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A newly licensed Saudi woman prepares to go for a drive. AFP
A newly licensed Saudi woman prepares to go for a drive. AFP

2018 - The day Saudi women could drive

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Updated 19 April 2025

2018 - The day Saudi women could drive

2018 - The day Saudi women could drive
  • The lifting of the ban was one of several reforms that improved gender equality

JEDDAH:聽This story could be called a tale of two countries. When I arrived in Jeddah from the Arab News Dubai office for my first visit to 海角直播, on June 20, 2018, I was not allowed to drive.

And then, four days later, along with every other woman in the Kingdom, all of a sudden we could. Much like Cinderella in the fairy tale, our pumpkins turned into carriages at the stroke of midnight on June 24.

So much has changed since then that it seems like ancient history. At the time, we thought other changes might happen, inshallah, in baby steps, but the driving law proved to be only the first of many that drove Saudi women鈥檚 independence forward into the 21st century.

In the words of my Saudi colleague Noor Nugali, now deputy editor-in-chief of Arab News, it was a 鈥渕ind-blowing鈥 signal that 海角直播 was headed 鈥100 miles in the right direction.鈥

In August 2019, the guardianship law, which required Saudi women to get a male guardian鈥檚 permission to travel, was rescinded. In December that year, gender segregation in public places came to an end. In June 2021, single, divorced or widowed women were allowed to live independently without needing the permission of their male guardians. In January 2023, Saudi women married to foreign men gained the right to pass on Saudi citizenship to their children. And in 2024, the World Bank reported that women made up 34.5 percent of the Kingdom鈥檚 workforce, surpassing the Vision 2030 target (which was subsequently raised from 30 to 40 percent).

How we wrote it




Arab News published a 3-page special report in an award-winning souvenir edition designed by artist Malika Favre.

This was all unthinkable at the time the driving ban was lifted. So let us reverse, if you will, to a time when the Kingdom was the last country in the world in which women could not drive. Arriving on a humid morning at Jeddah鈥檚 airport, I stepped off the plane in my abaya, with a sense of excitement tempered by fear at what I might encounter as a solo foreign woman. After a decade living in the UAE, I had heard stories from other women about their encounters with the Saudi religious police, so I wrapped my headscarf tightly and prepared for the worst.

Mistakenly joining the line for Umrah arrivals, I was approached by a customs officer who, after looking at my visa, asked me to have a seat while he sorted an issue by calling an Arabic speaker in our Jeddah newsroom. 鈥淭his is it,鈥 I thought. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to jail.鈥

What happened next was a total surprise. He returned, offering me Arabic coffee and a chocolate heart before helping me through the gates. The driver sent to pick me up told me I did not have to wear a headscarf, so I let it go around my shoulders, already feeling more relaxed.

For the next few days, I made my trips to the Jeddah newsroom with Bakhsh, our ever-smiling company driver who insisted on carrying my bags, whenever he was available. To those who suggest the lifting of the driving ban was just a token gesture, I can tell you this: it was anything but. Imagine getting through your day by relying on someone to pick you up at every point, and then remember the sense of freedom you felt when you got your driving license and the keys to your first car.

Key Dates

  • 1

    Royal decree issued ordering lifting of ban on women driving in the Kingdom.

    Timeline Image Sept. 26, 2017

  • 2

    First driving licenses issued to 10 Saudi women in the Kingdom.

  • 3

    Women officially allowed to drive on the Kingdom鈥檚 roads for the first time; Aseel Al-Hamad becomes the first Saudi woman to drive a Formula One car, completing a symbolic lap around the French Grand Prix circuit at Le Castellet.

    Timeline Image June 24, 2018

  • 4

    Saudi racing driver Reema Juffali makes her Formula 4 British Championship debut at Brands Hatch in the UK.

    Timeline Image Apr. 6, 2019

  • 5

    Juffali becomes the first female driver to claim pole position in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup.

    Timeline Image Sept. 3, 2023

  • 6

    Formula E announces that Saudi female racing driver Reem Al-Aboud has set a new FIA single-seater acceleration benchmark in a GenBeta electric racing car, besting the F1 benchmark.

    Timeline Image March 5, 2024

So when the clocks on our iPhones turned to 12:01 a.m. on June 24 it was not only a sign to start our engines, it was time for 海角直播 to leave this old way behind.

At this time I was already in the driver鈥檚 seat of our company car, wearing Saudi designer Moe Khoja鈥檚 driving jacket, embroidered with the date of this momentous occasion. My boss, Faisal J. Abbas, sitting beside me in the passenger鈥檚 seat, had designated me to take him and two female colleagues on this drive, because a Saudi woman in our newsroom had yet to obtain a license. It was not only a historic occasion for me; for them, it was the first time they had been driven by a woman in the Kingdom.

