Saudi Arabia

Saudi men and women browse the annual Riyadh International Book Exhibition in 2016.

World News

From California, A Saudi Woman Fights Her Country's Strict Male Guardianship Laws

10:52am July 19, 2018

by Deborah Amos

"I came from a very strict country to a very free country," says Samah Damanhoori. The 29-year-old cut ties with her family after her father canceled his initial approval for her to study in the U.S.

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A Saudi woman celebrates with her friends as she drives her car in al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday. The lifting of the ban on women driving marks a milestone for women in the kingdom who have had to rely on drivers, male relatives, taxis and ride-haili

World News

PHOTOS: Saudi Women Start Driving, But Activists Remain Jailed

3:46pm June 25, 2018

With the ban lifted on female drivers, Saudi women can sit legally in the driver's seat for the first time. But global concern is high over detention of activists who fought for the right to drive.

Hessah al-Ajaji drives down the busy Tahlia Street after midnight for the first time in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, June 24, 2018.

World News

Saudi Arabia Lifts Ban On Women Drivers

7:20pm June 24, 2018

by Shannon Van Sant

The country allowed women to drive for the first time on Sunday, ending its widely-criticized ban on women drivers.

A column of Yemeni pro-government forces, travels Wednesday about five miles south of Hodeidah international airport. Backed by the Saudi-led coalition, the fighters launched an offensive to retake the rebel-held Red Sea port city.

World News

Fears Mount For A Battered Yemen As Assault On Port City Gathers Steam

6:05pm June 14, 2018

by Colin Dwyer

So far, the fighting has stayed in Hodeidah's outskirts. But the relative calm isn't likely to last — and aid groups are desperately calling for its port to stay open for a country already in crisis.

Flames are seen at the production facility of Saudi Aramco's Shaybah oilfield in May.

Saudi Arabia's Ambitious Economic Overhaul Hinges On Reducing Its Oil 'Addiction'

12:19pm June 13, 2018

The government has ambitious plans to diversify the oil kingdom — and that means revamping the world's biggest petroleum producer.

Boys hold posters with crossed-out pictures of President Trump during an April march against plans by the Arab coalition to attack Hodeidah, Yemen.

World News

Saudi Arabia And Its Allies Strike Yemen's Main Port City

10:29am June 13, 2018

by Jane Arraf

The U.S.-backed coalition says it aims to oust Iranian-sponsored Houthi rebels, but aid groups warn of potentially high civilian casualties.

Yemeni fighters loyal to the government carry explosives and land mines believed to have been planted by Houthis on June 8 near Hudaydah.

World News

U.N. Withdraws From Yemeni Port City Amid Fears Of Devastating Attack

10:56am June 12, 2018

by Jane Arraf

The U.N. pulled foreign staff from Hodeidah amid efforts to avert an attack by pro-government forces backed by the United Arab Emirates. A shutdown of the port could put hundreds of thousands at risk.

A drone flies a dress at a fashion show held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as seen in a BBC Arabic report.

Arts

Dresses Flutter On Drones In Saudi Fashion Show, But Critics Aren't Buying It

5:36pm June 07, 2018

by Daniella Cheslow

The organizer says the novel approach was a way to celebrate fashion while keeping to Ramadan sensibilities.

Saudi women wait for their drivers outside a hotel in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

Hooking Up Gets Easier To Do In Saudi Arabia

10:51am June 04, 2018

These days, some young people in the conservative kingdom also use Tinder to find a match.

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Vogue Arabia's June cover stirred controversy by featuring Princess Hayfa bint Abdullah Al Saud in a car, while activists who fought to lift the ban on female drivers in Saudi Arabia remain in custody. A feature article describes the princess as a "drivin

Vogue Cover Of Saudi Princess In The Driver's Seat Sparks Controversy

6:27pm June 01, 2018

by Sasha Ingber

Vogue Arabia meant to celebrate "the trailblazing women of Saudi Arabia" before a ban on female drivers is lifted. Instead, critics said the photo overlooked women who fought for the right to drive.