Saudi Arabia's king has announced that women will be given the right to vote and stand in elections, a bold shift in the ultra-conservative absolute monarchy as pressure for social and democratic reform sweeps the Middle East. AIR correspondent reports that it is by far the biggest change in Saudi Arabia's tightly-controlled society yet ordered by the 88-year-old Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud. Washington has praised the measure, saying they offered women new ways to participate in the decisions that affect their lives and communities.