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bmy88 hack Raiders’ RB shines after long-awaited promotion: ‘It has been amazing’As most countries in South-east Asia are still developing and have relatively weak economic foundations, climate finance is necessary for the region to take climate action. SINGAPORE – To the rest of the world, Pari Island may be just another of the thousands of islands that make up the vast Indonesian archipelago, some so tiny they do not have names. But non-profit Friends of the Earth Indonesia is fighting for more visibility for the plight of its 1,500 inhabitants, who are facing the loss of their homes and fishery livelihoods as sea levels rise. The island was partially inundated an unprecedented 10 times in 2023 by exceptionally high tides. Island communities in South-east Asia, like those on Pari, have long grappled with worsening climate impacts, but often find it difficult to access the funds they need to become resilient against floods and typhoons. Countries in the region also need assistance to phase out coal. The Indonesian island of Pari lies just above sea level, making it highly prone to flooding from high tides. PHOTO: ZVG But the recently concluded UN Climate Change Conference COP29 could offer some hope, with developed countries agreeing to channel US$300 billion (S$402 billion) a year to developing countries by 2035. The ultimate aim is to raise US$1.3 trillion annually by 2035 for countries in need, through various forms of finance. But the US$300 billion core amount was criticised as woefully insufficient by climate-vulnerable countries and civil society, who expected richer countries – who were historical emitters – to commit more. It is also uncertain how the amount will be raised. While developed countries will take the lead, the COP29 decision stated that the amount will come from “a wide variety of sources, public and private, bilateral and multilateral, including alternative sources”. Mr Gao Xi, a research associate at the NUS Energy Studies Institute (ESI), said: “Most South-east Asian countries are coastal, making them particularly vulnerable to threats such as typhoons, floods and droughts caused by climate change. Frequent extreme weather events often result in significant financial losses and social disruptions.” In 2024 alone, the Philippines was struck by six typhoons within a span of 30 days – between October and November – killing more than 170 people, displacing more than 214,000 people and causing damage worth about 470 million pesos (S$10.8 million). While the archipelago is prone to tropical storms, such back-to-back typhoons within a month is unusual. An aerial view shows submerged homes at a village in Ilagan, Isabela province in the Philippines on Nov 18 due to continuous heavy rains from Super Typhoon Man-yi. PHOTO: AFP As most countries in South-east Asia are still developing and have relatively weak economic foundations, climate finance is necessary for the region to take climate action, added Mr Gao, with money particularly needed for clean energy generation, low-carbon transport and coastal defence. According to the International Energy Agency, Asean will need US$21 billion in investments annually from 2026 to 2030 just to upgrade its energy infrastructure. And to build resilience against climate impacts, the region needs US$422 billion until 2030. The finance outcomes from the UN conference in Azerbaijan could also benefit other developments in South-east Asia, such as the future regional power grid and carbon trading, which can also benefit Singapore. Funding the Asean power grid The funds pledged at COP29 could provide crucial support for accelerating the development of the Asean power grid. One of the region’s decades-long ambitions, the complex power interconnection will enable electricity trade across borders – for both energy security and access to greener energy. The regional ambition made progress with the Laos-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore electricity import pilot in 2022, which transmitted 100MW of hydropower from Laos to Singapore, via Malaysia and Thailand. This was later extended to include another 100MW from Malaysia’s electricity grid in October 2024, but this includes a mix of energy sources, including coal and natural gas. Singapore is also laying the groundwork for the regional grid by committing to import 5.6GW of clean electricity from Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia. Asean envisions a power grid by 2045, and climate finance has the potential to address the unique challenges of financing such a large-scale, multi-country initiative, said Mr Beni Suryadi, acting executive director at the Asean Centre for Energy based in Indonesia. Several key challenges make traditional financing for the Asean power grid difficult. One is cross-border investment risks, since the giant grid will involve multiple countries with different regulatory frameworks and