Lithium ion batteries are found in countless high-tech products – laptops, medical devices, security systems, disaster relief equipment and weather monitors, to name just a few. But are they too dangerous to ride on airplanes?

Almost every U.S. company large or small annually conducts the essential financial audit. But many executives may not be aware that an audit of another kind may be just as critical to their organizations' financial stability plus providing optimum customer service and, literally, protecting the well-being of the public. That audit? An evaluation of a firm's compliance and operational practices in the shipment of dangerous goods by air, land and sea.

We're still waiting for many of the emerging markets of Latin America to emerge. What's holding them back?

European officials want to make it easier for companies to offer e-commerce across the continent, and are asking whether some firms are putting barriers in the way of that happening. Among the actions they announced is an antitrust inquiry to investigate "possible competition concerns" put in place by some Web companies.

So the Federal Aviation Administration has given Amazon.com, Inc. permission to begin testing delivery drones in the U.S. But there are still a number of logistical hurdles to be overcome, before the technology becomes feasible for everyday commercial use.