International Headlines October 14

Power Sharing Talks In Zimbabwe Falter

Zimbabwe’s opposition party, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and its leader Morgan Tsvangirai, walked out of power-sharing talks on Wednesday, Business Day reports. The country’s ruling PF party headed by Robert Mugabe and the opposition MDC party had signed an agreement last month that allotted certain ministries to each party, however a disagreement over the distribution of ministries stalled talks. As of Thursday, the two parties agreed to meet again to resume discussions.

 

North Korea Has Material For Multiple Nuclear Warheads

General Kim Tae-young told the South Korean parliamentary committee that North Korea has enough plutonium to create six or seven nuclear warheads, BBC reports. “I understand that North Korea is working to develop a small nuclear warhead which can be loaded into a missile,” South Korea’s top ranking military official said. North Korea had agreed to stop nuclear material production in return for economic aid and diplomatic concessions, but has since reversed their position after the U.S. demanded more comprehensive evidence that the country was disabling their plutonium reactor.

 

Nepal Names New Kumari

Nepal has a new Royal Kumari, or living child goddess, three-year-old Matine Shakya,  Gulf Daily News reports. The Maoist, atheist country traditionally had the monarchy approve the choice of Kumari, but since the dissolution of the monarchy earlier this year, the president of Nepal has stepped up to the task and approved the child goddess. The girl will reign as Royal Kumari until she reaches puberty, at which point she will be deposed and another Kumari will be chosen.

 

Afghan President’s Brother Denies Drug Ties

At a press conference in Kandahar, Afghanistan, a brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai rejected claims that he is involved in the opium and heroin trade.  The Gulf Daily News reports that Ahmad Wali Karzai is reacting to a New York Times article that repeats allegations that the president’s brother benefited from the illegal drug trade.  Both brothers refuted the allegations, claiming that they are politically motivated to smear the president’s image.

 

France Makes Ruling Against Muslim Garb

France’s High Authority for the Fight Against Discrimination and for Equality (Halde) has ruled that the burqa and the niqab, another full-body veil, are against the French constitutional values of “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” and are a hindrance to the integration of Muslim immigrants. The religious garment will now be banned from French language classes, which are required for immigrants that want work, residency and citizenship,Bloomberg reports.