Two blockbuster ownership deals and a wave of operational changes have dominated the run-up to IPL 2026, which begins on March 28. A consortium led by Aditya Birla Group with Times of India, Bolt Ventures and Blackstone has signed a definitive agreement to buy Royal Challengers Bengaluru for about USD 1.78 billion, subject to BCCI and regulatory approvals; the transaction would take effect after the season. Separately, a Kal Somani-led consortium — reportedly backed by Walmart heir Rob Walton and other US investors — agreed to acquire Rajasthan Royals for roughly USD 1.63 billion. Both sales reflect sharply higher franchise valuations driven by lucrative media rights and global investor interest. Off the field, RCB and local authorities have announced tributes and strengthened stadium safety measures at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium after last year’s fatal stampede: 11 seats will be permanently reserved, a memorial plaque installed, AI-led CCTV and crowd-management upgrades funded (about Rs 7 crore reported), QR-only tickets, free metro travel for ticket-holders, and detailed traffic and parking restrictions for match days. The BCCI has also circulated updated playing conditions, including revised ball-change rules, and teams are managing late player withdrawals and leadership changes ahead of the opener.

Miley Cyrus marked the 20th anniversary of Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana with a one-hour Disney+ special that premiered March 24, 2026, following a Los Angeles red‑carpet screening at the El Capitan Theatre on March 23. Filmed in front of a live audience on a reconstructed Hannah Montana set, the program combined archival footage, a sit‑down interview with podcast host Alex Cooper, and several musical numbers — including performances of “Best of Both Worlds,” “This Is the Life,” “The Climb” and a new song, “Younger You.” Guest appearances included Selena Gomez, Chappell Roan and Cyrus’s father Billy Ray Cyrus; some original cast members were absent from the special itself but attended the premiere. Disney invited superfans to a concert taping in February and the anniversary event also featured fashion and merchandising tie‑ins tied to the Hannah brand. The special is streaming on Disney+ and Hulu, and was accompanied by extensive media and fashion coverage that highlighted Cyrus’s stylistic nods to her Hannah era.

A Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules transport plane operated by the Colombian military crashed shortly after takeoff from Puerto Leguízamo in Putumayo province on March 23-24, 2026, killing at least 66 people and injuring dozens. Authorities said the aircraft was carrying around 128 people — mostly Army personnel, along with Air Force crew and two police officers — with four still unaccounted for. Video from the remote jungle site showed the aircraft losing height, striking trees and bursting into flames; munitions carried in the hold reportedly detonated, complicating rescue efforts. Local residents were first on scene and helped evacuate survivors to the town’s limited clinics before military aircraft airlifted the wounded to larger hospitals, including in Bogotá. Defence officials said there were no immediate signs of hostile action and opened an investigation into the cause. President Gustavo Petro criticised the use of secondhand/donated aircraft and called for accelerated military modernisation; Colombia’s armed forces said the plane had undergone overhaul work in recent years and Lockheed Martin offered assistance in the probe.

Late on the night of March 22, 2026, an Air Canada Express regional jet (Flight 8646), a Bombardier CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation, struck a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle while landing on Runway 4 at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. The collision, at about 11:40 p.m. ET, killed the plane’s pilot and co‑pilot and injured dozens. Port Authority officials said 41 people were taken to hospitals, 32 were later released and nine remained in serious condition. Audio from air traffic control indicates the fire truck had been cleared to cross the runway — responding to a separate United Airlines report of an odor onboard — and that a controller then urgently ordered the vehicle to stop seconds before impact. Flightradar24 data placed groundspeed at roughly 24 mph (39 kph) at the moment of collision. The National Transportation Safety Board has launched a full investigation with FAA support; the Port Authority and Jazz Aviation are cooperating. LaGuardia was closed and subject to a ground stop until at least 2 p.m. Monday, triggering hundreds of cancellations and widespread travel disruption across the Northeast U.S.

Tiger Woods will make his first competitive appearance in more than a year when he plays for Jupiter Links in Match 2 of the TGL SoFi Cup finals on Tuesday night in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The 50-year-old, who has been recovering from a lumbar disc replacement in October 2025 and a ruptured left Achilles last spring, moved into the lineup after Jupiter lost the opening match 6-5 to Los Angeles Golf Club. TGL, the indoor simulator-based league he co-founded, announced the change after the match and Jupiter posted Woods' two-word message “I’m back” on social media. Woods has not played on the PGA Tour since missing the cut at the 2024 Open and is listed as an invitee for The Masters, which begins on April 9, but has not formally committed to Augusta. Jupiter must win Tuesday to force an immediate deciding match; it is unclear whether Woods would play a potential Match 3.

Dayton James Webber, 27, a professional cornhole player and quadruple amputee, was arrested in Virginia and faces first- and second-degree murder charges after authorities say a front-seat passenger, 27-year-old Bradrick Michael Wells, was shot dead during an argument on March 22 in La Plata, Maryland. Two back-seat passengers flagged down police and told investigators they had witnessed the shooting; they declined to help remove the victim when Webber allegedly asked. The victim’s body was found about two hours later in a yard in nearby Charlotte Hall. Detectives obtained a warrant, traced Webber’s vehicle to Charlottesville and took him into custody at a hospital where he was seeking treatment. Webber — who rose to prominence as the first quadruple amputee to compete professionally in the American Cornhole League and was profiled by ESPN — has posted videos online showing adapted techniques for handling firearms, which have been cited by authorities while investigations continue. The Charles County Sheriff’s Office says the probe remains active and Webber is awaiting extradition to Maryland.