Microsoft sees cloud business growth, but supply woes continue for Xbox

Microsoft Corp on Tuesday forecast a strong end to the calendar year thanks to its booming cloud business but said supply chain woes will continue to dog key units such as those producing its Surface laptops and Xbox gaming consoles.

The company beat Wall Street expectations for its first quarter ended Sept. 30, with pandemic-induced demand for the software giant's cloud-based services driving sales.

Contracts for cloud services provided by Microsoft, Amazon.com Inc's AWS and Alphabet Inc-owned Google Cloud have surged since last year when the COVID-19 pandemic shut offices and schools, pushing more activity online.

First-quarter revenue growth for Azure, the company's flagship cloud-computing business, came in at 48 percent in constant currency to beat analysts' estimates of 47.5 percent, according to consensus data from Visible Alpha. Amy Hood, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Microsoft, said that the company also expected "broad based growth" for the unit in the fiscal second quarter.

Azure's growth rate is the best direct measure of competition with rivals such as AWS and Google Cloud as Microsoft does not break out revenue from the cloud-computing unit.

Microsoft appeared to hold off Google Cloud's rising challenge. Google Cloud said on Tuesday its revenue surged by 45 percent to $4.99 billion, but failed to live up to estimates of $5.2 billion.

Revenue at the firm's other business units that house Windows software, the Teams messaging service and LinkedIn professional social networking platform also beat analyst expectations.

The supply chain issues affecting much of the global tech industry had mixed consequences for Microsoft.

Hood said Microsoft has continued to increase its cloud computing margins despite higher data center construction costs because it keeps adding more profitable services to those data centers. 

Hood also said that the company was able to ship more Xbox S and X gaming consoles than it expected in the first quarter - sales of gaming consoles and accessories were up 166 percent as the company continued to see strong demand for new models after the pandemic forced millions to seek entertainment at home.

But Microsoft and its rivals have been unable to keep up with demand because of the global chip crunch. Hood told Reuters the company expects Xbox demand to continue to exceed supply in the company's second quarter, which includes Christmas.

She also said that sales of the company's Surface computers, which declined 17 percent in the fiscal first quarter, were likely to keep sinking in the second quarter, with supply chain shortages hitting premium items in the lineup.

Microsoft's revenue from selling Windows to PC makers grew 10 percent year over year, beating the overall PC market, which only grew 3.9 percent over the same period because of supply constraints, according to data from IDC.

Hood said that the company was able to outperform in the PC market because of its strength in selling licenses for Windows destined for corporate customers, where it gets more revenue per license and has better market share.

Overall, revenue rose 22 percent to $45.32 billion in the first quarter ended Sept. 30, beating expectations of about $43.97 billion.

Net income rose to $20.51 billion, or $2.71 per share. The company said its results included a $3.3 billion net income tax benefit.

On an adjusted basis it earned $2.27 per share, trumping analyst expectations of $2.07 per share.

For the fiscal second quarter, Microsoft predicted a midpoint of $18.23 billion in revenue for its intelligent cloud business for the fiscal second quarter, above estimates of $17.84 billion, according to Refinitiv data.

First-quarter revenue from "Intelligent Cloud" surged 31% to $17 billion. Analysts had expected a figure of $16.58 billion, according to Refinitiv data.

Microsoft's forecast for its software app and Windows centric segments with midpoints of $15.83 billion and $16.55 billion, respectively, were also above Refinitiv estimates of $15.40 billion and $15.51 billion.

Shares of the company, which have risen nearly 40 percent this year, were marginally up in extended trading.

-reuters

MLB: Braves oust defending champion Dodgers to reach World Series

LOS ANGELES -- The Atlanta Braves punched their ticket to their first World Series in over two decades Saturday, toppling the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 to wrap up the National League Championship Series in six games.

The Braves, who will face the Houston Astros in Major League Baseball's Fall Classic, rolled over the Dodgers by jumping on their starting pitcher Walker Buehler in the first inning.

The win ended a string of heartbreaking potential elimination losses for the Braves who had four previous chances in the last two years to book a trip to the World Series but failed.

Atlanta advanced to their sixth World Series all-time and their first since 1999. 

"It is amazing. This organization has been around a long time and it has been a long time since we got to the World Series," said first baseman Freddie Freeman.

