The Washington Times stories: Nationalen-usThu, 09 Apr 2026 19:07:33 -0400Tax refunds this season are up 24% compared with the four-year average of refunds before President Donald Trump took office, his administration said Thursday - a change credited to Republicans' tax legislation signed into law last year. Fatima HusseinThu, 09 Apr 2026 19:07:33 -0400The attorney for a man shot by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents during an arrest in central California said Thursday that his client was recovering after three surgeries for multiple gunshot wounds and that he denies being a gang member. Christopher WeberThu, 09 Apr 2026 18:33:05 -0400Federal appeals court judges questioned during oral arguments Thursday whether a roughly four-year prison term given to Sean "Diddy" Combs for the hip-hop mogul 's conviction on prostitution-related charges was too harsh. Larry Neumeister and Michael R. SisakThu, 09 Apr 2026 18:32:06 -0400The Trump administration has updated the charter of a key federal vaccine advisory committee in ways that may increase the voices of anti-vaccine activists, the latest in a series of moves that critics say are undermining confidence in life-saving shots. Lauran NeergaardThu, 09 Apr 2026 18:31:03 -0400California officials on Thursday said they uncovered a multimillion-dollar scheme to use stolen identities from people outside the state to charge for hospice services paid for with a government insurance program. Jaimie DingThu, 09 Apr 2026 18:05:17 -0400A federal judge on Thursday ruled that the Defense Department is violating his earlier order to restore access to the Pentagon for reporters. Michael Kunzelman and David BauderThu, 09 Apr 2026 17:56:42 -0400New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani acknowledged that his signature campaign promise to make city buses free is not coming to fruition this year, citing funding obstacles and ongoing negotiations with Albany. The Washington Times AI News DeskThu, 09 Apr 2026 17:53:14 -0400A federal judge has denied a request from prediction market operator Kalshi to bar Arizona prosecutors from moving forward with a criminal case, alleging the company is operating an illegal betting platform in the state. Jacques BilleaudThu, 09 Apr 2026 17:46:39 -0400A man imprisoned for nearly 30 years before being exonerated won a landmark election in New Orleans promising to fix a judicial system that failed him. Now, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry and the GOP-controlled Legislature are racing to eliminate his job before he can be sworn in. Jack Brook and Sara ClineThu, 09 Apr 2026 17:25:40 -0400U.S. Postal Service deliveries to a neighborhood in a Los Angeles-area town are indefinitely suspended following nearby coyote attacks. Brad MatthewsThu, 09 Apr 2026 17:18:45 -0400Drawing ever closer to Earth, the Artemis II astronauts tidied up their lunar cruiser for the upcoming "fireball" return and reflected on their historic journey around the moon, describing it as surreal and profound. Marcia DunnThu, 09 Apr 2026 17:07:10 -0400Plaintiffs challenging the Trump administration's cost-cutting measures against an agency that funds and promotes libraries across the U.S. said Thursday they settled the case with the Justice Department in a deal that would reverse some of the steps taken. Gary FieldsThu, 09 Apr 2026 16:42:55 -0400Before Donald Trump returned to the White House, the Biden administration and many electric utilities were building a future dominated by renewable energy. They aimed to replace coal, slashing greenhouse gases and reducing air pollution that kills more than a thousand people annually. Matthew Brown and Michael PhillisThu, 09 Apr 2026 16:30:59 -0400A lawyer for 34 states suing Live Nation Entertainment tried to convince a jury Thursday during an antitrust trial 's closing arguments that the company and its ticketing arm, Ticketmaster, are monopolizing the industry and driving up concert prices. Larry NeumeisterThu, 09 Apr 2026 16:21:25 -0400Renewable energy advocates in Arizona made gains against a business-backed slate in a fight over how the nation's largest public power utility will meet fast-rising electricity demand in a data center hot spot. Associated PressThu, 09 Apr 2026 16:09:25 -0400Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday declared a 32-hour ceasefire in Ukraine over the Orthodox Easter weekend, following an earlier call from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a pause in some of the hostilities to observe the holiday. Associated PressThu, 09 Apr 2026 16:00:03 -0400In a dramatic video shared online by the Army ROTC, cadets at Virginia's Old Dominion University are recounting how they stabbed and disarmed a gunman targeting their classroom, then frantically tried to save the life of the wounded instructor who grappled with the attacker. Allen G. BreedThu, 09 Apr 2026 15:59:40 -0400The Border Patrol in March posted its 11th straight month without a single catch-and-release of an illegal immigrant at the southwestern boundary, leading officials to declare the record levels of calm "the new normal." Stephen DinanThu, 09 Apr 2026 15:33:13 -0400Every month, Rebecca Michalski takes a deep breath before opening her electric bill. She lives on a fixed income, and heating her small house this winter has been staggering: Her February charge was $940.08 - more than her check. Margie MasonThu, 09 Apr 2026 15:27:09 -0400Weeks after their homes were searched as part of a federal bribery investigation, a New York City Council member and her sister, an aide to Gov. Kathy Hochul, appeared Thursday at a rally held by supporters that aimed to distance the pair from the unfolding scandal. Jake OffenhartzThu, 09 Apr 2026 15:17:39 -0400