2025

No changes in the top-5

At the end of this week, there were no changes in the ranking of the top-5 sectors.

(1) XLY – Consumer Discretionary(2) XLF – Financials(3) XLC – Communication Services(4) XLI – Industrials(5) XLE – Energy(6) XLK – Technology(7) XLU – Utilities(11) XLB – Materials(8) XLRE – Real Estate(9) XLP – Consumer Staples(10) XLV – Health Care

In the bottom of the ranking, a few changes are showing up.

Materials rose from #11 to #8. XLRE dropped from #8 to #9. And XLP and XLV both dropped one position to #10 and #11.

As a refresher, this ranking is done based on a combination of RRG metrics on both the daily and the weekly RRGs.

Based on the positions of XLE and XLK on the weekly RRG, it may seem strange that XLE is above XLK. However, looking at the daily RRG, it can be seen that XLE made a huge move into and through leading with a very high RS-ratio and RS-momentum reading, which dragged the sector above XLK.

Consumer Discretionary

XLY has put a new higher low into place which underscores the current strength of this sector. The newly formed low at 218 is now the first support level to watch for XLY.

The first target to the upside is the level of the previous peak around 240. The uptrends in both price and relative strength are still intact.

Financials

The Financials sector now also has a new higher low in place at 47, which should also be seen as the first support level for XLF.

51.6 is the first target and resistance level on the upside. An upward break will unlock more upside for financial stocks.

Communication Services

Out of the top-5 sector charts, XLC is probably the strongest.

This week’s upward break out of the flag-like consolidation pattern must be seen as very strong and the signal for a further rally. Taking out the previous high at 102.40 will be the confirmation.

Industrials

XLI continues its bounce of support and is underway to the upper boundary of its rising channel. Intermediate resistance is expected around 144.

Relative strength remains under pressure but is still stronger than the other sectors and therefore keeping XLI inside the top 5.

Energy

Energy dropped back a bit after its rally in the last few weeks but remains solidly in the middle of its range. Here also relative strength remains under pressure.

Performance

As of the close on 1/24 the top-5 portfolio gained 3.89%, keeping up with SPY which gained 3.99% over the same period.

#StayAlert, and have a great weekend. — Julius

Business

Elon Musk and Sam Altman spar over Trump’s Stargate AI investment announcement

A war of words between Elon Musk and Sam Altman escalated on social media Thursday, as two of the most powerful men in tech sparred over their rival artificial intelligence initiatives.

The latest exchange began after OpenAI, where Altman is CEO, was revealed as a key player in Stargate, the AI infrastructure project President Donald Trump announced this week that is coming with a massive investment push.

“They don’t actually have the money,” Musk wrote in a long post on his social platform, X, about the new venture. It was not immediately clear whom Musk was initially referring to, but he soon followed up, naming SoftBank, Stargate’s main financial backer.

“SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority,” he said, without elaborating. Neither Musk nor his electronic car company Tesla have publicized any formal links.

Altman responded praising Musk — “I genuinely respect your accomplishments and think you are the most inspiring entrepreneur of our time,” he wrote on X — but he called his SoftBank claim wrong.

“I realize what is great for the country isn’t always what’s optimal for your companies, but in your new role i hope you’ll mostly put [America] first,” he added, using an American flag emoji.

In remarks to reporters Thursday, Trump weighed in on the dispute but gave no indication that Altman’s or OpenAI’s status on the project were threatened.

Without mentioning Altman by name, Trump mentioned Musk while referring to ‘one of the people he happens to hate.’

‘But I have certain hatreds of people, too,’ he said.

The spat has its roots in a pending lawsuit filed by Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI, over control of the company; it was rekindled after Trump’s announcement this week that OpenAI would be part of the $500 billion Stargate initiative designed to make the United States a world leader in AI.

Late Wednesday and into Thursday, Musk continued to hammer Altman, repeatedly citing posts during Trump’s 2016 presidential run in which Altman appeared to denounce Trump.

