UAE and Saudi Arabia cut ties with Qatar – live updates

At a glance: ■ UAE and Saudi seek Qatari 'change in policy, not leadership' ■ Social media sympathy for Qatar a cybercrime, says UAE attorney general ■ UAE closes down Qatar Airways offices inside its borders ■ Qatar crisis commentary from Hassan Hassan ■ Jordan downgrades relations with Qatar and bans Al Jazeera _____________________________________ 5. 2 0pm: Stay with The National for more That’s it for our updates on here today, but stay with The National throughout the weekend for more coverage of the Qatar diplomatic situation. Thank you for joining us. _____________________________________ 5.10pm: Bahrain to jail or fine Qatari sympathisers Bahrain followed the UAE in announcing that expressing sympathy for Qatar is an offence punishable by a lengthy jail term. “Any expression of sympathy with the government of Qatar or opposition to the measures taken by the government of Bahrain, whether through social media, Twitter or any other form of communication, is a criminal offence punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine,” a Bahraini interior ministry statement said. The UAE on Wednesday announced a similar decision, warning that offenders could face between three and 15 years in prison and a Dh500,000 fine . _____________________________________ 5.05pm: Chad recalls its ambassador The Central African nation of Chad has recalled its ambassador from Qatar. In a statement released on Thursday, Chad’s foreign ministry urged countries to use dialogue to resolve the escalating dispute. Chad, a predominantly Muslim country, is the third West African country to recall its ambassador after Senegal and Mauritania. _____________________________________ 4.48pm: Qatar Stock Exchange rebounds After three days of falls, the Qatar Stock Exchange rebounded today, rising 3.04 per cent. The Dubai Financial Market meanwhile fell 0.17 per cent today. _____________________________________ 4.05pm: Al Jazeera ‘to continue with policy’ Doha-based Al Jazeera is to continue with its editorial policy, the news network’s acting director-general has told Reuters. Mostefa Souag dismissed accusations from some Gulf powers that the network was interfering in their affairs through its reports. “Al Jazeera’s editorial policy is going to continue the same regardless of what happens with this event,” Souag told Reuters at the network’s headquarters. The network is blocked in the UAE. Yesterday, Dr Anwar Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said Qatar should stop using the media to promote an extremist agenda. _____________________________________ 3.45pm: Chad recalls ambassador from Qatar Chad has recalled its ambassador from Qatar for consultations, the foreign ministry said on Thursday, joining other African states in showing support for Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations amid the regional rift. Reuters reports that the announcement came a day after Senegal recalled its envoy from Doha, citing its “active solidarity” with Saudi Arabia. Mauritania, a member of the Arab League, severed ties with Qatar on Tuesday - following the lead of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt - while Gabon condemned Doha. “The Chadian government calls on all concerned states to privilege dialogue to solve this crisis and asks Qatar to respect its commitments by ceasing any attitude likely to harm cohesion of states in the region and peace in the world,” the foreign ministry statement said. _____________________________________ 3.10pm: Qatar foreign minister to head to Russia Qatari foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani will on Saturday visit Moscow for talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Russia state news agency RIA Novosti is reporting. It quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying on Thursday that Vladimir Putin wasn’t scheduled to meet with Al Thani. _____________________________________ 2.32pm: Flying from Qatar _____________________________________ 1.20pm: Airspace ban and Qatar Airways website blocked in the UAE The UAE’s airspace will be closed to any planes flying to or from the Qatari capital until further notice, the GCAA said on Thursday. The move expands on an earlier ban on direct flights between the two countries and the UAE’s travel restrictions on Qatari passport-holders and citizens of other nations who have Qatari residence permits. In another development, access to the Qatar Airways website has also been blocked in the UAE. The Qatar airways website has been blocked in the UAE. _____________________________________ 12.30pm: Bahrain demands Doha distances itself from Iran In an interview published by Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, Bahrain's foreign minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa, said conditions posed for a resolution of the crisis were "crystal clear". He added: “Qatar has to redress its path and has to go back to all previous commitments, it has to stop media campaigns and has to distance itself from our number one enemy, Iran,” he said. “It has to realise its interests are with us, not with another country that conspires against us, wants to dominate and divide us. It has to stop supporting terrorist organisations, Sunni or Shi’ite, and its policy has to be for the benefit of its people.” _____________________________________ 11.50am: Quick round-up During the past 12 hours or so we have learnt that Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah held talks in the UAE with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid. Kuwaits’s Kuna news agency said it was a “brotherly visit”. He then went onwards to Qatar last night, with Kuna saying he was received in Doha by Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. Details of their discussions were not released. This follows his meeting on Tuesday with Saudi King Salman in Jeddah. Meanwhile, US president Trump called the Qatari emir and offered US help to mediate in the spat. _____________________________________ 11.33am: 24 hours before and 24 hours after the flight ban _____________________________________ 11.30am: Qatari nationals banned from Qantas flights to Dubai Qantas International chief executive Gareth Evans confirmed on the sidelines of an airline industry meeting in Mexico that Qatari passengers won’t be allowed to board flights to Dubai. He said the Australian airline will offer them route alternatives if they are affected. Emirates is a codeshare partner of Qantas. _____________________________________ 11.15am: Abu Dhabi Crown Prince has call from Trump Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, received a telephone call from US president Donald Trump late on Wednesday. The two leaders discussed the latest regional and global issues and developments, WAM reported. Sheikh Mohammed and Mr Trump also talked about their joint efforts to counter extremism and terrorism and their commitment to strengthening pillars of peace and stability in the region.. _____________________________________ 11am: S&P downgrades Qatar credit rating Reuters: Standard & Poor's downgraded Qatar's debt on Wednesday as the riyal currency fell to an 11-year low amid signs that portfolio investment funds were flowing out of the country because of Doha's diplomatic rift with other Arab states. S&P cut its long-term rating of Qatar by one notch to AA- from AA and put the rating on CreditWatch with negative implications, meaning there was a significant chance of a further downgrade. The rating agency said Qatar’s economy would suffer from the decision on Monday of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain to cut diplomatic and transport ties with Doha. They accused it of supporting terrorism, a charge that Qatar denies. “We expect that economic growth will slow, not just through reduced regional trade, but as corporate profitability is damaged because regional demand is