tariffs. Another is the high upfront capital required, especially for building the grid and transmission infrastructure. The resulting long payback periods can put off traditional investors, who seek quicker returns, noted Mr Beni. Climate finance can loosen these gridlocks. These funds often come in the form of concessional loans with low interest rates, grants, or guarantees which lower the financial risks for private investors. When forms of finance like green bonds, blended finance and funding from the World Bank or the Asian Development Bank are injected into a mega-project first, the risks are lowered for private investors to participate. Blended finance refers to bringing together monies from the public sector, the multilateral development banks, philanthropies and the private sector. “This is where climate finance can step in – by bridging these gaps, mitigating risks, and enabling investments that otherwise might not materialise,” he added. As a wealthier developing country, Singapore would not be a recipient of the US$1.3 trillion, and instead would contribute voluntarily to climate finance. But the island-state would be a beneficiary, nonetheless, of the Asean power grid, which would enable it to import low-carbon and renewable electricity to reduce its carbon emissions. Singapore’s National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS) said the Asean power grid would maximise the region’s diverse renewable energy potential by matching renewable resource-rich areas with those that need to buy clean energy. “By doing so, it can reduce the region’s dependence on fossil fuels, increase resilience against fluctuations in global energy markets and make progress towards our decarbonisation targets,” the NCCS spokesperson added. But while the Asean power grid is undoubtedly a worthy project, directing climate finance to it would not be straightforward, as it would be considered an electricity transmission project, said Mr Beni. Whether transmission projects are considered to be green and contribute to reducing carbon emissions is still a question to be settled. “At the moment, climate finance for transmission infrastructure projects is still nascent, while the needs are huge,” he added. The Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant in Hoa Binh province, Vietnam. Singapore is laying the groundwork for the regional grid by committing to import 5.6 gigawatts of clean electricity from Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia. PHOTO: REUTERS South-east Asia: Between the devil and the deep blue sea South-east Asia is in a tricky position when it comes to receiving climate finance as stipulated by COP29. On the one hand, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia were, until 2019, among the 20 countries most exposed to climate risks, according to the Global Climate Risk Index, which is published by non-profit organisation Germanwatch. But South-east Asia is expected to continue its fast economic growth, accompanied by more greenhouse gas emissions, noted Dr Kim Jeong Won, a senior research fellow at ESI. This growth has reclassified many Asean nations as middle-income countries, reducing their eligibility for development financing, she added. Among the developing nations, the least developed countries and small island developing states are recognised as having the greatest need for support. Given the competition for funding, a significant gap already exists between the required investments and actual finance that the countries have received. For example, only 9.7 per cent of investments from the UN’s Green Climate Fund – the world’s largest fund of its kind – has been channelled to South-east Asia. Similarly, only 6.3 per cent of investments from the UN’s Adaptation Fund has been allocated to Asean countries, said Dr Kim. She added: “South-east Asian countries are expected to compete for limited bilateral and multilateral public funding with other low-income developing countries.” If they want to attract a greater share of private funding, it is vital that countries develop more innovative finance models and attractive climate-related projects, she noted. Ms Lau Xin Yi, sustainable finance lead for South-east Asia at the Carbon Trust consultancy, is looking at a newer type of finance tool called climate transition bonds. The proceeds from these bonds can be used for a wider range of decarbonisation projects, including those in hard-to-abate sectors such as steel, cement and petrochemicals. Despite guidelines to prevent greenwashing, Ms Lau noted that about 90 per cent of the transition bonds issued globally has been dominated by Japan’s issuances. “Climate transition bonds can help South-east Asia unlock more capital needed for its low-carbon transition. More capital will be channelled towards clean technologies, but how transition is achieved will vary across sectors and regions,” said Ms Lau. More incentives to protect Asean forests A bright spot at COP29 