A third of Brits will row about their baubles this , a poll found. A shocking 34 per cent of people said they row about Christmas decorations - especially where to put their baubles. A further half of Brits - 48 per cent - also said they row about the Christmas decorations because their partner doesn’t do enough to help. Another 26 per cent get into rows with partners about what present to give friends and loved ones. And 18 per cent get into arguments with their other half over how much to spend over the festive season on gifts and entertaining The dating site Illicit Encounters asked 2,000 UK adults what the biggest cause of stress with partners is over Christmas to come up with the findings. Spokeswoman Jessica Leoni said: "Who would have thought putting up the fairy lights and placing the Christmas baubles could be the cause of so much conflict? "But it appears bickering about decorations is almost as much a Christmas tradition as mince pies and bad cracker jokes. "Thousands are having tinsel tiffs every year whether its about classic garish decorations are something more classy." The poll also found a further 11 per cent of couples row over the cooking and how to include vegetarian options in order to keep all the family happy. Another six per cent fall out over visiting relatives and how long to stay. A further five per cent said they fall out over other Christmas related issues like what to watch on TV and who has to go alcohol free if driving on a night out. Come and join The Daily Star on , the social media site set up by ex-Twitter boss Jack Dorsey. It's now the new go-to place for content after a mass exodus of the Elon Musk-owned Twitter/X. Fear not, we're not leaving , but we are jumping on the bandwagon. So come find our new account on , and see us social better than the rest. You can also learn more about The Daily Star team in what Bluesky calls a . So what are you waiting for?! Let'sRegency Centers Co. (NASDAQ:REG) Shares Purchased by JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Taking into account disposable income, average commute time, average hours worked per week, workplace safety, and happiness levels by state, the weighted analysis by Vaziri Law ranks Hawaii, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Nevada, Vermont, Indiana, West Virginia, Arizona, and South Carolina as the worst states in which to work. Many of the study’s findings are unsurprising, given the financial hardship reported in most of those states, with the notable exception of Vermont. For example, Louisiana, Kentucky and West Virginia have some of the highest poverty rates in the nation, while Tennessee and Nevada have some of the highest numbers of residents in financial distress, according to a study by personal finance website WalletHub. But the Vaziri Law analysis actually ranks Hawaii, which consistently scores low marks for economic freedom , as the number one worst state to work. The rating is slightly skewed by the state having the lowest average disposable income, $5,929 per working resident. Hawaiian workers do have good workplace safety rates, ranking 13th out of all 50 states, and a relatively high happiness score of 66.31 out of 100, with 100 being the happiest. In the second worst state to work in, Louisiana residents have the longest average working hours on the list at 44.3 per week, and also face poor workplace safety conditions, ranking 40th out of 50. Additionally, workers in the Bayou State are some of the most depressed in the nation, reporting a happiness index of 34.81. But they have roughly triple the disposable income of Hawaiian workers, at $15,364. “This research highlights the significant challenges workers face across the U.S., from financial strain to poor work-life balance," a spokesperson from Vaziri Law told The Center Square. "States like Hawaii, with the lowest disposable income, and Louisiana, with extended work hours and low happiness levels, underscore the need for systemic changes to improve workplace conditions, safety, and overall quality of life for employees.” Tennessee, coming in third, has a good workplace safety ranking of 11 out of 50 but a happiness index of 43.35. The average worker has a disposable income of $18,078 and works just over 40 hours a week with a 26-minute commute. In Kentucky, workers dedicate an average of 40.8 hours to work per week and have around $15,982 in disposable income. The happiness index rating is low, sitting at 38.36. By contrast, Nevada’s happiness index is ten points higher, but the average disposable income is more than $2,000 lower. Both states have decent workplace safety ratings. Despite having the highest workplace safety rate in the country and a 37.8 hour work week on average, Vermont ranks low due to the 48.46 happiness index and $15,263 average disposable income. Indiana does better at $17,293, but workers put in more hours and have slightly lower happiness and safety rankings. West Virginia ranks dead last on the list for both workplace safety – 45 out of 50 – and happiness levels at 33.83; plus, it has the longest average