Bruce Willis’s daughter, Rumer Willis, has honored the Die Hard actor’s birthday by celebrating classic scenes from his most well-known movies.
Rumer, the eldest daughter of Bruce and his ex-wife Demi Moore, shared an Instagram post Thursday to celebrate her father’s 71st birthday.
“Happy Birthday Daddio. I wanted to think about you today. Dancing around, being your undeniably charming self. I love you so much,” she captioned the post, which showed a clip of him dancing in Moonlighting.
Moore also wished her ex-husband a birthday tribute with her own post on Instagram, captioned, “All you need is LOVE. Happy birthday, BW!”
Emma Heming Willis, who has been married to Willis since 2009, honored the Die Hard actor’s birthday by asking for donations to their new charity.
Bruce Willis celebrated his 71st birthday with social media tributes from his family (Getty Images)
Just last week, Heming Willis announced the launch of the Emma & Bruce Willis Fund for Dementia Research and Caregiver Support, as part of her advocacy for dementia patients and caregivers. To celebrate Willis’s birthday, she shared a photo of him on Instagram as she promoted their new charity.
“Today we celebrate Bruce’s birthday. This journey with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) has opened my eyes to the realities so many families face,” the post’s caption began. “It’s what inspired me to create The Emma & Bruce Willis Fund to raise awareness of FTD, support research, and stand beside the caregivers who carry so much every day.”
The caption continued: “If you’d like to honor Bruce today, please consider supporting the fund or another organization working in this space, or simply checking in on a caregiver — a small act of kindness that can mean so much.”
Heming Willisfrequently provides updates on her husband’s health while advocating for dementia research, a passion she has now expanded with the launch of the charity.
She announced the Emma & Bruce Willis Fund for Dementia Research and Caregiver Support last week while accepting the Susan Newhouse & Si Newhouse Award of Hope at The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration’s Hope Rising Benefit in New York City, according to People. She accepted the award on her and the actor’s behalf, and spoke about the last four years as his primary caregiver.
“This journey has opened my eyes to the realities so many families face when a loved one is living with frontotemporal dementia,” she said. “I believe deeply in the importance of supporting research while also showing up for the caregivers who carry so much every day.”
“Through this fund, my hope is to help deepen understanding of FTD and ensure families facing it feel seen, supported, and less alone. Bruce has always led with generosity and heart, and I know he would be proud to see this effort helping families facing this disease.”
The fund, housed by the Entertainment Industry Foundation, works to “confront frontotemporal dementia by raising awareness, funding promising research, and supporting caregivers,” according to its website.
Intensifying violence in the Middle East could send oil prices careening above their all-time high, raising the risk of higher inflation and slower economic growth, experts said.
“The biggest hit will be the consumer,” said Ryan Sweet, a chief global economist at Oxford Economics. “To kind of put it into context, every penny increase in gasoline prices reduces consumer spending by one and a half billion dollars over the course of a year.”
Brent crude briefly topped $119 a barrel on Thursday after fresh attacks on energy infrastructure, and analysts say prices could climb much higher if supply disruptions worsen — a shift that would push up gas prices, squeeze household budgets and ripple across the broader economy.
Consumers are already feeling the impact at the pump, where average gasoline prices are now almost $1 higher than they were before the war started. On Thursday, prices reached $3.88 per gallon, according to data from AAA. At the same time, the cost of jet fuel is rising, leading some carriers to hike their ticket prices.
Oil prices hit record highs in July 2008, when both Brent andWest Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark, reached around $145 per barrel, or about $215 a barrel on an inflation-adjusted basis, according to data from FactSet.
To be sure, that inflation-adjusted figure remains well above current levels. Yet oil could eventually top $200 a barrel if the conflict drags on, TD Securities said in a research note last week.
