The new black
The week's news at a glance.
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Saudi women have begun decorating their full–body coverings, or abayas, with colorful patterns. Abayas are traditionally black, which means that in the oppressive Saudi heat they are stifling. “Nothing in Islam imposes black on us,” said Manal al–Sharif, an editor at al–Madina newspaper. “I decided to make a brown abaya for myself.” Other women are even more daring. In cosmopolitan cities such as Jeddah, colorful abayas are being decorated with crystal beads and jewelry. Even those women who wear black head coverings that show only their eyes are dressing up: They have taken to wearing colored contact lenses and heavy mascara.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Home Depots are the new epicenters of ICE raids
In the Spotlight The chain has not provided many comments on the ongoing raids
-
Why does Trump keep interfering in the NYC mayoral race?
Today's Big Question The president has seemingly taken an outsized interest in his hometown elections, but are his efforts to block Zohran Mamdani about political expediency or something deeper?
-
The pros and cons of banning cellphones in classrooms
Pros and cons The devices could be major distractions