US tightens student visa rules after Boston Marathon bombings

The Department of Homeland Security, criticized for failing to check the student status of a Kazakh man charged in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing, has tightened procedures for admitting foreigners with student visas, a US official said on Friday.

The Department's Customs and Border Protection issued a memo ordering agents "effective immediately" to check all students against the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System database of international students and schools, according to an official who had seen the memo.

The department is under fire for not properly checking the student status of Azamat Tazhayakov, a friend of one of the bombing suspects, when he entered the country illegally on a student visa in January.

Tazhayakov, who had a student visa that was valid until August 30, 2013, was allowed into the United States on January 20, 2013, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Tazhayakov was one of three 19-year-old men charged this week with interfering with the investigation into last month's bombing by hiding a backpack and fireworks found in the dorm room of bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

The customs officer did not know that Tazhayakov, a classmate of Tsarnaev's, had been dismissed from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, for academic reasons on January 4, according to the department. A student visa is terminated when the student is dismissed from school or fails to enroll.

A U..official said the customs officer did not check the SEVIS database - which was updated when Tazhayakov was dismissed from the university - when Tazhayakov arrived in January. As a result, the officer allowed the Kazakh into the United States.

"DHS is reforming the student visa system to ensure that CBP is provided with real time updates on all relevant student visa information," the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement obtained on Friday.

The department was created after the September 11, 2001, hijacked airliner attacks in part to fix problems in the immigration system that allowed the hijackers to enter the United States on student visas and learn to fly airplanes.

Senator Charles Grassley, an Iowa Republican, sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on Thursday demanding answers to questions about the student visas of Tazhayakov and Dias Kadyrbayev, another Kazakh man who was charged with interfering with the bombing investigation.

Grassley asked if Kadyrbayev was also in violation of his student visa. He said he wanted to know what the government was doing to ensure that individuals with student visas were not violating the requirements of those visas.

Authorities accuse Tsarnaev and his older brother of detonating two bombs at the Boston Marathon on April 15, killing three people and wounding 264.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, was arrested on April 19 after a shootout with police in Watertown, Massachusetts, and charged with crimes that could bring the death penalty if he is convicted. His brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, was killed in the shootout.

Scottish home truths

Tearing apart a marriage of more than three centuries can never be as painless or inconsequential as Alex Salmond likes to suggest

At the heart of Alex Salmond’s strategy for breaking up the Union is to convince his fellow Scots that it will be a velvet divorce. He insists that an independent Scotland will be allowed to keep the Queen, the pound, its membership of the UN, Nato and the European Union – and, of course, the oil. All that will really change, he seems to be suggesting, is the colour of the flags – except that life will somehow be far better, and the nation prouder and more prosperous. What is there to be afraid of?

Credit, then, to George Osborne, for speaking some home truths. The Chancellor may not be every Scot’s cup of tea, but the message was far more important than the messenger. An independent Scotland would, he said, actually have to make choices, not least in terms of its currency. Adopting the euro would be an act of insanity. A new Scottish currency would be costly to operate and establish, and highly volatile. A currency union would either be unworkably fragile, or require Edinburgh to accept the limitations on statehood familiar from the eurozone, for example by being forced to get Westminster’s approval for its fiscal plans. Scotland could, of course, shadow the pound unilaterally, but then it would have no say in the most fundamental aspects of economic management.

The point made by Mr Osborne and Danny Alexander, his Scottish deputy, was simple, but must be drummed home again and again. Of course Scotland could stand alone. But it – and the United Kingdom as a whole – would be far worse off. Tearing apart a marriage of more than three centuries can never be as painless or inconsequential as Mr Salmond likes to suggest. The choice that Scotland faces in next year’s referendum is monumentally significant – and its consequences must be considered very carefully indeed.

Prince Charles 'needs two coronations after Scottish independence'

The Prince of Wales and his successors to the throne would need two coronations if Alex Salmond wins the Scottish independence referendum, according to a Church of Scotland report published today.

A separate ceremony would be required north of the Border to symbolise the monarch’s role as Queen or King of Scots, the Kirk document concluded.

