Department
of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
On
American
investigations immediately following the attacks led to Saudi dissident, Osama
bin Laden, being identified as the mastermind behind this operation.
On
October 7, the
The
Taliban have since been overthrown and an interim government established in
This
Special Report provides some background to the important issues, regions and
players involved in this crisis.
The
Drug Trade in
The
“
The
war in
With
an interim government in place, rebuilding
War
in Afghanistan
On
October 7, the United States began air strikes against Afghanistan aimed at destroying
the military capability of the Taliban government. Access Commentary, News
Sources and Web Special Reports in this report.
Asian
Leaders and General Public Response
In
Asia there has been widespread reaction to the attack on the World Trade Center
and the Pentagon. Access statements from Asian leaders as well as general
public response.
Who
is Osama bin Laden?
Osama
bin Laden, the Saudi dissident and millionaire, is presently the prime suspect
in the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks. Mr Bin Laden has been in
Afghanistan since 1996, where he was welcomed by the Taliban leadership, who
have since refused to extradite him despite repeated attempts by the United
States. Keep abreast of developments by accessing the latest news, links, and
commentary in this special report.
Who
are the Taliban?
The
rise to power of the Taliban (literally: students) in Afghanistan began in
1994. They now control over 90 per cent of the country. Pakistan is now the
only state that recognizes the Taliban as the legitimate government of
Afghanistan. Access information on how the Taliban is responding to this crisis
in this special report.
Role
of Pakistan
Pakistan
is now the only state that recognizes the Taliban as the legitimate government
of Afghanistan (both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have severed
ties in the wake of this crisis). President General Pervez Musharraf has,
despite domestic constraints, agreed to cooperate with the US government.
Monitor events in the region in this special report.
Hate
Crimes in America
In
wake of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C. on September 11,
many Americans of Middle Eastern, Central Asian and South Asian descent have
become the targets of threats, harassment, racial profiling and violence, regardless
of religious affiliation. Access a comprehensive collection of news stories,
commentaries, links to organizations that combat hate crimes, listings of
websites which track media coverage of minority groups and general resources.
Economic
Repercussions in Asia
The
economic effects of the September 11th terrorist attack are beginning to
register throughout Asia. With Wall Street’s reopening Monday, investors fear
that the US economy could plunge into a recession with stock prices falling and
companies announcing more layoffs in the wake of the devastation. Now, fears of
a global recession are taking shape. With Asia’s markets so closely tied to the
global trading system, the recent turbulence in financial markets is cause for
concern. Keep abreast of the developments by accessing the latest news
developments, links, and commentary in this special report.
Islam
in Asia
While
Islam is commonly portrayed as a Middle Eastern religion, most of the world’s
Muslims live in Asia. In this special report, we provide multimedia links,
links to mosques and Muslim associations, general links, and resources in order
to help further a greater understanding of Islam.
Japanese
American Responses to the Treatment of Muslim Americans
Many
members of the Japanese American community have spoken out against the ill
treatment of Muslim Americans in the wake of the terrorist attacks. Access
links to news stories covering their response.
Special
Report
Asian
Economies Respond to Crisis
September
18, 2001
The
economic effects of the terrorist attacks on New York and the Pentagon are
beginning to register throughout Asia. With Wall Street’s reopening last
Monday, investors fear that the US economy could plunge into a recession with
stock prices falling and companies announcing more layoffs in the wake of the
devastation. Heavy losses were registered last week in Australia, Hong Kong,
India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand markets amid uncertainty before
the opening of the US equities market September 17, 2001.
Many
in Asia believed that the US had seen the worst of the downturn and that the
economy had bottomed out. Now, fears of a global recession are taking shape.
For many Asian companies, the US is the biggest export market. Singapore is
already in a recession due to decreased demand for high tech exports and Taiwan
suffered its most dismal trade performance to date. With Asia’s markets so
closely tied to the global trading system, the recent turbulence in financial
markets is also cause for concern. Central banks have injected more than $190
billion into global markets, according to the BBC.
The
region’s economies have already been working with European counterparts to
promote global stability. Keep abreast of the developments by accessing the
latest regional news and commentary in this special report.
Nation
traumatised
Clearly,
feelings are strongest in the United States. The nation was traumatised by an
act of calculated mass murder. The fact that the attack took place on its own
soil also had a profound effect on the nation’s psyche.
It
was an event so momentous that it seemed to shake many of the old certainties
about life in America.
