Worst November Snowstorm in Half Century Hits Seoul and Grounds Hundreds of Airplane Flightshttps://english.aawsat.com/varieties/5085819-worst-november-snowstorm-half-century-hits-seoul-and-grounds-hundreds-airplane
Worst November Snowstorm in Half Century Hits Seoul and Grounds Hundreds of Airplane Flights
Macao tourists wearing Korean traditional Hanbok dresses take pictures amid snowfall at the Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, South Korea, 27 November 2024. (EPA)
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Worst November Snowstorm in Half Century Hits Seoul and Grounds Hundreds of Airplane Flights
Macao tourists wearing Korean traditional Hanbok dresses take pictures amid snowfall at the Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, South Korea, 27 November 2024. (EPA)
The most severe November snowstorm to hit South Korea's capital in more than a half century blanketed the capital on Wednesday, grounding hundreds of airplane flights and disrupting commuter traffic.
South Korea’s weather agency said 20 centimeters (7.8 inches) of snow fell in northern areas of Seoul and nearby areas. The agency said it was the heaviest snowstorm Seoul has experienced in 52 years. A storm on Nov. 28, 1972 dumped 12 centimeters (4.7) inches of snow on the capital.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said one person died and four others were injured in a five-vehicle accident in the eastern town of Hongcheon.
The storm blanketed much of the country, with the country’s central, eastern and southwestern regions seeing about 10 to 23 centimeters (3.9 to 9 inches) of snow.
At least 220 flights were canceled or delayed at airports nationwide, while authorities ordered around 90 ferries to remain at port. They also shut down hundreds of hiking trails .
Icy road conditions slowed down the morning commute in Seoul, while emergency workers across the country responded to fallen trees, signs, and other safety risks.
The weather agency said snow will continue in most parts of the country until noon Thursday.
President Yoon Suk Yeol instructed the safety and transport ministries to mobilize all available relevant personnel and equipment to prevent traffic accidents and other snow-related incidents.
Yoon also asked officials to convey weather and traffic information to the public swiftly to help ensure they avoid snow-related damages and inconveniences, according to the presidential office.
Pieces of Dubai chocolate with gold leaf are pictured at Abu Khaled Sweets oriental pastry shop in Berlin's Wedding district on November 14, 2024. (AFP)
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Germany Goes Nuts for Viral 'Dubai Chocolate’
Pieces of Dubai chocolate with gold leaf are pictured at Abu Khaled Sweets oriental pastry shop in Berlin's Wedding district on November 14, 2024. (AFP)
When Ali Fakhro lays out a row of pistachio-filled chocolate bars in the morning at his bakery in Berlin, he knows they will be gone in a matter of hours.
Inspired by the viral success of the crunchy delicacy known as "Dubai chocolate", Fakhro, 32, hunted down a recipe and began making his own version two months ago.
"On the first day I made 20 bars, but they went fast. The next day, I made 50 -- all gone too," he said.
So-called Dubai chocolate was invented in 2021 by British-Egyptian entrepreneur Sarah Hamouda, who is based in Dubai.
The chunky treat consists of a blocky, hand-decorated chocolate bar with various quirky fillings -- the signature flavor being a rich pistachio cream.
The treat went viral when TikTok food influencer Maria Vehera posted a video of herself eating a bar in her car, which has since been viewed more than 100 million times.
The real thing is only available to local customers in limited quantities, but the trend has led to an explosion of copycat versions of the chocolate around the world.
Shop owner Ali Fakhro prepares Dubai chocolate at his Abu Khaled Sweets oriental pastry shop in Berlin's Wedding district on November 14, 2024. (AFP)
- Queueing in the cold -
Fakhro, who runs Abu Khaled Sweets in Berlin, experimented "several times" with different recipes before finally landing on the right ingredient to give the pistachio cream its famous crunch -- a finely shredded Middle Eastern pastry known as kataif.
Germans have been scrambling to get their hands on the chocolate with bars selling for over 100 euros ($104) on the internet.
Last week, a 31-year-old man was caught by customs attempting to smuggle 45 kilograms of the sweet treat into Germany from Switzerland.
When Swiss manufacturer Lindt launched its own version of the Dubai chocolate in Germany this month, customers queued for hours in the cold to get their hands on a bar.
At up to 20 euros per bar, the delicacy is far more expensive than your average chocolate bar -- but that didn't seem to be putting anyone off.
"I waited 10 hours. I've been here since midnight just to taste this chocolate," 18-year-old student Leon Faehnle told AFP outside a Lindt shop in Stuttgart.
Customers line-up in front of a branch of chocolate producer Lindt before the sale of 100 Dubai Chocolate bars starts in Stuttgart, southern Germany, on November 15, 2024. (AFP)
- 'Easy money' -
Lindt launched the chocolate in Germany with 1,000 numbered bars in 10 shops, a spokesman for the group told AFP, and is planning a similar launch in Austria on November 30.
Dubai chocolate has also been a hit in France, with a version by chocolatier Jeremy Bockel on show at the Salon du Chocolat in Paris earlier this month.
Yannick Burkhard, 21, queued for three hours in Stuttgart to get his hands on the chocolate -- but is not planning to eat any of it himself. Instead, he will sell it on the internet.
"I would never pay that much for this. It's quick and easy money," he said with a smile.
"This bar cost 15 euros, but it can sell for almost 100 euros... There are lots of offers on eBay, up to 300 euros," said a customer who gave his name only as Lucas, 24.
Faehnle had a more wholesome plan for his bars as he exited the shop in Stuttgart beaming with pride at his purchase.
"Now I'm going to go home and share them with my grandparents," he said.
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