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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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
