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Avion rewards program exapnds to customers who don’t bank with RBC

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:32:00 GMT

TORONTO — The Avion rewards program is opening up to people who aren’t clients of Royal Bank of Canada.The Toronto-based bank says Canadians will now be allowed into the free rewards program regardless of where they bank or shop.Avion offers members deals at more than 2,400 online retailers and lets shoppers earn points they can redeem for merchandise and gift cards.The membership level open to customers without RBC products is called Avion Select.Avion Select has most of the program’s core benefits but doesn’t offer cash back or savings on in-store purchases and does not allow users to use points on bills payments and investments.Avion’s expansion comes as companies are beefing up their loyalty programs. Cineplex Inc., Scotiabank and Empire Company Ltd. revamped the Scene program last year and BMO Financial Group announced a deal in June to buy Air Miles in Canada.This report by The Canadian Press was first published August 1, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:RY, TSX:BNS, T...

How modern video games hook us, and kids, so completely

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:32:00 GMT

In today’s Big Story Podcast, recently a feature story in Maclean’s magazine described parents who were “losing their kids to Fortnite.” While some gamers may hear that and see the kind of rhetoric that has followed video games around since their inception, others heard recognition and acknowledgement.But what makes video games different is that they are constantly evolving, and rapidly — usually with the goal of increasing the time spent playing them. As technology has improved, so has game design, and games with an online element have a social aspect offer.Luc Rinaldi wrote a feature about modern gaming addiction for Maclean’s. He said although video games addiction likely only occurs in very small subset of people, the research we have currently isn’t adequate to asses just how many people that would be.“Video games are evolving at an extremely rapid pace. And I think that’s what’s changed is that when some of this research started, games were pretty...

Greece’s government is planning tougher penalties for arson following a spate of wildfires

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:32:00 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek authorities are planning tougher penalties for arson — with fines to be increased to 10 times the current level — following a spate of major wildfires that have already caused more damage than the 2022 annual total.Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias said details of the measures would be announced next month, but added that fines for causing fires deliberately or because of negligent behavior would match penalties introduced two years ago for the abuse of animals. Those carry a fine of up to 50,000 euros ($55,000) and a maximum jail sentence of 10 years.“I am obliged to say that the next fire season will find us in a different position, It’s not just the penalties — the fines will increase tenfold — but we need a … change in mentality,” Kikilias said in an interview with state television late Monday. The changes, he said, would include school programs and locally based initiatives to promote forest fire prevention awareness.Greece battled 10...

It was close, but USWNT advances in World Cup

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:32:00 GMT

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — Just as expected, the United States Women's National Team is moving onto the knockout stage of the 2023 Women's World Cup.It was just a lot more stressful than many would have hoped - and it almost didn't happen. The team did just enough to get into the next round of the tournament at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand early Tuesday morning, playing Portugal to a scoreless draw to conclude play in Group E. With the result, the United States finished with five points, which was enough to claim second in the group. The Netherlands finished first with wins over Portugal and Vietnam along with a draw against the USWNT last Wednesday. It was certainly not as calm of a match as some supporters would have hoped for the United States, who entered the tournament as favorites. In fact, Portugal nearly sprung the surprise in stoppage time when striker Ana Capeta hit the post on a shot that had gotten past USMNT goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. Luckily it stayed out, salvaging ...

Dean's A-List Interview: Voices of 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem'

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:32:00 GMT

CHICAGO — The newest version of a popular cartoon that started in the 1980s is set to hit theatres this week - and once again it will be animated."Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem" is set to open in theatres on Wednesday and is the seventh full-length film based on the four reptile brothers who fight crime in New York City. Before the film's release and before the actor's strike, Dean Richards caught up with a few of the big-name voices of the characters in the film for "Dean's A-List Interview" on WGN Morning News. On Tuesday, he featured interviews with Ice Cube and Ayo Edebiri during a few segments ahead of this latest "Turtles" movie.You can watch those interviews on "Dean's A-List Interview" from the August 1 show in the video above or below.Get Dean's reviews and A-List interviews delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for Dean's Downloads weekly newsletter. You'll also get his Dean Cooks recipes too!

