Google Doodle honors legendary actor Amrish Puri on his 87th birthday Saturday June 22,2019

Google Doodle Saturday celebrated the 87th birth anniversary of legendary and versatile actor Amrish Puri – the most memorable villain in the history of Indian cinema.

2019 ICC World Cup in England & Wales May 30 to July 14,2019 - England loses to Sri Lanka by 20 Runs@ Hedingley ,Leeds ,uphill task against Australia, New Zealand and India Friday June 21,2019

Sri Lanka beat England by 20 Runs on Friday June 21,2019


England's earlier loss in the tournament had come against Pakistan, another team who had not been fancied to beat them, having lost 11straight ODI's  before that match

1999 The last time England beat Sri Lanka in a World Cup match, at Lord's. 
Since then their record against Sri Lanka has been 0-4
Until the 1999 World Cup, England had  won 6 out of the 7 meetings between the teams at the World Cup

1 Other England losses in ODIs while chasing targets of 275 or less since the 2015 World Cup. That solitary defeat came against Bangladesh, in Dhaka, when they were chasing 239 and were bowled out for 204.


 This was only their second loss in 24 such matches  since the 2015 CWC


0 Number of World Cup matches England have won against their next three opponents - Australia, New Zealand and India - in the last 27 years.

 Their last such win came against Australia at the SCG in the 1992 World Cup. 

Since then, they have played these teams on 10 occasions 

• lost 3 times against Australia, 
• lost 4 times against New Zealand, and 
• lost twice against India. 

One other match against India in the 2011 World Cup ended in a tie. 

Their last win against India in the World Cup was in 1992, and against New Zealand in 1983

Cricket World Cup(CWC) History - Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara's 4 successive centuries in 2015 CWC

 

When it comes to ODI records, Kumar Sangakkara holds a special position in the history books. The former Sri Lanka wicket-keeper batsman is the only cricketer in the history of the game to score four consecutive centuries as he achieved the impressive feat in the 2015 CWC

Virat Kohli on verge of breaking Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara’s World Record Saturday June 22,2019

India captain Virat Kohli has made it a habit of breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s batting records. Kohli snatches a Tendulkar record – whether big or small - and adds to his tally in almost every series.

The ICC World Cup 2019 has been no different. In India’s last World Cup match against Pakistan, Kohli got past Tendulkar to become the fastest to 11000 ODI runs. And in India’s next match against Afghanistan, Kohli not only has a chance to go past Tendulkar but he also has an opportunity to bag another world record.

Virat Kohli is only 104 runs away from reaching 20,000 international runs. If he gets it against Afghanistan, he will be the 12th batsman to this landmark and the 3rd Indian after Sachin Tendulkar (34,357 runs) and Rahul Dravid (24,208 runs).

Virat Kohli, who has 11020 runs in ODIs, 6613 in Tests and 2263 in T20Is, will become the fastest to the landmark.

The record for the fastest to 20,000 international runs, however, doesn’t belong to Tendulkar alone. He shares it with West Indian legend Brian Lara. Both Tendulkar and Lara had taken 453 innings to complete 20,000 international runs.

Kohli, on other hand, has played only 415 innings so far – 131 in Tests, 222 in ODIs and 62 in T20Is. He will once again beat both Tendulkar and Lara by a comprehensive margin.

The third on the list is former Australia World Cup winning captain Ricky Ponting, who had taken 468 innings to get to the feat.

Google Doodle celebrates Summer Solstice, longest day of 2019 Friday June 21,2019

Google on Friday celebrated the start of the summer and also the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere by dedicating a doodle. June 21 known as the Summer Solstice has the maximum numbers of daylight hours and the shortest night hours.

 Incidentally, when it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere, it is winter in the Southern Hemisphere, and vice versa.

The doodle depicts a night sky dotted with stars with the word Google written across it. The second 'O' of the word is replaced by the Earth which has a coconut tree and a beach bench on its crown. The Earth has been given a smiling face in the doodle.

