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No more free coffee on your birthday? Companies rein in customer rewards programs – here’s why

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:57:14 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Reward programs, including birthday freebies and discounts, have long been a way for brands to build loyalty and incentivize spending. But now some companies are becoming a bit more stingy — and customers are taking notice.Last fall, for example, many balked at Dunkin’s decision to stop offering a free drink on their birthday and instead give them triple loyalty points on their purchase. On June 1, Sephora started requiring a $25 minimum purchase for online customers looking to claim a free gift and 250 loyalty points during their birthday month. And Red Robin added a dine-in only and $4.99 minimum purchase requirement for customers to get their free birthday burger.Changes to birthday rewards or redemption requirements aren’t new. Starbucks, which gives its rewards members a free drink or food item for their birthdays, progressively limited the timeframe for redeeming that gift over the years — from 30 days, to one week, to four days and, finally, to just th...

Toronto home sales and prices up from last June, down from May: TRREB

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:57:14 GMT

Toronto homebuyers that snapped up a property last month paid more on average than they did a year ago but less than they would have if they closed the deal in May, the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board said Thursday.The Ontario housing board made the same observation about last month’s sales figures and attributed the trends to a mix of market conditions that have left interest in buying a home high but mortgage rates tough to grapple with and supply tight.“Home sales were hampered last month by uncertainty surrounding the Bank of Canada’s outlook on inflation and interest rates,” Paul Baron, the board’s president, said in a press release.“Furthermore, a persistent lack of inventory likely sidelined some willing buyers because they couldn’t find a home meeting their needs. Simply put, you can’t buy what is not available.”While 2023 opened with buyers sidelined as interest rates climbed and prospective sellers spooked from selling the...

ValleyCats ascending the East ahead of All-Star break

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:57:14 GMT

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Tri-City ValleyCats have been steadily clawing their way up the Frontier League East standings. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! With just four games remaining before the All-Star break, manager Pete Incaviglia likes what he's seen out of his squad in the first half of the season."I mean, obviously we'd love to be in first place," said Incaviglia. "But we're right in the thick of things, and right where we need to be. We need to continue to get better as a ball club. I'm very pleased with the way we're playing. I'm very pleased with the product on the field, and how the guys go about their business and compete every day."After posting just an 8-9 record in May, the ValleyCats ramped up their play in June to the tune of a 17-9 mark. And following an 18-4 beatdown of the Empire State Greys at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium Wednesday night, they improved their overall record to 28-19.Tri-City now finds itse...

Jalen Pickett preparing for Summer League debut with Nuggets

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:57:14 GMT

DENVER (NEWS10) -- The NBA's Summer League is underway, and Jalen Pickett is preparing to make his debut with the Denver Nuggets. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The former Siena Saints standout guard, who transferred to Penn St. University to finish out his collegiate career, has a few Summer League practices with the reigning NBA champs now under his belt.The team opens up its' Summer League schedule Friday against Albany Academy graduate Andre Jackson Jr. and the Milwaukee Bucks. It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks for Pickett after being selected with the 32nd overall pick in the NBA Draft, but it sounds like the reality that he's made it to the league is finally starting to set in."I think seeing Jamal (Murray) out here was definitely that moment, like, "wow, this is really Jamal Murray...NBA experience,"" said Pickett. "I can't wait to get the guys here, and everything. This Summer League experience has been great s...

Russian ex-arms dealer freed for Brittney Griner to run for far-right party

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:57:14 GMT

A Russian arms dealer freed last December in a prisoner swap for US basketball star Brittney Griner has been chosen as the candidate of a far-right party for a seat in a Russian regional legislature, state news agency RIA reported on Sunday (2 July).Viktor Bout (pictured), once dubbed "the merchant of death" by the United States, served 10 years of a 25-year sentence in US prisons on arms dealing charges until his release in the prisoner exchange with Griner, an Olympic gold medallist.RIA cited an official in Russia's ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR)'s local organization as saying that Bout had been nominated as a candidate for the legislative assembly of the Ulyanovsk region in central Russia.Bout was arrested by U.S. agents during a sting in Thailand in 2008. The US Department of Justice described him as one of the world's most prolific arms dealers who had sold weapons across the globe to terrorists and America's enemies for decades. Bout always denied the charge...

