The Washington Times AI News Desk

‘A moment of authoritarian triumph’: How Trump outlasted Colbert on late night

The "Late Show" airs its final episode Thursday, canceled amid a $16 million Trump settlement and a pending merger needing White House approval. Colbert called it a "big fat bribe." Experts say the politics were impossible to ignore.

May 20, 2026

Hot dog eating champion Joey Chestnut pleads guilty to battery, gets probation

Joey Chestnut, the 17-time winner of the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge and been sentenced to probation following a bar altercation in Indiana earlier this year.

May 20, 2026

Hayden Panettiere says Oscar winner exposed himself to her at 19 in new memoir

Actress Hayden Panettiere is alleging that a "well-respected" Oscar-winning actor and director exposed himself to her at a private party when she was 19 years old, but stopped short of saying who it was.

May 20, 2026

‘Hacks’ actress Poppy Liu calls capitalism ‘greatest evil in the world’ at film premiere

Actress Poppy Liu calls capitalism "the greatest evil in the world."

May 20, 2026

Virginia Gov. Spanberger vetoes cannabis retail bill, pushing legal sales into 2027 at earliest

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Tuesday vetoed legislation that would have launched the commonwealth's long-delayed adult-use cannabis retail market, dealing a blow to fellow Democrats who had spent months crafting a framework for legal sales five years after possession was legalized.

May 20, 2026

Gas prices on track for most expensive summer in years, GasBuddy warns

Americans heading to the pump this Memorial Day weekend will face the highest prices in years, with the national average forecast to hit $4.48 per gallon -- up $1.34 from the same holiday last year -- as the Strait of Hormuz closure continues to strangle global oil supplies.

May 20, 2026

Panda Express calls police on customer wearing MAGA hat, vlogger says

A conservative vlogger claims Panda Express staff called police on him after he wore a MAGA hat and gave a thumbs-up to a cook at the restaurant.

May 19, 2026

Kroger Homestyle Cheese Garlic Croutons recalled over salmonella risk in 17 states

Shoppers in 17 states who purchased Kroger Homestyle Cheese Garlic Croutons should check their pantries after Sugar Foods LLC issued a voluntary recall over potential salmonella contamination.

May 19, 2026

Kuwaiti jiu-jitsu champion refuses handshake with Israeli medalist at Abu Dhabi podium

Kuwaiti jiu-jitsu gold medalist refuses to shake hands with Israeli bronze medalist: "We do not play with these types. We do not respect these types."

May 19, 2026

Chiefs’ Rashee Rice jailed after testing positive for marijuana, to miss OTAs and minicamp

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice has been ordered to serve 30 days in jail after testing positive for THC in violation of his probation tied to a multi-car crash in Dallas more than two years ago, according to Dallas County court documents.

May 19, 2026

5 questions about the mental health benefits of cleaning

From Zen monks to clinical psychologists, experts say that mundane household chores can offer unexpected mental and emotional rewards -- if you know how to approach them.

May 19, 2026

D.C.-area developer builds free app mapping 700+ happy hours across the DMV

A Washington-area resident who says they have lived in the District for more than a decade has turned longstanding frustration with the city's scattered happy hour scene into a free app that maps more than 700 drink and food deals across D.C., Maryland and Virginia.

May 19, 2026

Former Nashville plant managers plead guilty to illegal waste dumping, monitoring fraud

A former plant manager and a supervisor at a Nashville industrial waste facility pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiring to bypass waste pretreatment systems and tamper with monitoring equipment, the Justice Department announced.

May 19, 2026

Actor Sebastian Stan uses Cannes platform to criticize Trump: ‘We’re in a really, really bad place’

"Avengers" Actor SEBASTIAN STAN on Trump: "It's just not a laughing matter, to be honest. It isn't. I think we're in a really, really bad place. I really do."

May 19, 2026

Ex-real estate professional sentenced to 55 months in prison for $2.25M fraud

A former real estate professional who drained a retirement investment fund to finance a luxury lifestyle -- including a custom pink Tesla and an 8.5-carat diamond ring -- was sentenced to 55 months in federal prison on 14 felony counts, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington.

May 19, 2026

Cate Blanchett: #MeToo movement ‘got killed very quickly’

Actress CATE BLANCHETT on the #MeToo movement: "It got killed very quickly, which I think is interesting ... If you don't identify a problem, you can't solve the problem. You shut that conversation down. You can't move on."

May 19, 2026

Andrej Karpathy leaves OpenAI to join Anthropic’s AI research team

Andrej Karpathy, a founding member of OpenAI and one of the most prominent researchers in artificial intelligence, announced Tuesday that he is joining rival AI lab Anthropic.

May 19, 2026

‘90 Day Fiance’ star Jenny Slatten diagnosed with ALS

Jenny Slatten, the 68-year-old fan favorite from TLC's "90 Day Fiance" franchise, has revealed she was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis last December -- one year after she first experienced symptoms.

May 19, 2026

Red Lobster’s longest-running location to shut doors Sunday after 56 years

Red Lobster's oldest continuously operating restaurant -- a Tallahassee, Florida, location that survived the seafood chain's 2024 bankruptcy -- will permanently close Sunday, ending a 56-year run.

May 19, 2026

Stephen King slams Trump over ‘not even a little bit’ Iran remark

STEPHEN KING: "Trump says he doesn't care 'even a little bit' if Americans suffer rising costs. Of course he doesn't ... Will you MAGA Trumpaholics never learn?"

May 19, 2026