Algerian Sahara desert town dusted with snow/node/1795231/offbeat
Algerian Sahara desert town dusted with snow
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Ice are seen on the sand dunes outside the Algerian desert town of Ain Sefra, in this still image made from a January 13, 2021 social media video. (Karim Bouchetata via Reuters)
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Ice are seen on the sand dunes outside the Algerian desert town of Ain Sefra, in this still image made from a January 13, 2021 social media video. (Karim Bouchetata via Reuters)
CAIRO: Temperatures have fallen in the Sahara desert to as low as -3C, leaving sand dunes in one Algerian town dusted with snow.
This drop in temperature allowed the town of Ain Sefra to experience snow for only the fourth time in 42 years. The other three times were in 1979, 2017, and 2018. In 2017, a blizzard dumped snow up to a meter deep in Ain Sefra.
Photographer Karim Bouchetata posted dramatic images and video of the unique weather in the remote town.
Ain Sefra is located in the Atlas Mountains, 1,000 meters above sea level and is known as “the gateway to the desert.”
It lies in the Naama province of Algeria in the northern part of the Sahara, near to the Moroccan border.
Thai coffee chains cut default sugar content in coffee and tea drinks in a new health push
The Health Department says Thais consume 21 teaspoons of sugar daily, far exceeding the World Health Organization’s recommended six teaspoons
Officials warn this increases obesity and diabetes risks. A survey found iced coffee and bubble tea contain high sugar levels
Updated 13 sec ago
AP
BANGKOK: For many Thais, a meal doesn’t feel complete without an iced coffee or tea so sugary it could pass for dessert. The government, concerned about the health consequences, wants them to dial it back. Starting Wednesday, nine major coffee chains across the country have pledged to cut the default sugar content in some of their drinks by half in a government initiative aimed at tackling excessive sugar consumption. According to the Health Department, Thais consume an average of 21 teaspoons of sugar per day, more than three times the World Health Organization’s recommended limit of six teaspoons. Health officials warn that such high intake increases the risk of obesity, diabetes and other diseases. The initiative is the first significant step to change consumers’ sugar consumption behavior, said Amporn Benjaponpitak, the director general of the department. Pakorn Tungkasereerak, the department’s deputy, said 2025 data show that about 45 percent of Thais aged 15 and older are obese, while 10 percent of the population has diabetes. A survey by the Bureau of Nutrition found that a 22-ounce (650-milliliter) iced coffee contains an average of nine teaspoons of sugar, while a 10-ounce (300-milliliter) serving of bubble milk tea — an iced milk tea with tapioca pearls known as boba — can contain as much as 12 teaspoons. Sirinya Kuiklang, an office worker, said she approves of the changes. She already orders her drinks at just 25 percent of the standard sugar level, but she is aware that many others consume too much sugar. “It’s good for Thai people,” she said. Another office worker, Porwares Tantikanpanit, said he has enjoyed his non-coffee beverages at their current sugar levels but is willing to adjust if shops reduce the sweetness. However, putting the policy into practice may prove challenging. Officials have said each brand can apply the initiative as they see fit. Some customers have expressed confusion in response to social media posts promoting the initiative, asking how to order drinks with the level of sweetness that they prefer. Several brands said that the reduction applies only to certain menu items.
