JEDDAH: Sept. 26, 2017, was a historic day in the Kingdom, as on this day the ban on women driving was lifted through a royal decree.
“The royal decree will implement the provisions of traffic regulations including the issuance of driving licenses for men and women alike,” the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
The move was also announced on TV and through the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Saudi Arabia allows women to drive,” the ministry affirmed via Twitter.
The decree stated: “The scholars see no reason not to allow women to drive as long as there are legal and regulatory guarantees to avoid the pretexts (that those against women driving had) even if they are unlikely to happen.”
The decree also indicated that the majority of the Council of Senior Scholars agreed that religion did not prohibit women’s driving; therefore, they did not oppose allowing it.
Women around the world rejoiced at the news, from US State Department’s Heather Nauert to global stars like Rihanna and Dua Lipa congratulated Saudi women on the lifting of the ban.
Women will be allowed to drive starting June 24, 2018, said the director general of Traffic Department, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Al-Bassami. He said women can familiarize themselves with traffic regulations by reading the Traffic Law.
After the completion of a 30-hour training course, women can obtain a driving license. Women who cannot drive need to clear a 90-hour or 120-hour training course.
The General Department of Traffic (GTD) signed agreements with several universities such as King Abdul Aziz University and Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University to launch women-only driving schools on their campuses. The Technical and Vocational Training Corp. revealed their preparations of educational and night courses to teach females the know-how to maintain cars.
The traffic department has completed preparations to deploy female officials to tend to road accidents involving women drivers. Women will also be employed at several traffic checkpoints and women-only detention centers to hold arrested females violating traffic laws.
Al-Bassami revealed that Saudi women with international driving licenses could drive without attending local driving schools. He also added that women with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) licenses could obtain Saudi licenses without taking driving tests.
The decision will help boost the number women in the workforce, boost car sales, as well as provide jobs in driving schools and detention centers. Companies like Uber and Careem were among the first to promise to create opportunities for female drivers.
The year the ban on women driving was lifted in KSA
The year the ban on women driving was lifted in KSA
OIC discusses draft humanitarian funds statute
- It discussed the draft humanitarian funds statute
- Taha added that it was important to make every effort to finalize the statute of these funds
JEDDAH: The general secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation held a meeting of the open-ended Group of Governmental Experts in Jeddah on Thursday.
It discussed the draft humanitarian funds statute, in accordance with the Council of Foreign Ministers.
OIC Secretary-General Hussein Ibrahim Taha said that the meeting was held amid difficult and harsh humanitarian circumstances that required concerted efforts and collective action to adopt actions to help contain humanitarian crises and hardships.
In his speech, Taha added that it was important to make every effort to finalize the statute of these funds, undertake the necessary reforms to their working mechanism and support them with the financial resources to enable them to fulfil their role.
The statement delivered by assistant secretary-general for humanitarian, cultural and social affairs, ambassador Tariq Ali Bakhit, on behalf of OIC’s secretary-general, highlighted the significant challenges faced by member states in the humanitarian field.
KSrelief distributes shelter supplies in Afghanistan
- KSrelief will distribute 4,882 shelter items, such as tents, blankets, plastic mattresses and other supplies
KABUL: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has launched a shelter project for people returning from Pakistan to Afghanistan and victims of the 2024 floods.
It will distribute 4,882 shelter items, such as tents, blankets, plastic mattresses and other supplies across the provinces of Kabul, Ghazni, Bamyan, Badakhshan, Kunduz, Baghlan, Parwan, Kapisa, Panjshir, Herat, Nimroz, Nangarhar and Laghman. The project will help 29,292 people.
The scheme is part of the Kingdom’s humanitarian and relief efforts, through its humanitarian arm, KSrelief, to alleviate the suffering of the Afghan people.
KSrelief wins Global Humanitarian Achievement Award
- Delano Roosevelt, the council’s second president and CEO, presented the award to the supervisor general of KSrelief, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, in Washington
- Dr. Al-Rabeeah said the award is an international acknowledgement of Saudi Arabia’s leading role in relief efforts
WASHINGTON: The Saudi aid agency KSrelief was honored with the Global Humanitarian Achievement Award by the National Council on US-Arab Relations, in recognition of relief efforts that have made a substantial impact in crisis regions around the world.
Delano Roosevelt, the council’s second president and CEO, presented the award to the supervisor general of KSrelief, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, in Washington, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Dr. Al-Rabeeah said the award is an international acknowledgement of Saudi Arabia’s leading role in relief efforts.
He underlined the Kingdom’s commitment to assisting people in need, supporting those affected by crises, and assisting refugees wherever possible.
He also affirmed that Saudi Arabia has consistently been a leader in charitable and humanitarian initiatives and is at the forefront of donor countries on regional and international fronts.
