Around 10,000 people had gathered for the late-night climax, during which the lights are extinguished and sacred wooden talismans are hurled into the crowd.

The festival, which dates back more than 500 years and is designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, is a tightly choreographed ritual . 

In the final ceremony, priests throw bundles of small wooden charms into the darkened temple hall, followed by two larger sacred sticks known as “shingi.” Thousands of men, dressed only in a traditional loincloth called a “fundoshi,” surge forward in a dense mass, pushing and grappling to seize one of the prized objects. 

The two men who manage to secure the shingi are declared the year’s “lucky men,” believed to receive a year of good fortune and prosperity.

While it has been a cherished tradition in Japan, the festival’s combination of darkness, noise and extreme crowding has long raised safety concerns, particularly as participants pack shoulder to shoulder in a confined space .

In 2007, one participant died after being crushed.

Japan has several ‘naked’ festivals

Saidaiji Eyo is one of several “naked festivals” held across Japan during the coldest months of the year. These rituals combine Shinto and Buddhist elements and are rooted in ideas of purification: participants douse themselves in icy water and strip down to symbolise a return to an untainted state before petitioning the gods.

In northern Japan, the Somin-sai at Kokusekiji in Iwate long saw men battle for a sack of amulets believed to ward off disease and disaster. After centuries of observance, the temple announced its final full edition in 2024, citing dwindling local support.

Further south, the Hayama-gomori at Kuronuma Shrine in Fukushima remains a more secretive rite. Participants undergo days of abstinence and cold-water purification before nocturnal ceremonies and an oracle’s prophecy for the coming harvest.

For devotees, these festivals express communal endurance and spiritual renewal. Yet as crowds swell and rural organisers struggle with ageing populations, Japan faces a delicate balance between preserving tradition and preventing tragedy.

Airlines have also limited or suspended flights to and from Iran, with several cancellations expected to last until at least January 16.

“Leave Iran now. Have a plan for departing Iran that does not rely on U.S. government help,” a portion of the warning read. 

The embassy advised Americans to depart without relying on US government assistance and, if safe, to consider leaving by land via Armenia or Türkiye, both of which currently have open border crossings. 

Those unable to leave were told to shelter in place, avoid demonstrations, stock up on essential supplies and maintain a low profile.

The warning highlighted heightened risks for U.S. nationals, particularly dual U.S.-Iranian citizens, whom Iran does not recognise as holding dual nationality. 

The alert said U.S. ties or showing a U.S. passport could be sufficient grounds for questioning, detention or arrest by Iranian authorities. Dual nationals were reminded they must exit Iran using Iranian passports.

No U.S. embassy in Iran

The U.S. said its ability to assist citizens was severely limited, noting it has no diplomatic or consular relations with Iran. 

As early as June 2025, the U.S. had already ordered the departure of selected diplomatic staff from Iran, while consular services were completely shut down by October. This explains why there is only a “virtual” embassy in Iran. 

Switzerland acts as the protecting power for U.S. interests through its embassy in Tehran, but Washington cautioned it could not guarantee safety for those attempting to leave and urged Americans to assess conditions carefully before travelling.

The alert follows days of growing unrest across Iran and comes amid tighter controls on borders and communications, underscoring what the U.S. described as an increasingly volatile and unpredictable security environment for foreigners in the country.

According to the International Coffee Organisation (ICO), the world now consumes more than 170 million bags of coffee per year , with European nations leading per-capita coffee intake. Nordic countries remain the strongest consumers, with Finland topping the global list at nearly four cups a day on average.

Tea, however, remains the world’s most consumed hot beverage overall. Research from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) shows that global tea consumption continues to rise, driven largely by China, India, and other Asian markets where tea holds deep cultural roots.

This global divide is clear on the map: North America, much of South America, and Western Europe lean heavily toward coffee, while Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East remain firmly in favour of tea.

The United Kingdom and Ireland maintain their traditional place among Europe’s tea-dominant nations, while countries like Brazil and the United States reinforce their status as coffee-centric economies.

Recent climate impacts in major coffee-producing countries, such as Brazil ’s frost events and Ethiopia’s variable rainfall, have drawn attention to the fragility of beverage supply chains.

At the same time, consumer behaviour is shifting. The International Trade Centre reports that younger buyers increasingly prioritise sustainability, ethical sourcing, and speciality varieties, whether choosing single-origin coffee or artisanal teas. These preferences are changing how brands market their products and how consumers engage with them.

The reasons vary and range from U.S. sanctions to conflicts, limited ad-support infrastructure, and low monetisation status.