By 8:30 p.m., Altman posted that he’d recently had a change of heart about the president: “watching @potus more carefully recently has really changed my perspective on him (i wish i had done more of my own thinking” he said in part. “i’m not going to agree with him on everything, but i think he will be incredible for the country in many ways!”

On Thursday morning, Altman posted, responding to Musk: “just one more mean tweet and then maybe you’ll love yourself…”

The tit-for-tat between Musk and Altman is a sign of both the struggle within the tech community to curry favor with Trump and how the AI race is driving the push for tech dominance. If putting out new, consumer-friendly devices was once the way for a tech company to gain power, the struggle to create the most advanced form of AI has almost completely taken over.

The situation also points to the tension of Musk’s role as both a top Trump adviser and one of the world’s most powerful — and combative — business moguls. Musk has his own interest in AI through the X, which debuted Grok, its rival to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, in November.

The simmering Altman-Musk feud goes back years, well before Musk’s emergence in the U.S. political scene and even before the recent explosion of artificial intelligence technology. Companies have rushed to invest in AI infrastructure and development, so much so that it has accounted for a significant part of recent U.S. economic growth. A Goldman Sachs paper published in June, well before the announcement of the Stargate project, projected that AI capital expenditure could top $1 trillion.

OpenAI had generally been considered the leader in AI development, though it faces major competition from other startups, as well as most major tech giants that are believed to have closed the gap. That competition has made securing investments and partnerships all the more important in large part because of the sizable hardware and energy needs required to hone the models at the core of advanced AI.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Sports

Report: Raiders hire Super Bowl-winning coach, oldest in NFL history

Pete Carroll is headed from the classroom back to an NFL sideline – and into the record books.

The Las Vegas Raiders are hiring the former Seattle Seahawks coach to fill the vacancy for their top job, according to an ESPN report.

The move will make Carroll, who turns 74 in September, the oldest coach in modern NFL history, as he will surpass former Houston Texans interim head coach Romeo Crennel (73 years, 199 days on his final game) when he leads the Raiders in their season opener. Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid, 66, had held the title of the league’s oldest active coach.

Carroll spent this season out of the NFL after being pushed out by the Seahawks last January. He is co-teaching a course this semester at the University of Southern California, where he coached from 2001-09 and led the Trojans to two national championships.

Carroll interviewed with the Chicago Bears on Jan. 9 for the position that went to Ben Johnson. He also spoke with the Dallas Cowboys about their opening, according to multiple reports, though no formal interview took place.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

In 14 seasons leading the Seahawks, Carroll led the franchise to 10 playoff appearances and its only Super Bowl title. He said he fought to remain with the team after its second consecutive 9-8 finish in 2023, but the team instead opted to move on. Seattle later hired Mike Macdonald, who became the NFL’s youngest head coach at 36 when he landed the job.

The hire is one of the Raiders’ first significant additions that entailed Tom Brady, who officially become a part-owner of the organization in October. Owner Mark Davis said in December he wanted the six-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback, who also serves as the lead NFL game analyst for Fox, to have a ‘huge voice’ in shaping all football matters for the team.

Earlier in the week, the franchise selected Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant general manager John Spytek to be the team’s new GM.

The Raiders decided to clean house this offseason, firing coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco after the team struggled to a 4-13 mark.

Davis has made it clear that identifying a young quarterback, with Brady’s help, is a priority for the franchise this offseason after the team cycled through Gardner Minshew II, Aidan O’Connell and Desmond Ridder in 2024. The Raiders hold the No. 6 overall pick and are projected to have approximately $92 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap, the second-highest total of any team.

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Sports

AFC championship game: 3 keys to victory

The finale of championship Sunday will feature the Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs.

Josh Allen and the Bills got the better of the Chiefs during the regular season. Allen is 4-1 all-time versus Kansas City in the regular season. However, Patrick Mahomes is 3-0 versus Allen and the Bills in the playoffs.