U.S. insulated, but not immune
If oil prices approach 2008 levels, experts say Europe and Asia could experience a mild economic contraction, but the U.S. likely won’t dip into a recession. The U.S., they explain, is more insulated from global energy spikes, given that the country is a top oil producer and because less consumer spending goes toward energy production.
“I think the U.S. stands better than most,” Samuel Tombs, a chief U.S. economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, told CBS News.
Still, even if the U.S. dodges a recession, the economy is not immune to disruption.If Brent oil prices rise to $140 per barrel and remain there for two months, U.S. layoffs could rise as companies cope with higher costs, pushing up the jobless rate, according to a March 11 Oxford Economics research note.
“This is when you start getting concerned about that vicious cycle,” he said. “Businesses start to lay off workers, and then that also hits consumption.”
Sweet said the stock market could fall, leading higher-income households to pull back on spending. Lower-income households would bear the brunt of rising gas prices, forcing some to cut back on discretionary spending, he added.
“The concern is the knock-on effects, including what it means for the U.S. stock market, because consumer spending is concentrated [among] higher-income households,” he said.
Inflationary risks
Economists say rising oil prices could also inject inflationary pressure into the U.S. economy as shipping costs rise.
“Even though the U.S. imports very little through [the Strait of Hormuz], it’s still causing some bottlenecks in the global supply chains that could also be inflationary,” Sweet said.
A recent analysis from Pantheon Macroeconomics found that if oil prices increase to $150 per barrel and stay at that level for three months, the Consumer Price Index could jump to an annual pace of 6%, up from 2.4% recorded in February.
Experts have warned consumers could start to see higher food prices, as the conflict drives up the price of diesel, the fuel used by trucks and barges that transport U.S. goods. Earlier this week, diesel surpassed $5 a gallon for the first time since 2022.
“Even if oil prices stabilize, the persistence of higher freight costs, longer shipping routes, and insurance costs can keep delivered prices elevated for fuel and intermediate goods,” Ramnivas Mundada, director of Economic Research and Companies at GlobalData, said in a research note on Thursday. “That combination increases the likelihood that inflation proves stickier than expected.”
Can consumers weather the shock?
Experts said larger tax refunds, which are up this year due to the “big, beautiful bill” act, will help consumers weather some of the cost increases related to the Iran war.
The nonpartisan Tax Foundation estimates the average tax refund will be $748 — roughly equal to the additional fuel costs the typical U.S. household will face this year due to higher gas prices.
“Households do still have a reasonable amount of savings to get through a temporary period of higher energy prices,” Tombs said.
The longer the conflict drags on, the more financial risk it poses to U.S. consumers.
“The U.S. consumer can weather a couple of weeks of high energy prices, but with each passing month the economic costs really begin to mount,” Sweet said.
The Rivian R2 is on display during the 2025 Los Angeles Auto Show at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Nov. 23, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Josh Lefkowitz | Getty Images
Uber Technologies plans to invest up to $1.25 billion in electric vehicle maker Rivian Automotive as part of a deal to deploy up to 50,000 robotaxis in several countries through 2031, the companies announced Thursday.
The tie-up includes expectations for Uber, or its fleet partners, to purchase 10,000 autonomous versions of Rivian’s upcoming R2 electric vehicle, with the option to buy up to 40,000 more robotaxis beginning in 2030, according to a release from the companies.
Shares of Rivian jumped in premarket trading Thursday, rising roughly 10% before paring back those gains, closing the day 3% higher, while Uber’s stock fell 1%.
The deal is the latest in a resurgence of announcements about autonomous vehicles and robotaxis, as companies attempt to capitalize on what investors have forecast as a multitrillion-dollar market. Many companies, including Uber, have previously failed to hit their targets when it comes to robotaxis.
An initial $300 million investment from Uber to Rivian, which is preparing to begin R2 sales to consumers this spring, is expected soon following the deal’s signing, subject to regulatory approval, according to the release. That investment equates to about 19.55 million shares of the automaker, a Rivian spokesman confirmed.
