meaning of a sentence

[silviasabater_2000]

Hi there,

In the sentence "By their sheer numbers, women are challenging the Islamic Republic to change", what's the meaning of challenging here?
Still another question: "A husband may no longer obtain a divorce automatically and without a sizable alimony", What does it mean? that a husband cannot obtain a divorce automatically and that also cannot obtain a divorce without an alimony? Or it means that a husband cannot obtain an automatic divorce if he does not have an alimony?

Thanks

[RonBee]

"By their sheer numbers, women are challenging the Islamic Republic to change" suggests that simply by being there in such large numbers women are putting pressure on the Islamic Republic to change.

"A husband may no longer obtain a divorce automatically and without a sizable alimony" means that a husband can no longer obtain a divorce automatically and if he gets a divorce he is obliged to pay a sizeable alimony.

~R