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Majchrzak to face Djokovic at Indian Wells

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Kamil Majchrzak has advanced to the second round at Indian Wells and will play Novak Djokovic. Majchrzak will be the fourth Polish player to face Djokovic in an official singles match. Djokovic’s record against Polish players stands at 13–0. Łukasz Kubot played him four times between 2009 and 2011, including the 2009 Belgrade final and a fourth-round match at the 2010 Australian Open. Jerzy Janowicz faced Djokovic in the first round of the 2016 US Open and won one set in that match. Hubert Hurkacz played Djokovic eight times between 2019 and 2025 and did not record a win. In the fourth round of Wimbledon in 2023, Djokovic beat Hurkacz 7:6(8–6), 7:6(8–6), 5:7, 6:4. Djokovic has won five Indian Wells titles, in 2008, 2011 and from 2014 to 2016.

Novak Djokovic. Photo: James Boyes (CC BY 2.0)

First group of 109 evacuated Poles returns to Poland

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The first group of Polish citizens evacuated from the Middle East region by military air transport has arrived in Poland, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. After 3:00 a.m., two Polish Air Force aircraft carrying 109 evacuees landed at Warsaw Chopin Airport. The ministry said the evacuees set off the previous day at 5:40 a.m. They travelled by coach from Dubai to Muscat in Oman, from where they returned to Poland as part of a medical transport operation. Foreign ministry spokesman Maciej Wewiór said the evacuation prioritised people requiring urgent assistance, including older people, people with infants, wheelchair users and people with serious illnesses.

The Operational Command of the Armed Forces said the operation was carried out in cooperation, among others, with the National Security Bureau, the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, the Foreign Ministry and the Defence Ministry. The command also said the Polish Armed Forces remain ready to carry out further tasks related to evacuation. Sports and Tourism Minister Jakub Rutnicki said that on Friday the first flights for Poles in Sri Lanka and the Maldives are expected to be available, with information to be published on the LOT Polish Airlines website. Deputy Sports and Tourism Minister Piotr Borys said LOT is offering returns “at cost” and noted that tickets can also be purchased via the sales offices indicated by the carrier.

US military destroys missile launchers hidden in lorries

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The US military said it had destroyed several Iranian ballistic missile launchers hidden in lorries. US Central Command published footage showing the effects of the strike. According to the information provided, the vehicles were meant to look like ordinary lorries but in fact served as mobile launchers. It was said that Iran used such vehicles to fire missiles towards neighbouring countries. According to the statement, US forces identified the vehicles, tracked their route and then destroyed them using precision weapons.

US officials said operations targeting Iran’s missile capabilities are continuing. In the same statement, it was said that ballistic missile launchers on Iranian territory are also being destroyed by the Israeli air force. The US side said that over the past four days the number of drone launches has fallen by 73% and the number of ballistic missile launches by 86%.

Poles at Indian Wells: match times and TV coverage

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Kamil Majchrzak will play Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard on 5 March at 20:00 Polish time in the first round in Indian Wells. Magda Linette is scheduled to start her match against Ashlyn Krueger on 5 March at 20:00 Polish time. Hubert Hurkacz is due to play Aleksandar Kovacevic on 5 March not before 22:00 Polish time. Magdalena Fręch is due to start her match against Storm Hunter on 5 March not before 23:00 Polish time.

Broadcast coverage of the ATP tournament in Indian Wells is available on Polsat Sport 1, Polsat Sport 2 and Polsat Sport 3, and on the Polsat Box Go streaming service. Matches from the WTA tournament in Indian Wells are broadcast on CANAL+ Premium, CANAL+ Sport and CANAL+ Sport 2, and on the CANAL+ online service.

Start times listed as “not before” depend on the length of earlier matches on the same court. The order of play can be changed by the organiser during the match day. https://bnpparibasopen.com/

China to unveil 2026–2030 technology plan

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China is expected to present the outlines of the next stage of its technology strategy this week during the annual session of the National People’s Congress. The announcements relate to publishing the direction of the 15th five-year plan for 2026–2030. The priorities are expected to include artificial intelligence, humanoid robotics and space technologies. The plan is expected to include measures to move demonstrations and prototypes into industrial-scale deployment and to increase capital investment. The agenda also includes integrating AI into industrial production, including initiatives described as “AI-plus manufacturing”.

The announcements come amid ongoing technology competition with Western countries and export restrictions affecting some technologies. In the background, a China–US leaders’ summit is expected in late March, where issues including supply chains and export controls are set to be discussed. Final numerical targets and specific financing instruments for the new programmes have not yet been provided. Details are expected to be presented through documents and speeches during the meetings in Beijing.

