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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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Hamas proposes releasing some hostages in fresh talks after new Israel offensive


Hamas has proposed releasing more hostages under a new Gaza ceasefire deal, after new negotiations were held on Saturday. The talks began hours after Israel's military launched a major new offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas has agreed to release nine hostages in exchange for a 60-day truce and Israel releasing Palestinian prisoners, a Palestinian official told the BBC.

The official said the new proposed deal would also allow the entry of 400 aid trucks a day, and the evacuation of medical patients from Gaza. Israel, in turn, has demanded proof of life and detailed information about all remaining hostages.

The new round of ceasefire talks is being held through Qatari and US mediators in Doha, and began on Saturday afternoon local time.

Israel is yet to respond publicly to the proposed deal, but said prior to the talks that it would not withdraw troops from Gaza or commit to an end to the war.

The proposal would not include these elements, the BBC understands.

Israel's military announced the launch of a new offensive named "Operation Gideon's Chariots" earlier on Saturday, amid the deadliest wave of strikes in Gaza in months.

At least 300 people have been killed since Thursday, rescuers say, including at hospitals and refugee camps in the north and south of the Strip.

Thousands have died since Israel resumed strikes on 18 March, following the collapse of a fragile ceasefire which lasted two months.

Aid agencies say Gaza's grievous humanitarian situation has also worsened, as Israel has been blocking supplies of food and other aid from entering the territory for 10 weeks.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this month promised a major military escalation in the war to occupy and control swathes of Gaza, force the Palestinian population to the south of the territory, and "destroy" Hamas.

Speaking from inside Gaza, journalist Ghada Al Qurd told the BBC's Newshour programme there had been lots of "airstrikes, shellings, drones, shooting and even exploding, in the north and east."

"It's terrifying and horrible," she said.

She said her family had only been having one meal a day, due to the scarcity and spiralling cost, and accused Israel of "using food as a weapon" - an allegation UN officials have also made in recent weeks.

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