The Washington Times AI News Desk

Afghan national sentenced to 20 years for aiding ISIS-K terror plots

An Afghan national was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in a nearly decade-long conspiracy to support ISIS-K, the Islamic State's Afghanistan affiliate, the Justice Department said.

September 17, 2026

Does the U.S. have weapons in space? Yes, and it’s preparing for battles near the moon

Yes, the U.S. military is preparing to fight wars that could stretch to the moon. The nation's top general says troops must be ready for combat in "cislunar space" -- and it comes just days after officials confirmed the U.S. already has weapons in orbit.

September 17, 2026

Arizona woman sentenced to 14 years in $69 million Medicaid fraud case

An Arizona woman was sentenced to 14 years in prison for orchestrating a scheme that fraudulently billed Arizona's Medicaid agency more than $69 million in less than a year, the Justice Department announced.

September 17, 2026

Lena Dunham welcomes first child years after 2016 abortion remark

Actress and writer LENA DUNHAM has welcomed her first child, nearly a decade after a podcast remark in which she said she wished she had had an abortion herself. Dunham used a surrogate after she had a hysterectomy in 2017 following a long battle with endometriosis.

September 17, 2026

‘Spring Awakening’ composer, singer-songwriter Duncan Sheik hospitalized in New York

Tony Award-winning composer and singer-songwriter Duncan Sheik has been hospitalized in New York City and remains in critical but stable condition.

September 17, 2026

Ella Langley’s ‘Choosin’ Texas’ ties all-time record for weeks at No. 1 on Hot 100

Ella Langley's country crossover hit "Choosin' Texas" has matched the longest-running No. 1 in the history of the Billboard Hot 100, logging a 22nd week atop the all-genre chart and pulling even with Mariah Carey's holiday perennial "All I Want for Christmas Is You."

September 17, 2026

Marines’ Arctic boot failures reignite fight over made-in-USA rule

REPORT: Cold-weather boots issued to U.S. Marines fell apart in the field during a NATO exercise in Norway this year, forcing troops to buy replacements on the local economy and reopening a fight in Congress over rules requiring American-made military footwear.

September 17, 2026

Hugh Jackman’s girlfriend reportedly uneasy over his bond with Ryan Reynolds

Hugh Jackman's girlfriend, Sutton Foster, reportedly wants the actor to put some distance between himself and his longtime friend Ryan Reynolds. The report follows the now-settled legal battle with Reynolds' wife, Blake Lively, and director Justin Baldoni, which remains tied up in a dispute over Lively's attorneys' fees.

September 17, 2026

Robert Kraft, Ed Sheeran each pledge $2 million in aid amid Macklemore tour fallout

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft announced that he is committing $2M toward humanitarian aid in the Israel-Gaza region, saying pop star Ed Sheeran personally asked him to match a donation of the same size, a pledge that arrived amid an escalating controversy over Kraft's role in Macklemore's removal from Sheeran's U.S. tour.

September 17, 2026

Pandemic relief fraud was not sophisticated. The verification was simply switched off

When Congress waived basic identity checks to speed up pandemic relief, fraudsters exploited the system to steal hundreds of billions in taxpayer funds.

September 17, 2026

First ‘Voice’ winner found dead in Dutch lake at 43

Ben Saunders, who won the first-ever season of "The Voice" franchise, was found dead in a recreational lake in the Netherlands. He was 43.

September 16, 2026

Macklemore to donate $1 million to Palestinian charities, challenges Robert Kraft to match

Rapper Macklemore says he will donate $1M in net earnings from opening shows on Ed Sheeran's tour to organizations serving Palestinians in Gaza, and he is asking New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft to match the gift.

September 16, 2026

Car influencer, Hooters model killed in fiery McLaren crash

A Southern California car show founder and a 22-year-old Hooters calendar model died early Sunday when their McLaren split apart and burst into flames after striking a tree in Irvine.

September 16, 2026

Matthew Lillard says he’s ‘ashamed’ over Melissa Barrera’s ‘Scream’ firing

MATTHEW LILLARD says he is "ashamed" of returning to the "Scream" franchise after the firing of former co-star Melissa Barrera, who was let go in 2023 for social media posts that accused Israel of "genocide and ethnic cleansing." "I'm on the wrong side of history for that," Lillard said about returning to the movie series.

September 16, 2026

Gillian Anderson says she’s pansexual, recalls secret teen romance

GILLIAN ANDERSON has publicly identified as pansexual, saying in a recent interview that "in my younger years, I was in relationships with women." Anderson has spoken publicly about relationships with women for more than a decade.

September 16, 2026

Paramount signals exit from California amid merger fight

Paramount is preparing to announce it's leaving California, according to internal discussions in the L.A. Mayor's Office and the California Attorney General's Office.

September 16, 2026

‘American Idol’ leaves L.A. for Georgia amid Hollywood flight

"American Idol" is packing up its L.A. production base and heading to Georgia for its 25th season, becoming the latest reality show to abandon Southern California for a friendlier tax climate.

September 16, 2026

LinkedIn romance scam bilks woman of nearly $1 million

LINKEDIN LOVE SCAM: A LinkedIn message that appeared to come through a mutual connection turned into a two-year fraud that cost a woman close to $1 million.

September 16, 2026

L.A. nonprofit founder charged with fraud in alleged $7.5 million scheme

Federal authorities announced the arrests of two defendants among three people newly charged in separate homelessness fraud and corruption cases in Southern California.

September 16, 2026

Jelly Roll says he’d leave music behind if God calls him elsewhere

Country singer JELLY ROLL says he could turn his back on music altogether if that's what he believes God wants for him next: "Y'all will never see me again."

September 16, 2026