October 2, 2016
THE REFORMATION ROLLS ON:
Saudi Arabia switches to 'western' calendar (Deutsche Welle, 10/02/16)
Saudi Arabia has shifted to the Gregorian or "western" calendar as a basis for paying civil servants as part of an austerity package. The kingdom had adopted the lunar Islamic calendar when it was founded in 1932.The birthplace of Islam containing Mecca - Islam's holiest site - shifted to the western Gregorian calendar on Sunday, bringing the oil-rich kingdom in line with many of its energy customers.
Posted by Orrin Judd at October 2, 2016 9:20 AM