By Funto Omojola, NerdWallet Mobile wallets that allow you to pay using your phone have been around for well more than a decade, and over those years they’ve grown in popularity, becoming a key part of consumers’ credit card usage. According to a “state of credit card report” for 2025 from credit bureau Experian, 53% of Americans in a survey say they use digital wallets more frequently than traditional payment methods. To further incentivize mobile wallet usage, some credit card issuers offer bonus rewards when you elect to pay that way. But those incentives can go beyond just higher reward rates. In fact, mobile wallets in some ways are becoming an essential part of activating and holding a credit card. For example, they can offer immediate access to your credit line, and they can be easier and safer than paying with a physical card. OK, but let’s start with bonus rewards From a rewards perspective, it can make a lot of sense to reach for your phone now instead of your physical card. The Apple Card offers its highest reward rates when you use it through the Apple Pay mobile wallet. Same goes for the PayPal Cashback Mastercard® when you use it to make purchases via the PayPal digital wallet. The Kroger grocery store giant has a co-branded credit card that earns the most when you pay using an eligible digital wallet, and some major credit cards with quarterly rotating bonus categories have a history of incentivizing digital wallet use. But again, these days it’s not just about the rewards. Instant credit access Mobile wallets like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and PayPal can offer immediate access to your credit line while you wait for your physical card to arrive after approval. Indeed, most major issuers including Bank of America®, Capital One and Chase now offer instant virtual credit card numbers for eligible cards that can be used upon approval by adding them to a digital wallet. Additionally, many co-branded credit cards — those offered in partnership with another brand — commonly offer instant card access and can be used immediately on in-brand purchases. Credit cards typically take seven to 10 days to arrive after approval, so instant access to your credit line can be particularly useful if you need to make an urgent or unexpected purchase. Plus, they allow you to start spending toward a card’s sign-up bonus right away. Convenience and safety As issuers push toward mobile payments, a growing number of merchants and businesses are similarly adopting the payment method. The percentage of U.S. businesses that used digital wallets increased to 62% in 2023, compared to 47% the previous year, according to a 2023 survey commissioned by the Federal Reserve Financial Services. Related Articles Business | Event promoters, hotels and lodging sites soon will have to disclose extra fees up front Business | Should you donate your points and miles to charity? Business | Skip the holiday debt by planning before you spend Business | 5 ways to tell if you’re on track for retirement — and 5 things to do if you need to catch up, according to experts Business | The White House is cracking down on overdraft fees Wider acceptance is potentially good news for the average American, who according to Experian has about four credit cards. While that won’t necessarily weigh down your wallet, it can be hard to manage multiple cards and rewards categories at once. Mobile wallets offer a more efficient way to store and organize all of your workhorse cards, while not having to carry around ones that you don’t use often. They can also help you more easily monitor your spending and rewards, and some even track your orders’ status and arrival time. Plus, paying with a digital wallet offers added security. That’s because it uses technology called tokenization when you pay, which masks your real credit card number and instead sends an encrypted “token” that’s unique to each payment. This is unlike swiping or dipping a physical card, during which your credit card number is more directly accessible. And again, because a mobile wallet doesn’t require you to have your physical cards present, there’s less chance of one falling out of your pocket or purse. More From NerdWallet Funto Omojola writes for NerdWallet. Email: fomojola@nerdwallet.com. The article Activating Your Credit Card? Don’t Skip the Mobile Wallet Step originally appeared on NerdWallet .
