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They are educated in the west. They are fluent in the language of reform, privatization and transparency. They are charming and open. The crisis in Asia has thrust forward a new generation of bureaucrats, regulators and ambassadors for the region. Is this a new approach to government in Asia or is the region simply becoming better at presenting itself?

Solid performers that buck the trend

Ecuador's bankers are scratching their heads wondering how to design products to accommodate a radical new 1% tax on capital transactions, which from January will replace traditional income tax. The tax will be withheld from bank customers whenever a deposit is made into an account or for a fixed-term investment, or when a cheque is cashed. Customers will not be charged, however, when money is withdrawn from an ATM. It is feared that the tax will lead to further distortions - the financial system already has a huge quantity of transactions that don't always provide added value but which are operationally necessary - and to tax avoidance by conducting transactions outside the system, says analysts.

Internet IPOs were once regarded as highly risky. Now they rank among the best-received offerings in the global marketplace. The rapid rise in internet use has driven the perception that service providers will be worth a lot of money, and now everyone is trying to get a piece of the action. Yet the euphoria surrounding recent flotations of internet stocks may be hiding a less rosy picture for hi-tech issuers as a whole. Peter Lee reports.

At long last, lawyers are going to have to start writing in plain English - or are they? By Christopher Stoakes

Romania has quietly slid into a debt trap and there are fears that it could be allowed to go under as the IMF and World Bank play hardball.

Time to build a banking empire

Solid performers that buck the trend

Just a year ago, project finance was wallowing in liquidity. The Asian crisis has brought about a dramatic reversal. New and revived approaches ­ project bonds, club deals, indexation, hedging, more use of political risk insurance ­ have so far proved only partly successful in getting the business back on the road. James Featherstone reports.