In the News

WASHINGTON — One of the architects of unprecedented new legislation that would restrict U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia believes the Obama administration has repeatedly deflected questions about its ongoing support for Saudi actions in Yemen.

A bipartisan group of House members said Thursday that an offer by intelligence officials to brief a select group in Congress on an alleged surveillance program involving Yahoo Mail was not good enough, and called for details of the program to be made available to all members.

The letter, addressed to Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, called for a briefing on alleged surveillance of Yahoo Mail users. Law enforcement officials sent a letter to lawmakers this month stating they would provide the information to just two committees.

Federal lawmakers are becoming skeptical of the DEA’s marijuana eradication program.

The Foreign Secretary said other countries would step in 'at a stroke' it the UK decided to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia in the wake of allegations they had been used in war crimes

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said other countries would "happily supply arms" to Saudi Arabia if Britain were to succumb to pressure to stop doing so.

The government has been heavily criticised in recent months over constant reports that British made weapons are being used in alleged war crimes in Yemen conducted by the Saudi-led coalition that has intervened in the conflict.

Congressman Ted Lieu featured in Al Jazeera's coverage on the encryption debate. Click the following link for the full video https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/faultlines/

Lawmakers representing the Southland are joining the chorus of politicians calling on the Pentagon and the California National Guard to stop demanding repayment of enlistment bonuses that were granted incorrectly to service members.

Some legislators have also called for a House of Representatives probe into the matter and for a legislative fix to be passed.

A decade ago, the Pentagon wrongly awarded substantial bonuses to thousands of people to induce them to enlist in the National Guard. Now, the department has realized its mistake and wants the money repaid.

But that demand is unfair to the soldiers who served in good faith. It should be dropped.

WASHINGTON:

The Pentagon declined to say on Monday whether the USS Mason destroyer was targeted by multiple inbound missiles fired from Yemen on Saturday, as initially thought, saying a review was under way to determine what happened.

Any determination that the USS Mason guided-missile destroyer was targeted on Saturday could have military repercussions, since the United States has threatened to retaliate again should its ships come under fire from territory in Yemen controlled by Iran-aligned Houthi fighters.