was an agreement on carbon trading , achieved after nearly 10 years of negotiations. Carbon trading is governed under a segment of the Paris Agreement known as Article 6, which was finalised at COP29. This means countries can trade carbon credits in two ways – either under a UN-managed carbon programme or through bilateral agreements. Singapore is currently collaborating with more than 20 countries in carbon markets, including the Philippines, Vietnam and Cambodia. With Article 6 in place, NCCS said countries that do not have their own national registry to transfer credits can also now use an international registry or receive support from the UN to create their own system. “This reduces the barriers to entry, encouraging more countries to start engaging in carbon markets cooperation, including with Singapore.” Mr Anshari Rahman, director of policy and analytics at Temasek-backed investment platform GenZero, said that carbon markets can unlock financing for deserving and untapped technology, and nature-based solutions in the region. South-east Asia, which is home to the world’s third-largest tropical forest basin after the Amazon and the Congo, would have more incentives to protect it, if it were to receive carbon credits arising from nature-based projects. South-east Asia is home to the world’s third-largest tropical forest basin after the Amazon and the Congo. PHOTO: THE NATURE CONSERVANCY Mr Olivier Levallois, founder of Hamerkop Climate Impacts, said some examples are a peat swamp conservation project in Indonesia’s Tanjung Puting National Park, and a carbon forestry programme in Timor-Leste that also benefits small-scale farmers. Singapore has also mandated that carbon project developers must contribute 5 per cent of their share of proceeds from carbon credits towards the host country’s adaptation efforts. This is another way of raising climate finance. “Considering Singapore’s position as a regional carbon trading hub, it should benefit from this early-stage excitement, with more project developers getting involved and capital flowing into carbon projects,” added Mr Levallois, who is also senior director at Chooose, a Norwegian company that helps airlines with their sustainable aviation fuel and carbon programmes. Mr Anshari noted that progress on Article 6 at COP29 helped to shore up market confidence for carbon markets, which have been under scrutiny for years. Mr Levallois said the next steps are to work towards carbon projects, set up regulatory frameworks and develop carbon monitoring methods. A crucial aspect of this process is to increase demand for credits. “The market needs to have stronger demand signal, and it is unclear yet whether companies will suddenly trust these (Article 6) mechanisms and make funding available to address their climate impacts,” he added. Mr Anshari said: “We are closely tracking the development of the infrastructure and tracking systems required to operationalise Article 6 decisions, and we expect to see meaningful progress in 2025 with the first few (carbon) projects to be registered under the (UN) by COP30 in Brazil.” Paying up for climate PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: ADOBE STOCK, LIM YONG At COP29, nations set an ambitious goal to channel US$1.3 trillion annually by 2035 to developing countries to help them reduce carbon emissions and deal with the impacts of climate change. The Straits Times breaks down the layers of finance needed to achieve this target based on insights from independent experts, who suggest raising US$1 trillion annually by 2030 as the first step. 1. Developed nations (US$80 billion to US$100 billion) 2. Multilateral development banks (US$240 billion to US$300 billion) 3. Voluntary contributors (US$30 billion to US$50 billion) 4. Innovative sources (US$140 billion to US$160 billion) 5. Private sector (US$450 billion to US$550 billion) SOURCES: INDEPENDENT HIGH-LEVEL EXPERT GROUP ON CLIMATE FINANCE, UN CLIMATE SUMMIT NEWS Find out more about climate change and how it could affect you on the ST microsite here. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel now

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Taylor Swift once raved about the sweet potato casserole served at a New York City restaurant and now that recipe pops up every now and again at Thanksgiving. The holidays encourage many of us to try new recipes. Social media right now is flooded with recipes for appetizers, side dishes and desserts. Anyone making that cornbread casserole from TikTok? While we might not get to share a Thanksgiving feast with Swift — is your name Blake Lively? — or other celebrities beloved by Kansas City, we can eat like them. So here’s the recipe for that casserole Swift loved so much, and favorite family side dish recipes from Donna Kelce and Eric Stonestreet. Enjoy. Travis Kelce's mother, Donna Kelce, seen here last year at her son's music festival, dined on a cheesesteak made by actor Bradley Cooper at QVC