Widespread inbreeding in Saudi Arabia has produced several genetic disorders, Saudi public health officials said, including the blood diseases of thalassemia, a potentially fatal hemoglobin deficiency, and sickle cell anemia. Spinal muscular atrophy and diabetes are also common, especially in the regions with the longest traditions of marriage between relatives. Dr. Sakati said she had also found links between inbreeding and deafness and muteness.

Anyhow, I'm perfectly willing to believe that the genetic testing is precisely that, not a virginity test or other disease test.

The same cultural imperatives that causes the Saudis to arrange these consanguineous marriages also keeps them backward. I'd say the last is a good thing, except that the same attitudes inspire Saudis to hijack airplanes and crash them into buildings, bomb dormitories, consign teenagers trying to escape a fire to death, and destroy everything they see.

Oh, and that was supposed to be NYT, not TYT. Damn typos. I was so angry I couldn't type straight.