The last monarch to be crowned in Scotland was Charles II in 1651 at Scone Palace, Perthshire. However, the Kirk’s plan would mean the ceremony being revived for Prince Charles, who is known as the Duke of Rothesay in Scotland.

Alex Salmond has promised that the monarch would remain head of state in an independent Scotland despite the opposition of many of his SNP backbenchers and other pro-separation parties.

He has argued that the Scottish and English crowns were united in 1603 by James VI of Scotland, who became King James I of England, more than a century before political union between the two countries in 1707.

The report, which will be voted on by the church’s General Assembly next month, made clear the Kirk is not coming out in favour of independence.

However, it argued the church has a duty to consider the ramifications of separation before next year’s referendum and urged Mr Salmond to publish a promised written constitution beforehand.

Rev Doug Gay, co-author of the report and Principal of Glasgow University’s Trinity College, said: “The historic central view of the Church is that any monarch is King or Queen of the Scottish people, not the nation of Scotland.

“They rule only with the consent of the people. The Church would be in support of a Scottish Coronation to reflect this important role and to celebrate a unique relationship.”

The report, written by three of the Kirk’s councils, argued a separate coronation would affirm the church’s commitment to the monarchy and remind the new King or Queen of their obligations to uphold Scottish religious life and traditions.

Any ceremony would feature the Stone of Scone, also known as the Stone of Destiny, a large block of red sandstone used for centuries in the coronation of Scottish monarchs. It was last used in 1953 for the Queen’s coronation.

Edward I took it to England in 1296 but it was returned to Scotland in 1996 and is housed at Edinburgh Castle, alongside the Honours of Scotland, Scotland’s “crown jewels”.

If a single common coronation was to remain, the report argued the current arrangements would need to be revised and reformed to reflect the changed constitutional settlement.

Mr Salmond has worked hard at striking up a good relationship with the Queen, but the SNP cannot produce any evidence that their members have replaced their long-standing policy that a referendum on the monarchy would be held after independence.

It was reported two years ago that the Queen had expressed concerns about the break-up of the UK during a meeting with David Cameron.

A Scottish Government spokesman said a White Paper being published this autumn would “set out the structure of the state and the starting point of an independent Scotland.”

“It will then be for the first Parliament of an independent Scotland to consider and agree, in consultation with civic society, a written constitution for the country,” he added.

UK 'a world power in irreversible decline' if Scotland separates

The United Kingdom could be viewed on the world stage as a “power in irreversible decline” if Scotland votes for independence next year, a report by senior MPs has warned today.

The Commons Foreign Affairs Committee concluded that even the Special Relationship with the US could be harmed if a separate Scotland makes good its threat to remove the Trident nuclear deterrent from its waters.

Countries hostile to the UK would also seek to exploit the damage to Britain’s reputation and “soft power”, the report said, for example by lobbying for the UK to no longer be permanent member of the UN Security Council.

The UK’s influence in the EU would also be eroded, the committee said, although the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) could limit the fallout from a ‘yes’ vote by starting to brief other countries now about the impact.

However, the study also warned Scots that independence would not mean them having more weight on the world stage, even going as far as calling the concept of a separate Scottish foreign policy a “misnomer”.

They would be forced to tailor their actions to suit the British as they would remain dependent on the rest of the UK (RUK) for their security and intelligence, the MPs said.

In a damning appraisal of the SNP’s preparations for separation, the report said Scottish ministers appeared to have no detailed plans to replace the UK’s network of foreign embassies or diplomats or MI5 and MI6.

Richard Ottaway, the committee’s chairman, said: “At the moment, there are some quite worrying gaps in the Scottish Government’s foreign policy vision and certain assumptions are being made which don’t seem to be based on concrete evidence.”

Despite the rest of the UK being viewed internationally as the “continuing state”, the MPs concluded that “some degree of reputational damage is inevitable”.

In particular, “RUK’s relationship with its key allies and traditional defence partners, including its privileged relationship with the US” would be scrutinised and reviewed.

The harm would be particularly significant if the remainder of the UK did not maintain the Trident nuclear deterrent, which experts have warned would be extremely difficult to move from Scotland.

Any deterioration in such relationships “could serve to fuel the views of some states that the RUK was a power in irreversible decline,” the MPs concluded.