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It seems the Grinch’s heart did grow three sizes. Or maybe second thoughts crept in while sipping a glass of Pinot Grigio. That’s because a metal Christmas tree stolen from a Welcome to Niagara Falls sign was found Thursday along the side of the road near the intersection of York Road and Concession Road 6 in Niagara-on-the-Lake, near a couple of wineries. “Maybe I’ve got to call the (Niagara-on-the-Lake) Lord Mayor (Gary Zalepa) and ask him, what kind of prank is this?” joked Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati. “(The thief) only got so far, he started sipping wine and then he abandoned it,” he added with a laugh. It seems that the Grinch's small heart grew three sizes today! Thank you to our Niagara residents who wrote and phoned in to help us locate this missing tree decoration found at York & Concession 6 Road. I guess there really are Christmas miracles! @NiagaraFalls pic.twitter.com/m2Uym8vdlG Diodati used his social media channels to thank Niagarans who “wrote and phoned in to help us locate this missing tree decoration.” “I guess there really are Christmas miracles,” he tweeted, showing a photo of the tree roadside. Diodati first took to social media Tuesday to call on the community to help find the 1.8-metre-tall decoration taken from along the QEW near the Mountain Road exit. Hey @NiagaraFalls community- we need YOUR help!! I am disappointed to say that a Grinch has stolen one of the illuminated Christmas trees which welcome QEW vehicles to our City of Niagara Falls. If you have any information regarding this missing tree, please get in touch! Hoping... pic.twitter.com/TTCC7XWV4i During Tuesday’s council meeting Diodati said there’s normally three metal-frame Christmas trees installed and anchored to the ground around the welcome sign during the holiday season — one on top of the sign is about three metres tall and two smaller ones, about 1.8 metres tall, are to the right and down below to the left. The one closest to the QEW was stolen sometime on the weekend, as it was there Saturday night, said Diodati. He said the trees have been in the city’s possession for 20 to 30 years. In an interview Thursday, Diodati said it was because of the media attention that “someone reached out to us on social media” with a picture of the tree in Niagara-on-the-Lake. “I was really happy to see that it was only down a couple of days and we got enough community participation and whatever happened, for whatever reason, it’s going to find its rightful home right at the welcome sign on the QEW,” he said. “Everything crossed my mind — why? who? how? But regardless, I’m glad it wasn’t damaged, I’m glad that we got it back ... and I hope whoever did it, I hope they have a good Christmas. “Sometimes things seem like a good idea at the time and then you look back and think, what was I thinking? I was hoping it would be a happy ending — and it was.”Strategic hire underscores Assembly's commitment to bolstering its leadership team to deliver best-in-class services and results for its clients. NEW YORK , Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Assembly, a leading global marketing agency within the Stagwell (STGW) network, today announced the appointment of Josh Berman as Executive Vice President, Assembly Lead. Earlier this year, Assembly unveiled a new operating structure with teams organized into 'Assemblies' based on geography and industry sector. Based in New York , Berman will co-lead Assembly East, focusing on deepening brand relationships, driving innovation, and providing more rigor, expertise, and growth for clients. Berman brings 15 years of media industry experience to Assembly. Most recently, as Managing Partner and Client Lead at Wavemaker, he led media planning and buying for a major Church & Dwight brand and contributed to global product development initiatives, leveraging data and technology to craft effective marketing solutions. Over his career, Josh has partnered with marquee brands across various industries, including Citi, Campbell's , IKEA, Tiffany & Co., Amgen, Marriott, and AT&T. Berman's appointment is part of Assembly's ongoing growth efforts, ensuring that the agency remains at the forefront of the industry and continues to meet clients' evolving needs. "Our clients get the best of both worlds—an agency big enough to lead yet small enough to care—which means each client receives the attention, dedicated leadership, and prioritization the industry and clients are demanding," said Rick Acampora , Global CEO of Assembly. "Josh's extensive experience in media strategy, analytics, client leadership, and innovation, coupled with his ability to fuse media and creative to unlock and accelerate brand performance, will be instrumental as we continue to elevate and find the change that fuels growth for our clients. We are thrilled to have him join our team." Berman's role is effective immediately. ABOUT ASSEMBLY Assembly is a leading global omnichannel media agency that merges data, talent, and technology to catalyze growth for the world's most esteemed brands. Our holistic approach weaves together compelling brand narratives with a comprehensive suite of global media capabilities, driving performance and fostering significant business expansion. Our initiatives are powered by STAGE, our proprietary operating system, and executed by a dedicated global team of over 2,300 professionals across 35 offices worldwide. Committed to purposeful action, Assembly leads the way in social and environmental impact within the agency realm. As a proud member of Stagwell, the challenger network designed to revolutionize marketing, Assembly continues to set new standards of excellence. For more information, please visit assemblyglobal.com . Contact Mariana Delacqua mariana.delacqua@assemblyglobal.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/josh-berman-joins-assembly-as-evp-assembly-lead-in-north-america-302337752.html SOURCE Assembly
