The IRS said it has already issued more than 7.4 million refund payments...
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Read Online  |  February 17, 2026  |  šŸŽ§ Listen

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šŸ“° Top Stories

A sign outside the Internal Revenue Service building in Washington. (Patrick Semansky/AP Photo)

Major Update on Tax Refunds

The IRS said it has already issued more than 7.4 million refund payments...

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Ivan Pentchoukov
National Editor 

Ivan Pentchoukov
National Editor 

The Movement to Ban Vaccine Mandates Goes National

A coalition of medical freedom groups is targeting vaccine and mask mandates with a legislative campaign to pass medical freedom bills in every state. 

 

My colleague, Zack Stieber, who has been covering the push and pull over public health mandates since the controversies during the pandemic, spoke to the lead figures of the effort.

 

They see Idaho as a model. The state passed a law last year prohibiting businesses and schools from requiring customers, students, and employees to receive medical procedures.

 

ā€œBecause that passed, it really showed what was possible,ā€ Leah Wilson, executive director and co-founder of Stand for Health Freedom, and one of the leaders of the coalition, told Zack. ā€œOur goal is to take the Medical Freedom Act to as many states as possible across the U.S.ā€

 

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. Health Secretary founded one of the groups. A number of others are linked to his Make America Healthy Again movement. (More)

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šŸ—žļø More Top News

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WINTER OLYMPICS 2026

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COURTS

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US NEWS

Obama Says Aliens Exist but Are Not Kept in Area 51

 

✨ Inspired

An artistic representation of the planetary "parade" that will take place on Feb. 28, 2026. (The Epoch Times)

6-Planet Parade Will Appear in the Evening Sky Later This Month—Here’s What You Need to Know

Today, science looks at events like planetary alignments and conjunctions through a less prophetic—and arguably less interesting—lens. But that doesn’t mean such events, like the six-planet ā€œparadeā€ in late February, have nothing to teach us about the universe. (Read more)

 

āœļø Opinion

BRYAN CUTSINGER

Inflation Is Cooling: Jan 2026 Increase Below Seasonal Norms

Inflation cooled more than expected in January, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on Friday. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.2 percent last month, down from 0.3 percent in December. (Read more)

MOLLIE ENGELHART

Oregon’s Attempt to Make Hunting, Fishing, and Ranching Illegal

Something is happening in Oregon that should make anyone who eats food, lives on land, or understands basic ecology stop and pay attention. (Read more)

 

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