Western travelers to Saudi Arabia will now have to change their calendars as well as their watches. News sources in the country have reported that government ministries and agencies have been banned from using the Gregorian calendar, which was introduced more than 400 years ago and has become the standard international calendar. The Interior Ministry has announced that government offices will instead have to use the Hijri, or Islamic calendar, according to local news sources. The Interior Ministry has also reportedly banned the use of the English language to conduct business dealings.
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