Ask Amy: I don’t want him giving my wife such extravagant gifts

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:57:14 GMT

Dear Amy: I wanted to ask if I’m being too uptight or if I have a right to feel upset regarding my wife and her ex.They have been divorced for eight years now and share three teens/young adults.Related ArticlesAdvice | Ask Amy: Our real estate agent has become a scary stalker Advice | Ask Amy: The stay-at-home mom is clueless about my responsibilities Advice | Ask Amy: My husband sulks when I say we can’t afford these things Advice | Ask Amy: I’m sickened by my granddaughter’s cheerleading, and her parents won’t listen Advice | Ask Amy: Their false ‘service animal’ claims are selfish and risky We have been married for almost six years. He is remarried as well.He gets her very expensive gifts for Christmas, her birthday or “just because.”This really bothers me, and I don’t feel it is acceptable nor appropriate.I am 60 and my wife is 45. Her ex is a couple of years young...

Harriette Cole: She fought my sentimental claim to my mom’s table. Now we don’t speak.

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:57:14 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a sister-in-law I no longer speak to due to the fact that she thought she was entitled to my deceased mother’s belongings.Related ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: I’m starting to believe the rumor about my ex Advice | Harriette Cole: We posted a vacation TikTok, and this guy flipped out Advice | Harriette Cole: My family isn’t happy about my peanut brittle obsession Advice | Harriette Cole: I was appalled that my friend showed this movie to my kids Advice | Harriette Cole: My enemy has moved to my city and I’m afraid we’ll run into each other My mother died of old age about a year ago and didn’t leave a will, so my brother, sister and I had to divide her belongings. My siblings and I didn’t have issues with this task, but my sister-in-law caused problems.I wanted the dining room table because we grew up eating our meals around it, and I had...

Soldados rusos capturados hablan de baja moral, desorden en las filas y horrores de la guerra de trincheras

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:57:14 GMT

(CNN) — Durante tres días, proyectiles y morteros “volaban y silbaban sobre nuestras cabezas, explotando a nuestro alrededor”, le dijo a CNN Anton, un soldado ruso posicionado al sur de Bakhmut. “Estábamos saltando como conejos bajo los morteros y las bombas”.Cuando el ambiente se hizo más tranquilo, él y su compañero Slava se quedaron dormidos. El sonido de un motor rugiente y disparos pronto los despertaron, y los bombardeos finalmente volaron los troncos que cubrían la trinchera en la que se escondían.“Había un cráter justo en la entrada. Y luego todo se quedó en silencio. Estaba en silencio. Y mi amigo me dijo, corramos”, recuerda Slava, ahora bajo la custodia de soldados ucranianos.Corrieron, saltando sobre cráteres y cuerpos destrozados por los incesantes bombardeos, hacia otra trinchera. Podían escuchar un vehículo y la voz de los soldados ucranianos moviéndose por encima de ellos, dice.Anton tenía un rifle y una granada. Dice que escuchó un clic y que arrojaron dos gra...

Israeli forces shell southern Lebanon border village after rocket lands near disputed territory

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:57:14 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — Israeli forces shelled a southern Lebanese border village on Thursday after several explosions were heard in a disputed area where the borders of Syria, Lebanon and Israel meet.Tensions continue to flare in the border area over two tents erected by the militant group Hezbollah and Israel’s building of a wall around the Lebanese part of a village that Israeli troops captured during the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war.A Lebanese military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of not being cleared to provide information to journalists said one rocket was fired toward Israel from the border town of Kfar Chouba and that Israeli forces responded with two rocket attacks.The Israeli Defense Forces first said no explosion took place in their territory and only on the Lebanese side of the border near Ghajar. Minutes later, they said a Lebanese rocket landed in Israeli territory near the border and that Israeli forces have since shelled parts of Kfar Chouba. It was un...

Jailed man in Fairfax Co. dies at hospital

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:57:14 GMT

A death investigation is underway after a man being held at Fairfax County, Virginia’s Adult Detention Center died at a hospital.Todd Matthew Gleason, 51, was arrested on June 17 for an outstanding warrant for petit larceny and failure to appear on a felony offense.After his arrest, Fairfax County police said Gleason asked to be taken to the hospital for a preexisting injury. He was hospitalized and medically cleared for release that same day, before being taken to the detention center.“There was no force used” during Gleason’s arrest, according to a news release.Police said after Gleason complained about stomach and leg pain on the morning of July 3, an ambulance transported him to a hospital. A magistrate released Gleason from custody while hospitalized later that night.Gleason died at the hospital the next morning. An autopsy is planned.Source