Michelle Obama Gets Mixed Comments For Going Without HeadScarf in Saudi Arabia

President Barack and Michelle Obama travelled to Saudi Arabia yesterday to pay their respects to the new King Salman following the death of King Abdullah last week. The Obamas were greeted by an armed Saudi honor guard and a military band playing the national anthems for both the US and Saudi Arabia.

While many news outlets reported that several members of the all-male Saudi delegation refused to shake First Lady Michelle Obama's hand, it was only later that it emerged the reason that could be behind their actions.

Late Saudi King Abdullah And Some of His 30 Wives + Burial Photos

Saudi Arabia's former king before his death a few days ago was King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz who began his reign in 2005 and passed away on Jan. 22nd at the age of 90. By the time of his death, he had 30 wives, with some of them pictured above with him. King Abdullah has since been buried simply, according to Islamic rites. See pics below..

#KingAbdullah - Saudi King Abdullah Dead, Crown Prince Salman Takes Over

Saudi King Abdullah has just been confirmed dead, and according to reports, his brother Prince Salman will be the next to ascend the throne. The King was sick for months before he died, according to HuffPo;

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has died, Saudi state television announced early on Friday local time. Abdullah's designated successor is Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, his 79-year-old half-brother.

Saudi Blogger Begins Sentence of 1000 Lashes For Sabotage - 50 Lashes Every Friday

Raif Badawi, who runs a blog on human rights and social change, was arrested in 2012 and sentenced to 10 years in prison as well as 1000 lashes. He has began his flogging sentence which is portioned at 50 lashes every Friday. His crime is that his blog supposedly insults religious figures and the regime in Saudi Arabia. Raif has always denied these charges.

As the 31-year-old father of three received his first 50 lashes today, his wife Ensaf Haidar, who lives almost 6,000 miles away in Quebec, says it is too much to bear. She has accused the government of killing her husband week by week - and spoke of her agony at ‘watching him die one lash at a time.’

Woman Arrested For Trying To Drive From UAE Into Saudi Arabia

A woman who tried to drive in defiance of a ban on women drivers in Saudi Arabia has been arrested after being blocked at the border with the United Arab Emirates for a day, activists said along with many users on social media. Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world which does not allow women to drive.

"I have been at the Saudi border for 24 hours. They don't want to give me my passport nor will they let me pass," Loujain Hathloul, the arrested woman said in a tweet.