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• Rohingya Muslims are still awaiting justice and protection of their rights five years after the Myanmar military began a sweeping campaign of massacres, rape, and arson in northern Rakhine State on August 25, 2017
• More than 730,000 Rohingya fled to precarious, flood-prone camps in Bangladesh, while about 600,000 remain under oppressive rule in Myanmar
• No one has been held accountable for the crimes against humanity and acts of genocide committed against the Rohingya population
• What began as a trade war over China's unfair economic policies has now evolved into a so-called cold war propelled by differing ideologies
• U.S. President Joe Biden now characterizes the U.S.-China conflict as "a battle between the utility of democracies in the twenty-first century and autocracies"
• The logic underpinning the U.S. trade war was flawed, and the more recent, politically driven restrictions are counterproductive given the damaging long-term economic consequences for both sides
• Starbucks extends lead, remaining most valuable restaurant brand for 7th consecutive year, widening gap on McDonald's
• Starbucks' brand value is now 30% higher than its pre-pandemic value
• Restaurant brands must increasingly cater to the higher standards for sustainability that consumers are demanding when it comes to the food they eat and drink
• In 2023, the United States faced multifaceted threats from foreign terrorist organizations such as ISIS and al Qaeda as well as state sponsors of terrorism and lone wolf actors
• ISIS expanded its global network, brand, and operations, especially in Africa, despite leadership losses in 2022
• Al Qaeda's leader, Ayman al Zawahiri, was killed in a U.S drone strike in July 2022. His death was a significant strategic setback for the organization
• The Mori Memorial Foundation's Institute for Urban Strategies, a research body established by Mori Building, Tokyo's leading urban developer, announced today its Global Power City Index (GPCI) 2022 report on the overall strength of the world's 48 major cities, with a special focus on how cities have responded to the COVID-19 era
• Al Qaeda is plotting to rebuild, though this will take time, al Qaeda remains a long-term threat to American interests and citizens as well as the homeland
• Global Power City Index (GPCI)


  An index that measures the overall strength of the world's 48 major cities, with a special focus on how cities have responded to the COVID-19 era
• Mori Memorial Foundation Issues GPCI-2022 & CPS-2022 Report

  2022
• GPCI 2022 rankings were significantly impacted by how cities have responded to the three-year COVID-19 pandemic
• Regarding Accessibility, cities are particularly divided in terms of how fast they have resumed accepting international flights
• Cities such as London, Singapore and Tokyo have seen their scores affected by their limitations on international air traffic and cautious border measures, while Dubai and Istanbul have raised their scores by resuming tourism air traffic
• Other locations managed to increase their scores by improving local living conditions
• Melbourne and Paris scored higher in Livability compared to last year, and New York added points by recovering its domestic transportation network quickly and enhancing its working environment
• The Institute also announced the results of its City Perception Survey (CPS) 2022, which polled some 9,600 residents in the 48 cities to determine how the international community perceives the top cities in the GPCI rankings
• London (#1)


  World's most cosmopolitan city saw its power weaken due to cautious COVID-19 measures
• London maintained its top position in the comprehensive ranking but its scores contracted significantly in Cultural Interaction (1st) and Accessibility (6th)
• In "Number of Foreign Visitors" under Cultural Interaction, London's formerly top position was overtaken by Istanbul (#32), Dubai (#11), and Paris (#4), in that order, which are cities that quickly reopened to international tourism
• London's Economy score (2nd) has continued to drop since GPCI 2019, this time particularly in "GDP Growth Rate" and "Employees in Business Support Services"
• New York (#2) remained in second but drew significantly closer to London (#1)
• New York's Accessibility ranking (4th) edged out other powerhouses such as London (#1) and Tokyo (#3) as domestic flights quickly recovered from the damaging impact of COVID-19
• New York's weaknesses are Livability (38th) and Environment (27th)
• Tokyo (#3) held on to third place overall but its score dropped sharply from last year to place just ahead of Paris (#4)
• Declines were seen in four of the GPCI's six functions for Tokyo: Economy (5th), Cultural Interaction (5th), Livability (11th) and Accessibility (10th)
• Tokyo remained strong in "Attractiveness of Shopping Options," "Attractiveness of Dining Options" and other tourism assets
• Paris (#4) ranked 4th in its comprehensive ranking, just behind Tokyo (#3)
• Paris was strong in Livability (1st) due to higher scores in "Housing Rent" and "Total Working Hours per Capita"
• The big question is how hosting the 2024 Olympic Games will impact Paris, particularly whether it will serve as a tailwind to push further urban improvements as well as boost Cultural Interaction, which sagged in 2022
• Singapore (#5) ranked #5 overall, but like London (#1) it was hurt by a decline in international flights due to COVID-19 countermeasures so its scores in Cultural Interaction (11th) and Accessibility (11th) dropped markedly
• Singapore moved up in Economy to 6th based on rising scores in "Wage Level" and "GDP Growth Rate"
• Singapore's score in Cultural Interaction has continued to decline since 2019, due not only to shrinking tourism but also declining ratings for tourism resources such as "Tourist Attractions" and "Nightlife Options"