RIYADH: As the clock struck 12 midnight, the decades-old ban on women driving was lifted in Saudi Arabia. What was unimaginable a few years ago has now become a reality.
Several women with foreign licenses have already obtained Saudi driving licenses and those who do not know driving are making full use of the infrastructure set in place to help them learn.
From Sunday onward, women behind the wheel will be a common sight on the Kingdom’s roads. People should also prepare themselves to see women revving motorbikes as well.
Opting for the two-wheelers gives many women a sense of empowerment. Alia Abu Dhuhair, a Saudi banker from Tabuk, told Arab News that she had been passionate about bikes since her childhood.
“I love motorcycles because it reminds me of the good old days when we used to go to the beach. We used to ride them there.”
“It made me feel happy and free. I wish to ride a motorcycle instead of a car. It is faster, without any parking hassles and one feels free and cool,” she said.
Shahad Al-Harbi, a Saudi marketing student in Chicago, is also a bike lover, who finds biking an adrenaline-pumping activity. She said she had tried riding a bike with one of her friends in Chicago. “It was really an amazing experience.”
Both the Saudi bike lovers agree that Harley-Davidson motorcycles are the best in the world. As a matter of fact, Harley-Davidson is the dream of every person passionate about motorbikes.
“The brand is also very popular here in Saudi Arabia. Harley-Davidson is special because of its unique design, strength and luxury,” said Abu Dhuhair.
Both believe that their parents might not encourage them to ride motorbikes mainly because of safety concerns.
Al-Harbi said: “My parents are very protective and I do not think they will be supportive of the idea. They may feel uneasy because of the stories we hear about accidents involving motorbikes.”
“I believe Saudi women will prove to be good motorcyclists because they drive cautiously and strictly follow traffic rules,” she added.
In Saudi Arabia and many other countries, it is mandatory to obtain a license to ride a bike. Like elsewhere, there are training institutes in the Kingdom.
Wael bin Huraib, director of the Bikers Skill Institute, told Arab News about the institute and what programs it offers to women.
“We train people who are passionate about. All of our instructors are well experienced and certified,” he said.
The Riyadh-based Bikers Skill Institute is considered the first institute to conduct structured motorbike training in Saudi Arabia. Established in 2011, the institute mainly focuses on safety through skills and offers courses, such as the Basic Motorcycle Riding, Smart Riding, Top Gun, Motogymkhana, Off-Road Trainings and Kids Motorcycle Schools. It not only offers training to males but has also designed special courses for women.
Huraib said: “The females’ section is well equipped and has female trainers. The courses comply with international standards and generally consist of two parts — theory and field training.”
Harley-Davidson has been operating in Saudi Arabia since 2004. Initially, it started operations from Riyadh but over time it has expanded to other cities such as Jeddah and Alkhobar.
The CEO of Harley Davidson in Saudi Arabia, Mishal Al-Mutlaq, said: “We care about the safety of our clients so we focus on the safety features of our motorcycles. These days, the number of women visiting our stores has increased. We have brought in feminine colors that will be appreciated more by females. A motorcycle is just like a car. Its features and engine have nothing to do with genders. Women can drive all kinds of Harley-Davidson motorcycles like their male counterparts.”
Harley-Davidson is famous for organizing events like motorbike rallies, especially for its members.
When asked about the possibility of organizing such an event in the Kingdom, he said: “In the near future, we might consider a special event for females and hire females in our stores as trainers and in the sales department. We use to have female employees in the female accessories section. We are planning to focus on that more.”
“Today the store does not only have motorcycles but also accessories, souvenirs and clothes for females so we are used to seeing females in the store buying things from us.”
The Saudi Driving School in Princess Noura University also offers a motorbike driver’s license. As its website says, the requirements for obtaining a motorbike license are simple. “The candidates must be 16 or older, unlike the private driver’s license, where the applicants must be 18 or older. To obtain a motorbike driver’s license, the applicant also needs to bring written permission from a guardian if she is under 18, along with official documents like IDs and photos.