Four other investment tranches will occur subject to hitting certain milestones by unspecified dates through 2031, according to a Thursdaypublic filing from the automaker. Uber also is expected to pay certain licensing fees in connection with its use of Rivian’s autonomous driving system software, the filing said.
The companies said the R2 robotaxis are expected to be available exclusively through Uber’s ride-hailing and delivery platform in 25 cities across the the U.S., Canada and Europe. The first cities are planned to be San Francisco and Miami in 2028, they said.
“We’re big believers in Rivian’s approach—designing the vehicle, compute platform, and software stack together, while maintaining end-to-end control of scaled manufacturing and supply in the U.S.,” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in the release. “That vertical integration, combined with data from their growing consumer vehicle base and experience managing the complexities of commercial fleets, gives us conviction to set these ambitious but achievable targets.”
The deal is the latest capital investment for Rivian following a $5.8 billion software deal with German automaker Volkswagen announced at the end of 2024. It also marks an increase in Uber’s plans for robotaxis following recent announcements with EV maker Lucid, Amazon’s Zoox, Chrysler parent Stellantis and tech giant Nvidia.
Scaringe said Rivian’s forthcoming R2 and the technologies supporting it would enable the company to pursue robotaxis, which are currently dominated in the U.S. by by Alphabet-backed Waymo.
Rivian Chief Executive RJ Scaringe speaks at the company’s first Autonomy and AI Day showcasing developments in self-driving technology, in Palo Alto, California, U.S., Dec. 11, 2025.
Carlos Barria | Reuters
Scaringe and other executives have said the emergence of new technologies, including artificial intelligence and more capable semiconductor chips, will allow companies to finally succeed with robotaxis.
“The scale of Rivian’s growing data flywheel coupled with RAP1 [Rivian Autonomy Processor], our state of the art in-house inference platform, and our multi-modal perception platform make us incredibly excited for the rapid advancement of Rivian autonomy over the next couple of years,” Scaringe said in the Thursday release.
ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar — Anyone applying to become a minister in Madagascar’s new government will be subjected to lie detector tests to root out those who are corrupt, the country’s military leader said Thursday.
President Michael Randrianirina, who took power in a coup in the Indian Ocean island in October, said Madagascar had acquired a polygraph machine and a specialist to operate it to vet new government ministers.
“We will know who is corrupt and who can help us,” Randrianirina said. “We are not looking for someone who is 100% clean, but someone who is more than 60% clean.”
Randrianirina, a colonel in an elite army unit, ousted President Andry Rajoelina after a weekslong uprising last year by mainly young Madagascans frustrated with the lack of government services and opportunities in a nation of around 32 million that is beset by poverty.
Randrianirina fired his entire Cabinet and dissolved the government last week. He appointed a new prime minister on Sunday.
“After taking the polygraph test, candidates who fail will not proceed to an interview,” Randrianirina told reporters. “Those who pass the polygraph test will have an interview with me and the prime minister.”
Randrianirina has promised to hold new elections within two years of him taking power.
An increasing number of UK adults now have a bank account with a digital-only provider, with finance management by app a common solution for fast payments, splitting bills with friends, and getting good interest rates.
Research by Finder, the comparison site, shows that almost half (49 per cent) of Britons have opened a digital-only bank, with that number significantly higher at almost two-thirds of Gen-Z (65 per cent) and Millennials (63 per cent).
The reasons for that are varied. More people bank via phone than before, with branch closures perhaps a symptom of that – or a cause leading to it, depending on who you speak to.
App-only banks have also lured in customers with attractive perks, be it higher interest rates, how fast you can open them, or better service.
And one of the fast-growing cohort of British online banks has reached more milestones in the past year: Zopa Bank. The upstart launched the ‘Biscuit’ account which is a bit of a rarity, paying interest on your current account balance.
