The Washington Times AI News Desk

5 questions about Amazon’s drone delivery expansion

Millions more shoppers could soon see their Amazon orders arrive by drone, as the company plans to expand deliveries to nearly 500 U.S. cities by year's end.

August 19, 2026

Massachusetts mayor’s lawyer ignites fury with ‘he doesn’t speak English’ claim amid fraud case

A video of Lawrence, Massachusetts, Mayor Brian DePena's lawyer telling reporters "he doesn't speak English, no comment" has set off a social media storm, overshadowing the federal fraud case that prompted the exchange in the first place.

August 18, 2026

Australian PM Anthony Albanese slams states for stalling on national gun buyback

Australian PM Anthony Albanese criticized several states over the weekend for declining to join his government's national gun buyback program, arguing that inconsistent state licensing systems were undermining the effort to get firearms off the streets.

August 18, 2026

CDC reveals cruise ships with worst sanitation scores of 2026

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Vessel Sanitation Program conducts unannounced inspections of cruise ships to help the industry prevent and control public health issues, and the agency's latest data show seven vessels landing at the bottom of this year's rankings.

August 18, 2026

WNBA admits fans wrongly told to cover shirts in trans debate

The WNBA acknowledged in a statement Monday that fans should have been free to wear shirts referencing the debate over transgender athletes during Sunday's game between the Atlanta Dream and the Indiana Fever, after at least three spectators were confronted by league security at State Farm Arena.

August 18, 2026

ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard dies at 77

Frank Beard, the Texas-bred drummer who anchored ZZ Top for more than five decades, has died. He was 77.

August 18, 2026

Rep. Randy Fine caught sifting through voter’s mailbox while canvassing

Rep. Randy Fine was caught on a homeowner's doorbell camera opening a stranger's mailbox and flipping through the contents while canvassing ahead of Tuesday's Republican primary.

August 18, 2026

South Carolina police officer fired for tracking ex-partner via Flock camera

A South Carolina police officer was fired last month after investigators found she had used her department's Flock license-plate camera system 166 times over five months to track a former romantic partner's vehicle.

August 18, 2026

State Farm’s $5 billion dividend is largest payout in company history

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company has begun distributing $5B in cash dividends to auto policyholders, the largest payout in the insurer's more than 100-year history

August 18, 2026

5 questions about Shakira’s earthquake relief effort in Colombia

Shakira returned to her home country to pledge millions toward rebuilding earthquake-devastated schools in Colombia's poorest province.

August 18, 2026

Nicki Minaj endorses Byron Donalds in Florida governor’s race

Rapper NICKI MINAJ endorsed Rep. Byron Donalds for Florida governor over the weekend and urged her fans to back him ahead of Tuesday's Republican primary.

August 18, 2026

59 things to do in (and around) Washington, D.C. this weekend: August 21-23

This weekend, Washington offers a reminder of why it is one of the country's most accessible culture capitals: blockbuster-worthy art, theater, books, history and live music are all within reach, often with no admission charge.

August 18, 2026

ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen dies at 93

Bill Rasmussen, the sports broadcaster-turned-entrepreneur who founded ESPN, the pioneering all-sports cable network, died Tuesday at his home in Florida. He was 93.

August 18, 2026

Jimmy Fallon jokes Melania Trump ran off with Mitch McConnell

JIMMY FALLON jokes about Melania Trump having affair: "...No one has seen Melania. All I know is that it's going to be crazy when we find out she ran off with Mitch McConnell."

August 18, 2026

Minnesota ‘outstanding refugee’ honoree charged in Medicaid fraud tied to trafficking case

A Minnesota man, Salman Ahmed Elmi, once celebrated by the state as an "outstanding refugee," has been charged with eight felony counts tied to a Medicaid fraud scheme, with prosecutors alleging some of his business associates are separately linked to a sex-trafficking operation.

August 18, 2026

Tracee Ellis Ross asks if Leno, Letterman snub was racism

Actress Tracee Ellis Ross says her hit sitcom "Girlfriends" was shut out of late-night television with Letterman and Leno during its eight-season run, and she isn't sure why, other than the possibility that race played a role.

August 18, 2026

Paris Jackson details electroshock therapy after suicide attempts

Paris Jackson, the daughter of the late pop icon Michael Jackson, revealed that she underwent electroconvulsive therapy after coming close to another suicide attempt, opening up about a mental health battle that has included multiple attempts dating back to age 15.

August 18, 2026

Penn State cocaine bust nets charges against 14 in ‘indoctrination’

The Pennsylvania attorney general announced charges against 14 people in connection to a cocaine-trafficking operation involving primarily college students and two fraternities at Penn State University.

August 18, 2026

Same name, same party: Dan Sullivan says Dan Sullivan’s vote sabotage may hand Democrats the Senate

Alaska Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan faces a primary challenger with his exact name. President Trump says Democrats put him up to split the GOP vote and help them win.

August 18, 2026

Kanye West to become one of biggest Western stars to play Russia since invasion

Kanye West will perform two stadium shows in St. Petersburg, Russia, in October, making him one of the most prominent Western performers to play Russia since Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, according to concert organizers.

August 18, 2026