Politics News

Obama defends drone strikes but says no cure-all

2 hours 46 mins ago

President Barack Obama on Thursday defended America's controversial drone attacks as legal, effective and a necessary linchpin in an evolving U.S. counterterrorism policy. But he acknowledged the targeted strikes are no "cure-all" and said he is haunted by the civilians unintentionally killed. Full Story

Obama increases fed share of Sandy relief for NY

12 mins ago

President Barack Obama is providing more Hurricane Sandy disaster relief to New York, increasing the share of public assistance that the government will pay from 75 percent to 90 percent of the cost. Full Story

Obama's drone policy at a glance

12 mins ago

President Barack Obama defended the United States' use of drone attacks as an important part of the U.S. counterterrorism policy on Thursday but signed new presidential policy guidelines to spell out for Congress and the public the standards that the U.S. will use before carrying out drone attacks. Full Story

Senator: Assaults let military culture continue

18 mins ago

Charges that an Army sergeant secretly photographed and videotaped women at West Point are part of a military-wide pattern of sexual misconduct, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York said Thursday. Full Story

Obama lifts ban on Guantanamo transfers to Yemen

23 mins ago

President Barack Obama is lifting his self-imposed ban on transferring Guantanamo Bay detainees to Yemen, where a leadership upheaval has improved the country's security but not eliminated the terrorist organization trying to recruit jihadists. Full Story

Other Top Stories

Wyden: FracFocus a 'constructive' tool on drilling

26 mins ago

A website partially funded by the oil and gas industry could be a "constructive" tool for federal regulators as they consider requiring public disclosure of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing operations, Senate Energy Committee Chairman Ron Wyden said Thursday. Full Story

Tea party storm largely inside IRS _ so far

29 mins ago

Three days of congressional hearings about the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative political groups have lawmakers looking for ways to widen an investigation that has so far been largely contained within the tax collection agency. Full Story

House immigration group resolves dispute

34 mins ago

House members writing a bipartisan immigration bill said Thursday they had patched over a dispute that threatened their efforts, even as they and the rest of Congress prepared to return home for a weeklong recess where many could confront voters' questions on the issue. Full Story