Obama seeks to expand arms exports by trimming approval process

WASHINGTON — The United States is currently the world biggest weapons supplier — holding 30 per cent of the market — but the Obama administration has begun modifying export control regulations in hopes of enlarging the U.S. market share, according to U.S. officials. [Links] [Related]

Pentagon rethinking who can access secret information

WASHINGTON — A low-ranking Army soldier suspected of leaking thousands of classified documents had access to the documents because U.S. officials have pressed to make sure secret information is available to combat units. [Links] [Related]

Senate panel grills former Arlington cemetery officials

WASHINGTON — Two former top officials of Arlington National Cemetery faced hostile questioning on Capitol Hill Thursday about years of negligence that led to unmarked and mismarked graves and mishandled remains. [Links] [Related]

EPA's Jackson focuses on Pebble mine, rural Alaska during visit

The head of the federal Environmental Protection Agency is meeting this week with Alaska village residents on matters ranging from the controversial Pebble mine project to federal spending on rural sanitation projects and coastal village erosion. [Links] [Related]

What's next for housing finance, Fannie and Freddie?

WASHINGTON — With the overhaul of financial regulation in the bag, the Obama administration Tuesday said it'll focus next on housing finance — another key cause of the recent deep economic downturn — with an eye to deciding the fate of mortgage finance titans Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. [Links] [Related]