Starlink Mobile: coverage map includes Poland

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SpaceX announced on 3 March 2026 the launch of the Starlink Mobile service. The company published a coverage map on which Poland is marked as a market included in the planned rollout. SpaceX said the project is to use Direct-to-Cell satellites. The company announced it plans to build a constellation of up to 15,000 Direct-to-Cell satellites. In the project description, it was stated that there are currently around 650 Direct-to-Cell satellites in orbit providing basic connectivity in several countries.

SpaceX said the new-generation satellites are designated V2, while V3 had been used previously. The company said V2 units, once their solar panels are deployed, are comparable in size to a Boeing 737. SpaceX said V2 satellites are expected to offer up to 20 times greater throughput than current models. As the date for full-scale deployment of the technology in iPhone smartphones and Android devices, 2027 was indicated.

Photo: Joshua Conti / U.S. Space Force

Evuacuations and strikes: new facts from the Middle East

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine’s partners, including the United States, have asked Kyiv for help in defending against Iranian Shahed drones.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday that the United States will “bitterly regret” the precedent it created by sinking an Iranian frigate off the coast of Sri Lanka the previous day. It was reported that on Wednesday a US submarine struck the Iranian warship IRIS Dena, with about 180 crew members on board. According to the information provided, at least 87 people were killed, 32 were injured and 61 were reported missing as a result. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said at a Thursday press conference that it was the first sinking of an enemy vessel by a US submarine using a torpedo since the Second World War.

The Israeli army earlier called for the evacuation of Beirut’s southern district and then carried out strikes on targets in the area, citing links to Hezbollah.

Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a notice with the highest level of warning for parts of the region and advised against planning travel there.

Qatar Airways said on Thursday on X that from Thursday it is operating “limited evacuation flights” from Muscat in Oman and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia for travellers stranded in Gulf states.

Aluminium prices jump after Gulf supply disruption

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Aluminium prices on the London Metal Exchange rose by more than 5% on 4 March 2026 to $3,418 a tonne, the highest level since April 2022. Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) said it had halted shipments of the metal to some customers and declared force majeure on supply contracts. The company said the disruption relates to logistics and shipping in the Strait of Hormuz area, while the plant remains operational. Norsk Hydro said its joint venture in Qatar, Qatalum, is starting to shut down installations, and a full restart could take between six and 12 months.

The Middle East accounts for about 8% of global aluminium supply, and a significant share of exports and raw-material deliveries to smelters passes along routes linked to the Strait of Hormuz. Aluminium premiums in Europe also increased, with the Rotterdam premium reaching $436 a tonne, the highest level in about 3.5 years. In the US, the aluminium premium rose to a record $1.075 per pound.

Estimates indicate that more than 5 million tonnes of aluminium pass through the Strait of Hormuz each year, increasing the impact of disruption on the metal’s availability. Companies in the region said they are seeking alternative transport solutions to fulfil deliveries.

Alba aluminium smelter in Bahrain. Photo: Albasmelter (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Bechtel signs contract with Doraco for Polish nuclear project

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Bechtel has signed a contract with Gdańsk-based company Doraco for Poland’s first nuclear power plant. The agreement covers construction works and support services needed for the second and third stages of geological and geotechnical surveys. Doraco is to prepare site facilities and on-site infrastructure to enable the surveys to be carried out. The contract was announced on 4 March 2026 in Gdańsk during the “Atomowe Szanse” conference. The project’s investor is Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe.

The plant is planned in Pomerania, in the Choczewo commune, at the Lubiatowo–Kopalino site. The second stage of surveys is due to start in May and includes around 1,000 survey points. As part of the preparations, Doraco is to build, among other things, 13 drilling platforms, temporary access roads and supporting infrastructure.

RPP cuts NBP reference rate to 3.75%

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On 4 March 2026, the Monetary Policy Council cut the NBP reference rate by 0.25 percentage points to 3.75%. The resolution on the level of interest rates entered into force on 5 March 2026. According to preliminary data from Statistics Poland (GUS), CPI inflation in January 2026 fell to 2.2% year on year from 2.4% in December 2025. According to GUS’s flash estimate, Poland’s GDP growth was 4.0% year on year in the fourth quarter of 2025 versus 3.8% in the third quarter of 2025.

The post-meeting information said the annual GDP growth rate was supported by higher domestic demand, including consumption and investment, with a slightly negative contribution from net exports. In January 2026, retail sales increased year on year, while industrial output and construction and assembly output declined.

The MPC noted that the annual growth rate of wages in the enterprise sector in January was markedly lower than in the previous month. This was accompanied by a further decline in employment in the enterprise sector. The MPC said that further decisions will depend on incoming information on the outlook for inflation and economic activity.