Washington: US President Donald Trump has announced plans to impose new tariffs of 100% on Chinese goods and restrict the export of critical software in response to China's recent restrictions on the export of rare earth minerals. The proposed tariffs and export controls are set to begin on November 1, 2025, unless China takes further actions or changes its current stance.
According to Anadolu Agency, Trump's announcement came shortly after China declared new limits on the export of rare earth minerals, a crucial component in various high-tech industries. The Chinese government's decision to widen restrictions on processing and manufacturing technologies and to prohibit cooperation with foreign companies without prior authorization has escalated tensions between the two nations. In response, Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to make the announcement, stressing that the tariffs would be applied in addition to existing ones.
In another major development, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the Drake Passage, located between South America's Cape Horn and Antarctica. The quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers and initially prompted a tsunami warning to Chile, which was later canceled by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron has reappointed Sebastien Lecornu as France's prime minister, four days after Lecornu's resignation. The Elysee Palace announced that Lecornu is tasked with forming a new government following negotiations with various political leaders. Lecornu expressed his commitment to ensuring a national budget by the year's end and addressing citizens' daily concerns.
In other news, authorities have arrested two men in connection with a terror plot targeting politicians in Belgium and the Netherlands. Additionally, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has called on Myanmar to cease attacks on civilians and infrastructure. North Korea also held a military parade to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, as reported by South Korean media.
The European Union has welcomed the agreement on the first phase of a ceasefire plan for the Gaza Strip, urging all parties to implement it without delay. In the US, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced the formation of a joint task force to target drug trafficking organizations within the US Southern Command area of responsibility.
In international diplomacy, Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis hosted Chinese counterpart Wang Yi for the fourth round of Switzerland-China strategic dialogue aimed at strengthening cooperation and updating their free trade agreement. Meanwhile, a senior Hamas member mentioned the possibility of a prisoner exchange with Israel under a Gaza ceasefire agreement.
Furthermore, US First Lady Melania Trump has maintained direct communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin concerning the fate of Ukrainian children displaced by the ongoing conflict, successfully reuniting eight children in the last 24 hours.
In sports, the Norwegian Football Association President Lise Klaveness emphasized the need for continued discussion on FIFA and UEFA's handling of Israel's actions in Gaza, ahead of a Norway-Israel match in the European Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
On the economic front, Turkey's spot natural gas market saw a significant increase in trade volume, reaching 15.86 million Turkish liras, according to data from Turkey's Energy Exchange Istanbul (EXIST). The country received approximately 132.8 million cubic meters of pipeline gas on Thursday.