Coal and gas-fired power plants will stay open for longer under the coalition's $330 billion nuclear transition plan. Login or signup to continue reading Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has pledged to build seven publicly-owned nuclear power plants across the country, with predictions the first will come online from the mid-to-late 2030s - a timeline rubbished by some experts. Renewables would make up just over half of Australia's energy grid by 2050, with nuclear accounting for just under 40 per cent and the rest a combination of storage and gas, snippets of the plan dropped ahead of its release contend. Labor's plan is to have the grid firmed by just over 80 per cent renewable energy by 2030. This will increase to more than 90 per cent by 2050 with the rest made up of storage and gas. Nuclear energy would provide the "always-on" power to back up renewables and lead to cheaper power bills in the long run, Mr Dutton claimed. But nuclear energy does not offer a good deal for Australia, a report released just ahead of Mr Dutton unveiling his costings found, while postponing coal power station closures would heighten Australia's carbon emissions in the medium term. For the seventh straight year, the GenCost 2024-25 Report found renewable energy sources are the lowest-cost of any new-build electricity-generating technology. Nuclear energy generation would be 1.5 to two times more expensive than large-scale solar, according to the analysis by the national science agency CSIRO and the Australian Energy Market Operator. Energy market operators would also need to establish new connection points to safely supply the national electricity grid, experts have said. The coalition's plan was modelled by Frontier Economics, which cost Labor's transition around $600 billion. Energy Minister Chris Bowen has rubbished this number, saying the government's plan would cost $122 billion, citing a forecast made by the national energy grid operator. "They're making it up as they go along," Mr Bowen told ABC TV of the coalition's costings on Friday. Mr Bowen said preliminary reports of the coalition's plan ahead of Friday's full announcement that nuclear would need fewer transmission lines - therefore bringing down the estimated cost - was incorrect. "I'm not sure how they'll get the nuclear power into the grid, maybe by carrier pigeon if they're going to assert if somehow you'll need less transmission," he said. "They have had to make some very heroic assumptions here and they have had to really stretch the truth to try to get some very dodgy figures." Keeping coal-fired power plants open beyond their lifespan was a threat to energy reliability, with outages and breakdowns happening on a daily basis, Mr Bowen said. "It's a recipe for blackouts to keep ageing coal-fired power stations in the grid for longer," he said. The coalition is pushing for an end to Australia's nuclear ban but has faced opposition from states. Nuclear power doesn't stack up for Australian families or businesses, Fortescue chairman Andrew Forrest said on Friday. "As our national science agency has shown, 'firmed' solar and wind are the cheapest new electricity options for all Australians," he said in a statement. "The cost of electricity generated on a grid dominated by firmed renewable energy in 2030 will be half what you would have to pay if it came from nuclear, CSIRO found." Mr Forrest, who is a big player in the non-fossil fuels energy market, said that without continued action on "low-cost, high-efficiency renewable energy" Australians will be left with "pricier power and crumbling coal stations". "We must never forget - Australia has the best renewable resources in the world," he added. 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The 4th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats take their 7-0 record on the road Tuesday night for a matchup with the Clemson Tigers in the SEC/ACC Challenge. The game is scheduled to start at 9:30 p.m. ET with TV coverage on ESPN and streaming on-demand . How to watch: Live streams of the Kentucky vs. Clemson game are available with offers from FuboTV (free trial) , SlingTV (low intro rate) and DirecTV Stream (free trial) . For a limited time, FuboTV is offering $30 off the first month after the free trial period. With the $30 offer, plans start at $49.99. #4 Kentucky Wildcats (7-0) at Clemson Tigers (7-1) NCAA men’s basketball matchup at a glance When: Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 9:30 p.m. ET Where: Littlejohn Coliseum, Clemson, S.C. TV channel: ESPN Live streams: FuboTV (free trial) | SlingTV (low intro rate) | DirecTV Stream (free trial) Kentucky moves up to No. 4 in this week’s national rankings on the strength of dominant wins over Western Kentucky (87-68) and Georgia State (105-76), pushing the Wildcats’ season record to 7-0 going into challenging back-to-back games against Clemson and No. 7 Gonzaga. The Wildcats have one ranked so far, a big one over then-No. 6 Duke (77-72) at the Champions Classic, and six other wins by an average of 22 points. Clemson is also off to a fast start with a 7-1 record and four straight wins since falling for the only time at Boise State (84-71) on Nov. 17. The Tigers are 1.5-point underdogs on their home floor, where they’re unbeaten and get a Kentucky team playing its first true road game. RECOMMENDED • pennlive .com How to watch #6 Miami Hurricanes vs. Syracuse football: Time, TV channel, FREE live streams Nov. 30, 2024, 12:08 p.m. How to watch #17 Tulane vs. Memphis football: Time, TV channel, FREE live streams Nov. 28, 2024, 3:00 p.m. Kentucky Wildcats vs. Clemson Tigers: Know your live streaming options FuboTV (free trial) - excellent viewer experience with huge library of live sports content; free trial lengths vary; monthly rate after free trial starts at $49.99 with current $30 discount offer. SlingTV (low intro rate) - discounted first month is best if you’ve run out of free trials or you’re in the market for 1+ month of TV DirecTV Stream (free trial) - not the same level of viewer experience as FuboTV, but the standard 7-day free trial is still the longest in streaming. The Wildcats and Tigers are set for a 9:30 p.m. ET start on ESPN. Live streams are available from FuboTV (free trial) , DirecTV Stream (free trial) and SlingTV (low intro rate) .
