Qatar Diplomatic Row

The commutation of death sentence of eight former Indian Navy personnel by a court in Qatar is a victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy and diplomatic efforts under it, the BJP said on Thursday.

After the government's firm no to accepting financial help from other nations for flood-hit Kerala, where the focus is now on costly relief and rebuilding efforts, two former diplomats have offered a way out.

Bahrain's interior ministry said on Tuesday that it would stop issuing new visas to Qatari nationals, escalating measures against Qatar more than a year into a diplomatic row.

Qatar took the final step on Wednesday to start litigation at the World Trade Organization in its row with the United Arab Emirates, but no other WTO members spoke up in support of the move, which many trade experts see as a dangerous precedent.

Qatar and the United States signed a deal Tuesday to combat "terrorism" as visiting US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson pursued efforts to resolve the Gulf diplomatic crisis.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters in Doha on Tuesday that Qatar had "reasonable" views in the month-old diplomatic row with Arab neighbours and he was hopeful of progress towards a resolution.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar a week ago

Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE and several other countries severed diplomatic and transport ties with Doha on Monday, accusing it of supporting Islamist militants and their arch-foe Iran.

A fresh effort to end Afghanistan's 12-year-old war was in limbo on Thursday after a diplomatic spat about the Taliban's new Qatar office delayed preliminary discussions between the United States and the Islamist insurgents.

The commutation of death sentence of eight former Indian Navy personnel by a court in Qatar is a victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy and diplomatic efforts under it, the BJP said on Thursday.

After the government's firm no to accepting financial help from other nations for flood-hit Kerala, where the focus is now on costly relief and rebuilding efforts, two former diplomats have offered a way out.

Bahrain's interior ministry said on Tuesday that it would stop issuing new visas to Qatari nationals, escalating measures against Qatar more than a year into a diplomatic row.

Qatar took the final step on Wednesday to start litigation at the World Trade Organization in its row with the United Arab Emirates, but no other WTO members spoke up in support of the move, which many trade experts see as a dangerous precedent.

Qatar and the United States signed a deal Tuesday to combat "terrorism" as visiting US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson pursued efforts to resolve the Gulf diplomatic crisis.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters in Doha on Tuesday that Qatar had "reasonable" views in the month-old diplomatic row with Arab neighbours and he was hopeful of progress towards a resolution.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar a week ago

Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE and several other countries severed diplomatic and transport ties with Doha on Monday, accusing it of supporting Islamist militants and their arch-foe Iran.

A fresh effort to end Afghanistan's 12-year-old war was in limbo on Thursday after a diplomatic spat about the Taliban's new Qatar office delayed preliminary discussions between the United States and the Islamist insurgents.