11/30 - The Conference Board reported that the Consumer Confidence Index dropped 14 points in January. http://www.conferenceboard.org/whoweare/frames.cfm?main=/search/dpress.cfm?p ressid=4616

1/31 - The Federal Reserve cut short-term interest rates by half a percentage point. http://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/press/general/2001/20010131/default. htm

1/31 - The Commerce Dept. reported that fourth-quarter GDP rose at just a 1.4% annual rate. http://www.bea.doc.gov/bea/newsrel/gdp400a.htm

JAPAN'S STRATEGIC CULTURE. 2/2, 6-8pm, Washington, DC. Sponsors: Women in International Security, Center for Peace and Security Studies (Georgetown U). Speakers: Naoko Sajima, National Institute for Defense Studies; Yuki Tatsumi, Stimson Center. Location: Executive Conference Room, 7th Floor, Intercultural Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC. Contact: 301-405-6547, fax: 301-403-8107, email EL82@umail.umd.edu

LANDMINES: GETTING THEM OUT; HOW THE UNITED STATES IS HELPING.
2/5, 2:30pm, Washington, DC. Sponsor: Security for a New Century. Speakers: Jernej Cimpersek and Vojislav Suc, International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance. Location: 1116 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC. Contact: 225-5161 or email Lorelei.Kelly@mail.house.gov

CHINA
"China-U.S. Trade Agreements: Compliance Issues." 12/7/00, 21pgs, CRS#RL30555.
"China and the World Trade Organization." Updated 1/3/01, 6pgs. CRS#RS20139.
"China and "Falun Gong." Updated 1/3/01, 6pgs. CRS#RS20333.
"China's Trade Status: Past Congressional Decisions, Post-PNTR Implications." Updated 1/17/01, 6pgs. CRS#20691
"World Bank Lending: Issues Raised by China's Oinghai Resettlement Project." 12/20/00, 30pgs. CRS#RL30786.
"Hong Kong-U.S. Economic Relations." 1/4/01, 6pgs. CRS#RS20786.

KOREA
"North-South Korean Relations: A Chronology of the "New" Dialogue." 1/18/01, 10pgs. CRS#RL30811.
"North Korea-Japan Relations: The Normalization Talks and the Compensation/Reparations Issue." Updated 1/10/01, 6pgs. CRS#RS20526.
"South Korea-U.S. Economic Relations: Cooperation, Friction, and Future Prospects." Updated 1/16/01, 9pgs. CRS#RL30566.

INDONESIA
"Indonesian Separatist Movement in Aceh." Updated 1/12/01, 6pgs. CRS#RS20572.

SECURITY
"Philippine-U.S. Security Relations." 10/10/00, 6pgs. CRS#RS20697.

TAIWAN
"Taiwan and the World Trade Organization." Updated 1/3/01, 6pgs. CRS#RS20683.

VIETNAM
"The Vietnam-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement." Updated 1/16/01, 18pgs. CRS#30416.
"Vietnam Trade Agreement: Approval and Implementing Procedure." Updated 1/4/01, 6pgs. CRS#20717.
"The Vietnam-U.S. Normalization Process." Updated 1/11/01, 16pgs. CRS#IB98033.