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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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 Australian sect members guilty of causing girl's death

Fourteen members of an Australian religious group have been convicted of the manslaughter of an eight-year-old diabetic girl who was denied insulin for almost a week.

Elizabeth Struhs died at home in 2022, having suffered from diabetic ketoacidosis, which causes fatally high blood sugar.

The court heard that Elizabeth's treatment was withheld because the group, known as the Saints, opposed medical care, believing God would heal her.

Her father Jason and the group's leader Brendan Stevens were on trial for murder but were convicted of the lesser charge of manslaughter. Twelve other members, including Elizabeth's mother and brother, were also convicted of manslaughter. All had pleaded not guilty.

The judge-alone trial lasted several months and has received international attention since it began in July 2024.

Prosecutors called some 60 witnesses when building their case, painting a picture of an "intelligent" child who suffered greatly in her final days.

"She was described as speaking little, needing help going to the toilet, and being incontinent," prosecutor Caroline Marco said of the lead-up to Elizabeth's death, adding that the girl would have endured vomiting, extreme lethargy, and a loss of consciousness.

The congregation, meanwhile, prayed and sung for Elizabeth, whose health deteriorated as she lay on a mattress on the floor of her home in Toowoomba, about 125km (78 miles) west of Brisbane.

However, no effort was made to call a doctor, and authorities were not notified until 36 hours after her death, as the group believed she could be brought back to life, the court heard.

The 14 defendants, aged between 22 and 67, represented themselves at trial, having all refused legal representation.

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