The Chiefs are riding an eight-game postseason winning streak as they head into Sunday’s AFC title game.

Can the Bills reach their first Super Bowl since the 1993 season. Or will Mahomes and the Chiefs make a third straight trip to the Super Bowl? USA TODAY Sports provides the three keys to Sunday’s AFC championship game.

Which team can unlock secondary pass catchers

Tight end Travis Kelce is Kansas City’s leading pass catcher. Wide receiver Khalil Shakir is Buffalo’s top receiver. However, both teams need a secondary option to step up Sunday. For the Chiefs, it’s key that DeAndre Hopkins and other wide receivers get open and provide a spark for an inconsistent Kansas City passing game. Mahomes only passed for 177 yards in the divisional round. Kelce had a big game at tight end, but rookie Xavier Worthy was the only Chiefs wide receiver to record a catch versus the Houston Texans. That won’t be enough against Buffalo.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

It’s important for the Bills to get tight end Dalton Kincaid and wide receiver Amari Cooper involved in the offense. Kincaid only had one catch and Cooper was held without a catch in last week’s win against the Baltimore Ravens. Chiefs standout cornerback Trent McDuffie will likely be matched up often with Shakir, so it’ll be important for Kincaid and Cooper to produce. Buffalo’s undefeated this year when Kincaid has over 50 receiving yards. Allen finished last week’s win with just 127 passing yards.

Establish the ground game

Isiah Pacheco compiled a 2023 postseason-high 313 rushing yards and was instrumental in Kansas City’s Super Bowl 58 run.

Injuries have hampered Pacheco this year. He’s back healthy but hasn’t run with the same power and ferocity. Will Pacheco return to form or can Kareem Hunt be a spark in the backfield? The Chiefs were held to 50 rushing yards and averaged just 2.3 yards per carry last week. Kansas City ranked seventh in run block win rate during the regular season, per ESPN. When the Chiefs get their ground game going, it opens up their aerial attack.

For Buffalo, Allen’s 26-yard touchdown run on fourth down in the fourth quarter was the back-breaking play of the game in their Week 11 win against Kansas City. The Bills had a league-high 32 rushing touchdowns this year and boasts a top 10 rushing offense.

The Bills were able to possess the football for nearly 32 minutes in their divisional win because they ran 36 times for 147 yards and three touchdowns. Buffalo will likely have a similar strategy versus Kansas City.

The Chiefs touted the NFL’s eighth best run defense and Buffalo ranked 12th in run defense during the regular season.

Win turnover battle

The Bills have an NFL-high 35 takeaways and an NFL-low eight turnovers this season (including playoffs). Allen and company haven’t committed a turnover in their last four playoff games. They are the first team ever without a turnover in four straight postseason games.

On the other side, the Chiefs haven’t had a turnover in eight straight games. Kansas City’s last turnover was against the Bills in Week 11, a game in which they lost.

Buffalo’s two takeaways played a big role in its win in Week 11, and the team’s three takeaways paved the way to their divisional round victory.

These two clubs aren’t prone to giving the football away. Any turnover on Sunday could drastically swing momentum.

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

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Sports

Kobe Bryant docuseries on CNN offers clear, detailed look at NBA icon

“Kobe: The Making of a Legend,” a new three-part docuseries from the CNN Originals department, is not hagiography.

It is a clear-eyed look at Kobe Bryant the basketball player driven by championship dreams and the pursuit of greatness, his fractured relationship with his parents, his sexual assault arrest, his reclamation as a “girl dad,” and his second career in storytelling.

The series debuts with the first episode Saturday (9 p.m. ET, CNN), one day before the five-year anniversary of his death in a helicopter crash Jan. 26, 2020, in Calabasas, California. Eight other people, including Bryant’s daughter Gianna, died in the accident.