Off we drove that night in a big black SUV, rolling down our windows at stoplights and waving to surprised Saudis, who smiled and gave us the thumbs up. The real test was when we pulled up next to a police car at the next light. We waited in nervous silence until the light turned green and then we let go of our breaths, driving off without incident.

The next morning, as more Saudi women took to the roads, I approached the rental-car desk in my hotel lobby to ask about hiring a vehicle. The man told me it was not possible. 鈥淥h yes it is,鈥 I told him. 鈥淗aven鈥檛 you read the news?鈥澛




Former Arab News editor Mo Gannon takes to the road on the day the ban on women driving was lifted. AN Photo

I showed him the special edition of Arab News that day, wrapped in Malika Favre鈥檚 illustration of a Saudi woman driving, which went on to become an iconic image of that day. Sadly, it did not help my appeal. The assistant called his supervisor, who told me I needed a Saudi license.

Remarkably, after I wrote in Arab News about this experience, the chief operating officer of Budget 海角直播 contacted me to rectify the confusion. He invited me to visit the company鈥檚 office on the Corniche, where I produced my international driver鈥檚 license and became the first foreign woman to rent a car in 海角直播.

As I climbed into the white Land Cruiser, people on the street stopped to take photos. That night, when I took the Arab News ladies on a drive to Old Jeddah, we got the same reception from the crowded streets: smiles and waves. I am glad we soaked up the celebrity attention while we had it, because as more Saudi women obtained their licenses, it became commonplace to see women driving in the Kingdom. And not only driving: living their own lives, running companies, working in senior government roles, traveling into space and representing 海角直播 on the world stage, whether it is in Washington or on a sports field. I have watched them do so with unmatched grace, determination and courage.

Back at home in Canada, when I鈥檓 asked about 海角直播, I鈥檓 proud to tell the story of how I got to be part of that day. But my story takes a back seat to Saudi women, who are in the driver鈥檚 seat now. I can鈥檛 wait to see where they go on the road ahead.

  • Mo Gannon became the first foreign woman to rent a car in 海角直播 when she was a senior editor in the Dubai bureau of Arab News.


Iran executes man accused of spying for Israel and another for planning IS group sabotage

Iran executes man accused of spying for Israel and another for planning IS group sabotage
Updated 2 min 26 sec ago

Iran executes man accused of spying for Israel and another for planning IS group sabotage

Iran executes man accused of spying for Israel and another for planning IS group sabotage
  • Iran has executed two men in separate cases, accusing one of spying for Israel and another of being a member of the Daesh group. State media says the two men were hanged Wednesday

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Iran executed two men in separate cases Wednesday, accusing one of spying for Israel and another of being a member of the Daesh group, state media reported.
A report by the judiciary news website Mizanonline identified the alleged spy as Rouzbeh Vadi, who was accused of relaying classified information to Israel鈥檚 intelligence service, the Mossad.
Authorities said Vadi provided information about an Iranian nuclear scientist who was killed during Israel鈥檚 June airstrikes on Iran, according to the report, which did not identifying the scientist or the time and place of Vadi鈥檚 arrest.
Vadi met the Mossad officers five times in Vienna, Austria, the report said.
Israel鈥檚 ambassador to France, Joshua Zarka, said in June that Israel鈥檚 12-day war on Iran included targeted strikes that killed at least 14 physicists and engineers involved with Iran鈥檚 nuclear program.
Iran has hanged seven people for espionage during the conflict with Israel, sparking fears from activists that the government could conduct a wave of executions.
Iran separately hanged a member of Daesh group on Wednesday after he was convicted of plotting sabotage, Mizanonline reported.
Officials accused Mehdi Asgharzadeh of being a member of the Daesh group who participated in military training in Syria and Iraq before illegally entering Iran with a four-member team who were killed in a fight with Iranian security, the news site reported.
Authorities said Iran鈥檚 Supreme Court upheld the sentences of lower courts and followed full legal procedures before executing both men, Mizanonline reported.


End of era as Beirut renames Assad avenue after late music legend

End of era as Beirut renames Assad avenue after late music legend
Updated 2 min 50 sec ago

End of era as Beirut renames Assad avenue after late music legend

End of era as Beirut renames Assad avenue after late music legend
  • Lebanon has decided to rebaptise a thoroughfare named after former Syrian president Hafez Assad in favor of late Lebanese musician and playwright Ziad Rahbani

