Companies that defy economic embargoes face huge fines or the removal of export permissions. As sanctions become increasingly complex, businesses must be alert to inadvertent breaches, warns Tom Blass.

Shale gas may be plentiful in supply but the high cost of extraction is raising questions about the profitability of this new source of energy.

The turmoil that has beset the Middle East and north African political scene over the past two years has brought about a change in its investment mindset too, with many countries in the region looking to diversify their industrial output.

As the EU imposes an oil embargo on Iran and the screws tighten on neighbouring Syria, foreign companies doing business with the affected countries are scrambling to stay on the right side of the law while hedging against their losses. 

Attracting travellers to Morocco is not difficult, given its array of natural attractions and reputation as a cultural hot-spot. However, the country's government is not resting on its laurels, and has launched a plan to pull in more tourists, and in doing so attract more foreign investment and create more jobs.

The Walloon city of Mons in Belgium has been awarded the European Capital of Culture 2015 crown. 

Iraq's abundance of oil has been blamed for much of its instability over the past few decades. However, its new government is vowing to use the country's oil reserves to bring greater unity to the Middle East.

Tunisians may be waving the banner of freedom, but the country will need to tackle many challenges in the aftermath of its revolution, including high unemployment and political uncertainty. 

The dominant player in Belgium's aerospace sector, Wallonia is out to prove at Le Bourget this year that it has what it takes to remain competitive in the face of increasing demand, despite the value of its exports falling dramatically due to the global financial crisis