We reject new sanctions, Russia tells US
Moscow, Aug 11 : Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday told US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that Russia categorically rejects new US sanctions over alleged Russian involvement in the Skripal case.
Lavrov reiterated Russia's position that Moscow played no role in the alleged nerve agent attack on ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal in the British city of Salisbury, Xinhua quoted the Foreign Ministry as saying.
Lavrov stressed that neither the US, nor Britain, nor any other country have provided a single fact to support their accusations, according to a Russian Foreign Ministry statement.
The US State Department said on Wednesday that Washington will impose new sanctions on Russia over the alleged poison attack on Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury in March.
Western countries claim the pair was exposed to a nerve agent and hold Russia responsible, while the Russian government has repeatedly denied any involvement in the case and demanded direct participation in the investigation.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has criticized the US decision on new sanctions and Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Moscow will consider retaliation.
Lavrov and Pompeo also discussed issues on the international agenda, including the situation in Syria, and other topics considered during the meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump in Helsinki on July 16.
The two top diplomats agreed to maintain contacts on all issues of mutual interest, the statement said, adding that the phone conversation was initiated by the US side.
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Palaniswami will meet same fate of Bihar CM, says Stalin
Madurai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday claimed that AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami would meet the same fate as Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, at the hands of the BJP.
Only till 2026 TN Assembly polls, Palaniswami will be AIADMK chief, and later the BJP would "ease him out of office," Stalin alleged and slammed Palaniswami as an epitome of "betrayal".
"The BJP will dislodge Palaniswami from the top AIADMK post of general secretary, and bring a leader of its choice to that position," he said after welcoming scores of O Panneerselvam's supporters into the DMK in a rally organised in Madurai.
The expelled AIADMK leader had joined the DMK along with his former MP son O Ravindranath, in the presence of Stalin on February 27 in Chennai.
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