was in Paris on July 13 for a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, joining some 25 heads of state and government at the Hôtel des Invalides to sign up to deals supplying desperately needed air defence systems, ammunition and fighter jets. Hosted by Emmanuel Macron, the gathering has now grown to 37 nations, with Moldova and North Macedonia the latest to join.

Zelenskiy told delegates during his speech in Paris: "I thank France for its readiness to support Ukraine with additional air defence systems and missiles as early as this year. I also thank France for its readiness to provide licenses for ASTER and SCALP – this will be of great help. I thank the United Kingdom and Germany for their consistently tangible steps to help protect lives. There will be new defence packages for Ukraine."

The urgency of that plea was underscored within hours. Overnight into July 14, Russia launched a fresh ballistic missile attack on Kyiv, with mayor Vitali Klitschko reporting that air-defence units were engaging incoming missiles and that fires had broken out in the city's Holosiivskyi district — a grim rejoinder to a summit convened expressly to stop such strikes. A day earlier, a Russian strike on the port of Odesa had hit a Togolese-flagged cargo vessel unloading fertiliser, killing five people and injuring ten, part of a weekend of attacks that left several more dead.

As the missile war escalates, Ukraine is scraping the barrel, leaving the skies over major cities dangerously exposed. Russia has been pounding Kyiv and other urban centres with missiles on a near-nightly basis, amid a worldwide shortage of Patriot interceptor missiles.

During the Ankara Nato summit on July 8, President Donald Trump promised to grant Ukraine a licence to make Patriots — but experts say it will take years before the first interceptor rolls off a Ukrainian production line. In the meantime, Zelenskiy needs air defence systems from wherever he can find them. Efforts to restart ceasefire talks remain stalled, and Bankova is clearly preparing for at least another two years of war, bracing in the short term for an expected repeat of President Vladimir Putin's attempt to freeze Ukraine into submission this winter.

Zelenskiy admitted that in the drones vs missiles race, “ballistic missiles is Russia’s last advantage,” but added that the more Russian ballistic missiles Ukraine can shoot down, the greater the chance Putin comes to the table, "as his last argument in this war will no longer work."

France has come to Ukraine's rescue with a major expansion of military aid. During the summit, Macron said France would follow Washington's technology-sharing lead and grant Ukraine licences to manufacture its SCALP cruise missiles, AASM precision-guided air-to-ground bombs and the Aster interceptor missiles used by the Franco-Italian SAMP/T air defence system — the first time Paris has licensed such capabilities to Kyiv. Ukraine has also ordered a batch of next-generation SAMP/T batteries, built by Eurosam, to follow earlier deliveries of the older version.

Increasingly, the emphasis is shifting from supplying Ukraine with materiel from US and EU stockpiles, to enabling Kyiv to make its own munitions. Earlier this year Zelenskiy said Ukraine now produces 60% of the arms and ammunition it needs. At the same time, a growing raft of joint-venture factories on European territory is springing up under the so-called Danish model — producing weapons outside Ukraine, with a particular focus on drones as part of Europe's effort to build a "Drone Wall."

Integrated Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition

The centrepiece of the day was the launch of a new Integrated Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition (IABMC), bringing together Ukraine and nine European countries — Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom — to develop an integrated air and missile defence architecture. In a joint statement, the ten said protecting Europe required "a global solution of integrated missile defence architecture to deter and defeat future missile threats." Around a dozen defence firms took part, including SAMP/T maker Eurosam, Leonardo, Thales, Saab and Ukraine's Fire Point — a sign this is a concrete industrial programme rather than a communiqué.

At its heart is FREYJA, Ukraine's bid to build a European-backed, lower-cost alternative to the American Patriot. Zelenskiy was careful to cast it as a complement rather than a competitor.

"Europe needs more anti-ballistic defence. Together, we can build such a system. Ukraine is ready to deliver its part: the anti-ballistic missile. We are now finalizing it. It is important to confirm politically that FREYJA is our common project, in the interests of all of Europe," he said in a social media post, adding that the system was "a way to supplement our defence, create a strong shield over the entirety of Europe and do all of this faster and at a lower cost."

Macron also said Ukraine intends to acquire 16 French Rafale fighter jets, with deliveries expected to allow the aircraft to enter service in 2028–29.

There was a political changing of the guard, too. It was the last coalition meeting for Britain's Keir Starmer, who noted he had resigned as prime minister on June 22; he used the occasion to thank partners and confirm the UK would join the EU's roughly €90bn loan to keep ammunition, air defence and long-range missiles flowing to Ukraine. And in a personal note, Zelenskiy awarded Macron the Order of Freedom, calling the French president "a true friend of Ukraine."

Ukraine Getting License To Build Aster 30 Anti-Missile Interceptors

Joseph Trevithick
Mon, July 13, 2026


French President Emmanuel Macron says Ukraine is in line to get a license to produce Aster 30 missiles domestically.

French President Macron announces Ukraine will receive a license to produce Aster 30 missiles domestically for SAMP/T air defense systems.

French President Emmanuel Macron says Ukraine is in line to get a license to produce Aster 30 missiles domestically. Aster 30 is the anti-air interceptor used in the SAMP/T surface-to-air missile system, examples of which are already in Ukrainian service. The Franco-Italian SAMP/T is often described as an analog to the U.S.-made Patriot, and both systems offer Ukraine vital anti-ballistic missile capability.

