By: Nathaniel Tok, Peak Associate
TransLink to increase SkyTrain capacity
TransLink has an announced an additional 80 cars will be added to its SkyTrain lines. 56 of these cars will be allocated to the Expo and Millenium Lines, while 24 will be given to the Canada Line. The investment is estimated to cost $298 million and increase capacity per hour by 8,200 people. The Expo and Millennium Line cars will arrive in 2019 while the Canada Line cars will come in 2020. The increased capacity is part of the first phase of the Metro Vancouver Mayor’s Council’s ten-year transit plan. TransLink says the expansion will allow customers to experience shorter wait times and fewer full trains.
With files from CBC News.
KFC suffers shortage in the UK
KFC issued an apology to its customers after being forced to close hundreds of stores in the UK due to a chicken shortage as the company’s new supplier, DHL, suffered “teething problems.” Many other restaurants had limited menus or hours of operation. KFC had changed its supplier in the UK from Bidvest Logistics, a food distribution firm, to DHL in November to cut costs. Following the resolution of the chicken shortage, after which 97% of the the restaurants were reopened, the franchises are currently experiencing a gravy shortage. DHL managing director John Boulter has apologized to both KFC and its clients for the inconvenience caused. The situation is not expected to affect North American customers.
With files from The Toronto Star and Financial Post.
Deputy director of UNICEF resigns
The deputy director of UNICEF, Justin Forsyth, resigned after accusations of harassment surfaced during his time at Save the Children UK, another non-governmental organization (NGO). UNICEF issued a statement thanking Forsyth for his work, but said it was unaware of the allegations during his hiring. Forsyth who has apologized in the past for his behaviour said he was stepping down to limit the damage to UNICEF and Save the Children, stating that he believed the allegations were done in part to damage the NGOs’ cause. NGOs have come under fire recently for inappropriate sexual behaviour among its employees in organizations such as Oxfam, Doctors Without Borders, and the International Rescue Committee.
With files from Deutsche Welle.
Nigerian girls kidnapped by Boko Haram
Dozens of girls were taken from a school by Boko Haram forces in the Nigerian town of Dapchi during an attack on the town which was later pushed back by Nigerian armed forces. The Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari has called the kidnapping a “national disaster” and apologized to the nation. Anger has risen among parents about how the government’s response to the kidnapping. The government has recently released a list of the names of the 110 missing children. A similar kidnapping of schoolgirls took place in the Nigerian town of Chibok four years ago.
With files from BBC News.
