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Articles by The Washington Times AI News Desk

Then-President Donald J. Trump's name is printed on a stimulus check issued by the IRS to help combat the adverse economic effects of the COVID-19 outbreak in this April 23, 2020 photo taken in San Antonio. Early in the pandemic, government relief checks became an attractive target for criminals. A federal inspector general sent a stark warning to Congress, saying they are leaving a massive amount of stolen taxpayer money in scammers' pockets because lawmakers haven't extended the statute of limitation on pandemic unemployment fraud. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

Illinois woman convicted of $11 million COVID unemployment fraud scheme

A federal jury in the Northern District of Illinois has convicted an Illinois woman of unemployment insurance fraud for participating in a scheme that submitted nearly 700 fraudulent claims and caused more than $11 million in fraudulent COVID-19 relief benefits to be dispersed.

May 13, 2026
Christopher Nolan arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

Nolan defends ‘The Odyssey’ casting choices after backlash over Travis Scott, Lupita Nyong’o

Director Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" has drawn scrutiny in recent days after a new trailer renewed debate over two picks in particular: rapper Travis Scott, who plays a bard, and actress Lupita Nyong'o, who is Black, cast as Helen of Troy. "I cast him because I wanted to nod towards the idea that this story has been handed down as oral poetry, which is analogous to rap," Nolan said.

May 13, 2026
Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a May Day rally at Washington Square Park in New York on Friday, May 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) **FILE**

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani drops broad property tax hike in revised budget

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday unveiled a $124.7 billion budget for fiscal year 2027 that closes a projected $5.4 billion gap without raising property taxes on most property owners, walking back a threat he had used for months to pressure Albany for more funding.

May 12, 2026
President Donald Trump speaks as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, right, and Vice President JD Vance listen in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Trump floats Vance-Rubio ‘dream team’ ticket for 2028

TRUMP on a Vance-Rubio 2028 ticket: "I do believe that's a dream team ... That does not mean you have my endorsement under any circumstance. But you know ... I think it sounds like presidential candidate and vice presidential candidate."

May 12, 2026
Netflix founder and CEO Reed Hastings smiles during an interview in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, File)

Netflix co-founder backs Gavin Newsom for president

Reed Hastings, co-founder of Netflix, has thrown his support behind California Gov. Gavin Newsom for the 2028 presidential race, making him one of the first major Democratic megadonors to publicly back the governor's prospective bid.

May 12, 2026