Ukraine is still in desperate need of additional capacity to shoot down incoming Russian ballistic missiles, especially amid shortages of missiles for its Patriots. Just last week, U.S. President Donald Trump also said he would approve a license for Ukraine to domestically produce Patriot interceptors. Significant questions remain about the exact timeline for when Ukraine might begin domestic production of munitions for either system, along with a host of other factors that will need to be addressed, as TWZ just explored in detail after Trump's announcement regarding Patriot.

The French President spoke alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at a press conference at the Coalition of the Willing summit today in Paris. A total of 25 world leaders were in attendance. At this event, the governments of Ukraine, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom also announced the creation of an Integrated Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition. The coalition will pool resources to develop new anti-ballistic missile defense capabilities.

"Earlier this afternoon [Ukrainian] President Zelenskiy and I agreed ​on a roadmap between our two countries, implementing what ​had been agreed in principle last November regarding ⁠our bilateral defense cooperation," Macron said at a press conference today, per a translation of his remarks from Reuters.


This is set to include the license production of Aster 30, as well as AASM Hammer-series precision-guided bombs and SCALP cruise missiles. France has already supplied tranches of all three of these munitions to Ukraine. It's also worth noting that Ukrainian forces have also received Storm Shadow cruise missiles from the United Kingdom, which are nearly identical to SCALP.

Macron also highlighted planned deliveries of SAMP/T and SAMP/T NG surface-to-air missile systems to Ukrainian forces, which are set to start at least later this year. The SAMP/T NG is an upgraded version of the baseline SAMP/T type, and is designed to offer an expanded engagement envelope, both in terms of altitude and maximum range, primarily through the inclusion of new radars. The French and Italian versions of SAMP/T NG differ in the exact radar used (the French Thales GF 300 or the Kronos Grand Mobile HP from Italy's Leonardo). Improved Aster 30 variants are also in development. Ukraine currently has two baseline SAMP/T systems, one from France and the other from Italy.

In addition, the French President talked about progress in Ukraine's planned acquisition of French-made Rafale fighters, with the goal now being to deliver the first 16 of those aircraft in the 2028-2029 timeframe. You can read more about those plans, which were first announced last year, here.

The move by French authorities to allow Ukraine to produce Aster 30s domestically is particularly significant. Russian ballistic missiles, including ground-launched types and the air-launched Kinzhal, have and continue to present a threat that is especially difficult for Ukraine to manage. Ballistic missiles hurtle back to Earth at very high speeds in the terminal phase of flight, making them very challenging to intercept compared to other kinds of missiles, in general.



In recent years, Russia has also begun using ballistic missiles with enhanced maneuvering capabilities to make them even more difficult to knock down, even by more advanced air defense systems like Patriot. French Air Force Gen. Fabien Mandon, the chief of the French defense staff, claimed last year that SAMP/T was actually proving to be more effective than Patriot against Russian ballistic threats.


"We helped Ukraine by deploying missile and drone interception systems called the SAMP/T system," Mandon said. "The Russians adapted the flight profiles of their most advanced missiles because they realized they were being intercepted by Ukrainian defenses. Today, the Patriot system is struggling to intercept them, but the SAMP/T is intercepting them."

That being said, Ukraine still has more Patriot systems than SAMP/Ts, but both are in extremely high demand and short supply. The same goes for interceptors.

Patriot systems have become a cornerstone of Ukraine's air defense since 2023.

Using PAC-3 missiles, they intercept ballistic and hypersonic threats like Iskander and Kinzhal, protecting cities and saving lives.@KpsZSU @DefenceU pic.twitter.com/TTi8PCAEsM

— UNITED24 Media (@United24media) April 4, 2026

"Our warriors performed well today in intercepting drones and cruise missiles, but unfortunately not Russian ballistic missiles. And the reason is precisely the insufficient supplies of interceptor missiles," Ukrainian President Zelensky wrote in a Ukrainian language post on X on July 6 after an especially heavy barrage on the capital Kyiv, according to a machine translation. "It is extremely important for the world, first and foremost America and our European partners, to emerge from the NATO summit in Ankara with strong decisions to support our air defense, and thus the protection of ordinary people's lives. As long as missiles for 'Patriots' remain in the warehouses of allies, it only encourages Russia to continue 'defeating' residential buildings. The United States and Europe have enough power to stop this terror."

Цієї ночі Київ був під масованим російським ударом. Росія випустила 68 ракет і ще 351 ударний дрон. Зараз триває ліквідація наслідків. Пошкодження зафіксовані більш ніж на 10 локаціях міста, зокрема в житлових будинках. На місцях працюють усі необхідні служби, які роблять… pic.twitter.com/cf2vZzOZy2

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 6, 2026

Patriot and SAMP/T may offer important capabilities against other aerial threats, including Russia's Zircon missile. Zircon is widely described as an air-breathing hypersonic cruise missile. However, the question has been raised recently about whether it might actually be a more traditional quasi-ballistic weapon.




At the same time, demand for higher-end surface-to-missile systems and anti-ballistic missile capability, and suitable interceptors, is growing across Europe and elsewhere globally. This is underscored by the announcement today of the new Integrated Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition. This, in turn, reflects a similar surge in the development and fielding of ballistic missiles around the world, including by smaller countries and even some non-state actors. The conflict with Iran this year, as well as fighting with Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen in recent years and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, have only further driven home the growing capabilities and proliferation of ballistic threats.

This reality applies even to the U.S. military, where the Marine Corps is now looking to acquire an organic ballistic missile defense capability to reduce reliance on the Army to provide this support. For years now, TWZ has been calling attention to how the Army's Patriot force is heavily strained due to constant demands and is simply not adequately resourced to meet the current operational needs. That service is working to address those shortfalls, but it will take years for those efforts to come fully to fruition.

