The U.S Department of State has withdrawn plans to place a $16.5 million order on Amazon.com for its Kindle Touch devices along with content management and logistics, stating that it intends to conduct additional market research and re-examine its requirements for the program.

First, the other members of the band released a new single online, "Putin Lights Up the Fires." The Guardian newspaper in England compiled clips and stills for an accompanying video, and the song could be a post-sentencing rallying cry for the millions of music fans and free-speech advocates following the case.

Ecuador dragged Britain into an emergency meeting of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States Friday at OAS headquarters in Washington, calling for a foreign ministers' meeting following the British threat to go into the Ecuadoran embassy in London and get Assange, who is wanted for questioning in connection with sexual assault charges in Sweden.

Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Pan Guangxue on Friday spoke highly on Chinese language volunteers' contribution in Cambodia, hailing them as ambassadors of Chinese culture and language in Cambodia. Speaking to the third tranche of Chinese volunteers in China's embassy, Pan said he appreciates the volunteers' contribution in spreading Chinese culture and teaching Chinese language, which enhances the people-to-people exchanges between the two peoples.

That is why I emphasize welfare, the quality of life and a creative mind. It is time for Korea to keep up with the global trend and lead the way rather than to follow others. Korea is now one of the world’s most advanced economies and for the country to join the ranks of the top five powers, we should think differently.

As the world is ever increasingly and interdependently globalized the need for mass interaction and communication with the outside world has also increased. Cultural diplomacy is critical in the development of peace and stability ... everyone in Fiji and throughout the world has the right to freely participate in the cultural life of the community and to gracefully share in its advancement and benefits.

The 24th country I visited as part of my cultural diplomacy tour was South Africa, where I gave lectures for six days from July 30 at the University of Pretoria's Gordon Institute of Business Science in Johannesburg. It was my first lecture on the African continent.

It was an unprecedented opportunity to talk about the role of culture internationally, what cultural organisations have in common and what sets them apart. It was a chance to ask questions, share experience and find solutions.