commute time. But a West Virginia resident’s average disposable income of $14,309, nearly is triple that of Hawaii. Arizona, in ninth place on the list, reports that its average worker has a disposable income of $18,764 and works 40.6 hours per week. It has a relatively high workplace safety rank of 9 and a mediocre happiness index of 50.22. Residents of South Carolina have an average of $15,824 in disposable income on hand. They face worse safety conditions, ranking 16, and have a lower happiness index, 49.62, than Arizonans. But South Carolina workers also clock in two hours less on average, around 38.2 hours per week. Even with less-than-ideal work conditions, Arizona and South Carolina, as well as Tennessee and Nevada, continue to be some of the top destinations for domestic migration, according to the IRS and 2024 Census Bureau data. Other factors, like safety, job opportunities, political climate and more play a factor in-migration.How major US stock indexes fared Friday, 11/22/2024
The Detroit Lions will play without two high draft picks in rookie cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. while getting back veteran Emmanuel Moseley against the host Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Arnold was downgraded Saturday from questionable to out because of a groin injury. He was limited at practice on Thursday and participated in a full practice on Friday. The Lions drafted Arnold with the 24th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Alabama. Arnold, 21, has started all 10 games and has 38 tackles and six passes defended. Rakestraw (hamstring) was placed on injured reserve after not practicing all week. He already had been ruled out for Sunday's game. Detroit picked Rakestraw in the second round (61st overall) out of Missouri. He has played in eight games and has six tackles. Rakestraw, 22, has played on 46 defensive snaps (8 percent) and 95 special teams snaps (42 percent). Moseley had full practice sessions all week and was activated from injured reserve on Saturday but was listed as questionable for Sunday. The 28-year-old is in his second season with Detroit and appeared in one game last season before going on IR in October 2023. He was placed on IR on Aug. 27 with a designation to return. Moseley played from 2018-22 for the San Francisco 49ers and had 162 tackles, four interceptions -- one returned for a touchdown -- and 33 passes defensed in 46 games (33 starts). Detroit elevated linebacker David Long on Saturday for game day. Long, 28, signed with the practice squad on Tuesday after the Miami Dolphins released him on Nov. 13. He had started six of eight games for the Dolphins this season and had 38 tackles. In other Lions news, the NFL fined wide receiver Jameson Williams $19,697 for unsportsmanlike conduct for making an obscene gesture during a touchdown celebration in last Sunday's 52-6 home win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the NFL Network reported Saturday. Williams, 23, scored on a 65-yard pass from Jared Goff with 12:55 remaining in the third quarter. --Field Level MediaNone
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Zayn Malik delivered a moving tribute to his former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne at the inaugural concert of his solo tour. Launching his 'Stairway To The Sky' tour at Leeds's O2 Academy on Saturday, Malik had initially postponed the original opening dates in Edinburgh due to Payne's funeral on Wednesday. The singer joined other band members for a private service in Buckinghamshire to bid farewell to Payne, who tragically died at 31 in Argentina last month. Social media posts from Malik's performance show a touching message displayed on a large blue screen behind him, reading: "Liam Payne 1993-2024. Love you bro" alongside a pink heart. (Image: PA Wire/PA Images) The 31 year old artist had previously delayed the US leg of his tour...None
John Parker Romo made a 29-yard field goal to lift the Minnesota Vikings to a 30-27 overtime win against the host Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon. Romo buried the game-winning kick in his third career game for Minnesota (9-2), which won its fourth game in a row. The score capped a 10-play, 68-yard drive for the Vikings after the Bears went three-and-out on the first overtime possession. Sam Darnold completed 22 of 34 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Vikings. Wideout Jordan Addison finished with eight catches for a career-high 162 yards and a touchdown. The overtime defeat spoiled an impressive performance from rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, who completed 32 of 47 passes for 340 yards and two touchdowns for Chicago (4-7). D.J. Moore had seven catches for 106 yards and a touchdown, and Keenan Allen finished with nine catches for 86 yards and a score. Chicago erased an 11-point deficit in the final 22 seconds of regulation to send the game to overtime. Romo had put Minnesota on top 27-16 when he made a 26-yard field goal with 1:56 remaining in the fourth quarter. Williams trimmed the Bears' deficit to 27-24 