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Not only does Saudi Arabia not respect human rights, but it is cracking down on those who do. Three rights activists have been sentenced this week, the latest, a professor of Islamic Studies who campaigned against religious extremism and militancy, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and barred from travel abroad when he gets out, for (according to the NYT) “disobeying the ruler, founding a human rights organization and supporting protests.”

You still going to sell them those trucks Justin?

More Middle East justice: Egyptian Facebook user gets three years for putting Mickey Mouse ears on photo of the President, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

4. Settle now, or we’ll give you more money!

Apparently it has been standard practice for years for the Ontario government to compensate teachers unions for the time they put into refusing to accept new contracts. Unions for three teachers’ groups — the high school union, Catholic and French unions — all got big payoffs to settle recent disputes. Good God. And what incentive is there for the unions to co-operate, if they know they’re going to get paid for every delay they can dream up?

5. It’s either us or Putin, U.S. tells Iraq

The U.S. has given Iraq an ultimatum: pick between us and Russia. If it accepts Russian help against ISIL, the US will stop offering it. For the moment the Iraqis have agreed not to request Russian airstrikes or other support. But given Moscow’s quick success in rescuing its pal Bashar Assad in next-door Syria, you never know.