This would be compounded by the FCO having to reduce its budget for foreign operations after Scots leave, the report said, and the UK losing some of its seats in the European Parliament.

The committee cited evidence that some countries lobbying to become permanent members of the UN Security Council, such as Brazil and India, may demand the UK is stripped of this privilege after Scottish independence.

The UK’s “authority and legitimacy” would also be questioned by hostile countries like Argentina, Iran and Venezuela, the report said, while allies would need reassurance.

However, the report said the Scots could be forced to keep nuclear weapons in their waters for a generation in return for British intelligence and support for their applications to join international organisations like Nato.

“It is difficult not to conclude that the notion of a truly independent Scottish foreign policy is in many ways a misnomer,” the MPs concluded.

They said they were “perplexed” the SNP had sought no legal advice on key issues and concluded a separate Scotland would have to start “anew” by applying for membership to all the relevant international organisations.

Nicola Sturgeon, the Deputy First Minister, dismissed the report’s criticisms, saying the document was written by politicians who oppose independence, but its logic is that the UK Government should start pre-referendum negotiations.

She seized on the recommendation that the FCO should start talks with foreign allies as evidence the UK Government should drop their opposition to pre-referendum negotiations with the SNP.

“Perhaps the committee’s encouragement that the UK’s international reputation will be harmed if it continues to take this attitude will be a lesson to the Prime Minister and the Chancellor,” she said.

Russia charges Nasa $70m per seat to fly astronauts into space

The US space agency is paying $424 million (£272m) more to Russia to get US astronauts into space and home again, and the agency's leader is blaming Congress for the extra expense.

Nasa announced its latest contract with the Russian Space Agency on Tuesday. The $424 million represents flights to and from the International Space Station aboard Russian Soyuz spacecraft, as well as training, for six astronauts in 2016 and the first half of 2017.

That's $70.6 million per seat - well above the previous price tag of about $65 million.

Russia currently provides the only means of getting people to and from the space station, and its ticket prices have soared with each new contract. The six seats included in the latest contract covers not only Americans but European, Canadian or Japanese astronauts under barter agreements between NASA and those countries.

Several US companies are working on rockets and spacecraft to launch Americans from US soil. But that's still a few years away. The ability to launch crews into orbit from the US ended with Nasa's shuttle program in 2011. Even before the shuttles retired, the U.S. had been relying on Russia to transport long-term residents to the space station.

Nasa Administrator Charles Bolden said if Congress had approved the space agency's request for more funding for its commercial space effort, the latest contract would have been unnecessary. He is urging full funding of the Obama administration's 2014 budget request of $821 million for the commercial crew program.

"Because the funding for the President's plan has been significantly reduced, we now won't be able to support American launches until 2017," Mr Bolden, a former shuttle commander, wrote in a Nasa blog.

It could take longer if Congress does not fully support the 2014 request, he said.

"Further delays in our Commercial Crew Program and its impact on our human spaceflight program are unacceptable," Mr Bolden said.

The U.S.-based Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, already is making cargo shipments to the space station. Its founder and chief designer, billionaire Elon Musk, has said his company could be ferrying astronauts aboard improved versions of its Dragon capsules by 2015.

U.S.-based Orbital Sciences Corp. completed a successful test launch 1½ weeks ago. It plans to start sending supplies to the space station this summer, but it has no interest in carrying passengers.

Three British soldiers killed by roadside bomb in Afghanistan

A roadside bomb has killed three British soldiers, injuring a further six, in Afghanistan's Helmand Province.

The soldiers were from The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Major Richard Morgan, said.

They died after their vehicle, a Mastiff tank once described by prime minister David Cameron as offering "the best-known protection" against bombs, was struck by an improvised explosive device in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province.

^{The three soldiers were riding in a Mastif armoured vehicle when they were struck by an improvised explosive device (Julian Simmonds)}

They received immediate medical attention and were evacuated by air to the Military Hospital at Camp Bastion but could not be saved.

"Their deaths come as a great loss to all those serving in Task Force Helmand. Our thoughts and prayers are extended to their family and friends at this difficult time," Maj Morgan said.

Next of kin have been informed.

