From African blood inside ‘smartphones’ to the possible ban of TikTok in America, why is China silent?

“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” Phrase that has been wrongly attributed Mark Twain, This is true. Two and a half decades ago the world discovered that mobile phones (they nokia, ericsson one of two Sony) were made from metals mined by L.It armed gangs in the endless civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and exported it illegally to the rest of the world through three key US and EU allies: Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi. A quarter century later, the DRC accused Manzana The same minerals are used, mined and smuggled in the same manner for us iPhone, iPad And Mac. According to KinshasaCongolese guerrilla m23 It exploits tantalum, tungsten and tin, which it exports to Rwanda, a country so allied with the West that it has agreed to welcome asylum seekers coming to Great Britain and that The country does not want this.

When voters support you only if you poison them

A case study of ethics in public life: Voters want a drug that dramatically increases their risk of death. Banning this substance is an essential part of the Government’s program to protect public health and general well-being. But, if he does so, he puts himself at risk that people addicted to that product will not vote for him and a rival will come to power who will threaten to eliminate democracy in the country. to do? The US government has answered this question: let them take drugs, at least until after the election. Therefore, menthol cigarettes will remain legal. biden He wants to ban them – they are more addictive than traditional ones – but that will give him votes in the black community, which is only 14.4% of the population but consumes 85% of menthol. Public health is important; Vote also.

US ‘Trumpist’ states benefit from aid to Ukraine

The most frequently used argument by Trumpism against aid to Ukraine has been that it is giving a foreign country money that Americans need. But the truth is the opposite. Arms for Kiev, as is often the case with defense spending, are very Keynesian, as they are made by the private sector but purchased by the state. Given that the weapons are either purpose built or taken from the arsenal (in which case they must be replaced), the aid scheme is a kind of industrial policy pure and simple. The irony is, according to a Republican (but anti-Trump) think tank American Enterprise Institute, Of the 25 states where these weapons are going to be produced, 15 – 60% – are going to vote trump:Oklahoma, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Missouri, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Nebraska, and Iowa.

The Houthis and the Red Sea crisis have made climate change worse

Since the Houthis began attacking merchant ships in the Red and Oman Seas, they have increased CO2 emissions as much as if there were more than nine million cars on the world’s roads (about 40% of them in Spain). That’s because merchant ships are taking larger detours around Africa to avoid Houthi missiles, driving up fuel costs. Furthermore, they move faster to reach their destination ports with minimal delays, further increasing consumption. According to the consulting firm, more than 13.6 million tons of CO2 has entered the atmosphere so far this year. Boston Consulting Group. If the crisis lasts 12 months, it would mean an increase of around 6% in ship emissions worldwide, undermining plans to reduce the region’s carbon footprint.

Why do they call them ‘unicorns’ when their meaning is ‘rhinoceros’?

When? aileen lee chose the term “unicorn” to refer to startup companies valued at more than $1 billion in 2013, they did so because they are mythical creatures that are difficult to find. 11 years later, the 39 unicorn specimens that existed at the time of Lee’s baptism have grown to more than 1,300, and their numbers are continuously increasing, although at a slow pace. However, there are very few companies that have valuations over $1 billion and sales – or, at least, cash flow – of $1 billion or more, which, for some, means there is an overabundance of generosity in valuations among unicorns. Of or, if we prefer a shorter period, a bubble. Finally, what could happen with the real unicorn, which was not a white horse with a horn on its forehead, but a rhinoceros.

Why is China silent on the possible ban of TikTok in America?

Has the dragon lost its teeth? The US has started the process of banning the operation of the social network in that country or Americanizing it. TIC Toc And Beijing has not expressed any objection. No one knows why. China at least had every opportunity to protest when the US Secretary of State, Tony Blinken, He visited Beijing with a list of political, economic and strategic demands. There are people who say that this is because China’s economic situation is so complex Xi Jinping He doesn’t want any more trouble with America. Others, that TikTok does not have the strategic relevance of manufacturer Huawei Donald Trump Largely moved away from American and, practically, Western markets. Beijing shouted to the skies with Huawei, which makes its current silence all the more acute. So could it be that, in fact, this is theater and TikTok is not relevant to China?