This year the summer starts from Friday (June 21) and ends on Monday, (September 23).

During this period, days continue to lengthen from equinox to solstice and summer days progressively shorten after the solstice, so meteorological summer encompasses the build-up to the longest day and a diminishing thereafter.

The summer solstice marks the midpoint, not the beginning, of the seasons. Summer is associated with hot or warm weather. In the Mediterranean regions, it is also associated with dry weather, while in other places (particularly in Eastern Asia) it is associated with rainy weather.

'International Day of Yoga' - June 21

The word 'yoga' derives from Sanskrit, which means to join or unite, symbolising the union of body and consciousness

The idea of International Day of Yoga was first proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his speech at the UN General Assembly (UNGA), on September 27, 2014

Thereafter, a draft resolution on 'International Day of Yoga' was introduced by India's Ambassador to UN, Asoke Kumar Mukerji. 

The draft received support from 177 nations, the highest number of co-sponsors for any UNGA resolution. 

Thereafter, the United Nations proclaimed June 21 as the International Day of Yoga. 


The 1st International Day of Yoga

 On June 21, 2015, nearly 35,985 people, including PM Modi and dignitaries from 84 nations, performed 21 asanas (yoga postures) for 35 minutes in New Delhi.

World's oldest yoga teacher

 

 According to the Guinness World Records, the title of world's oldest yoga teacher was given to Ida Herbert in 2012, who remained an active yoga teacher till the age of 96 years.

 

2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt June 21 to July 19,2019

The 2019 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off on Friday June 21,2019 in Egypt

This is the 32nd edition of the biennial international Men's Football Tournament

The tournament was initially scheduled to be hosted by Cameroon,but it was stripped of hosting due to delays in the delivery of infrastructure

The tournament has also been moved from the original dates of 15 June – 13 July to 21 June – 19 July due to Ramadan

Tut, the official mascot of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations

FIRST ROUND

- The 24 qualifiers have been seeded according to the world rankings and divided into 6 groups of 4

Group A - Egypt;DR Congo;Uganda ;Zimbabwe
Group B - Nigeria;Guinea;Madagascar; Burundi
Group C - Senegal;Algeria;Kenya;Tanzania
Group D - Morocco;Ivory Coast;South Africa;Namibia
Group E - Tunisia;Mali;Mauritania;Angola
Group F -  Cameroon;Ghana;Benin;Guinea - Bissau

-- Each team plays the other three in its group once with three points awarded for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss
-- The winners and runners-up in each group and the best four third-place teams -- a total of 16 -- qualify for the second round
-- If teams finish level on points, the following tiebreakers will apply to decide placings:
1. Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams
2. Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams
3. Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams
If more than two teams are tied, and after applying all the head-to-head criteria, a subset of teams are still tied, all head-to-head criteria above are reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams
1. Goal difference in all group matches
2. Goals scored in all group matches
3. Drawing lots

KNOCKOUT ROUNDS
 
-- This phase consists of eight second round matches, quarter-finals, semi-finals, a third-place play-off and the final
-- Teams drawing after 90 minutes play 30 minutes extra-time and if they are still level, a penalty shootout will decide the winners
-- The VAR (video assistant referee) system will be used from the quarter-finals onwards
 

Cricket World Cup(CWC) History - 3 Bowlers who took wicket with his first delivery in CWC

1)Ian Harvey,Australia Vs Pakistan at the 2003 CWC

Australian all-rounder Ian Harvey was the first bowler to pick up a wicket with his first delivery in World Cup cricket.

Ian Harvey dismissed Saleem Elahi of Pakistan at the Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg in the 2003 edition. Elahi was caught by Brett Lee

Australia won the match comfortably by 82 runs and Harvey returned with figures of 4 for 58 on his World Cup debut.

The 2003 edition was unfortunately the only one in which an IHarvey took part, and he faded away from the international scene after playing 73 ODIs for Australia.

