Last updated: April 14, 2008 | News from Washington | Previous highlights

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Annual Human Rights Reports Released Secretary Rice (Mar. 11): "I am pleased today to announce the publication of the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2007. In every region of the world, men and women are working peacefully, and often at great risk to themselves and their families, to secure human rights and fundamental freedoms, to follow their consciences and speak their minds without fear, to choose those who would govern them and to hold their leaders accountable and to achieve equal justice under the law." These aspirations, though common to all of us, are unfortunately still denied to millions worldwide, often by their own governments. In too many countries, champions of human rights are denounced and persecuted, vilified as traitors or targeted for repression – just for insisting upon the freedoms enshrined in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights… (More)  (Country Report Samoa)

U.S. Embassy Approves Visa For “Baby Miracle” The United States Embassy in Apia today approved visas for Miracletina Juliemaryame Mikaele Nanai, (widely known as “Baby Miracle”) and her parents Mikaele Nanai and Sefulu Sulu Nanai. The visas will allow them to travel to Miami Children’s Hospital, one of the most well-known pediatric institutions in the United States, to seek treatment. Estimates suggest that the family may spend three to six months in the United States “The Embassy is pleased that our requirements were met and that these visas could be accorded. We wish Miracletina and her family all the very best,” said U.S. Charge d’Affairés George Colvin … (more)

Sailors man the rails of the USS Peleliu sailing from San Diego for Pacific Partnership, a humanitarian mission including medical, construction and engineering projects. Navy Photo MCS 2nd Class J. Hudson. Year of the Pacific just the beginning The Pacific is a vast and important region. However, it is much more than that to us. The United States is a Pacific country, by geography and by history. So we believe it is critical to work with our Pacific neighbours to promote domestic stability, good governance and economic development. To that end, we provide about $290 million a year in assistance to Pacific Island countries. The US Government's Millennium Challenge Corporation is also working with Vanuatu on a separate assistance package of more than $65 million … (more)