In a national broadcast on Friday, Díaz-Canel said that not having fuel enter Cuba for the past three months has led to the gradual decline of diesel and fuel oil reserves. Given this, the country’s electrical grid has become increasingly “unstable”, he said.
Leading Indian airlines have begun hiking the fuel surcharges on domestic and international flights as the ongoing conflict between Iran and the US-Israel bloc sends aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices spiraling. IndiGo made the latest such move on Friday.
The global prices of ATF, which typically accounts for 40% of an airline’s operating expenses, has seen a “sharp surge” since early March 2026 due to regional supply interruptions.
IndiGo: India’s largest carrier said it will begin levying a sector-based fuel charge on all domestic and international tickets starting March 14, 2026. The airline noted that while fully offsetting the ATF surge would require a “substantial adjustment” to base fares, it has opted for a smaller charge to benefit flyers. The sector-wise charges are:
Air India group: Air India and AI Express announced a phased rollout of surcharges that began on March 12, 2026. The group warned that without these adjustments some flights would become economically unviable.
Others: Budget carrier SpiceJet warned that airlines have little choice but to impose surcharges if oil remains high. Founder Ajay Singh has urged the government to reduce excise duties and VAT on jet fuel, noting that prices even at $90 per barrel are becoming unsustainable. AirAsia, another low-cost carrier, confirmed it has raised fares and adjusted fuel surcharges, though it has not yet specified the exact sector-wise hikes.
This domestic price jump reflects a volatile global market. Jet fuel prices have roughly doubled since the conflict began on February 28.
Beyond fuel costs, the industry is grappling with major flight disruptions.
Many carriers are avoiding the West Asian and adjacent airspace due to security concerns, leading to longer, more expensive alternative routes. Aviation analytics firm Cirium reported that more than 43,000 flights to and from the Middle East were cancelled between February 28 and March 10.
Among international carriers, Cathay Pacific plans to double its passenger fuel surcharges on long-haul flights to HK$1,164 starting March 18; Hong Kong Airlines is raising surcharges by up to 35.2%; Finnair has cancelled all flights to Doha and Dubai through the end of March and is incorporating fuel costs directly into base ticket prices; Air New Zealand has suspended its earnings forecast and warned of further fare and route adjustments; while Qantas, SAS Scandinavian Airlines, and Thai Airways have also confirmed fare increases or temporary surcharges to mitigate the impact.
Sunrisers Leeds’ account on X was restored just hours after it was briefly suspended amid a wave of reactions that followed the franchise’s decision to sign Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed. The development had drawn sharp responses from a section of Indian fans on the platform. Sunrisers Leeds are owned by the same Indian group that runs Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, which added to the attention around the move.
Sun TV, the Indian media conglomerate behind the IPL side, completed its takeover of the Leeds franchise in The Hundred last year. The deal involved purchasing a 49 per cent stake from the England and Wales Cricket Board and the remaining 51 per cent from Yorkshire, giving the group full control of the team, previously known as Northern Superchargers.
Franchise CEO Kavya Maran was present at the Hundred auction alongside head coach Daniel Vettori, where Sunrisers Leeds beat Trent Rockets to secure Abrar Ahmed for 190,000 pounds in a bid to bolster their spin options.
Sunrisers Leeds coach Daniel Vettori said the decision to sign Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed came after he sought feedback from Australian players who had faced him earlier in the year. Their inputs impressed the former New Zealand captain and led the franchise to seriously consider bringing Abrar into the squad. Vettori also made it clear that there were no internal discussions about avoiding Pakistani players before the auction, adding that the selection was purely based on cricketing requirements.
Also Read – Explained: Why Sunrisers Leeds’ purchase of Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed has created controversy
Hours after Abrar’s signing was announced, Sunrisers Leeds’ official X account was briefly suspended. The platform did not provide a specific explanation for the action. When users tried to access the page, they were greeted with a message stating “Account suspended.” X typically takes such action when accounts are found to be in violation of its platform rules.
It was up and running again on Friday with a fresh follower base, but comments focused heavily on Abrar’s signing.
Usman Tariq was the only other Pakistani player to attract interest at the auction, with American-backed Birmingham Phoenix securing his services. His signing meant that Abrar Ahmed was not the lone representative from Pakistan in this year’s draft, though only a couple of franchises showed interest in players from the country.
Meanwhile, Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan and Saim Ayub didn’t find any takers at the auction as they remained unsold.
Music composer Santhosh Narayanan and rapper Arivu are feuding once again over the hit indie single Enjoy Enjaami, released five years ago. After a fan claimed that Santhosh and his stepdaughter, singer Dhee, ‘stole’ the song from Arivu, Santhosh responded, only for the rapper to claim non-payment and credit.