cut off, investment is hampered, and investment confidence wanes,” S&P said. Another major rating agency, Moody’s Investors Service, assesses Qatar at Aa3, which is equal to S&P’s new rating. Fitch Ratings puts Qatar at AA. The US dollar was bid as high as 3.6526 riyals in the spot market on Wednesday, its highest level since July 2005, according to Thomson Reuters data. The riyal is pegged at 3.64 to the dollar by the central bank, which only allows small fluctuations around this level. _____________________________________ 10.40am: Emirates Post A note has just dropped into The National’s mailbox from Emirates Post saying that it is stopping all types of postal services to Qatar. The statement says: Emirates Post Group, upon instructions of the Government of the United Arab Emirates, has suspended all postal services to Qatar in all its postal offices in the UAE from June 6, 2017, or until further notice. This decision also includes advising all customers that apart from temporarily stopping the delivery of mail items to the State of Qatar, all undelivered items will also be returned with corresponding postal fees according to the procedures and regulations. _____________________________________ 10.35am: Gulf airspace In light of the ban on Qatar Airways using Saudi and UAE airspace, here’s a look at who governs which areas of the sky: _____________________________________ 10.25am: Ban on international tankers The oil ports authority in Abu Dhabi has reinstated the ban on international tankers that have called or plan to call at Qatar from entering their terminals, according to circular from port authority. Bloomberg reports that the notice specifies: “Denial of entry into any of the Petroleum Ports, for all vessels arriving from, or destined to Qatar, regardless of its flag.” _____________________________________ 10.15am: UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs’ statement to Wam Dr Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, gave an updated statement to state news agency Wam last night. In his statement, he said: “As Qatar is a neighbour, it should commit to the rules of security and the stability of the Gulf. It has to stop playing the role of the main promoter of extremism and terrorism in the region.” “The crisis has increased, and we have reached a dead end in our endeavours to convince Qatar to change its course,” he added. Dr Gargash highlighted a series of steps that Doha should take in order to repair its relations by initially stopping its support for extremism and terrorism. He also stressed the need for a clear political involvement that reflects a change in Qatari policies. “Doha has tried to imply that Gulf and Arab countries, which boycotted it, are trying to influence its external policies, but this is untrue,” he further added. He also stressed the necessity of a clear roadmap to execute the agreed political steps from a similar crisis in 2014, which also witnessed the severing of ties with Doha. He mentioned that Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, previously pledged that his country will execute these steps, but it did not fulfil its pledges. Regarding Al Jazeera, he added that Qatar should stop using the media to promote an extremist agenda. He also demanded that Doha must deal with numerous individuals who the United States, US, and the United Nations, UN, have imposed sanctions on who are currently living in Qatar, with some being involved in funding Al Qaida. He added that members of the Muslim Brotherhood, who spread bigotry around the region, should not have a safe haven in Qatar. Dr Gargash believed that mediation at this time would not lead to a result while describing His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah, Emir of Kuwait, as one of the most prominent leaders in the region and someone with widespread respect. He also stressed that Iran is the one benefiting from the crisis, as it usually benefits from any crisis between its neighbours while adding that Qatar has good relations with Iran. They also share a gas field and added that Qatar wants to keep all its options open. “The current crisis has nothing to do with the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, as this is not an issue that concerns us,” he added. _____________________________________ 10.05am: Trump offers to resolve crisis - at the White House US president Donald Trump last night called Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, a White House statement said. “The President offered to help the parties resolve their differences, including through a meeting at the White House if necessary,” it said. Trump, in a later call with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, called for unity among Gulf Arabs “but never at the expense of eliminating funding for radical extremism or defeating terrorism,” the White House said. _____________________________________ Thursday, 10.00am: Morning all, we're here again with all of the latest news on the diplomatic crisis in the GCC. You can read our overnight report wrapping up what happened yesterday here: _____________________________________ 4.45pm: More from Saudi Foreign Minister in Berlin “We see Qatar as a brother state, as a partner,” said Adel Al-Jubeir in a joint press conference with German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel. “But you have to be able to tell your friend or your brother when they are doing the right thing and when they are doing the wrong thing.” _____________________________________ 3.55pm: Taking the long way around These images from Flightradar24 show how Qatar Airways is having to alter its route to Africa after the ban on using Saudi and UAE airspace: _____________________________________ 3.50pm: UAE condemns Iran terror attack The UAE has condemned the twin attacks claimed by ISIL that killed at least 12 people in the Iranian capital earlier today, AFP reports. “Our position on terrorism is very clear ... Any terrorist attack in any country, in any capital, directed at innocent people is something that the UAE abhors and the UAE condemns”, Minsiter of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said. Gunmen and suicide bombers, including at least one woman, stormed parliament and the tomb of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in Tehran in the first attacks in Iran claimed by ISIL. At least 38 people were also wounded. _____________________________________ 3.40pm: Saudi Foreign Minister issues update Adel Al-Jubeir, who is in Berlin today, has just said that it is “with great pain” his country took measures against Qatar, and that the crisis goes back years. He says he is seeking response from Qatar on demands “soon”. “We have not asked for mediation, we believe this issue can be dealt with among the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council,” he told a news conference with his German counterpart in Berlin broadcast on Saudi state television. _____________________________________ 3.15pm: UAE seeking ‘change of policy, not regime’ Measures taken by the UAE and other nations against Qatar are aimed at pressuring Doha into changing its policies, not at overthrowing its regime, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash told AFP. “We have now reached a cul-de-sac in terms of trying to convince Qatar to change course,” he said. “This is not about regime change - this is about change of policy, change of approach,” Gargash said. Gargash said the crisis was the result of “an accumulation over many, many years of subversive Qatari politics and support for extremism and terrorist organisations”. _____________________________________ 2.25pm: Jordan downgrades relations with Qatar and bans Al Jazeera We now have a more detailed story on Jordan's decision to downgrade its relations with Qatar and revoke the licence of Al Jazeera television channel. You can read it here _____________________________________ 1.50pm: Markets