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FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Saudi Pro League - Al Fayha v Al Nassr - Al-Majma'ah Sports City Stadium, Al Majma'ah, Saudi Arabia - February 28, 2026 Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo during the warm up
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Military personnel work on a USAF B1-B bomber after it landed at RAF Fairford airbase, which also hosts United States Air Force personnel, in Fairford, Britain, yesterday. (Reuters) US President Donald Trump plans to meet executives from the biggest US defence contractors on Friday, the White House said, as the Pentagon works to replenish supplies drawn down by US strikes on Iran and other recent military operations.The meeting underscores the Trump administration’s drive to shore up weapons stocks after the Iran operation drew on munitions. Companies including Lockheed Martin and Raytheon parent RTX, along with key suppliers, have been invited to attend the meeting, sources familiar with the plan said, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the plan is private. Pentagon negotiators have not been able to reach terms with large defence contractors as quickly as they would like, a US official told Reuters earlier this week. Lockheed did not respond to a request for comment. RTX declined to comment on the meeting. The administration has been steadily ratcheting up pressure on defence contractors to prioritise production over shareholder payouts. Trump signed an executive order in January to identify contractors deemed to be underperforming on contracts while distributing profits to shareholders. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and Israel’s military operations in Gaza, the US has drawn down billions of dollars’ worth of weapons stockpiles, including artillery systems, ammunition and anti-tank missiles. In a sign of the preparations underway ahead of Friday’s gathering, Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg held a call with select defence contractors on Wednesday evening, a previously unreported development, people familiar with the matter told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment. At the centre of the talks are deals with large contractors like Lockheed Martin, two government sources and one industry executive said. In January the company reached a seven-year agreement with the Pentagon to increase annual production capacity for its PAC-3 missile interceptors to 2,000 units a year from about 600 previously. The company has announced it expects to quadruple production of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, missile interceptors to 400 per year from 96. Demand for air defence systems such as the PAC-3 has surged among the US and its allies amid heightened geopolitical tensions and the conflict in Iran. The White House meeting also may coincide with the release of a supplemental budget request of around $50bn, which Reuters was first to report on Tuesday. The new money would pay for replacing weapons used in recent conflicts including those in the Middle East. The figure is preliminary and could change depending on the length of the operation. The supplemental request would come on top of an additional $150bn in defence spending included in Republicans’ sweeping “one big beautiful bill.”
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MORE THAN 100,000 SPECTATORS EXPECTED TO WATCH THE FINAL IN AHMEDABAD TOMORROW India’s bid to become the first team to retain the Twenty20 World Cup will collide with New Zealand’s quest for a maiden global white-ball crown when the finalists step on to the field at the world’s largest cricket stadium tomorrow. The 20-team tournament will end in an Ahmedabad amphitheatre where more than 100,000 fans will expect a gladiatorial slugfest and most will hope for a home triumph. The stands will transform into a sea of blue for Suryakumar Yadav’s men but India do not have particularly sweet memories of their rivals or the venue in recent global finals. Personnel have since changed but in New Zealand, India face opponents who got the better of them in the World Test Championship final in 2021 in England. Two years later, Australia stunned the cavernous Narendra Modi Stadium when they humbled India, previously unbeaten in the tournament, in the 50-over World Cup final. Still, it is a testament to India’s consistency that reaching finals has become almost habitual.This home campaign has not been flawless, but they are where it matters - one win from becoming the first host nation to lift a T20 World Cup. As the world’s top-ranked T20 side, they have the means to do it.Sanju Samson has reinvigorated the top order with back-to-back match-winning knocks to fire the hosts into the final. His elevation has added a valuable left-right variety at the top, and India have shown tactical flexibility to rejig their batting order whenever needed.With the ball, Jasprit Bumrah has led superbly, earning plaudits for strangling batters in the game’s most unforgiving format for bowlers. Seam-bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been on point too, though the leakage of no-balls and wides from Arshdeep Singh and Shivam Dube - especially at the death - remains a concern. Frontline spinner Varun Chakravarthy has not been at his best but Axar Patel’s steady returns as a spin-bowling all-rounder have been a major plus.“There will be nerves, but then the boys and the whole support staff will be excited as well,” Suryakumar said after beating England. New Zealand’s path to the final was hardly serene either and they only reached the last four after Pakistan failed to win big against Sri Lanka. Then came a thunderclap - a nine-wicket demolition of previously unbeaten South Africa in the first semi-final that left fans and pundits rubbing their eyes in disbelief.Finn Allen, who smashed a record 33-ball hundred in that match, and Tim Seifert form arguably the most explosive opening pair in T20 cricket. Rachin Ravindra’s ability to tailor his batting to any situation and Glenn Phillips’ natural aggression make it a formidable batting lineup. Matt Henry leads a sharp pace attack and New Zealand also have plenty of variety in their spin department, which has been bolstered by the late introduction of off-spinner Cole McConchie.While there is no lack of skill and talent in their squad, New Zealand pride themselves on resilience. “It just shows that us as a team, we get up for the fight,” Allen said.“Those important fixtures, we really get up for them as a team. We’re prepared to fight tillthe end.”
