MOSCOW, April 2, 2008 (AFP) - Russia's parliament on Wednesday adopted a law limiting access for foreign investors to key sectors of the economy including the oil and gas industries, in a third and final reading.

SUKHUMI, Georgia, April 1, 2008 (AFP) - Gutted by fire in a separatist war 15 years ago, the Tourist Hotel on the lush Black Sea coast of Georgia's rebel Abkhazia region is finally being renovated.

TOKYO, April 1, 2008 (AFP) - Japanese business confidence has slumped to the lowest level in more than four years as executives worry about a stronger yen, a weak US economy and high oil prices, a central bank survey showed Tuesday.

PARIS, March 28, 2008 (AFP) - European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson called Friday for sovereign wealth funds to agree to a code of conduct to avoid being cast as 'villains' by governments fearful of their power and influence.

PARIS, March 28, 2008 (AFP) - European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson called Friday for sovereign wealth funds to agree to a global code of conduct to avoid being cast as 'villains' by fearful governments.

WASHINGTON, March 27, 2008 (AFP) - America's Harvard University said Thursday it had appointed Jane Mendillo to manage its giant 35-billion-dollar investment portfolio marking the first time a woman will run the fund.

FRANKFURT, March 26, 2008 (AFP) - German business confidence posted a surprise jump in March, a key survey showed on Wednesday, indicating persistent resilience in Europe's biggest economy.

In the closely watched business climate index, calculated each month by the Munich-based economic research institute Ifo, the March reading climbed to 104.8 points from 104.1 points in February.

JOHANNESBURG, March 25, 2008 (AFP) - South African petroleum giant Sasol finalised on Tuesday a record billion-dollar black economic empowerment deal to hand over 10-percent equity ownership in the company.

MOSCOW, March 23, 2008 (AFP) - The arrest this week of two British-educated men on spying charges in Moscow was less a Cold War-style incident than a Kremlin power game around who controls oil giant TNK-BP, analysts say.

WASHINGTON, March 21, 2008 (AFP) - The International Monetary Fund signaled Friday that it was ratcheting up its scrutiny of sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) due to their rapidly growing financial clout.