NepalAccording to The New York Times, royalists calling for the restoration of Nepal’s deposed monarchy closed shops and schools in the capital city of Katmandu Monday, crippling commerce and slowing traffic. Nepalese politics have been relatively unstable since the formation of the Maoist-led Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal in 2008, which subsequently lost power in 2009 to an anti-Maoist coalition. Now, as Nepal strives to draft a new constitution, the royalists, despite much opposition from other parties, are insisting that a public referendum be cast to determine whether to return the monarchy to power.

United States

While the proposed repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell policy” is starting to look unlikely for the near future, on Tuesday, the Pentagon announced it would begin a new kind of inclusivity by allowing women to serve on submarines. Considered a major step in the expansion of the role of women in the military, according to Reuters, women have been traditionally barred from sub service due to the prevalence of “hot-bunking” – the sharing of beds in shifts due to close quarters. Female officers, who would be given private bunks anyway, are expected to be the first to be admitted on board. Congress will be formulating a response to the Navy’s decision in the following month.

Ecuador

As Colombia’s drug war continues with full force, neighboring Ecuador has become the number one destination for refugees fleeing from the violence, the Los Angeles Times reports. Coming mostly from the border state of Narino, which has become infamous for its role in cocaine production and trafficking, the refugees are now believed to number almost 280,000, with some 200,000 undocumented by any official register. For the 80,000 with temporary visas, basic amenities, such as education, healthcare, and food aid have been granted. The Ecuadorian government, however, is beginning to lose patience with Colombia, whose $500,000 contribution to the aid of its displaced is small change to the $40 million Ecuador spent on the refugees last year alone.

Qatar

Sudanese President Omar al Bashir and the leader of one of Darfur’s primary rebel groups, the Justice and Equality Movement (Jem) recently arranged a ceasefire agreement in Qatar, the BBC reports. Part of a larger framework agreement prioritizing the sharing of power to ensure long term peace, members of the rebel group will be given seats as representatives in the Khartoum government. As an additional olive branch, death sentences for 100 Jem fighters who led a lethal attack against the Sudanese parliament two years ago will be dropped. In a statement to the BBC, Jem leader Khalil Ibrahim expressed good faith in the process, yet emphasized that “the road to peace still needs much patience and honest concessions from both sides.