Saudi Arabia has authorised regional governors to approve executions by firing squad as an alternative to public beheading, the customary method of capital punishment in the kingdom, the Arab News reported on Monday . The English-language daily gave no explanation. But another newspaper, Al Youm, reporting the measure on Sunday, said the reason for the change was a shortage of swordsmen. ... "A shortage in sworsdmen and their unavailability in a number of areas" meant the executioners had to travel long distances sometimes to get to the place of executions, making them sometimes late, the newspaper reported the circular as...