China's 'One Belt, One Road' project causing anxiety: US

The US Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Scott also said China's 'One Belt, One Road' project has caused "anxiety" in the region.

There is no change in the US' policy towards Beijing on the South China Sea dispute and use of force and coercion by China in the region cannot be accepted at all, a top American Naval Commander said today.

Indicating concern over China bolstering its naval prowess, US Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Scott, here to explore ways to boost Indo-US naval ties, also said China's 'One Belt, One Road' project has caused "anxiety" in the region.

Swift said the US and India were boosting cooperation in the maritime domain and navies of the two nations will carry out a mega exercise in July with a major focus on anti- submarine warfare.

He held extensive talks with Navy Chief Sunil Lanba and Defence Secretary G Mohan Kumar during which a number of issues of common concern were discussed, besides preparation for the Malabar Naval exercise.

"I do not see any change (in our policy)," he told reporters when asked about reports that the Trump regime was relaxing its position on the South China Sea issue to garner China's support to ease tension in the Korean peninsula.

He said the South China Sea dispute must be resolved as per UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the US rejects use of coercion and force.

"The US has a view that in order to maintain the veracity of the UNCLOS, it is important to challenge the claims which are excessive and beyond the context of the UN Law and convention," Swift said.

The American Naval Commander also referred to India accepting ruling of a tribunal to resolve water dispute with Bangladesh despite the verdict going against it.

"India is a major power but still it accepted the verdict," he said, suggesting that China must accept decision on the South China Sea by the relevant international tribunal.

Asked about the tension in the Korean peninsula, he said the issue should be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue.

Referring to China launching its second aircraft carrier, Swift said the Chinese naval capability is going to grow. He added that the US and India were aiming to deepen naval cooperation.

Asked whether India and the US were considering joint patrol.

Asked whether Australia and Japan will be part of the Malabar exercise in the Bay of Bengal, he said planning for the exercise was going and suggested that no decision was taken yet. Japan had participated in the annual exercise last year.

He suggested that the annual exercise will be bigger this time and that air defence and anti-submarine warfare will form a large part of the exercise.

Before arriving here, Swift visited Australia and Indonesia.

Revealed- How world's biggest volcanoes are formed

A new study has solved the 168-year-old mystery of how the worlds biggest and most active volcanoes formed in Hawaii.

The findings led the Australian National University (ANU) by found that the volcanoes were formed along twin tracks due to a shift in the Pacific plates direction three million years ago.

The Pacific Plate is a tectonic plate that lies beneath the Pacific Ocean. At 103 million square kilometres, it is the largest tectonic plate on the Earth.

The scientists had known of the existence of the twin volcanic tracks since 1849, but the cause of them had remained a mystery until now, said lead researcher Tim Jones from Australian National University (ANU).

Jones, a PhD student from the ANU Research School of Earth Sciences (RSES) said, "The discovery helps to better reconstruct Earths history and understand part of the world that has captivated peoples imagination."

The analysis we did on past Pacific plate motions is the first to reveal that there was a substantial change in motion 3 million years ago.

Jones said, "It helps to explain the origin of Hawaii, Earths biggest volcanic hot-spot and one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world."

Twin volcanic tracks exist in other parts of the Pacific, including Samoa, and the new study published in the journal Nature found that these also emerged three million years ago.

Jones said this kind of volcanic activity was surprising because it occurred away from tectonic plate boundaries, where most volcanoes are found.

He said, "Heat from the Earths core causes hot columns of rock, called mantle plumes, to rise under tectonic plates and produce volcanic activity on the surface."

Jones said,"Mantle plumes have played a role in mass extinctions, the creation of diamonds and the breaking up of continents."

The twin volcanic tracks emerged because the mantle plume was out of alignment with the direction of the plate motion, said co-researcher Rhodri Davies from RSES.

Davies said,"Our hypothesis predicts that the plate and the plume will realign again at some stage in the future, and the two tracks will merge to form a single track once again."

"Plate shifts have been occurring constantly, but irregularly, throughout Earths history. Looking further back in time we find that double tracks are not unique to young Hawaiian volcanism - indeed, they coincide with other past changes in plate motion," said Davies.

