Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Monday 10 april 2017

Russia and Iran affirm commitment to Syrian government

PHILIP ISSA American strike in much
Associated Press stronger language, saying
BEIRUT (AP) — Russia and it had “crossed red lines”
Iran renewed their support and vowing to “reply with
for the Syrian government force” to any future ag-
in a flurry of calls on Sun- gression “in a variety of
day, saying last week’s U.S. ways.”
missile strike violated Syrian The Lebanese militant
sovereignty but failed to group has invested thou-
boost the morale of “terror sands of fighters in the
groups” in Syria. defense of Assad’s gov-
In a phone call with Syrian ernment. The statement
President Bashar Assad, Ira- was made in the name of
nian President Hassan Rou- a previously unheard of
hani called the strike on “shared operations room”
Friday a “blatant violation” between Russia, Iran and
of Syrian sovereignty, Syr- allied forces.
ian state media reported. There was no comment
Assad accused the U.S. of from Russia or Iran about
trying to boost the morale the statement.
of “terror groups” in Syria. The Kremlin said in a state-
The government refers to ment Rouhani also spoke Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani attend a joint news
all those fighting against it with Russian President Vlad- conference at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. Russia and Iran renewed their support for the Syr-
as terrorists. imir Putin by phone. ian government in a flurry of calls on Sunday, saying last week’s U.S. missile strike violated Syrian
A statement carried on the “Both sides noted the inad- sovereignty.
military media arm of He- missibility of aggressive U.S. (Sergei Karpukhin/Pool photo via AP)
zbollah condemned the actions against a sovereign state in violation of interna- Khamenei said Iran would It has organized several
tional law,” the statement not withdraw in the face of Shiite militias from around
said. “Vladimir Putin and similar aggressions. the Middle East to fight in
Hasan Rouhani spoke in “What the Americans did is support of Assad’s govern-
favor of an objective, un- a strategic mistake and of- ment and has sent troops
biased investigation of all fense. They are repeating and officers from its own
the circumstances of the offense of their predeces- Revolutionary Guards.
chemical weapons inci- sors,” Khamenei was quot- The U.S. says the strike was
dent on April 4 in the Syrian ed as saying by the official in response to a nerve gas
province of Idlib.” IRNA news agency. attack on the rebel-held
Rouhani said the U.S. strike Iran has provided crucial town of Khan Sheikhoun
would not affect Iran’s military and economic as- last week, which has been
Syria policy, while Su- sistance to Assad through- widely blamed on govern-
preme Leader Ayatollah Ali out Syria’s six-year civil war. ment forces.q
Italy’s 5-Stars eye national office, hold summit

NICOLE WINFIELD general election later this Ivrea, near Turin in northern
Associated Press year or next.And it provided Italy, watching as a next
ROME (AP) — Italy’s anti- strong evidence that the generation of 5-Star sym-
establishment 5-Star Move- 5-Stars are attracting more pathizers outlined how Italy
ment is broadening its than just the working-class might emerge from years
reach as it eyes national backers typical of Europe’s of economic stagnation
office, inviting some very anti-establishment parties. and rising unemployment.
establishment figures to a The head of Google Italy, Recent polls have put the
daylong summit Saturday university professors and 5-Stars ahead of the ruling
on technology, science, prominent journalists took Democrats with some 32
jobs and the future.The part, though there were percent of the vote. The
summit, which was inten- notable absences, includ- movement blends an ide-
tionally low on political dia- ing among 5-Star lawmak- ology-defying anti-bank,
tribe, marked a new phase ers and Italy’s leading as- pro-green agenda with a
for the grassroots protest tronaut, who bailed at the social-media friendly “di-
movement that has up- last minute.5-Star founder rect democracy” ethos,
ended the Italian political Beppe Grillo sat in the where members pick can-
scene and now leads the front row of the converted didates and platforms
polls as Italy prepares for a Olivetti typewriter factory in online.q