update It's been another negative day for the Qatar Stock Exchange which is currently down 1.22 per cent following a 1.56 per cent fall yesterday and 7.3 per cent on Monday. Twelve stocks are up and 27 down. The Dubai Financial Market meanwhile is up 2.35 per cent today with Emaar up 8.57 per cent after it announced plans for an IPO for its real estate development business . _____________________________________ 1.30pm: Shipping suspended Taiwan’s Evergreen and Hong Kong’s OOCL told Reuters they had suspended shipping services to Qatar. Evergreen, the world’s number six container shipping line, said in a statement that “in light of the blockade imposed on Qatar” it had suspended services until further notice. OOCL, the world’s number seven carrier, said “in response to the current political climate in the region, all OOCL booking to/from Qatar is suspended until further notice”. Maersk, the world’s biggest container shipping line, said on Tuesday it was unable to transport goods in or out of Qatar because it could not take them through the UAE port of Jebel Ali. Maersk added that it was trying to find alternative routes. _____________________________________ 1.15pm: Filipinos queue for flights to Qatar Despite a temporary suspension of the deployment of Filipino workers to Qatar by the Labour Department on Tuesday, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) queued at Qatar Airways check-in counters for the scheduled flight to Doha on Wednesday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay city, southeast of Manila. Bullit Marquez / AP Photo _____________________________________ 1.05pm: Qatar Airways offices closed in UAE The National has just had confirmation that the GCAA has closed all Qatar Airways offices in the UAE with immediate effect. _____________________________________ 12.55pm: Gargash hopes ‘cooler heads will prevail’ From Reuters: A senior UAE official said on Wednesday that more punitive measures on Qatar, including further curbs on business, remain on the table in a dispute with its powerful Arab neighbours. “What we are hoping is that our action will send some sense into the decision-makers in Qatar when they will see their overall interest is in not undermining their neighbours,” UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash told Reuters in an interview, referring to more curbs. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE and Bahrain severed diplomatic relations with Qatar in a coordinated move on Monday, accusing it of support for Islamist militants and Iran. Qatar strongly denies supporting terrorism. Gargash said he hoped further steps were not needed but could not be ruled out. “We hope that cooler heads will prevail, that wiser heads will prevail and we will not get to that,” he said. “But if we have to, these are all entanglements that we have to deal with as the crisis develops and create solutions to them and this will be a very, very sad course that we need to take, but I am hoping that cooler heads will prevail in Qatar.” Gargash said Qatar must make an iron-clad commitment to change its policies before talks could begin to resolve the biggest diplomatic crisis in the Gulf region in years. _____________________________________ 12.32pm: Iran sucicide attack For those who are yet to see the breaking news from Iran, gunmen and a suicide bomber have carried out apparently coordinated attacks on Iran’s parliament and the tomb of revolutionary founder Ruhollah Khomeini. News agencies are saying at least two people are dead, four have been taken hostage and 12 are wounded, though different numbers are being reported. _____________________________________ 11.55am: UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs summary _____________________________________ 11.40am: Qatar sympathisers in UAE face prosecution Showing sympathy for Qatar on social media or by any other means of communication is a cybercrime punishable by law, the attorney general said. Dr Hamad Saif Al Shamsi warned that statement’s supporting Qatar online could result in prison sentences from 3 to 15 years or at least Dh500,000 in fines. You can read the full story here . _____________________________________ 11.35am: Doha factfile _____________________________________ 11.30am: Qataris prohibited from travelling to UAE Etihad Airways has said all travellers holding Qatari passports are currently prohibited from travelling to or transiting through the UAE as part of government instructions. Expatriates residing in Qatar and in possession of a Qatari residence visa will also not be eligible for visa on arrival in the UAE, an Etihad spokesman told Reuters. “This ruling applies to all airlines flying into the UAE, including Etihad Airways,” the spokesman said. _____________________________________ 11.28am: UAE Central Bank payments ‘normal’ Payment and remittance transactions in the UAE financial system are operating as normal, the central bank said. The UAE financial system is positioned to support normal transactions and the central bank will continue to closely monitor the situation and any developments, taking any necessary steps to maintain stability, the central bank said in a statement carried by state news agency WAM. Some Gulf banks are starting to hold off on business with Qatari banks after diplomatic ties with Qatar were cut. _____________________________________ 10.50am: Royal Air Maroc cancels flights to UAE via Doha Moroccan airline Royal Air Maroc cancelled flights via Doha to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Egypt after they severed diplomatic ties with Qatar, state news agency MAP and the airline’s customer service told Reuters. MAP said Royal Air Maroc flights via Doha to those countries could not be guaranteed, and the airline’s customer service said flights would no longer be available. “Royal Air Maroc apologises to its clients for these inconveniences caused by a situation outside of its control,” it said in a statement. In 2015, Qatar Airways and Royal Air Maroc announced a joint business agreement on services and expanded direct flights between the countries. _____________________________________ 10.45am: Saudi Foreign Minister comments These are the latest views from Saudi’s Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir: Qatar must “change their policies” and stop supporting “extremist groups” he said on Tuesday in Paris. “They have to change their policies” and “stop supporting extremist groups,” and they needed “to act like a normal country”. “A number of steps can be taken, they know it”. “I don’t believe there is a mediation. This is an internal GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) issue.” “We decided to make it clear that enough is enough.” “We want Qatar to be an ally in finding peace and stability in the region,” _____________________________________ 10.40am: Jordan scales back diplomatic ties with Qatar Jordan announced overnight that it is scaling back its diplomatic ties with Qatar and that it will close the local office of the Gulf nation’s Al-Jazeera TV channel. Jordanian government spokesman Mohammed Momani said in a statement that the decision was made to ensure regional stability, coordinate the policies of Arab countries and “end the crises in our region.” _____________________________________ 10.30am: UAE aviation authority yet to revoke Qatar Airways licence This is just in from reporter Sananda Sahoo: The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is yet to revoke licenses given to Qatar Airways similar to the step taken by its Saudi counterpart. There has been no official statement as of Wednesday morning in this regard, a spokesman from the UAE GCAA told The National. On Tuesday, WAM cited reports in the Saudi Press Agency that said Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation has canceled all licenses to Qatar Airways as well as its employees, and directed that all its offices in Saudi Arabia be closed