The benchmark S&P 500 index is up over 9% for the year
business9 hours ago
Saudi women will be allowed to start driving in the kingdom from June 24, the General Department of Traffic Director General Mohammed al-Bassami said on Tuesday.
"All the requirements for women in the kingdom to start driving have been established," Bassami was quoted as saying in a statement released by the government.
In September 2017, a royal decree announced the end of a decades-long ban on women driving - the only one of its kind in the world.
Women 18 years of age and older will be allowed to apply for a driver's license, Bassami said.
Driving schools for women have been set up across five cities in the conservative kingdom, and teachers will include Saudi women who obtained their licenses abroad.
Women with foreign driving licenses will be able to apply for a local one through a separate process, which will also assess their driving skills.
"It is no secret that many women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hold driving licences from abroad," the statement added.
Saudi women have previously petitioned the government for the lifting of the ban, and even taken to the wheel in protest.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 32, is seen as the force behind the lifting of the ban, part of a series of reforms being pushed by the powerful royal in the conservative kingdom.
His Vision 2030 reform plan for a post-oil era seeks to elevate women to nearly one-third of the workforce, up from about 22 percent now
The decision to allow women to drive could give them the much-needed mobility to join the workforce.
Saudi women now no longer need male permission to start business.
But Saudi activists say social change will only be cosmetic without dismantling the kingdom's rigid guardianship system, which requires women to seek permission from a male relative to study, travel and other activities.
The benchmark S&P 500 index is up over 9% for the year
business9 hours ago
Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the decision comes in light of the escalating severity and scope of Israeli attacks against civilians
mena9 hours ago
The US secretary of state agrees that Israeli forces had killed more civilians than Hamas militants
mena10 hours ago
The US president said that a ceasefire would be possible "tomorrow" if Hamas gave up Israeli hostages
mena10 hours ago
American tech companies in general are seen as hostile toward unionisation efforts, notably Amazon
world10 hours ago
The Serb blamed Friday's incident when he was accidentally struck on the head by a fan's water bottle while signing autographs
sports10 hours ago
Daniel Duggan's lawyer says his client knew Chinese defence hacker Su Bin as an employment broker for Chinese state aviation company
world10 hours ago
Eastern parts of the city have been heavily bombarded in recent days, as Israel sent tanks and ground troops into the areas
world11 hours ago