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Reuters Sports Schedule at 0600 GMT on Thursday, March 30

Reuters sports schedule at 0600 GMT on Thursday: SOCCER Premier League We will have all the latest news ahead of this weekend's Premier League fixtures which include Liverpool against Everton and Arsenal versus Manchester City. (SOCCER-ENGLAND-TEAM/, expect throughout) La Liga Real Madrid cling to top spot with Barca ready to pounce BARCELONA - La Liga leaders Real Madrid on Sunday host Alaves, who have taken points off Barcelona and Atletico this campaign, with Barcelona visiting struggling Granada and ready to pounce on any wobble. (SOCCER-SPAIN/ (PREVIEW), expect by 1100 GMT/7 AM ET, by Richard Martin, 400 words) Real Madrid announce new sponsor MADRID - Real Madrid president Florentino Perez holds a news conference to announce an agreement with Telefonica as the club's new sponsor. (SOCCER-SPAIN-REA-SPONSOR/ (TV/PIX), expect by 1200 GMT/8 AM ET, by Richard Martin, 400 words) FIGURE SKATING Hat-trick chasing Fernandez aims to hold off rivals HELSINKI - Double world champion Javier Fernandez will be looking to hold off the challenges of Yuzuru Hanyu, Nathan Chen and Patrick Chan when the men's competition gets underway with the short programme. In the evening, the first gold medal of the championships will be decided following the pairs free skate. (FIGURESKATING-WORLD/(PIX), expect by 1600 GMT/12 PM ET, by Pritha Sarkar, 600 words) GOLF PGA Tour: Shell Houston Open (to 2) Rahm set for final Masters tune-up Red-hot Spanish rookie Jon Rahm will be among those in a strong field at the Golf Club of Houston in Humble, Texas, where former champion Phil Mickelson, world number five Henrik Stenson, Jordan Spieth and Adam Scott are among those battling in the final tune-up ahead of next week's Masters. (GOLF-HOUSTON/, expect by 0000 GMT/8 PM ET, 400 words) LPGA: ANA Inspiration, Rancho Mirage (to 2) Ko looks to rediscover form at Rancho Mirage Defending champion and world number one Lydia Ko, who missed only her second cut of her professional career last week, will try to regain her form at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, when she tees off in the opening round of the women's first major of the year. (GOLF-WOMEN-INSPIRATION/, expect by 0230 GMT/10:30 PM ET, by Larry Fine, 400 words) TENNIS ATP/WTA: Miami Open (to 2) Pliskova battles Wozniacki in semi-final action Czech second seed Karolina Pliskova faces 12th-seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki in one of the day's two semi-final matches. (TENNIS-MIAMI/WOMEN (TV), expect by first story by 0000 GMT/8 PM ET, 400 words) Federer eyes spot in Miami semis Fourth seed Swiss Roger Federer takes on Czech 10th seed Tomas Berdych with a berth in the semi-finals at stake while Australian 12th seed Nick Kyrgios faces German Alexander Zverev, the 16th seed, in the day's other quarter-final at the Miami Open. (TENNIS-MIAMI/MEN (TV), expect by first story by 0000 GMT/8 PM ET, 400 words) NBA Cavs try to return to winning ways The ailing Cleveland Cavaliers, who recently fell out of first place in the Eastern Conference, host the Chicago Bulls while the Houston Rockets visit the Portland Trail Blazers in two of the five games on the National Basketball Association schedule. (BASKETBALL-NBA-HIGHLIGHTS/, expect by 0530 GMT/1:30 AM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 800 words) NHL Streaking Ducks visit Jets; Bruins host Stars The Anaheim Ducks, in a late-season battle for top spot in the Pacific division, seek their sixth consecutive victory when they visit the Winnipeg Jets while the Boston Bruins, clinging to the final wild card playoff spot in the East, host the Dallas Stars in two of the nine games on the National Hockey League schedule. (ICEHOCKEY-NHL-HIGHLIGHTS/, expect by 0530 GMT/1:30 AM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 800 words) NHL to play exhibition games in China BEIJING - The National Hockey League (NHL) will stage two annual pre-season games in China from this year as it looks to build interest in the country that will host the 2022 Winter Olympics, even as its participation in next year's Games remains in doubt. (ICEHOCKEY-NHL/CHINA moved, 400 words) NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (expect by 0000 GMT/8 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 500 words) SPORT BUSINESS SportsPro Sport Business conference LONDON - The second and final day of the SportsPro Live conference at Wembley Stadium opens with International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive David Richardson discussing how cricket goes beyond traditional boundaries. (SPORT-BUSINESS/) Coverage on merit (Asia desk editor: John O'Brien +65 6870 3971)