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20 June 2019; MEMO: Saudi Arabia has bought $300 million worth of spy software from Israel as part of a large scale military deal.

20 June 2019; DW: A court of appeal in London on Thursday declared the sale of weapons by the UK to Saudi Arabia unlawful because of the Yemen conflict.

The court accepted the challenge brought by Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) that accused the UK government of licensing the arms sale when there is a clear risk that the weapons use could breach international humanitarian law.

Panaji, Jun 19 (PTI) Goa and Oman will revive their ties dating back to the Portuguese era through archives as a part of the Central government's initiative to foster relations between the two countries, an official said here Wednesday.

Officials of the National Records and Archives Authority, Sultanate of Oman, are in Goa to interact with various government agencies, including state Archives and Archaeology department, as a part of understanding between both the governments.

WASHINGTON, June 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook on Wednesday described U.S. latest move in the Middle East as "defensive", reaffirming that Washington seeks a "comprehensive and enduring deal" with Tehran.

"No one should be uncertain about our desire for peace or our readiness to normalize relations should we reach a comprehensive deal," Hook said during a congressional hearing over U.S. Iran policy.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A series of attacks on oil tankers near the Persian Gulf has ratcheted up tensions between the U.S. and Iran — and raised fears over the safety of one of Asia’s most vital energy trade routes, where about a fifth of the world’s oil passes through its narrowest at the Strait of Hormuz.

The attacks have jolted the shipping industry, with some of the 2,000 companies operating ships in the region on high alert and ordering their vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz only during the daylight hours and at high speed.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The top U.S. trade negotiator said he will meet with his Chinese counterpart to discuss a trade dispute between the world’s two biggest economies before a summit next week in Japan between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping of China.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Wednesday to economist Arthur Laffer, whose disputed theories on tax cuts have guided Republican policy since the 1980s.

Laffer, 78, advised Trump during his presidential campaign and co-wrote a flattering book, “Trumponomics: Inside the America First Plan to Revive Our Economy.” Laffer says lower tax rates change people’s behavior and stimulate economic growth, creating more tax revenue for the government, not less.

BANGKOK (AP) — Asian shares were higher on Thursday, with the Shanghai benchmark up 2.6%, after the Federal Reserve reaffirmed that it’s prepared to cut interest rates if needed to shield the U.S. economy from trade conflicts or other threats.

The Thursday tracked modest gains on Wall Street. The 10-year Treasury note slid to 1.98%, its lowest level since November 2016, as investors bet on at least one interest rate cut this year, possibly as early as July.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said Thursday it shot down a U.S. drone amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington over its collapsing nuclear deal. The U.S. military declined to immediately comment.

The reported shootdown of the RQ-4 Global Hawk comes after the U.S. military previously alleged Iran fired a missile at another drone last week that responded to the attack on two oil tankers near the Gulf of Oman. The U.S. blames Iran for the attack on the ships, which Tehran denies.

19 June 2019; MEMO: Israeli government is to cut 800 billion shekels ($221.7 billion) from the budgets of its ministries and transfer the funds to the Ministry of Defence, Channel 2 reported yesterday.

According to an Israeli defence institute, the defence ministry needs money to continue building the separation wall along the eastern side of the Gaza Strip.