Most of the 100,000 Internal Revenue Service employees will be forced to take Friday off as a result of the sequester.

Several experts said President Obama?s counterterrorism speech signaled the administration intends to reduce drone strikes.

By Khalid Khattak and Janet Hook Congressional Republicans reacted strongly and negatively Thursday to President Barack Obama?s proposals to close down the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, criticizing the possible move as ?ill-conceived.? They also panned his proposal to eventually repeal the post-9/11 law sending the U.S. military into action. In response to Mr. Obama?s counterterrorism speech at the National Defense University, Rep. Ed Royce (R., Calif.), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said closing Guantanamo would threaten the security of U.S. citizens at home and abroad...

The leading candidate for the U.S. location for military commissions is the Naval Brig at Charleston, S.C., according to a senior administration official.

President Obama?s big speech on counterterrorism policy was interrupted by Medea Benjamin,co-founder of Code Pink,

Yemen officials cheered President Barack Obama?s decision to resume the transfers of detainees held at Guantanamo Bay.

A feud between Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) and the Senate?s tea-party faction over budget strategy erupted on the Senate floor.

Former national security adviser Brent Scowcroft said the top U.S. priority in Syria should be to work with Russia to arrange a cease-fire rather than to arm Syrian rebels or establish a no-fly zone in the country.

Lawyers for the company that challenged President Obama's recess appointments to the NLRB filed a response with the high court and also asked it to hear the case.

President Barack Obama is reasserting his case that closing Guantanamo is crucial to U.S. counterterrorism goals, and is making a defense of the controversial drone program, in a speech at the National Defense University. Here is the text of his speech, as prepared for delivery.