🚨 Gaza flotilla activist lauds Sri Lankan soldiers as 'nothing like' Israeli forces A Sri Lankan paramedic who took part in the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza has condemned the abuse of fellow detainees in Israeli custody, while contrasting the conduct of Israeli forces with that of the Sri Lankan military she trained alongside, an army that itself stands accused of genocide against the Tamil people and which was extensively armed by Israel. Mahboobdeen, who trained with the Sri Lankan armed forces at the Kothmale Centre for Disaster Response in late 2022, drew a contrast between the two militaries. Israeli forces, she said, were mercenaries rather than soldiers. "The Sri Lankan soldiers with whom I have worked and received training are nothing like these people who call themselves soldiers," she told the paper. The Sri Lankan military she referred to stands accused of mass atrocities against the Tamil people.

In which Elizabeth Gregory argues that battles over abortion, pronatalism, & DEI are economic: conservatives seek to push women out of civic life through forced childbearing to preserve cheap domestic labor & a supply of low-wage workers. Out Aug 4th: mitpress.mit.edu/97802620516…

An Indonesian pilot greeted a Palestinian passenger Mahmoud Abdel Al during a flight to show solidarity and support amid Israel’s ongoing genocide on Gaza.

Canada has long been known as a land of immigrants and opportunity. However, many are left wondering: what broke Canada? Here is a real story shared by a close friend. My friend landed in Canada in 2015 and was offered free English coaching as part of his early settlement assistance in Saskatchewan. He joined these English lessons and noticed that he had several classmates from the African continent. Surprisingly, these classmates had been stuck at the exact same English proficiency level for three to four years. This was shocking to my friend because it was a very basic, introductory level that could easily be cleared within three months. After befriending most of them, my friend figured out the truth. These individuals had actually been living in Canada for seven to eight years and were still studying at the exact same college. Furthermore, none of them had applied for Canadian citizenship; they all remained permanent residents. The Loophole The reason was simple, if you become a Canadian citizen, you no longer qualify for free language schooling. These free English programs are a benefit reserved strictly for permanent residents. Because they shared a similar religious background, many of these families had between four and eight children. Additionally, their cultural or religious beliefs did not permit the women to work outside the home. Since the men were perpetually "in school," these families were able to claim every single government benefit available to them. They received money for: Food and groceries Rent assistance Unemployment benefits Child tax benefits Meanwhile, our own elderly population has to keep working well past the age of 65 simply because they cannot afford to retire. This is what broke Canada: weak government policies exploited by strong personal interests.