Jailed Venezuela activist dispels rumors of health emergency

The wife of jailed opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez rushed to Caracas' military hospital late Wednesday seeking information on her husband after a report on social media said he had been taken there with a medical emergency - a scare that proved to be wrong. "Please, can you inform us if anyone brought Leopoldo here? Did he enter or not?" Lilian Tintori could be heard pleading tearfully through the metal bars at the hospital's entrance.

Comey defends choice on Clinton

FBI Director James Comey told Congress Wednesday that revealing the reopening of the Hillary Clinton email probe just before Election Day came down to a painful, complicated choice between "really bad" and "catastrophic" options. He said he'd felt "mildly nauseous" to think he might have tipped the election outcome but in hindsight would change nothing.

Blair County Tea Party hosting Freedom Fest

The Blair County Tea Party's annual Freedom Fest will be held May 12 at the Bavarian Hall, 112 S. 13th St. Freedom Fest was rescheduled due to President Donald Trump's Saturday rally in Harrisburg. All tickets sold for the original date will be valid for May 12. Ticket buyers should contact the seller if they cannot make the new date and want a refund.

Problems from Hurricane Sandy prompt Christie calls for private flood insurance

WASHINGTON -- Hurricane Sandy homeowners who thought they were protected by their federal flood insurance received unwelcome surprises after the storm, when claims were rejected, payments delayed and damages minimized. Now the flood insurance program is up for renewal, and Gov. Chris Christie said the government should turn it over to the private sector.

Senate votes to repeal Labor Department rule on state-run retirement plans

The U.S. Senate voted narrowly on Wednesday to repeal an exemption from strict federal protections that former President Barack Obama's Labor Department had given to state-sponsored retirement savings plans for lower-income workers. The exemption, championed by states such as California but opposed by the mutual fund industry, had freed the state-run plans from the strict compliance requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, or ERISA.

Coin to raise funds for Coast Guard museum considered

Following the inclusion of $5 million for the National Coast Guard Museum in the federal spending bill working its way through Congress, several of Connecticut's congressional delegates are reviving a bill to create a commemorative coin that would help to raise money for the museum. U.S. Sens. Chris Murphy, D-Conn, and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, on Wednesday reintroduced the United States Coast Guard Commemorative Coin Act, which would require the U.S. Treasury to create new $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins and half-dollar coins.

OnPolitics Today: Republicans are trying to decrease overtime pay

OnPolitics Today: Republicans are trying to decrease overtime pay If you're paid hourly, you'll want to read this. Check out this story on USATODAY.com: https://usat.ly/2p7uwsa Amazon has warehouses staffed all around the country allowing it to offer two-day delivery, including on Sunday in some markets.

Mother, Son in Mortal Danger After Deportation, US Sen. Warns

A mother and 5-year-old boy from Honduras who had been detained at a Berks County immigration detention facility were put on a flight Wednesday back to their native country, according to Sen. Bob Casey and an immigration attorney. The two were among 14 "longterm" families held at the controversial Berks County Residential Center outside Reading.

Baptist professor to lead Kentucky adoption overhaul

A Southern Baptist professor will lead an overhaul of the state's troubled adoption and foster care system under a $240,000 contract awarded to him by the state's Republican governor. Daniel S. Dumas will begin his new job as a special adviser to Gov. Matt Bevin on June 19. His contract calls for him to assess a state system that has more than 8,000 children in out-of-home care and yet consistently has not met federal standards on preventing abuse and neglect.

Arresting someone for laughing may sound funny, but it’s no joke

Interpretation of the news based on evidence, including data, as well as anticipating how events might unfold based on past events The Justice Department is prosecuting a woman who laughed during a Senate hearing to confirm Jeff Sessions as attorney general. I can sympathize with her somewhat absurd plight, because I was once tossed out of the press box in the Supreme Court for laughing at the wrong time.

Comey hearing: ‘A cloud of doubt hangs over the FBI’s objectivity’

FBI Director James Comey is hearing from senators Wednesday, the day after both the sitting US President and the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee sharply criticized him for his role in the outcome of last year's presidential election. "A cloud of doubt hangs over the FBI's objectivity," Senate judiciary committee Chairman Chuck Grassley said in his opening remarks, which listed a series of issues he took with the agency.

Q&A: Ralph Northam Aims For the Governor’s Mansion in Virginia

The Virginia Democratic gubernatorial primary race between Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam and Tom Perriello provides the biggest political test yet for the Democratic Party forces that have been mobilized by President Donald Trump's assault on American political norms. Northam is a 10-year veteran of Virginia politics, with deep ties to the state's political establishment.

Government-wide spending bill headed for a House vote

A government-wide spending bill that President Donald Trump seemed to criticize Tuesday morning but now calls "a clear win for the American people" is headed for a House vote. The House is scheduled to vote on the bipartisan $1.1 trillion measure Wednesday afternoon.

Full public FBI reveal is rare for Trump-Russia type probes

Don't expect FBI Director James Comey to reveal much about the bureau's months-long investigation of potential coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia when he speaks publicly before members of Congress on Wednesday. In fact, there's no guarantee Comey and his agency will ever fully lay bare those findings for the American public, because such investigations rarely end in criminal charges that offer a full picture.

Hillary Clinton cites FBI, Russia, WikiLeaks in election loss

Hillary Clinton's return to the national stage yesterday with a high-profile interview - declaring she is "now back to being an activist citizen and part of the resistance" - was welcomed by Democratic strategists eyeing ways to energize voters in the upcoming midterms and 2020 elections. But when it comes to Clinton repeatedly blaming Russians, FBI Director James Comey and WikiLeaks for her election loss, Democrats say she needs to change the broken record.