“A Tamil indie album that broke borders, went global and ruled the whole lockdown days,” wrote an X (formerly Twitter) user, posting a clip from the song Enjoy Enjaami. Another X user re-tweeted it, writing, “Dhee and her dad literally went ahead and stole this song from Arivu anna.”
Santhosh hit back at the claim and clarified what happened, writing, “Konjam rest edunga thambi (Take some rest, brother).” He claimed that the idea for the song was conceived by Dhee, as was a portion of the tunes. The storyline and concept were by director Manikandan, who worked with Santhosh on Kadaisi Vivasayi. Santhosh stated he composed, produced and created all the melodies in the song.
As for Arivu’s role in it all, he claimed, “Arivu wrote almost all the words and also performed. Some traditional Oppari lines were also adapted by Arivu.. I only suggested the word Enjaami like I always suggest for most of my songs like Rakitaa, Kanimaa etc. Thankfully we live in a digital domain and every claim can and should be proven.”
For the unversed, Dhee is Santhosh’s step-daughter and the daughter of Carnatic musician Meenakshi Iyer, to whom the music composer is married.
Arivu then took to X to point out that Enjoy Enjaami is based on his cultural history. He wrote, “The beat was sent to me. I wrote the lyrics, composed the main vocal melody and performed the song based on my own cultural history and lived experience. Music is collaborative. But credit and compensation must also be fair”
He also added, “The song was shot in my village, with stories from my land and my people. I shared that history believing it would reach the masses. But I was placed only as a “featuring artist” — despite writing the full song and composing the main melody. Back then I did not understand what that meant.”
The rapper also claimed that, now, his collaborators hold all rights and receive royalties, while he received neither payment nor ownership for his work. “This is not about sympathy. It is about credit, rights and dignity of labour. Independent artists: protect your work. Have agreements. Know your rights. – Arivu, Valliamma Perandi (Valliamma’s grandson),” he wrote.
However, Santhosh was quick to hit back at these claims too and slammed Arivu, writing, “You can have your own opinions man. Pretty much every single one of your technical/ownership/legal claims are dishonest and delusional as always. Are you open to debate this in any medium/channel of your choice with all the proofs of your claims ?? As your esteemed self has blocked me everywhere else, you can reply here and I shall be available anytime”
When Arivu claimed that he tried multiple times to resolve the issue privately and that it isn’t a social media debate, the composer replied, “Yes this should never been a social media talking point until you made it one with brazen lies. Again a beautiful fabrication of deceit when you say you tried to resolve this. You never responded once during all those trying times when I had to stay silent. Also you came home once last year to invite me for your marriage (I was abroad and my staff told me later). This was after you had blocked me and made a song about it. Anba dhan pesuven (I will talk only with love) I promise let’s debate this man.”
When a fan asked Arivu to ‘create one more hit’ Santhosh defended the rapper saying it was unfair to ask him to prove himself. But he also added, “Having said that it is very sad that the guy jumped on a stupid political bandwagon after the song started to get extremely popular, which we did never expected in the first place.” Enjoy Enjaami has over 521 million views on YouTube alone.
Fatima Sana Shaikh, who made her breakout debut alongside Aamir Khan in the blockbuster film Dangal, has often spoken openly about living with the neurological condition Epilepsy. In a recent conversation with Soha Ali Khan, the actress recalled experiencing seizures during the film’s shoot and how the team rushed to understand and manage the sudden medical emergency.
During a podcast with Soha Ali Khan, she recalled, “It came, and I was like, ‘Nahi, nahi, kuchh nahi, ho jaayega’. And then badhta gaya, badhta gaya. Jo bhi mere aas-paas tha, maine bola mujhe seizure aane waala hai. Kisi ko pata hi nahi kya hai. Mujhe bhi nahi pata kya hai. And luckily Aamir (Khan) tha aur Sanya Malhotra thi, Kripa Shankar Bishnoi jo humein train kar rahe the, woh the… and fatafat Google kiya, unko answers mile, un logon ne side pe rakha, jo bhi hua. And then eventually, I think as a production house, they took it upon themselves to figure out what this is because a lot was riding on me, the whole film.”
Furthermore, Fatima revealed, “They took me to a doctor, they did all the MRIs, they did EEG, sab kuch. They took me to a certain doctor, a neurologist in Bombay at that time. He put me on medication. It was a medication that was just too much for me. Aisa lagta tha that I`m under the influence. So I couldn`t walk straight, everything was wonky. I was feeling very depressive and angry. I was all the time very angry and sad. I felt very alienated.”
Her Gustaakh Ishq co-star Vijay Varma recently recalled witnessing her seizure on set, saying he felt “helpless” despite her having briefed the team with “guidelines” beforehand. He told Mashable India, “I felt so vulnerable. We cleared a bed, made her lie down, and gave her space.”
