Deuba in the dumps -Maoists and Koirala compound misery.

(From The Statesman (India))

That Maoist rebels would reject Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's 13 January deadline to resume talks was expected. It seems secret talks the government was reportedly holding with the rebels has failed, or else an outcome would have been announced. Clearly Deuba is under pressure to hold general elections in April next year since this was King Gyanendra's main objective when he reinstated him last June. But a free and fair exercise will not be possible unless the government comes to terms with the rebels who control about 40 of Nepal's 75 districts. The results of the two previous talks were disappointing, with no headway …