Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook has sued President Donald Trump over his attempt to fire her, marking the first such legal challenge in the Fed’s history. Later on Thursday, Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte said he had filed a second criminal referral against Cook. Trump accused Cook of mortgage fraud, alleging she misrepresented her residency on two 2021 loan applications. He also sparred with a reporter earlier when asked about ‘weaponization’ by his administration.

Trump, Fed Governor in explosive legal showdown 

Russia accused the United States on Tuesday (May 21) of trying to deploy weapons in space, marking the latest escalation in their ongoing dispute. This accusation came a day after Washington blocked a Russian non-proliferation proposal at the United Nations.

The UN Security Council dismissed a Russian proposal aimed at addressing military activities in space, amid skepticism from other countries about Moscow's intentions following its veto of an American resolution in April concerning nuclear proliferation in outer space.

"They have once again demonstrated that their true priorities in the area of outer space are aimed not at keeping space free from weapons of any kind, but at placing weapons in space and turning it into an arena for military confrontation," Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

In recent months, the two superpowers have repeatedly accused each other of attempting to militarise space.

Also watch | Russia Claims Control of Ukrainian Stronghold in Luhansk

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-claims-control-of-ukrainian-stronghold-in-luhansk-in-live-discussion-723888/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<h2>Clash over space weaponisation </h2>

<div class="flex flex-grow flex-col max-w-full">
<div class="min-h-[20px] text-message flex flex-col items-start whitespace-pre-wrap break-words [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-5 juice:w-full juice:items-end overflow-x-auto gap-2" data-message-author-role="assistant" data-message-id="28d6493a-cfb5-439a-917d-8c5be2affcc9" dir="auto">
<div class="flex w-full flex-col gap-1 juice:empty:hidden juice:first:pt-[3px]">
<div class="markdown prose w-full break-words dark:prose-invert dark">
In February, Washington expressed concern about Russia's development of "anti-satellite capability" following reports from US media that intelligence agencies had warned allies of Russia's potential to launch a nuclear weapon into orbit.

Moscow dismissed these accusations as "malicious" and "unfounded," asserting that it does not possess such systems.

Since then, Russia has made similar accusations against the United States.

The two countries submitted competing non-proliferation proposals at the United Nations as part of their ongoing dispute.

Last month, Russia vetoed the US initiative, while the United States, Britain, and France blocked Moscow's proposal in a vote on Monday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/russia-and-china-have-their-differences-but-putin-xi-are-not-talking-about-them-723027">Also read | Russia, China have their differences but Putin and Xi are not talking about them</a>

Russia claimed the US initiative focused solely on nuclear weapons and argued that Washington was not genuinely interested in a comprehensive ban on space weapons.

US envoy Robert Wood criticised Russia's proposal, which called on all countries to "take urgent measures to prevent for all time the placement of weapons in outer space," labeling it as a distraction and accusing Moscow of "diplomatic gaslighting."

On Tuesday, Zakharova stated that Russia "will continue to make an unwavering contribution to keeping outer space free of weapons of any kind and preventing it from becoming another sphere of tension and armed confrontation."

Despite a slew of Western sanctions and strained relations amid Russia's offensive in Ukraine, space remains a rare area of cooperation between the two nations.

Both countries continue to transport each other's crew members to and from the International Space Station (ISS), where their astronauts work together.
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="mt-1 flex gap-3 empty:hidden juice:-ml-3">
<div class="items-center justify-start rounded-xl p-1 z-10 -mt-1 bg-token-main-surface-primary md:absolute md:border md:border-token-border-light flex">
<div class="flex items-center">(With inputs from agencies)</div>
</div>
</div>

Russia accused the United States on Tuesday (May 21) of trying to deploy weapons in space, marking the latest escalation in their ongoing dispute. This accusation came a day after Washington blocked a Russian non-proliferation proposal at the United Nations.

