Mattis blies die „Drohung” groß auf, die die „nukleare Industrie“ des Iran darstellt und behauptete steif und fest, dass dieses Land der Funken sein könnte, der einen verheerenden Konflikt in der gesamten Region entzündet. Ausgehend von des Generals eigenen Argumenten scheint es sicher zu sein, darauf zu wetten, dass die Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika diejenigen sein werden, die den ersten Schuß in einem solchen Konflikt abgeben werden.

With the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez after a two-year fight with cancer, we host a roundtable discussion on a revolutionary leader whose democratic-socialist policies not only transformed his country, but helped steer the entire Latin American region away from U.S.-backed neoliberalism.

Watch the entire interview with Miguel Tinker Salas on Democracy Now! at http://bit.ly/YNj2VU. Miguel Tinker Salas, the Venezuelan-born author of „The Enduring Legacy: Oil, Culture and Society in Venezuela,“ describes the political and cultural impact of Chávez‘s oil policies on the independence of Latin America.

This is the only known footage of former special forces veteran James Steele in Iraq. He is seen standing next to Colonel James Coffman, who has described himself as being General David Petraeus‘s ‚eyes and ears on the ground‘ in Iraq. Petraeus financed the Special Police Commandos out of a multimillion-dollar fund

Photojournalist Gilles Peress tells how he visited US special forces veteran James Steele in a detention centre in Samarra – part of the Sunni Triangle in Iraq. Peress says Steele brought them to a room to do an interview, where blood was dripping down a desk. He says screams could be heard down the hall

Another special forces veteran, Colonel James Coffman, worked with Steele and reported directly to General David Petraeus, who had been sent into Iraq to organise the Iraqi security services

Exclusive: General David Petraeus and ‚dirty wars‘ veteran behind commando units implicated in detainee abuse

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„Today the people of the United States lost a friend it never knew it had. And poor people around the world lost a champion,“ says Penn in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. „I lost a friend I was blessed to have. My thoughts are with the family of President Chavez and the people of Venezuela.“

UNICEF today outlined practical measures that could be adopted to improve the treatment of Palestinian children who are in contact with the Israeli military detention system.

According to daily Eleftherotypia, the plan foresees cuts of

1) 15 euro per month in 486-euro pensions for private sector. The measure will affect 2,851,200 pensioners and will bring IKA 513,216,000 euro per year.

2) 10 euro per month in 360-euro pensions for farmers.

In the third trimester of 2012 the GDP was -0,1%. On an annual base, it dropped 0,9%.

The Bolívarians, as Chávez‘s supporters were known, offered a political programme that challenged the Washington consensus: neo-liberalism at home and wars abroad. This was the prime reason for the vilification of Chávez that is sure to continue long after his death.

The lesson drawn by Chávez from the defeat of Allende in 1973 is crucial. Some, like the far right and the state-linked paramilitary of Colombia would love to see Chavismo implode, and wouldn‘t hesitate to sow chaos across borders. The support of the army and the masses of Venezuela will decide the fate of the Bolívarian revolution, and the solidarity of powerful and sympathetic neighbours like Brazil.

Other unabashed admirers included Kevin Spacey, Danny Glover, Oliver Stone, Harry Belafonte, Naomi Campbell, and Princeton University Professor Cornel West.

And some are nearly as critical as Penn.

Belafonte labeled George W. Bush the „greatest tyrant in the world,’’ while telling Chavez how “millions’’ of Americans supported him.

Boxing promoter Don King praised Chavez and his „revolution,’’ announcing, „To see what is happening here makes me feel good all over.’’

“In no other country are children systematically tried by juvenile military courts that, by definition, fall short of providing the necessary guarantees to ensure respect for their rights,” it said.

Venezuela’s late leader Hugo Chavez enjoyed authority and respect worldwide, Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said on Wednesday. March 6. “Chavez was an outstanding politician,” he added.

Chavez’ death tragic event of global scale – Russian expert

The main question now is who will become Venezuela‘s new leader. Some analysts suggest it will be hard for the US-backed opposition to overturn Chavez‘s policies. However, Pepe Escobar, who‘s an investigative journalist and Asia Times Correspondent covering Latin America, says the demonization of Hugo Chavez in the US will continue after his death

By Pepe Escobar

How enlightening to watch world leaders‘ reactions to the death of Venezuela‘s El Comandante Hugo Chavez. Uruguay‘s President Jose Mujica – a man who actually shuns 90% of his salary because he insists he covers his basic necessities with much less – once again reminded everyone how he qualified Chavez as…

National Film and Television School student Konstantinos Georgousis spent a month with the organisation last summer, as Greece hovered on the abyss, for his documentary film The Cleaners.