That alone is a draw for some, but like others in the sector they’ve added the features that make online banking as a whole so attractive: multiple products in the same place, early versions of in-app AI aids and quick-linked accounts elsewhere.
It has led to further growth over the last 12 months which has seen them amass 1.7m customers in total, more than half a million higher than a year earlier. Chancellor Rachel Reeves also namechecked them as a standout in the UK fintech scene last April, along with payments firm Zilch and business lender Allica Bank.
“The long-term ambition is to be more than ten million customers and really challenging or displacing others in terms of primary banking relationships for people. That’s where we want to go to,” CEO Jaidev Janardana told The Independent.
“Success for us is when we talk to our customers and ask them who is your [main] bank, they say Zopa and have not just a current account with us but other products too.
Get a free fractional share worth up to £100. Capital at risk.
“Today we have a product set that is probably wider than other neobanks – a consumer can choose to do almost anything with us, which is not true for all the other digital banks.”
The numbers seem to reflect an increase in that, with one in four customers holding more than one product, such as a savings and current account or an ISA.
But there’s plenty of competition, too.
Jaidev Jana (Zopa Bank)
Revolut just secured a full British banking licence after a years-long wait, but they have a reported 13m customers in the UK already. Monzo is even further ahead, at 14m including their notable focus on British businesses.
Within closer touching distance are perhaps Starling (4.5m customers) or Chase UK (2.5m, owned by JP Morgan). Many of these firms also regularly feature highly in customer satisfaction surveys – and that’s without considering the older high-street names and their own app-only offerings.
“I have no desire to be the next Monzo, as successful as they are and while we have admiration for them,” Mr Janardana added.
“Our path is very different to a Starling or Monzo, in terms of having built our business to start on savings. That gives us an advantage in terms of the business model.”
Instead, he references several times the importance of attempting to build long-term relationships with customers, utilising a wide-ranging product panel to essentially lock in consumers with an all-you-need offering.
However, the truth is that more and more people now choose to utilise multiple banks, or at least multiple savings pots for different goals or needs.
That means while competition is fierce, there’s little stopping someone opening an account with each if they so choose, for different spending or saving reasons – and therefore it’s an opportunity to recruit customers as much as a battle for them.
That’s perhaps a drawback to the “all you need is us” mentality – but perhaps a real positive if consumers are actively searching around for somewhere new simply based on the top rates, for example, and a name they didn’t previously know is among them.
(Zopa Bank)
Put to the chief executive that, given the online focus and marketing, it might be suggested that Zopa’s preferred clientele appears of a younger variety, Mr Janardana explains that both for both regional and age demographic breakdowns, the numbers actually sit close to the UK population.
Zopa say the average age of their consumer is just over 40 years old and only around 15 per cent of users are located in London – just ahead of the roughly 13 per cent population of the UK who live there.
All of those customers will be getting additional AI-based tools soon enough, with the build-in app assistant set to split bills, move money and even receive targeted support, when the government-led initiative to increase investor numbers comes online later this year.
The idea will see customers being given AI-led guidance in how to manage wealth for the long term, based on their characteristics and financial situation.
Zopa’s latest financial figures show £65m in underlying profits, up from £34.2m a year earlier, with the customer deposit base – how much clients are putting into their accounts – up by just over a sixth (17 per cent) to £6.4bn. Zopa got its British bank licence in 2020 and these figures, for 2025, show a third year of profitability.
Success a year from now would encompass “a similar trajectory in financials, and a greater number of customers,” Mr Janardana added.
President Donald Trump is facing what one prominent polling analyst has called the “most troublesome sign” for the president and the Republican Party.
When it comes to the economy and cost of living, Trump is now a “record low 41 points underwater” per Yahoo/YouGov, said CNN polling analyst Harry Enten.
“This is the most troublesome sign I’ve seen for Trump & the GOP…. He’s 60 pts underwater on the issue with indies!!” Enten wrote on X. “Wave adios to the House & maybe Senate cause you can’t win with these numbers.”