Each episode (the other two air Feb. 1 and Feb. 8 at 9 p.m. ET on CNN) is about 45 minutes, and the documentary tells Bryant’s story from a wide cast – friends, teammates, teachers, classmates, former players, current players, prosecutors, journalists and video clips from Bryant and his parents, Joe and Pam.

The most knowledgeable Bryant aficionados will glean something from this series, even if it’s an obscure video of a young Bryant playing youth basketball in Italy while his dad played professionally in the country or video from his high school playing days at Lower Merion in the Philadelphia suburbs.

The first episode focuses on those early days, painting a picture of a youngster who knew what he wanted: to be an NBA player.

In a video of Bryant speaking in front of classmates in high school, he recalls returning to Philadelphia from Italy and being lonely, retreating deeper into his goal of playing professional basketball. “I discovered the hunger, the motivation and desire to be the best possible basketball player that I could be,” Bryant said.

The docuseries explores Bryant’s greatness on the court, especially his formative years and how they shaped his ultra-competitive mindset. “Winning means everything to Kobe Bryant,” former Lakers trainer Gary Vitti told an interviewer. “There wasn’t anything else.”

The series does not shy from the difficult and horrific aspects of Bryant’s life. Bryant once had a strong relationship with his parents who a teenaged Bryant said were the two people he admired most. But the relationship began to erode with his marriage to Vanessa. Joe died in July. His mom, Pam, and Vanessa declined CNN interview requests.

The second episode spends considerable time on Bryant’s 2004 sexual assault criminal case in Eagle, Colorado, stemming from a 2003 incident at a resort where Bryant, then 24, was staying before having surgery nearby. It does not shy from revealing testimony and the antics of Bryant’s powerful legal team.

The district attorney said he believed he had enough evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Bryant was guilty of a class three sexual assault felony. However, the case was dismissed when the alleged victim declined to testify.

The documentary shows the full text of Bryant’s statement in which he says, “Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did. After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter.”

The incident stuck with Bryant, but he reshaped his image in different molds: Black Mamba, two more NBA championships, NBA MVP, two Olympic gold medals, his recovery from an Achilles rupture, father, girls’ basketball coach, Academy Award winner.

In nearly 130 minutes, the docuseries covers a long arc, focusing on the topics that defined Kobe Bryant.

When is the new Kobe Bryant documentary?

The three-part series will air Saturday, Feb. 1 and Feb. 8.

How to watch the new Kobe Bryant documentary

The three-part documentary ‘Kobe: The Making of a Legend,’ will air on CNN. The first part is on Saturday at 9 p.m. ET. Part two drops Feb. 1 at 9 p.m. ET and part three will air Feb. 8 at 9 p.m. ET.

How to stream the new Kobe Bryant documentary

The series can be streamed on cnn.com and via the network’s mobile app.

How long is the new Kobe Bryant documentary?

It is told in three parts, each about 45 minutes long.

Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt

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Stocks

Mag7 ETF Leads as Bullish Pattern Forms – Charting the Trends and Trading Setups for the Mag7 Stocks

The Mag7 ETF (MAGS) formed another short-term bullish continuation pattern as it worked its way higher since the triangle breakout in mid September. This report will also analyze the long-term trends, highlight the short-term setups and compare performance for the stocks in this ETF.

First and foremost, MAGS is in a long-term uptrend with a new high in mid December and price well above the 200-day SMA. This ETF has been in a long-term uptrend since the big surge and breakout in November 2023. MAGS started trading in April 2023 so the 200-day SMA did not start until late January 2024. MAGS fell sharply in July 2024, but held above the 200-day SMA and resumed its uptrend with a new high in November.

The indicator window shows the MAGS/RSP Ratio, which measures relative performance. This line rises when MAGS outperforms the S&P 500 EW ETF (RSP) and falls when MAGS underperforms. MAGS is outperforming the broader market as the price-relative rises and hits new highs.

