Qatar announced the full return of navigation for all maritime vessels and ships from Sunday in its waters, according to its transport ministry.
Ships will be able to navigate from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time, the ministry said in a statement on X. The move comes as oil and gas markets closely monitor ongoing talks between the US and Iran in Pakistan, and wait for any indication that the conflict in the region will ease.
A Pakistani military force arrived at Saudi Arabia's King Abdulaziz Air Base on Saturday, as part of a strategic defense pact between the two countries, the kingdom's defense ministry has announced.
The Pakistani force includes air force fighter jets and support aircraft. It was sent to Saudi Arabia to "enhance joint military cooperation, raise operational readiness, and support security and stability in the region," the ministry's statement said.
The military deployment arrived following five weeks of US-Israeli attacks on Iran, and as ceasefire talks take place in Islamabad.
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a strategic defense agreement last year involving joint deployments, intelligence sharing, and coordinated responses to regional threats.
The pact commits both states to treat any attack on one as an attack on both, allowing the Gulf kingdom to benefit from the protection afforded by Pakistan's nuclear weapons arsenal.
In January, Pakistani F-16 fighter aircraft participated in a multinational air combat exercise in Saudi Arabia. The Spears of Victory-2026 exercise also involved military forces from France, Italy, Greece, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, the UK, and the US.
Riyadh and Islamabad have a history of close military cooperation dating back to the 1960's. During the 1991 Gulf War, Pakistan sent troops to defend the Saudi kingdom from a possible Iraqi invasion. In return, Pakistan has benefited from Saudi financial and military support.
On Saturday, Turkish media reported that Saudi Arabia and Qatar will provide Pakistan with $5 billion in financial assistance to help shore up Islamabad's dwindling foreign currency reserves, which currently stand at about $16.4 billion.
The development comes as the UAE is requiring Pakistan to repay a $3.5 billion debt by the end of the month. Pakistan's reserves have come under additional pressure recently, thanks to rising costs for imported fuel resulting from the US-Israeli war on Iran.
The $5 billion payment was announced following a meeting between Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed bin Abdullah al-Jadaan and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday night in Islamabad.
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Costa Rica on Saturday received the first group of migrants from other countries deported from the United States under an agreement signed in March between the two countries, local authorities said.
Costa Rica's General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners said the 25 migrants included citizens of Albania, Cameroon, China, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Kenya and Morocco.
"Upon entering the country, the migrants will receive primary care from the Professional Migration Police, with the cooperation of the International Organization for Migration (IOM)," the Costa Rican agency said in a statement.
Under the agreement, Costa Rica will receive up to 25 people per week, while the United States will provide financial support and the IOM will offer food and accommodation during the first seven days of migrants' stay in the country.
The agreement is part of U.S. President Donald Trump's efforts to ramp up his mass deportation program, including removing immigrants to third countries that are not their country of origin. The administration has said that such third-country deportations are necessary to remove people whose home countries refuse to accept them.
But these deportations have faced criticism from Democrats and human rights advocates for stranding migrants in countries far from their homelands, where they often don't speak the language or have any family ties.
In February, Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee released a report https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/democrats-say-trumps-foreign-deportation-deals-cost-taxpayers-millions-2026-02-13/ that said the deportation agreements with foreign governments cost American taxpayers millions of dollars - at times more than $1 million per person shipped out of the country - and produce little benefit.
The officials reportedly include senior figures from the IRGC, air force, navy, and the Quds Force.
"Flight tracking data indicated the arrival of at least one aircraft operated by Pouya Air, a company sanctioned by the US over its ties to the IRGC. The aircraft landed at Nur Khan airbase outside Islamabad, a restricted facility used for VIP arrivals," the report said.
Speaking on Newsmax TV’s “Saturday Agenda,” Harward said US negotiators should seek commitments from Tehran that go beyond limiting enrichment, including transferring nuclear material and agreeing to binding restrictions on both nuclear and missile programs.
“Sure they can,” he said when asked whether Iran could give up uranium-related capabilities, adding: “I think that should be part of the negotiations.”
Retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward said the United States should push for Iran to relinquish uranium-related materials and accept strict international oversight as part of any future nuclear negotiations. https://t.co/L0tQ2l31rs
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US Central Command said guided-missile destroyers USS Frank E. Peterson and USS Michael Murphy conducted operations to clear Iranian sea mines.
"MarineTraffic detected USS Michael Murphy after briefly activating its AIS; three crude oil tankers (Chinese, Hong Kong and Liberian-flagged) were allowed through," the report said.
