ATF price cut 5.8 pc; commercial LPG rate hiked by Rs 101.5
New Delhi: Jet fuel or ATF price on Wednesday was cut by almost 6 per cent after four rounds of monthly increases since July, while commercial cooking gas (LPG) rates were raised by a steep Rs 101.5 per 19-kg cylinder in line with international benchmarks.
However, the price of domestic LPG - used in household kitchens for cooking purposes - remained unchanged at Rs 903 per 14.2-kg cylinder.
Aviation turbine fuel (ATF) price was cut by Rs 6,854.25, or 5.79 per cent, in the national capital to Rs 1,11,344.92 per kl from Rs 1,18,199.17, according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers.
The price cut comes on the back of four rounds of increases, the last on October 1, when rates were hiked by Rs 5,779.84 per kl or 5.1 per cent. Prior to that ATF prices had gone up by the steepest-ever 14.1 per cent (Rs 13,911.07 per kl) on September 1, and 8.5 per cent or Rs 7,728.38 per kl on August 1.
On July 1, the ATF price had gone up by 1.65 per cent or Rs 1,476.79 per kl. In four increases, ATF prices have gone up by a record Rs 29,391.08 per kl.
Wednesday's cut in prices of jet fuel, which makes up for 40 per cent of an airline's operating cost, will ease the burden on already financially strained airlines.
Alongside, oil firms raised the price of commercial LPG - used in various establishments such as hotels and restaurants - by Rs 101.50. A 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder will now cost Rs 1,833 in the national capital and Rs 1,785.50 in Mumbai.
This is the second straight monthly increase in rates. Prices were hiked by a steep Rs 209 per 19-kg cylinder on October 1.
Saudi contract price (CP), the benchmark used for pricing of LPG, has increased following a firming-up trend in crude oil prices witnessed in the last few weeks' oversupply concerns.
Oil companies, which had on August 30, cut domestic LPG rates by Rs 200 per 14.2-kg cylinder, did not change the price of 14.2-kg cylinders.
State-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) revise cooking gas and ATF prices on the 1st of every month, based on the average international price in the previous month.
Petrol and diesel prices continued to remain on freeze for a record 19th month in a row. Petrol costs Rs 96.72 per litre in the national capital, and diesel comes for Rs 89.62 per litre.
State-owned fuel retailers are supposed to revise petrol and diesel prices daily, based on a 15-day rolling average of benchmark international fuel prices, but they haven't done that since April 6, 2022.
Prices were last changed on May 22, when the government cut excise duty to give relief to consumers from a spike in retail rates that followed a surge in international oil prices.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
