Qatar reopens sea routes, all ships get approval to operate from Sunday / Image: File

Qatar officially resumed full maritime traffic for all vessels on Sunday, signaling a return to normal maritime operations following precautionary restrictions linked to regional tensions.In a statement, the Qatar Ministry of Transport confirmed that navigation in the country’s territorial waters has been fully restored. The ministry said it took the decision after continuously assessing the security situation and coordinating with relevant authorities.Officials stressed that the move reflects improved stability in the surrounding waters, allowing both commercial and private vessels to safely resume operations.

Qatar’s maritime reopening explained

Under the updated directive, all vessels can now operate within specified time limits, mainly between morning and evening hours, thereby ensuring controlled but stable maritime movement.A phased approach to reopening has been adopted, under which initially only fishing boats were allowed to return to sea under strict monitoring. Authorities initially limited access as a precaution, with restrictions gradually eased as the situation stabilized.A senior ministry official said that “the phased restoration was necessary to meet safety standards while restoring confidence in maritime navigation.”Fishing vessels, which had already resumed limited activity, will continue to operate under existing permissions, ensuring minimal disruption to the local fishing industry.

Government rules against price rise

Even as full operations resume, officials have made it clear that safety compliance remains the top priority.The Qatar Ministry of Transport reiterated that all ship operators must strictly comply with maritime regulations, including maintaining proper communication systems and ensuring seaworthiness before departure.In its advisory, the ministry also warned against unreasonable price increases in maritime services. Officials stressed that any attempts to commercially exploit the situation will be closely monitored, adding that consumer protection remains a key focus as we return to normal operations.“The resumption of activity should not be used as an opportunity for unfair pricing,” the statement said, reinforcing the government’s stance on market discipline.

Impact on Qatar’s trade routes

The full reopening of maritime traffic is expected to provide a significant boost to Qatar’s trade and logistics sector, which relies heavily on uninterrupted sea routes.Normalization of ship movements is likely to provide immediate relief to ports, cargo operators and supply chains. The decision also strengthens Qatar’s position within the regional shipping network, which had experienced minor disruptions during the sanctions period.Analysts say the move sends a strong signal of stability in Gulf waters, especially at a time when maritime security remains a key concern for global trade.With all ship categories now approved to operate, Qatar’s maritime sector is set to gain momentum, supporting both domestic economic activity and international shipping flows.

A knife-wielding man who wounded three people in a series of attacks at New York City’s Grand Central subway station was shot dead by police on Saturday, with authorities saying he had no ties to terrorism.The suspect, identified as 44-year-old Anthony Griffen, was stabbed multiple times shortly after arriving at the busy transit hub, prompting a rapid response from the New York Police Department.According to police, Griffen boarded the 7 train at the Vernon Boulevard station in Queens on Saturday morning and arrived at Grand Central shortly thereafter. He stabbed an elderly man on the first platform before moving to the 4/5/6 line, where he stabbed two more people.Officers responded to the incident shortly after 9:30 a.m. Two NYPD detectives on overtime transit assignment encountered an injured victim while en route to the scene, authorities said.During the confrontation, Griffen was acting erratically and claimed he was “Lucifer,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference.Detectives ordered Griffon to drop the large knife he was carrying approximately 20 times, police said. However, he advanced towards them with the blade extended, forcing an officer to open fire. Griffen was shot twice and later died.Authorities said Griffon had three prior arrests in New York City.Police confirmed that all three victims suffered serious injuries, but are currently in stable condition in hospital.New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he was briefed on the incident and praised the police response.Mamdani said in a statement, “I am grateful to the NYPD for their quick response and preventing additional violence. Three victims were taken to the hospital and are thankfully in stable condition. The NYPD is conducting an internal investigation and will release body-worn camera footage, as it does in all incidents involving the discharge of an officer’s weapon.”Police said an internal review of the shooting is underway, consistent with standard procedure for incidents involving the discharge of a firearm by officers.

