Here's a rundown of all the news you need to start your Tuesday, including US-led Israel-Lebanon talks set for next week in Rome, US President Donald Trump saying there is ‘good chance’ of deal with Iran, Saudi Arabia calling on Iraq to prevent its territory from being used for attacks, and UN rights chief saying Israeli violations in Lebanon may amount to 'war crimes.'
The next round of US-led talks between Israel and Lebanon will be held in Rome next week, with negotiators seeking to build on recent progress toward implementing a security framework agreement, US media reported Monday.
"We are entering these discussions with significant momentum following the successful launch of the first pilot zone in southern Lebanon and President Joseph Aoun's productive meeting with President Donald Trump last week," local media cited a US State Department official as saying.
According to the official, technical working groups meeting in Rome on Aug. 4-6 will focus on advancing full implementation of last month’s framework agreement.
The agenda will include expanding the pilot zone initiative, resolving outstanding border disputes, and working toward a comprehensive peace and security agreement between Israel and Lebanon.
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that there is a good chance” of reaching a deal with Iran, but warned that Washington would resume military operations if negotiations fail.
“They want to meet, and we are meeting, there is a chance we can make a deal,” Trump told reporters.
“Without what we did, they wouldn’t even be talking to us,” he added. Trump said talks were progressing positively, and that “there is a good chance something can happen.”
“If it doesn't, then we go back to doing what we were doing two days ago,” he said, without elaborating.
Saudi Arabia on Monday called on the Iraqi government to take all necessary measures to prevent its territory from being used as a “launching point” for attacks against the kingdom.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry condemned “in the strongest terms” what it described as “reprehensible” drone attacks launched by Iran-backed militias from Iraqi territory.
The ministry affirmed the kingdom’s determination to protect its security and sovereignty, deter the attackers and exercise “its right to respond to the sources of the aggression.”
Earlier, Riyadh said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed several drones launched from Iraqi territory targeting oil facilities in the kingdom.
The UN human rights chief said on Monday that his office has documented large-scale violations of international humanitarian law in Lebanon, some of which may amount to war crimes.
“My office has recorded large-scale violations of international humanitarian law, some possibly amounting to war crimes, and under certain circumstances they may also constitute crimes under international law,” Volker Turk told a news conference in Beirut.
Since March 2, more than 4,300 people have been killed and 12,200 injured in Lebanon, according to figures from Lebanese authorities, Turk said.
He added that more than 135 health care workers, as well as many journalists and media workers, were among those killed.
China said on Monday that the US had committed during bilateral trade talks to limit replacement tariffs imposed on Chinese goods to no more than 20%.
The Commerce Ministry said the current US replacement tariff on Chinese products stands at 12.5%, after Washington announced final measures under a Section 301 investigation concerning imports allegedly linked to forced labor.
Johnson & Johnson said Monday that it has reached an agreement in principle to resolve its remaining US talc litigation, committing $5.5 billion under a proposed settlement that is contingent on at least 95% of remaining claimants agreeing to participate.
The company said the agreement with plaintiffs' lawyers leading the federal multidistrict litigation and related state court cases follows a recent court ruling that questioned plaintiffs' ability to prove its talc products caused individual cases of ovarian cancer.
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