4th Saudi Green Initiative Forum hosted in COP16 Green Zone in Riyadh next month
RIYADH: The Saudi Green Initiative announced on Thursday that the SGI Forum 2024 will take place on Dec. 3-4 under the theme “Action is in our nature.”
The flagship climate and environment action event, now in its fourth year, will return to Riyadh for the first time since its launch in 2021 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, prime minister and chairman of the Supreme Committee for the Saudi Green Initiative.
The SGI Forum 2024 will coincide with the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties, or COP16, of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, or UNCCD.
According to an SGI press release, the Riyadh COP16 (Dec. 2-13) will be the largest-ever UNCCD conference, the first to be held in the Middle East region, and the largest multilateral conference hosted by Saudi Arabia.
At this year’s SGI Forum, hundreds of policymakers, business leaders and subject-matter experts from across the world will convene in a dedicated SGI Pavilion in the UNCCD COP16 Green Zone.
Dozens of tailored sessions will explore best practices, innovations and progress against SGI targets, with the goal of deepening collaboration and scaling up action for a greener future.
Since the launch of SGI, a significant positive impact has been achieved, with 4+ GW of renewable energy capacity installed, more than 95 million trees and shrubs planted, and more than 1,660 endangered animals re-wilded across the Kingdom.
For the duration of COP16, the SGI will welcome the public to a 4,000 sq m SGI Pavilion, where visitors can enjoy an interactive journey through Saudi Arabia’s whole-of-society climate and environment efforts in the SGI Gallery.
A multimedia showcase and a broad range of experts will enable guests to learn more about the more than 80 initiatives already launched as part of SGI.
Visitors can also attend and exchange ideas during daily SGI Talks, an expert-led speaker series that launched in 2023.
The SGI was launched by the crown prince in 2021 to drive climate action across all levels of society and achieve Saudi Arabia’s ambition to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060.
The initiative demonstrates the Kingdom’s dedication to improving the quality of life for current and future generations and addressing the region’s environmental challenges, including high temperatures, low rainfall, dust storms and desertification.
In 2022, the SGI Forum was held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, in tandem with UNFCCC COP27. The event revealed major climate action projects, including the launch of a circular carbon economy knowledge hub, and the establishment of a regional center for advancing emissions reduction with UNESCWA.
In 2023, the third SGI Forum took place in conjunction with UNFCCC COP28 in Dubai.
During the event, the Kingdom unveiled a 300 percent increase in installed renewable energy capacity since 2022, and more than 43 million trees were planted toward the goal of 10 billion.
Film review: ‘Gladiator II’ — entertaining, and a fun romp
RIYADH: After years of waiting, “Gladiator II,” a sequel to the epic saga “Gladiator” (2000), has finally hit the screen.
The film, released in VOX Cinemas, Saudi Arabia on Nov. 14, had a premiere at VOX Cinemas, Roshn Front in Riyadh on Tuesday evening.
Directed by legendary filmmaker Ridley Scott, “Gladiator II” continues the epic saga of power, intrigue and vengeance in Ancient Rome.
Starring Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington and Fred Hechinger, the action genre release offers full entertainment, and serves as a follow-up to Scott’s “Gladiator,” released almost 25 years ago.
Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist.
With rage in his heart and the future of the empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.
With “Gladiator II” expected to have its work cut out trying to prove it can stand toe to toe with Scott’s highly regarded epic, the film is not exactly what fans have been expecting. It is no patch on the original, to be sure, but it is still a good fun time at the movies, with Mescal and Washington stealing the show. It is entertaining, and a fun romp.
Scott’s return to the Roman arena is something of a repeat, but it is still a thrilling spectacle and Mescal a formidable lead.
Set about 25 years after “Gladiator,” we are reintroduced to Lucius (Mescal), the now grown son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and Maximus (Russell Crowe). He lives with his wife and child in Numidia as a respected warrior, but a far cry from his birthright. When a battalion of Roman soldiers, led by General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) invades his land, his wife is killed in the battle, resulting in Lucius’ capture and enslavement. Passed along, he ends up in Rome, seen as fodder for the masses.
Obviously inspired by the similar predicamen t of Maximus, Lucius quietly resolves to fight as a gladiator in the Colosseum. His silent reasoning and overwhelming abilities are noteworthy, capturing the attention of Macrinus (Denzel Washington), a former slave. Macrinus has designs on the throne of Rome, plotting to overthrow young emperors Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) and Geta (Joseph Quinn), taking Lucius under his wing in the process. As all of these people come together and realize Lucius’ connection; blood is spilt and lives are lost, but in the end Lucius takes his revenge.
“Gladiator II” is a good time at the multiplex, both for fans of the first one and those who do not have any extra affection.
