DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Meet the woman who invented a whole new subsection of tech set to be worth $1 trillion
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Hannah Ward-Glenton | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Ida Tin wanted to study art at college when she accidentally landed herself a place on a business course – she then became a pioneer of an industry set to be worth more than $1 trillion. "I literally got lost in the hallways and I ended up in some office where they were waiting for a candidate to do [the business course interview]," Tin said as she explained her first steps into the business world. As Clue gained users, Tin realized there wasn't much of a community around women's health services and products, despite more and more coming onto the market. The term now covers all types of technology and innovation designed to address health issues that solely, or disproportionately, impact women's health, from menstrual cycle tracking apps and sexual wellness products to cardiovascular medical devices and mental health therapies. "And I have to say I have been surprised but I really see how it's resonating globally," she added.

☆ Footage shows how Russian tanks and armored vehicles keep driving to their death at an infamous mine-filled crossroads
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russian troops keep driving to their death at an infamous crossroads in eastern Ukraine. Drone footage from Ukraine's military has circulated on social media, appearing to show Russian vehicles being destroyed at the crossing point. Fighting has raged in the eastern Ukrainian town, and its neighboring villages as Russia has made several failed attempts to capture it. Ukraine's unexpected use of mines appears to be helping give it the upper hand in fighting in eastern Ukraine. Along with traditional Soviet mines, Ukraine has also been using US-supplied remote anti-armor mines, which involve firing a shell over an open area that scatters tiny mines widely.

☆ At This Indian Wrestling Academy, Young Women Find Freedom and Hope
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Prarthna Singh | Snigdha Poonam | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For the next 20 minutes, they crush raw almonds into a fine paste, straining out a bottle of nut milk. Started in 2017, Yudhveer Akhada is a residential wrestling academy for girls, run by a family of competitive wrestlers in Sonipat, a semi-urban industrial town in Haryana, a province in northern India bordering Delhi. Every student who enters the academy has the same goal: to win an Olympic medal for India. “In India we are surrounded by the stories of violence against women,” said Prarthna Singh, the photographer on this story. “Within those patriarchal constructs, we have these academies where young women are carving out a space for themselves as sportswomen.

☆ LG Chem Buys Stake in North Carolina Lithium Miner
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Yusuf Khan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +3 min

South Korea’s LG Chem will take a stake in Piedmont Lithium Inc., boosting its North American presence and banking on incentives to scale up its role in U.S. electric-vehicle supply chain. LG Chem will commit $75 million to Piedmont in return for a 5.7% stake in the miner, whose shares are listed on the Nasdaq and Australian Securities Exchange. PREVIEWThe U.S. is our key market and by preemptively securing raw materials this deal allows LG Chem to provide North American customers with products that satisfy IRA standards, said Mr. Hak-Cheol Shin, Vice Chairman and CEO of LG Chem in a statement. LG Chem is planning to build a $3 billion cathode plant in Clarksville, Tenn., slated to open in 2027. Already, Piedmont has an existing contract to supply Tesla with 50,000 tons annually until 2025, in addition to its new LG Chem supply deal.

☆ Six charged after 18 migrants found dead in truck in Bulgaria
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SOFIA, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Bulgarian prosecutors have charged 6 people with human trafficking after 18 Afghan migrants were found dead inside a truck dumped on an dirt road near the capital Sofia on Friday. The truck driver and his companion were also charged over the deaths of the migrants, prosecutors said. The 18 victims died of a combination of lack of oxygen in an enclosed space and difficulty breathing as they had been crammed into the truck "like in a tin can", Sarafov said. The other 34 migrants, who were rushed to hospitals on Friday, remain in stable condition, officials said. Prosecutors said the ring had trafficked migrants from the border with Turkey across Bulgaria to Serbia, from where they continued their journey mainly to Britain, Germany and France.

☆ California’s heavy rains deliver hope of a lifeline for one devastated industry – rice
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

After years of drought, California has received an epic amount of rain already in 2023. The Sacramento Valley is the hub of California’s rice production. During the seed planting and growing season, which runs from March through August, farmers flood rice fields with up to five inches of water. The way the rice business goes is how the economy goes,” Ponciano said. “After harvest season, the sky over the rice fields would be filled with geese and ducks,” he said.

