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Airlines Slash Flights as Jet Fuel Costs Surge, Squeezing Travellers and Markets

  Airlines Slash Flights as Jet Fuel Costs Surge Canadian travellers are facing fewer flight options and higher fares as jet fuel prices spike to multi‑year highs , forcing Air Canada and Air Transat to cut capacity across key routes. The surge in fuel costs is tied directly to the ongoing Iran conflict , which has disrupted global oil flows and pushed energy markets into another period of volatility. Air Transat is reducing service to Europe and the Caribbean, while Air Canada is suspending several regional and international routes it now considers unprofitable. For consumers, this means higher ticket prices, more crowded flights, and fewer choices heading into the summer travel season . Impact on the Economy and Inflation Airlines passing fuel costs to passengers adds fresh pressure to Canada’s already‑stubborn inflation outlook. Travel inflation — which had been easing — is now expected to rise again, complicating the Bank of Canada’s path toward rate cuts. Higher travel costs a...
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Aid World in Turmoil: USAID Contractors Face Layoffs and Cash Crunch Under Trump Overhaul


In a dramatic shakeup of U.S. foreign assistance, contractors working with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have been forced to fire staff and grapple with severe cash shortages amid sweeping changes imposed by President Donald Trump. Hours after taking office, Trump ordered a comprehensive review—and subsequent freeze—of nearly all U.S. foreign aid programs. The move, aimed at realigning spending with “America First” priorities, has led to blanket stop-work orders that left hundreds of contractors without incoming payments for approved projects.

Contractors, who normally front project costs and then invoice the government, suddenly found their revenue streams drying up. As a result, companies reported laying off large portions of their workforce and initiating furloughs, with some citing unpaid invoices worth millions of dollars. The financial crunch has not only jeopardized the livelihoods of thousands of aid workers but also threatened critical programs abroad—from nutritional support for malnourished children to life-saving health initiatives.

Critics warn that these abrupt changes risk undermining decades of humanitarian work that has saved millions of lives, while supporters argue that the review is necessary to eliminate waste and ensure that aid spending directly supports U.S. national interests. As the situation unfolds, uncertainty looms over the future of U.S. foreign assistance, with contractors and aid organizations bracing for further disruptions and potential legal battles over lost benefits and unpaid debts.


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