Patterson scores 33, Northwestern State takes down Southern University at New Orleans 89-79Second time was the charm. The Columbus Blue Jackets originally were going to host a night with fans for an open Q&A with Cole Sillinger in November. But an injury caused the event to be postponed. The Q&A was rescheduled for Wednesday night at the Sonesta Hotel in downtown Columbus. It was a first of its kind event in the sense that the Blue Jackets had never done something like this before. The event was free and open to the public. Sillinger joined Blue Jackets Radio Network host Dylan Tyrer for about a 30 minutes of fun and questions about anything. After the initial few questions were answered, it was the fan’s turn to ask the questions. Sillinger answered every question thrown his way. Afterwards, he signed autographs for everyone who came and took pictures with those that wanted it. After the event was over, Sillinger stopped by to talk with the Hockey Writers about the night and its importance. The one theme that came from the night was the importance of the fans. On multiple occasions, he not only mentioned how important the fans were, but how important connecting with them is. Sillinger Reflects on the Event Usually, teams like the Blue Jackets will host autograph sessions among other events to help fans connect with the players. This Q&A was different in that anyone could come into the hotel lobby and partake. Sillinger heard the idea from the team and embraced the moment. “Todd Sharrock (Blue Jackets VP of Communications) brought it up,” Sillinger said. “We had it scheduled a different day. The day didn’t work out with everything that was going on. So it changed to today. Just the idea to be more interactful with fans and just for them to hear more personal things from you. I think when they’re watching the media, it’s always pretty generic answers or answering questions about hockey or the game. So it’s nice to talk about my family or Christmas or a holiday and just ask questions about some of the guys on the team. I think that goes a long way. And fans, you can connect with them in that way and relate with them more.” Sillinger believes nights like this are important because it does present the players in a different light than what many fans are used to seeing. Don’t be surprised to see more of these kind of events with different players in the future. “Not everyone gets to see that, and it’s important for them to build a deeper connection with you. At the end of the day, we’re all ‘just normal people.’ We have a job and our job is to play in front of 20,000 people on any given night and we’re super fortunate. We’re super lucky for that.” “At the end of the day, one of my favorite things to do is to go to the grocery store and hang out, be a kid as well. For me to just give off that perspective of myself as well. The connection grows deeper and hopefully they become bigger fans not only of myself but of the Blue Jackets in general knowing and appreciating that away from the rink, we’re just people as well.” Sign of Leadership Sillinger making himself available for something like this points to strides being made not only from a leadership perspective, but also embracing the community he plays in. The Blue Jackets have a young core. Seeing this kind of progress is an important step for him to be one of the faces of the team in future seasons. “We have a great, young core and we want to take it upon ourselves and eventually, we want to help the Blue Jackets a Cup to Columbus,” Sillinger said. “That’s the goal. If that’s not the goal, then what are we doing here? We’re very fortunate to be able to play with each other. We don’t want to keep getting these first-round picks all the time because that means this season is not going good. So there’s got to be a time where we take it upon ourselves and we feel like that time is now. It’s starting to come.” “We’re gaining more experience on the cie. We’re developing better chemistry with each other and I think it’s translating. We have more to give and more to learn and more to grow. But just recognizing the situation, for our team to have success, our young guys have to take it to the next level and we’re working towards that.” You Might Also Like Sillinger said the night went well. It was never about evaluating himself in the moment. It was an opportunity to have a fun night with fans in a different setting. “I was 100% myself and I was happy with that,” Sillinger said. It was an enjoyable night for the 25-30 people that came out to see him. Walking out of the event, I couldn’t help but notice the number of smiles from fans as they were leaving. The night meant something to them. They hope that more events like this happen in the future. Based on talking with Sillinger, it seems these kind of things could be the start of something special in Columbus for the Blue Jackets and their fans. This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.