within 48 hours. Qatar Airways did not comment on the Saudi step. _____________________________________ 10.25am: Here's a link to The National's write-up on the situation from overnight: Crisis talks over Qatar in Jeddah as Trump backs UAE and Saudi _____________________________________ 10.20am: Morning all. Our live updates will now be continuing throughout the day so please stay with us for all of the latest news surrounding the GCC crisis. _____________________________________ 7.30pm: Comment: A regional schism that’s been years in the making Hussain Ibish writes: It’s time for Qatar to change its policies once and for all because Arab countries are no longer willing to renegotiate every few years. _____________________________________ 7.10pm: Comment: The question now is how, not if, Qatar will change Hassan Hassan writes: Although the Qatari emir’s immediate concern is to demonstrate strength before his people, Qatar’s priority will no doubt be to seek a de-escalation. _____________________________________ 7.05pm: Trump backs Saudi, UAE in Qatar crisis The US president backed the Saudi and Emirati position on Qatar in the gravest crisis ever to face the GCC. _____________________________________ 5.50pm: ‘They said they would take a hard line on funding extremism’ Donald Trump, the US president, follows up from his earlier tweet (see 4.50pm) on Qatar. _____________________________________ 5.00pm: Kuwait Emir to travel to Saudi Arabia AFP reports that Kuwait’s ruler Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah will travel to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for talks aimed at resolving the diplomatic crisis. “Today, the emir embarks on a trip to Saudi Arabia,” Ali Al Deqbasi said during a parliamentary session. “We pray to God to help him succeed in achieving Gulf unity.” _____________________________________ 4.50pm: Trump has his say on Twitter Here’s some background on his recent visit to the Middle East: - Donald Trump meets King Salman in Saudi Arabia amid deals worth $380bn - King Salman greets Trump on arrival in Saudi - in pictures - Editorial: Trump starts off on the right foot _____________________________________ 4.25pm: Eerie calm at Hamad International Airport The few travellers left at the airport in Doha told AFP of how quiet it was. “This is the emptiest airport I’ve ever been in,” said Katie, transiting Qatar en route to Thailand. “It’s exceptionally quiet, almost eerie.” With more than 30 Qatar Airways flights cancelled to and from Doha, there were neither traffic jams at departures where travellers are dropped off nor lines for taxis to pick up arriving passengers. Jaffa, a taxi driver from the Philippines who picks up passengers every day, chuckled at the emptiness. “I’ve never seen so few people here,” he said. _____________________________________ 4.20pm: Markets update There was less drama for the Qatar Stock Exchange today after it plunged 7.3 per cent yesterday. However, it still closed down 1.56 per cent. The Dubai Financial Market closed up 0.15 per cent. _____________________________________ 4.10pm: 300,000 Egyptian workers in Qatar Egyptian officials said the Qatar crisis has yet to affect the 300,000 Egyptian workers in the country, amid fears they could be expelled or stranded. Egypt severed diplomatic ties with Qatar on Monday and cut off all air, land and sea routes to the country. EgyptAir, the national carrier, has suspended all flights from and to Qatar. Ihab Abdel Hamid, the Egyptian Charge d’Affaires, said he is returning to Egypt on Wednesday after being recalled. “I myself have to find a third country, a transit point tomorrow,” Abdel Hamid said as many people are flying back through Kuwait. Mohammed Al Iraqi, the spokesman for the Egyptian community in Qatar, said that Egyptians in Qatar panicked when the crisis erupted but that so far it has had no effect on their businesses. _____________________________________ 3.20pm: Travel chaos at Qatar Airways as Saudi revokes operating licence — in pictures Passengers wait at Hamad International Airport in Doha. Hadi Mizban / AP Photo _____________________________________ 3.10pm: Qatar tax breaks Justice minister Francois Bayrou said on Tuesday that France should end tax breaks on property deals granted to nations including Qatar, Reuters reports. Former president Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008 granted Qatari investors exemptions from taxes on profits from the sale of properties in France. Qatar’s royal family has since built up a portfolio of assets ranging from a Champs-Elysees shopping mall to the Lido cabaret. “Under the responsibility of Nicolas Sarkozy, France gave Qatar an incredible tax advantage,” Bayrou told BFM television. “Can this situation continue? I don’t think so. I think it’s very important that in France we have tax fairness.” During this year’s election campaign, now-President Emmanuel Macron said he wanted to end Qatar’s tax concessions. _____________________________________ 2.30pm: ‘Years of incitement’ against UAE The crisis with Qatar is the result of “the accumulation of years of incitement from a brother against his brethren”, the UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs has tweeted. Dr Anwar Gargash's comments on Monday night came after the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic and travel links to Qatar over Doha's support for Islamist and militant groups and its opposition to their Iran policies. Read more _____________________________________ 1.38pm: Philippines halts workers’ deployment to Qatar From AFP: The Philippines on Tuesday halted the deployment of workers to Qatar as the gas-rich Gulf state grappled with a diplomatic crisis after its neighbours cut ties with Doha. Labour chief Silvestre Bello said Manila was taking precautions as it fears that problems like food shortages could affect the more than 200,000 Filipinos in Qatar should the crisis worsen. “We are forseeing a possible problem in Qatar,” Bello said at a news conference. “For example, we know for a fact that Qatar does not produce its own food. If anything happens that they run out of food and food riots will take place, definitely our OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers)... will be the first victims,” he said. “That’s why we really need to make preparatory measures to meet a possible exigency.” _____________________________________ 1.33pm: Qatar Airways licence revoked News is just breaking that Qatar Airways’ licence in Saudi Arabia has been revoked and its offices will be closed, the Saudi General Authority for Civil Aviation has said. _____________________________________ 1.22pm: Qatar Airways customers seek answers in Abu Dhabi Ali Khalil / AFP _____________________________________ 1.15pm: Qatar tourism impact Qatar is looking to generate 5.2 per cent of its GDP through tourism over the coming years, creating nearly 98,000 jobs and managing an inventory of 63,000 hotel rooms, U-Capital, an Omani investment firm, said in a research note. Qatar is also set to invest up to $45bn in new developments under the National Tourism Sector Strategy 2030. These include $2.3bn earmarked for 2022 World Cup facilities and $6.9bn for transport infrastructure and associated projects. As per Qatar, Ministry of Development Planning & Statistics, around 2.63 million visitors arrived in Qatar in 2016 of which 48.6 per cent were from the GCC amounting to 1.28 million. Although exact breakup of nationals was not provided in terms of nationals but “we believe the nationals of GCC would be quite sizeable”, U-Capital said. “With countries in GCC saying they plan to break off all land, air and sea traffic with Qatar we believe it would have a huge impact on the tourism revenues of the country.” _____________________________________ 12.45pm: Qatar central bank: Huge foreign exchange reserves can support currency A dip by the Qatari riyal against the US dollar in the spot and forwards markets on Tuesday is due to speculation, and Qatar has huge foreign exchange reserves which it can use to support its currency, a central bank official told Reuters on Tuesday. The official, declining to be named under briefing rules, also said the central bank was watching the financial sector very closely and would provide additional liquidity if the market needed it. The three-month Qatar interbank offered rate fell to 1.86808 per cent on Monday. The rate rebounded to 1.94968 per cent on Tuesday morning, according to the central bank. _____________________________________ 12.15pm: Qatar ‘ready for mediation’ Here’s the latest on the situation from Reuters: Qatar’s foreign minister said on Tuesday that Doha was ready for mediation efforts after the Arab world’s biggest powers severed ties with it, adding that Qatar’s ruler had delayed a speech in order to give Kuwait a chance to ease regional tensions. