New York, May 21 (IANS/DPA) A UN resolution tabled by Russia against an arms race in space failed in the UN Security Council.

The draft resolution received seven votes in favour, seven countries, including the US, voted against it while Switzerland abstained.

The measure failed on Monday as it did not obtain the nine votes necessary to pass it in the powerful 15-nation council.

In view of a US resolution against nuclear weapons in space that failed last month due to Russia’s veto, US representative Robert Wood accused Moscow of manipulative tactics.

The debate at the United Nations follows US reports in February about Russia’s nuclear ambitions in space.

Several major US media outlets reported findings about Russia attempting to develop an anti-satellite nuclear weapon based in space, which could pose a threat to national and international security.

In response, the US government stated that Russia was developing military capabilities for use against satellites. However, no details were provided on the specific nature of this threat.

Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected the accusations, saying that Russia was against the deployment of nuclear weapons in space. Moscow labelled the US draft resolution in the UN Security Council as propaganda.

–IANS/DPA

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Tel Aviv, May 21 (IANS/DPA) The US military, on Tuesday, said that over 569 tons of humanitarian aid have been delivered to the Gaza Strip through a US-built temporary pier.

The temporary harbour is serving as a hub for the delivery of aid supplies to meet the urgent needs of the Palestinian people, as Gaza itself has no harbour deep enough for larger cargo vessels.

The first aid deliveries arrived in the embattled coastal territory on Friday.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a post on social media platform X early on Tuesday that the 569 tons of humanitarian assistance, which so far have reached Gaza through the pier, came from donors, including the US, the UK, the United Arab Emirates and the European Union.

“The pier is a temporary solution to surge humanitarian assistance to Gaza to meet the urgent needs of the Palestinian people,” the post continued.

Newspaper The Times of Israel reported that the quantity of aid corresponds to some 25 lorries loads of aid.

According to earlier Pentagon statements, around 90 lorry loads per day will initially reach the Gaza Strip via the floating pier, while up to 150 lorry loads are expected per day at a later stage.

A lack of basic supplies has led to a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip over seven months after the war between Israel and Hamas began.

The war started when fighters from Hamas and other militant groups from Gaza killed some 1,200 people in the unprecedented massacre of communities and army bases in southern Israel on October 7. They also injured and raped countless others and took more than 200 hostages back to Gaza.

Israel responded by sealing off the Palestinian territory and launching a massive aerial campaign to eliminate Hamas. At the end of October, Israeli ground troops were sent in, and much of the coastal strip has since been rendered uninhabitable.

Some 35,500 Palestinians are said to have been killed in the fighting so far, while thousands of others are threatened by famine.

–IANS/DPA

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New York, May 21 (IANS/DPA) The trial against former US President Donald Trump in New York in connection with hush money payments to an adult film star has seen a chaotic day in which the presiding judge cleared the jury and the press from the courtroom and admonished a witness.

Judge Juan Merchan became visibly angry during the questioning of defence witness Robert Costello because he appeared to question Merchan’s authority.

Costello, who Trump’s defence team brought to the stand to attack the credibility of key prosecution witness Michael Cohen, continued to answer several questions after Merchan had already accepted the prosecution’s objection on Monday.

The judge instructed Costello, a former federal prosecutor, that he was not allowed to continue answering after an objection was sustained. In the case of one objection, that was upheld, Costello then said “Jeesh” and rolled his eyes.

Merchan then ordered the jurors out of the courtroom and asked Trump’s witness, Costello, to maintain proper decorum in his courtroom.

When Costello continued to scowl at the judge, Merchan blurted out audibly angrily: “Are you staring me down?” He then had the courtroom cleared with the help of loud and cutting instructions from the court staff.

Court transcripts reveal that Merchan forbade comments on his decisions and threatened to have Costello removed from the stand if he did not change his behaviour.

Journalists and observers were allowed to re-enter the room after a few minutes, and the questioning continued.

Trump’s lawyers have said they do not plan to call any further witnesses after Costello. Closing arguments are expected on May 28.

The public prosecutor’s office in New York accuses Trump of wanting to improve his chances of success in the 2016 presidential election by paying $130,000 to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

The payment itself was not illegal. However, Trump is said to have manipulated documents when reimbursing the amount to lawyer Michael Cohen in order to conceal the true reason for the transaction, making the payments illegal campaign financing.

Trump, who is campaigning to win re-election in November as the Republican Party candidate, has pleaded not guilty to all the charges. If found guilty, he could face a prison sentence.

–IANS/DPA

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London, May 21 (IANS/DPA) A woman in her fifties has been mauled to death by her two registered XL bully dogs.

Armed police officers were among those who attended the woman’s home in Cornwall Close, Hornchurch, east London, at just after 1 pm (1200 GMT) on Monday.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, and the two registered dogs were safely seized, having been contained inside a room.

London Ambulance Service sent crews, an incident response officer and a helicopter to the house.

From February 1, it became a criminal offence to own the XL bully breed in England and Wales without an exemption certificate.

Anyone who owns one of the dogs must have had the animal neutered, have it microchipped and keep it muzzled and on a lead in public, among other restrictions.

The UK government’s move to ban XL bullies followed a series of attacks on people.

–IANS/DPA

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Tokyo, May 21 (IANS) A 6.0 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday struck near the Ogasawara Islands in the Pacific Ocean, south of Tokyo, with no tsunami warnings issued, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said.

The temblor occurred at around 9:39 a.m. local time at a depth of around 50 km, measuring 4 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 in Hahajima Island, said the weather agency.

There was no threat of a tsunami, it added, Xinhua news agency reported.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or major damage.

–IANS

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