Qatar wins ICJ support

The UN's top court on Tuesday backed Qatar in a bitter row with four Middle East nations that imposed an air blockade against Doha in 2017 after accusing it of backing radical Islamists and Iran. The decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) covers a key part of the acrimonious standoff that erupted three years ago pitting Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates against Qatar. The president of the ICJ, Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf said The Hague-based court unanimously "rejects the appeal" by the rival states against a decision by the world civil aviation body in favour of Qatar over sovereign airspace. The court also "holds that the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has jurisdiction" in the case, by 15 judges to one, Yusuf said.