So, for Ukraine, having its own domestic pipeline for an interceptor like Aster 30 would offer an immensely valuable hedge against shortages and delays elsewhere. For this particular missile, demand extends beyond SAMP/T operators, which also currently include Singapore. Warships in service with the navies of France, Italy, the United Kingdom (where it is part of the Sea Viper air defense system), and several other countries are also equipped to fire these interceptors.

High demand for Patriot interceptors and full Patriot systems in Ukraine has already had negative downstream impacts on orders for other customers. Concerns have been raised about the sufficiency of U.S. military stockpiles as a result, something that has been further compounded by heavy U.S. and allied expenditures in recent fighting in the Middle East.



At the same time, there are still questions about how and when domestic production of Aster 30 or Patriot interceptors in Ukraine might begin, or when the first missiles might start being delivered. Higher-end anti-air missiles typically have production lead times measured in months, if not years. It will take some time for Ukraine just to finalize deals with the relevant defense contractors and establish a domestic production line. Where initial funding might come from is not entirely clear, either, though new financial aid from France and other countries could be a definite possibility. Ukraine might potentially be able to export some of the interceptors it produces, offering a badly needed economic boost for the country.

There is also an operational security question. Russia or other adversaries could gain valuable insights into the capabilities of SAMP/T or Patriot if they were to get their hands on full-up interceptors or even just critical subcomponents. There is already a certain danger taken in delivering more advanced missiles to a country at war. Even wreckage can be an intelligence gold mine for the enemy, depending on what is recoverable. Establishing a full domestic production line will require stockpiling of brand-new subsystems, as well as the sharing of at least some degree of intellectual property and manufacturing know-how. All of which increases the total number of potential risk vectors in a country that is, again, at war with its neighbor, which also happens to be a near-peer threat for the United States and others in the West.

Macron's announcement about licensing Aster 30 production today does not address Ukraine's critical immediate needs for more high-end interceptors to respond to incoming Russian ballistic missiles. At the same time, it does open up an important new path to keeping a steady supply of missiles for the Ukrainian military's growing number of SAMP/T systems down the road. These are also capabilities Ukraine will need in the long-term, well beyond the current conflict, to help deter future aggression.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

 

Ukraine's hidden homelessness crisis deepens as war reshapes social landscape

Charity Depaul Ukraine opens its Kyiv branch. / Depaul Ukraine via FacebookFacebookTwitter

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By IntelliNews July 14, 2026

The war in Ukraine has triggered a sharp rise in homelessness, creating a new social challenge that could have long-term consequences for the country's post-war recovery if vulnerable groups, particularly internally displaced people and military veterans, are not reintegrated into society quickly, reported the Depaul Ukraine charity in a recent study.

Experts estimate that more than 1mn people may now be homeless in Ukraine, a dramatic increase since Russia's 2022 invasion. While official data from the Ministry of Social Policy recorded only 12,451 homeless people as of Jan. 1, 2026, researchers estimate the actual number of people experiencing homelessness ranges between 57,000 and 121,000 using traditional definitions, with the broader figure exceeding 1mn once people living in insecure or temporary accommodation after displacement are included.

The findings illustrate how the war has fundamentally altered the profile of homelessness in Ukraine. Rather than being driven primarily by addiction or chronic unemployment, the phenomenon is increasingly linked to the destruction of housing, mass displacement and the broader economic disruption caused by the conflict.

According to the study, almost half of homeless people are internally displaced persons (IDPs), while roughly 22% said they became homeless directly because they were forced to flee their homes during the war. Analysts also reported a growing number of military veterans seeking assistance, with veterans now accounting for about 6% of the homeless population.

The findings challenge many long-standing stereotypes surrounding homelessness.

Researchers found that 63% of homeless respondents had never experienced alcohol dependency, while 92% said they had never used narcotics. Instead, the leading causes of homelessness were housing destruction caused by shelling and military operations, cited by 46% of respondents, followed by family conflicts at 22% and property fraud at 12%.

"The overwhelming majority of homeless people are not struggling with addiction but with the loss of housing and social support," the researchers concluded.

The demographic profile has also shifted significantly since the start of the war. Men account for 69% of the homeless population, while the largest age group is people between 41 and 59 years old. Women remain a minority, although aid organisations report that the number of homeless women has risen faster than that of working-age men, many of whom avoid shelters because of concerns related to mobilisation.

Researchers say one of the greatest risks lies in what they describe as the "moral career" of homelessness — the gradual psychological adaptation to life on the streets.

They estimate that this transformation typically occurs within three to six months after a person loses housing. Once this threshold is crossed, reintegration becomes substantially more difficult, as individuals increasingly begin to accept homelessness as a permanent way of life.

As a result, specialists argue that rapid intervention during the first months after displacement is critical.

More than 86% of respondents said they wanted assistance returning to stable housing and employment, while 58% remained optimistic about their future despite their circumstances.

Employment, however, remains scarce. About 78% of homeless people are unemployed, with only 6% holding permanent jobs. State benefits represent the primary source of income for 41% of respondents, while charitable organisations support another 18%.

Researchers found almost no specialised employment or vocational training programmes designed specifically for homeless people, despite widespread willingness among respondents to return to work.

Health presents another major challenge.

Nearly 60% of respondents described their health as poor or very poor. Only slightly more than half said they consistently received necessary medical treatment, while more than three-quarters lacked professional psychological support. Aid organisations also reported increasing demand for palliative and specialised medical care that existing shelters are not equipped to provide.

The study found public attitudes toward homelessness to be complex.