☆ Why our electronics aren't really conflict-free
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Jeniece Pettitt | Katie Brigham | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWhy there are still conflict minerals in our electronicsThe minerals tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold are found in most consumer electronics, and are mined in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which contains an estimated $24 trillion in untapped mineral resources. Yet the DRC remains one of the poorest and most dangerous countries in the world, and mining these metals can help fund armed conflict in the region. Despite international attention and widespread regulations, it's still hard to know exactly where our minerals are coming from.

☆ How conflict minerals make it into our phones
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Katie Brigham | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

All of these minerals are found in our electronics and all are considered conflict minerals, due to their potential origin in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In a smartphone, for example, tin is used to solder metal components together, while tantalum is used in capacitors, which store electrical energy. Tungsten is used in the components that make a phone vibrate, and gold is used in circuit board connectors. But consumers still can't be sure if the minerals in their electronics are fully conflict-free, or if the mines where they originated are dangerous, environmentally destructive, or use child labor. So while companies like Apple, Microsoft, Intel and Tesla put out extensive reports on conflict minerals every year, usually stating that there is no reason to believe the minerals they source help to support armed groups, corruption and instability at mine sites means there are no guarantees.

☆ Metals Rally Fueled by China’s Reopening, Tight Supplies
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Hardika Singh | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The prices of metals used to make objects such as aircraft and electrical wire have rebounded toward last year’s highs, lifted by China’s pandemic reopening and low global supplies. A basket of industrial metals that trades in London just notched its best January in more than a decade. U.S. copper futures posted their best first month of the year since 2003. Aluminum prices in London have climbed 10% so far this year. Zinc has added 2.4% and tin has gained 11%.

☆ Burt Bacharach, legendary composer of pop songs, dies at 94
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

Bacharach was both an innovator and throwback, and his career seemed to run parallel to the rock era. He was an eight-time Grammy winner, a prize-winning Broadway composer for "Promises, Promises" and a three-time Oscar winner. Fellow songwriter Sammy Cahn liked to joke that the smiling, wavy-haired Bacharach was the first composer he ever knew who didn't look like a dentist. Bacharach was essentially a pop composer, but his songs became hits for country artists (Marty Robbins), rhythm and blues performers (Chuck Jackson), soul (Franklin, Luther Vandross) and synth-pop (Naked Eyes). He's everybody's composer ... Burt Bacharach!"

The video game industry also flourished during the COVID-19 pandemic as people increasingly turned to digital entertainment during lockdowns. However, video game music has not always hit all the right notes to be specifically recognized at the Grammys. But game music is breaking ground through technological innovation and new avenues for consumers to experience it. This includes live immersive video game concerts, video game scores across platforms like YouTube,Twitch, TikTok and Fortnite, remixes and collaborations, augmented and virtual reality and even eye-tracking technology. Collaborating with game developers and audio teams informs his ability to write music that can be smoothly integrated into a video game.

Median 2023 price forecasts for all the core LME base metals are lower than both last year's price and current trading levels. The LME copper cash settlement price was $9,075 per tonne on Tuesday, up 10% on the start of January. A median forecast of $8,625 for the full year is 2.1% lower than last year's average of $8,814 per tonne. Aluminium is viewed as more finely balanced, with a median forecast supply surplus of 80,535 tonnes this year and 92,100 tonnes in 2024. That said, last January's median forecast proved surprisingly close to the mark at $34,880 in what was a year of extraordinary volatility.

"Hands off the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Stop choking Africa: it is not a mine to be stripped or a terrain to be plundered," Francis said. [1/9] Pope Francis sits next to Democratic Republic of Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi as he attends the welcoming ceremony at the Palais de la Nation on the first day of his apostolic journey, in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, January 31, 2023. The pope criticised rich countries for ignoring the tragedies unfolding in Congo and elsewhere in Africa. On Wednesday, Francis will celebrate Mass at a Kinshasa airport that is expected to draw more than a million people.