More than 500 people were arrested during a pro-Palestine demonstration in London on Saturday in support of the banned group Palestine Action, according to police.In a post on X, the Metropolitan Police said, “523 people were arrested today for showing support for a banned organisation.”Earlier in the day, authorities had already detained more than 200 protesters at a sit-in demonstration in Trafalgar Square held in support of the Palestine action, which is banned in Britain. Police were seen removing the activists from the area while other protesters clapped and cheered. Participants held placards in support of the group, leading to further arrests.Palestine Action was classified as a terrorist organization in July last year, making becoming a member of it or expressing support for it a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison. In February, the London High Court launched a legal challenge to the ban, ruling that it interferes with the right to free speech. The government has since been given permission to appeal that decision.Following the High Court decision, the Metropolitan Police temporarily halted arrests, but confirmed later in March that enforcement would resume.Since the group was banned, there have been nearly 3,000 arrests, mostly of people holding placards in support of Palestine Action, and hundreds of people now face charges.One of the protesters, Denis McDermott, 73, of Edinburgh, said he had been arrested earlier but was released without hesitation. “I’m a supporter of these great people,” he said, pointing to fellow protesters, adding that if the court process had been decisive “there would have been no need for all this”.Organizers Defend Our Jury said around 500 people took part in Saturday’s protest, which it described as “the UK government’s complicity in Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its misguided crackdown on peaceful protests at home”.He also alleged that police were making arrests “despite the High Court ruling the government’s ban on the group was unlawful, and leading lawyers warning that any arrests would be unlawful”.The ban put Palestine Action on a list of banned organizations that also includes Palestinian militant group Hamas and the Lebanese Iran-backed group Hezbollah, and has sparked widespread reaction.A judge has now halted all trials involving individuals accused of supporting Palestine action, and scheduled a full review of the cases for July 30.Founded in 2020, Palestine Action says its aim, according to its now-blocked website, is to end “global complicity in Israel’s genocide and apartheid regime.”The group has primarily targeted weapons facilities, particularly those associated with Israeli defense firm Elbit Systems.

ISLAMABAD: The United States and Iran began face-to-face talks in Pakistan on Saturday, days after announcing a fragile, two-week ceasefire as the war that has killed thousands and roiled global markets enters its seventh week. The White House confirmed the direct nature of the talks, which are a rare example of high-level US government engagement with the Iranian government. Iran’s state news agency said three-party talks, including Pakistan, had begun after Iranian pre-conditions were met, including a reduction in Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon. “The formal round of direct talks between Iran and the US has officially started on Saturday evening after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held separate meetings with the US and Iranian delegations,” a senior Shehbaz administration official told PTI. The US delegation, led by Vice President J.D. Vance, and the Iranian delegation, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, were discussing how to advance a ceasefire already endangered by deep differences of opinion and Israel’s continued attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Vance, accompanied by special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, arrived in Islamabad hours after Qalibaf. Both delegations were welcomed by Pakistan’s Deputy PM Ishaq Dar and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir at Rawalpindi’s Noor Khan airbase, which was damaged by Indian strikes during Operation Sindoor. Iranians wore black to mourn Ayatollah Khamenei and others killed in the war.

Chinese, Egyptian, Saudi and Qatari officials are in Islamabad to facilitate talks

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was also part of the delegation. Since the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979, the most direct US contact occurred in September 2013 when President Barack Obama called newly elected President Hassan Rouhani to discuss Iran’s nuclear program. The highest-level meetings during talks on the program recently took place between Secretary of State John Kerry and his counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif. Iran doubled down on parts of its earlier proposal, with its delegation telling Iranian state television that it had presented some of the plan’s ideas as “red lines” in meetings with Sharif. These included compensation for damage caused by the American-Israeli attacks that started the war on February 28. Reflecting the high stakes, officials in the region said Chinese, Egyptian, Saudi and Qatari officials were in Islamabad to indirectly facilitate the talks. He discussed the sensitive matter on condition of anonymity.

Donald Trump early Sunday doubled down on his victory rhetoric against Iran, claiming the US has destroyed Tehran’s military capabilities and warning China it would face serious consequences if it was found supplying arms to the Mojtaba Khamenei-led Islamic Republic.US President Donald Trump said, “…they have no navy, radar or air force. All their leaders are dead…For many years they ruled; they’re gone. With all that, let’s see what happens – but from my perspective, I don’t care.”On the news of China sending weapons to Iran, Trump said, ‘If China does this, then China is going to have a big problem.’“They have been meeting for several hours… We will see what happens. Despite this, we win… Maybe they make a deal; Maybe they don’t. It doesn’t matter. From America’s perspective, we win…the boats are going up and headed toward our country. We are filling huge tankers with oil and gas...”Responding to ANI’s question on whether the US will release Iranian assets, the MAGA supremo said, “We will see what happens. We are in deep talks with Iran, we win. We have defeated them militarily… We are clearing the straits… Whether we make a deal or not, it doesn’t matter to me – and the reason is that we win… We were not helped by NATO…”Meanwhile, the United States and Iran have resumed talks after more than a month of full-scale military aggression Pakistan Mediating efforts to defuse the crisis that led Tehran to close the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global trade.Days after announcing a fragile two-week ceasefire, the two sides began direct talks in Islamabad on Saturday, marking a rare face-to-face interaction.The US delegation is led by JD Vance along with special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The Iranian side is led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.