The number of tax returns the IRS has received so far this tax season is down from last year, but refunds are up double digits, IRS data show. The average refund through Feb. 13 was $2,476, up 14.2% from $2,169 at the same time in 2025 while total returns received fell 2.6%. The IRS noted refund numbers should rise further, too, as refunds claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) are required by law to be held until Feb. 15.  The

Skills will be a key driver of AI’s impact on productivity and growth. This blog examines how skills gaps are slowing adoption, how AI is reshaping employer demand, and why training is the key to ensuring AI delivers better outcomes for businesses and workers alike.   Artificial intelligence is often discussed in terms of breakthroughs, algorithms and investment figures. Yet as AI continues to transform workplaces, the decisive factor in whether economies benefit from this sh

WASHINGTON — Food insecurity can increase anxiety and undermine employees at work, but workplace programs to address it can improve job outcomes, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. “There is an implicit assumption that food insecurity primarily affects unemployed people, but it’s a pervasive issue that impacts a sizable portion of the workforce,” said lead researcher Jason Moy, MS, a doctoral student in organizational behavior at the Un

LAREDO, Texas — U.S. Customs and Border Protection Laredo Port of Entry would like to advise the traveling public of the temporary halt in vehicular traffic at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge the morning of Saturday, Feb. 21 to host the International Bridge Ceremony, known as the Abrazo Ceremony. "The Juarez-Lincoln Bridge will host this longstanding tradition, serving as a welcoming ceremony for officials and dignitaries from both Mexico and the United States, and representing go

FIFA president Gianni Infantino was in attendance on Thursday, Feb. 19 as President Donald Trump convened the first meeting of his Board of Peace in Washington, D.C. The Board of Peace was established to bring an end to the war in Gaza, as international delegates discuss the next steps in a fragile ceasefire that was approved in October. Representatives from more than 45 countries were expected to attend, though several key U.S. allies including the UK, Germany and France t

Feeling lonely is something most of us have experienced. For today's young people, however, loneliness has become more persistent and consequential. The World Health Organization now prioritizes loneliness as a global public health crisis. Numbers in a recent WHO report make that case: One in six people worldwide are affected, with teenagers aged 13-17 reporting the highest rates of any age group at approximately one in five. Loneliness is defined as the gap between the soc

Today, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced that it has secured thirty-one resolution agreements (RAs) with institutions of higher education to cease their partnerships with The Ph.D. Project, an organization which provides doctoral students with insights into obtaining a Ph.D., but unlawfully limits eligibility based on the race of participants. After initiating investigations several months ago into forty-five institutions of higher ed

WASHINGTON — U.S. Customs and Border Protection released operational statistics today for January 2026 under President Donald J. Trump’s border security policies. “For the ninth consecutive month, CBP has delivered historic results—Border Patrol apprehensions are down 96% from the previous administration’s monthly average,” said CBP Commissioner Rodney S. Scott. “This historic reduction reflects the dedication of our agents and officers to securing our borders, protecting ou

X’s algorithmic feed—which, since the study was completed in 2023, is now the default setting on X—pushed the subjects in the study toward conservative opinions, while switching to the standard chronological feed had no effect on political attitudes. User opinion on policy priorities, President Donald Trump’s legal proceedings and views on the war in Ukraine were most affected, according to the study. The study assigned active U.S.-based users to either the algorithmic or chr

Psychologists are stepping into leadership and advocacy roles to protect research, access to care, and professional integrity 0 Key points Advocacy work is more important than ever as research funding, training pathways, and access to psychological care come under fire. Record numbers of psychology practitioners, researchers, and students are stepping up to represent the discipline. APA and state, provincial, and territorial psychological associations offer a range of ways to

Today, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) initiated a directed investigation into the Louisiana Board of Regents (the Board) to determine whether its Master Plan for Higher Education violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) by authorizing racially-exclusionary practices and initiatives. According to public records, since Fiscal Year (FY) 2021–2022 and again in FY 2025–2026 , the Board’s executive budgets have included perform

President Trump has made clear that immigrants must be financially self-sufficient and not be a financial burden to Americans.  The Department of State is undergoing a full review of all screening and vetting policies to ensure that immigrants from high-risk countries do not unlawfully utilize welfare in the United States or become a public charge. Effective January 21, 2026, the Department of State paused all visa issuances to immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of t

Bitcoin prices fell on Thursday, February 12, suffering losses as a popular gauge of crypto sentiment flirted with all-time lows. The world’s most prominent digital currency dropped to approximately $65,000, according to Coinbase data from TradingView . At this point, it was down close to 50% from the all-time high of more than $126,000 reached late last year. Sentiment Gauge Hits Record Fear This happened shortly after the CMC Crypto Fear and Greed Index reached a reading o

Today, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) opened an investigation into Portland Public Schools (PPS) in Portland, Oregon over its Center for Black Student Excellence (CBSE), which allegedly discriminates on the basis of race in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI). According to a complaint filed with OCR, a recent $1.2 billion bond includes tens of millions allocated for academic interventions, wraparound support, faci

Psychologists are using a patient’s brain scans plus data from phones and wearables to determine the best intervention before beginning treatment—bypassing trial-and-error and improving outcomes. During the course of therapy, AI tools can analyze vast amounts of patient data from apps that track sleep and movement, for example. These analyses help therapists and patients identify patterns, provide more timely guidance, and steer therapy decisions. Generative AI chatbots like

LAREDO, Texas —U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations officers at the Laredo Port of Entry seized methamphetamine that totaled over $602,000.  “This methamphetamine seizure at the Colombia-Solidarity Bridge demonstrates the keen instincts and outstanding targeting abilities of our officers,” said Port Director Alberto Flores, Laredo Port of Entry. “Their commitment and alertness remain essential in preventing dangerous drugs from reaching our communiti

NEW YORK (AP) — Elon Musk is joining his space exploration and artificial intelligence ventures into a single company before what’s expected to be a massive initial public offering for the business later this year. His rocket venture, SpaceX, announced on Monday that it had bought xAI in an effort to help the world’s richest man dominate the rocket and artificial intelligence businesses. The deal will combine several of his offerings, including his AI chatbot Grok , his satel

When it comes to treating mental health conditions like depression , the most common question, whether in a doctor’s office or a research lab, is still: Does it work? That’s understandable. We all want to know if a treatment helps people feel better. But increasingly, there’s a more useful question we should be asking: Who does it work for? Most antidepressants today are tested in large, mixed populations. The results reflect the “average” effect across that group. But depre

FIFA travelers submitted 1.6 million ESTA applications under Visa Waiver Program and 656,000 TTP applications WASHINGTON — Today U.S. Customs and Border Protection highlighted the tremendous success of the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA, and Trusted Traveler Programs in ensuring secure and efficient travel as part of ongoing preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2026™, which is expected to draw millions of visitors to the United States. During the first qu

Scroll through TikTok, Instagram Reels, or X on any given evening and you’ll encounter a familiar pattern: a fifteen-second podcast clip where a founder drops a hot take, a streamer highlight reel with a logo tucked in the corner, a meme you’ve seen before but this time with a brand watermark stamped across the bottom. The content looks organic. It shows up alongside posts from your friends. The algorithm served it to you because people like you watched it. But behind each of