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There’s that age-old saying: like mother, like daughter. In the case of Queen Rania of Jordan, it’s like mother, like daughters.
Her Majesty recently took to Instagram to wish her two daughters Princess Iman and Princess Salma – who share birthdays a day apart – a happy birthday over the weekend.

Queen Rania shared a new portrait with her daughters, showcasing the likeness to the two princesses share to their mother.

“When my girls are near, love and laughter are never far behind,” Her Majesty lovingly captioned the photo. “Happy birthday Iman and Salma.”
Princess Salma celebrated her 20th birthday on 26 September and Princess Iman celebrated her 24th birthday the day after on September 27.
It’s been a busy birthday period for the Jordanian royal family as Queen Rania herself celebrated turning 50 at the end of last month.
At the end of last month, Her Majesty opened up about celebrating her birthday amidst the pandemic in an interview with Hello! magazine. Queen Rania gave thanks to her country in their efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, putting the people of Jordan’s “health and wellbeing first”.

Speaking on her family, the royal admitted she’s “always wished for more time” with her husband, King Abdullah, and their four children. But given the current pandemic “time is all [she’s] had” with her family, which she’s incredibly thankful for.
“It has been such a blessing to have all my children around, particularly during the months when Jordan was under a strict lockdown,” she told the UK publication.
She also took the opportunity to lovingly pay tribute to her husband of 27 years saying he makes her “want to do more and be more… inspiring me in every moment of my life”.
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Feature Image: Queen Rania Instagram More

As major positive changes continue to happen for women in Saudi Arabia, a light has now been shined on one of the very first female ambulance drivers in the Kingdom.
In a new documentary published by the Saudi Center for Government Communication, Sara Al Anizi detailed how when she was younger she hoped she would be able to help people who were injured.

“When I was young, I used to keep band-aids,” she said. “When anyone had an injury, they would call me for assistance.
“This was a source of great happiness, especially as my father consolidated the idea that I was the home doctor.”

Since becoming an ambulance driver, Al Anizi has gained some incredible experience as well as “high confidence”.

توجّه إلى اليمين قليلا.. في المسار الأيسر المسعفة سارة العنزي، ضمن أوائل سائقات الإسعاف بالمملكة، على أهبة الاستعداد دومًا لنداء الإنسانية والوطن. @KFMC_RIYADH #التواصل_الحكومي pic.twitter.com/WDCqr7LPia
— التواصل الحكومي (@CGCSaudi) September 23, 2020

She also reflected on the current pandemic, admitting it has been a difficult time.
“It was a big challenge,” she said. “I would look behind and remember my family, children and my mother without knowing what is in store for me. But Thanks to Allah, I drove patients to the quarantine and was happy for doing this.”
In the last few years, things have changed drastically for women in Saudi Arabia when it comes to their rights and female empowerment.
The changes are part of the many initiatives under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 scheme, an ambitious post-oil economic plan, which has a major focus on women’s rights in the Kingdom.
Just three months after he stepped into the role in 2017, the Crown Prince unveiled in a royal decree, women would be able to secure driving licenses from June 2018 and he has gone on to do much more.
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Images: CGC Saudi Twitter More

As coronavirus cases have been increasing in the UAE, a new curfew has been implemented in Dubai.

A circular was issued by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) over the weekend to hotels, stating that entertainment activities must end by 1am.
Similarly, it was also stated in the circular, which was issued on September 24, that food and beverage services must conclude by 3am, with establishments also closing then. However, this does not affect delivery services nor room service in hotels.
Over the last few weeks, COVID-19 cases have been steadily increasing in the UAE.
On September 26, 1,008 new cases were announced bringing the total to 90,618. However, 79,676 of those cases have recovered meaning there are currently 10,942 active COVID-19 cases in the UAE.
In the country, there has been a total of 411 deaths.
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The year 2020 has forced industries around the world into new ways of working – and into new ways of thinking. It’s safe to say the pandemic has well and truly turned the globe on its head.
Global companies and businesses, including in the Middle East, have had no choice but to embrace the change and find new ways of working with employees going remote, many aspects of work going online, Zoom meetings being at the forefront and flexible working hours being implemented.

Over the last few months in the UAE, people have slowly begun to return to offices upon the announcement workplaces were able to begin to welcome employees back to the workplace.
However, despite things going back to normal, business giant Careem, who has their headquarters based in Dubai, is making a groundbreaking female-led move by going remote-first – and its the first company in the Middle East to do so.