Fatima was last seen in Gustaakh Ishq alongside Vijay Varma. The film, directed by Vibhu Puri, also starred Naseeruddin Shah and Sharib Hashmi in pivotal roles. Apart from this, she is set to star in the courtroom drama web series Nyaya alongside Aneet Padda and Arjun Mathur, directed by Nitya Mehra.
In a huge blow, all-rounder Harshit Rana has been ruled out of the upcoming Indian Premier League edition. Rana injured his knee during a warm-up fixture against South Africa in Navi Mumbai ahead of the T20 World Cup and has missed action since then. The 24-year-old underwent surgery in Mumbai on February 9 but will not recover in time to play for KKR in the cash-rich league.Rana played a crucial role in KKR’s 2024 title-winning campaign, returning with 19 wickets, which helped him become a regular feature for India across formats. He was retained by the franchise for Rs 4 crore ahead of the 2025 season, and he picked up 15 wickets in the 13 games he played. It is understood that KKR are yet to decide on a replacement for the all-rounder, and expects players like Akash Deep, Vaibhav Arora, Umran Malik and Kartik Tyagi to make the most of the opportunities which come their way. “Harshit Rana unfortunately will not be available but it gives the opportunity to other bowlers in the squad – Vaibhav, Umran, Kartik and Akash – to step up and grab the opportunity. No replacement has been decided yet,” a source tracking developments told TimesofIndia.com.There is also no clarity on Matheesha Pathirana’s participation, as he injured himself during the T20 World Cup and is currently recovering. Earlier on Friday, the franchise signed Zimbabwe fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani.The 6 ft 8 in right-arm pacer has developed into one of Zimbabwe’s leading bowlers in the shortest format, known for generating steep bounce and taking wickets during crucial phases of an innings.Muzarabani brings considerable experience in T20 cricket, having taken more than 90 wickets in over 80 T20 Internationals at an impressive average of around 21. His best bowling figures in the format stand at 3/8.Muzarabani is scheduled to arrive in Kolkata on March 17 to link up with the KKR squad and begin preparations for the 2026 campaign.
Actor-producer Aamir Khan attended the opening of the Red Lorry Film Festival in Mumbai, where a small gesture during the inaugural ceremony caught the attention of fans and attendees alike.
As the festival began, Aamir was invited on stage to light the ceremonial diya. Before stepping forward, the actor paused to remove his shoes, following the traditional ritual before lighting the lamp. The moment quickly drew attention, with many praising his respectful approach to the ceremony.
Dressed in a pink-and-blue shirt paired with beige trousers and brown shoes, Khan carefully lit the diya as part of the opening proceedings. Videos of the moment soon circulated on social media, where fans appreciated the actor’s gesture and flooded comment sections with red heart emojis.
The festival also featured filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker, who collaborated with Aamir on the Oscar-nominated film Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India. The event is set to mark the film’s 25th anniversary with a special celebration. Now in its third edition, the festival is being organised by BookMyShow and will run in Mumbai from March 13 to 15. The event will feature screenings of more than 120 films from around the world.
Among the key highlights are a Centrepiece Spotlight screening of Bayaan by Bikas Ranjan Mishra, with actor Huma Qureshi expected to attend. Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar will also present the documentary Turtle Walker alongside director Taira Malaney. Another special session will feature filmmaker Sriram Raghavan in conversation around his film Night Creatures.
According to festival organisers, the aim of the event is to celebrate cinema while creating opportunities for audiences to engage directly with filmmakers through discussions, masterclasses and special sessions. Several actors and filmmakers are expected to attend the festival, including Ali Fazal, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, Swapnil Joshi, Mukesh Chhabra, Bejoy Nambiar and Ram Gopal Varma.
Actor Aamir Khan has several projects lined up across acting and production. He recently starred in Sitaare Zameen Par, a sports comedy-drama that he also produced. Aamir is also backing the period drama Lahore 1947, directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and starring Sunny Deol, which is expected to release on 13 August 2026. He also produced the Vir Das-directed Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos, which released on 16 January this year and earned approximately ₹6.21 crore at the box office. Aamir is also producing the romantic drama Ek Din starring his son, Junaid Khan, alongside Sai Pallavi. The film is set to release on 1 May 2026.
The upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to kick off from March 28. So far, the schedule of only the first 20 matches has been released due to state elections.
Ahead of the IPL 2026, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is all set to begin their campaign by playing a clash against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on March 30th at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati.
Speaking about CSK, former Team India cricketer Irfan Pathan feels the team would be incomplete without the legendary MS Dhoni. He also stated that it would probably be the last time that fans may get to see Dhoni in the CSK`s colours.