festivities in Las Vegas this week. (Emily Curiel/Kansas City Star/TNS) Emily Curiel//Kansas City Star/TNS If we tried to guess how many holiday dinner rolls Travis Kelce and his brother, Jason Kelce, have scarfed over the years, would it be in the hundreds? Thousands? Their mom has spoken often about the batches of holiday crescent rolls she has baked over the years. Based on the recipe that won the 1969 Pillsbury Bake-Off, Pillsbury’s Magic Marshmallow Crescent Puffs , they’re now known as Mama Kelce’s Dinner Rolls. They blend the crescent roll pastry with marshmallows, cinnamon and sugar. Dinner roll or dessert? We bet they didn’t last long enough in front of Travis and Jason for that debate. Ingredients Rolls •1/4 cup granulated sugar •2 tablespoons Pillsbury Best all-purpose flour •1 teaspoon ground cinnamon •2 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated Pillsbury Original Crescent Rolls (8 Count) •16 large marshmallows •1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted Glaze •1/2 cup powdered sugar •1/2 teaspoon vanilla •2-3 teaspoons milk •1/4 cup chopped nuts Directions Make the rolls 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 16 medium muffin cups with nonstick baking spray. 2. In a small bowl, mix the granulated sugar, flour and cinnamon. 3. Separate the dough into 16 triangles. For each roll, dip 1 marshmallow into melted butter; roll in the sugar mixture. Place marshmallow on the shortest side of a triangle. Roll up, starting at shortest side and rolling to opposite point. Completely cover the marshmallow with the dough; firmly pinch edges to seal. Dip 1 end in remaining butter; place butter side down in muffin cup. 4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. 5. When done, remove from the oven and let the puffs cool in the pan for 1 minute. Remove rolls from muffin cups; place on cooling racks set over waxed paper. Make the glaze and assemble In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar, vanilla and enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle glaze over warm rolls. Sprinkle with nuts. Serve warm. Eric Stonestreet attends 'Eric Stonestreet visits The SiriusXM Hollywood Studios in Los Angeles' at SiriusXM Studios on Oct. 8, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for SiriusXM/TNS) Emma McIntyre/Getty Images North America/TNS Thanksgiving is one of the “Modern Family” star’s favorite holidays. Three years ago, as part of a campaign honoring hometown heroes , he shared one of his favorite recipe with McCormick Spices: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Butternut Squash . This recipe serves eight. Ingredients •1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved •1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes •1 tablespoon olive oil •1/2 teaspoon garlic powder •1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves •1/2 teaspoon salt •1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper •5 slices bacon, chopped •1 shallot, finely chopped •1/2 cup dried cranberries •1/4 cup balsamic vinegar •1 teaspoon whole grain mustard •1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional) •1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese, (optional) Directions 1. Preheat oven to 475°F. Spray large shallow baking pan with no stick cooking spray; set aside. Place Brussels sprouts and squash in large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper; toss to coat evenly. Spread in single layer on prepared pan. 2. Roast 16 to 18 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, stirring halfway through cooking. 3. Meanwhile, cook bacon in medium skillet on medium heat about 6 minutes or until crispy. Remove using slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain. Add shallot to same skillet; cook and stir 2 minutes until softened and lightly browned. Stir in cranberries, vinegar and mustard until well blended. Transfer mixture to small bowl; set aside. 4. Arrange roasted Brussels sprouts and squash on serving platter. Drizzle with cranberry balsamic glaze and toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with cooked bacon, toasted pecans, and crumbled blue cheese, if desired. Serve immediately. Donna Kelce, left, mother of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce watched the game with pop superstar Taylor Swift, center, during the first-half on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. (Tammy Ljungblad/Kansas City Star/TNS) Tammy Ljungblad/Kansas City Star/TNS Swift gushed about the sweet potato casserole served at Del Frisco’s Grille in New York City, a dish crowned with a crunchy candied pecan and oatmeal crumble. “I’ve never enjoyed anything with the word casserole in it ever before, but it’s basically sweet potatoes with this brown sugary crust,” she told InStyle. ”Oh my God, it’s amazing.” The media rushed to find the recipe, which Parade has published this Thanksgiving season . “Similar to T. Swift herself, we think this recipe is a mastermind, especially if you’ve been asked to bring the sweet potato side dish to this year’s Thanksgiving feast. It seriously begs the question: who needs pumpkin pie?” the magazine writes. Ingredients •4 lbs sweet potatoes •1⁄3 cup oats •12 oz unsalted butter, divided •1⁄2 cup packed brown sugar •1⁄2 cup toasted pecans •1⁄2 cup granulated sugar •1 tsp kosher salt •2 tsp vanilla extract •4 large eggs, beaten Directions Preheat oven to 375°F. 1. Scrub sweet potatoes. Pierce each several times with a fork and wrap tightly in foil. Place on a sheet pan. Bake 90 minutes or until tender. Set aside until cool enough to handle. 