Emirates Woman can exclusively reveal the innovative move is being spearheaded by the company’s Director of Talent, Learning and Performance and acting VP People at Careem, Ella Fordham.
So, what exactly does going remote-first mean? Effective immediately as of today, Careem’s 1,300 employees will be able to work from any location within the business’ employment market which spreads across 36 offices in 13 different markets. As part of the move, employees will be able to work from any worldwide location for up to a month.

(Above: Director of Talent, Learning and Performance and is currently acting VP People at Careem, Ella Fordham)
Meanwhile, their offices will be redesigned into collaborative working spaces.
Speaking on the new move, Fordham tells Emirates Woman, that her team has been using data they have collected and they have seen a significant shift in the way the company works.
“We have defined remote-first at Careem to mean that working remotely is now our default way of working for all new and existing colleagues,” she tells EW exclusively. “All colleague processes and experiences will be designed for remote presence and, most importantly, all of our colleagues will have the same work experience regardless of where they choose to work from.
“With this new strategy, we believe we are simplifying the lives of our colleagues, whilst also being able to benefit from the increased productivity and engagement that we have seen whilst working remotely to date.”
In our exclusive interview with Fordham we spoke to her about what made her want to spearhead the decision, what a milestone it is for such a groundbreaking move it is to be female-led and how Careem continues to empower female employees.
What made you want to spearhead this decision?
I feel very passionately that the world of work has changed, including the expectations of our colleagues about their working environment. We need to embrace this new reality as an organisation and accelerate the adoption of digital behaviours.
In terms of attracting new talent, and to be able to realise our Superapp ambitions, I believe this will give us the ability to overcome geographic limits that have traditionally hindered our recruitment of awesome people who are excited by our purpose.
From a personal perspective, I have always looked for companies that promote flexibility. I have a young child and both myself and my husband work. Having the ability to structure my working day to be able to build in time for nursery drop-offs and bath-time is very important to me. Careem has always operated with a degree of flexibility but remote-first will allow us all to manage personal and professional life more easily and strike the right balance.
It’s especially notable this groundbreaking move is female-led which is definitely a win for this region and beyond. How do you feel about this?
This initiative is down to a team effort. The People Team at Careem is exceptionally strong and they champion many initiatives that benefit the business and our colleagues. For all People Teams across the globe, this pandemic has meant leading the business through uncharted waters.
The first step we took was to use data to help us make an informed decision. We measure the engagement levels of our colleagues on a monthly basis and ask a range of questions on a variety of topics. On average, 88% of our colleagues participate. We also ran weekly focus groups on working remotely. Bringing this data together, along with business performance metrics, allowed us to develop insights into what our colleagues were telling us and the business impact.
I stepped up into this role to cover my manager’s (VP) maternity leave in May 2020, and having the opportunity to drive this topic and create a profound change to the way we operate was an exceptional opportunity for which I am very grateful for.
Building relationships whilst being remote did, at first, feel odd. However, I honestly do not feel that I have been hindered by it. Time in meetings becomes more focused and one-to-one catch-ups have fewer distractions. I have super strong relationships with people I have never met face to face, which is not something I thought I would have said this time last year!
Leading a team in a remote setting requires a slightly different leadership style and what we have learnt as a company is that it is very important to set a team charter or an agreed way of working. A team charter is a set of principles/rules of the game that the team live by. It should be produced by the team, owned by the team, and be visible to all those who work with them.