☆ China's reopening could boost global growth — and worsen inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

London CNN —China’s swift reopening after nearly three years of strict coronavirus controls could provide a much-needed boost to global economic growth, but may also stoke inflation just as it has shown signs of falling back. The revival of the world’s second largest economy — and its biggest consumer of commodities — threatens to push up global prices for fuel, industrial metals and food this year. The speed of the reopening, as well as indications that infections may have already peaked, has been surprising, analysts told CNN. Yet, if global food and energy prices start rising again, that could feed through into higher consumer prices. China’s reopening could bump up demand for agricultural goods, while the world is still in the grips of the worst food crisis in modern history.

China's own production of refined tin was flat year-on-year at 165,900 tonnes in 2022, according to Shanghai Metal Market. ShFE tin price, market open interest and stocksSHIFT IN POSITIONINGWhile China has reshaped tin's fundamental picture, the price recovery has forced an equally significant shift in fund positioning. Investment funds turned net short on the LME tin contract in September as the price was imploding. Tin market open interest collapsed from 102,106 to 71,218 contracts in the week before the Lunar New Year holidays, indicating a big clean-out of short positions. GOLDILOCKS PRICEThe tin price is now in the Goldilocks zone, not high enough to frighten off physical users, and not low enough to threaten existing supply.

When it comes to queer books, the loudest headlines may be about bans and censorship, but a quieter truth about the state of LGBTQ books reveals the resilience of their authors and commitment of their readers. The queer titles debuting in 2023 are as full of joy as they are examples of resistance, and those in the industry say LGBTQ writers are only getting more ambitious. And while queer young adult books are often the target of book-banning efforts, these titles drove the highest gains in the category, the report found. When it comes to considering a queer future, and what’s next for queer books, that’s something that’s been on the mind of Suzi F. Garcia, the editor of Lambda Literary, a nonprofit that advocates for LGBTQ books and authors. She described the book as having a “queer core” and a sense of hope while discussing issues critical to LGBTQ and Black communities.

☆ Exclusive: Glencore copper mine in Peru running at 'restricted' capacity due to protests -source
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Marco Aquino | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LIMA, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Glencore Plc's (GLEN.L) huge Antapaccay copper mine in Peru is operating at "restricted" capacity due to anti-government protests that saw an attack on the facility last week, a company source told Reuters on Tuesday. "The mine has not yet suspended operations, which overall continue in a restricted manner," the company source said, asking not to be named. Road blockades by protesters were preventing trucks from moving its copper, the source said. Last week, two Antapaccay company vehicles were burned and the area around the workers' housing was attacked. Las Bambas mine, owned by China's MMG Ltd (1208.HK) in the Apurimac region, has also seen transport of copper concentrates impacted by the blockades.

This story is part of Select's New & Notable column, where we highlight our favorite product launches, major sales, what we're buying and some of our latest recommendations and advice. This week, we’ve highlighted Harry’s new razor handle, Parachute’s Spanish-inspired leather chair, Starface’s latest pimple patches, a new towel collection from Onsen and more. Starface, a Select favorite pimple patch brand, launched Micro-Cloud pimple patches. The towels are made from Turkish-grown aegean cotton and come in four sizes: Bath sheet, bath towel, hand towel and face towel. New users who purchase a Fiture mirror between Jan. 1 and Jan. 31 can get a one-year membership for free.

☆ In Peru, thousands march demanding president step down
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

LIMA — Thousands took to the streets of Peru’s capital Lima on Thursday in a peaceful protest against the new government and president, after weeks of bloody clashes triggered by the ousting of former President Pedro Castillo left at least 42 dead. “Why are you turning your back on the people, there are so many deaths, for God’s sake, stop this massacre,” said protester Olga Espejo, calling on President Dina Boluarte, previously Castillo’s vice president, to resign. The march, organized by trade unions and leftist groups, took place without incident. Peru’s top prosecutor’s office on Tuesday launched an inquiry against Boluarte and some top ministers. The same day, Peru’s Congress — which fiercely opposed leftist former leader Castillo — passed a vote of confidence in the new government.