Much
has been said about the way in which a nation’s people have come together in
the face of overwhelming tragedy. Visiting the United States, you feel a sense
of common purpose.
The
American flag is everywhere, flying from homes and office blocks, and draped
across the windows of shops and bars. Often it is accompanied by a simple
message: “United We Stand”. That slogan is a conscious echo of the other great
trauma of modern America.
Another
surprise attack, on Pearl Harbour, propelled the United States into World War
II. T
Can
we add 11 September 2001, to the list of dates that changed the world? It is a
judgement that will have to be left to the historians
Military
might is no longer enough, it has to attack the roots of terrorism, and win
hearts and minds.
The
rise of religious fundamentalism is one of the greatest challenges facing the world
in the 21st Century. It a threat faced not just by Western democracies but by
governments of many nations in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
The
United States and its allies have to find a way of combating the fanatics who
plot terror, while avoiding any perception that this is a conflict between
cultures and religions.
The
world may well have been changing before the attacks on the United States but
the issues now appear in sharper focus.
So
can we add 11 September 2001, to the list of dates that changed the world?
It
is a judgement that will have to be left to the historians.
General HeadLines
Terror
fears push events insurance through the roof Straits Times (October 4)
US
Budget Surplus Is Expected to Turn Into Deficits New York Times (Oct 1)
New
York to issue $1bn recovery notes Financial Times (October 1, 2001)
Cool
nerves at the central banks Financial Times (September 30, 2001)
Business
gurus warn of US recession BBC (September 25, 2001)
Asia
joins freeze on terror groups’ assets Straits Times (September 25, 2001)
Recession
looming for Asian five CNN (September 25, 2001)
US
consumer confidence sinks to five-year low Financial Times (September 25)
Bush
declares economic war The Guardian (September 25, 2001)
IMF
shrugs off recession fears BBC (September 25, 2001)
World
tourism faces uncertain future BBC (September 24, 2001)
Bush
freezes ‘terrorist’ assets and warns banks Financial Times (September 4)
Week
of turmoil for Asian markets BBC (September 21, 2001)
Equities
tumble worldwide on war fears Financial Times (September 21, 2001)
Pipeline
Co Increase Security, Push for More Air Patrols Bloomberg(Sep 21)
Dow
Could Log Weakest Week Since Depression Reuters (Sep 21,2001)
War
Fears Fuel Global Recession Talk Reuters (September 21, 2001) Greenspan Says
Foundation Solid Reuters (September 20, 2001)
Asia
Markets Tank, Bush Speech Cheers US Reuters September 20, 2001)
Job
Cuts Mount in Wake of Air Attacks Reuters (September 19, 2001) Corporate
Warnings Erupt from NY to Tokyo Reuters (September 19, 2001) Central banks move
in force to boost confidence Financial Times (Sep 18) Asia’s regional markets
feel the pain ahead of US reopen FT (September 17)
Going
solo
However,
there are many who view India’s comparative isolation from the world economy as
a saving grace in such times.
The
Indian finance minister, Mr. Yashwant Sinha, told the BBC during the course of
a recent interview that a large domestic market saves the country’s economy
from plunging into a recession in a difficult international environment.
“Imagine
our plight if exports accounted for 30% of India’s GDP instead of the present
10%.
It
is in times like these that India is saved by the fact that its economy is not
much integrated with the rest of the world,” he said.
Rural
economy hopes
It
is because of this large domestic market and the fact that India still remains
a largely rural, agriculture based economy that the country’s central bank has
predicted a growth rate of around 5.5% on the back of a good monsoon this year.
Already
some sectors are showing signs of a tentative turnaround on the back of
increased rural demand and more money in the pocket of farmers.
Two
of India’s main auto makers- Bajaj Auto and Hero Honda - have posted a handsome
rise in sales and profit numbers for October.
Sale
of motorbikes - preferred more in rural areas both because of their rugged
looks and the rough terrain in Indian countryside - have shot up by more than
40% in October.
So
have the sale of colour TV sets. The colour TV market has shown a growth of 16%
this year largely on the back of rural demand as people living in small towns
and villages continue to discard the cheaper and old black and white TV sets.
In
contrast, TV sales have grown by a much more modest 5% in urban areas.
Staying
afloat
Sales
numbers from consumer goods companies like Hindustan Lever, Colgate and Nestle
have also continued to show a decent growth rate indicating that a good monsoon
and more purchasing power in the countryside is saving the day for them.
