Saudi Arabia lost King Abdullah today, but already a new king has risen in his stead—his half-brother, Salman—one of seven sons born to his father's favorite wife, legend holds. So what's this golden son's deal?

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has died at age 90, according to Saudi state TV. Abdullah, who reigned since August 2005, will reportedly be succeeded by his 79-year-old half brother, Crown Prince Salman.

Having officially determined that God is totally cool with women voting, Saudia Arabia's King Abdullah announced that starting in 2012, women will be allowed to vote and run in municipal elections. Which are the only kind of election anyway!

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah is the worst. "Bomb Iraq," he tells us one day, "bomb Iran" the next. What a jerk! And now he's rented himself an entire New York hospital wing to recover from surgery, while everyone else dies.

• The New York Times Company reported a first-quarter loss of $74.5 million today, as advertising revenue plunged by more than 28 percent. [NYT]
• Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia's Wenda Harris Millard is stepping down as the company's co-CEO and president. [Crain's]
• One magazine that hasn't been crippled by the recession: Hearst's Food Network Magazine, which is now ramping up circulation. [AdAge]
• What's former Condé Nast star James Truman up to these days? Among other things, he's working on the in-room magazine for Ritz-Carlton. [Portfolio]
• Washingtonian magazine has a shirtless pic of Obama on the cover. [WM]