Not just four-wheelers, Saudi women want to hit the road on two-wheels
Not just four-wheelers, Saudi women want to hit the road on two-wheels
Kingdom arrests 23,194 illegals in one week
RIYADH: Saudi authorities arrested 23,194 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
According to an official report, a total of 13,083 people were arrested for violations of residency laws, while 6,210 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 3,901 for labor-related issues.
The report showed that among the 1,536 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 57 percent were Ethiopian, 41 percent Yemeni, and 2 percent were of other nationalities.
A further 57 people were caught trying to cross into neighboring countries, and 23 were held for involvement in transporting and harboring violators.
The Ministry of Interior said that anyone found to be facilitating illegal entry to the Kingdom, including providing transportation and shelter, could face imprisonment for a maximum of 15 years, a fine of up to SR1 million ($260,000), as well as confiscation of vehicles and property.
Suspected violations can be reported on the toll-free number 911 in the Makkah and Riyadh regions, and 999 or 996 in other regions of the Kingdom.
Telemedicine continues to bridge critical-care gaps in Saudi Arabia
- Tech is ‘bridging’ urban-rural divide, says Dr. Amera Rahmatullah
- Physician trains residents in critical-care skills vital for the nation
Riyadh: Telemedicine continues to help bridge treatment gaps in Saudi Arabia for rural areas and others that have a shortage of services, according to a leading physician.
Dr. Amera Rahmatullah, a consultant in pulmonary and critical care at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, told Arab News recently that telemedicine has ushered in a new era of critical care.
Rahmatullah said: “Our Tele-ICU initiative has transformed critical care in Saudi Arabia by bridging the gap between urban and rural healthcare.
“This WHO-accredited program has reduced unnecessary hospital transfers, improved patient outcomes, and provided timely interventions in remote areas, offering seamless, high-quality care across the Kingdom.”
Under Rahmatullah’s leadership, KFSHRC’s Critical Care Medicine department manages a wide range of specialized units, including surgical and organ transplants, medical and oncology units, and COVID-19 units.
With 67 beds, these units admit over 4,000 patients annually, supported by 24/7 consultant coverage and highly trained multidisciplinary teams of physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and allied health professionals.
For clinicians in telemedicine, the COVID-19 pandemic blew open the doors of need and access. What had been used before to treat critically ill patients in remote, rural, and hard-to-reach communities was suddenly in play for most of the population.
Recognizing the need to extend its specialized care beyond hospital walls, the Tele-ICU program was launched in 2010, initially to reduce patient transfers and ensure remote communities had access to critical care expertise, said Rahmatullah.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it expanded rapidly, becoming a lifeline for managing critically ill patients.
Today, the Tele-ICU network provides real-time ICU support across the Kingdom, ensuring high-quality care nationwide.
This initiative is part of KFSHRC’s broader nationwide strategy to expand critical care services, she added.
As the director of the Critical Care Medicine Residency Program, Rahmatullah has been instrumental in shaping the future of this workforce for Saudi Arabia.
She trains residents across various ICUs and equips them with the technical and leadership skills to manage the Kingdom’s most complex cases.
Under her leadership, the residency program has become a key pipeline for future specialists, ensuring that KFSHRC remains at the forefront of healthcare education and innovation.
Rahmatullah is also involved in the COVI-PRONE trial, an innovative research initiative aimed at improving outcomes for COVID-19 patients in intensive care.
KSrelief’s charitable work in Yemen, Afghanistan continues
RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) continues its charitable work in Yemen and Afghanistan, with the provision of medical services and shelter kits to individuals in need.
In Yemen, the Al-Ja’dah Health Center clinics in the Midi District of Hajjah Governorate continued to treat beneficiaries from Aug. 21 to 27 through KSrelief’s support.
