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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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Why Ireland's politicians say St Patrick's Washington trip makes a difference


St Patrick's Day is associated with its fair share of traditions, from wearing a sprig of shamrock, to attending a church service to sipping one (or several) pints of stout.

For politicians from the island of Ireland there's one other annual tradition - a visit to Washington DC.

Every March dozens of people including politicians, business people and lobbyists from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland descend on the capital of the United States.

This year, a number of Northern Ireland politicians are refusing to make the trip over Donald Trump's policies.

But what is the point of the events in the week running up to St Patrick's Day, and if they didn't happen, would anyone back home notice any difference?

Sinn Féin is boycotting events this year over President Donald Trump's stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict, meaning Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill, the party's deputy leader, will not be present.

The Social Democratic and Labour Party also said it would not attend if invited, and the Alliance Party is taking a similar stance.

Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, of the Democratic Unionist Party, has said she will go to Washington DC, saying it was important to "maintain long and rewarding" relationships with the US.

Ó Muilleoir said politicians had to weigh up the pros and cons.

"This is probably the most difficult time to be in the White House on St Patrick's," he said.

"We are not the only people with moral dilemmas; it is for everybody to make their own choice."

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