The Washington Times AI News Desk

WWE star Ludwig Kaiser arrested in Orlando on battery charge

WWE star Ludwig Kaiser was arrested Wednesday in Orange County, Florida, on a misdemeanor battery charge after allegedly assaulting a neighbor at a luxury Orlando apartment complex following a confrontation over the wrestler's public display of affection in an elevator.

May 21, 2026

Man arrested in assault near Escondido ‘Trump House’

An Escondido man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of attempted murder after an elderly man was critically injured in an assault near a residential property locally known as the "Trump House," authorities said.

May 21, 2026

NPR cuts jobs, restructures newsroom after federal funding loss

NPR is cutting newsroom jobs and overhauling its organizational structure as the public radio network grapples with the loss of federal funding and a rapidly shifting media landscape.

May 21, 2026

Copperhead spotted on trail: What Maryland hikers need to know

A hiker at Black Hill Regional Park in Montgomery County got a striking reminder of who else shares the trails -- after spotting a large copperhead stretched across a walking path near the paddle boat area, close enough to have been stepped on. Here's what Maryland hikers should know in case they encounter one in the wild.

May 21, 2026

Michael Bay to direct film about U.S. pilots rescued in Iran during Operation Epic Fury

Director and producer Michael Bay is set to helm a film chronicling the rescue of two American airmen downed behind enemy lines in Iran during Operation Epic Fury, Universal Pictures announced Wednesday.

May 21, 2026

Eagles linebacker Nolan Smith arrested for speeding 135 mph in Georgia

Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nolan Smith was arrested on a Friday in Georgia after authorities clocked him driving at 135 miles per hour.

May 21, 2026

James Franco returns to Hollywood in Stallone-backed ‘Rambo’ movie

Nearly a decade after sexual misconduct allegations derailed his Hollywood career, James Franco is attempting a major return to mainstream cinema with a supporting role in the expanding "Rambo" franchise.

May 21, 2026

‘Biological women’: The phrase that turned a bipartisan museum bill into a culture war

House Democrats are voting no on the Smithsonian women's history museum bill. Republicans added the phrase "biological women" to the mission -- and erased years of bipartisan support in the process.

May 21, 2026

FCC seeks public comment on transgender content warnings for children’s TV ratings

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr said the agency is seeking public comment on whether the television ratings system should include parental warnings for children's programming that features transgender or gender identity themes, as the FCC reviews whether current ratings adequately inform families about what their children are watching.

May 21, 2026

Vanessa Trump reveals breast cancer diagnosis

Vanessa Trump, the former wife of Donald Trump Jr., disclosed on Wednesday that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer, sharing the news in a post on Instagram and revealing that she had already undergone a medical procedure earlier in the week.

May 21, 2026

Natalie Maines of The Chicks blasts Trump’s $1.776B fund as payment for ‘insurrectionists’

Singer NATALIE MAINES of The Chicks: "[Trump] is using your gas money to pay the insurrectionists. But don't worry about it. I'm sure posting selfies will fix everything."

May 20, 2026

Director Pedro Almodovar declares ‘The U.S. is not a democracy right now’ at Cannes

Spanish director Pedro Almodovar: "The U.S. is not a democracy right now. Some people say it's maybe an imperfect democracy, but I really don't think the U.S. is a democracy right now."

May 20, 2026

Bill Maher says prominent Democrats won’t come on his show unless they’re ‘pre-adored’

BILL MAHER: Prominent Dems, including Kamala Harris and the Clintons, won't come on his show because "Democrats are p---ies about ... going anywhere that they're not already pre-adored."

May 20, 2026

Bezos calls for eliminating income taxes on bottom half of earners

JEFF BEZOS: "The top 1% of taxpayers pay about 40% of all the tax revenue, and the bottom half pay 3%. I don't think it should be 3%. I think it should be zero."

May 20, 2026

‘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