Hawaii sits at the south-eastern limit of a chain of volcanoes and submerged sea-mounts which get progressively older towards the north west.

Sounding rocket that will capture 1500 images of the Sun launching today, announces NASA!

RAISE images are used to create a data product called a spectrogram, which separates light from the Sun into all its different wavelength components.

NASA is scheduled to launch a sounding rocket today, designed to capture 1500 images of the Sun within five minutes from a distance of 320 km above the Earth.

Called the Rapid Acquisition Imaging Spectrograph Experiment (RAISE) mission, the project will be thoroughly analyzing split-second changes occurring near the Sun's active regions – areas of intense, complex magnetic activity that can give rise to solar flares, which eject energy and solar material out into space.

At present, the Sun is being closely monitored by numerous other missions, including NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO). However, certain areas of the Sun demand especially high-cadence observations in order to understand the rapid changes occurring there.

"Dynamic processes happen on all timescales," said Don Hassler, principal investigator for the RAISE mission at the Southwest Research Institute in the US.

"With RAISE, we'll read out an image every two-tenths of a second, so we can study very fast processes and changes on the Sun. That's around five to 10 times faster than comparable instruments on other sounding rocket or satellite missions," said Hassler.

RAISE images are used to create a data product called a spectrogram, which separates light from the Sun into all its different wavelength components.

By looking at the intensity of light at each wavelength, scientists can assess how solar material and energy moves around the Sun, and how that movement evolves into massive solar eruptions.

"RAISE is pushing the limits of high-cadence observations, and doing so is challenging. But that's exactly what the NASA sounding rocket programme is for," Hassler said.

Sounding rockets have short-lived flights, with most of them having a life-span of 15-20 minutes, out of which, just five to six of those minutes are spent making observations from above the atmosphere, observations that can only be done in space.

These rockets also have a parabolic trajectory in the shape of a frown.

In RAISE's case, the extreme ultraviolet light the instruments observe can not penetrate Earth's atmosphere. After the flight, the payload parachutes to the ground, where it can be recovered for use again.

This will be the RAISE mission's third flight, and the scientists have continuously updated its technology.

For the upcoming flight, they have refurbished the detectors and updated the flight software, and the payload carries a new diffraction grating, which reflects light and separates it into its separate wavelengths.

The launch window for RAISE opens at 2:25 pm EDT (11:55 pm IST) in New Mexico. The precise timing of the launch depends on weather conditions, and coordinated timing with other space observatories such as NASA's SDO and IRIS.

European XFEL – World's biggest X-ray laser – generates first light!

First Laser Light at the European XFEL, recorded by an X-ray detector at the end of the tunnel.
The X-ray laser light of the European XFEL was generated from an electron beam from a superconducting linear accelerator, the key component of the X-ray laser.

Providing scientists with an atomic level ability to view new materials, drugs and chemical reactions, the world's biggest X-ray laser has successfully generated its first beam of light.

The 3.4-kilometre-long European XFEL, most of which is located in underground tunnels in Germany, is being considered as a new beginning for European research, according to scientists.

Boasting of a wavelength of 0.8 nanometre – about 500 times shorter than that of visible light, the laser had a repetition rate of one pulse per second at first lasing, which will later increase to 27,000 per second.

The achievable laser light wavelength corresponds to the size of an atom, meaning that the X-rays can be used to make pictures and films of the nanocosmos at atomic resolution – such as of biomolecules, from which better understanding of the basis of illnesses or the development of new therapies could be developed.

"This is an important moment that our partners and we have worked towards for many years. The European XFEL has generated its first X-ray laser light," said Robert Feidenhans'l, Managing Director of the European XFEL.

"The facility, to which many countries around the world contributed know-how and components, has passed its first big test with flying colours," said Feidenhans'l.

"We can now begin to direct the X-ray flashes with special mirrors through the last tunnel section into the experiment hall, and then step by step start the commissioning of the experiment stations," he added.

"The first laser light produced today with the most advanced and most powerful linear accelerator in the world marks the beginning a new era of research in Europe," said Helmut Dosch, from the German research centre DESY.

"The European XFEL will provide us with the most detailed images of the molecular structure of new materials and drugs and novel live recordings of biochemical reactions," said Dosch.