Why It Matters
Trump’s deteriorating approval ratings are significant not just because of how low they are, but because of where and how long they have remained negative.
Recent polling shows the president hitting all‑time lows on the economy and the cost of living, which are two issues that have historically anchored his political support. In the new Yahoo/YouGov survey, Trump’s net approval on the economy fell to minus 29.
According to Yahoo, it is the lowest economic approval rating that specific polling series has ever measured for Trump, below even the peak of the COVID‑19 pandemic in his first term.
What To Know
Enten’s warning comes as fresh polling shows Trump hitting all‑time lows on two issues central to his political brand: the economy and the cost of living.
The new Yahoo/YouGov survey found Trump’s net approval on the economy falling to minus 29, the weakest showing that polling series has ever recorded for him. On the cost of living, just 26 percent of respondents approved of Trump’s handling, while 67 percent disapproved, which was also a record low on that issue.
Overall job approval in that poll stood at 38 percent, with disapproval at 59 percent, underscoring how economic anxiety continues to weigh on the White House as inflation and gas prices remain top voter concerns.
Polling analysts say the persistence of these numbers is what makes them particularly troubling. Unlike short‑term dips driven by isolated events, Trump’s approval has remained negative across multiple polling firms and issue areas, including immigration, foreign policy and inflation.
According to Enten’s analysis of aggregated polling data, Trump has spent months with a net negative rating, a pattern that suggests structural weakness rather than temporary volatility.
Despite the deteriorating numbers, Trump has dismissed the importance of approval ratings, saying he does not care about polling and is focused instead on doing “the right thing.”
“I think that the polling is very good, but I don’t care about polling. I have to do the right thing. This should have been done a long time ago,” Trump told the New York Times regarding his approval ratings as it concerns the Iran War.
What People Are Saying
CNN polling analyst Harry Enten wrote on X: “This is the most troublesome sign I’ve seen for Trump & the GOP. Trump’s now a record low 41 pts underwater on the cost of living per Yahoo/YouGov. He’s 60 pts underwater on the issue with indies!! Wave adios to the House & maybe Senate cause you can’t win with these numbers.”
Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek:“The President does not like bad press, and with the cost of living moving higher due to tariffs, and now self-induced US/Israel War, it is a forgone conclusion that it will get much worse before it gets better. Whomever is in the seat, much like Biden had to wear the supply chain and pandemic inflationary pressures, they will get the blame. The real issue is that much of this is by our own doing, not economic.”
What Happens Next
Politically, continuous low approval ratings could complicate the Republican Party’s strategy heading into the 2026 midterm elections. While Trump himself is not on the ballot, his standing with voters is likely to shape turnout, fundraising and candidate positioning in competitive congressional races, particularly in districts where economic dissatisfaction is already high.
“Trump is polling lower for Independents which is the reason he won the prior election, but for many Democrats it is not time to take a victory lap as Trump’s approval rating among his base remains high,” Thompson said.
More than 130 days have passed since the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season tipped off. It has been a season of captivating storylines, from the dominance of the freshman class to Miami (Ohio)‘s perfect regular-season run — and it’s about to get even better.
The first round of the 2026 NCAA tournament has finally arrived and ESPN reporters are on-site to give you a real-time look at the Madness.