with 22 seconds to go. He rolled right and found Allen wide open in the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown, and moments later he fired a strike to Moore for a two-point conversion. The Bears recovered an onside kick on the next play to regain possession at their 43-yard line with 21 seconds left. Cairo Santos' onside kick bounced off the foot of Vikings tight end Johnny Mundt, and Tarvarius Moore recovered it. D.J. Moore put the Bears in field-goal position with a 27-yard reception across the middle of the field, and Santos made a 48-yarder as time expired to even the score at 27-all. Minnesota led 24-10 after three quarters. Romo made a 40-yard field goal early in the third quarter, and Aaron Jones punched in a 2-yard run with 1:22 left in the period to put the Vikings on top by two touchdowns. Addison and Jalen Nailor each had receiving touchdowns in the first half for Minnesota. Roschon Johnson scored on a 1-yard run for the Bears' only touchdown of the first half. Chicago trailed 14-10 at the break. --Field Level MediaNo. 12 Boise State heads to Wyoming hoping to maintain No. 4 seed in College Football PlayoffOn Dec. 8, President-elect Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that Russia did not help the Assad regime in Syria because "close to 600,000 Russian soldiers lay wounded or dead" in the war with Ukraine. In the same post, Trump estimated Ukraine's losses at "400,000 soldiers." On the same day, Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary for the Russian president, rejected Trump’s claim , asserting that the figure originated from inaccurate estimates by Kyiv. Peskov further claimed that Ukraine had suffered significantly higher military losses compared to Russia: “As concerns the figures announced with regard to losses on both sides, it is obvious that they were presented in the Ukrainian interpretation and reflect Ukraine’s official position. The actual numbers are completely different. Ukraine’s losses are multiple times higher than those of Russia.” These claims are false. The figures for casualties in the war between Russia and Ukraine cited by Trump are close to estimates given in recent months by Ukraine, Western defense and intelligence officials, and Western media reports. All the data indicates that Russia has lost more soldiers than Ukraine. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine , as of Dec. 8, Russia's losses in the war with Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022, in killed and wounded, amount to about 751,910 soldiers – higher than the 600,000 figure mentioned by Trump. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Telegram that as of Dec. 8, "Russian losses exceed 750 thousand of their people. That's 198 thousand Russians killed and more than 550 thousand wounded" in the war with Ukraine. Zelenskyy estimated Ukraine's losses at 43,000 dead and 370,000 wounded, which is a total of 413,000, which is close to the data provided by Trump. Non-Ukrainian estimates of the two sides’ casualties in the war are about the same. On Dec. 7, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told the Reagan National Defense Forum that Russia has suffered over 700,000 casualties since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, He noted that Russian losses in the first year exceeded those of all post-WWII conflicts combined, with recent casualty rates surpassing 1,000 troops daily. On Nov. 10, the U.K.’s chief of defense staff, Sir Tony Radakin, stated that Russia is on the brink of reaching 700,000 casualties, both killed and wounded, due to the war in Ukraine. On Oct. 28, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said , “Over 600,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded in [President Vladimir] Putin's war, and he is unable to sustain his assault to Ukraine without foreign support." A U.S. defense official quoted by Politico said that as of Oct. 9, Russia had suffered more than 600,000 casualties in the war with Ukraine, with September 2024 being the deadliest month. The United States has not provided any official figures on Ukrainian casualties in the war. However, The Wall Street Journal , citing a "confidential Ukrainian estimate," reported that approximately 80,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed, with an additional 400,000 wounded, since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. The New York Times reported on Oct. 10 that a U.S. official estimated Ukraine had experienced more than 57,500 soldiers killed and approximately 250,000 wounded during the war, for a total of over 307,000 casualties. Analyst Stavros Atlamazoglou, writing for the online publication The National Interest , highlighted the severity of Russian casualties, noting that their forces are facing losses on a scale comparable to World War I, with an average of 1,500 troops lost per day: "The Russian military’s relentless offensive in Ukraine continues to produce staggering casualties. Daily losses for Russian forces are estimated at around 1,500, with nearly 800,000 projected by year’s end."