With MAGS in a long-term uptrend and leading the market, we want to be focused on bullish setups within this trend, such as bullish continuation patterns. MAGS and several other tech-AI related ETFs were featured in our report on Thursday. Medium-term, MAGS formed a triangle in July-August. This triangle formed within a long-term uptrend and was a bullish continuation pattern. MAGS broke out in mid September and worked its way higher the last five months.

More recently, the ETF formed a flag in October, a pennant in November and another flag here in January. These are short-term bullish continuation patterns. MAGS is breaking out of the flag this week and this signals an end to the pullback and a resumption of the uptrend. Re-evaluation support is set at 53.

Nvidia (+146%), Tesla (+97%), Amazon (+35%) and Meta (+66%) are powering MAGS with the biggest gains over the past year. Microsoft (+13%) and Apple (+15%) are the laggards in the group, but one is setting up and the other resumed its uptrend. This report continues at TrendInvestorPro where we analyze the trading setups for each of the Mag7 stocks. Click here to take a trial and gain immediate access.

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Stocks

Investors are Pouring Into Gold Miners—Here’s What You Need to Know!

Gold mining stocks have been climbing since the end of December, a trend that usually goes unnoticed unless gold — often dismissed as an “old relic” — undergoes one of its periodic shifts into a timely and relevant asset.

Recently, gold has been in the public spotlight, shedding its “relic” skin to reveal itself, once again, as a safe haven asset. If you haven’t been following the yellow metal, here’s what you might have missed:

Gold prices have been rising, making mining a profitable venture.Central banks worldwide have ramped up gold purchases, driving prices higher.Several mining mergers have taken place, improving efficiency.Safe-haven demand, driven by geopolitical and economic uncertainties, has fueled gold investment.Gold mining can also mean silver extraction (along with other metals), which is in short supply.

A glance at the5-day MarketCarpets’ Bullish Percent Index (BPI) view on Thursday shows that next to healthcare, gold miners have the second largest lead over other indices and sectors.

FIGURE 1. MARKETCARPERTS BPI CHART. Gold miners have the second-highest BPI reading among other sectors and indices.Image source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

This 5-day BPI reading tells you that over 41% of gold mining stocks exhibit Point & Figure buy signals. This suggests a surge in buying activity relative to the other sectors on the list.

As StockCharts’ PerfCharts below show, rising gold and silver prices have been fueling gold mining activity and investment (note that this isn’t always the case, as various operational factors can impact mining companies independently of the metal prices they produce). We’ll use the VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF (GDX) as our industry proxy.

FIGURE 2. PERFCHARTS OF GDX,GLD, AND SLV. The metals are leading miners and driving mining activity and investment.Image source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

Taking a look at GDX’s weekly chart, you can see the relative performance between gold mining stocks and the yellow metal.

FIGURE 3. WEEKLY 5-YEAR CHART OF GOLD MINERS. Note how gold prices are now leading the collective performance of the gold mining industry.Image source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

For years, gold mining stocks led the price of gold (represented by the blue line), but, over the past year, gold has begun outperforming miners. This suggests a few possibilities:

Investors might have been concerned about rising operational costs and weaker profit margins in the mining sector, favoring gold over the companies that produce it.Now, the renewed interest in mining stocks suggests that investors might be anticipating improved profitability in miners as gold prices continue to rise.

But is investing in miners a wise move or a trap? As the daily chart below shows, it can be either. It all depends on how the index reacts at critical technical levels.

FIGURE 4. DAILY CHART OF GDX. Keep a close eye on resistance at $38 and support at $33.Image source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

GDX has pulled back from its high of $43.71. Is this a pullback or the beginning of a more significant trend reversal Whether the rally continues or reverses into a downtrend depends on whether the price breaks above resistance at $38 or falls below support at $33.

This notion rests on the simple principle that an uptrend consists of consecutive higher highs and lows and that a downtrend consists of consecutive lower lows and highs. The ZigZag line effectively highlights this trend movement, especially the current swing high ($38) and low ($30).

