Afghan Parliament rejects Karzai cabinet nominees

The Afghan parliament rejected more than half of President Hamid Karzai's second slate of cabinet nominees, including two out of three women, dealing him a second major political blow in as many weeks.Several key ministers were confirmed, including for foreign affairs, justice and counter-narcotics, but 10 out of 17 candidates were voted down, meaning Karzai is still without confirmed leaders for over a third of his ministries. Karzai regretted the rejection of so many candidates he considered well-qualified, his office said. The President has been under intense pressure from Western backers, and frustrated Afghans, to choose ministers deemed clean and competent and put them to work as soon as possible.