Maaret Misrin, Syria (AFP) Jan 19, 2021 Flooding following heavy rain at displacement camps in northwest Syria has killed a child and damaged or destroyed the tents of thousands of people, residents and aid workers said Tuesday. Aid group Save the Children said a six-year-old boy was killed in Idlib after the brick wall built around his tent collapsed on top of him, while at … Continue reading Syria downpour kills child, turns displacement camps into ‘lakes’

Belgrade (AFP) Jan 19, 2021 Serbia launched on Tuesday a mass Covid-19 vaccination campaign and became the first European country to use the Chinese-made Sinopharm jab. “It is the only way to return to normal life,” said Health Minister Zlatibor Loncar, the first who received the vaccine. “These are all very safe vaccines,” Loncar said as the state-run RTS television carried his vaccination live at … Continue reading Serbia starts vaccination with Chinese-made Sinopharm

Beijing (AFP) Jan 19, 2021 China defended its handling of the coronavirus pandemic Tuesday but said it would “strive to do better” after independent experts criticised the speed of its response to a virus that has now killed more than two million people worldwide. Beijing has faced international criticism for an alleged lack of transparency after the virus emerged in the central city of Wuhan … Continue reading China defends Covid-19 response after criticism by experts

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the U.S. and worldwide. As the market grows — and becomes more competitive — coffee companies are coming up with more creative ways to get their products to online consumers. The E-Commerce Times recently spoke with coffee and e-commerce experts to get their views on what’s involved in successful online coffee sales.http://dlvr.it/RqqnMM Continue reading Coffee Sales 2.0

Washington (AFP) Jan 18, 2021 When Donald Trump looks down for the last time from his helicopter over the White House lawn Wednesday, the wreckage of his presidency will be inescapable. The showman with the dyed blond hair, fake tan and a knack for connecting with crowds took office four years ago, making the startling promise in his inaugural speech that he would end “American … Continue reading Donald Trump: from the American dream to American nightmare

Beijing (AFP) Jan 18, 2021 Miners trapped underground in eastern China for more than a week after a blast at a gold mine have managed to send up a note to rescuers, the local government said Monday. The blast occurred eight days ago on Sunday afternoon at a mine near Qixia city in eastern Shandong province, leaving 22 miners trapped underground more than 600 metres … Continue reading Miners trapped underground in China send note up to rescuers

Beijing (AFP) Jan 14, 2021 Two Canadians detained in China for over two years on spying charges were allowed to call their families out of “humanitarian considerations” over Christmas, Beijing said Thursday. Relations between Beijing and Ottawa have spiralled since China detained former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor in 2018 – days after the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouverhttp://dlvr.it/RqlDyN Continue reading Two Canadians detained in China allowed calls with relatives

Bamako (AFP) Jan 16, 2021 The Malian army has ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of three jihadist prisoners while they were being transferred to a military camp, Mali’s armed forces said on Saturday. The army’s chief of staff said in a statement that “three of four prisoners lost their lives while being transferred from Boulkessi”, where the Group of Support for … Continue reading Mali army probes death of jihadist prisoners

If you want to smooth over irate clients and offer more efficient customer services, consider conversational bots instead of a roomful of human company reps. Researchers see consumers’ comfort levels with a variety of chatbot technologies softening towards customer service, scheduling, banking, and therapy.http://dlvr.it/RqjfvN Continue reading Consumers Becoming More Tolerant of Chatbots for Certain Tasks

Jakarta (AFP) Jan 15, 2021 A powerful earthquake rocked Indonesia’s Sulawesi island Friday, killing at least 37 people, levelling a hospital and severely damaging other buildings, authorities said, as they warned there were people still trapped beneath rubble. Hundreds were also injured when the 6.2-magnitude quake struck in the early hours, triggering panic among the terrified residents of the island, which was hit bhttp://dlvr.it/RqhQnY Continue reading Powerful Indonesia quake kills at least 37, topples buildings