The Back Nine

Gold has slipped below a three-month uptrend, a technical signal analysts read as potential weakening of its rally, while Bitcoin has pulled back from a nine-month high after months of gains. Market watchers are weighing whether the moves mark a short-term correction or the start of a broader reversal for both assets.

Australian budgets are bracing for more pain following the latest inflation numbers, according to Nine News coverage that has put the Reserve Bank of Australia back in the spotlight. Commentators are weighing what persistent price pressures mean for interest rate decisions and for federal and state budgets already under strain.

Canadian striker Jonathan David is back in the conversation in Spain as clubs weigh their options for a new number nine. Diario AS writes that "the casting of the '9' is heating up", suggesting the race for a top striker is intensifying, with David among the leading candidates being considered.

Kazakhstan international defender Nuraly Alip may be leaving Zenit St Petersburg. Reports in Kazakh media say a club that has won nine national titles is seeking to buy him from the Russian side, with details of the negotiations already circulating. The move would take the centre-back back toward Kazakh football, and fans are following the talks closely.

An Australian cricketer has revealed he placed a nine-month 'ban' on himself after being dropped from the Test team, according to Yahoo News Australia. The player says the self-imposed restriction was his way of responding to the selection snub as he works his way back toward national contention. The admission has drawn attention from cricket fans debating how players should handle being left out of the Test side.

Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell recorded nine touches in Baltimore's Week 5 game, a notable workload as he continues working back into the offense. The counting stat gives fantasy football managers and Ravens fans a measure of his role in the backfield rotation alongside the team's other running backs.

Apple's long-rumored foldable iPhone is back in the spotlight, with a Tom's Guide writer ranking the nine biggest reasons to buy the expected $2,000 device. The piece weighs the appeal of a book-style iPhone Duo against its steep price, fueling debate over whether Apple's first foldable can justify the cost when it arrives.

Strategy, the bitcoin-focused company formerly known as MicroStrategy, has spent $192 million repurchasing shares of its preferred stock, an amount roughly nine times larger than what it put into buying bitcoin in the same period. The move shifts capital away from bitcoin accumulation toward supporting its preferred equity, a notable change for a firm known for aggressive bitcoin purchases.

The NBA has issued a statement defending its second apron salary rules after New York Knicks guard Bruce Brown, a nine-year veteran, said the payroll system 'sucks' for middle-class players. The league pushed back on his criticism, arguing the restrictive spending tiers are necessary for competitive balance. The exchange has reignited debate among players and analysts over whether the apron punishes mid-level earners while supermax stars keep their pay.

The US Supreme Court is preparing to begin a new term with a heavy docket touching on some of the country's most divisive issues. Cases and disputes involving Donald Trump, climate regulation and AR-15 rifles are expected to feature prominently as the nine justices return to the bench. News outlets are highlighting the term as one likely to produce major rulings on presidential power, environmental policy and gun rights.

Forbes has published its 2026 guide to the best mattresses for children, naming nine beds that the outlet's reviewers and their own kids have tested and recommend. The list joins a wave of year-ahead buying guides aimed at parents weighing comfort, durability and safety features as they shop for children's bedroom upgrades.

Yemen's Houthi-run armed forces say their fighters carried out nine armed Shawaz fibre-optic FPV drone strikes against vehicles, bases, bunkers and surveillance equipment of Saudi-backed fighters. In three cases a second drone reportedly filmed the attacks for battle damage assessment. The claims come as fighting continues between the Houthis, also known as Ansarallah, and forces aligned with Saudi Arabia, with no independent verification of the reported strikes.

The Guardian surveys nine US midterm voters on their view of Donald Trump's second presidency ahead of next year's midterm elections. The piece frames the vote as a national verdict on Trump 2.0, letting voters from different backgrounds explain in their own words whether they back or oppose the direction of the country.

Formula 1 fans are highlighting a remarkable statistic from the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend: two wins at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia recorded back to back, yet 3,290 days — roughly nine years — apart. The coincidence of victories at the same track so distant in time has become a talking point among motorsport followers. Details about the driver and the exact races involved are not specified.

A fitness enthusiast shared details of their daily training session, built around rehabilitation and prehabilitation work with an 18kg kettlebell. The routine included five sets of seven front squats per side, five sets of six flat back pull overs, and clean and press pyramid ladders from seven down to one repetitions per side, finishing with nine sets of six TRX table top rows.

Spanish golfer Jon Rahm is leaving LIV Golf, according to a New York Times report, a move described as a significant blow to the Saudi-backed tour's future. Rahm was one of the circuit's highest-profile signings after joining from the PGA Tour in late 2023 for a reported nine-figure deal. His departure raises fresh questions about the tour's stability and its efforts to retain top talent.

Formula 1 has raced at Sepang in Malaysia for the first time in nine years, and the weekend proved chaotic. Coverage from The Race runs through the main takeaways from the return, examining what the on-track drama and off-track storylines revealed about the sport as it comes back to a circuit that last hosted a grand prix in 2017.

Entertainment Weekly has published a rundown of nine celebrity couples who called off their weddings before the big day, exploring the reasons each engagement ended. The list revisits high-profile breakups and the circumstances that led the pairs to walk away, offering fans a look back at famous romances that never made it down the aisle.

Japanese golfer Shibuno Hinako is battling to make the cut at the LPGA Lotte Championship in Hawaii, held at Hoakalei Country Club. After two rounds she sits at even par, two strokes outside the projected cut line, with 12 holes remaining in her suspended second round. Japanese golf fans are following her fate closely as she resumes her back nine.

Yomiuri Giants pitcher Shosei Togo held the Hiroshima Carp to one run over nearly nine innings on September 29, backed by a home run from Richard, in a Nippon Professional Baseball win. With three games left, the Giants sit 1.5 games behind Central League leaders Hanshin, keeping the title race alive.

NBA media day coverage is highlighting nine star players who switched teams during the offseason, rounding up takeaways as players are introduced to their new clubs. The item also marks the final edition of a recurring feature called The Big Number. Fans and analysts are weighing in on how the roster moves could reshape the upcoming season.