Russia accused the United States on Tuesday (May 21) of trying to deploy weapons in space, marking the latest escalation in their ongoing dispute. This accusation came a day after Washington blocked a Russian non-proliferation proposal at the United Nations. The UN Security Council dismissed a Russian proposal aimed at addressing military activities in space, amid skepticism from other countries about Moscow's intentions following its veto of an American resolution in April concerning nuclear proliferation in outer space. "They have once again demonstrated that their true priorities in the area of outer space are aimed not at keeping space free from weapons of any kind, but at placing weapons in space and turning it into an arena for military confrontation," Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement. In recent months, the two superpowers have repeatedly accused each other of attempting to militarise space. Also watch | Russia Claims Control of Ukrainian Stronghold in Luhansk Clash over space weaponisation In February, Washington expressed concern about Russia's development of "anti-satellite capability" following reports from US media that intelligence agencies had warned allies of Russia's potential to launch a nuclear weapon into orbit. Moscow dismissed these accusations as "malicious" and "unfounded," asserting that it does not possess such systems. Since then, Russia has made similar accusations against the United States. The two countries submitted competing non-proliferation proposals at the United Nations as part of their ongoing dispute. Last month, Russia vetoed the US initiative, while the United States, Britain, and France blocked Moscow's proposal in a vote on Monday. Also read | Russia, China have their differences but Putin and Xi are not talking about them Russia claimed the US initiative focused solely on nuclear weapons and argued that Washington was not genuinely interested in a comprehensive ban on space weapons. US envoy Robert Wood criticised Russia's proposal, which called on all countries to "take urgent measures to prevent for all time the placement of weapons in outer space," labeling it as a distraction and accusing Moscow of "diplomatic gaslighting." On Tuesday, Zakharova stated that Russia "will continue to make an unwavering contribution to keeping outer space free of weapons of any kind and preventing it from becoming another sphere of tension and armed confrontation." Despite a slew of Western sanctions and strained relations amid Russia's offensive in Ukraine, space remains a rare area of cooperation between the two nations. Both countries continue to transport each other's crew members to and from the International Space Station (ISS), where their astronauts work together. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia accuses US of planning to place weapons in space

A divided House voted on Tuesday to launch a wide-ranging investigation into federal law enforcement and national security agencies. Watch this report to know more.

House Republicans form committee to investigate 'weaponisation' of government

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said on Wednesday customer data was being "weaponised with military efficiency" by companies to increase profit.

Cook, speaking at the International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners, said Apple supported a federal privacy law in the United States and also touted the iPhone maker's commitment to protect users' data and privacy.

Issues over how data is used and how consumers can protect their personal information are under the spotlight after big breaches of data privacy involving millions of internet and social media users in Europe and the United States.

Apple, which designs many of its products so that it cannot see users' data, has largely avoided the data privacy scandals that have enmeshed its rivals Google and Facebook this year.

"The desire to put profits over privacy is nothing new," Cook told a packed audience of privacy regulators, corporate executives and other participants.

He cited former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis who in a Harvard Law Review article in 1890 warned that gossip was no longer the resource of the idle and the vicious but had become a trade.

"Today that trade has exploded into a data industrial complex. Our own information, from the everyday to the deeply personal, is being weaponised against us with military efficiency," he said.

"These scraps of data ... each one harmless enough on its own ... are carefully assembled, synthesised, traded, and sold."

He said algorithms, a major tool for competitors, were turning harmless preferences into hardened convictions.

"If green is your favourite colour, you may find yourself reading a lot of articles — or watching a lot of videos — about the insidious threat from people who like orange," Cook said.

"We shouldn't sugarcoat the consequences. This is surveillance. And these stockpiles of personal data serve only to enrich the companies that collect them," he said.

Cook also warned about governments abusing users' data and their trust, a concern for many with elections coming up in several countries worldwide.

"Platforms and algorithms that promised to improve our lives can actually magnify our worst human tendencies," Cook said.

"Rogue actors and even governments have taken advantage of user trust to deepen divisions, incite violence, and even undermine our shared sense of what is true and what is false."

Cook said Apple fully backed a federal privacy law in the United States, something Europe has already introduced via its General Data Protection Regulation.

