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Fuel Cutoff Mystery: Air India Crash Sparks Global Concern

A preliminary investigation into the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI171 has revealed that both engine fuel cutoff switches were flipped just seconds after takeoff, starving the aircraft of power and leading to its fatal descent. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on June 12, crashed into a residential area, killing 260 people — including 19 on the ground — and leaving only one survivor. According to India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), cockpit voice recordings captured one pilot asking the other why the fuel had been cut off. The response: “I did not do so”. The switches were flipped within one second of each other, a sequence experts say would be highly unusual and difficult to do accidentally. While both engines attempted to restart, only one regained partial thrust before the aircraft crashed. The report did not identify any mechanical faults with the aircraft or its GE engines, and no recommendations were made for Boeing or ...

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Canada’s economy shrinks in Q3 amid export and consumer woes

 


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Canada’s economy shrinks in Q3 amid export and spending woes

Canada’s economy contracted by 1.1 per cent on an annualized basis in the third quarter of 2023, according to Statistics Canada. This was a much weaker result than expected by analysts and the Bank of Canada, which had forecast a slight growth of 0.1 per cent and 0.8 per cent, respectively.

The main factors behind the economic decline were a drop in exports, a slump in business investment, and a stagnation in consumer spending. Exports fell by 5.1 per cent, reflecting lower shipments of energy products, motor vehicles, and aircraft. Business investment decreased by 10.1 per cent, as firms reduced their spending on machinery and equipment, intellectual property, and non-residential structures. Consumer spending was flat, as households saved more of their income amid rising interest rates.

The only bright spots in the third quarter were government spending, which increased by 7.3 per cent, boosted by a one-time GST/HST credit payment, and residential housing investment, which rose by 8.3 per cent, driven by a surge in new construction.

The Canadian economy also performed poorly compared with the U.S. economy, which grew by 5.2 per cent in the same period. Canada has been more sensitive to the impact of higher interest rates, which have been raised by the Bank of Canada to 5 per cent from 0.25 per cent since early 2022. The central bank has recently signalled that it may pause or reverse its tightening cycle, as inflation has eased and economic growth has faltered.

Some economists believe that the third quarter contraction was a temporary setback and that the economy will rebound in the fourth quarter and beyond. Statistics Canada estimated that GDP grew by 0.2 per cent in October, indicating a modest recovery. However, others warn that the economy may face more headwinds in the new year, such as the ongoing supply chain disruptions, the spread of the new COVID-19 variant, and the uncertainty over the federal fiscal policy.

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