2)Malachi Jones,Bermuda Vs India at the 2007 CWC

The Bermudians did not have a long stay at the World Cup, with the 2007 edition being their only one. However, that didn't stop Malachi Jones from making a mark on the biggest stage

On 19th March 2007, in a group stage game against India at Port of Spain in Trinidad, Jones got Robin Uthappa edging one to Dwayne Leverock in the slip cordon. Leverock completed a superb diving catch, which is vividly remembered as part of World Cup history.

In the process, Jones got his name in the record books as being only the second bowler to pick up a wicket with his first World Cup delivery. It was one of the very few things to cheer about for the Bermudians in their 2007 World Cup campaign.

3)Vijay Shankar Vs Pakistan at the 2019 CWC

India struck gold when Virat Kohli was forced to bring in Vijay Shankar to complete Bhuvneshwar Kumar's over, who had left the field mid-way due to a hamstring injury. Shankar came into the attack, bowled the fifth ball of the third over and dismissed Imam-ul-Haq leg before the wicket.

It was a huge boost for India as they drew blood early in the innings and remain ahead in the game.
Shankar is the third bowler overall and the first Indian to achieve this feat. He is expected to play a bigger role in India's 2019 World Cup campaign going forward.

Cricket World Cup(CWC) History - Top 3 Best Bowling Figures

1)Glenn Mcgrath (7-15 against Namibia, 2003)

Glenn McGrath is one of the best fast bowlers to ever play the game. Since his debut in 1993, McGrath became a regular feature in the Australian Side and led the pace bowling attack for the Kangaroos for a decade.

McGrath with his impeccable line and length was one of the most difficult bowlers to negotiate. In the 31st match of the 2003 cricket World Cup, he grabbed a 7-wicket haul against Namibia and clinched a new record to his name.

He finished the match with figures of  7 - 4 - 15 - 7 and the opposition was all-out for merely 45 runs in 14 overs. This is the best figures by a bowler in the history of the World Cup

Glenn McGrath dismissed Jan-Berrie Burger, Morne Karg, Danie Keulder, Gavin Murgatroyd, Deon Kotze, Louis Burger and Bjorn Kotze on his way to surpassing former West Indies bowler Winston Davis’ previous best figures of 7/51, a record held since 1983

Glenn McGrath, post his retirement still holds the record for the best figures in World Cup history and is also the highest wicket-taker in the tournament, with 71 wickets from 39 matches

2)Andy Bichel (7-20 against England, 2003)

Andy Bichel made his debut for the Australia in the year 1997 against West indies and grabbed his first wicket in the third over of his first spell. However, he failed to cement his place in the Australian team. He made a comeback in the year 2002 and became a vital asset for the Kangaroos owing to of his all-round abilities.

It was in the 37th match of the 2003 edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup when he deceived the English batsmen with his pace and seam movement. The England innings collapsed from 66/0 to 87/5 in just eight overs.

Bichel finished with the figures of 7/20 in his 10 overs, restricting England to a below par score of 204. However, the English bowler bowled superbly and Aussies were reeling at 135/8 before Bichel stitched an unbeaten partnership of 73 runs for the 9th wicket, guiding his team to an impossible win

3)Tim Southee (7-33 against England, 2015)

Tim Southee made his debut for the Kiwis back in 2008 on the back of his phenomenal performances in the domestic circuit and since then, he has been a regular feature in the New Zealand side.

It was in the 2015 edition of the ICC World Cup when Southee blew away the star-studded England side with his ability to swing the ball at a lively pace that troubled the best of batsmen.

The Kiwi pacer finished with the figures of 7/33 in his 9 overs, restricting England to a score of merely 123 runs. His skillfull bowling ripped apart the renowned English batting unit comprising of Ian Bell, Joe Root and Eoin Morgan.

