Here's a rundown of all the news you need to start your Monday, including Qatar and Pakistan announcing significant progress in ongoing diplomatic efforts between the US and Iran following the conclusion of the first round of high-level talks in Switzerland, an explosion at a factory in Qatar leaving 54 injured and 18 missing, and US President Donald Trump criticizing Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for refusing Washington’s requests related to efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Qatar and Pakistan announced significant progress in ongoing diplomatic efforts between the US and Iran following the conclusion of the first round of high-level talks at the Lake Lucerne Summit in Switzerland.
"The Lake Lucerne Summit was conducted in a positive and constructive atmosphere. Encouraging progress has been made including the creation of a mechanism for further technical talks," the joint statement said.
The US and Iranian delegations, led by their chief negotiators, Vice President JD Vance and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, held a 100-minute first round of much-awaited direct talks in Burgenstock to discuss ways to implement the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed on June 17.
At least 54 people were injured and 18 reported missing after an explosion at a factory in Qatar, the country’s Interior Ministry announced.
The ministry said in a post on the US social media platform X that civil defense teams along with the Qatari International Search and Rescue Group had launched search operations for those missing following the blast at the Ras Laffan Industrial City, which was caused by a technical incident.
In an earlier statement Sunday, the ministry said no leak posing a threat to public safety had been recorded.
US President Donald Trump criticized Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for refusing Washington’s requests related to efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
“After spending Trillions of Dollars on NATO, Italy, and its Prime Minister, wouldn’t even think of becoming involved with the Islamic Republic of Iran and their very serious Nuclear Threat,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“For decades, we defend them but, when tested, they are not there to defend us, and the rest of the World. Not good,” Trump added.
Libya posts highest oil output in more than a decade
Libya has recorded its highest oil production in more than a decade, with combined crude oil and condensate output reaching nearly 1.49 million barrels per day, according to National Oil Corporation (NOC) Chairman Masoud Suleman.
In a statement Sunday, Suleman described the achievement as “the highest production level since 2013,” crediting the milestone to the efforts of NOC employees, subsidiary companies and technical staff working across the country’s oil fields, ports and operational facilities.
He said crude oil production reached 1,438,560 barrels per day, while condensate output totaled 49,163 barrels per day, bringing combined production to 1,487,723 barrels per day.
news_share_descriptionsubscription_contact