Although 89% of Ukrainians agreed homeless people should be regarded as full members of society and 64% said they felt sympathy when encountering homeless individuals, many stereotypes persist. Eighty percent believed most homeless people could work if they wanted to, while 70% continued to associate homelessness with addiction and 53% believed many people chose such a lifestyle voluntarily.

Experts argue these perceptions often translate into institutional discrimination, with homeless people frequently encountering difficulties accessing healthcare and public services because of missing documents, bureaucratic obstacles or social stigma.

Public confidence in government efforts also remains limited.

Only 18% of respondents approved of the central government's handling of homelessness, compared with 40% approval for local authorities and 64% for charities and non-governmental organisations.

Researchers said the Ministry of Social Policy lacks long-term strategic planning, while cooperation between the state and civil society remains fragmented. Most organisations working directly with homeless people continue to rely heavily on foreign funding rather than stable domestic support.

Analysts argue that as Ukraine prepares for post-war reconstruction, housing policy will become increasingly important not only from a humanitarian perspective but also for maintaining the country's labour force and supporting long-term economic recovery.

With internally displaced people and veterans accounting for a growing share of the homeless population, they say rapid access to housing, employment and social services could determine whether hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians successfully reintegrate into society or remain trapped in long-term homelessness.

THE GRIFT

Mystery surrounds ‘Freedom Fuel’ gas stations touted by Trump

Rachel Frazin
Sat, July 11, 2026

In recent days, President Trump has touted 25 "Freedom Fuel" gas stations, but little is publicly known about the stations or who is running them.

The gas stations, located in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, are selling fuel at relatively low prices, and Trump's admiration comes as he's trying to pressure other gas retailers to cut their prices as well.

A White House official has described the Freedom Fuel Network as a private company and said that the administration is not involved with it. It also is not receiving federal funding, and there is no other entity or person subsidizing the cost, per the White House.

The Freedom Fuel Network's website touts 25 locations but does not contain much other information.

The Hill attempted to reach the network through its website but did not immediately receive a response.

State records indicate that a Freedom Fuel Network LLC was incorporated in Delaware on June 23, but they also didn't provide much other information.

While the White House official emphasized the administration is not involved with the effort, President Trump did tout the initiative last week, and officials have subsequently promoted the effort.

Trump in a July 1 social media post wrote that "the Freedom Fuel Network will be lowering gas prices at 25 'FREEDOM FUEL' Stations across the Greater Philadelphia Area. This Retailer is taking the lead, and others should follow."

Nearly a week later, the White House said in a social media post that "the FIRST Freedom Fuel Network gas station has LANDED in Philadelphia, lowering the price at the pump to $3.47 for our 47th President."

"Freedom Fuel is a patriotic company doing a good thing for drivers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey by lowering their gas prices," White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said in a statement to The Hill.

"They are doing their part to answer the President's call to lower prices at the pump. This retailer is taking the lead, and we hope to see others follow," Rogers added.

The "Freedom Fuel" price is significantly lower than the average gasoline prices in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, which were $4 and $3.92 per gallon, respectively, on Friday, according to AAA.

However, data from price tracker GasBuddy indicates that prices at these stations have gone up to at least $3.57 per gallon, according to a report by Nexstar.

A White House official said prices at the stations will fluctuate depending on market conditions.

CNN reported this week that a Costco near one of the stations was selling gasoline for the same price, though Costco is a major national chain that likely buys fuel in larger quantities.

At the same time, a key industry group and other experts have said the $3.47 level is too low for gas stations to be profitable.

Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at Gulf Oil, said the prices they were selling at "do not work in today's market."

"Break-even prices were about $3.60," Kloza said. "The cheapest one could sell gasoline for in the markets that they were talking about was about $3.60 a gallon. It's not a working business plan to sell gasoline at a loss for more than like a day."

Jeff Lenard, spokesperson for the National Association of Convenience Stores, which represents many of the nation's gas stations, put the break-even price even higher.

He said via email that gas stations in that area are paying about $3 per gallon of gas, and then they'd have to pay about 76 cents per gallon in federal and state taxes in Pennsylvania, or about 57.5 cents in New Jersey — plus operating costs.

"Obviously everybody's frustrated by high gas prices," Lenard said in an interview, before adding that there are "misperceptions" about how much sway stations actually have in the price of gasoline.

The Freedom Fuel stations represent a tiny fraction of overall gas stations. According to the trade association, there are about 123,000 convenience stores that sell fuel in the country.

Lenard said Pennsylvania has 3,656 convenience stores that sell fuel while New Jersey has 1,443. He said these figures represent most, but not all, of the fuel retailers in these states.

Trump's support for the Freedom Fuel stations comes as he seeks to pressure other stations to lower their prices.

Gasoline prices spiked along with the price of oil during the height of the war with Iran. After the since-terminated ceasefire, oil prices quickly fell back down to near prewar levels, but gasoline prices have not yet neared their prewar lows.

As of Friday, the national average gasoline price was about $3.89 per gallon, down from the wartime highs of more than $4.50 but still well above the approximately $3 average before the war.

Republicans are feeling the pressure of high gasoline prices ahead of this year's midterm elections as the issue of "affordability" takes center stage.

Trump has pushed gas stations to lower their prices.

"Gasoline Retailers must get their Prices down, IMMEDIATELY! They're too high considering that Oil is now at $68 a Barrel, and heading south," he wrote in a social media post last month.