The clinics provided comprehensive healthcare services to 96,184 patients, including in the field of internal medicine, reproductive health, pediatrics, communicable disease, and emergency services, treated injuries and referred complex cases, state news agency SPA reported.
The center also secured medicines, medical supplies, laboratory reagents and supplies, and medical and non-medical consumables for 60,823 individuals, treated 123 children suffering from malnutrition and vaccinated 451 children.
In Yemen’s Marib Governorate, the Saudi aid agency provided in November medical services to 453 individuals who had lost limbs. KSrelief’s ongoing project has so given 1,829 various services including fitting and rehabilitating prosthetic limbs, physical therapy and specialized consultations.
In Afghanistan, KSrelief distributed on Thursday 276 shelter kits in Khogyani district of Nangarhar province as part of the 2024 shelter project attending to returnees from Pakistan and people affected by floods.
Saudi Arabia condemns Israel’s burning of Gaza hospital
- Kamal Adwan Hospital was one of the last operating in the northernmost part of the Gaza Strip
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Friday denounced the burning of a Gaza hospital by Israeli forces and the forced removal of patients and medical staff from the facility.
Hospital officials said that Israeli troops raided Kamal Adwan Hospital on Friday, gathered staff outside the facility, removed their clothes, and took them to an unknown location.
Israeli soldiers then set fire to several parts of the facility, which is one of the last operating in the northernmost part of the Gaza Strip, including the surgery department, according to the Palestinian health ministry in the enclave.
The actions constitute a violation of international law, international humanitarian law, and the most fundamental humanitarian and ethical norms, said a statement by the Saudi foreign ministry.
Israel claimed Hamas fighters had been operating in the facility, which hospital officials denied.
Saudi Arabia to provide $500m in new economic support for Yemen
- Budget, stability, Central Bank of Yemen targeted
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia announced on Friday a new economic support package for Yemen worth $500 million and aimed at bolstering the government’s budget, stabilizing the Central Bank of Yemen, and fostering the development and stability of the Yemeni people.
The latest assistance includes a $300 million deposit into the Central Bank of Yemen to improve economic and financial conditions, alongside $200 million to address the Yemeni budget deficit, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The latest funding forms part of a larger $1.2 billion initiative through the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen. The program focuses on enhancing food security; supporting wages and operating expenses; and aiding the Yemeni government in implementing its economic reform agenda.
The new support aims to establish economic, financial, and monetary stability in Yemen by strengthening public finances, building government institutional capacity, and enhancing governance and transparency, the SPA added.
The assistance will empower the private sector to drive sustainable economic growth, create job opportunities, and place Yemen’s national economy on a more sustainable path for economic and social development.
Saudi Arabia’s previous economic assistance included deposits in the Central Bank of Yemen, which increased foreign exchange reserves, stabilized the local currency, reduced exchange rates, and stimulated the growth in gross domestic product.
The assistance also lowered fuel and diesel costs, reduced prices of imported food commodities, and supported the import of essential goods, including wheat, rice, milk, cooking oil, and sugar.
In addition, Saudi grants have helped the Yemeni government manage operating expenses, pay salaries, and mitigate the economic crisis by boosting foreign exchange reserves and restoring confidence in Yemen’s financial institutions.
These measures reduced reliance on borrowing to finance budget deficits, enhanced financial system stability, and alleviated inflationary pressures.
Saudi Arabia has also prioritized critical sectors in Yemen through grants and projects implemented by SDRPY, including more than 260 development initiatives across various Yemeni governorates, covering education, health, water, energy, transportation, agriculture, and fisheries.
These projects have improved access to essential services; provided medical treatments for chronic diseases and cancer patients; supported education; and ensured the provision of petroleum derivatives for electricity generation.
Saudi Arabia’s grants for petroleum derivatives have played a vital role in operating 80 power plants across Yemen, boosting energy efficiency and revitalizing productive and service sectors.