2. Meanwhile, place oats in a food processor; process 1 minute. Add 4 oz butter, brown sugar and pecans; pulse five times to combine. Spread mixture on a baking sheet; bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven, crumble. Bake 5 minutes or until golden brown. 3. Melt remaining 8 oz butter. Remove skin from cooled sweet potatoes. In a large bowl, whisk sweet potatoes, melted butter, granulated sugar and remaining ingredients until slightly lumpy. Transfer to a greased baking dish, smoothing surface evenly. Top with oat mixture. Bake 12 minutes or until heated through. Make-ahead tips •Sweet potato filling can be made up to 2 days in advance. Prepare the sweet potato filling, cool, place in a casserole dish and keep refrigerated. •Oat-pecan crust can also be made up to 2 days ahead. Make the crust according to recipe directions, cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Sprinkle over the sweet potato filling just before baking.Ricky Starks recently did an interview with Chris Van Vliet on Insight (per Fightful ) to discuss a wide range of topics. During it, the AEW star looked back on attending the 2023 WWE Royal Rumble to support his friend Cody Rhodes. However, security footage of him walking in the stadium was released on social media. “You know what’s funny about that? First off, yes, I did go see a friend of mine for his match,” Ricky said. “It was an hour away. Secondly, they caught me walking to the bus. Third off, somebody who worked at Alamo decided to take a video and screenshot and post it. I’m very respectful of wrestling traditions and the hierarchy, but I’ll be damned, the minute that I am disrespected, you do not get that back. A veteran was telling me, ‘You think a McDonald’s worker is going across the street to Burger King.’ ‘What?’ ‘That’s such a bad look on the business.’ We have veterans who do podcasts where they openly talk about the storylines they are in currently and how they did a match. They’re telling me that walking to a bus, on security footage, that is more disrespectful to the business than them being on a podcast and being like, ‘This is the idea we had about this current angle.’ Give me a break. Ya’ll are crazy. “It was simply visiting a friend. I was only on the bus. I stayed on the bus. I wasn’t trying to cause any type of issues. The whole purpose was, I was walking to the bus so I wasn’t seen by anybody.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — For years, Pat Verhaeghe didn’t think highly of Donald Trump as a leader. Then Verhaeghe began seeing more of Trump’s campaign speeches online and his appearances at sporting events. There was even the former president’s pairing with Bryson DeChambeau as part of the pro golfer’s YouTube channel series to shoot an under-50 round of golf while engaging in chitchat with his partner. “I regret saying this, but a while ago I thought he was an idiot and that he wouldn’t be a good president,” said the 18-year-old first-time voter. “I think he’s a great guy now.” Verhaeghe isn't alone among his friends in suburban Detroit or young men across America. Although much of the electorate shifted right to varying degrees in 2024, young men were one of the groups that swung sharply toward Trump. More than half of men under 30 supported Trump, according to AP VoteCast , a survey of more than 120,000 voters, while Democrat Joe Biden had won a similar share of this group four years earlier. White men under 30 were solidly in Trump’s camp this year — about 6 in 10 voted for Trump — while young Latino men were split between the two candidates. Most Black men under 30 supported Democrat Kamala Harris, but about one-third were behind Trump. Young Latino men’s views of the Democratic Party were much more negative than in 2020, while young Black men’s views of the party didn’t really move. About 6 in 10 Latino men under 30 had a somewhat or very favorable view of the Democrats in 2020, which fell to about 4 in 10 this year. On the other hand, about two-thirds of young Black men had a favorable view of the Democrats this year, which was almost identical to how they saw the party four years ago. “Young Hispanic men, and really young men in general, they want to feel valued," said Rafael Struve, deputy communications director for Bienvenido, a conservative group that focused