But
analysts say rural demand is only sufficient to keep the economy afloat.
For
things to really look up its necessary for the services and exports sectors to
do well as they provide the much needed feel good factor to any economy.
Luxury
purchases
For
a buoyant economy, consumers need to spend on luxury goods and not just on the
essentials.
And
for that to happen, the Indian earning in dollars needs to have his fund flow
coming in and pushing up the sales of luxury cars and the occupancy rate of
super deluxe five star hotels.
In
volume terms, the money spent by these dollar-earning Indians may not be huge,
but their spending has a positive spin off effect which goes a long way in
boosting demand and consumer confidence.
Attack
on Terrorism
President
Bush was praised for building the coalition after the September 11 attacks. But
following the defeat of the Taliban and the installation of Hamid Karzai’s
interim government, the war against terrorism moves towards a second phase and
the US position is looking increasingly unilateral.
This
should have been the year that the yellow metal regained its status, It
didn’t
New York Back to business
Overview
- Out of calamity come plans for a stronger city
- Politics: Bloomberg must ring in
the changes
- Conferences: Signs of faith in
the future
Retail
& transport - Boom comes to an unnatural end
- A long road to recovery
Property
- Tenants wait for a new-look downtown
- City slickers head for the
suburbs
Finance
- Wall
Street: Banks scatter over Manhattan
- Decentralised exchange the hot
topic of debate
Tourism
- Stars
come out for a city that never sleeps
- Broadway makes a come-back
The
attack on New York has emboldened the city, the tristate area and the country.
Companies and the government are planning an aggressive redevelopment of the
affected areas and are working hard to rebuild confidence. The financial
district, seriously damaged in September, is already undergoing a renewal as
companies are determined not to allow the attack to undermine their role at the
heart of the world’s leading financial centre. New York is also pushing hard to
rebuild its tourism and conference businesses, while retailers are anticipating
that the seasonal shoppers will soon return to the streets. Meanwhile, the city
is in the middle of a mayoral election that has heightened debate about
development plans for the region.
SURVEY
- NEW YORK: Stars come out for a city thhat never sleeps
Financial
Times; Nov 27, 2001
By
LISA FINGERET
TOURISM
by Lisa Fingeret
Stars
come out for a city that never sleeps
New
York is now harnessing its marketing muscle in a way itnever had to in a
desperate bid to bring back foreign visitors ‘New York is alive and well and
open for business.’ Those were some of Mike Bloomberg’s first words as
mayor-elect of New York City in early November, but they may as well be painted
on the New York skyline.
For
the past 10 weeks, civic and hospitality leaders have been working to bring
visitors - and their money - back to the city that never sleeps. In the first
six weeks after the terrrorist attacks, New York City lost Dollars 325m in
tourism spending, an industry worth Dollars 25bn to the city last year. But the
task of reinvigorating New York’s tourism industry may be easier said than
done.
‘The
biggest challenge is the perception of New York City looking like ground zero,’
said Cristyne Nicholas, president and CEO of NYC & Company, the city’s
official tourism organisation.
To
overcome images of ash and rubble, Ms Nicholas has been working with other
tourism bureaux, travelling abroad and recruiting stars such as Cindy Crawford
and Regis Philbin to declare their love for the city, all to emphasise that
this is still the city Frank Sinatra crooned over and that hotel rooms can be
had for a fraction of their normal cost. And she is doing this with a budget of
Dollars 12m.
Though
it is one of the nation’s biggest visitor attractions, New York’s tourism
budget is a pittance compared with those of its competitors. Last year, Las
Vegas’s budget of Dollars 150m dwarfed those of all other US cities, but New
York did not even rank in the top 10. Budgets for Reno, Nevada, Los Angeles and
Orlando were each more that double the Big Apple’s budget.
‘Everybody
says - ‘Oh, New York doesn’t need anything’. That doesn’t make sense to me,’
says Alan Stillman, chairman and CEO of Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group,
which owns seven restaurants in New York and others nationwide. ‘I’m from the
school of saying ‘If you’ve got it, flaunt it’. And New York City has it. So
why not just tell people? You have to convince the voting public that spending
some money on tourism and hospitality is not penny-wise and pound-foolish but
it’s pound wise. It’s going to bring in huge, huge money.’
