MP Materials unveiled a multibillion-dollar deal with the U.S. government on Thursday to boost output of rare earths and help loosen a stranglehold by top producer China on the minerals vital for military applications,

The Defense Department on Thursday became the largest shareholder in MP Materials, which owns the only rare earth mine in the U.S., amid a surge in demand for rare earths mined in the U.S. as China has curbed its rare earth exports amid a trade war with the U.

Germany said the laser was fired from a Chinese warship, pictured here off the coast of Taiwan last year China has disputed Germany's claim that it targeted a military plane with a laser fired from a warship,

Germany summoned the Chinese ambassador to the foreign ministry on Tuesday after saying China's military had laser-targeted a German aircraft taking part in an EU operation in the Red Sea, an account Beijing denied.

Beijing has rejected the German government's allegation that a Chinese vessel aimed a laser at a military jet over the Red Sea. The information provided by Germany did not correspond with the facts known to the Chinese side,