Following the three deaths, Mr Cameron said the country had paid a "very high price" for the work it was doing in Afghanistan.

Speaking on ITV's Daybreak, Mr Cameron said: "It is important work because it's vital that country doesn't again become a haven for terrorists, terrorists that can threaten us here in the UK.

"But today our thoughts should be with the families and friends of those that have suffered."

The soldiers were in a vehicle searching for IEDs on a tarmac surface when the device exploded.

The blast came on the third day of what the Taliban has called its spring offensive, which it said would take aim at British, US and other foreign military bases and diplomatic areas.

The militant group's leadership vowed that "every possible tactic will be utilised in order to detain or inflict heavy casualties on the foreign transgressors."

The insurgents warned they would infiltrate enemy ranks to conduct "insider attacks" and target military and diplomatic sites with suicide bombers.

The fighting is a key test, as the international coalition is scheduled to hand over security responsibilities to Afghan forces next year.

A total of 444 British soldiers and 2,207 US troops have died since fighting began in the country back in 2001.

The Taliban and other insurgent groups make heavy use of roadside bombs. They are among the deadliest weapons in the Afghan war for civilians.

Far to the north, in Archi district in the province of Kunduz, a roadside bomb killed two people, including a local police commander who had been credited with reducing the number of insurgent attacks in his area, said Abdul Nazar, a local council member.

Commander Miran and his driver were killed and two other police officers wounded when the car they were driving toward Kunduz City was destroyed by a bomb hidden by the road, said Nazar.

Obama: Need All Facts on Syria Chemical Weapons

WHITE HOUSE — President Barack Obama said Tuesday he needs more facts about chemical weapons use in Syria before committing to stronger action against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

Obama told reporters at the White House that the United States would have to “rethink” its “range of options” if it can establish that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons against its people.

But the president said he would need more information before taking further steps.

“When I am making decisions about America’s national security and the potential for taking additional action in response to chemical weapon use, I have got to make sure I have got the facts,” he said.

The president said there is evidence that chemical weapons were used in Syria, But he added the United States does not know who used them, how, or when.

Last week, the White House told lawmakers it believes "with varying degrees of confidence" that the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has used a small quantity of sarin gas, a chemical weapon, in Syria’s civil war.

On Tuesday, the president again called the use of chemical weapons a “game changer,” and said he asked the Pentagon last year for additional options for dealing with it.

Boston bombing

When asked about the investigation into the bombings at the Boston Marathon two weeks ago, allegedly by two ethnic Chechen brothers, Obama said Russia has been “very cooperative.”

He spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone Monday about this and other issues.

“He is committed to working with me to make sure that those who report to us are cooperating fully, in not only this investigation but how do we work on counterterrorism issues generally,” Obama said.

The president said there is still some lingering suspicion between the U.S. and Russian intelligence agencies, dating back to the Cold War, but that relations are improving.

Guantanamo

Obama took a question about the status of the controversial military prison at the U.S. Navy facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where dozens of prisoners are on a hunger strike.

He pledged to try again to close the prison, which he promised during his first presidential campaign in 2008.

“I am going to go back at this.  I have asked my team to review everything that is currently being done in Guantanamo, everything that we can do administratively, and I am going to re-engage with Congress to try to make the case that this is not something that is in the best interests of the American people,” Obama said.

Obama contended that Guantanamo is not necessary to keep America safe, it hurts the nation’s standing in the world, it damages U.S. cooperation with allies on counterterrorism, and it provides terrorist groups with a recruitment tool.

Visit to Mexico

Finally, the president said he is looking forward to visiting Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto later this week.  He said that unlike many past meetings, this one will focus on economic issues.

“We have spent so much time on security issues between the United States and Mexico that sometimes I think we forget this is a massive trading partner, responsible for huge amounts of commerce and huge numbers of jobs on both sides of the border.  We want to see how we can deepen that, how we can improve that and maintain that economic dialogue over a long period of time,” he said.

Obama said the U.S. and Mexico have made “great strides” in improving their cooperation on cross-border security, but he acknowledged that the situation can be improved.

On his trip, the president will also meet with the leaders of Central American nations and the Dominican Republic in Costa Rica.