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani spoke by telephone overnight with his counterpart in Kuwait, which has maintained diplomatic ties with Qatar, and decided to postpone a speech to the Qatari people as requested. Qatar wants to give Kuwait’s Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber al-Sabah the ability to “proceed and communicate with the parties to the crisis and to try to contain the issue,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said in comments to Qatar-based Al Jazeera television. Kuwait’s emir had an important role in a previous Gulf rift in 2014 and Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim “regards him as a parent and respects his desire to postpone any speech or step until there is a clearer picture of the crisis,” Al Jazeera quoted the foreign minister as saying. Sheikh Mohammed told the channel that the measures taken against Qatar had an “unprecedented impact” on its citizens and on family relations in the Gulf Arab region. Qatar “believes such differences between sister countries must be resolved through dialogue.” _____________________________________ 12.02pm: The ball is in Qatar’s court Local analysts have described the rift as “unprecedented”. Dr Albadr Al Shateri, politics professor at the National Defence College, said: “The isolation of Qatar by the major GCC countries is far-reaching and will affect Qatar negatively - Qatari nationals will not be able to perform Hajj or Umra without prior approval from the Saudi authorities, neither will they be able to visit Dubai, a Gulf-favoured tourist destination, without a UAE visa.” He added: “Qatar might be left with no choice but to form an axis that includes Oman, Iran and Turkey. It [might] also increase its support to the extremist groups to defy its detractors.” _____________________________________ 11.58am: Markets update Qatar’s stock market rebounded in early trade on Tuesday after plunging 7.3 per cent the previous day. The index was up 2.7 per cent after half an hour of trade having risen 3.2 per cent at one stage. As of 11.57am UAE time it was up 0.14 per cent. Fund managers said there were hopes that Qatari state-linked funds could enter the market to buy shares and provide support, although it was not clear whether this had happened so far, Reuters reported. The Dubai Financial Market is down 0.43 per cent. _____________________________________ 11.40am: Qatar Airways re-routing The Doha-based airline is currently showing this message on its website: Qatar Airways has suspended all flights to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kingdom of Bahrain and Egypt until further notice. All customers booked on affected flights will be provided with alternative options, including the option of a full refund on any unused tickets and free rebooking to the nearest alternative Qatar Airways network destination. Please check this page regularly for further flight updates. For passengers with existing bookings, please call +974 4023 0072 or contact your nearest Qatar Airways office: https://www.qatarairways.com/en/worldwide-offices.html For further information and FAQs please visit: http://support.qatarairways.com/hc/en-us/sections/115002369667-FAQs _____________________________________ 11.35am: Aluminium exports blocked Aluminium producer Norsk Hydro and its Qatalum joint venture face a difficult process in their bid to restart aluminium exports from Qatar, a Hydro spokesman told Reuters. Exports of aluminium from Qatalum were blocked after top Arab nations on Monday broke off diplomatic ties with Qatar. “There are several alternatives we are looking at and we will look at all possibilities,” said the spokesman. “But this is complex and will take some time.” Norsk Hydro owns 50 per cent in the plant. State-owned Qatar Petroleum owns the other half. _____________________________________ 11.25am: beIN Sports and Al Jazeera Subscribers to beIN Sports and Al Jazeera in the UAE have reported that both channels have been ‘blocked.’ The Qatari-owned broadcasters are believed to have gone off air in the UAE on Monday evening. Access to the websites of both channels also appear to have been blocked. _____________________________________ 10.50am: US universities Northwestern University, Texas A&M University, Georgetown University, Virginia Commonwealth University said they were keeping their Qatar faculty and students informed while summer classes continued, Associated Press reported this morning. “The safety and security of our students, faculty and staff are top priorities of the university,” Northwestern spokesman Alan Cubbage said in a statement echoed by the others. The universities, along with Weill Cornell Medical College and Carnegie Mellon University, have programmes in Qatar’s “Education City” complex, which was established by the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development to enable Qataris and others to earn US degrees without going abroad. “It is too early to know the real impact on VCU Qatar, including travel plans of our students, faculty and staff,” said Pamela DiSalvo Lepley, spokeswoman at Virginia Commonwealth University, whose Qatar campus has 28 students enrolled for the summer session. About 365 students are enrolled during the academic year. Georgetown University said: “We are monitoring the situation closely and keeping our community apprised through regular communications.”. Its Qatar campus has about 10 current students from the affected countries, the statement said. Two students from the countries that severed relations are enrolled at Northwestern University-Qatar for the summer, out of 90 overall, Cubbage said. Fewer than 20 students from the Gulf countries are enrolled at that school for the fall. Carnegie Mellon said it was conferring with the State Department and monitoring the situation. “The university will offer any necessary assistance to any members of our community who may be affected,” the university said in a statement. The university doesn’t have a summer session but said there were currently a “small number of students on campus.” During the academic year, about 400 students are enrolled at its Qatar campus. _____________________________________ 10.15am: Filipino workers Reuters has reported that the Philippine government expressed concern over several Arab powers breaking off diplomatic ties with Qatar, saying this may have “ripple effects” on Filipinos working overseas. “Concerned government agencies are looking at the matter and will extend assistance and other support for OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) who may be affected by such action.” Ernesto Abella, presidential spokesman, told a media briefing. _____________________________________ 10.05am: Natural gas supplies flowing The UAE government statement yesterday made no mention of the sub-sea gas pipeline that runs between Qatar and the UAE, part of a decade-old Dolphin Project, which now brings in about 2 billion cubic feet a day (cfd) of gas for use in the UAE