"The Retailers must quickly react to this statement, and do what they know is right — DROP YOUR PRICE FOR OUR GREAT AMERICAN PEOPLE! There will be no gauging, which is totally illegal. If Retailers don't do this, big problems lie ahead!" he added.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Ex-Canada MP arrested after police seize 439 guns and antique cannon from his home

SOUNDS LIKE A YANKEE GUN RUNNER

Nardine Saad
Mon, July 13, 2026 

Ex-Canadian MP Inky Mark has been arrested after police found a trove of guns, ammunition and an antique cannon along with thousands of dollars in cash in his home.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) seized 439 firearms from his house near Dauphin, Manitoba, last week during a firearms trafficking probe. At least three of the guns were illegally trafficked, RCMP said.

Mark, 78, has been charged with firearms trafficking and several other gun-related offences, including possessing unauthorised devices and unsafe storage, which officials say threaten public safety.

Manitoba follows Canada's strict federal gun control laws, but its provincial government actively opposes extra restrictions.

A cultural appreciation for recreational shooting runs deep in the region.

Mark, a former Dauphin mayor, was arrested during a police search on 7 July.

He appeared on a dozen charges in court last week and was released from custody with conditions.

"The illegal trafficking of prohibited weapons is a serious offence that threatens public safety," RCMP Assistant Commissioner and Manitoba Commanding Officer Scott McMurchy said on Monday.

"We thank the many RCMP officers who are working on this case for their tireless efforts in targeting individuals who are trafficking these dangerous and illegal weapons and bringing them to justice."

The investigation began in March when police were notified of firearms charges in the US against another Dauphin-area man.

That investigation led RCMP to find and seize firearms allegedly purchased by Mark, which police said were "never lawfully transferred".

At least three firearms are believed to have been illegally trafficked and one firearm had its serial number tampered with, officials said. They also found more than C$300,000 (£158,000) in cash at the home.

While the motive is unclear, Manitoba RCMP Cpl Barry Kirby said at a news conference on Monday: "We know he's a firearm collector, but that's really all that we know."

Mark was elected mayor of Dauphin in 1994 and lost a re-election bid in 2010.

In parliament, he represented a constituency now known as Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa from 1997 until 2010, when he resigned from the House of Commons.

He has been a member of the Reform Party of Canada, the Canadian Alliance and a Conservative, and unsuccessfully ran for the seat again in 2015 as an independent.

[RCMP]

View c

THE EPSTEIN CLASS

Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard pleads guilty in Quebec sex assault case

Associated Press
Mon, July 13, 2026


FILE - Former fashion executive Peter Nygard, seen through a police vehicle window, arrives at a courthouse in Toronto, Oct. 3, 2023. (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press via AP, File)


MONTREAL (AP) — Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard pleaded guilty Monday to sexual assault and forcible confinement in Quebec, the latest conviction in the downfall of the founder of the once-global Nygard International clothing company. Nygard also faces U.S. racketeering and sex trafficking charges.

The 84-year-old appeared by video from an Ontario prison, where he is serving an 11-year sentence after a Toronto jury convicted him in 2023 of sexually assaulting four women. He also faces extradition to the United States on federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges.

Quebec Crown prosecutor Jérôme Laflamme said Nygard's plea came unexpectedly ahead of what had been scheduled as a 10-day judge-alone trial.

"Mr. Nygard's change of heart was quite sudden," Laflamme told reporters, adding the complainant had been prepared to testify.

Evidence presented by the prosecution, which the defense did not contest, showed Nygard took advantage of his position as a renowned fashion designer to lure young women.

It says the victim, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, met Nygard in a bar when she was 18. She wanted to be a fashion model.

They met for lunch at her workplace to discuss her career, and he invited her to his Montreal penthouse, saying he had forgotten his keys. Once in the penthouse, he locked her in the bedroom and sexually assaulted her.

According to the court documents, Nygard told the victim she could move to the Bahamas and promised her a life of luxury under the condition that she would have sex with him and other women.

The events took place between November 1997 and November 1998.

Quebec prosecutors charged Nygard in 2022 with one count of sexual assault and one count of forcible confinement.

Nygard, who immigrated to Canada from Finland as a child, built a global fashion empire and hosted lavish parties at his Bahamas estate, Nygard Cay, before his business collapsed amid sexual assault allegations that led to investigations in Canada and the United States.

Judge Nathalie Fafard accepted evidence of Nygard's Toronto conviction after finding similarities between the two cases.

Defense lawyer Gerri Wiebe said Nygard chose not to contest the Quebec charges before his pending extradition to the United States. She said he is in frail health and argued that transferring him now could endanger his life.

U.S. prosecutors allege Nygard spent about 25 years using his fashion company, employees and financial resources to recruit women and underage girls in the United States, Canada and the Bahamas for sexual exploitation. He has pleaded not guilty to the U.S. charges.

Sentencing was postponed pending a medical assessment. The case returns to court Oct. 2, when lawyers are expected to present a joint sentencing recommendation.

Wiebe said the United States can only extradite Nygard once his legal matters in Canada are settled. She added that postponing the sentence ensures that Nygard can remain in the country.

Disgraced Canadian mogul guilty of additional sexual assault

AFP
Mon, July 13, 2026


Disgraced Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard has been convicted of several sexual assaults spanning decades (Cole BURSTON)

Peter Nygard, the founder of one of Canada's largest clothing brands, was found guilty on Monday of sexual assault, an additional conviction for the disgraced ex-mogul who victimized women and girls over decades.

Nygard, 84, built a retail empire hawking blouses and slacks across Canada and the United States but used that status to perpetrate sexual violence, sometimes luring women with a false promise of modelling work.

Nygard was given an 11-year sentence after being convicted in a Toronto court in November 2023 of sexually assaulting three women and a 16-year-old girl between 1988 and 2005.

