Caracas, March 16 (RHC) -- A poll conducted by GIS XXI pollster shows that 55 percent of Venezuelans would vote for the re-election of President Hugo Chavez if the elections slated for October 7th were held today.

Damascus, March 16 (RHC)-- One year after the crisis emerged in Syria, hundreds of thousands of Syrians joined the March for Peace on Thursday.  Youth and student organizations, as well as social and political groups, expressed support for the Comprehensive Reform Program launched by President Bashar al-Assad.

Santiago de Chile, March 16 (RHC) -- In Chile, special police forces clashed with thousands of students near the La Moneda Government Palace while the students were trying to deliver a letter addressed to Education Minister Harald Beyer.

Santiago de Chile, March 16 (RHC) -- Chilean President Sebastián Piñera reiterated his total support for Argentina’s claim over the sovereignty of the Malvinas Islands, occupied by Great Britain since 1833.

Caracas, March 16 (RHC) -- The Venezuelan Minister of Trade, Edmée Betancourt, described the various social programs implemented by the Government to benefit the people as positive.

Asuncion, March 16 (RHC) -- The Council of Delegates of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) on Friday will end a 24-hour meeting prior to the regular meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers.

Quito, March 16 (RHC) -- After signing several agreements with the Turkish authorities, the president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa concludes his first visit to the Eurasian country, as confirmed by official sources in Quito.

Bogota, March 16 (RHC) -- Bolivian President Evo Morales stressed the more than 100 years of uninterrupted friendship between his country and Colombia and the role played by both nations in South American integration.

Tehran, March 16 (RHC) Iran has dispatched a large cargo of humanitarian aid to Syria to help the Syrian people who are faced with shortages of food and medical supplies.  The 40-ton shipment, which included medicines, blankets, tents, medical tools and dialysis equipment, arrived in the Syrian capital city of Damascus on Thursday.

Moscow, March 16 (RHC)-- Russia will not join the new group 'Friends of Syria' because they only talk to one side of the conflict -- the opposition.  The Special Representative of the President of Russia for Middle East Issues and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told reporters in Moscow that declarations from other countries about al-Assad's illegitimacy and calls for him to step down "are counterproductive because they send the opposition a false signal that there is no sense in entering dialogue."

Kabul, March 16 (RHC)-- A Turkish army Sikorsky helicopter has crashed in the Afghan capital Kabul, killing at least 12 Turkish soldiers and two children.  The helicopter reportedly crashed into a house in the suburb of Bagrami while on a so-called peacekeeping mission, according to the Turkish military.

Chicago, March 16 (RHC)-- Protests are being organized in the U.S. city of Chicago against an upcoming meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO.  According to organizers with the Occupy Chicago Movement and the ANSWER Coalition, huge protests will take place when NATO meets on May 20th and 21st in Chicago.

Luanda, March 16 (PL-RHC) -- Angola and Chile expressed Friday their interest in boosting bilateral cooperation based on a General Agreement on Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Cooperation signed four years ago.

Tel Aviv, March 16 (RHC)-- New figures show Israeli settlement building in the occupied West Bank has reached record levels.  According to the Israeli group Peace Now, settlement building rose 20 percent last year, with construction starts on thousands of new homes.

Washington, March 16 (RHC)-- U.S. Army investigators have recommended a court-martial for four soldiers accused in the death of Army Private Danny Chen.  A 19-year-old Chinese American, Chen took his own life just weeks after he was deployed to Afghanistan last October.