(Above: Careem’s founders Magnus Olsson, Mudassir Sheikha and Abdulla Elyas)
It’s also an incredible move to make especially since you only joined the company in February – just before a pandemic! – what’s that been like?
I had not been in the region long before I started at Careem and then Covid-19 hit. I quickly had to adapt to a new country and a new role whilst also being under lockdown.
It was not easy but what helped me settle into life at Careem was a solid onboarding plan. Ensuring our onboarding plan is right in a remote setting will be a big focus of ours going forward.
2020 has been an interesting and challenging year for all of us but I feel very fortunate to have joined Careem, whose mission is to simplify and improve the lives of people across our region. That really resonates with me.
What is the plan for office spaces?
Our offices will remain open as we still believe that face to face interactions are very important. We will look to reconfigure the offices to facilitate collaboration and team building. They will be compelling spaces that will allow our colleagues to innovate from.
How has the work culture in Careem changed throughout the pandemic? It’s been a major shift for a lot of companies…
Our purpose, values and our shared vision is core to our culture, and that has not changed in a remote setting. From our monthly surveys, we have actually seen an increase in overall engagement of our colleagues and this in part is down to us recommending to adopt common ways of working. Remote working requires being intentional about adopting remote-first practices, even if some interactions occur in a shared physical space. It also required us to be more thoughtful about social interactions. We have already seen this come to life through virtual coffee breaks, games nights, and remote lunches.
During Covid-19, we have opened offices when we could to provide space for people to collaborate and socialize. Going forwards, and in a post-COVID-19 world, teams are recommended to come to the office at least one day a week to have face-to-face interactions for these reasons. We have set key performance metrics related to our organisational health and culture and we will continuously monitor them and make improvements as we go.
In the new working model, is there a certain number of days that must be worked from office/home, etc?
Remote-first at Careem means that working remotely is now our default for all colleagues (both new and existing). All colleague processes and experiences will be designed for remote presence. Everyone will have the same work experience regardless of where they are and choose to work from.
We have agreed on a set of 5 working principles which we will all abide by:
Own Zoom: Dial-in through an individual Zoom tile whether at home or in the office. Cameras on for most of the time
Meetings zone: No meetings scheduled before 8am and after 8pm (local time) to allow time to disconnect
Meetings excellence: Set clear objectives, send pre-read materials 24 hours in advance, check-in with everyone before starting, and document meeting outcomes
Virtual social: Make time for remote lunches, game nights and coffee breaks to have fun together regardless of location
Office days: Spend some time, one day in the week, in the office to meet your team and socialize with other colleagues
How do you think this will change the working environment for Careem?
Our offices will remain open to provide comfortable spaces for our colleagues to be able to collaborate and socialise. They are also there for people who prefer working from the office.
How do you hope to continue to empower female employees in Careem?
There are some unique challenges women face, such as returning to work after maternity leave. By working in a remote-first way, two of my team members have been able to return to work on their terms in a way that fits the commitments they have after becoming mothers. I believe that operating in this way has empowered these individuals to make a choice rather than a sacrifice and, in return, it has helped us retain talent that we might not have been able to in other circumstances.
What we have seen and what our colleagues have been telling us is that by sharing the same virtual space we have levelled the playing field for our colleagues. All of our processes, including promotions, are now geared towards being delivered remotely because of the wide geography we operate in.
Right now we are doing more internal communications events, such as Ask Me Anything, and are actively championing senior women to share about their reality at Careem and beyond. I think by lifting each other up we can continue to build on developing the next level of senior women for the region.
What has the feedback from employees been about the new initiative?
Over the last six months, we have learnt a lot about ourselves. Colleague feedback has shown us that 90 per cent feel they are able to be more productive and effective at home and almost all of our colleagues have expressed a desire for more flexibility, with around 60 per cent telling us they would prefer a 2-3 day split between home and the office. Colleagues want to use office time for collaboration and socialising.
Our internal metrics show that overall engagement has gone up during this time and key topics in our survey, such as autonomy accomplishment, manager support, and peer relationships have actually increased whilst being remote.
For our colleagues, remote-first delivers real savings on daily commute times and gives people significant flexibility in how they manage their life. Careem’s culture is one of ownership and trust and this is also reflected in our unlimited vacation policy, which was announced in October 2018.
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Abu Dhabi has reopened its borders to tourists, along with five other emirates, The National has reported.

The reopening of the borders to international travellers is to “support recovery plans of the country’s tourism sector and economy”, the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) said.
This move comes nearly three months after Dubai’s borders opened to tourists on July 7. Per requirements for visitors to Dubai, a negative COVID-19 test is required and there’s no isolation period if you test negative.
READ: Abu Dhabi residents and tourists no longer require an alcohol license
However, in Abu Dhabi those who are arriving from international destinations – whether they are tourists or residents – must quarantine in their homes or a hotel room for 14 days even if they test negative for COVID-19.
Last week it was confirmed by Abu Dhabi-based airline Etihad that passengers travelling into the UAE will have to wear tracking wristbands during their 14-day quarantine.
In their announcement, it was confirmed a medically-approved tag will be given to travellers arriving into Abu Dhabi International airport after they clear immigration, whatever country they arriving from.
 “On arrival into Abu Dhabi you must self-isolate for 14 days,” the airline’s statement said. “Self-isolation must take place at home and all arrivals will be required to wear a medically approved wristband for this duration.”

