Winnipeg Free Press

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Whether it's in one of our 55 homes or yours, we're proud to touch the lives of thousands of individuals with developmental disabilities and autism across Manitoba every year. W E ' R E H E L P I N G O U R C O M M U N I T Y B E Y O N D O U R W ALLS STAMANT . CA W Y B S U . S. President Barack Obama's hastily arranged trip to Saudi Arabia was intended to shore up relations with a key U. S. ally. But it was the attire of the first lady that was the focus of much of the discussion on social media - at least in the U. S. Obama cut short a high- profile trip to India to fly to Riyadh on Tuesday to pay respects to the family of the late King Abdullah and meet with his successor, King Salman bin Abdulaziz. First lady Michelle Obama dressed conservatively for the visit in loose black trousers, a blue tunic and a long, brightly coloured jacket. But she did not wear a head scarf, as required of the kingdom's female subjects. Many Saudi women appear in public in a face- covering veil known as the niqab, and some Twitter users appeared to take offence, even though the kingdom does not require foreign women to abide by the same rules. A number of tweets included photographs of the first lady wearing a head scarf during a visit to Indonesia in 2010 and asked why she did not do the same in Saudi Arabia, which is home to Islam's holiest sites, Mecca and Medina. " In Indonesia, she's modest, and in the country of monotheism she's unveiled," one user protested in Arabic. But others defended the American first lady. " Enough nonsense," one snapped. " She wore ( a veil) in Indonesia because she visited a mosque there." Another tweeted: " God almighty says: To you your religion and to me mine. She's not Muslim, so why do we force her to wear the veil?" The whole issue appears to have attracted significantly more attention in the U. S. than in Saudi Arabia, where officials are accustomed to receiving western visitors who do not wear a veil. The BBC Monitoring service, which tracked the discussion on social media, noted a hashtag that translates roughly as " Michelle Obama with no head scarf" was tweeted about 2,500 times - a not- insignificant number, but hardly overwhelming in a country with large numbers of users. By contrast, a hashtag noting King Salman had interrupted his visit with the Obamas to go pray attracted more than 170,000 posts, it said. BBC Monitoring also noted most of the tweets from the Arab world about Michelle Obama's attire were poking fun at the situation and at conservative Saudi regulations. " Far fewer voices were angry at the first lady's uncovered head, and a huge number of tweets came from U. S. users slamming Saudi traditions," it said. " In fact, only 37 per cent of the tweets using the ' Michelle Obama with no head scarf' tag came from Saudi at all." The first lady's appearance did not appear to trouble Saudi state television, which broadcast images of her with her head uncovered. A widely shared video in which Michelle Obama was blurred out appears to have been the work of someone else. Analysts note many wealthy Saudis are well- traveled and very familiar with western cultural norms. Some members of the all- male delegation that received the Obamas shook her hand, something they would never do with Saudi women who aren't family members. Others nodded as the Obamas passed by. - Los Angeles Times By Alexandra Zavis and Sherif Tarek First lady slammed for not wearing veil CAROLYN KASTER / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS U. S. President Barack and Michelle Obama with Saudi king Salman bin Abdulaziz in Riyadh on Tuesday. OKLAHOMA CITY - Executions are on hold in Oklahoma after the U. S. Supreme Court said Wednesday the state cannot perform executions using a specific drug while the justices consider a challenge over whether the sedative ensures prisoners won't suffer. Both the state and lawyers for three inmates had asked the court to postpone the executions of Richard Glossip, who had been scheduled to die tonight, and two others who were scheduled for lethal injection in the coming weeks. Glossip and three other inmates challenged Oklahoma's lethal injection procedures last year, saying the sedative midazolam might not sufficiently mask pain as their hearts and lungs shut down. The justices agreed to take up their case, but not until after one of the inmates was executed two weeks ago. On Wednesday, the justices said Oklahoma could not execute inmates using midazolam while the case is pending. The case will be argued before the court in April and decided by late June. Midazolam has been used in problematic executions in Arizona, Ohio and Oklahoma. Florida has used the drug in 11 executions without apparent incident, as did Oklahoma earlier this month. A Florida execution planned for next month remains on schedule. " Midazolam is an inappropriate drug to use in executions. The scientific evidence tells us that even the proper administration of midazolam can result in an inhumane execution," said lawyer Dale Baich, who represents some Oklahoma death- row inmates. Wednesday's Supreme Court order leaves open the possibility Oklahoma could use other drugs for executions. The state formerly used pentobarbital or sodium thiopental, but manufacturers have stopped selling those drugs to states for use in lethal injections. The state has not been able to find an alternative drug, Oklahoma department of corrections spokesman Jerry Massie said Wednesday. Charles Warner died Jan. 15, complaining of pain but showing no obvious signs of discomfort. His execution was the first in the state since April, when Clayton Lockett writhed, moaned and struggled against his restraints after being given 100 milligrams of midazolam at the start of his execution. Investigators blamed a poorly placed intravenous line for Lockett's troubles, not the drug. Still, Oklahoma gave Warner five times as much midazolam at the start of his execution this month. The state department of corrections already had moved Glossip and John Marion Grant to isolation cells near the death chamber in preparation for two of three executions that had been set between today and March 5. The prison system said Wednesday they would be moved back to death row. Grant's execution had been set for Feb. 19, and Benjamin Cole was set to die March 5. Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin could have issued a stay of up to 60 days before the justices ruled but said she preferred that the court act. - The Associated Press By Sean Murphy Supreme Court halts state's executions Richard Glossip A_ 15_ Jan- 29- 15_ FP_ 01. indd A15 1/ 28/ 15 10: 15: 45 PM ;