The facility will enable research into chemical processes and catalytic techniques, with the goal of improving their efficiency or making them more environmentally friendly; materials research; or the investigation of conditions similar to the interior of planets.

The X-ray laser light of the European XFEL was generated from an electron beam from a superconducting linear accelerator, the key component of the X-ray laser.

The German research centre DESY, the largest shareholder of the European XFEL, put the accelerator into operation at the end of April.

In a 2.1 km long accelerator tunnel, the electron pulses were strongly accelerated and prepared for the later generation of X-ray laser light.

At near-light speed and very high energies, the intense electron pulses entered a photon tunnel containing a 210 metre long stretch of X-ray generating devices.

The European XFEL is the largest and most powerful of the five X-ray lasers worldwide, with the ability to generate the short pulses of hard X-ray light.

With more than 27,000 light flashes per second instead of the previous maximum of 120 per second, an extremely high luminosity, and the parallel operation of several experiment stations, it will be possible for scientists investigate more limited samples and perform their experiments more quickly.

Texas concealed gun owner kills gunman before he could murder more people

A shooting spree was prevented in an Arlington, Texas, sports bar when a man carrying a concealed firearm shot a gunman witnesses say was acting “incoherently.”

According to the Arlington Voice, the manager of the Zona Caliente Sports Bar and Grill, 37-year-old Cesar Perez, was shot dead by James Jones, 48, of Grand Prairie. Witnesses say Jones was acting very oddly when he confronted Perez.

“When the suspect came in, he walked up to the bar and started yelling,” said police spokesperson Lt. Christopher Cook. “Customers said he was yelling incoherent and strange things.”

With no warning, Jones drew his gun and fatally shot Perez. Police cannot establish any connection Jones may have had with the restaurant manager.

It was then that an unidentified man police are calling the “Good Samaritan” told his wife to get down, and drew his own concealed firearm. The “Good Samaritan” then opened fire on Jones, and hitting him.

“After he was struck once, the suspect started shooting at the front door,” Cook said. “We know people were trying to escape, but we’re not sure if he was just trying to harm others.”

The “Good Samaritan” hit Jones several more times before Jones would go down and die from his wounds.

Police later discovered that Jones had an additional firearm, and two knives on his person.

“Had the Good Samaritan not intervened, there could have further loss of life,” Cook said.

The unidentified “Good Samaritan” is being hailed as a hero by Arlington police, and will face no charges as he broke no laws being both a concealed carry license holder, and firing his weapon in a “blue sign” business. These “blue signs” allow certain establishments that serve alcohol to allow patrons to carry firearms with them on the premises.

Ex-Fox News staffer says she was fired after following company policy on sexual harassment reporting

Former Fox News Radio correspondent Jessica Golloher filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against Fox News this week, claiming that the network fired her after she used their company hotline to report “sexist” harassment.

Golloher’s suit claims that she was fired 24 hours after reporting gender harassment — or as the suit put it, “marginalized and subject to discrimination based on her gender.”

“Putting aside the fact that very few employees were even aware that a hotline existed prior to its mention in recent press accounts, Jessica Golloher, Fox News Radio Network’s Middle East/North Africa correspondent, did summon the courage, on April 17, 2017, to email 21st Century Fox’s purported independent investigator and request an opportunity to speak with her regarding issues at Fox,” court documents obtained by The Wrap read.

“Within 24 hours of sending this email, and knowing that Ms. Golloher had previously made internal complaints about gender discrimination,” the documents continued, “Ms. Golloher was, without any prior warning, fired — effective August 2017. The decision to terminate Ms. Golloher can only be described as a blatant act of retaliation.”

The lawsuit also turned its sights to the shake-up that’s been occurring within the network’s organization since 2016.

“Simply put,” the suit continued, “any purported desire on the part of Fox to clean up its culture and actually encourage employees to come forward with complaints about discrimination in the workplace is nothing more than a move to salvage its reputation.”

The lawsuit stated that Gollaher was refused a lead reporter position at the 2014 Olympics because she was a female and also claimed that she was treated disrespectfully by male staffers because she was a woman.

Golloher alleged that after she filed the complaint with the company hotline, Fox terminated her employment citing “budgetary” reasons.