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Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik are officially parents!
Zayn announced the exciting news on Twitter that Gigi had given birth – and it’s a baby girl.

“Our baby girl is here, healthy & beautiful,” he said. “To try put into words how I am feeling right now would be an impossible task.”
The new dad also revealed the sheer love he was feeling for his newborn daughter.

“The love I feel for this tiny human is beyond my understanding,” he added. “Grateful to know her, proud to call her mine, & thankful for the life we will have together x”
Alongside the announcement of baby Hadid-Malik’s birth, the 27-year-old also shared a sweet photo of the newborn hold her dad’s finger.

Our baby girl is here, healthy & beautiful🙏🏽❤️to try put into words how i am feeling right now would be an impossible task. The love i feel for this tiny human is beyond my understanding.Grateful to know her, proud to call her mine, & thankful for the life we will have together x pic.twitter.com/nvhfOkk2fw
— zayn (@zaynmalik) September 24, 2020

Gigi also took to Instagram to announce the news shortly after Zayn, revealing she had given birth over the weekend.
Like Zayn, the model shared a sweet photo of her daughter’s hand.
“Our girl joined us earth-side this weekend and she’s already changed our world,” she captioned the photo. “So in love.”

Gigi’s pregnancy was first reported on back in April.
The model first spoke of her pregnancy – news which was revealed in the press and not by Gigi or Zayn – during a video call appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, admitting they would have liked to reveal the news on their “own terms”, but also thanked everyone for their congratulations.
“Obviously, we wish we could’ve announced it on our own terms, but we’re very excited and happy and grateful for everyone’s well wishes and support,” she said.
Zayn and Gigi, 25, originally started dating in 2016, and have been on-and-off ever since, with their latest split taking place in mid-2019. However, the pair reunited earlier this year, but have been keeping their romance away from the public glare.
Congratulations to the couple on becoming parents!
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Feature Image: Getty/Twitter More

In celebration of Saudi National Day and to solidify the bond between the two countries, the leaders of the United Arab Emirates sent a heartfelt message to the “glorious” Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Both HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, issued public messages on social media alongside a video which showcased the achievements of Saudi Arabia through the years, as well as showcasing clips of the UAE’s leaders with Saudi leaders King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

رسالتي وأخي محمد بن زايد للمملكة العربية السعودية قيادةً وشعباً في يومهم الوطني المجيد … أدام الله مجدهم وعزهم وأدام أخوّة الشعبين الشقيقين.. معاً أبداً .. pic.twitter.com/B0us9qaS5N
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) September 23, 2020

In the video, which showed the continued great relationship between the Kingdom and the UAE, it was stated the country hopes and prays for “the continued prosperity and continued success” of Saudi Arabia.
READ: Saudi National Day: 8 incredible women you should be following
“The UAE celebrates this glorious occasion with you,” the video stated. “We are one nation and our fate is one. Your pride is our pride, and your joy is our joy.
“The strength of our alliance is rooted in history, together we are united.”
Today, September 23, 2020, marks the 90th official Saudi National Day. It commemorates the renaming of the Kingdom of Nejd and Hejaz to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This was by royal decree from King Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud in 1932.
Fifteen years ago, in 2005, it was made a national holiday in 2005 by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
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Images and Media: Sheikh Mohammed Twitter, Feature Image: Saudi Press Agency  More

Today, September 23, 2020, marks the 90th official Saudi National Day. It commemorates the renaming of the Kingdom of Nejd and Hejaz to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This was by royal decree from King Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud in 1932.
Fifteen years ago, in 2005, it was made a national holiday in 2005 by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

In recent years many changes have taken place for the country, particularly in the realm for women’s rights and female empowerment.
The changes are part of the many initiatives under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 scheme, an ambitious post-oil economic plan, which has a major focus on women’s rights in the Kingdom.