grid, as well as another 2 billion cfd for transit onward to Oman. There was no official comment either from the companies involved or from the governments, but sources familiar with operations of the gas pipeline said it was flowing without disruption as of late yesterday. Here’s a map of the Dolphin project: Source: Mubadala Investment Company _____________________________________ 9.55am: UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs on Twitter Dr Anwar Gargash posted a number of tweets overnight on the matter. Here’s the English translation of them: - A stressful and difficult day, the accumulation of years of incitement from a brother against his brethren, the brethren’s decision came after years of advice and patience, how we hoped for wisdom and reason instead of obstinacy. - Politics based on money, media and [counting on] sectarianism and extremism have proved a failure. The heart of the solution is steering away from a seditious and nefarious attitude. The natural environment of the (our) brother differs from that which he has chosen. - The issue does not revolve around sovereignty or independent decision-making, but rather a rejection of policies that are aimed to harm siblings and undermine security and stability in the Arabian Gulf. We cannot all be wrong. - The (our) brother thought that obstinacy and raising a high voice through the media will allow it to prevent a crisis. He did not perceive that wisdom and a change in the behavior that wronged its neighbour and brother is necessary. - The current crisis is centred on the nature of a relationship between brethren, partners and allies. Siding with one’s brethren, opting for transparency, neighbourly relations and honesty are an obvious recipe for a permanent relationship and a stable friendship. - Can the (our) brother amend his behavior? Can he be one to respect pledges and charters, to be mindful of brotherly and neighbourly relations, a partner in prosperity and adversity? Simply put, this is the framework for a solution. - After [the brother’s] previous experiences, a framework for the future is necessary, to reinforce security and stability in the region. Rebuilding the trust after broken promises and a guaranteed roadmap are necessary. - The UAE opted for honesty and transparency, we chose stability over chaos. We opted for moderation and development, for trust and clarity, and we chose Salman and Saudi Arabia. _____________________________________ 9.40am: Further reading Here’s a selection of our coverage from overnight: Qatar residents rush to stock up on food supplies. Read here UAE retailers keep a close eye on Qatar developments. Read here Gas supplies keep flowing as Qatar diplomatic spat flares. Read here DP World: 'Too early to comment' on Qatar row implications. Read here _____________________________________ 9.30am: Morning all, and welcome back to our live updates on the decision by the likes of the UAE and Saudi to cut ties with Qatar in what is regarded as the most far-reaching internal dispute the GCC has yet faced. _____________________________________ 7.15pm: Rolling coverage closes Here’s a digest of the 10 key details from today’s developments _____________________________________ 6.55pm: National Editorial Qatar has created this serious crisis The cutting of ties is an unprecedented step. But Doha has supported extremists too long. Read more The emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.Photo: Faisal Al Nasser / Reuters _____________________________________ 6.35pm: Latest from our business desk Shipping The ports operator DP World said on Monday it was still assessing the impact of the decision by five Arab states, including the UAE, to suspend all sea transport movement with Qatar. Construction The restriction on the use of airports, ports and roads in neighbouring countries could present a major challenge for Qatar's construction industry affecting the timeline of its preparations for the 2022 Fifa World Cup. Read more _____________________________________ 6.10pm: Qatar rift could lead to credit rating downgrade From The National business desk: The decision by the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt to cut diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar could lead to another credit rating downgrade by Moody's and lower non-oil growth, a rating analyst said. Read more _____________________________________ 5.30pm: Rush for food and supplies at Doha supermarkets The news of the Saudi border closure caused a rush on food and supplies in Doha supermarkets on Monday. Photo by @shalome05 via AP Photo Photo by @shalome05 via AP Photo _____________________________________ 5.15pm: Ankara calls for dialogue over Qatar rift with Arab states Mevlut Cavusoglu, the Turkish foreign minister, said he was saddened by a rift between Qatar and other GCC states, and called for dialogue to resolve the dispute. “We see the stability in the Gulf region as our own unity and solidarity,” Mr Cavusoglu said. “Countries may of course have some issues, but dialogue must continue under every circumstance for problems to be resolved peacefully. “We are saddened by the current picture and will give any support for its normalisation.” _____________________________________ 5pm: Tillerson and Mattis on diplomatic row US secretary of state Rex Tillerson and US defence secretary Jim Mattis said they did not expect a decision by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt and others to sever ties with Qatar to affect the fight against terrorism but urged them to address their differences. _____________________________________ 4.50pm: Currency impact UAE Exchange, the biggest foreign exchange network in the country, said that trading in the Qatari riyal had not as of yet been impacted by the UAE’s move to cut ties with the Arabian Gulf nation. UAE Exchange at Deira City Centre in Dubai. Sarah Dea / The National _____________________________________ 4.35pm: Oil price falls Oil erased earlier gains as a diplomatic clash involving Opec members Saudi Arabia and Qatar was seen having limited impact on the group’s policy, Bloomberg reports. Futures slipped 0.3 per cent in New York, erasing an earlier gain of 1.6 perc ent. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt said they will suspend air and sea travel to and from Qatar, escalating a crisis that started over its relationship with Iran. The nation still has access to shipping routes to deliver oil and gas to buyers around the world. While the diplomatic spat hasn’t affected shipments, any further escalation could raise the prospect of supply disruptions from the Middle East, including Opec members Saudi Arabia, Iran and Qatar. The nations all use the Strait of Hormuz, through which the US Department of Energy estimates about 30 per cent of seaborne oil trade passes. Crude had slipped below $50 a barrel amid concern that an extension of OPEC’s cuts won’t be enough to shrink global inventories as US output expands. “Given the persisting bearish sentiment in the oil market, the unprecedented move might not have a long-lasting impact on oil prices, but it is worth keeping in mind,” said Tamas Varga, an analyst at PVM Oil Associates in London. West Texas Intermediate for July delivery slipped 20 cents to $47.46 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange at 11.48am in London. Total volume traded was about 33 per cent above the 100-day average. Prices lost 70 cents to close at $47.66 on Friday, capping a 4.3 per cent decline for the week. Brent for August settlement fell 24 cents to $49.71 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. Prices fell 4.2 per cent last week. _____________________________________ 4.27pm: Egypt orders Qatari ambassador to leave in 48 hours Egypt has given the Qatari ambassador in Cairo 48 hours to leave the country and has recalled its senior representative in Doha, the foreign ministry said. “The Qatari ambassador was summoned today and given formal notification of the expiry of his accreditation as an ambassador to Egypt, and was given 48 hours to leave the country,” a statement from the foreign ministry. Egypt is also suspending air links with Qatar from Tuesday morning. The aviation ministry said the measure would take effect from 6am local time (0400GMT) and continue “until further notice”, with Qatari planes being unable to cross Egyptian airspace or land on its territory. _____________________________________ 4.19pm: Saudi air space Here’s more on Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority on its Qatari airlines ban. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the General Authority of Civil Aviation, GACA, has also stopped all private and commercial Qatari airlines from landing at Saudi airports, effective immediately. GACA will prevent all Qatari airlines and aircraft from crossing into Saudi airspace after midnight on Tuesday (00:01 UTC June 6). The aviation authority said airlines and non-registered aircraft from Qatar wishing to cross Saudi airspace will have to contact the authority a week in advance “to determine the necessary procedures for continued operation across Saudi airspace”. _____________________________________ 4pm: Qatar’s troubles are rooted in its support for Islamists There's some more interesting background reading from The National columnist Hassan Hassan . He wrote last week: A new geopolitical settlement has emerged in the Middle East since the 2011 Arab uprisings. This realignment remains largely overlooked, even though much of what ails the region today can be better explained through it, instead of the traditional rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran or the sectarian tension between Shia and Sunni. The countries of the region can be divided into two camps: one that seeks to advance its foreign interests through the support of Islamists, and one whose foreign policy is guided by opposition to the rise of Islamists. Countries in each of the camps are not necessarily aligned with each other so they do not form together on one side. This, understandably, makes it hard for policymakers and observers to view the region as such. But it is this realignment that could provide clarity to the United States as it recalibrates its approach in the region. Support or opposition to Islamists informs the foreign policies of the Middle East’s main powers. For some of those countries, it is the single greatest foreign policy driver. _____________________________________ 3.45pm: Gulf Air to suspend flights to Qatar Bahrain’s national carrier, Gulf Air, has joined the UAE and Saudi airlines in suspending flights between the country and Doha. It will take effect from midnight tonight. “The last Gulf Air flight from Bahrain to Doha (GF530) will depart at 20:55 on 5 June and the last Gulf Air flight from Doha to Bahrain (GF531) will depart at 22:40 on 5 June (all times local),” the airline said in a statement. “Gulf Air regrets any inconvenience this may cause to passengers affected by the suspension. A dedicated customer services team from the Gulf Air 24-hour Worldwide Contact Centre has been set up and is contacting affected passengers to offer alternative options, including full refunds on unused tickets and free rebooking to the nearest alternate Gulf Air destinations.” _____________________________________ 3.30pm: Qatari riyal transactions in Egypt Egypt’s central bank has not ordered banks to halt transactions in Qatari riyals, an Egyptian official told Reuters on Monday. Some Egyptian banks earlier halted dealings with Qatari banks, responding to Cairo’s announcement that it had cut ties with Qatar. _____________________________________ 3pm: Reaction from Russia and India India’s foreign affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said Delhi will not not be affected by some Gulf countries cutting off diplomatic ties with Qatar. “There is no challenge arising out of this for us,” she said. “This is an internal matter of GCC. Our only concern is about Indians there. We are trying to find out if any Indians are stuck there.” It is in Russia’s interest to have a “stable and peaceful” situation in the Gulf, the Kremlin said. Moscow also hopes that the current diplomatic row in the Gulf will not affect “the common determination and resolve” in the joint fight against “international terrorism”, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. _____________________________________ 2.50pm: Qatar stocks down The Qatar Stock Exchange has closed down 7.27 per cent. All 44 stocks were in the red. QNB fell 6.06 per cent, while Industries Qatar closed down 6.25 per cent. The Dubai Financial Market meanwhile closed 0.72 per cent lower. A screen displays stock information at the Qatar Stock Exchange in Doha. Reuters _____________________________________ 2.40pm: Fifa in ‘regular contact’ with Doha Football’s world governing body said it remains in “regular contact with Qatar” amid a growing diplomatic crisis in the GCC. Qatar is to host the 2022 World Cup. Fifa issued a short statement saying it spoke with “the Qatar 2022 Local Organising Committee and the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy handling matters relating to the 2022 Fifa World Cup.” It said: “We have no further comments for the time being.” The Khalifa International Stadium in Doha. Reuters _____________________________________ 2.35pm: Qatar’s single border crossing exposes its vulnerability The National published a fascinating article on Qatar's only land border back in 2014 when Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain withdrew their ambassadors from Doha accusing Qatar of failing to implement an agreement not to interfere in their internal affairs. Here's an excerpt from Hugh Naylor's piece: The drivers stop to refuel and refresh themselves after waiting several hours on the Saudi side and then continue toward Doha, 90km away, where their goods will help feed both the emirate’s population and its vast construction programme. “So many materials come to Qatar through here,” said Tamim Ansar, 40-year-old driver from Sri Lanka who was on his way to Doha from Dammam with a load of electricity cable. “If they close the border, there will be big problems for my company.” _____________________________________ 2pm: Tickets selling fast For those trying to depart Doha for Abu Dhabi before flights are suspended tomorrow morning, there are not many seats left judging by the Etihad website. _____________________________________ 1.52pm: Rush for food and supplies at Doha supermarkets Qatar imports 90 per cent of its food, mostly through the land border with Saudi Arabia. The news of the border’s closure caused a rush on food and supplies in Doha supermarkets on Monday. “I’ve never seen anything like it – people have trolleys full of food and water,” a shopper at a Doha Carrefour told Doha News. _____________________________________ 1.50pm: Saudi Arabia statement on severing ties Here's the full English statement from Jeddah, carried in two releases by the Saudi Press Agency. _____________________________________ 1.12pm: Saudia airline suspends Qatar flights Al Arabiya tweets that Saudia, Saudi Arabia's national airline has suspended all Qatar flghts. Earlier Qatar Airways announced it was cancelling all flights to Saudi Arabia. The Saudi civil aviaition authority also banned all Qatari planes from landing in Saudi airports. _____________________________________ 12.51pm: Libya's eastern-based government severs Doha ties - foreign minister _____________________________________ 12.33pm: Air Arabia suspends flights Air Arabia has suspended flights between Sharjah and Doha effective on Tuesday until further notice. The airline’s last outbound flight from Sharjah to Doha will depart at 18:30 local time on Monday, while the last inbound flight from Doha to Sharjah will depart on Monday at 19:25 local time. Passengers who hold