Golloher’s attorney, Douglas Wigdor, had this to say in a statement:

As we allege in the complaint, terminating an employee within 24 hours of utilizing the “hotline” that Fox has touted as a defense to the O’Reilly sexual harassment matters is yet another indication of its lack of oversight and retaliatory animus for those that are brave enough to report unlawful conduct. What is even more dumbfounding, however, is that Fox Radio’s Vice President and General Manager, who conducted the termination in question was, according to media reports, fired from his prior job at ABC, after ABC learned of his improper use of on-line material that included a sexually explicit photograph that was turned over to the FBI.

A 21st Century Fox representative told Deadline on Wednesday that Gollaher’s case is “without merit,” and that the former employee’s claims of “discrimination or retaliation” are “baseless.”

“We will vigorously defend the matter,” the Fox representative maintained.

Dad says Delta threatened jail if his son, 2, wasn’t removed from paid-for seat on overbooked flight

On video you can hear what sounds like a woman’s voice speaking to Brian Schear as he sits on a Delta Airlines flight readying for takeoff from Hawaii to Los Angeles last week.

The individual speaking to Schear — who can’t be seen on the clip — says he’ll face “a federal offense, and you and your wife will be in jail.” The person adds something about Schear’s “kids,” but the rest of what was said isn’t audible.

But here’s what Schear told KABC-TV  an airline staffer said to him: “You have to give up the seat, or you’re going to jail, your wife is going to jail, and they’ll take your kids from you.”

And who was occupying the seat in question? Schear’s 2-year-old son.

See, Delta wanted the boy out of the seat and in the lap of his mom or dad during the overbooked, red-eye flight, KABC said.

Brittany Schear told the station hearing a jail threat “put fear in me.”

Her husband argued that their son needed the seat so he could sleep in a car seat — and besides, cash was already doled out for that purpose.

“You’re saying you’re gonna give that away to someone else when I paid for that seat?” Brian Schear is heard asking on the video. “That’s not right.”

One airline employee argues back to Brian Schear, KABC reported, “With him being 2, he cannot sit in the car seat. He has to sit in your arms the whole time.”

But Delta’s website says, “We want you and your children to have the safest, most comfortable flight possible. For kids under the age of two, we recommend you purchase a seat on the aircraft and use an approved child safety seat.”

An airline staffer also told Brian Schear that the seat his 2-year-old was sitting in was originally designated for a different passenger, KABC noted — but Dad tried explaining that the original passenger was his 18-year-old son who he sent home on an earlier flight expressly so his 2-year-old son could use it and sleep.

He even pointed out that there was no problem with his 2-year-old occupying a seat on the Delta flight to Hawaii.

“You need to do what’s right,” Brian Schear is heard telling an airline employee. “I bought the seat, and you need to just leave us alone.”

He finally agreed to hold his son on his lap for the flight, KABC said, but by then Delta said he and his family, from Huntington Beach, California, had to leave the flight. It was about midnight, KABC reported, and the Schears had no place to stay.

The response from the official standing in the aisle talking to the beleaguered dad?: “At this point, you’re on your own.”

“You guys are unbelievable,” Brian Schear is heard saying before exiting the plane. “Great customer service. Awesome. Great job.”

So the Schears — who also had their 1-year-old in tow — were forced to leave the flight, scramble for hotel accommodations and shell out $2,000 to fly back to Los Angeles the next day on United Airlines, the station reported.

After the Schears posted video of their encounter with Delta on Facebook and YouTube, the couple told KABC that the airline contacted them Wednesday for more information. Delta’s two-sentence statement to the station reads: “We’re sorry for what this family experienced. Our team has reached out and will be talking with them to better understand what happened and come to a resolution.”

TheBlaze on Thursday asked a Delta corporate communications representative if an airline employee, in fact, threatened the Schears with jail, but the Delta official couldn’t answer and said the question would be passed along for a response.

The airline industry has been hammered of late for its treatment of passengers. The Delta incident involving the Schear family comes in the wake of a Delta airline pilot allegedly striking a female who was fighting someone else. An American Airlines employee was removed from duty after being caught on video challenging a passenger to a fight. And, of course, the United Airlines passenger who was dragged off a flight is likely still fresh in most people’s minds.