The Washington Times AI News Desk

Evanston reparations program violates Constitution, DOJ says in lawsuit intervention

The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division moved to intervene in a lawsuit challenging Evanston, Illinois's reparations program, alleging the city's practice of distributing cash payments and housing assistance exclusively to Black residents violates the Constitution and federal fair housing law.

June 17, 2026

Denver teacher fired after students report feeling pressured to kiss same-sex peers

A Denver middle-school teacher was fired last month after a district investigation and an independent review found her script choices for graded classroom skits had placed female students in a position of feeling pressured to kiss one another. The Denver Public Schools board unanimously voted May 20 to dismiss the teacher, 50-year-old Jennifer Honka.

June 17, 2026

DOJ moves to dismiss lawsuit targeting Elon Musk’s xAI facility in Mississippi

The Justice Department moved to intervene in and dismiss a private lawsuit seeking to shut down an artificial intelligence facility operated by Elon Musk's xAI in Southaven, Mississippi, citing federal enforcement authority, national security concerns and executive branch discretion as grounds for the action.

June 17, 2026

Daveigh Chase, ‘The Ring’ and ‘Lilo & Stitch’ actress, dies at 35

Daveigh Chase, the child actress who terrified horror audiences as the ghostly Samara in "The Ring" and charmed a generation of young viewers as the voice of Lilo in Disney's "Lilo & Stitch," has died. She was 35.

June 17, 2026

Christian mobile carrier blocks pornography at network level

A newly launched wireless carrier targeting Christian consumers has drawn widespread attention for what cybersecurity experts say is the first U.S. cell phone plan to permanently block pornography at the network level -- a restriction that even adult account holders cannot disable.

June 17, 2026

Harvard holds top spot in new U.S. News global university rankings

Harvard University has retained its position atop the annual U.S. News & World Report rankings of the world's best universities, with American institutions claiming six of the top 10 slots in the newly released 2026-2027 edition. China leads all nations with 409 schools in the overall rankings, followed by the United States with 275, India with 123, the United Kingdom with 93 and Japan with 86.

June 17, 2026

Rapper Mystikal sentenced to 20 years in prison for rape

Louisiana rapper Mystikal was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years in prison for raping a woman at his Prairieville home in 2022.

June 17, 2026

Mexican national sentenced to 14 years for smuggling 1,900 kg of cocaine into U.S.

A Mexican national was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to smuggle nearly 1,900 kilograms of cocaine into the United States, the Justice Department announced.

June 17, 2026

Mike Myers confirms ‘Austin Powers 4’ is in the works

Mike Myers has given fans of the long-dormant spy spoof franchise the answer they have been waiting for: a fourth "Austin Powers" film is happening.

June 17, 2026

Comedian Nate Bargatze draws fan backlash after attending Trump’s White House UFC event

Comedian Nate Bargatze is facing a wave of criticism from fans after he was spotted at the UFC Freedom 250 event held on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday, which coincided with President Trump's 80th birthday and drew more than 4,000 attendees. A rep for Bargatze said that the comedian "is not political nor is anything he produces" and described him as a "huge UFC fan" who has followed the sport "since before it became political."

June 17, 2026

Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann sentenced to life in prison without parole

Rex Heuermann, the Long Island architect who spent nearly two decades murdering women and leading a double life in his family's suburban home, was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the Gilgo Beach serial killings, a case that haunted New York for three decades.

June 17, 2026

Jeremy Clarkson reveals prostate cancer diagnosis on ‘Clarkson’s Farm’

Jeremy Clarkson, the British television personality best known for hosting the relaunched BBC series "Top Gear," disclosed Wednesday that he has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, delivering the news to viewers in the final episodes of the fifth season of his Amazon Prime Video series "Clarkson's Farm."

June 17, 2026

Vietnam’s cat meat trade exposed: Hundreds stolen, slaughtered — and now rescued

More than 500 cats were seized and nine people arrested in a Vietnam cat meat ring bust spanning three years and multiple cities. The operation has reignited calls to end a trade that claims thousands of cats every month.

June 17, 2026

Embassy warns Americans to avoid Bahamas Jet Ski rentals

The U.S. Embassy in Nassau issued a security alert Monday, urging American tourists to avoid Jet Ski rentals in the Bahamas, citing a pattern of fatalities, injuries and sexual assaults linked to unlicensed watercraft operators.

June 16, 2026

On the Border shuts all company-owned locations after bankruptcy

On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina has closed all remaining company-owned locations nationwide, ending more than four decades of Tex-Mex dining at a chain that helped popularize the cuisine across the country.

June 16, 2026

Hollywood production exodus puts L.A. at risk

Everything costs more in L.A., starting with labor. Other states and countries have built their own crew bases, offer more favorable regulations and provide more generous financial incentives. The U.K. alone spent $2.2B on film and television subsidies in 2024. The new "Avengers" films are being made in London. "Spaceballs 2" is shooting in Australia. The "Scrubs" reboot films in British Columbia. The "Little House on the Prairie" revival heading to Netflix in July was shot in Winnipeg, where Canada's 16% labor credit stacks on top of Manitoba's 30% incentive.

June 16, 2026

Mexican national charged with flying drone over FIFA Fan Festival in Atlanta

A Mexican national who authorities say is unlawfully present in the United States faces federal charges after allegedly flying a drone over Centennial Olympic Park during the FIFA Fan Festival in Atlanta, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

June 16, 2026

Emma Heming Willis corrects misconception about Bruce Willis’ dementia

Emma Heming Willis is pushing back against a widespread misunderstanding about her husband's illness, saying Bruce Willis still recognizes his family despite living with frontotemporal dementia.

June 16, 2026

Ian McKellen invoked Mar-a-Lago to fuel ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ rage

Actor IAN MCKELLEN on reprising Magneto in the new "Avengers" movie: "They told me to look more furious, make it look as if you hate what you're destroying. So, I stood there, and I shouted, 'Mar-a-Lago!'"

June 16, 2026

Behind bars but not off the grid: Famous inmates are posting on social media — and lobbying Trump

Jodi Arias, Sam Bankman-Fried, Elizabeth Holmes and Joe Exotic are all posting on social media from federal prison -- through outside proxies. Here's how they're doing it, and why several are using their platforms to lobby President Trump for clemency.

June 16, 2026