George Strait was the star of last night's Country Music Awards − in more ways than one. The legendary crooner, sometimes called the "King of Country Music," was honored at Wednesday's CMAs with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. The honor included star-studded performances of Strait's classics from the likes of Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert, Jamey Johnson, Park McCollum and Lainey Wilson, who won the night's entertainer of the year award. For the performance, Stapleton joined the king himself for "Honky Honk Hall of Fame," Lambert and McCollum collaborated on "Troubadour," Johnson sang "Give It Away" and Wilson sang "Amarillo By Morning." During his acceptance speech, the "Troubador" singer told the audience, "I want to thank these great artists who've performed some of my songs ... it's amazing to hear y'all do them. I'm so glad I got them before you." CMA Awards 2024 winners list: Chris Stapleton, Megan Moroney, George Strait Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. Strait also thanked his family in the crowd − his wife, son, daughter-in-law and grandkids − as they watched on. "It's so great to have y'all here, but especially Norma (his wife) who's supported me for just shy of 53 years," he said. Strait boasts a remarkably durable career. In June, the 72-year-old artist broke the record for the largest ticketed show ever in the U.S. His style has not changed much over the years, even as the industry has become more pop-centric. That classic worn-leather quality is what some fans called back to when they took to social media to comment on his perceived reaction to the award show's performances. Some took his unflinching face during the tribute to be a distaste for country music's modern tilt. But really, who knows? As USA TODAY's Erin Jensen wrote of similar scrutiny when Ben Affleck attended the 2023 Grammy Awards alongside then-wife Jennifer Lopez, "Maybe he was miserable. I've been to award shows, and they can be extremely long." "Or maybe there was something going on that made it difficult for the star to maintain a smile for the length of the entire event. Or maybe he was having a great time and that is just his face!" Contributing: Erin JensenVikings withstand Bears' furious rally, win on field goal in OT
Picking the best class Path of Exile 2 is less straightforward than it might initially seem. The thing to bear in mind about Path of Exile 2’ s classes is that, as of the game’s early access launch, there isn’t a single powerhouse class that lets you sweep through. There’s no Diablo 4 -style Spiritborn here. Every class has a distinctive playstyle whose drawbacks might not be a dealbreaker for you, depending on how you like to play, and they all have specific strengths as well. Our list of the best Path of Exiles 2 classes takes into consideration how many viable skill options a class gives you, along with ease of use and how well they can hold their own in combat against mobs and bosses. Table of Contents What are the best classes in Path of Exile 2? Mercenary Witch Ranger Monk Warrior Sorceress What are the best classes in Path of Exile 2? At launch in early access, Path of Exile 2 has six classes . These range from traditional types with a twist — such as the Warrior, a melee brawler, and the spellslinging Sorceress — to more experimental classes. The Witch, for example, summons minions and has access to powerful debuff skills, while the Mercenary controls the battlefield with a variety of fast-firing, hard-hitting crossbow shots. Path of Exile 2 ’s take on the Monk is unique among that class style’s iterations throughout video games, and even the Ranger is much more interesting than you might expect from someone who just shoots arrows. In short, every Path of Exile 2 class has something going for it, though some are easier to learn and use effectively than others. Our ranking of classes from best to worst is: Mercenary — Early access to strong combos and high potential to manage crowds and defeat bosses quickly Witch — Self-sustaining skills, strong minions, and excellent debuff abilities make up for a slow start with their kit Ranger — Exceptionally powerful elemental abilities, but few retreat options and no defensive skills Monk — Dull skillset until level five, when strong combos finally show up Warrior — Excellent at taking down bosses, but weak power and slow animations make dealing with mobs difficult Sorceress — Strong elemental spells, but slow animations and no sustaining skills leave them vulnerable in solo play Mercenary Path of Exile 2 ’s Mercenary is an exceptional class with high damage potential, early access to powerful combos, and a flexible playstyle that, despite some complexities, makes it comparatively easy to learn for newcomers and those familiar with Path of Exile . The Mercenary fires high-powered crossbow bolts and quickly gets access to a range of much more interesting and useful skills. They can launch fire grenades, freeze foes and shatter them, reduce enemy resistances, and even fire a continuous stream of arrows to whittle down the toughest bosses (like Jamanra, the Abomination ). Best of all, the Mercenary doesn’t have to specialize in just one element. You can mix charged shots with fire grenades and freeze arrows and still end up with a viable build to carry you through the game. The Mercenary might have a strong set of skills at their disposal, but getting used to them takes a fair bit of practice. They burn through mana quickly and need a careful balance of special shots and basic attacks, and, more than with other classes, you also have to develop a pattern of attacking and retreating to avoid getting overwhelmed. The wide shot spread for some of the Mercenary’s special skills means you have to be at close range for them to reliably hit, which puts you at risk of getting overwhelmed by mobs. Still, for the variety of abilities the Mercenary can learn, it’s worth putting up with the learning curve. Witch The Witch is a close second for Path of Exile 2 ’s best class, held back only by some lackluster class ascendancy bonuses and a few balance oddities that make some of their skills less useful than others. The Witch is, ostensibly, a minion summoner, but they can specialize into a debuffer and a powerful spellcaster