Paris
The French government this week suspended the monthly stipend it pays the king of Wallis, a French island in the South Pacific, because the monarch is harboring his fugitive grandson. King Tomasi Kulimoetoke, 86, allowed his grandson Tunghala, 25, to take refuge in the royal palace after the young man killed a pedestrian in a drunken-driving accident. The king said Tunghala had given the victim’s family several pigs and received their pardon, so under tribal law the case was closed. French authorities, though, say that French law applies in manslaughter cases, and they want to prosecute. As long as the standoff continues, the king will forfeit his nearly $7,000 stipend.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
What is 'career catfishing' and why are Gen Z doing it?Under The Radar Successful job applicants are increasingly disappearing before their first day
-
The countries around the world without jury trialsThe Explainer Legal systems in much of continental Europe and Asia do not rely on randomly selected members of the public
-
How did the Wagner Group recruit young British men for arson attack?Today's Big Question Russian operatives have been using encrypted messaging apps to groom saboteurs across Europe
