Statement by the President on World Press Freedom Day

May 3 marks World Press Freedom Day. Just and open societies protect and rely on the freedom of the press. That freedom is enshrined in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, because freedom of speech is integral to a free society.
America stands with those who struggle for their liberty, including those in the press who continue their work in spite of risks. During Fiscal Year 2007, the United States provided $78 million in approximately 40 countries to promote media freedom and freedom of information. As President, I have met with many journalists and editors who are struggling against forces that seek to suppress media freedom. We salute these courageous individuals, and we recognize the importance of the right to a free press in spreading freedom around the world. more on press freedom

Country Reports on Terrorism 2007

U.S. law requires the Secretary of State to provide Congress, by April 30 of each year, a full and complete report on terrorism with regard to those countries and groups meeting criteria set forth in the legislation. This annual report is entitled Country Reports on Terrorism. Beginning with the report for 2004, it replaced the previously published Patterns of Global Terrorism.

see also

2007 Terrorism Report Briefing
Dell L. Dailey
April 30, 2008
Coordinator of the Office for Counterterrorism Dell L. Dailey and Deputy Director of the National Counterterrorism Center Russ Travers brief on the 2007 Country Reports on Terrorism.

Lithuanian Officer Receives Recognition from the Government of the United States of America

Lieutenant Colonel Marius Kazlauskas (left) and Naval Attaché Tomas A. Alksninis

On April 18, 2008, during a ceremony held at the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence, Naval Attaché Tomas A. Alksninis presented Lieutenant Colonel Marius Kazlauskas with a Meritorious Service Medal. Lt. Col. Kazlauskas received the medal for his outstanding meritorious service as the Senior National Representative of Lithuania to the United States Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. Lt. Col. Kazlauskas displayed outstanding professionalism and sound judgment in addressing and resolving a broad range of complex issues associated with coordinating the contributions and deployment of the Lithuanian contingent supporting Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

International Fulbright Science and Technology Fellowship

The U.S. Embassy in Vilnius is pleased to announce the opening of the worldwide competition for the 2009 International Fulbright Science and Technology Award for outstanding foreign students. The award is among the most prestigious international scholarships in science and technology. more

Remarks on the State Department's 2007 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

Secretary Rice (Washington DC, Mar. 11, 2008): "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." Lithuania Report on Human Rights Practices - 2007 English Lithuanian