A new ICG report is out titled "Nepal's Maoists: Purists or Pragmatists". The report analyses the Maoists’ internal debates and their transition to a more moderate strategy. Their entry into democratic politics – working alongside mainstream parties to force the king to relinquish power in April 2006 and joining a coalition government one year later – has brought them new influence and opportunities. However, some Maoists fear they have traded in their principles and military power for little tangible advantage. The Maoists always said their campaign would adapt classical Marxism and Maoism to suit the context of Nepal. They now argue that they can carry out a “peaceful revolution” that is true to their aims but also reflects political realities. Report in full here.

"There's a lot on the table for the U.S. and France, in terms of being able to address issues of mutual concern around the globe, whether that's Iran or the Middle East or dealing with poverty alleviation in Africa or climate change. And there's a whole host of issues around the globe that concern both our countries and, of course, there's a very strong bilateral relationship there that the Secretary looks forward to continuing with her new counterpart."

-- U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack, on the appointment of Bernard Kouchner as the new foreign minister of France, and the pressing topics that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is looking forward to working on with him. A doctor by training, Kouchner co-founded the Nobel prize-winning Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) in 1971 to put his beliefs into action, after working as a young doctor for the Red Cross in Biafra in 1968 during Nigeria's civil war. As a Socialist, his appointment by France's new Conservative President Nicholas Sarkozy, came as a surprise to many political observers. His last cabinet post was as a socialist health minister, in the government of the late President Francois Mitterrand, appointed in 1992. Before that he was Minister of State for Humanitarian Action (1988-1991) and Minister of State for Social Integration (1988). More recently, Kouchner, 67, has served as UN special representative to Kosovo from 1999-2001. In 2003, he was one of the very few French politicians to come out in favor of the US-led military intervention in Iraq.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has rolled out the online version of its Statistical Database System (SDBS), a key database of social, economic and financial indicators of its developing member countries.

The database was developed and will be maintained by the ADB's Economics and Research Department. It contains data from 1988 onwards and will be a major resource and analytical tool for policymakers, academics, researchers and journalists interested in issues and challenges facing Asia and the Pacific. The launch of the online version of SDBS underscores ADB's role as a key knowledge bank for developing member countries in the region. To help users in navigating the website, an easy access online facility has been developed.

The system was first developed to provide data support for ADB operations. Statistical tables for the ADB's Key Indicators are generated from SDBS. As part of ADB's role as a key knowledge bank for developing countries in the region and to support the development community and policymakers, part of the system is now accessible free of charge. MDG tables of ADB's developing member countries can also be generated from this database.

The SDBS is available from: www.adb.org/Statistics/sdbs.asp.