UK set for new PM as Theresa may to quit

United Kingdom’s (Britain) Theresa May announced her resignation as prime minister on Friday morning, drawing her turbulent three-year premiership to an abrupt end. She will step down as Conservative Party leader on June 7. In an emotional speech outside 10 Downing Street, May said she had “done everything” she could to convince members of Parliament to back the Brexit withdrawal agreement she had negotiated with the European Union. “I believe it was right to persevere even when the odds against success seemed high, but it is now clear to me that it is in the best interests of the country for a new prime minister to lead that effort,” May said at a hastily arranged press conference.“I will shortly leave the job that it has been the honor of my life to hold. The second female prime minister but certainly not the last.”“I do so with no ill will but with enormous and enduring gratitude to have had the opportunity to serve the country I love,” May said, her voice shaking. Sterling briefly rose 0.5% to climb above $1.27 shortly after May’s statement, before paring gains as investors digested the news. But, she says it was with “deep regret” that she had ultimately failed to reach a consensus among lawmakers.

Hope I get to work with Leonardo DiCaprio again: Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio both are comes to share silver screen again. It may mean fans will get to see the duo on screen together a lot more in the future.The 55-year-old actor opened up about working with his Once Upon a Time in Hollywood costar, 44, during a press conference for their film at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday.“I had a great laugh with him,” Pitt told reporters via The Playlist. “It’s that thing knowing you have the best of the best on the opposite side of the table holding up the scene with you. There is a great relief in that.”He added, “We have the same reference points. We have been going through this at the same time. Similar experiences to laugh about it. I hope we do it again, it was great fun.”Pitt and DiCaprio have taken Cannes by storm since their Quentin Tarantino film premiered on Tuesday. DiCaprio said there was “incredible ease and comfort getting to work alongside Brad.” Incredibly easy working with Brad and I think we forged a great cinematic bond in a film about our industry together, he said.

ISRO successfully launches earth observation satellite RISAT-2B

The ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) Wednesday successfully launched earth observation satellite RISAT-2B that would enhance the country’s surveillance capabilities. The radar imaging satellite is equipped with a synthetic aperture radar that can capture images even under cloudy conditions during night time, according to officials. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman K Sivan had earlier described the mission as a “very, very important” one for the country.“This is a very, very important mission for India. It is an excellent satellite with hi-fi earth observation (capabilities),” he had said.With a mission life of five years, the satellite would also be used for military surveillance, ISRO sources told PTI. It would replace the RISAT-2 that has been in use since 2009 to monitor activities in camps in Pakistan and thwart infiltration bids by terrorists from across the border. The Polar satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C46) was used in the pre-dawn launch at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre to carry the 615-kg indigenously developed satellite. It was the 14th flight of the PSLV in its core-alone configuration sans the use of the solid strap-on motors. It was also the 72nd launch vehicle mission from Sriharikota and also marked the 36th launch from the first launch pad.The RISAT-2B (Radar Imaging Satellite-2B), meant for application in fields such as surveillance, agriculture, forestry and disaster management support, was released into the orbit around 15 minutes after the lift-off. ISRO had launched RISAT-1, a microwave remote sensing satellite, on April 26, 2012 from Sriharikota. Wednesday’s launch of the PSLV also marked the third launch in 2019. The other two were the PSLV-C45/EMISAT mission, which successfully injected the EMISAT and 29 international customer satellites into their orbits on April 1, and the PSLV-C44, which successfully placed the Microsat-R and the Kalamsat-V2 satellites in designated orbits on January 24.

Saudis say they will defend themselves, as Trump warns Iran

“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not want war in the region and does not strive for that… but at the same time, if the other side chooses war, the kingdom will fight this with all force and determination and it will defend itself, its citizens and its interests,” al-Jubeir told reporters.Saudi Arabia does not want war but will not hesitate to defend itself against Iran, a top Saudi diplomat said Sunday after the kingdom’s energy sector was targeted this past week amid heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf. US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, warned Iran that it will face destruction if it seeks a fight, while Iranian officials said their country isn’t looking for war. Trump spoke after a rocket hit near the US Embassy in Baghdad. Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs, spoke a week after four oil tankers— two of them Saudi — were targeted in an alleged act of sabotage off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and days after Iran-allied Yemeni rebels claimed a drone attack on a Saudi oil pipeline.On Sunday night, the US military command that oversees the Mideast confirmed an explosion outside the US Embassy compound in Baghdad and said there were no US or coalition casualties. A State Department spokesman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that “a low-grade rocket did land within the International Zone near the US Embassy.” The spokesman said that “attacks on US personnel and facilities will not be tolerated and will be responded to in a decisive manner” and added that the US will hold “Iran responsible if any such attacks are conducted by its proxy militia forces or elements of such forces.” Earlier, after initial reports of the attack, Trump tweeted a warning to Iranian leaders: “If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!” Trump tweeted.