Snow Blankets Saudi Arabia's Tabuk Mountains

Snow covers the Tabuk mountains. (SPA)
Snow covers the Tabuk mountains. (SPA)
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Snow Blankets Saudi Arabia's Tabuk Mountains

Snow covers the Tabuk mountains. (SPA)
Snow covers the Tabuk mountains. (SPA)

Tabuk's northern region has been affected by a polar wave accompanied by heavy snowfall that capped its mountains Thursday night. Many sightseers across the Kingdom and tourists from other Gulf states visited the area to enjoy the scene.

Tabuk’s snow rests on the Jabal al-Loz (Almond Mountain), named after the almond trees that can be found on the high-altitude mountain.

The international road northward towards Halat Ammar’s crossing, which is 60 kilometers long, also witnessed a huge influx of sightseers visiting the Almond Mountains. The region, along with neighboring countries on the northern border, sees heavy snowfall around this time of the year annually.

Over the next few days, Saudi Arabia will witness a drop in the temperature that's expected to fall below zero degrees Celsius in the north of the country and reach around 8 degrees Celsius during nights in Riyadh and the surrounding areas.

Hussein Al-Qahtani, the official spokesman for the General Authority of Meteorology and Environmental Protection, reports that the snowfall in the Tabuk heights this year is less severe than that of last year, adding that the snowy weather witnessed Thursday isn't classified as a snowstorm, but rather as light snowfall, which had been heavier by this time of the year previously. He also pointed out that the winter in Saudi Arabic is now approaching its final quarter.

Al-Qahtani explained to Asharq Al-Awsat that this year’s winter is less severe than the previous year in terms of temperature as well.

He adds: “We have noticed in recent years that the temperature drop has exceeded 8 degrees Celsius below zero in some regions, but so far we have not recorded this sharp decrease in temperatures, and the Kingdom did not face severe polar waves as witnessed in the past years.”

For his part, Major Abdulaziz Al-Shammari, media spokesperson for the Civil Defense in Tabuk, explained that there is a preemptive plan in place that includes all relevant government agencies, stressing that emergency contingency coordination between all relevant government agencies is smooth.

Shammari also told Asharq Al-Awsat that the civil defense was ready for the snowfall last evening and indicated that these preparations included the deployment of safety and field patrols in two main sites, the Alaqan and Al-Zaita Centers.

Al-Shammari stressed that the civil defense centers are keen to ensure the safety of all the visitors and vacationers who flocked to the area to see and enjoy the snow.



Australian Prime Minister Defends Himself from an Accusation That He Asked for Free Flight Upgrades

 Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks as QANTAS unveil their Yes23 livery being carried on some of their aircraft at Sydney Domestic Airport in Sydney, on Aug. 14, 2023. (Dean Lewins/AAP Image via AP)
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks as QANTAS unveil their Yes23 livery being carried on some of their aircraft at Sydney Domestic Airport in Sydney, on Aug. 14, 2023. (Dean Lewins/AAP Image via AP)
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Australian Prime Minister Defends Himself from an Accusation That He Asked for Free Flight Upgrades

 Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks as QANTAS unveil their Yes23 livery being carried on some of their aircraft at Sydney Domestic Airport in Sydney, on Aug. 14, 2023. (Dean Lewins/AAP Image via AP)
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks as QANTAS unveil their Yes23 livery being carried on some of their aircraft at Sydney Domestic Airport in Sydney, on Aug. 14, 2023. (Dean Lewins/AAP Image via AP)

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday said he had always “acted in a transparent and appropriate way” after a new book claimed that he had repeatedly requested free upgrades for personal flights on Qantas Airways.

Albanese, who was transport minister in a previous government, was accused in a book released Monday of developing an inappropriately close relationship with Alan Joyce, who was Qantas chief executive for 15 years until 2023.

Qantas is Australia's largest airline and was state-owned until the 1990s. The Sydney-based airline is the country's flag carrier and must by law remain at least 51% Australian owned.

“According to Qantas insiders, Albanese would liaise with Joyce directly about his personal travel,” a published extract of the book said. The insiders were not named.

Albanese said he had declared 22 free Qantas upgrades in a register of gifts to lawmakers valued at more than 300 Australian dollars ($197). He noted opposition lawmaker Paul Fletcher had declared 69.

“I’ve declared everything in accordance with all of the rules,” Albanese told reporters.

“I have, at all times — at all times — acted in a transparent and appropriate way,” he added.

Albanese said on Tuesday he only recalled two conversations with Joyce about flights. Those flights did not involve personal travel.

“There’s no accusation being made with any specifics at all about any of this. None. None,” Albanese said.

Albanese noted the book's author, Joe Aston, was a former opposition party staffer and former Qantas employee. The book is titled “The Chairman’s Lounge: The Inside Story of How Qantas Sold Us Out.”

Joyce could not be immediately contacted for comment. Qantas did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Australian newspaper reported Albanese might have been in breach of the then-government’s code of ministerial conduct when he was transport minister from 2007 until 2013.

The code explicitly banned ministers from seeking or encouraging any form of gift in their personal capacity.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton on Monday described the accusation that Albanese contacted Joyce to solicit free upgrades as “a bit strange.”

“I’m not aware of anyone else having done it,” Dutton told reporters.