Eye on a crisis: Guns, dummy bombs slipped through lax checks at Boston airport

Our survey of newspaper coverage of the crisis starts in the United States where the Boston Globe says a decade's worth of federal data shows that the city's Logan International Airport has one of the worst security records among major airports.

"Logan has by far the nation's worst record for the most serious violation - the number of times federal agents have slipped guns and dummy bombs through security checkpoints for which the airlines are responsible."

The Washington Post reports that military action is not imminent, quoting Bush Administration officials as citing the need to gain better intelligence about the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden and his supporters.

The paper also says the city's restaurants are feeling the pinch.

"The Washington routines that restaurants depend on - lobbying, deal-making, policy talk over steak and beer - have been disrupted by the shutdown of Reagan National Airport, the national security fixation in Congress and the city's shaky psyche since the attacks."

In Canada, the National Post says the Government has ordered the "highest state of alert" at all ports of entry, toughened immigration controls and announced the implementation of a freeze on assets belonging to terror groups.

The Times and the Guardian in Britain report on the dangers facing the world economy. Under the heading "Terror demolishes economy" the Times says consumer confidence is at its lowest level since the 1980s recession. The Guardian carries an IMF warning that the health of the world economy is at its worst since 1993.

The Daily Telegraph and the Mirror focus on the plight of Afghan refugees.

In India, the Times of India says the US has confirmed that it shares India's concern about terrorism in Kashmir.

The Bush Administration said its war against terrorism would continue beyond the immediate task of nailing the perpetrators of the carnage in America.

It also made it clear that there would be no change in the Indo-US relationship in the wake of US seeking Pakistan's support for possible military operations in Afghanistan.

The Australian reported that the US Justice Department had appealed to the Australian Government and directly to Australian banks to supply details on transactions suspected to be linked to terrorist activity in a bid to investigate ways of seizing the suspected Australian-based financial assets of terrorists.

The Philippine Star says intelligence reports from Russia claim that up to 50 Filipino Muslim extremists have joined two Taleban camps in Afghanistan.

The Manila Bulletin reports that members of Congress have called on the Government to lodge a diplomatic protest with Belgium over what they allege was the unwarranted arrest and detention of 30 Filipinos in an anti-terrorism operation.

In Indonesia, the Jakarta Post says Indonesian military chief Admiral Widodo told a parliamentary hearing the military may set up a national agency to fight terrorism. Muslim students and activists demonstrated in Java to press their demands that the US drop any plans to attack Afghanistan.

The Indonesian Ulema Council clarified its call for a jihad, stressing it was not urging Muslims to take part in a war against the US.

In Bangkok, the Nation quotes banking group BNP Paribas as saying the economic impact of prolonged US downturn will hurt the Philippines and Malaysia more than Thailand, Singapore and South Korea.

Map: Opposing forces in the war against terror

Afghanistan facts and links