1. SAUDI ARABIA GLOBAL Saudi Arabia's War on Witchcraft A special unit of the religious police pursues magical crime aggressively, and the convicted face death sentences. By Ryan Jacobs Members of the religious police attend a training course. The Saudi authorities have a unit dedicated specifically to hunting witches (Ali Jarekji / Reuters) AUGUST 19, 2013 SHARE The sorceress was naked. The sight of her bare flesh startled the prudish officers of Saudi Arabia's infamous religious police, the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (CPVPV), which had barged into her room in what was supposed to be a routine raid of a magical hideout in the western desert city of Madinah's Al-Seeh neighborhood. They paused in shock, and to let her dress. Sign up for The Atlantic’s daily newsletter. Each weekday evening, get an overview of the day’s biggest news, along with fascinating ideas, images, and voices. Email Address (required) Sign Up Thanks for signing