Soup for 3: Democratic hopefuls mingle with voters at church

Was it the black bean soup that drew them? If not, maybe the carrot ginger soup. Or was it the chance to mingle with not one, not two, but three Democratic presidential hopefuls in one spot?

The Story County Democratic Party's annual soup supper drew an estimated 300 activists to the Collegiate United Methodist Church on Saturday. And in the best tradition of early-voting Iowa — its caucuses remain the opening round of the presidential primary battle — voters and reporters flooded the downtown Ames church to surround White House wannabes Julian Castro, Kamala Harris and John Hickenlooper.

As local Democrats hunted for room at long tables, Kathy Byrnes of Des Moines held a tray of food and asked Harris, a U.S. senator from California, "How are you going to deal with the proliferation of pipelines?" At one point Harris stopped by the bustling kitchen to thank those preparing the food — and look longingly at the desserts.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris gets a hug from Kathie Whattoff, left, at the Story County Democrats' annual soup supper fundraiser, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Ames, Iowa. (AP PhotoCharlie Neibergall)

Not 10 feet away, Sarah Pearson of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, asked Castro, secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Obama administration, if he would support decriminalizing sex work. Nearby, Chelsea Chism-Vargas of Des Moines leaned in for a selfie with Hickenlooper and asked the former governor of Colorado his position on abortion rights.

With two dozen or more potential Democratic candidates forecast to seek the nomination — so far only 10 or so have taken at least a first step toward a bid — the yearlong political invasion of Iowa is just beginning.

Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, center, poses for a photo with a local resident at the Story County Democrats' annual soup supper fundraiser, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Ames, Iowa. (AP PhotoCharlie Neibergall)

Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, right, talks with former Housing and Urban Development Secretary and Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro at the Story County Democrats' annual soup supper fundraiser, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Ames, Iowa. (AP PhotoCharlie Neibergall)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris greets local residents at the Story County Democrats' annual soup supper fundraiser, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Ames, Iowa. (AP PhotoCharlie Neibergall)

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary and 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful Julian Castro talks with Lemuel Anderson, of Des Moines, Iowa, right, at the Story County Democrats' annual soup supper fundraiser, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Ames, Iowa. (AP PhotoCharlie Neibergall)

Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper waits to speak at the Story County Democrats' annual soup supper fundraiser, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Ames, Iowa. (AP PhotoCharlie Neibergall)

Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, left, stands with Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, right, during the Pledge of Allegiance at the Story County Democrats' annual soup supper fundraiser, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Ames, Iowa. (AP PhotoCharlie Neibergall)

Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, center, waits to speak at the Story County Democrats' annual soup supper fundraiser, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Ames, Iowa. (AP PhotoCharlie Neibergall)

Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, left, waits to speak at the Story County Democrats' annual soup supper fundraiser, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Ames, Iowa. (AP PhotoCharlie Neibergall)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris talks with former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, right, at the Story County Democrats' annual soup supper fundraiser, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Ames, Iowa. (AP PhotoCharlie Neibergall)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris speaks at the Story County Democrats' annual soup supper fundraiser, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Ames, Iowa. (AP PhotoCharlie Neibergall)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris speaks at the Story County Democrats' annual soup supper fundraiser, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Ames, Iowa. (AP PhotoCharlie Neibergall)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris waits to speak at the Story County Democrats' annual soup supper fundraiser, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Ames, Iowa. (AP PhotoCharlie Neibergall)

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary and 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful Julian Castro, center, speaks to local residents at the Story County Democrats' annual soup supper fundraiser, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Ames, Iowa. (AP PhotoCharlie Neibergall)

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary and 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful Julian Castro, center, waits to speak at the Story County Democrats' annual soup supper fundraiser, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Ames, Iowa. (AP PhotoCharlie Neibergall)

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Russia has circulated a U.N. resolution calling on all countries to take urgent action to prevent putting weapons in outer space “for all time” a week after it vetoed a U.S.-Japan resolution to stop an arms race in space.

The Russian draft resolution, obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, goes further than the U.S.-Japan proposal, not only calling for efforts to stop weapons from being deployed in outer space but for preventing “the threat or use of force in outer space,” also “for all time.”

It says this should include deploying weapons “from space against Earth, and from Earth against objects in outer space.”

Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the Security Council when he vetoed the U,S.-Japan draft that it didn’t go far enough in banning all types of weapons in space.

The vetoed resolution focused solely on weapons of mass destruction including nuclear arms, and made no mention of other weapons in space.

It would have called on all countries not to develop or deploy nuclear arms or other weapons of mass destruction in space, as banned under a 1967 international treaty that the U.S. and Russia ratified, and to agree to the need to verify compliance.

Before the U.S.-Japan resolution was put to a vote on April 24, Russia and China proposed an amendment that would call on all countries, especially those with space capabilities, “to prevent for all time the placement of weapons in outer space, and the threat of use of force in outer spaces.”

The vote was 7 countries in favor, 7 against, and one abstention and the amendment was defeated because it failed to get the minimum 9 “yes” votes in the 15-member Security Council required for adoption.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the council after the vote that Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow has no intention of deploying nuclear weapons in space.

“Today’s veto begs the question: Why? Why, if you are following the rules, would you not support a resolution that reaffirms them? What could you possibly be hiding,” she asked. “It’s baffling. And it’s a shame.”

Putin was responding to White House confirmation in February that Russia has obtained a “troubling” anti-satellite weapon capability, although such a weapon is not operational yet.

Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said after casting the veto that the U.S.-Japan resolution cherry picked weapons of mass destruction.

He said much of the U.S. and Japan’s actions become clear “if we recall that the U.S. and their allies announced some time ago plans to place weapons … in outer space.”

Nebenzia also accused the U.S. of blocking a Russian-Chinese proposal since 2008 for a treaty against putting weapons in outer space.

Thomas-Greenfield accused Russia of undermining global treaties to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, irresponsibly invoking “dangerous nuclear rhetoric,” walking away from several of its arms control obligations, and refusing to engage “in substantive discussions around arms control or risk reduction.”

Much of the Russian draft resolution is exactly the same as the U.S.-Japan draft, including the language on preventing an arms race in space.

It calls on all countries, especially those with major space capabilities, “to contribute actively to the objective of the peaceful use of outer space and of the prevention of an arms race in outer space.”

Thomas-Greenfield said the world is just beginning to understand “the catastrophic ramifications of a nuclear explosion in space.”

FILE - U.S. Ambassador to United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield speaks on Thursday, April 18, 2024, in Tokyo. The U.N. Security Council is set to vote Wednesday, April 24, 2024, on a resolution announced by Thomas-Greenfield, calling on all nations to prevent a dangerous nuclear arms race in outer space. It is likely to be vetoed by Russia. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, Pool, File)