New Zealand managed to chase the target in just 74 balls and Southee was adjudged the player of the match for his outstanding performance. Tim Southee finished with 15 wickets from nine matches at the end of the tournament.

Cricket World Cup(CWC) History - Ireland is the only team to successfully chase down 300+ score thrice in the CWC

Ireland fairytale journey started in the year 2007 when they upset former champions Pakistan in a group stage match. The Irishmen reached the Super 8 stage but could not make it to the semifinals.

In 2011, Ireland made history by defeating England for the first time in cricket history. What was more special about this win was that Ireland chased a mammoth total of 327 to win the match. All-rounder Kevin O' Brien hit the fastest century in World Cup history to help Ireland win the match.

 

A few nights later, the Irishmen chased down another 300+ total when they took field against the Netherlands at Kolkata. Ryan ten Doeschate's hundred took the Dutch team to 306 in the first innings. Ireland reached 307/4 in just 47.4 overs thanks to a century from Paul Stirling's bat.

In 2015, Ireland successfully chased down another 300+ total as they upset two-time champions West Indies to win the match by 4 wickets. Paul Stirling was the hero once again. The batsman smashed 92 runs off just 84 balls to make Windies' total of 304 achievable

Cricket World Cup(CWC) History - Lowest Ever Team Total In A CWC

Canada registered the lowest ever team total in a World Cup match

The Canadian team reached newer lows in 2003 when all of their 11 batsmen (and extras) combined to put up a score of 36 on the board

None of the batsmen managed to reach double digits in this innings, with the team's opener DR Chumney and captain JV Harris emerging as the top scorers, aggregating 9 runs each.

The Sri Lankan bowlers showed no mercy on the minnows as Chaminda Vaas, Prabath Nissanka, Muttaih Muralitharan and Dilhara Fernando shattered the Canadian lineup in under 19 overs. Nissanka was the wrecker-in-chief of the innings, with figures of 7-1-12-4.

Sri Lanka chased down the total in just 4.4 overs as Marvan Atapattu played a whirlwind knock of 24*(14)

Nissanka won the player of the match award for his brilliant bowling performance.

Cricket World Cup(CWC) History - 3 players of Associate Nations who played in CWC will always be remembered

Kevin O' Brien

 

                      England v Ireland: Group B - 2011 ICC World Cup

 

 

The man who became the face of the Irish squad with his fiery century against England, Kevin O’ Brien has a special place in the hearts of cricket fans.

Kevin and his brother Niall have played a huge role in the upliftment of Irish cricket.

The former’s rise to stardom took place in the year 2011 when he played the innings of his life versus England.

All the fans in attendance at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium were lucky to be treated with a special knock from the bat of this Irish hero.

Though Ireland could not qualify for the quarterfinals of the 2011 World Cup, Kevin O’ Brien etched his names in the history books by scoring the fastest century in World Cup history.

His 63-ball 113 helped Ireland record a famous win over England

Dwayne Leverock

Bermuda made history by qualifying for the Cricket World Cup in 2007

As West Indies hosted the tournament, the Bermudans got good support from the fans at stadiums.

They were a part of Group B along with three Asian countries in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and India.

The debutants failed in their first World Cup match against Sri Lanka.

However, they entered the field with a positive attitude against India

While bowling first, they conceded 3 runs in the first over before a young 17-year-old fast bowler, Malachi Jones made his dream come true by sending Indian opener Robin Uthappa back to the pavilion, on his first ball he bowled in the World Cup

What was extraordinary about this wicket was the fielder who took the catch, Dwayne Leverock. The huge Bermudan pulled off the catch of the decade while fielding at the first slip versus India.

The entire Bermudan unit could not believe it as they celebrated the wicket as if they had won the match.

Leverock was a left-arm orthodox spin bowler who represented Bermuda in 11 ODIs. He had seized the headlines by picking the wickets of Paul Collingwood and Kevin Pietersen in the warm-up match versus England. But, this catch gave him the attention that every cricketer wants.