He was found guilty of a separate crime in a Montreal court on Monday after his lawyers did not contest allegations of sexual assault and forcible confinement.

Prosecutor Jerome Laflamme told reporters the scheduled 10-day trial over the Montreal charges "will not take place" and that Nygard had been "found guilty by the court," with sentencing to be decided at a later date.

The criminal acts occurred at Nygard's Montreal penthouse between November 1997 and November 1998, court records show.

The Nygard case has drawn some parallels to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as both men were accused of committing abuses at lavish Caribbean properties.


Nygard threw parties at his home in the Bahamas -- a Mayan-inspired playground with fake volcanoes.

US prosecutors are seeking to extradite Nygard to stand trial over a range of alleged crimes, including the hosting of "pamper parties" where minor girls were drugged and women assaulted if they did not comply with his sexual demands.

bs/jgc

How US commerce secretary's Epstein links were uncovered by British whistleblower

Andrew Verity - BBC News Investigations correspondent; 

Rob Byrne - File on 4 Investigates; Ben Milne - BBC News

Mon, July 13, 2026 at 11:02 PM MDT


Howard Lutnick was appointed US commerce secretary by President Trump in 2025 [Getty Images]

A British man has told the BBC how he unearthed evidence indicating that his former employer, Howard Lutnick - now US commerce secretary - failed to disclose a business relationship with the paedophile financier, Jeffrey Epstein.

Simon Andriesz, previously a managing director at a Wall Street firm, discovered an email chain from 2018 in which Lutnick and Epstein had discussed the prospects of a start-up business they were both involved in.

Andriesz shared his findings - from the millions of released Epstein files - with US politicians on the influential House Oversight Committee, ahead of an appearance there by Lutnick in May.

Lutnick told the committee that, to the best of his knowledge, he had only learned this year that Epstein had been an investor in the firm. Speaking on his behalf, the US Commerce Department told us there was no evidence of wrongdoing.

Andriesz also discovered in the files that one of Lutnick's firms had made plans in 2013 to go into business with another figure linked to Epstein, the then-Prince Andrew, by commercially exploiting the contacts the former UK trade envoy had made.

"What it involved was a loan to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor of £1m... to basically buy a prince," he tells File on 4 Investigates.

Searching 3.5 million documents

"I was completely shocked," says Andriesz, describing the moment when he discovered his own name in the Epstein files - a massive collection of documents, photos, video and emails relating to the notorious sex offender, released by the US government in the past year.

The specific files in which Andriesz appeared related to interviews he had given to the FBI while in dispute with his former employer, BGC Partners - a financial brokerage firm, part of Lutnick's Cantor Fitzgerald group.

In 2016, Andriesz had raised concerns internally about accounting irregularities at the firm. He was sacked in 2017, but some of his allegations later led to BGC being ordered to pay a $3m (£2.24m) penalty by the US derivatives regulator for "numerous supervision, reporting, and record-keeping violations".

Simon Andriesz, now living in Cornwall, has been in dispute with his former employers in the US for several years [BBC]

BGC told us that Andriesz's allegations lacked credibility and were "categorically false". It said the claims had been investigated by authorities in several jurisdictions which, according to BGC, had not substantiated the allegations.

Andriesz spoke to the FBI about BGC, and about the firm's ultimate boss, Lutnick, in 2020-21 - after Epstein had killed himself in jail while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

The Epstein files show Andriesz alleged that Lutnick had had undeclared business ties with Epstein. The FBI did not investigate these accusations.

Andriesz tells the BBC he was disappointed that few had seemed interested in what he had discovered: "I'm exposing Howard Lutnick's relationship, financial links, with Jeffrey Epstein, and there's no interest."

Jeffrey Epstein killed himself in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges [Getty Images]

In 2025, Lutnick was appointed US commerce secretary, at which point he sold his shares in Cantor Fitzgerald and passed control of the firm to his sons.

On a podcast later that year, he claimed he had only ever met Epstein once, 20 years earlier, when they had been neighbours in Manhattan, and that he had found his behaviour "gross".

However, with the Epstein files' release, inconsistencies began to appear in this version of events. A photo showed Lutnick with Epstein on the sex offender's Caribbean island, Little St James, in December 2012.

Four years earlier in Florida, Epstein had been sent to prison for two charges of soliciting prostitution - including one with a minor.

Andriesz suspected there was yet more to find in the Epstein files that could back up his claims - if only people knew where to look in the 3.5 million pages of documents.

"Everyone was searching 'Lutnick'," he says. He knew, though, that Cantor Fitzgerald executives preferred to use initials rather than full names in their emails.

Andriesz searched for "HWL" (Howard William Lutnick) and found emails sent to and from Epstein in 2018. Epstein had talked directly to Lutnick about a digital advertising company called Adfin, in which he and Lutnick's firm, Cantor Fitzgerald, had both invested.

Andriesz spotted correspondence where Epstein had directly asked the HWL account: "what do you think the prospects for adfin are?"

Lutnick responded: "Producing revenue finally. This is their year. Next 12 months they need to become economically self-sufficient."

Andriesz then shared this information with US politicians on the House Oversight Committee, the US Congress's main investigatory committee.

Lutnick agreed to appear before the committee in an off-camera hearing in May.

He has not been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, and he told the committee: "I unequivocally condemn the conduct attributed to Jeffrey Epstein and everyone who participated in his illegal activities. The survivors of his crimes deserve our respect and support."

Lutnick repeated his claim to the committee, that he did not know until this year that Epstein had been a co-investor in Adfin. However, Democrats on the committee accused him of lying and all 21 signed a letter demanding his resignation.