as well. The witch can raise minions from dead enemies, explode corpses, spread disease, cast fire and frost spells (and lightning, though it’s a bit weak in Path of Exile 2 ’s early access stage) pin enemies in place, buff minions and send them into a frenzy — their kit is exceptional, even before ascendancy buffs. They’re also one of the easiest classes to learn, since you can let minions distract foes while you direct them from afar, which means the risk of getting overwhelmed is much lower for the Witch. The Witch’s big issues — aside from the Blood Mage ascendancy being severely underpowered at launch — are how long it takes for their kit to get interesting, and how weak their minions are at first. It takes several levels and a fair bit of skill point investment for standard and summoned minions to do anything approaching respectable levels of damage and survivability. The Witch can supplement the damage shortfall, but the more serious problem is how quickly minions die at lower levels. They respawn after a short period, but the Witch is vulnerable in that time, especially if there are no corpses to manipulate. These issues fade as you level up and get access to skills such as Bone Cage and supplementary summons, but it takes longer for the Witch to feel good than it does with other classes. Pro tip: Don’t use your early uncut gems on skeletons and minions. The Witch needs spirit to summon them, and you can only acquire spirit in certain ways, none of which are available to you at the game’s start. Ranger Ranger might initially seem like a less impressive version of Mercenary, since it’s a ranged class that fires elemental arrows. However, it’s the best class for crowd control and can make quick work of large mobs and tough bosses alike. Rangers have a wide variety of skills, from a poison shot that gradually saps an enemy’s health — even better is the apparent lack of poison resistance for most Path of Exile 2 enemies — to more complex combos, such as one where they stake a lightning arrow in the ground and can fire additional chain lightning shots that ricochet off the stake and deal extra damage. Rangers can also equip special quivers that augment specific elements and add special effects, such as adding a pierce effect or igniting projectiles, and they’re among the best in the game at causing status ailments. The Ranger’s only drawback is a lack of defensive skills, and it’s a big one. They equip weaker armor and rely on evasive skills to stay safe, but when enemies break through, they have few ways to stay safe. Careful cooldown management and investing in skills such as Vine Arrow, which slows enemy movement can mitigate some of these issues. However, if you overcorrect and have more than one retreat ability, it takes away from how much damage you dish out. Monk If “it gets good after 10 hours” had a picture definition, it’d be Path of Exile 2 ’s Monk. It’s a fun class to play with a highly distinctive style and some excellent abilities — but you wouldn’t know it initially. The Monk’s ability set is slow and unwieldy until about level five, when Path of Exile 2 finally starts leaning into unique skill effects that augment how the Monk plays. Some skills get more powerful when used several times in quick succession. Others grant the Monk’s basic attack or other attack additional effects, such as launching projectiles or, by consuming all the Monk’s mana, turning their standard attack into one that sets off electric shockwaves. Getting to that point is rough , though. Path of Exile 2 favors ranged playstyles and quick casting, and not only does the Monk almost always have to be up close until level five, but their attack animations are slow. They’re vulnerable to taking damage before they can even dish any out — a problem, given the light armor they specialize in — and can easily get overwhelmed. Warrior Path of Exile 2 ’s Warrior launched in a strange position. It excels as a defensive class and is the only character who can block enemy attacks. They stun. Their warcries offer potent self-buffs and, depending on your skill choice, can damage foes. And they hit hard with two-handed weapons. The problem is how comparatively weak and sluggish the Warrior is. It’s such a slow class. Basic skills take longer to execute and do less damage than other basic skills from other classes — it takes multiple hits to down a simple Drowned in the prologue, for example, where the Witch can defeat a foe with two hits. Many of the Warrior’s fundamental attacks have long animations as well. Most of Path of Exile 2 ’s enemies are pretty mobile, so it’s easy to wind up and then completely miss your target, leaving yourself vulnerable as mobs take advantage of your recovery time and swarm. Where these annoyances are less of a problem is with boss fights. The Warrior’s self-buffs, enemy debuffs,and bone-shattering attacks work particularly well in fights against big, single targets, and the class is quickly establishing a well-earned reputation as Path of Exile 2’s boss killer. Even that function has a caveat, though, as your build options are limited, and most Warrior skills are designed to work better with The Titan ascendancy. Sorceress Sorceress is fine in Path of Exile 2 . It’s fine! But not much more than that. This is your standard set of magic skills, with access to the three major elements, some crowd control abilities, and, eventually, powerful buffs that boost your spellcasting power. It’s a strong class, but oddly balanced. The Sorceress’ self-buffs and combo opportunities come much later in their class progression, while other classes – even the Warrior – get them almost immediately. For example, Sorceress only has access to a shatter combo at level five. Mercenary can do the same thing at level one. The Sorceress’ biggest pain point, however, is their lack of defensive skills. They simply can’t save themselves from anything, and an evasive playstyle only gets you so far when the class’ stronger skills take a while to ramp up. For more Path of Exile 2 guides, here’s how to ascend , how to respec , how to get spirit , and how to trade . Plus, here’s a list of all Trial of Sehkemas challenges and rewards, and guides on how to complete “ Ancient Vows ” and beat Jamanra. Guides Path of Exile 2 guides PC PlayStation Xbox
