By Reuters Staff
1 Min Read
LONDON, May 24 (Reuters) - Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a former oil tycoon who fell foul of Vladimir Putin’s Kremlin, said European countries should punish Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko for his act of air “piracy” by sanctioning oil and potash producers.
“Roman Protasevich must be freed and the dictator punished,” Khodorkovsky said in a statement to Reuters. “The dictator should be hit where it hurts the most: his wallet.”
“European countries should join U.S. sanctions against Belneftekhim and sanction Belaruskali,” Khodorkovsky said. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by William James)
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MUMBAI (Reuters) - Indian authorities have opened an investigation into the heads of two leading fertilizer importing companies, alleging they secured commissions from overseas suppliers for inflating the prices of crop nutrient purchases.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), India’s top crime fighting agency, said late on Wednesday it was investigating U.S. Awasthi, managing director of Indian Farmers Fertilizer Co-operative (IFFCO), and Pravinder Singh Gahlaut, the managing director of Indian Potash Ltd (IPL).
IFFCO is co-operating with the CBI, a company spokesman said. IPL did not respond to Reuters request for comment. Awasthi and Gahlaut did not respond to Reuters requests seeking comment.
The Indian government has told fertiliser producers they cannot make immediate price increases, a junior minister said on Friday after some companies raised prices this week.
Norwegian private-sector workers across a range of sectors reached a wage deal with employers on Sunday, averting major strike action, the country's largest labour union said.