Follow along as they and the rest of the staff track all the live action on Thursday, with more games left to tip:
(16) Siena vs. (1) Duke: 2:50
(12) McNeese vs. (5) Vanderbilt: 3:15
(14) North Dakota State vs. (3) Michigan State: 4:05
How TCU won: The Horned Frogs led by 15 at the half, looking poised to cruise into the second round; teams with halftime leads of 15 or more points were a perfect 34-0 over the previous three tournaments, according to ESPN Research. But the Buckeyes had no interest in going down without a fight, climbing all the way back to take a 51-50 lead at the 7:24 mark. The two teams traded blows the rest of the way — until a nifty dish from David Punch to Xavier Edmonds with four seconds to play proved the difference in a TCU victory. Punch was the late-game hero for the Horned Frogs, racking up 13 of his 16 points, seven of his 13 rebounds and two assists in the second half to keep his team dancing. — David Hale
How Nebraska won: The Cornhuskers made history with their first NCAA tournament win in program history as they throttled Troy with a dominant performance on both ends of the floor; they entered the game as the only program of any power conference without an NCAA tournament win after going 0-8 in their previous appearances. Junior forward Pryce Sandfort erupted with a program-record seven 3-pointers in an NCAA tournament game, one short of his career high set earlier this season. As a team, Nebraska shot 14-of-39 from beyond the arc while holding Troy to 8-of-28 from 3. The Cornhuskers not only dominated the glass, but turned those rebounds into 19 second-chance points — well over their season average of 9.2. Nebraska also forced Troy to commit 17 turnovers and turned those mistakes into 17 points. — Brooke Pryor
“Pollens, animal dander, dust mite feces, and mold are all triggers of allergic conjunctivitis, also called ocular allergy,” Harvard Health says.
But experts warn that there are other, more serious reasons for eye itching that people should watch out for.
It’s spring allergy season again in the U.S. Experts say you can fight itchy eyes with several easy treatments (Getty Images)
“Itching is an extremely common eye symptom that may be caused by a broad range of conditions, from simple fatigue to an eye infection,” UCLA Health notes.
Allergy-related pink eye, or conjunctivitis, is the most common allergic eye problem, Stony Brook says.
Eye allergies occur when allergens like pollen, dust, and dander irritate the eyes, triggering them to produce a substance called histamine to fight the invaders.
Producing histamine causes the eyelids and the mucus membrane that protects the front of the eye to become red, swollen and itchy.
People with eye allergies typically have nasal allergies, as well. Both problems can be treated with over-the-counter antihistamines and anti-allergy drops, as well as cold compresses to reduce swelling.
But what if the problem isn’t allergies? Well, there could be a few reasons your eyes are itching.
For one, pink eye can be caused by bacterial or viral infections, with symptoms lasting up to three weeks.
Dry eyes are also a common source of itch – the result of hormonal changes related to aging, taking certain medications, some autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, and staring at screens without blinking. Blinking helps to keep the eyes moist.
“You’re constantly producing tears to moisten and lubricate your eyes. And if – for whatever reason – you’re not making enough to keep up, your eyes get really dried out, and that can cause that sensation of dryness and itchiness,” Dr. Jennifer Yu, a clinical associate professor of ophthalmology at UW Medicine, said.
Lastly, blepharitis and pterygium are lesser-known causes to watch out for.
Eye drops can help to treat dry eyes and a host of other itch-causing conditions (Getty Images)
A pterygium is a wedge-shaped growth of tissue on the dome-shaped outer layer at the front of the eye called the cornea and blepharitis is inflammation of the eyelids, according to UCLA Health.
It remains unknown how the growth forms, but any related irritation can be treated using eye drops and it can be surgically removed – though it may grow back.
Chronic blepharitis, with symptoms for months or years, is caused by poor hygiene, allergies and makeup use. Sudden symptoms can develop through bacterial or viral infections, infestations of mites or lash lice, trauma and an excessive amount of medications or supplements.
“Less commonly, there can be underlying systemic conditions that need consultation with other medical specialties like dermatology and rheumatology,” Johns Hopkins Medicine assistant professor of ophthalmology Dr. Lee Guo explained. “These conditions include skin cancer, connective tissue disease and immunologic conditions like cicatrizing conjunctivitis.”
Blepharitis can’t be permanently fixed, but it can be treated by cleaning the lids, using antibiotics, keeping the eyes lubricated, and sometimes by changing the diet.
You may need to eat more salmon and other omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods to help fight inflammation, Johns Hopkins Medicine says.
