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UK Court Convicts Two Men in Deadly IS-Inspired Plot Against Jewish Community

mar Hussein (left) and Walid Saadaoui (right) have been found guilty of preparing acts of terrorism. Bilel Saadaoui (centre) was found guilty of failing to disclose information about acts of terrorism.  Two men have been found guilty of preparing acts of terrorism in a plot to massacre hundreds of Jews in northwest England. Walid Saadaoui, 38, and Amar Hussein, 52 , were convicted at Preston Crown Court after investigators uncovered their plan to smuggle automatic weapons and ammunition into the UK. Authorities revealed that the men intended to launch a gun rampage targeting mass gatherings of Jewish people. Saadaoui had arranged for four AK-47 rifles, two pistols, and 900 rounds of ammunition to be imported, believing he was working with a fellow extremist. In reality, he was communicating with an undercover operative known as “Farouk,” who exposed the plot. Police described the scheme as potentially “ one of, if not the, deadliest terrorist attacks in UK history .” The convi...

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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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