Skip to main content

Featured

AIR MILES Is Gone. Here's What Actually Earns You Travel Now

  If you've been holding onto a Air Miles card waiting to redeem for a flight, the program you signed up for doesn't exist anymore — and the cards that replaced it aren't the best game in town. If you searched "best AIR MILES credit card" and landed here, there's something you need to know first: there is no such thing anymore. AIR MILES, the loyalty program that's been part of Canadian wallets since 1992, officially became BMO Blue Rewards on June 2, 2026. BMO had already stopped issuing new AIR MILES cards back in January, and every collector's Miles converted automatically into Blue Points at a rate of roughly 1 Air Mile to 15.79 Blue Points — no action needed, no lost value. That's good news if you're a longtime collector sitting on a pile of Miles. It's less good news if you were hoping to earn free flights that way going forward, because Blue Rewards was built to compete with PC Optimum and Scene+ — grocery, gas, and everyday spendi...

article

Fireworks from Yacht Spark Forest Fire in Greece: 13 Arrested

 

Thirteen crew members and passengers have been arrested in Greece after fireworks launched from a yacht allegedly sparked a forest fire on the island of Hydra. The blaze, which occurred on Saturday, burned through the island’s only pine forest in the remote area of Bisti.

Despite the challenging conditions, firefighters managed to bring the flames under control. Accessing the beach by sea and using helicopters to drop water from the air, they successfully contained the fire. However, the incident has caused outrage in Greece, especially given the ongoing wildfires and the country’s first heatwave of the year.

Hydra’s mayor, Giorgos Koukoudakis, expressed indignation, stating, “We are indignant that some people so irresponsibly throw fireworks into a pine forest.” Social media users have also criticized the yacht’s passengers, with one person describing them as “rich people with more money than brains.”

Greece remains on high alert for wildfires, and authorities are preparing for a challenging summer due to dry conditions, strong winds, and high temperatures. Last Friday, a volunteer firefighter tragically lost his life while battling a fire in the southern region of Ilia on the Peloponnese peninsula. Scientists attribute the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, including heatwaves, to climate change. Additionally, Greece has grappled with arsonists, with stricter laws now in place to combat such behavior.


Comments