CURRENT ISSUE DEC 31, 2001

THE YEAR'S IMAGES

A collection of photographs that say more than a thousand words ever could about an eventful year that was marked by upheavals, violence and changes-from earthquakes to terrorist strikes.

Death From The Skies
On the morning of September 11, the World Trade Center, the symbol of American financial muscle, was hit in an attack where the weapons were hijacked passenger aircraft. Inside of an hour, the 110-storey towers crumbled, an estimated 4,000 lost their lives, the US suffered a loss that would amount to $90 billion (Rs 4,27,500 crore) and the history of the world was forever altered. More intangibly, the wound inflicted on one metropolis scarred the heart of an entire planet.

The Ground Zero of Their Grief
The impact of September 11 was felt across the American landscapes, both exterior and interior. The dust and haze from the place where the WTC once stood would not stop, nor would the blood and the tears of those who barely survived its end.

Candles in the Wind
After the late-night vigils to give and receive comfort, it was time for vengeance. The bombing of Afghanistan continued well into December, with US marines (below) preparing to fly to a new position near Kandahar. "We shall smoke them out of their holes," promised George Bush.