VOTE: Help us choose the best KXAN viewer photo of July 2023

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:32:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Here at KXAN, we get hundreds of photos sent to us each month by viewers just like you.We want to showcase some of the best pictures we receive, so we narrowed them down to our 10 favorites for the month.Help us choose the best viewer photo of July 2023. Look through the 10 pictures below, then vote for your favorite. The winning photo will move on to represent July in the best viewer photos of the year competition once 2023 is said and done.If you’d like to submit a photo for August's competition, email it to [email protected]. Be on the lookout as KXAN may contact you to send a permission form so we can use your photo on air and online. All submissions must be taken in August 2023.Here are the options for July, in no particular order.Here Comes the StormRichland Springs, July 1. Courtesy Martha Dean.Shelf cloud over Richland Springs on July 1, 2023. (Courtesy Martha Dean)Moon ShotAustin, July 3. Courtesy @PNYEGUY.Full buck moon over downtown Austin on Jul...

Texas student's work travels to Jupiter, helps track climate change on Earth

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:32:00 GMT

AUSTIN, TX (KXAN) -- A new technique utilizing radar will soon be used on one of NASA's biggest missions of the decade. The technique was developed by a University of Texas Ph.D. student, Kristian Chan. It was originally tested on melting ice caps on Earth to determine how climate change was impacting them."It's piece of this larger picture of trying to understand how the ice on Earth is responding to a warming climate," said Chan, who is also a graduate research assistant with UT's Institute for Geophysics.The technique uses two different radars, both operating at different frequencies, to scan the shallow surface of ice caps. "One radar is sensitive to features down to about 10-12 meters, the other one, maybe about a few meters or so."By using two different radars, scientists are able to create a map of the subsurface. This map can locate pockets of frozen ice that are capable of redirecting melt water that moves through the ice cap. UT researchers sending undersea robot to inve...

Fall camp for Texas Longhorns opens Wednesday, Sarkisian to hold news conference Tuesday

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:32:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — It's finally here.College football fall camps around the country are all set to commence and usher in the 2023-24 season, and Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian will officially introduce the team at a news conference Tuesday. Arch Manning’s first trading card makes more than $100K for charity at auction We'll update this story after Sarkisian makes his season-opening remarks at 10:45 a.m.Texas comes into the season with the third-ranked recruiting class for 2023, and that includes the nation's top recruit in quarterback Arch Manning. The Longhorns brought in four 5-star and 14 4-star recruits according to 247Sports.com. In addition to Manning, linebacker Anthony Hill, running back CJ Baxter and transfer wide receiver Adonai Mitchell are the latest 5-star recruits on the 40 Acres this season.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersThe Longhorns hit the...

Albany man arrested in stolen wallet investigation

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:32:00 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- An Albany man was arrested on Thursday following a stolen wallet investigation out of Troy. Grady Turner, 65, faces multiple charges. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! On Monday, June 5, around 10:39 a.m., troopers received a complaint regarding a stolen wallet from a store in Troy. According to police, an investigation found Turner had stolen the wallet and its contents from the victim while they were distracted shopping. Turner was identified with the help of the Capital Region Crime Analysis Center and the New York State Division of Parole. He was arrested and taken to Brunswick State Police for processing. South Glens Falls ‘Vocal Point’ opening for Foreigner Charges:Fourth-degree grand larceny (three counts)Third-degree criminal trespassing (three counts)Petit larcenyTurner was arraigned at the Brunswick Town Court. He was taken to the Rensselaer County Correctional Facility where he's held withou...

Opinion: Take it from the ski resorts. Our environment matters.

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:32:00 GMT

As the general managers of Copper Mountain Resort, and Eldora Mountain Resort, both beloved ski resorts and major employers in Summit and Boulder counties, we are urging the Colorado community and Congress to support the Recycling and Composting Accountability Act.First and foremost, we would like to commend Congressman Joe Neguse for authoring and sponsoring this bill to advance environmental stewardship and sustainability. As mountain resorts that provide outdoor experiences for millions of guests each year, we understand the importance of preserving our natural surroundings and mitigating the negative impacts ofhuman activities on the environment. The proposed bill aligns perfectly with our core values of environmental stewardship and community support, and we believe it will significantly contribute to a future where a greener and more sustainable economy further propels Colorado forward.Summit and Boulder counties, with their stunning mountains and breathtaking landscapes, have...