Just three months after he stepped into the role in 2017, the Crown Prince unveiled in a royal decree, women would be able to secure driving licenses from June 2018 and he has gone on to do much more.
Then, in March 2018, it was announced by the Ministry of Justice that women who are divorced in the country would be able to instantly retain custody of their children.
Women are are a celebrated part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is why this Saudi National Day EW has rounded up eight incredible women you should be following. Furthermore, we celebrate all the women from the Kingdom this Saudi National Day and the amazing work they do for their country.
HRH Princess Lamia

Her Royal Highness Princess Lamia Bint Majid Al Saud has made it her life’s mission to help others, particularly advocating for women. Through her incredible philanthropic work, Her Royal Highness is changing the world, one incredible story at a time.
“If you are fortunate enough to have access to resources or a raised platform, it is your responsibility to support and empower those who are not as fortunate,” Princess Lamia recently told EW in an interview for ‘The Power Issue’.
Harnessing this desire to help others, Her Royal Highness began working with Alwaleed Philanthropies – an organisation founded by His Royal Highness Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud 40 years ago. Initially serving as the Executive Manager of Media & Communication, she was appointed Secretary-General of the organisation in 2016. Passionate about advocating for women’s empowerment both in Saudi Arabia and globally, in her role with Alwaleed Philanthropies, Princess Lamia has been able to lead and work on a whole host of impactful and fulfilling projects to help women and youth.
Instagram: @lamia1507 Twitter: @lamia1507
HRH Princess Reema

Her Royal Highness Princess Reema Bint Bandar Al-Saud is an iconic female figure in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, consistently advocating for women in the region and works tirelessly to expand opportunities for Saudi women.
Princess Reema has been a member of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee since 2017 and of the IOC Women in Sports Commission since 2018. She then became president of the Mass Participation Federation in October 2018.
However, it was last year that she made history becoming the first female to be Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States. And just a few months ago, another history-making moment happened for Princess Reema – she became the first Saudi female ambassador to be officially elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Twitter: @rbalsaud
Haifaa al-Mansour

As the first female filmmaker and director from Saudi Arabia, Haifaa al-Mansour has been breaking boundaries since day one.
In her body of work, although she didn’t initially intend to do so, she often focusses on important women’s issues. Her first short film released in 1995 Who? and documentary Women Without Shadows, released in 2005, both cover the customs of the abaya.
In a recent interview with EW, she explained why it’s crucial to march to the beat of her own drum. “I really wanted to tell a story about a culturally conservative, traditional woman who decides to embrace the changes happening now and go out there and seize the moment,” she said of her work.
Instagram: @haifaa.almansour
Amy Roko

Social media sensation Amy Roko isn’t here to be judged by anyone and has been a beacon of light to many women since she started her Instagram account five years ago. Having garnered a huge social media following since first emerging on Instagram in 2015, the Saudi Arabian native continues to break down stereotypes surrounding females from the GCC region and the niqab. What exactly inspired her to resist stereotypes put upon her for being a niqabi is ironically the exact reason she did it.
“Society’s initial resistance towards me inspired that,” she told EW in a recent interview. “I couldn’t imagine that just being myself and who I am would garner pushback. I don’t like being dictated to. I really do what I want, so I started showing people how I live my life to the fullest and based on my rules.”
Instagram: @amyroko
Aseel Al-Hamad

Aseel Al-Hamad is the first female to be appointed as a board member of the Saudi Arabian Motor Federation. She’s a hugely successful F1 racing driver in this region and has made the Kingdom a notable destination for the Grand Prix.
Instagram: @aseel.alhamad
Raha Moharrak

Raha Moharrak became the first Saudi woman to scale Everest back in 2013. Throughout her career, this adventure-seeker has also climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Vinson, Mount Elbrus, Aconcagua, Kala Pattar, Pico de Orizaba and Iztaccihuatl.
Instagram: @rahamoharrak
Haifa Al Mogrin

Considered one of the most powerful people in Saudi Arabia, Princess Haifa Al-Mogrin continues to break down barriers in the Kingdom. Earlier this year she was appointed the Saudi Arabian representative to UNESCO.
Twitter: @HaifaAlMogrin
Shaima Saleh Al-Husseini

Shaima Saleh Al-Husseini is the managing director for the Saudi Sports for All Federation (SFA) and has been vital in the development of women’s sport in the Kingdom. She was right at the forefront when the Saudi Greens Team, which became the first Saudi women’s team ever to join an international event. In 2019, the Greens competed in the Global Goals World Cup (GGWCup) – a tournament that was launched to champion the role of sport in achieving the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SGD) No. 5.
Al-Husseini is incredibly proud of the change that’s happened in the Kingdom, and she only hopes this continues. “I hope to see more Saudi women become the faces of sport in Saudi,” she told EW recently. “Already we have a few very well-known professional athletes and some fitness professionals that are very well-known at the community level as well.”
Twitter: @shaimahusseini
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