All Countries and All Sectors

Sharjah Islamic Bank has strengthened its position through the opening of new locations, expanding its services and a significant acquisition in the tourism industry.

The government of Abu Dhabi has set out its future vision for the emirate, a vision that foresees smaller government, reinforcing democracy and a greater role for the private sector in the country's booming economy.

On July 20, the House of Representatives endorsed a new law making social responsibility compulsory for certain corporations operating in Indonesia, adding complexity to the corporate law regime.

Bulgaria's sea and river ports are seeing something of a renaissance as trans-European transport networks are developed and investment and traffic increase. Water transport, which some felt had been superseded in most sectors by cheaper air travel and better roads, has reasserted itself and is being integrated with other forms of transport.

Ukraine's so-called "Orange Revolution" brought to the world's attention in late 2004 seemed for awhile to presage a period of political change that would move the country toward membership in the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) military alliance and eventually to full membership in the EU.

Last month, the government reiterated its pledge to invest almost $610m of its National Development Fund in the development of biotechnology and said it would raise an additional $922m for a venture capital fund in the biotechnology business.