China’s rare earth reign has the world scrambling to catch up — countries are building supply chains, forging alliances and recycling materials to break its grip. But real change could take decades.

Once seen as unstoppable, northern China’s deserts are now being reclaimed by forests, sprawling solar farms and even tropical fruit plantations. While officials hail it as a triumph, how durable is ...

Grace Yeoh is a Features Correspondent at The Straits Times who dives deep into the pulse of culture, driven by the belief that nothing is too trivial for a meaningful story.