Energy

According to a report in Foreign Policy, sales of the Nano automobile in India have been disappointing.  Launched with great fanfare just two years ago and billed as the “world's cheapest car”, the Nano has been equal parts savvy marketing campaign and act of social responsibility on the part of its creator, Tata Motors.  A marked transition has been underway in Indian society as the population becomes more affluent and more urban.  Unfortunately, the infrastructure of most Indian cities has not been able to keep up;

There was an announcement quietly made in mid-December that could finally be the game-changer needed to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan.  The announcement wasn't made by Barack Obama or General David Petraeus and didn't involve sending more troops into the battlefield; rather it was made by a bank and involved a pipeline.

"This is not a decision that I've made lightly. But the bottom line is this: given our energy needs, in order to sustain economic growth, produce jobs, and keep our businesses competitive, we're going to need to harness traditional sources of fuel even as we ramp up production of new sources of renewable, homegrown energy," (President Barack Obama on his decision to allow oil and gas exploration off U.S. coasts, April 2, 2010).

"I want to reassure Nigerians and our foreign partners of our unwavering commitment to pursuing the reform in this sector with an eye on our national interest primarily and also in meeting the market demand for energy security," (Nigeria's Vice President and Acting President, Goodluck Jonathan, on the Nigerian government's Petroleum Industry Bill, February 22, 2010).