The Washington Times AI News Desk

Scientists ID mysterious ‘golden orb’ found in Alaska depths

Scientists have solved the mystery of the "golden orb," a strange deep-sea object collected during a 2023 government expedition that sparked two-plus years of public curiosity and scientific debate.

April 25, 2026

David Hasselhoff, 73, uses walker while recovering from joint replacement surgery

David Hasselhoff was seen using a walker during a rare outing with his wife, Hayley Roberts, in the West Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles on Wednesday -- drawing concern from fans of the "Baywatch" star.

April 25, 2026

Trump DOJ adds firing squads and gas chambers to federal execution methods — here’s why

The Justice Department has approved firing squads for federal executions -- a method used only four times since the 1970s. Here's what the expansion means for the 40 inmates on federal death row.

April 24, 2026

Comedian Margaret Cho calls for ‘feral, bloodthirsty, violent Democrat’ to punish Trump officials

Comedian Margaret Cho said she wants a "feral, bloodthirsty, violent Democrat" to rise up and "punish" President Trump and his Cabinet, remarks she made while also accusing the administration of deriving pleasure from cruelty toward immigrants, transgender people and the poor.

April 24, 2026

5 questions about the FDA’s fast-track push for psychedelic treatments

The Food and Drug Administration awarded priority review vouchers to three companies developing psychedelic-based treatments for mental health conditions -- two studying psilocybin for hard-to-treat depression and one studying methylone, an MDMA-related drug, for PTSD.

April 24, 2026

Rob Reiner’s son Jake speaks out on parents’ murders for first time

Jake Reiner, son of the late director Rob Reiner, broke his silence Friday with a deeply personal essay on Substack offering his first detailed personal account of how he learned of his parents' murders and a tribute to who they were.

April 24, 2026

‘Second family’ turns on Michael Jackson estate: Cascio siblings say pop star abused them for years

Five siblings who spent decades defending Michael Jackson -- with members of the family among his defenders during his 2005 criminal trial and appearing on Oprah Winfrey's talk show -- now say the pop star repeatedly sexually abused them as children, according to a federal lawsuit and a New York Times interview published Friday.

April 24, 2026

Live Nation offering $30 concert tickets for more than 4,000 shows this summer

Live Nation has launched its annual "Summer of Live" promotion, giving fans the chance to buy $30 all-in tickets to more than 4,000 concerts across the U.S. and Canada.

April 24, 2026

Costco recalls nearly 208,000 heated socks after customers suffer burns

Costco is pulling nearly 208,000 pairs of battery-powered socks from shelves after customers reported suffering first- and second-degree burns while wearing them.

April 24, 2026

Aldi rolls out new store format across U.S. in 50th anniversary year

Aldi is overhauling the look and feel of its American stores as the German discount grocery chain marks a major milestone in the United States.

April 24, 2026

Tornadoes tear through Oklahoma, injuring at least 10; Vance Air Force Base shut down

Powerful tornadoes ripped through north-central Oklahoma late Thursday, injuring at least 10 people, flattening dozens of homes and forcing Vance Air Force Base to close as damage assessments continued Friday morning.

April 24, 2026

Who has the longest ‘Jeopardy!’ streak? Jamie Ding wins his 29th game

"Jeopardy!" champion Jamie Ding extended his winning streak to 29 consecutive games on Wednesday, April 22, emerging victorious even after missing the Final Jeopardy clue, and he says when the run finally ends, he plans to spend much of his earnings on others.

April 23, 2026

5 questions about the EU’s Ukraine loan package

The European Union approved a 90-billion-euro ($106 billion) loan package to support Ukraine's economy and military needs for two years.

April 23, 2026

Stefanik says data shows her new book outsold every nonfiction book in America, accuses NYT of bias

Rep. Elise Stefanik says her new book outsold every other nonfiction hardcover in the country -- and is accusing The New York Times of deliberately undercounting its sales to deny her a No. 1 ranking.

April 23, 2026

FBI arrests Chinese national accused of illegally documenting planes at U.S. air bases

A Chinese national has been charged with illegally documenting military aircraft at a key U.S. Air Force installation in Nebraska, federal prosecutors announced.

April 23, 2026

Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas: ‘Privileged’ Zionists talk ‘like Black people during slavery’

The Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas sparked controversy this week after claiming that "American Zionists" enjoy the benefits of white privilege while speaking as though they are the oppressed -- remarks that came days after his band used its Coachella set to condemn U.S. and Israeli military actions in Iran and Gaza.

April 23, 2026

Atlanta man sentenced to 7 years for stealing $3.8M in pandemic unemployment benefits

A multi-convicted fraudster was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for using stolen identities to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars in pandemic-era unemployment benefits, federal prosecutors in Atlanta announced.

April 23, 2026

Russell Brand admits to ‘exploitative’ sex with 16-year-old amid rape trial

Russell Brand has acknowledged having what he called "exploitative" consensual sex with a 16-year-old girl when he was 30 years old, making the admission during an appearance on the "Megyn Kelly Show" as he awaits trial on rape and sexual assault charges in Britain.

April 23, 2026

Feds charge five in connection to alleged D.C. auto theft ring

Federal prosecutors unsealed a 15-count indictment Tuesday charging five individuals -- with a sixth remaining a fugitive -- in connection with an alleged auto theft ring operating in the Washington metropolitan area and Pennsylvania that allegedly stole at least 20 vehicles, transported them across state lines, and sold them to buyers in the United States and Ghana.

April 23, 2026

Savannah Chrisley: Charlie Kirk ‘would have been the greatest president’

Reality TV personality Savannah Chrisley paid tribute to the late Charlie Kirk at a Turning Point USA campus tour stop at Ohio State University Tuesday, telling the crowd that Kirk "would have been the greatest president of our lifetime."

April 23, 2026