snow day

Afghan police put down a Taliban attack in the volatile southeastern town of Gardez. The military said five attackers, a number of whom were wearing suicide vests, had attempted to storm the small outpost. Four policeman and seven civilians were wounded during the fighting which last for approximately four hours.

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A shortage of construction workers in India is fettering the growth of the countries economy. Derek Michael Shah, the head of Larsen & Toubro minerals and metals division said, “No engineers who graduate presentely want to go into construction. They want to go to Banlgore (IT industry) and have a cushy life.” The World Bank estimates India will need to triple the number of engineers to keep up with fast paced industrial growth.

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Afghan President Karzai has announced his new cabinet ministers. The selections were met with moderated optimism by US officials; however, Aghans themselves were far less enthused. The difference in sentiment toward Karzai’s selections highlights the (perhaps unsurprising) disconnect between Washington and the Afghan street.

A detailed profile of each cabinet nominee is available here.

Mohammad Quraish, an Afghan civil servant said, “Aghans don’t have any faith in these ministers.”

The Official State Department statement read: "We are awaiting an official announcement and want to see that the nominations put forward reflect President Karzai's stated commitment to good governance and integrity and professionalism within his cabinet."

“Every one of these ministers will leave the country if things get worse. Even now most of their family members are abroad,” said Mohammed Mehdi Saie, an Afghan businessman.

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In Copenhagen, President Obama spoke of cutting US emission by approximately 17% by 2020 and more than 80% by 2050, an international mechanism to review progress and adequate assistance for developing nations. The text of the President’s speech is here.

The text of Chinese President Wen Jiabao’s speech is here.

The text of the Copenhagen Accord is located here.