Google’s advertising products account for nearly 31% of all digital advertising spending worldwide. Meanwhile, Google’s documentation confirms that certain geopolitical, economic, and regulatory factors directly influence whether ads can run in specific markets.

Together, these insights raise an important question: Where exactly does YouTube advertising stop, and why?

Regions blocked due to sanctions or political restrictions

The infographic shows that YouTube ads cannot run in Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, or Russia . Google cites U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions as the primary reason for these prohibitions.

These sanctions limit U.S. companies, including Google, from offering commercial advertising services in those regions. Russia, although not under OFAC sanctions for ad-delivery, remains blocked due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and corresponding restrictions implemented in 2022.

This aligns with broader global trends: major digital platforms like Meta and TikTok have similarly scaled back or restricted advertising access in these territories due to compliance and safety concerns.

Ads-free countries: Low monetisation and limited infrastructure

There are also countries where YouTube may be available, but monetisation levels are too low to justify ad distribution, or where the platform does not support advertising services at all. These include Albania, Cambodia, the Ivory Coast, Laos, Myanmar, Macau, Madagascar, the Maldives, and Mongolia.

Reasons range from:

In Ghana, the story begins with a law. The 1999 Export and Import (Prohibition of Importation) Instrument bans the importation of “fire crackers (knock-outs), display shells, artillery shells, ball and canister shells”. That prohibition is backed by enforcement agencies: in a December 2024 press release, the Ghana National Fire Service reminded the public that importing, distributing or selling such fireworks is a criminal offence . Still, come December, multiple markets in Accra and other cities reportedly sell firecrackers openly.

In Tanzania, the legal landscape is similarly strict. According to amendments to the Firearms and Ammunition Control Act (Cap 223), anyone wishing to import, sell or supply fireworks must obtain approval from the Inspector General of Police. Without that approval , such activities are punishable by law. Yet local market surveys suggest that fireworks, often of uncertain origin, appear in private and informal markets during festive times.

In Nigeria, too, certain states enforce bans . For example, the Delta State Police Command has repeatedly issued statements ahead of Christmas and New Year, reminding citizens that the sale, use and display of pyrotechnics, including “knock-outs” and firecrackers, remain prohibited, and warning of arrests for offenders.

South Africa similarly allows fireworks but under strict licensing requirements. Only licensed suppliers can import or sell them, and specific rules govern the types and quantities permitted. Yet illegal fireworks continue to circulate during festive seasons.

So why does the trade continue, despite these laws?

Smuggling across porous borders seems to be the first reason. Firecrackers are light, compact, and easy to conceal in luggage or small cargo. With many busy land and sea entry points, often under-resourced, understaffed, or easily bypassed, illegal shipments find their way in. Once inside, they are rarely intercepted.

Firecrackers are sometimes packaged as “toys,” “party supplies,” or other innocuous goods. Unless customs officers physically inspect each container, an unlikely feat in high-volume ports, the illicit fireworks pass through with minimal scrutiny.

In some cases, licensed importers misuse permits. A license for a small, legal shipment creates a channel through which larger, unapproved shipments can be mixed and smuggled, making enforcement based solely on paperwork ineffective. Officials in Ghana have admitted as much during behind-the-scenes discussions.

Once inside the country, fireworks enter a vast informal economy. Street stalls, open-air markets, commuter stations and roadside kiosks sell packets openly, often in plain sight. Some sellers even operate through social media or messaging apps, offering “home delivery” to evade spot inspections. The trade is seasonal but persistent: every December, new supply flows in to meet demand.

Many families view fireworks as an essential part of celebrations, from Christmas and New Year to weddings and local festivals.

The human cost is serious. Firecrackers contribute to seasonal spikes in burns, eye injuries, house and market fires, and even fatalities. Hospitals report December as one of the busiest months for fire-related injuries. In 2012, a warehouse fire in Lagos killed at least one person and destroyed multiple buildings. Similar incidents occur across Ghana, Tanzania, and South Africa.

Most fireworks sold in Africa originate from China, either imported directly or via Middle Eastern re-export hubs.

Agencies tasked with seizing or prosecuting offenders perhaps lack the manpower, resources, or political will to make a lasting dent. In Ghana, for example, holiday-season “task forces” are deployed to arrest illegal firecracker dealers , but every year the same markets reappear, and the same firecrackers fill the streets.

For many ordinary people, fireworks remain a part of celebrations, and demand continues to fuel a shadow trade. For regulators and safety officials, the challenge is enormous: dismantling a network that spans borders, disguises shipments, exploits informal markets, and thrives on festive demand is no small feat.