The grassroots campaign to break Saudi Arabia’s ban on female drivers isn’t set to start until Oct. 26. But a lot of women aren’t willing to wait that long. They’ve already recorded themselves getting behind the wheel in major Saudi cities. And although a few were stopped by police, many more have been inspired to take to the streets. Support has poured in from all over the world, and they now have an official song for their campaign.

Saudi Arabia's Gulf Arab allies and Egypt have applauded its decision to reject a U.N. Security Council seat in protest at the world body's failure to act on Syria, whose leader is backed by Russia and Shi'ite Iran. Saudi Arabia turned down a coveted two-year term on the council on Friday in a rare display of anger with what it called “double standards” in the United Nations.

The Qatari foreign minister thanked his Saudi counterpart for rejecting a seat at the U.N. Security Council, blaming the diplomatic body for failing in its responsibility towards the Arab world. In a message posted on his official Twitter account, Qatari foreign Minister Khalid al-Attiya commended Saudi Prince Saud al-Faisal.

Saudi Arabia took the extraordinary step Friday of refusing to take its seat on the U.N. Security Council -- despite pursuing the position for years. It's an unprecedented protest over the council's failure to take firmer action in Syria and Palestine. And it comes at a time of growing Saudi frustration with American-led policies across the Middle East.

Saudi women’s rights activists Thursday posted photographs and videos of themselves behind the wheel on social media websites, defying a de-facto ban on women driving in the kingdom. The social media flurry came two days after three female members of Saudi Arabia’s Shura Council requested that the issue be discussed in the forum.

The Saudi Embassy in Canberra organized a cultural exhibition on Sunday to expose Australians to the Kingdom’s culture and traditions as well as to highlight the remarkable progress achieved by the country. Hundreds of Australians visited the show where Saudis welcomed them by serving Arabic coffee (gahwa) and dates. The Australians were impressed by the Islamic architectural designs of the embassy building.

Saudi Arabia’s support to the Islamic world has been put under the spotlight by the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as the kingdom marks its 83rd National Day. Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said the occasion would celebrate “a time when the Kingdom is enjoying dignity and prosperity under the wise leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz.”

Saudi Arabia and Qatar have reportedly plugged billions of dollars in arms over the course of the Syrian conflict, emerging as the main foreign powers bankrolling the revolt. But amid the West’s hesitation this week over launching a military strike to punish Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, indicators suggest the Gulf states have been shooting blanks. Analysts now believe a portion of Gulf finances could have been better spent on a global anti-Assad/ pro-intervention public relations (PR) campaign.