"Users should always know what data is being collected and what it is being collected for," he said. "This is the only way to empower users to decide what collection is legitimate and what isn’t. Anything less is a sham."

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Google CEO Sundar Pichai will share their views via video messages later in the day.

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said on Wednesday customer data was being "weaponised with military efficiency" by companies to increase profit. Cook, speaking at the International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners, said Apple supported a federal privacy law in the United States and also touted the iPhone maker's commitment to protect users' data and privacy.

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said on Wednesday customer data was being "weaponised with military efficiency" by companies to increase profit. Cook, speaking at the International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners, said Apple supported a federal privacy law in the United States and also touted the iPhone maker's commitment to protect users' data and privacy. Issues over how data is used and how consumers can protect their personal information are under the spotlight after big breaches of data privacy involving millions of internet and social media users in Europe and the United States. Apple, which designs many of its products so that it cannot see users' data, has largely avoided the data privacy scandals that have enmeshed its rivals Google and Facebook this year. "The desire to put profits over privacy is nothing new," Cook told a packed audience of privacy regulators, corporate executives and other participants. He cited former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis who in a Harvard Law Review article in 1890 warned that gossip was no longer the resource of the idle and the vicious but had become a trade. "Today that trade has exploded into a data industrial complex. Our own information, from the everyday to the deeply personal, is being weaponised against us with military efficiency," he said. "These scraps of data ... each one harmless enough on its own ... are carefully assembled, synthesised, traded, and sold." He said algorithms, a major tool for competitors, were turning harmless preferences into hardened convictions. "If green is your favourite colour, you may find yourself reading a lot of articles — or watching a lot of videos — about the insidious threat from people who like orange," Cook said. "We shouldn't sugarcoat the consequences. This is surveillance. And these stockpiles of personal data serve only to enrich the companies that collect them," he said. Cook also warned about governments abusing users' data and their trust, a concern for many with elections coming up in several countries worldwide. "Platforms and algorithms that promised to improve our lives can actually magnify our worst human tendencies," Cook said. "Rogue actors and even governments have taken advantage of user trust to deepen divisions, incite violence, and even undermine our shared sense of what is true and what is false." Cook said Apple fully backed a federal privacy law in the United States, something Europe has already introduced via its General Data Protection Regulation. "Users should always know what data is being collected and what it is being collected for," he said. "This is the only way to empower users to decide what collection is legitimate and what isn’t. Anything less is a sham." Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Google CEO Sundar Pichai will share their views via video messages later in the day.

Companies weaponising customer data to increase profit: Apple CEO Tim Cook

India has voiced opposition to the "weaponisation" of outer space, saying it should not become an area of conflict while calling for collective efforts to strengthen safety and security of the space-based assets.

Counsellor (Disarmament) in the Permanent Mission of India to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, Rachita Bhandari, told a session of the UN Disarmament Commission (UNDC) yesterday that deliberations will begin on the new agenda of outer space - the first in the last 18 years.

"India believes that outer space should be an ever-expanding frontier of cooperative endeavour rather than an area of conflict," Bhandari said.

She said India, as a space-faring nation with wide-ranging interests in outer space activities, remained opposed to the "weaponisation of outer space and support collective efforts to strengthen the safety and security of space-based assets".

The group of governmental experts on outer space, which will meet in Geneva in August later this year, has been mandated to make recommendations on the substantive elements of an international legally-binding instrument on the prevention of an arms race in outer space.

Bhandari pointed out that it was important that as the UNDC begins work on outer space, the work already being done on the issue in other fora is not duplicated.

"It is equally important to address the broad spectrum of space security in a comprehensive and coherent manner.

"While transparency and confidence-building measures are important in themselves, we believe that they cannot be a substitute for concluding substantive legal measures to ensure the prevention of an arms race in outer space, which should continue to be a priority for the international community," she said.

Bhandari said it was important that member states be given the incentive to protect their interests by investing in legally-binding multilateral instruments rather than by resorting to national measures or interim partial steps that do not fully address the concerns of all space actors.