The US Commerce Department told us the allegations against Lutnick were "a desperate partisan distraction from the historic work of this Administration", adding that the commerce secretary has answered hundreds of questions before Congress and there is "no evidence of wrongdoing or legitimate cause for concern".
'To buy a prince'

Another discovery Andriesz made in the Epstein files concerned Lutnick's association with two other people who knew Epstein well - the then-Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.

Lutnick had been friends with Ferguson since the 1990s and was a guest at Princess Eugenie's wedding in 2018.

Documents in the files revealed his firm, Cantor Fitzgerald, had a plan in 2013 "to buy a prince", as Andriesz puts it, and exploit Andrew's contacts with wealthy individuals and sovereign institutions.

Sarah Ferguson and Howard Lutnick pictured in 2014 [Getty Images]

Under the proposed terms of the deal, £1m would be loaned to a firm controlled by the prince, which would then be bound to do business exclusively with Cantor Fitzgerald.

Epstein warned the prince's business aide, David Stern, against the deal, the files reveal. One of his concerns was about the exclusivity of the deal - under its terms, Andrew could only introduce wealthy clients to Cantor Fitzgerald and no-one else.

The files indicate that advisers to both Lutnick and the former prince discussed the deal for four months, from August to November 2013, but it came to nothing.

Asked about the deal, Cantor Fitzgerald did not deny the talks took place but told the BBC it did not go into business with the former prince. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor did not respond to a request for comment.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his royal titles in November 2025 [Getty Images]
A world away

Andriesz, now 57, lives in a quiet Cornish seaside village, a world away from Wall Street. He says the litigation of the past decade has had a devastating effect on his career, his finances and his health.

Despite winning a financial award of $420,000 (£313,000) for his whistleblowing from the US regulator, Andriesz says authorities in the US and UK have failed to hold BGC and Cantor Fitzgerald properly to account - or protect him from retaliation by his former employer for his reports of wrongdoing.

BGC says it has strong policies protecting whistleblowers from retaliation and denies retaliating against Andriesz. It says it has had no involvement with him since his departure other than responding to litigation he has initiated.

It maintains Andriesz's employment was terminated after he refused to follow medical advice, declined to perform essential job duties, rejected reasonable accommodation, and ultimately abandoned his role.

Speaking on behalf of Lutnick, the White House said: "The BBC's pathetic and desperate attempt to slander Secretary Lutnick will do nothing to change the fact that he has been the most consequential Commerce Secretary in modern history."

Labrador rescued from UK’s highest mountain after suspected cannabis consumption

Lianne Kolirin, CNN
Mon, July 13, 2026 


Tokyo the labrador was brought down from Ben Nevis by members of the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team. - Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team/Facebook

A black labrador had to be rescued from the UK's highest mountain after falling seriously ill when she ate cannabis, her owner has said.

Five-year-old Tokyo became unwell and even lost consciousness several hours into a hike up Scotland's Ben Nevis last Sunday, according to her owner Christina Bluhme.

"She'd been so happy eating treats and drinking and had been her very active normal self," Bluhme, a professional dog trainer, told CNN on Monday. The two had been trekking alongside Bluhme's 17-year-old son Magnus and their two-year-old golden labrador, Blaze.

Then things took a dramatic turn as they approached the peak of the mountain, which stands at 4,413 feet (1,345 meters).

"We were maybe an hour from the top when we noticed Tokyo got really weak in her hind quarters," said Bluhme.

"Initially, I thought it could have been a spinal thing or a disc that had slipped because of the climb, but then she started drifting in and out of consciousness. I was standing on that mountain thinking that that was it, I was going to lose her."

Tokyo is thought to have consumed cannabis. - Christina Bluhme

Bluhme initially tried to carry Tokyo down, but at 24 kilograms (53 pounds) that proved too difficult – especially as they were being drenched by heavy rain.

Eventually, a fellow hiker suggested that she call the emergency services, which dispatched a mountain rescue team to assist.

Fortunately for Tokyo, Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team volunteers were close by, having just attended another emergency at the summit.

"They put her on a stretcher, I grabbed one side and we got her down the mountain," said Bluhme. From there, she drove Tokyo to a nearby vet.

The vet immediately recognized Tokyo's symptoms as being caused not by pain but neurotoxicity, according to Bluhme.

"She had all the symptoms of consuming cannabis and had her blood tested too. What really gave it away was when she had her temperature taken she let out some gas and it smelled completely like cannabis. It was almost like standing beside someone smoking weed," she said from her home in Surrey, in the southeastern England.

"It's not funny, but it was a bit funny," she added.

Posting about the episode on Facebook over the weekend, Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team said they had been called "to assist a collapsed dog."

Confirming that Tokyo had since "made a full recovery," they added: "It's now suspected that Tokyo, a usually very fit and active working dog, had ingested something that made her critically unwell."

When Tokyo's owner collected her from the vet's surgery the following day, she was back to her normal self. - Christina Bluhme

Staff at Crown Vets in nearby Fort William hooked Tokyo up to an IV infusion and gave her activated charcoal, which works by absorbing the toxins. When Bluhme returned to collect her the following day, Tokyo was much better.

"She was wagging her tail very happily and was ready to go. And the day after you wouldn't have thought that this had happened to her," she said.

The vet told Bluhme, who had never previously heard of dogs consuming cannabis, that Tokyo most likely ate an edible that had been dropped along the trail – or human waste containing traces of cannabis.

Bluhme says she's since been overwhelmed with messages from other animal lovers who say something similar happened to their dogs.