on reaching young Hispanic voters for Republicans this year. “They're looking for someone who fights for them, who sees their potential and not just their struggles.” Struve cited the attempted assassination of Trump during a July rally in Pennsylvania as one of the catalyzing moments for Trump’s image among many young men. Trump, Struve said, was also able to reach young men more effectively by focusing on nontraditional platforms like podcasts and digital media outlets. “Getting to hear from Trump directly, I think, really made all the difference," Struve said of the former president's appearances on digital media platforms and media catering to Latino communities, like town halls and business roundtables Trump attended in Las Vegas and Miami. Not only did Trump spend three hours on Joe Rogan's chart-topping podcast, but he took up DeChambeau's “Break 50” challenge for the golfer's more than 1.6 million YouTube subscribers. Trump already had an edge among young white men four years ago, although he widened the gap this year. About half of white men under 30 supported Trump in 2020, and slightly less than half supported Biden. Trump's gains among young Latino and Black men were bigger. His support among both groups increased by about 20 percentage points, according to AP VoteCast — and their feelings toward Trump got warmer, too. It wasn’t just Trump. The share of young men who identified as Republicans in 2024 rose as well, mostly aligning with support for Trump across all three groups. “What is most alarming to me is that the election is clear that America has shifted right by a lot,” said William He, founder of Dream For America, a liberal group that works to turn out young voters and supported Harris’ presidential bid. With his bombastic demeanor and a policy agenda centered on a more macho understanding of culture , Trump framed much of his campaign as a pitch to men who felt scorned by the country’s economy, culture and political system. Young women also slightly swung toward the former president, though not to the degree of their male counterparts. It's unclear how many men simply did not vote this year. But there's no doubt the last four years brought changes in youth culture and how political campaigns set out to reach younger voters. Democrat Kamala Harris' campaign rolled out policy agendas tailored to Black and Latino men, and the campaign enlisted a range of leaders in Black and Hispanic communities to make the case for the vice president. Her campaign began with a flurry of enthusiasm from many young voters, epitomized in memes and the campaign's embrace of pop culture trends like the pop star Charli XCX's “brat” aesthetic . Democrats hoped to channel that energy into their youth voter mobilization efforts. “I think most young voters just didn’t hear the message,” said Santiago Mayer, executive director of Voters of Tomorrow, a liberal group that engages younger voters. Mayer said the Harris campaign’s pitch to the country was “largely convoluted” and centered on economic messaging that he said wasn’t easily conveyed to younger voters who were not already coming to political media. “And I think that the policies themselves were also very narrow and targeted when what we really needed was a simple, bold economic vision,” said Mayer. Trump also embraced pop culture by appearing at UFC fights, football games and appearing alongside comedians, music stars and social media influencers. His strategists believed that the former president’s ability to grab attention and make his remarks go viral did more for the campaign than paid advertisements or traditional media appearances. Trump's campaign also heavily cultivated networks of online conservative platforms and personalities supportive of him while also engaging a broader universe of podcasts, streaming sites, digital media channels and meme pages open to hearing him. “The right has been wildly successful in infiltrating youth political culture online and on campus in the last couple of years, thus radicalizing young people towards extremism,” said He, who cited conservative activist groups like Turning Point USA as having an outsize impact in online discourse. “And Democrats have been running campaigns in a very old fashioned way. The battleground these days is cultural and increasingly on the internet.” Republicans may lose their broad support if they don't deliver on improving Americans' lives, Struve cautioned. Young men, especially, may drift from the party in a post-Trump era if the party loses the president-elect's authenticity and bravado. Bienvenido, for one group, will double down in the coming years to solidify and accelerate the voting pattern shifts seen this year, Struve said. “We don’t want this to be a one and done thing,” he said. Associated Press writer Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Michigan, and AP polling editor Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux contributed to this report.