In terms of technical strength, volume, and momentum:

The StockCharts Technical Rank (SCTR) line is rising but still below the initial bullish threshold of 76. This is a promising indication, but not yet confirmed bullish.Buying pressure, according to the Chaikin Money Flow (CMF), is above the zero line, indicating buyers are starting to take control of the market.The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is rising yet below the 70 threshold, indicating there’s still room for GDX to run before entering overbought territory.

The main point is to add GDX to your ChartLists, watch how it responds to the key support and resistance levels, and monitor volume and momentum readings for confirmation.

At the Close

Gold mining stocks have gained momentum alongside rising gold prices. While this signals renewed interest in the industry, the technicals, in this case, can give you a much clearer picture of the underlying dynamics of price and market sentiment. Keep an eye on those levels to help you make a sound decision and pinpoint optimal timing.

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

Sports

Texans fire OC Bobby Slowik after two seasons, per report

Instead, the 37-year-old’s offense took a step back in 2024. That has led Houston to go in a different direction with its offensive coordinator job.

The Texans fired Slowik on Friday, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The decision comes less than a week after Houston’s 23-14 divisional round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and after a season during which the Texans ranked 19th in points per game and 22nd in yards per game.

Houston’s offensive line coach Chris Strausser is also out as part of the team’s offensive reshuffling.

All things Texans: Latest Houston Texans news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Slowik was viewed as a rising star following his first season as the Texans’ offensive coordinator. He worked well with rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, who posted a 9-6 record in 15 starts with 4,108 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and just five interceptions. As a result, Houston generated the 12th-most yards and 13th-most points league-wide while making an unexpected run to the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.

However, Stroud took a step back in 2024. He saw his completion percentage drop from 63.9% to 63.2%, his interceptions more than double from five to 12 and his passer rating drop from 100.8 to an even 87 (26th in NFL among 43 qualified passers). He also took 52 sacks compared to the 38 he took during his rookie season; he was sacked a whopping eight times in the Texans’ playoff loss to the Chiefs.

Slowik may not be available for long on the open market. He generated a lot of interest during the 2024 offseason hiring cycle, interviewing for the head coaching job with the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans and Washington Commanders.

This offseason, Slowik interviewed for the New York Jets’ head coaching vacancy – which has since been filled by Aaron Glenn.

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Sports

Sinner beats Shelton to return to the Australian Open finals

MELBOURNE, Jan 24 (Reuters) – Defending champion Jannik Sinner continued his sizzling Australian Open run with a 7-6(2) 6-2 6-2 victory over American 21st seed Ben Shelton on Friday to reach a second straight final at Melbourne Park and book a meeting with Alexander Zverev.

Sinner’s victory made the 23-year-old the youngest man to make multiple finals at the Australian Open since Jim Courier in 1992-93 and kept alive his dream of becoming the first Italian to lift three Grand Slam singles trophies.

‘I’m happy to be back in the final again,’ said Sinner, who had to overcome cramp in the third set.

‘Sundays are special days in tournaments and I’m hoping I can enjoy it.’

Sinner entered the match on Rod Laver Arena having won four of his five meetings with left-hander Shelton but found himself in trouble early on as a thunderous forehand winner handed the American a break, which he followed up with a tight hold.

The top seed shrugged off a tentative start to draw level at 2-2 and attacked Shelton’s powerful serve at every opportunity, but a lapse on his own delivery in the 11th game left him in a spot of bother again before he saved two set points.

Shelton bounced his racket off the court after going behind 4-0 in the ensuing tiebreak as his accuracy cruelly deserted him and Sinner gleefully accepted the first set when his frustrated opponent sent a forehand wide.

‘It was a very tough first set but crucial,’ said Sinner.

‘He wasn’t serving at his best, not where he wanted to. We both returned better than we served. First sets can often give you confidence and it was tense. I’m happy how I handled it.

