House of Saud

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah died Friday morning in Saudi Arabia, in his 90s. The king who had effectively led the Middle East kingdom for two decades, though officially for just one, was known as a reformer — even if it was not always evident to outside observers.

Saudi Arabia and other Arab Gulf states are worried that the US is selling out their interests in its pursuit of a deal with Iran.

Shaima Jastaniah showed her independence last summer by driving. The simple act by her and other Saudi Arabian women broke the law, and Jastaniah was sentenced to 10 lashes for it. She was pardoned by the Saudi king, but police said they’d lash her anyway. Now the police have reversed course.

A new wave of novel-writing in Saudi Arabia is centered on breaking conventional taboos — the spike in risqué Saudi literature follows the success of the racy novel, Girls of Riyadh a few years ago.

Saudi Arabia’s got immigration woes not unlike the US but the Kingdom has given its undocumented immigrants until July 3rd to get their papers in order or risk deportation. This would apply to millions of people.