Tallia Storm ‘screaming’ after teaming up with idol RihannaQualcomm Defeats Arm in CourtCoal and gas-fired power plants will stay open for longer under the coalition's $330 billion nuclear transition plan. or signup to continue reading Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has pledged to build seven publicly-owned nuclear power plants across the country, with predictions the first will come online from the mid-to-late 2030s - a timeline rubbished by some experts. Renewables would make up just over half of Australia's energy grid by 2050, with nuclear accounting for just under 40 per cent and the rest a combination of storage and gas, snippets of the plan dropped ahead of its release contend. Labor's plan is to have the grid firmed by just over 80 per cent renewable energy by 2030. This will increase to more than 90 per cent by 2050 with the rest made up of storage and gas. Nuclear energy would provide the "always-on" power to back up renewables and lead to cheaper power bills in the long run, Mr Dutton claimed. But nuclear energy does not offer a good deal for Australia, a report released just ahead of Mr Dutton unveiling his costings found, while postponing coal power station closures would heighten Australia's carbon emissions in the medium term. For the seventh straight year, the found renewable energy sources are the lowest-cost of any new-build electricity-generating technology. Nuclear energy generation would be 1.5 to two times more expensive than large-scale solar, according to the analysis by the national science agency CSIRO and the Australian Energy Market Operator. Energy market operators would also need to establish new connection points to safely supply the national electricity grid, experts have said. The coalition's plan was modelled by Frontier Economics, which cost Labor's transition around $600 billion. Energy Minister Chris Bowen has rubbished this number, saying the government's plan would cost $122 billion, citing a forecast made by the national energy grid operator. "They're making it up as they go along," Mr Bowen told ABC TV of the coalition's costings on Friday. Mr Bowen said preliminary reports of the coalition's plan ahead of Friday's full announcement that nuclear would need fewer transmission lines - therefore bringing down the estimated cost - was incorrect. "I'm not sure how they'll get the nuclear power into the grid, maybe by carrier pigeon if they're going to assert if somehow you'll need less transmission," he said. "They have had to make some very heroic assumptions here and they have had to really stretch the truth to try to get some very dodgy figures." Keeping coal-fired power plants open beyond their lifespan was a threat to energy reliability, with outages and breakdowns happening on a daily basis, Mr Bowen said. "It's a recipe for blackouts to keep ageing coal-fired power stations in the grid for longer," he said. The coalition is pushing for an end to Australia's nuclear ban but has faced opposition from states. Nuclear power doesn't stack up for Australian families or businesses, Fortescue chairman Andrew Forrest said on Friday. "As our national science agency has shown, 'firmed' solar and wind are the cheapest new electricity options for all Australians," he said in a statement. "The cost of electricity generated on a grid dominated by firmed renewable energy in 2030 will be half what you would have to pay if it came from nuclear, CSIRO found." Mr Forrest, who is a big player in the non-fossil fuels energy market, said that without continued action on "low-cost, high-efficiency renewable energy" Australians will be left with "pricier power and crumbling coal stations". "We must never forget - Australia has the best renewable resources in the world," he added. "Seizing these Australian opportunities must be our shared national goal." DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Advertisement Advertisement
