Yoga mats and VR headsets added to list measuring cost of living

Steve Nease's cartoon from March 19, 2025, depicts a humorous scene that is not visible due to a video loading error. The video failure prompts viewers to refresh their browsers or access other videos from the team. The summary highlights the content of the cartoon and the technical issue preventing its display. Full Article

Santander is closing 95 branches in the UK, putting 750 jobs at risk due to customers shifting to online banking. The closures will leave the bank with 349 branches, down from 444, with affected areas to be covered by community bankers. Digital transactions have increased by almost two thirds since 2019, leading to the difficult decision to close branches and potentially make 750 staff redundant after consultations with unions. Full Article

The rally in Chinese stocks is leading investors to predict that mainland shares will outperform American peers due to attractive valuations, with the MSCI China index gaining 19% since the start of the year. This contrasts with the S&P 500 slipping into correction territory for the first time since 2023, as U.S. concerns grow over Trump's tariffs policy and recession fears impacting tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite. Richard Harris of Port Shelter Investment Management describes this shift...

In Utrecht, Netherlands, a "fish doorbell" has been installed at a river lock to allow viewers of an online livestream to alert authorities to fish in need during their spring migration. The underwater camera sends live footage to a website, where viewers can click a button to send screenshots. Organizers then open the lock to help fish like bream, pike, and bass reach their spawning grounds, attracting millions of viewers worldwide with this unique blend...

Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student, was arrested by DHS upon returning from a dinner with his pregnant American wife, Noor Abdalla. Khalil, a Palestinian student activist, has labeled himself a "political prisoner" in response to his arrest, which he believes is linked to his advocacy for a free Palestine and criticism of Israeli violence in Gaza. The Trump administration has accused Khalil of ties to Hamas, but no evidence has been provided to...

Edward James, a Florida death row inmate convicted of raping and killing an eight-year-old girl and murdering her grandmother, is seeking a halt to his scheduled execution by the U.S. Supreme Court. James, 63, was convicted in the 1993 crimes in Seminole County and faces lethal injection on Thursday. Despite appeals citing cognitive decline, the Florida Supreme Court and federal appeals court have rejected delays, making this the state's second execution this year. Full Article