China raises additional tariffs to 125 pct on U.S. imports

China will raise the additional tariffs on products imported from the United States to 125 percent, effective from Saturday, the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council announced Friday.

The announcement follows the U.S. move to raise the "reciprocal tariffs" on Chinese imports to 125 percent. The commission said the U.S. imposition of excessively high tariffs on China seriously violates international economic and trade rules, goes against basic economic laws and common sense, and is nothing but unilateral bullying and coercion.

Also on Friday, a Chinese commerce ministry spokesperson said that the United States should take full responsibility for its unilateral tariff measures, which have caused significant disruptions and severe turbulence in the world economy, global markets and the multilateral trading system.

China files lawsuit with WTO following latest U.S. tariff hikes

China's Ministry of Commerce said on Friday that the country has filed a lawsuit against the United States with the World Trade Organization's (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism following the latest U.S. tariff hikes.

The United States on Thursday announced further increases in the so-called "reciprocal tariffs" imposed on Chinese products.

The U.S. tariff measures are typical unilateral bullying and coercion, representing a flagrant violation of WTO rules and severely undermining the rules-based multilateral trading system and the international economic and trade order, the spokesperson said.

Putin meets with U.S. special envoy for Ukraine talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday met with Steve Witkoff, a special envoy of U.S. President Donald Trump, in St. Petersburg for talks on the Ukraine conflict.

The Kremlin said the meeting focused on "various aspects of the Ukrainian settlement," without elaborating.

The talks were held behind closed doors, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said earlier. He said the two sides would exchange views on the Ukraine issue but no breakthrough was expected in the talks.

Before meeting with Putin, Witkoff held talks with Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and the Russian special presidential envoy for economic cooperation with foreign countries. Dmitriev later said that talks with Witkoff were "productive."

Israeli army kills 17 Palestinians across Gaza

The Israeli army killed at least 17 Palestinians in a series of airstrikes Friday on various areas of the Gaza Strip, the Civil Defense in Gaza said.

Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal told Xinhua that the bodies of 10 people, including seven children from one family, were transferred to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, after Israeli aircraft targeted their house.

The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement on Friday that the Air Force has struck approximately 40 targets in the Gaza Strip over the past day, including "terrorist cells, structures used for terrorist activities, weapons, and additional terrorist infrastructure sites."

Egypt, Israel exchange draft proposals on ceasefire deal

Two informed Egyptian sources said on Friday that Israeli and Egyptian authorities have exchanged draft proposals concerning a potential ceasefire and hostage release deal.

According to the sources, both sides are working to reconcile the differences between Egypt's proposal and a separate plan put forward by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, in an effort to reach a unified framework for agreement.

Egypt has proposed releasing between five and eight living hostages and several bodies in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, along with the opening of the Rafah border crossing, the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the sources said.

Yemen's Houthis claim drone attacks at Israel's Tel Aviv

Yemen's Houthi group said in a statement on Friday that it launched fresh drone attacks at the city of Tel Aviv in central Israel.

"Our Air Force carried out a qualitative military operation against two Israeli military targets in Tel Aviv, using two drones," Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.

The spokesperson indicated that the attacks were carried out in support of the Palestinian people.