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.

Two military aircraft head to the Middle East to evacuate Poles

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On 5 March 2026, Polish Air Force aircraft departed from Poland for Oman as part of an evacuation operation. Operational Command of the Armed Forces said the aircraft took off shortly after 6:00 a.m. The flights are intended to support bringing Polish citizens back to Poland. Priority is to evacuate people requiring medical assistance. Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said on 4 March that consular services had identified 57 people to be transported under a medical flight, including 55 in the United Arab Emirates and two in Oman.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said those who are ill will be prioritised, and that other citizens may also be taken if seats remain available. No details were given on the route, timings or the number of seats on the aircraft. The timing of the evacuees’ arrival in Poland was not specified in the statements.

Nawrocki proposes “Polish SAFE 0%” as a no-interest option

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President Karol Nawrocki said on 4 March 2026 that he will decide on the SAFE programme after taking into account concerns raised in public debate. He said the obligations linked to SAFE would be repaid by future generations and added that, in his view, the programme is set to run until 2070. Nawrocki stressed the importance of access to modern military equipment and pointed to contracts with the United States and South Korea as part of building national resilience.

The president appeared at the conference together with NBP governor Adam Glapiński and presented the concept of a “Polish SAFE 0%” scheme. He said it is intended to be an alternative without interest. He said implementing the programme would require the president’s approval, an initiative and approval from the NBP governor, and the government’s involvement. Nawrocki said he would send a letter later the same day to the prime minister and the defence minister inviting them to a meeting on the “Polish SAFE”.

President Karol Nawrocki. Photo: Mateusz Pietras / public domain (Public Domain Mark)

US Senate votes on war powers resolution over Iran operations

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The US Senate began voting on 4 March 2026 on a bipartisan war powers resolution aimed at ending US military action against Iran without congressional approval. The measure would require explicit authorisation from Congress for any further action against Iran. One of the main sponsors is Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, who pointed to Congress’s constitutional role in decisions on war.

The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on a similar resolution on 5 March. House Speaker Mike Johnson said on 3 March there were enough votes for the measure to be defeated. Johnson made the comment after a closed briefing on the conflict attended by senior administration officials. Even if the resolution passes both chambers, it would need two-thirds majorities in the Senate and the House to survive an expected veto by President Donald Trump.

The votes are taking place as US military operations against Iran enter their fifth day, and US casualties have been reported.