Sultan Zarawani

United Arab Emirates made their World Cup debut in the year 1996.

Their captain Sultan Zarawani was the team’s lone native Emirati, and he was renowned for his fearlessness.

Zarawani gave an example of his valor when he came out to face South Africa’s lightning quick bowler Allan Donald without wearing a helmet for protection.

He got hurt by a bouncer from Allan Donald during a group stage match versus South Africa.

The fast bowler thought he had slain Zarawani, but the batsman got up and continued to bat without a helmet. He was rushed to the hospital after the match.

The cricket fans of 90s will always remember Sultan Zarawani for his fearless attitude and also the fact he dismissed Sachin Tendulkar in the 1996 World Cup.

Cricket World Cup(CWC) History - 4 players who have played for two countries in the CWC's

In the 11 editions of the Cricket World Cup conducted so far, Australia have emerged as the most successful team with five World Cup wins to their name. India and West Indies have won the title on two occasions while Sri Lanka and Pakistan have one triumph.

 4 players who have played for two teams in the history of the Cricket World Cup(CWC)

1)Eoin Morgan (Ireland - 2007, England - 2011, 2015 and 2019)

 made his World Cup debut for Ireland in the year 2007 and played 9 Matches for them before he switched to England

 joined the Enlgand team in 2009 and his phenomenal batting skills earned him a place in the 2011 World Cup squad

became the captain of the team ahead of the 2015 ICC World Cup and 

is currently leading the English side in his second World Cup as the team captain

2)Ed Joyce (England - 2007, Ireland - 2011 and 2015)

made his World Cup debut for England in the year 2007. Joyce had a decent outing in his maiden World Cup as the Irishman recorded two half centuries.

decided to play for his native country, Ireland and represented Ireland in the 2011 and 2015 CWC's

played a key role in the rise of the Ireland cricket team as his 84-run knock against West Indies helped Ireland chase down a 300+ score in a 2015 World Cup group match

scored his first ever World Cup hundred in the same World Cup during Ireland's group fixture versus Zimbabwe.

will always be remembered as one of the greatest Irish players to have played international cricket.

 

3)Anderson Cummins (West Indies - 1992 and Canada - 2007)

The 'man of the match' from the 1992 World Cup match between India and West Indies, Anderson Cummins surprised everyone by returning to the ICC World Cup in the year 2007 as a member of the Canadian team.

Cummins made his World Cup debut for the West Indian side in the year 1992 and he was fairly successful in his maiden World Cup as he picked 12 wickets for West Indies.

The pacer then went on to represent Durham in 1993 and 1994 before making his World Cup debut for Canada at the age of 40. Canada played only three matches in the 2007 World Cup before being knocked out, which meant Cummins could not do much for his side.

He took two wickets in three games before his World Cup career ended with Canada.

4)Kepler Wessels (Australia - 1983 and South Africa - 1992)

had to make his World Cup debut for the Australian side as his native country was banned from playing international cricket

 played only three matches for the Australian side in the 1983 CWC

moved to the South African team as their ban was lifted and they qualified for the 1992 CWC

made his CWC debut for South Africa in a match against Australia.

His fine knocks in the tournament helped the Rainbow Nation reach the semifinals of the tournament before rain knocked them out of the World Cup. That match was Kepler Wessels' final World Cup match.

 

 

O.P.160/18 Kakshi: Amminippilla or Kakshi: Amminippilla - Malayalam Film

Cast - Asif Ali,Ahmed Sidhique,Basil Joseph,Ashwathy Manoharan
Directed by Dinjith Ayyathan
Produced by Riju Rajan
Music Composed by Jakesh Bejoy and
Cinematography by Bahul Ramesh
scheduled to be released on Friday June 21,2019

Storyline

The film is a court drama happening in the Kerala town of Thalassery and unveils a case from different layers with humor and emotions.