"I learned a lesson in terms of dogs scavenging," she said. "I've never put too much importance on it… they love sniffing and foraging. But I'm definitely going to be a little bit more careful about what they put their nose into in future."

International Maritime Organization: No tolls on the Strait of Hormuz

DPA
Mon, July 13, 2026 


FILE PHOTO - A container ship of the shipping company Hapag-Llyod sails off the coast. (is associated with: «International Maritime Organization: No tolls on the Strait of Hormuz») Sebastian Gollnow/dpa

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) on Monday insisted there be toll-free passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz, following US President Donald Trump's post earlier in the day saying the US would charge a 20% fee for what he called safety and security protection.

Under international law, passage must remain free of customs duties and fees, the UN specialized agency headquartered in London said. The IMO stressed that any agreement between the coastal states in the region must ensure the non-discriminatory and unimpeded right of passage for all ships.

Trump announced the resumption of a naval blockade for ships trading with Iran. The US Central Command (CENTCOM), the responsible US regional military authority, later confirmed it planned to resume the blockade from Tuesday afternoon beginning at 2000 GMT.

Trump wrote that the US would charge the 20% rate on cargo ships "as a matter of FAIRNESS," saying the fee was needed to cover "any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World."

Argentina court recognizes two goldfish as sentient beings with rights

Sol Amaya, 

CNN
Mon, July 13, 2026 


Magui and Fede settled in very well in their new home. - Federico Sordo/Jaulas Vacías Sanctuary

On the facade of a sushi restaurant in a chic Buenos Aires neighborhood, two goldfish in a glass display case would go largely unnoticed apart from the occasional child who would tap against the glass.

One day, someone took a closer look at the tank, which was exposed to the sun and street noise. It would change the fate of the pair of small fish, named Fede and Magui, who were later recognized in an Argentine court as sentient beings that had rights.

"Anyone passing by and stopping to look could see it wasn't suitable for the fish," said Matías Trufero, lawyer for the NGO Jaulas Vacías, an anti-speciesism sanctuary that houses more than 200 rescued animals.

He said that's why Jaulas Vacías (Empty Cages), decided to file a complaint with the courts, arguing that the conditions of these fish violated Law 14.346, which penalizes animal abuse in Argentina.

With the help of specialists, they built a legal case and almost immediately convinced the court to move the fish to a more suitable place.

Trufero, the main promoter of this change, said the restaurant staff did not object to the ruling. CNN has contacted the restaurant for comment.

Having two fish in a glass display case is "more or less the same as putting two polar bears in a cage inside a sauna," said Carlos José Aga, one of the specialists who helped with the rescue and offered to adopt them.

Magui and Fede were moved from their 40-liter display case and into a 2,500-liter fish tank at Aga's house. The court ruled that the fish would remain in the care of their adopter.

"Fish are like astronauts, they travel in their own environment with careful monitoring of all their vital parameters, and when they arrive at the place, those conditions must be reproduced with great accuracy to avoid imbalances that could lead to a decrease in their immunity," Aga explained.

"Now they are doing very well," he said.

But rescuing the fish was only part of the process.

'Sentient beings'

Courtesy of Carlos José Aga

"At the beginning of the case, we requested that, in addition to removing the fish to a safe and suitable location, they be declared subjects of law," or "sentient beings," Trufero explained.

In other words, they wanted the fish to stop being recognized merely as "objects" under the law and become beings with rights.

Such a ruling sets a precedent for similar animals in inadequate conditions to lead a dignified life.

For anyone wondering if it's illegal to keep goldfish at home, Trufero said the answer depends on the situation.

"It's not illegal per se to keep a fish in a fish tank. However, it is illegal to keep them in conditions that cause mistreatment or cruelty. For example, inadequate space, insufficient food, and other acts punishable by law," Trufero said about the legislation in Argentina.

"Furthermore, if it's an exotic species, keeping could be prohibited if it falls under local wildlife laws," regulations that also exist in many other countries, he said.
From orangutans to fish

The first habeas corpus petition filed on behalf of a non-human animal was in 2005 for Suiza, a chimpanzee in Brazil, who died before being transferred to a sanctuary.

From then on, similar cases began to occur in other countries, including Argentina. One of the best known was that of Sandra, an orangutan born in Germany who lived in the Buenos Aires Zoo for 20 years until 2014, when she was declared a "non-human person" by a judge thanks to legal action brought by environmentalists.

The ruling held that her captivity and exhibition violated her rights, even though she was well fed and did not suffer mistreatment.

In 2016, the Buenos Aires Zoo was transformed into an eco-park, removing animals from display and relocating many of them to sanctuaries. Sandra was sent to the Center of Great Apes in Wauchula, Florida, in 2019.

"The importance of declaring these animals subjects of law lies in the fact that they cease to be considered a thing, an object," Trufero explained.

In cases of cruelty and mistreatment, they can be considered victims and not things, which radically changes the way the future of animals is defined.

The case of Fede and Magui opens a door for these types of fish, very common in homes and businesses, to be legally protected.

"A subject with a legal right can do little or nothing for themselves unless there are people who speak on behalf of those who cannot speak and enforce the law," Aga emphasized, adding that Fede and Magui have already settled into their new home.

Michael Rios contributed to this story.

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Beasts of Beasts of Burden Burden Capitalism · Animals...

Beasts of Burden: Capitalism - Animals - Communism · Published October 1999 by · Antagonism Press · c/o BM Makhno · London WC1N 3XX · Please send comments...

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Letter on animal liberation - Gilles Dauvé | libcom.org

Libcom note: The authors of Beasts of Burden responded to this letter here. Gilles Dauvé- Letter on animal liberation.pdf (316.85 KB)