The energetic Jean-Yves Empereur, who runs the French-funded Centre d'Etudes Alexandrines on a shoestring, has managed to juggle several salvage excavations in the city with underwater work offshore.

ECONOMIST: Alexandria

Meanwhile, Britain's Tesco supermarket group is boldly expanding into America and other foreign markets in a bid to overtake France's Carrefour (sorry, Monsieur l'Empereur) to become the world's second-biggest retailer behind Wal-Mart (see article).

ECONOMIST: British manufacturing