ATF price cut by steep 7 pc, commercial LPG rate up Rs 111 per cylinder
New Delhi (PTI): Price of aviation turbine fuel (ATF), or jet fuel, was reduced by 7.3 per cent on Thursday, while commercial LPG rate was raised by Rs 111 per cylinder, as state-owned oil marketing companies implemented their monthly price revisions aligned with global fuel benchmarks.
ATF price in Delhi was cut by Rs 7,353.75 per kilolitre, or 7.3 per cent, to Rs 92,323.02 per kl, according to state-owned fuel retailers.
The reduction comes after three rounds of monthly price hikes. The rate was last raised by Rs 5,133.75 per kl, or 5.4 per cent, on December 1. Prior to that prices had risen by about 1 per cent on November 1 and by 3.3 per cent on October 1.
The cut announced Thursday neutralises more than two-thirds of the price increase that happened since October 1.
The latest reduction is expected to ease pressure on airlines, for which fuel accounts for nearly 40 per cent of operating costs.
No immediate comments could be obtained from the airlines on the impact of the price change.
In Mumbai, ATF price was revised to Rs 86,352.19 per kl, while prices in Chennai and Kolkata were cut to Rs 95,770 and Rs 95,378.02 per kl, respectively.
Fuel prices vary across cities due to local taxes.
Alongside, the price of a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder used by hotels and restaurants was hiked by a steep Rs 111 to Rs 1,691.50 in Delhi.
The price increase comes on the back of two rounds of monthly reduction. Prices were last cut by Rs 15.50 per 19-kg cylinder on December 1. Prior to that the rate was reduced by Rs 5 per cylinder.
Commercial LPG prices are now at their highest level since June last year.
Prices of domestic LPG, used in household kitchens for cooking, remained unchanged at Rs 853 per 14.2-kg cylinder, following a Rs 50 hike in April 2025.
Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum revise ATF and LPG prices on the first day of every month based on international benchmarks and the exchange rate.
While oil prices have moderated over the last one month, winter heating requirement have pushed up LPG rates in global markets.
Petrol and diesel prices continue to remain frozen after a Rs 2 per-litre reduction in March last year; petrol currently costs Rs 94.72 per litre in Delhi and diesel Rs 87.62.
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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.
