The Washington Times AI News Desk

Viola Davis rejects Target’s apology over Halloween costume backlash

Actress VIOLA DAVIS rejects Target's apology for "blackface" Halloween costume: "These images laid the foundation and the ideology for every atrocity that has been committed against my people ... You have shown us that you are not on OUR side."

August 28, 2026

Brain-eating amoeba leaves North Carolina teen critically ill, health officials say

A teenager in central North Carolina is in critical condition after contracting a rare and often fatal brain infection caused by a waterborne amoeba.

August 28, 2026

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation defends memo telling staff not to call 9/11 a ‘terrorist attack’

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is facing backlash after confirming it circulated internal guidance instructing reporters and editors not to describe the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks as "terrorist attacks" ahead of the 25th anniversary of the atrocity. "It is the practice of the CBC to exercise extreme caution before using the words 'terrorist' and 'terrorism,'" a CBC rep said, adding that the broadcaster prefers those terms be attributed to outside sources rather than applied independently by CBC journalists.

August 28, 2026

U.K. campaign urges cinemas to snub Sacha Baron Cohen’s Ali G revival

A British media-monitoring group is pushing cinema chains around the world to refuse to screen "Ali G: Who Iz I?," the mockumentary reviving Sacha Baron Cohen's Ali G character, arguing the trailer resurrects a "racist caricature" of Black British culture.

August 28, 2026

Hillary Clinton, Paul Rudd, Lin-Manuel Miranda plan karaoke fundraiser for left-wing groups

Hillary Clinton, Paul Rudd and Lin-Manuel Miranda will host a celebrity karaoke night in New York in October to raise money for two left-wing voter mobilization groups ahead of the November midterms

August 28, 2026

Why America’s last drive-ins are quietly disappearing: Is the final show about to begin?

The popcorn machine is usually older than the projector. The owner often has a day job. And on a bad weekend, a thunderstorm can wipe out a third of the month's revenue in a single evening. That is the reality of running an American drive-in in 2026.

August 28, 2026

Georgia teacher’s classroom ‘gas station’ lets kids pass gas without disrupting class

A second-grade teacher in Atlanta has created a designated corner in her classroom where students can pass gas without leaving the classroom, a solution that has gone viral and sparked a broader debate about classroom etiquette.

August 27, 2026

Trump says Cruz is ‘very talented,’ might run for president in 2028

TRUMP on Ted Cruz potentially running for POTUS in '28: "I would say that he's very talented. He's a very good friend of mine. I think he might do that. He's a talented guy."

August 27, 2026

Sunny Hostin licenses image to AI studio after co-hosts blasted the tech

Sunny Hostin, a co-host of "The View," has licensed her name and likeness to an artificial intelligence studio Fountain 0 to help produce film and television adaptations of her novels, months after several of her fellow co-hosts publicly criticized the rise of AI in Hollywood.

August 27, 2026

The solo-travel boom: Why hotels can’t ignore this game-changing guest segment

Solo travelers have emerged as a defining force in the hospitality industry, upending long-held assumptions about who checks into hotels and why.

August 27, 2026

Brewers pitcher nailed by 106 mph liner, exits after one pitch

Milwaukee Brewers starter Dustin May was pulled from Wednesday night's game against the New York Mets after just one pitch, when a 106 mph line drive off the bat of center fielder A.J. Ewing struck him in the shoulder area.

August 27, 2026

Kanye West asks judge to bar his Nazi posts from jury

Kanye West is asking a judge to keep his past antisemitic social media posts out of a discrimination lawsuit brought by a former employee.

August 27, 2026

DEI, climate messaging continues at Smithsonian’s National Zoo despite Trump crackdown

A new review found that despite a crackdown from the Trump administration, the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute has continued embedding DEI themes and climate messaging into its public-facing work.

August 27, 2026

Brothers indicted as alleged CJNG commanders in Michoacan, DOJ says

A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia has indicted two brothers accused of serving as regional commanders for the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), according to the Justice Department.

August 27, 2026

Former DIA IT specialist pleads guilty to leaking secrets to foreign government

Nathan Vilas Laatsch, 29, of Alexandria, Virginia, pleaded guilty to transmitting national defense information to a foreign government, the Justice Department announced. Laatsch is a former information technology specialist for the Defense Intelligence Agency.

August 27, 2026

CNN apologizes to Dolly Parton’s family for airing photo of Las Vegas impersonator

CNN issued an apology to Dolly Parton's family after mistakenly broadcasting a photo of a Las Vegas tribute performer instead of the country music legend during coverage of her death.

August 27, 2026

81 alleged gang members indicted in Puerto Rico drug, gun conspiracy

A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment Aug. 19 charging 81 alleged members of a Mayaguez-area gang with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession and distribution of controlled substances, and firearms violations, according to the Justice Department.

August 27, 2026

‘Menace II Society’ actor Samuel Monroe Jr. dies at 52

Samuel Monroe Jr., who made his film debut in the 1993 Hughes brothers drama "Menace II Society," has died at 52.

August 27, 2026

Is Tropical Storm Dolly a tribute to Dolly Parton? Here’s the answer

No, Tropical Storm Dolly isn't a tribute to Dolly Parton -- the name was locked in three decades ago. But with her death still fresh, forecasters had to decide whether to change it anyway.

August 27, 2026

Jelly Roll tells fans threatening boycott over Trump jokes: ‘Go right ahead’

JELLY ROLL to people upset by his Trump jokes while hosting "Kimmel": "For those who threatened to stop listening to my music based on my comments last night, I just want to say with conviction: Go right ahead."

August 27, 2026