Ronaldo & Rodriguez spotlight Saudi double standard
Cristiano Ronaldo and his fiancée, Georgina Rodriguez, have lived together in Saudi Arabia for more than two years, raising questions about the country’s shifting social rules. The Portuguese star, 40, and Spanish model, 31, recently announced their engagement, drawing attention not just to Rodriguez’s huge diamond ring but also to the fact they have long shared a home despite not being married. In conservative Saudi Arabia, where cohabitation outside marriage is technically illegal, such an arrangement would normally be impossible. But while authorities now largely turn a blind eye for foreigners, Saudis themselves still face restrictions. “Conservative rules are still on the books, but they are applied more flexibly today,” said Sebastian Sons of the German think tank CARPO. Social change for foreigners, limits for locals Foreign couples, including Muslims, are now allowed to stay in hotels or live together […]