When the United Arab Emirates announced last week that it would suspend BlackBerry service within its borders starting this fall, business travelers who rely on the handheld devices reacted with understandable dismay. But the decision was greeted quite differently by the men and women who make a living hunting terrorists, smugglers, human traffickers, foreign agents and the occasional team of clumsy assassins

But for those of us who are working with corporations to tackle big global problems, the financial reform bill’s provisions raise three important questions: 1. What change are we seeking to achieve? 2. How can we achieve that change? 3. What is the responsible role of the private sector?

The fifth annual meeting of the Arab-European Human Rights Dialogue opened on Monday in the Qatari capital Doha, Qatar. Hosted by the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) in Qatar the conference brings together human rights activists from the Arab and European countries to discuss women’s rights.

If we want to see democracy in developing nations, we need to help them to reposition themselves – by promoting trade, boosting tourism, and winning allies diplomatically. That can only be done by skilled communications, promoting the best aspects of these nations to the stakeholders that matter.

In fast-growing economies such as China and India, wealthy families can now afford to send their offspring to university but world-class institutions are too few. Whether students cannot find what they want at home or prefer what they see abroad, they are becoming more mobile.

The most anticipated Portland theater event of the summer is only a little more than a week away. “Long Day’s Journey Into Night,” in a co-production by Australia’s Sydney Theatre Company and Portland’s Artists Repertory Theatre

While the global community has been busy parading at the Shanghai Expo 2010, for Taiwan, simply taking part in the world’s fair is meaningful. It has been nearly 40 years since the island has been able to join the global showcase, when the Republic of China last participated at the Osaka Expo in 1970 during a period when Taipei still held official diplomatic relations with Tokyo.

The Haitian-born singer, Wyclef Jean, is set to announce that he will stand for election as president of Haiti.