Saudi Arabia's English daily has reportedly announced a woman editor-in-chief for the first time ever in the history of the ultraconservative kingdom.
The English-language Saudi Gazette named Somayya Jabarti as the new chief and her predecessor said that she was hired on merit, not because of her gender.
According to Gulf News, predecessor Khalid Al Maeena said that Jabarti has worked with him for almost 13 years and is a determined and dedicated journalist.
Jabarti, formerly worked as deputy editor-in-chief at the newspaper.
The report said that there are only a handful of journalism degrees offered to women in the kingdom, and many ultraconservative clerics in Saudi Arabia argue that women should not work alongside men.