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  China controls the rare earths the world buys - can Trump's new deals change that? US President Donald Trump has signed a flurry of deals on his Asia visit to secure the supply of rare earths, a critical sector that China has long dominated. The deals with Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia differ in size and substance and it's too early to assess their tangible impact. But they all include efforts to diversify access to the minerals that have become essential for advanced manufacturing, from electric vehicles to smartphones. The agreements, which aim to lock partners into trading with the US, are a clear bid to reduce dependence on China, ahead of a key meeting with its leader Xi Jinping. They could eventually challenge Beijing's stranglehold over rare earths, but experts say it will be a costly process that will take years. "Building new mines, refining facilities, and processing plants in regions such as Australia, the United States, and Europe comes ...
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 US general meets with Lebanese Prime Minister, what was discussed


US military general Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers meets with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati.The Lebanese prime minister met with US General Jeffers, who has been tasked with overseeing the Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire. They discussed the Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire. The meeting took place last week, Al-Arabiya News reported. US Ambassador to Beirut Lisa Johnson introduced Maj.

 Gen. Jasper Jeffers to Mikati at Mikati’s office. The US ambassador said General Jeffers will help advance the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and provide military-technical advice. The US military said last week that Jeffers will serve as co-chair of a five-member committee consisting of the US, France, Lebanon, the UN and Israel. Amos Hasstein, a special envoy to US President Joe Biden, will serve as the civilian chair of the committee until a permanent head is appointed. Mikati's office said he stressed the importance of a full commitment to fully implementing the ceasefire agreement at Monday's meeting.

 He also reiterated that Israeli forces must withdraw from occupied Lebanese territory. Shortly after the meeting, Hezbollah announced its first attack, its first against Israeli troops since last week's ceasefire agreement. Hezbollah said its defensive strike was a warning and a response to repeated Israeli ceasefire violations. The strike was carried out by two rockets, which fell in empty areas and did not harm any civilians, the Israeli military said. Israel's defense minister vowed a "harsh retaliation" in response to Hezbollah's attacks. 

The speaker of Lebanon's parliament accused Israel of violating a ceasefire, shortly after authorities said two Lebanese soldiers were killed and one wounded in Israeli strikes. Israel has repeatedly violated the ceasefire, but claims it is striking hostile targets inside Lebanon. Israeli forces are preventing Lebanese citizens from returning to their homes in several villages in southern Lebanon.

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