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Barcelona swept to a domestic treble last season but fell agonisingly short in the Champions League, beaten in the semi-finals by Inter Milan, making it their clear priority this year. The dream of returning to the European throne for the first time since 2015 may lead Hansi Flick’s side to take their eyes off the ball in La Liga this weekend. The Spanish champions visit Athletic Bilbao today, going into the weekend with a four-point lead on rivals Real Madrid, who were visiting Celta Vigo late last night. With Alvaro Arbeloa’s side at a low ebb following Monday’s defeat against Getafe, Flick may choose to use the breathing room to gamble on heavy rotations before next week’s Champions League last 16 clash at Newcastle. The Catalan giants finished Tuesday’s Copa del Rey semi-final clash against Atletico Madrid drained, winning 3-0 but eliminated 4-3 on aggregate, adding to the pressure for Flick to give his stars a break.“Everyone was exhausted because they left everything on the pitch, they gave more than 100 percent,” said Flick. Barca changed their travel plans on Wednesday to head directly to England from Bilbao, rather than returning home first. With Newcastle in the last 16, and then either Atletico or Tottenham Hotspur in a potential quarter-final, Barcelona can see a relatively kind route towards the final four. Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde suffered injuries against Atletico and join Frenkie de Jong on the sidelines, while Robert Lewandowski may have to play in a mask after suffering a fractured eye socket.Midfielder Pedri has only recently returned from injury but Flick pushed him to play the full 90 minutes against Atletico. “I think we needed Pedri on the pitch, this is why I ask him if he can continue and I’m really happy (he’s not hurt),” admitted Flick. “It was a risk to play 90 minutes. He said after the game ‘nothing happened, I’m okay’.”Lesser-utilised players like Marc Casado, Ronald Araujo and Roony Bardghji could be handed starts, along with on-loan Manchester United winger Marcus Rashford. The England international has impressed at times this season but since Raphinha returned from injury, has fallen out of favour. One player Flick has a hard time rotating is teenager winger Lamine Yamal, who is hungry to play every minute he can. During a recent 3-0 win over Levante, the 18-year-old showed his frustration at being taken off with just a few minutes remaining and the points in the bag. Former Barca coach Ernesto Valverde’s Athletic Bilbao have had a difficult season and sit ninth in La Liga, 16 points off fourth place. However the Basque side are usually extra-motivated by the visit of one of Spain’s biggest two sides to San Mames and with Barca’s Champions League ambitions evident, can smell blood. They will be looking to make amends to their fans after a derby defeat by rivals Real Sociedad on Wednesday in the Copa del Rey semi-finals.FixturesToday: Osasuna v Mallorca (1300), Levante v Girona (1515), Atletico Madrid v Real Sociedad (1730), Athletic Bilbao v Barcelona (2000)Tomorrow: Villarreal v Elche (1300), Getafe v Real Betis (1515), Sevilla v Rayo Vallecano (1730), Valencia v Alaves (2000)Monday: Espanyol v Real Oviedo (2000)
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The Ministry of Economy and Tourism said that, in light of ongoing regional developments, the tourism sector in the UAE continues to operate in accordance with directives issued by the relevant authorities, with close and
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Sherrone Moore Strikes Deal Pleads No Contest To Two Misdemeanors Published March 6, 2026 12:07 PM PST Play video content FOX 2 Detroit Disgraced former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore just caught a huge break
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The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) predicted that today’s weather, Saturday, will be partly cloudy to cloudy at times, especially over the western and coastal areas, with a slight and gradual rise in temperatures. NCM
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Aid agency the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said on Friday that 300,000 people in Lebanon had been forced to flee after Israel launched a wave of evacuation orders and airstrikes.Prime Minister Nawaf Salam warned on
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Kevin Federline On Britney Spears I Wish Her The Best, Hope She Gets Help Published March 6, 2026 11:24 AM PST Kevin Federline is wishing his ex-wife Britney Spears the best after her DUI arrest
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President Donald Trump said on Friday that only Iran's "unconditional surrender" would bring an end to the Middle East war, as Tehran was pummelled by some of the heaviest US-Israeli strikes of the week-long conflict.Trump