It's the lowest end-year inventory in the system this century and reflects two years of steady withdrawals which have left exchange stocks of metals such as zinc and lead almost depleted. It's no coincidence that all the LME base metals have experienced bouts of extreme tightness over the last couple of years. Zinc stocks were down by 65% and lead stocks down by 59% on December 2021. LME stocks could desperately do with any sort of rebuild, whether seasonal or cyclical. So far, however, significant arrivals remain conspicuous by their absence and until that changes, low visible inventory is going to keep roiling the LME base metals.

☆ Thousands march in Peru capital demanding president step down
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Marco Aquino | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] A demonstrator holds a flag as another demonstrator uses a speaker and security forces stand guard during a protest to demand the dissolution of Congress and democratic elections, rejecting Dina Boluarte as Peru's president, after the ouster of leftist President Pedro Castillo, in Lima, Peru January 12, 2023. REUTERS/Alessandro CinqueLIMA, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Thousands took to the streets of Peru's capital Lima on Thursday in a peaceful protest against the new government and president, after weeks of bloody clashes triggered by the ousting of former President Pedro Castillo left at least 42 dead. "Why are you turning your back on the people, there are so many deaths, for God's sake, stop this massacre," said protester Olga Espejo, calling on President Dina Boluarte, previously Castillo's vice president, to resign. The same day, Peru's Congress - which fiercely opposed leftist former leader Castillo - passed a vote of confidence in the new government. Reporting by Marco Aquino; Writing by Carolina Pulice and Sarah Morland; Editing by Tom HogueOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Glencore copper mine in Peru struck by vandals, cars torched
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Marco Aquino | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LIMA, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Vandals attacked Glencore's (GLEN.L) Antapaccay copper mine in Peru on Thursday, the country's top mining official said, amid a deepening political crisis marked by violent protests that have broken out near major mines in the southern Andes. Peru is the world's second-biggest copper producer, and is currently in the throes of the worst civil unrest in years. A major tin mine located in the southern Puno region, where some of the fiercest anti-government protests have played out, also announced it temporarily halted its mining operations. The Antapaccay mine is one of the largest in Peru, and has tussled with the local community in the past. Later on Thursday, miner Minsur said it was temporarily suspending operations at its San Rafael mine, one of the largest tin mines in the world.

☆ House GOP establishes committee targeting 'weaponization' of federal government with 'at least as much' funding as the January 6 committee
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Bryan Metzger | Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The House GOP voted to create a new subcommittee that they say is modeled after the Church Committee. The new subcommittee is officially known as the "Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government" and will be housed under the House Judiciary Committee. Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar had previously publicly expressed some interest in the committee, but ultimately voted against its creation on Tuesday. He added that the committee would have "at least as much as the January 6 committee" in terms of its budget and staffing. Under the language of the resolution establishing the committee, the 13-member panel will be composed of eight Republicans and five Democrats.

LONDON, Jan 6 (Reuters) - March 2022 will go down in the history books as the moment the global nickel market broke down. The search is on for a new nickel price discovery process. Global Commodities Holdings (GCH) thinks it has a solution, a blast from the LME's own distant past that could have far-reaching consequences for industrial metals trading. This is self-evidently true of the LME nickel contract, which simply could not absorb the scale of short positions accumulated by China's Tsingshan Group. It may not just be nickel players keeping a close eye on GCH's proposed new metals pricing solution.

☆ Pioneering U.S. television journalist Barbara Walters dead at 93
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Bill Trott | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/2] Television personality Barbara Walters arrives for the premiere of the film "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" in New York September 20, 2010. "I asked Yeltsin if he drank too much, and I asked Putin if he killed anybody," Walters told the New York Times in 2013. "These two men were really quite brutal to me and it was not pleasant," Walters told the San Francisco Examiner. The New York Times called her "arguably America's best-known television personality" but also observed that "what we remember most about a Barbara Walters interview is Barbara Walters." Walters' three marriages - to businessman Robert Katz, theatrical producer Lee Guber and television executive Merv Adelson - ended in divorce.

Search resuls for: "Tin"

25 mentions found