NYC
& Company, which is made up of 1,300 businesses, on November 5 launched
‘Paint the Town Red, White & Blue’, a program that offers New York at a
discount in a variety of ways, such as overnight packages that include a Broadway
show and a donation to the Twin Towers Fund for as low as Dollars 157 a night
and Twofor-Tuesdays, in which NYC residents get ‘2 for-1’ admission to some
museums, tours and other attractions when accompanied by a visitor.
‘The
demand generators, the reasons that people came to New York on September 10,
are exactly the same as they are going forward after September 12,’ said
Jonathan Tisch, chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels and chairman of the Travel
Business Roundtable, a national travel and tourism organisation.
‘The
museums are in place, the restaurants, the hotels, the cultural attractions,
Broadway, the whole infrastructure of New York is very much here. What we need
are the dollars to promote ourselves across the country and
internationally...We need marketing dollars, not capital dollars.’
Now,
it seems, tourists are slowly coming back to the city. Hotel occupancy, which
plunged from 91 per cent on September 10 to 35 per cent on September 14, is now
hovering near 80 per cent, Ms Nicholas said.
In
October, Restaurant Week, in which upscale eateries offer prix fixe menus, was
extended for a week to boost business, with some venues continuing the deals in
November.
The
promotion helped ‘beyond imagination’, Mr Stillman said. ‘We’ve actually got
New York City and the people in the suburbs turned around to feel that it’s
comfortable again going out in New York.’
But
there is a dark side to even this silver lining. ‘Even though you’ve got people
coming to the hotels, occupancies are getting a bit better, our profitability
is still suffering because people are spending a lot less, we’ve cut rates and,
for the most part, businesses are not entertaining like they used to,’ Mr Tisch
said.
PKF
Consulting of New York estimates that 2002 hotel occupancy will be at about
68.5 per cent, compared with a pre-attack forecast of 78 per cent. PKF
estimates an average room will cost Dollars 182 in 2002, compared with a
pre-attack estimate of Dollars 225.
A
large part of New York’s post-September 11 visitors have come from within
driving range and spend considerably less than the long-distance traveller.
International visitors spend almost 40 per cent more than domestic visitors,
not including retail purchases, according to statistics from the New York City
Partnership, a local business group. International visitors comprised 18 per
cent of the city’s 37.4m visitors in 2000.
‘The
international visitor spends six times on retail what the domestic traveller
spends,’ Mr Tisch said.
Legislation
passed by Congress in mid-November to put baggage screeners on the federal
payroll could boost tourism by reassuring travellers it is safe to fly. No
doubt industry leaders in New York and worldwide hope it does just that.
Technology,
media and telecoms
A
year of abstinence many would like to forget
Like New Year’s Eve revellers, many technology
users began 2001 with a thumping hangover. Computer departments in companies
had overdosed on investments in software, personal computers, handhelds and
internet strategising
A
topsy-turvy year for the media industry
2001 has been a topsy-turvy year for the media
industry. Although the year ended on a sour note with a string of layoffs,
profit warnings and a dramatic slide in global advertising revenues, it started
very differently.
ober
climate of goodwill write-down
Just
as 2000 had been the year of the dotcom collapse, 2001 was the year when the
telecommunications industry began to realise it had been running on empty. In
the US, the year began on a high note but in Europe, a wave of scepticism about
new wireless technology was already growing’
Following
that crisis, dozens of American magazines featured the Stars and Stripes on
their front covers. The campaign was called “United We Stand”. Sixty years on,
the message and the images have been rediscovered.
Fact
Sheet: On Expanded U.S.-India Cooperation
(Military,
economic, strategic, nuclear, space, counter-terrorism)
(240)
Following
is a fact sheet on U.S-Indian cooperation issued in Washington November 9:
*
Prepared to approve a minimum of $800K in peacekeeping assistance.
*
Anti-terrorism and interdiction assistance will be enhanced. • Joint
Cyber-Terrorism Initiative agreed upon.
*
President Bush and Prime Minister Vajpayee discussed Afghanistan and
acknowledged an active role for India in consultations on the political and
economic future of Afghanistan.
*
Establish a “New Strategic Framework Dialogue.”
*
Expand cooperation on export controls, including provision of additional
training programs and equipment.
*
Discuss means to stimulate bilateral high technology commerce between the two
countries. Economic Dialogue
*
Hail the Economic Dialogue as broad-based, public and private sector
interaction and cooperation in the areas of trade, finance, commerce, energy
and the environment.
(Distributed
by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.