India attaches much importance to the UNDC as the specialised deliberative leg of the disarmament machinery, she said.

"At a time of growing mistrust and rising international tensions as well as numerous challenges to both the disarmament agenda and the disarmament machinery, the role of the UNDC as a platform for dialogue and cooperation assumes even greater significance," she said.

She said the rift between those who believe that nuclear weapons can be made to vanish by fiat and those who believe that nuclear weapons must be asserted even more vigorously today has only grown wider.

"We need to bridge this divide through dialogue and a renewed commitment to multilateralism," she said.

Bhandari emphasised that India remained committed to global, non-discriminatory and verifiable nuclear disarmament and the complete elimination of nuclear weapons.

India has supported the proposal put forward by NAM for the Conference on Disarmament (CD) to commence negotiations on a comprehensive Nuclear Weapons Convention.

"Without prejudice to the priority we attach to nuclear disarmament, India has also supported the commencement of negotiations of an FMCT (Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty) in the CD on the basis of the agreed mandate.

"We have called for a meaningful dialogue amongst all States possessing nuclear weapons to build trust and confidence and for reducing the salience of nuclear weapons in security doctrines," she said.

"India believes that outer space should be an ever-expanding frontier of cooperative endeavour rather than an area of conflict," said Rachita Bhandari

India has voiced opposition to the "weaponisation" of outer space, saying it should not become an area of conflict while calling for collective efforts to strengthen safety and security of the space-based assets. Counsellor (Disarmament) in the Permanent Mission of India to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, Rachita Bhandari, told a session of the UN Disarmament Commission (UNDC) yesterday that deliberations will begin on the new agenda of outer space - the first in the last 18 years. "India believes that outer space should be an ever-expanding frontier of cooperative endeavour rather than an area of conflict," Bhandari said. She said India, as a space-faring nation with wide-ranging interests in outer space activities, remained opposed to the "weaponisation of outer space and support collective efforts to strengthen the safety and security of space-based assets". The group of governmental experts on outer space, which will meet in Geneva in August later this year, has been mandated to make recommendations on the substantive elements of an international legally-binding instrument on the prevention of an arms race in outer space. Bhandari pointed out that it was important that as the UNDC begins work on outer space, the work already being done on the issue in other fora is not duplicated. "It is equally important to address the broad spectrum of space security in a comprehensive and coherent manner. "While transparency and confidence-building measures are important in themselves, we believe that they cannot be a substitute for concluding substantive legal measures to ensure the prevention of an arms race in outer space, which should continue to be a priority for the international community," she said. Bhandari said it was important that member states be given the incentive to protect their interests by investing in legally-binding multilateral instruments rather than by resorting to national measures or interim partial steps that do not fully address the concerns of all space actors. India attaches much importance to the UNDC as the specialised deliberative leg of the disarmament machinery, she said. "At a time of growing mistrust and rising international tensions as well as numerous challenges to both the disarmament agenda and the disarmament machinery, the role of the UNDC as a platform for dialogue and cooperation assumes even greater significance," she said. She said the rift between those who believe that nuclear weapons can be made to vanish by fiat and those who believe that nuclear weapons must be asserted even more vigorously today has only grown wider. "We need to bridge this divide through dialogue and a renewed commitment to multilateralism," she said. Bhandari emphasised that India remained committed to global, non-discriminatory and verifiable nuclear disarmament and the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. India has supported the proposal put forward by NAM for the Conference on Disarmament (CD) to commence negotiations on a comprehensive Nuclear Weapons Convention. "Without prejudice to the priority we attach to nuclear disarmament, India has also supported the commencement of negotiations of an FMCT (Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty) in the CD on the basis of the agreed mandate. "We have called for a meaningful dialogue amongst all States possessing nuclear weapons to build trust and confidence and for reducing the salience of nuclear weapons in security doctrines," she said.

Opposed to 'weaponisation' of outer space: India to UN

weaponisation

Weaponisation, News on Weaponisation, stories on Weaponisation, articles on Weaponisation, Weaponisation stories at Wion, Weaponisation news, Weaponisation latest news