As driving ban lifts, Saudi women in crosshairs of change
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Outside a sprawling mall in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, young single men and women walk through an open-air exhibit where Saudi women and traffic police explain the ins and outs of handling a car. Children take a lap around a makeshift course in tiny electric cars as clowns appear on a small stage, dancing for the crowd. A song with a woman's voice blares through the loudspeakers, singing: "I love you Saudia. My love, Saudia."
Just four years ago, this government-sponsored event was an unthinkable scene in the deeply religious and socially conservative country.