Chinese military official Miao Hua under investigation amid ongoing corruption crackdown in China's army ranksChristmas in Nigeria is not just a religious event; it is a cultural celebration that brings people together in a unique blend of traditional and modern practices. Across the country, the season is marked by activities that showcase the diversity of Nigeria’s ethnic groups, their customs, and their shared love for family gatherings. From December 1, many Nigerians begin decorating their homes, workplaces, and streets with bright lights and ornaments, creating a festive atmosphere. One of the key traditions in Nigeria is the emphasis on homecoming. Families from urban areas travel back to their villages, particularly in the Southeast, where Christmas is deeply rooted in communal life. It is a time for reunions, and many communities hold masquerade festivals and traditional dances to welcome their people. In the Southwest, the season is synonymous with “Owambe” parties, which involve plenty of music, dancing, and elaborate outfits. These celebrations provide an avenue for communities to bond and express gratitude for the year. Church services also play a significant role in Christmas celebrations. Nigerians, regardless of denomination, attend midnight services on Christmas Eve and morning services on Christmas Day. These services feature carols, nativity plays, and sermons that remind people of the significance of Christ’s birth. In some churches, children dress up as angels, shepherds, or wise men, adding a colorful touch to the event. The services often conclude with congregants exchanging gifts and food. Food is another central aspect of the Nigerian Christmas experience. Households prepare a variety of meals, including jollof rice, fried rice, pepper soup, roasted chicken, and small chops like puff-puff and chin-chin. The preparation is often a communal activity, with family members sharing duties in the kitchen. Drinks like zobo and chapman are also popular during the festivities, offering a local twist to the celebrations. Modern trends have added a new dimension to how Nigerians celebrate Christmas. Urban areas now host Christmas concerts, fireworks displays, and visits to malls where children meet Santa Claus. Social media has amplified these celebrations, with families sharing photos of their decorations, outfits, and meals online. Many also participate in online challenges, such as posting throwback Christmas photos or sharing videos of family dance routines. Despite the fun and glamour, Christmas in Nigeria is also a time for reflection and gratitude. People take stock of the year, offer thanks to God, and set intentions for the new year. Many use this period to reach out to the less privileged, donating food, clothes, and other essentials. The spirit of giving is considered just as important as the festivities, reinforcing the true meaning of Christmas. The economic situation in the country has poses challenges to some traditions. Rising inflation has made travel and food preparation more expensive, forcing many to scale down their celebrations. However, Nigerians are known for their resilience and creativity. Families now explore budget-friendly alternatives, such as hosting smaller gatherings or carpooling to reduce travel costs. Ultimately, Christmas in Nigeria is a reflection of the nation’s rich culture, resilience, and love for togetherness. Despite the challenges, the season continues to bring joy and hope, reminding everyone of the importance of family, faith, and community.

Canada's Trudeau says he had an 'excellent conversation' with Trump in Florida after tariffs threat

Young men swung to the right for Trump after a campaign dominated by masculine appealsNone

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