‘I’m happy to be back in the final here.’

After a breathless start to the second set, Sinner released the handbrake to win the opening four games without response and soon left a dejected Shelton in the rear view mirror to double his advantage in the match.

Sinner felt a problem in his left leg during a tense third set and had it worked on by the trainer after breaking to go 3-2 up, before some huge winners took him to the finish line and back-to-back major finals after his triumphant U.S. Open run.

‘There was a lot of tension today, I was slightly cramping. He was suffering on his legs too so I tried to move him around,’ added Sinner.

‘These matches can go long. Playing three sets for 2-1/2 hours is a long time, so I’m happy to finish it in three, I’m happy to be back in the final again.’

Second seed Zverev reached his first Australian Open final and third at the majors after 24-times Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic retired due to a left thigh injury after losing the opening set 7-6(5).

‘We’ve had some tough matches in the past,’ Sinner said of Zverev, who leads their head-to-head record 4-2.

‘So anything can happen. He’s an incredible player looking for a first major.’

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Politics

Israel’s military will remain in Lebanon as ceasefire deadline nears

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Friday confirmed that it will keep its forces in southern Lebanon as the 60-day truce comes to an end on Sunday.

Under the ceasefire deal agreed to in November, Jerusalem was to begin withdrawing troops from its northern neighbor – where it launched operations last fall in an effort to dismantle Hezbollah – and have all troops removed within 60 days.

But Israeli officials have argued that the IDF will not withdraw its forces, because stipulations under the deal, including the removal of Hezbollah terrorists and weapons from the southern region of Lebanon, and the deployment of Lebanese and U.N. troops to the area, have not been adequately fulfilled.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement Friday, ‘Since the ceasefire agreement has not yet been fully enforced by the Lebanese government, the gradual withdrawal process will continue, in full coordination with the United States.

‘The State of Israel will not endanger its communities and citizens,’ the statement added, noting that the withdrawal of Israeli forces was ‘conditional’ on the security guarantees from Hezbollah and Beirut.

The U.S. backed Israel’s decision and in a statement first reported by The Times of Israel said, ‘President Trump is committed to ensuring Israeli citizens can safely return to their homes in northern Israel, while also supporting President Aoun and the new Lebanese government.

‘All parties share the goal of ensuring Hezbollah does not have the ability to threaten the Lebanese people or their neighbors. To achieve these goals, a short, temporary ceasefire extension is urgently needed,’ White House National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes told the outlet.

‘We are pleased that the IDF has started the withdrawal from the central regions, and we continue to work closely with our regional partners to finalize the extension,’ he added.

The news that Israel may not be pulling all troops from Lebanon by the intended Jan. 26, 2025 deadline first emerged on Thursday.

Hezbollah, in return, issued a statement and called on the Lebanese government and the nations that helped broker the truce, including the U.S. and France, ‘to move effectively’ to ‘[ensure] the implementation of the full withdrawal and the deployment of the Lebanese army to the last inch of Lebanese territory and the return of the people to their villages quickly.’

The statement urged governments ‘not to give room to any pretexts or arguments to prolong the occupation.’

More than 1.2 million people were reportedly displaced in Lebanon after fighting erupted amid Israel’s October incursion – a move prompted following months of missile exchanges with Hezbollah in the aftermath of the Hamas Oct. 7, 2023 attacks.

According to Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer, ‘There have been positive movements where the Lebanese army and UNIFIL [United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon] have taken the place of Hezbollah forces, as stipulated in the agreement.’

However, these movements in southern Lebanon ‘have not been fast enough, and there is much more work to do,’ he told reporters on Thursday, according to Reuters.

Israeli reports on Friday suggested that Jerusalem had petitioned the Trump administration to grant it a 30-day extension on fully withdrawing its forces from its northern neighbor.

Fox News Digital could not immediately reach the White House, State Department or Lebanese government for comment.

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