World Cup prize pool nears $900 million as FIFA boosts payouts

VANCOUVER, CANADA – APRIL 28: Gianni Infantino, FIFA President, presents Vittorio Montagliani, FIFA Vice-President and President of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), with a gift during FIFA Council Meeting No. 36 at Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel on April 28, 2026 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Verity Griffin – FIFA/FIFA…

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WTI, Brent, Saudi pipeline attack, Middle East war

A maze of crude oil pipes and valves is pictured during a tour by the Department of Energy at the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in Freeport, Texas. Richard Carson | Reuters Oil prices edged higher in choppy trading Friday as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz deepened, with the vital shipping lane still largely closed despite…

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Defense startups pursue deals with Gulf states amid Iran war

European defense tech startups are ramping up commercial discussions with Middle East governments since the Iran war, company execs told CNBC. Another CEO said interest from Gulf states was “skyrocketing” as they race to bolster measures to counter drone and missile attacks. Iran has targeted its neighbors since a joint U.S.-Israeli military operation began at…

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Zelenskyy courts Saudi support as U.S. reportedly weighs redirecting Ukraine aid to Middle East

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Munich, Germany on Feb. 15, 2025. Sean Gallup | Getty Images Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday kicked off a surprise visit to Saudi Arabia, seeking support for Kyiv as the U.S. reportedly weighs shifting military resources to the Middle East amid escalating tensions with Iran. Zelenskyy met with Saudi…

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