BEIRUT: Lebanon has decided to rebaptise a thoroughfare named after former Syrian president Hafez Assad in favor of late Lebanese musician and playwright Ziad Rahbani, a move many welcomed on Wednesday.
The decision marks the end of an era and a rupture with the authoritarian rule of former Syrian leaders Hafez Assad and his son Bashar 鈥 close allies of Lebanon鈥檚 Hezbollah militant group 鈥 who from Damascus held Lebanon in a stranglehold for almost three decades.
Islamist forces ousted Bashar Assad in December, ending five decades of one-family rule, further weakening Hezbollah after a war with Israel and helping to change the balance of power in Lebanon.
鈥淗afez Assad into the dustbin of history, Ziad Rahbani is the name of the airport road forever!鈥 independent lawmaker Mark Daou who opposes Hezbollah wrote on X.
The government on Tuesday announced the renaming of the avenue, which runs to the international airport through south Beirut, where Hezbollah enjoys strong support.
Lebanese actor Ziad Itani welcomed the move, telling AFP that the former Syrian leader was associated with 鈥渄ark periods in Lebanese history, marked by massacres, abuses and assassinations.鈥
The Syrian army entered Lebanon in 1976 as part of an Arab force that was supposed to put an end to the country鈥檚 civil war which began a year earlier.
Troops only withdrew in 2005 under enormous pressure after the assassination of Lebanese ex-prime minister Rafic Hariri, which was widely blamed on Syria and Hezbollah.
The Lebanese army dismantled a number of monuments paying homage to the Assad family following the pullout.
The government announced the street鈥檚 name change as it said it had tasked the army with developing a plan to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year, an unprecedented step since civil war factions gave up their weapons decades ago.
The road鈥檚 renaming 鈥渋s the decision that made me the happiest,鈥 said Hassan Roumani near the avenue.
鈥淓ach time I passed along the Assad road, I felt like Hafez Assad and the Syrian army were still in Lebanon. Now psychologically I feel relieved 鈥 that period is over, and for the best,鈥 he told AFP.
Not all welcomed the renaming however, particularly Hezbollah supporters.
Faysal Abdelsater, an analyst close to the Iran-backed group, said the move was 鈥渢he result of political malice鈥 and urged the local council to reject it.
Rahbani, son of iconic singer Fairuz, died last month aged 69 after a decades-long career that revolutionized the country鈥檚 artistic scene.


Saudi POS transactions rise 31.5% to $4.16bn

Saudi POS transactions rise 31.5% to $4.16bn
Updated 1 min 2 sec ago

Saudi POS transactions rise 31.5% to $4.16bn

Saudi POS transactions rise 31.5% to $4.16bn
  • Food and beverage category remained the largest in value at SR2.34 billion
  • Spending at restaurants and cafes increased by 22.8% to SR1.90 billion

RIYADH: Point of sale transactions in 海角直播 reached SR15.6 billion ($4.16 billion) in the week ending Aug. 2, representing a 31.5 percent weekly rise, driven by increased spending across all sectors. 

According to the latest data released by the Saudi Central Bank, also known as SAMA, the number of transactions also witnessed a weekly increase of 18.2 percent to reach 244.03 million. 

The sustained spending momentum highlights consumer confidence and the ongoing digital transformation of payments, driven by initiatives under the Kingdom鈥檚 Vision 2030 strategy.

The food and beverage category remained the largest in value at SR2.34 billion, marking a significant 38.2 percent increase compared to the previous seven days.

Spending at restaurants and cafes also increased by 22.8 percent to SR1.90 billion. 

POS activity in the transportation sector saw a rise of 28.2 percent to reach SR1.21 billion, while spending on professional and business services grew by 28.6 percent to SR1.19 billion. 

The Saudi Central Bank data further revealed that spending on apparel, clothing, and accessories rose by 49.4 percent to reach SR1.11 billion. 

POS transactions in the Kingdom鈥檚 gas stations amounted to SR1.09 billion, followed by spending in the health care sector at SR1.02 billion. 

The increase marks a key milestone in the nation鈥檚 shift toward a cashless economy, aligning with one of the core objectives of the Financial Sector Development Program under Vision 2030.

In April, SAMA said the total number of non-cash retail transactions reached 12.6 billion in 2024, up from 10.8 billion in 2023, reflecting the continued growth and adoption of electronic payment systems across the country.

In its latest report, SAMA said that 海角直播鈥檚 capital city, Riyadh, dominated POS transactions, with a value amounting to SR5.08 billion, representing an increase of 17.3 percent. 

Jeddah followed with a 24.2 percent rise, reaching SR2.11 billion, while Dammam came third with transactions amounting to SR698 million. 

POS spending in Makkah rose 28.9 percent to reach SR646.01 million.
 
Transactions in Madinah amounted to SR632.36 million, marking a rise of 33.9 percent compared to the previous week. 

In Al-Khobar, POS transactions totaled SR399.83 million, followed by Buraidah at SR365.99 million, and Abha at SR301.68 million. 


