Back in February, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah appointed Noura Al-Faiz as deputy minister for education, the highest post a woman has ever reached in Saudi government. The appointment was hailed far and wide as a sign of Saudi Arabia reforming its government and its stance of women's rights - TIME Magazine even named al-Faiz to its TIME 100. But perhaps that excitement came prematurely: ...

BBC: Women in Saudi Arabia have been openly driving cars in defiance of an official ban on female drivers in the ultra-conservative kingdom. My thanks to Antoine Clarke for the h/t. Antoine's Norlonto Review has been only occasional in recent months, but is now active. And Antoine adds this observation: SAUDI ARABIA NEEDS A BURQA BAN. Women defy government ban on driving and post videos of th...

US companies have won a series of high-profile deals in Saudi Arabia during the past six months, underlining the confident return of US business to the kingdom

Here we are in Saudi Arabia, where Gordon Brown has arrived at the start of a four-day visit to The Gulf. Gordon Brown visits King Saud Univeristy in Riyadh Can't say I've seen much of down-town Riyadh, there not being a great deal of party potential round here if you're of the female persuasion. Women in Saudi Arabia can not drive, go out uncovered by a neck to shoulder cloak calle...

The government's efforts to promote human rights in Saudi Arabia have resulted in failure, an influential committee of MPs has found.

The Islamisation of the west is proceeding according to plan, as the Times reports: Gordon Brown claimed success yesterday in his attempt to persuade Saudi Arabia to help stricken economies by pumping more money into the International Monetary Fund... Lord Mandelson, who was also at the dinner at the Royal Palace, said Mr Brown wanted to ensure that the Saudi King was ‘on the same page&...

Pickled Politics has an article up on racism in Saudi Arabia and other oil-rich Arab states.

The House of Lords has ruled that Tony Blair and the SFO acted not merely lawfully but actually "courageously" in halting an inquiry into an arms deal between Saudi Arabia and BAE Systems, Europe's biggest defence contractor. The inquiry was cancelled after threats from Saudi Arabian authorities. Lord Justice Moses ruled that the cancellation was unlawful,

David Cameron is embarking on his first visit to Saudi Arabia as prime minister.

I thought this was just a rumor, but maybe there is more to it? Saudi Arabia, which has long considered the purchase of American littoral combat ships (LCS) with a lightweight Aegis combat system, is contemplating the acquisition of new DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class Aegis destroyers that could be fitted with ballistic missile defense (BMD) capability. The U.S. Navy briefed Saudi officials in late May...