Pakkiri - Tamil Film

Cast - Barkhad Abdi,Dhanush,Erin Moriarty
Directed by Ken Scott
Produced by Brio Films,Impact Films,Little Red Car Films
Music Composed by Nicolas Errera
Cinematography by Vincent Mathias
scheduled to be released on Friday  June 21,2019

After getting appreciated in film festivals, Dhanush's Hollywood debut movie The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir is hitting the screens in India, the US and many other countries on Friday, 21 June. The Ken Scott-directorial film is a comedy-adventure film in which Dhanush plays the role of a trickster and magician.

Dhanush's film is the screen adaptation of French novel The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir Who Got Trapped in an Ikea Wardrobe. The story of the movie revolves around an Indian named Ajatashatru Lavash Patel and his adventures after setting off his journey to find his father.

Canadian filmmaker Ken Scott has directed the movie, which also has actors like Bernice Bejo, Gerard Jugnot, Erin Moriarty and Barkhad Abdi in the leads. The movie has hit the screens in France on 30 May.

The  Dhanush-starrer has already won the Ray of Sunshine Award at Norwegian International Film Festival and it bagged an award for best comedy in Barcelona Sant-Jordi International Film Festival.

Thumbaa - Tamil Film

Cast - Darshan, Dheena and newcomer Keerthi Pandian in the lead roles
Directed by Harush Ram
Produced by Surekha Nyapati
Music Composed by Anirudh Ravichander,Vivek Mervin and Santhosh Dhayanidhi
Cinematography by Naren Elan
sceduled to be released on Friday June 21,2019

Sindhubaadh - Tamil Film

Cast -Vijay Sethupathi,Anjali,Linga,Vivek Prasanna
Directed by  S U Arun Kumar
Produced by Vansan Movies and K Productions
Music Composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja
Cinematography by Vijay Karthik Kannan
scheduled to be released on Friday June 21,2019

Top former military officials accused of leading coup attempt in 2016 are each given 141 'aggravated' life sentences.

A key trial of 224 people accused of participating in Turkey's failed coup attempt three years ago came to a close with 17 top generals handed life sentences.

Those sentenced on Thursday included the former head of the Turkish air force, Akin Ozturk, who allegedly headed the "Peace at Home Council", which led the coup attempt on July 15, 2016. He was one of the 17 top former military officials who were given 141 "aggravated" life sentences.

Ozturk, who pleaded not guilty, had been at the Ankara Akinci Airbase during the time it was used as a command centre for the coup. The then Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar and other high-ranking military officers were kidnapped and held at the same base during the coup attempt.

Another top military official Gokhan Sahin Sonmezates also stood trial in the 17th High Criminal Court of Ankara after previously being convicted of leading a team tasked with the assassination of Turkish Presidentp Recep Tayyip Erdogan
 
Sonmezates - possibly the only general to admit involvement in the coup - was sentenced with 137 aggravated life imprisonment penalties

Since Turkey has abolished the death penalty, aggravated life imprisonment is the heaviest sentence delivered in the country

At Thursday's hearing, 176 people were sentenced to prison with varying terms of punishment, while 35 others have been freed pending trial and 13 people, including Fethullah Gulen, are still wanted

The official charges were violating the constitution, using coercion and violence in an attempt to overthrow parliament and the Turkish government, and killing 251 citizens

The coup attempt led to 251 deaths, many of them unarmed civilians, and injuries to about 2,200 people as tanks and warplanes were used by military personnel to overthrow Erdogan's government.

Turkey accuses exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen and his movement for orchestrating the failed coup. The Gulen movement is a hybrid of religion, business and education with millions of followers worldwide.

Since the deadly July 15 coup bid, Turkey has listed the movement as the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO)

Commencing in May 2017, the trial concluded on Thursday is the 254th of a total of 289 trials expected to be completed by the end of 2019 dealing with those involved in the coup attempt.
So far nearly 2,000 people, formerly serving in the military, have been sentenced to life imprisonment and up to 1,000 have been handed aggravated life imprisonment, with little chance of early release

Who is Fethullah Gulen?