Italy ministers accused over release of Libyan official

Italy ministers accused over release of Libyan official
Updated 22 min 25 sec ago

Italy ministers accused over release of Libyan official

Italy ministers accused over release of Libyan official
  • Najim, head of Libya鈥檚 judicial police, was arrested in the northern Italian city of Turin on January 19 on an ICC warrant, only to be released by Rome鈥檚 Court of Appeal two days later and immediately flown to Tripoli on an Italian air force plane

ROME: Judges have requested permission from Italy鈥檚 parliament to bring proceedings against two government ministers over the release of a Libyan wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), reports said Wednesday.
Justice Minister Carlo Nordio is accused of failing to perform his official duties and also, alongside Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, of aiding and abetting Osama Almasri Najim鈥檚 return to Libya.
Najim, head of Libya鈥檚 judicial police, was arrested in the northern Italian city of Turin on January 19 on an ICC warrant, only to be released by Rome鈥檚 Court of Appeal two days later and immediately flown to Tripoli on an Italian air force plane.
He is accused of charges including murder, rape and torture relating to his management of Tripoli鈥檚 Mitiga detention center, and his release sparked a major political row in Italy.
Allegations that Meloni and her ministers acted improperly have been under consideration by a special court that deals with ministerial cases.
Meloni revealed on Monday she had been cleared of any wrongdoing.
But the court has now requested permission from parliament鈥檚 Chamber of Deputies to bring a case against her ministers 鈥 although this will almost certainly be denied, as Meloni鈥檚 coalition government has a majority.
According to Italian news agencies, Nordio is accused of failing to comply with ICC requests over the arrest of Najim, and effectively standing by when he could have intervened to keep the Libyan in prison.
Piantedosi and under-secretary Alfredo Mantovano, who is responsible for the intelligence service, are both also accused of aiding and abetting Najim鈥檚 release, and also of complicit embezzlement.
Piantedosi ordered the Libyan鈥檚 expulsion from Italy and Mantovano ordered the use of a state plane to send him home, despite, like Nordio, being fully aware of the requests for cooperation from the ICC, according to the court.
Meloni on Monday said the judges had cleared her, making what she called the 鈥渁bsurd鈥 conclusion that she was not informed about the decisions on Najim.
She defended the government鈥檚 actions, saying they were entirely focused on 鈥減rotecting the safety of Italians.鈥
Nordio has previously said the ICC warrant was badly drafted, while Piantedosi claimed that once Najim had been released from prison he was too dangerous to remain in Italy.
Piantedosi also denied allegations by some opposition politicians that the suspect was sent home to avoid jeopardizing relations with Libya.


Pakistan partners with DP World to open zero-cost export mart in Dubai

Pakistan partners with DP World to open zero-cost export mart in Dubai
Updated 40 min 35 sec ago

Pakistan partners with DP World to open zero-cost export mart in Dubai

Pakistan partners with DP World to open zero-cost export mart in Dubai
  • Pakistan Mart will be established at Jebel Ali with comprehensive backing from DP World
  • Jam Kamal says exporters will not be charged taxes at the facility until products are sold

ISLAMABAD: The government will establish Pakistan Mart, a commercial hub near Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates, to showcase made in Pakistan products to global buyers, the commerce ministry said on Wednesday, adding that DP World will build the facility at no construction cost to Pakistani stakeholders.

The development comes as Pakistan pushes for export-led growth after stabilizing its crisis-hit economy with assistance from the International Monetary Fund and financial support from friendly nations. The Gulf region, particularly the UAE, offers critical advantages such as proximity, low freight costs and established Pakistani trade networks, making it a natural launchpad for this initiative.

Pakistan Mart is expected to significantly support the exporters of the South Asian state by improving visibility, reducing logistical barriers and allowing direct market access in the region. The mart will also facilitate digital trade and is aimed at helping sectors like textiles, garments, surgical instruments, food, perishables and nutraceuticals.

鈥淲hen this facility will be established, more than 500 Pakistani retailers, shopkeepers and those who are going to use the warehousing facility will get a window, a platform,鈥 Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan said.

鈥淭hey will showcase their products for Dubai market, UAE market and Gulf market. They will be able to export their products in other regions as well.鈥

鈥淭he good thing about this project is that unless you sell the product, there will be no tax or fees imposed on you,鈥 he continued, adding 鈥渢here is a minimum rental for it.鈥

According to the statement issued by the ministry, the project was presented to the commerce minister by a delegation comprising officials from Pakistan鈥檚 National Logistics Cell (NLC) and DP World, led by NLC鈥檚 director general.

Kamal described the project as 鈥渢ransformational鈥 for Pakistani trade and directed all relevant agencies, including the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), to urgently coordinate with stakeholders and facilitate export-ready enterprises for tenancy at the new facility.

The delegation urged the ministry to take a lead role in tenant selection, awareness campaigns and ensuring that exporters are equipped to capitalize on the opportunity.

Pakistan Mart is expected to become a strategic platform for export diversification and economic diplomacy, reinforcing Pakistan鈥檚 presence in key international markets.

It is also expected to attract more Africans buyers to the Pakistani products.