The Irish flag, Saudi Arabia and a public flogging

In Ireland today the Irish flag will fly at half-mast on a number of Government buildings. The protocol is to mark the death of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

The rights of women are greatly limited in Saudi Arabia. People are beheaded in public and currently a controversy is raging around the world concerning the public flogging of a man who has been sentenced to a thousand lashes. A series of lashes had to be postponed to allow his wounds to heal.