Fethullah Gülen is an Islamic cleric with an influential force in the Muslim world, known as the Gülen movement. As Stahl reports, his disciples compare him to Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.

His supporters say he encourages tolerance and interfaith dialogue, and above all, he promotes education. His movement has founded numerous charter schools throughout the U.S., and are largely run by Turkish immigrants who are carrying out Gülen teachings

In sermons on the web, Gülen tells his followers, "Studying physics, mathematics, and chemistry is worshipping God." In turn, his supporters have built more than 1,000 schools around the world

But Gülen has never visited them, not even those a short drive away from his Poconos home.

Rather, he speaks to his followers online from his gated retreat.

But then a video surfaced in which he appeared to order his followers to secretly take over key government positions in Turkey

When he initially came to the U.S. in 1999, it was for medical treatment and for the past 19 years, Fethullah Gülen has been leading a reclusive life in the United States, on a 26-acre retreat in the Poconos

The Turkish government considers Gülen and his supporters terrorists

The Turkish Govt accused Gülen of treason, so he decided to stay in the Poconos – even after he was cleared in absentia in 2008.

United Kingdom's Court Of Appeal Declares British Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia For Use In Its War Against Yemen Unlawful Thursday June 20,2019

Campaigners hailed an "historic" ruling by the United Kingdom's Court Of Appeal declaring British arms sales to Saudi Arabia for use in its war against Yemen unlawful as a potential turning point in the conflict.

The decision in London on Thursday June 20,2019  follows a challenge by the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) that accused the UK government of licensing arms sales despite a clear risk their use could breach international humanitarian law

Since the Saudi-led coalition began its military intervention in Yemen in 2015, the UK has licensed at least 4.6 billion pounds ($6bn) worth of arms to Saudi forces. Weapons and military support from Britain to Saudi Arabia - that now accounts for 43& of UK's Arms Exports  - is crucial to the war effort

The UK's sales have significantly bolstered the Saudi air force's capability to carry out air attacks in Yemen. The final six Typhoon jet fighters of 72 ordered in 2007 were delivered in 2017. The following year, Riyadh signed a memorandum of intent to buy an additional 48 Typhoons

CAAT has been arguing for three years that the sales break UK laws, which block export licences if there is a clear risk of weapons being used in "serious violations" of international humanitarian law

The UK government must now change the way it assesses the risk of breaches of international humanitarian law before approving exports. Prime Minister Theresa May has already said the government will appeal against the ruling
 
The court's decision also does not mean that licences to export arms to Saudi Arabia must immediately be suspended, and it will not affect existing stocks of weapons held by the country or ground support and maintenance provided to the Saudi air force by BAE Systems personnel.

US Senate Votes 53-45 Rejecting President Donald Trump's plan to bypass Congress to complete $8bn in arms sales to Saudi Arabia Thursday June 20,2019

The US Senate on Thursday June 20,2019 delivered another strong rebuke of President Donald Trump's handling of the US relationship with Saudi Arabia, expressing disapproval the administration's move to bypass Congress to complete eight billion dollars in US weapons sales to the kingdom.

The 53-45 vote rejects Trump's claim that "emergency" circumstances require the US to provide Riyadh more precision-guided bombs because of "Iranian threats"

Senator Bob Menendez, a top Democrat leader on foreign affairs, and Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican and political ally of Trump, led the challenge to the Saudi arms sales

"These weapons won't counter Iranian threats. This is all about using them in Yemen," Menendez said in remarks to the Senate on Wednesday June 19,2019

Trump and his advisers used the emergency declaration to bypass a requirement in the Arms Export Control Act that Congress approve such arms sales amid growing opposition by politicians to providing US precision-guided weapons to Saudi Arabia

The planned sale also provides for co-production and manufacture of hi-tech bomb components in Saudi Arabia for the first time