“CSK is incomplete without MS Dhoni. This season might be the last time we see him in the yellow jersey, and it`s tough to imagine CSK and the IPL without him. This season, Dhoni will play an important role in bringing everyone together. I`m not sure how many games he will play. But his presence in the dressing room will help a lot,” he said.
He then said that Sanju Samson`s presence would benefit Chennai. The former cricketer also feels that the Chennai-based franchise will look to give Dhoni a perfect farewell by clinching their sixth title.
“Sanju will benefit because he will be part of the leadership group as well. Ruturaj Gaikwad is the leader. But as a group, two or three guys are being groomed for the future. That is where MS Dhoni comes in. I hope he makes a difference. Questions about his fitness, batting position, and whether he will play all games will still come up. The CSK team management will take it step by step. They will definitely look to give him a perfect farewell by lifting their sixth IPL trophy,” said Pathan.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, MS Dhoni, Sanju Samson, Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre, Kartik Sharma, Sarfaraz Khan, Urvil Patel, Anshul Kamboj, Jamie Overton, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Prashant Veer, Matthew Short, Aman Khan, Zak Foulkes, Shivam Dube, Khaleel Ahmed, Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Shreyas Gopal, Gurjapneet Singh, Akeal Hosein, Matt Henry, Rahul Chahar.
(With ANI Inputs)
Actor Priyanka Chopra and her husband-singer Nick Jonas, recently attended an intimate pre-Oscars dinner hosted by W Magazine and Dior in Beverly Hills, California. Several pictures from the event, which took place just days ahead of the Academy Awards, emerged on social media platforms.
The event was also attended by Emma Watson, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Macaulay Culkin, among others. Priyanka posed with Emma and Tracee Ellis Ross for pictures. A particular photo caught fans’ eyes in which Emma looked lovingly at Priyanka as she spoke and laughed with Tracee.
Reacting to the photo, a fan said, “Find someone who looks at you the way Emma Watson is looking at Priyanka Chopra. Literally my Indian Potterhead dreams coming true.” A person wrote, “Emma Watson is in awe of Priyanka Chopra. It’s so obvious!” A tweet read, “Priyanka Chopra looks younger than Emma Watson. Indian genes.” “Emma idolises Priyanka. How adorably she is looking at her,” an X user tweeted.
Another photo showed Priyanka and Nick Jonas posing for the camera with Macaulay. For the event, Priyanka wore a white dress. Nick opted for a white shirt under a beige blazer and black pants. The duo also gave different poses for the paparazzi stationed at the event. Emma was seen in a black-and-white outfit.
Priyanka was last seen in The Bluff, which has been streaming on Prime Video since February 25. The ensemble cast includes Safia Oakley-Green, Temuera Morrison, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Zack Morris and David Field, among others. The Bluff is set in the Cayman Islands.
Set against a gritty, high-octane backdrop, the film features intense sword-and-gun action, with Priyanka taking on the consequences opposite Karl Urban. Directed by Frank E Flowers, the film is produced by siblings Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, and Angela Russo-Otstot under the banner AGBO.
Priyanka will next be seen in the SS Rajamouli-directed Varanasi. The film, which marks her Telugu debut, will also star Mahesh Babu, Prithviraj Sukumaran and others. The film will release on 7 April 2027. In the movie, Priyanka will essay the role of Mandakini. Fans will also see Priyanka in the second season of the web series Citadel.
Ghana international Thomas Partey faced initial charges of rape just days after leaving Arsenal last summer.
Published On 13 Mar 2026
Former Arsenal player Thomas Partey intends to plead not guilty to two new charges of rape, his lawyer told a London court on Friday.
The 32-year-old Ghana midfielder, who now plays for Spanish club Villarreal, is separately awaiting trial on five counts of rape related to two women and one count of sexual assault involving a third woman.
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The new charges were brought after a different woman alleged Partey twice raped her on the same day in December 2020. According to a court hearing on Friday, the new allegations arose after the first set of charges were publicised.
Partey was not required to attend Friday’s preliminary session at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. His lawyer, Emma Fenn, indicated he intends to plead not guilty to both charges. The next court date for the case is April 10.
Partey pleaded not guilty to the first set of charges and faces trial in November at Southwark Crown Court. Those alleged offences were between 2021 and 2022, prosecutors have said.
The midfielder had joined Arsenal in 2020 from Atletico Madrid.
He was initially charged last July, just days after his Arsenal contract expired. Villarreal signed him in August, two days after he was granted bail.
Ghana has qualified for the World Cup and is in the same group as England, Croatia and Panama.
Partey played in three World Cup qualifying games in September and October. He has made more than 50 appearances for Ghana.