existing reservations on Air Arabia flights to Doha after June 5 will be provided with the option of a full refund or booked to other destinations, it said. _____________________________________ 12.30pm: Markets latest Qatar stocks were all in the red as morning turned to afternoon. The Qatar Stock Exchange was down 7.13 per cent as of 12.25pm, with 43 stocks down. Traders monitor screens displaying stock information at Qatar Stock Exchange in Doha. Reuters _____________________________________ 12.30pm: Russia: no alarm for oil, gas industry Moscow sees no cause for alarm from the energy point of view, a Russian source familiar with the situation told Reuters. In the past, Opec countries cooperated despite diplomatic rows, the source added, requesting anonymity. Russia plans to discuss the situation around Qatar during a meeting of the monitoring committee of Opec and non-Opec nations, the source said. _____________________________________ 12.25pm: Qatar Airways suspends Saudi flights Qatar Airways said on its official website that it had suspended all flights to Saudi Arabia. _____________________________________ 12.15pm: Sporting impact The fallout is now extending to the sports industry, as Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli has announced it is terminating its sponsorship deal with Qatar Airways. _____________________________________ 12.05pm: Regional overview _____________________________________ 11.50am: Flydubai to suspend flights _____________________________________ 11.45am: Emirates confirms suspension of flights to Doha An Emirates spokesperson has told The National: As instructed by the UAE government, Emirates will suspend its flights to and from Doha, starting from the morning of 6 June 2017, until further notice. The last flight from Dubai to Doha will depart as EK847 at 02:30am on 6 June. The last flight from Doha to Dubai will depart as EK848 at 03:50am on 6 June. Emirates’ flights to and from Doha today (5 June), will operate as normal. Travellers bound for Doha, who are boarding their flight from airports around the Emirates network today (5 June), will be advised to make alternative arrangements. All customers booked on Emirates’ flights to and from Doha will be provided with alternative options, including full refunds on unused tickets and free rebooking to the nearest alternate Emirates destinations. For more information, customers can call the Emirates Contact Centre on 600 555555, or visit‎ www.emirates.com. We apologise for the inconvenience caused to our customers. _____________________________________ 11.35am: Yemen cuts ties with Qatar Yemen’s internationally recognised government cut ties with Qatar, accusing it of working with the Houthi rebels, state news agency Saba reported. “Qatar’s practices of dealing with the [Houthi] coup militias and supporting extremist groups became clear,” the government said in a statement. The statement added that Yemen supports the decision by a Saudi-led coalition, fighting to removed the Houthis from the capital Sanaa, to end Qatar’s participation in the coalition. _____________________________________ 11.30am: Qatar responds Qatar’s foreign ministry responded to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt breaking diplomatic ties with Doha. “The campaign of incitement is based on lies that had reached the level of complete fabrications,” the Qatari foreign ministry said. It added that, as a member of the GCC, it was committed to its charter, respected the sovereignty of other states and did not interfere in their affairs. _____________________________________ 11.15am: Rex Tillerson says no effect on fight against ISIL US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said he does not expect a decision by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and Bahrain to sever ties with Qatar on Monday to have a significant effect on the fight against ISIL. “I do not expect that this will have any significant impact, if any impact at all, on the unified - the unified - fight against terrorism in the region or globally,” Mr Tillerson said in Sydney after meetings between Australian and US foreign and defence ministers. Mr Tillerson urged GCC nations to instead sort out their differences. _____________________________________ 11.05am: Qatar stocks plummet Qatar’s stock market opened 5.7 per cent lower today. Some of the market’s top blue chips were hit hardest, with Vodafone Qatar, the most heavily traded stock, sliding 8.9 per cent, Reuters reported. Qatar National Bank, the country’s largest bank, dropped 4.6 per cent. _____________________________________ 11am: Morning all. Stay with us throughout the day for the latest updates on the news that the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain have cut diplomatic ties with Qatar. Here’s the full statement just released by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “The UAE affirms its complete commitment and support to the Gulf Cooperation Council and to the security and stability of the GCC States. Within this framework, and based on the insistence of the State of Qatar to continue to undermine the security and stability of the region and its failure to honour international commitments and agreements, it has been decided to take the following measures that are necessary for safeguarding the interests of the GCC States in general and those of the brotherly Qatari people in particular: 1-In support of the statements issued by the sisterly Kingdom of Bahrain and sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates severs all relations with the State of Qatar, including breaking off diplomatic relations, and gives Qatari diplomats 48 hours to leave the UAE. 2-Preventing Qatari nationals from entering the UAE or crossing its points of entry, giving Qatari residents and visitors in the UAE 14 days to leave the country for precautionary security reasons. The UAE nationals are likewise banned from traveling to or staying in Qatar or transiting through its territories. 3-Closure of UAE airspace and seaports for all Qataris in 24 hours and banning all Qatari means of transportation, coming to or leaving the UAE, from crossing, entering or leaving the UAE territories, and taking all legal measures in collaboration with friendly countries and international companies with regards to Qataris using the UAE airspace and territorial waters, from and to Qatar, for national security considerations. The UAE is taking these decisive measures as a result of the Qatari authorities’ failure to abide by the Riyadh Agreement on returning GCC diplomats to Doha and its Complementary Arrangement in 2014, and Qatar’s continued support, funding and hosting of terror groups, primarily Islamic Brotherhood, and its sustained endeavours to promote the ideologies of Daesh and Al Qaeda across its direct and indirect media in addition to Qatar’s violation of the statement issued at the US-Islamic Summit in Riyadh on May 21st, 2017 on countering terrorism in the region and considering Iran a state sponsor of terrorism. The UAE measures are taken as well based on Qatari authorities’ hosting of terrorist elements and meddling in the affairs of other countries as well as their support of terror groups – policies which are likely to push the region into a stage of unpredictable consequences. While regretting the policies taken by the State of Qatar that sow seeds of sedition and discord among the region’s countries, the UAE affirms its full respect and appreciation for the brotherly Qatari people on account of the profound historical, religious and fraternal ties and kin relations binding UAE and Qatari peoples.” __________________________________ Saudi and UAE cut ties with Qatar ■ UAE and Saudi Arabia cut ties with Qatar and shut air, land and sea access ■ Etihad suspends flights to Qatar ■ Markets expected to open lower over row ■ Comment: Doha needs to address contradictions __________________________________