"We took it to another level with what we did in the second half (regular season) and postseason."

The World Series starts Tuesday in Houston, which will host the first two games before they switch to Atlanta.

The turning point Saturday was a three-run fourth inning that featured a 361-foot home run to right field by slugger Eddie Rosario, who scored teammates Travis d'Arnaud and Ehire Adrianza. Rosario's blast landed just inside the right outfield pole.

"I'm at a loss for words to be honest," Rosario said. "I gave everything I had for the team, for a World Series. I just left it all out there. I'm extremely proud of myself and the team for getting to the World Series."

Last season the Dodgers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays to win the World Series in six games for their first championship since 1988.

Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson got the final out, snagging a ground ball and throwing to first to get Dodgers AJ Pollock out, sparking a wild celebration on the field around Braves closer Will Smith.

Last season, the Braves took a commanding 3-1 series lead in the NLCS over the Dodgers, giving them three chances to advance to the World Series. 

But Los Angeles brushed aside all of those Atlanta opportunities, doing it in the neutral-site stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Saturday's loss snapped the Dodgers' run of winning seven consecutive playoff elimination games.

The Dodgers pitching staff were in trouble before Saturday's game even began. Los Angeles was expected to start Max Scherzer, but the ace right-hander was scratched from the start. 

Scherzer gave up two runs over four innings of game two on Sunday and said that his arm was too sore to pitch in game six.

The Dodgers instead had to turn to Buehler on short rest. Buehler was initially scheduled to start a potential game seven on Sunday.

The Braves made a couple of clutch defensive plays in the top of the sixth inning, including a one-hop snag at first base by dual American-Canadian citizen Freeman to get Dodgers baserunner Trea Turner out.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Nikola Jokic's big night guides Nuggets over Spurs

Nikola Jokic had 32 points and 16 rebounds, Monte Morris scored 13 points, and the host Denver Nuggets beat the San Antonio Spurs 102-96 on Friday night.

Will Barton scored 12 points and JaMychal Green had 10 points off the bench for Denver, which won its home opener.

Keldon Johnson led San Antonio with 27 points. Derrick White added 16 and Jakob Poeltl and Dejounte Murray scored 15 points each for the Spurs.

The Nuggets led by 11 after Green's dunk opened the fourth quarter, but San Antonio chipped away. Johnson hit two jumpers and Poeltl had a dunk and a layup to pull the Spurs within 83-78.

After a timeout, Denver had two empty possessions while White hit two free throws and Poeltl made another layup to make it a 1-point game.

San Antonio missed a 3-pointer that would have given it the lead and Facu Campazzo broke the Nuggets' drought with a layup. That started an 11-3 run capped by Michael Porter Jr.'s 3-pointer with 4:05 left.

Jokic's 13-foot turnaround jumper with 1:32 left made it 100-93, but White answered with a 3-pointer to get the Spurs within four. Morris hit a jumper that sealed it.

Denver scored the first basket of the third quarter, but San Antonio quickly responded. Poeltl dunked off a White miss, Johnson hit a pull-up jumper after Porter missed and Murray turned two Nuggets turnovers into a layup and a 3-pointer to give the Spurs a 59-55 lead.

Denver responded with a 12-5 run, highlighted by Jokic grabbing a defensive rebound and going coast-to-coast for a layup that tied the game.

The Nuggets increased the lead to 10 on a 3-pointer by Jokic and his pass to Campazzo for a layup, and took a 79-70 advantage into the fourth quarter.

The Nuggets led 53-50 at the break but had 11 turnovers in the first half, which kept San Antonio close. Jokic had 13 points to lead Denver and Johnson paced San Antonio with 18 in the first two quarters.

-reuters-

No 'Squid Game': South Korea's real-life debt trap

SEOUL - Many small business owners in South Korea recognize themselves in the cash-strapped characters of the wildly popular Netflix drama 'Squid Game', who vie desperately for a chance to win $38 million, exposing a debt trap that is all too familiar.

Nearing retirement at 58, Yu Hee-sook paid off her debts long ago, but still gets calls from collection agencies threatening to seize her bank accounts, as the loans got securitized and sold to investors without her knowledge.

"In Korea, it's like the end of the world once you become a credit delinquent," said Yu, who got by on small jobs, such as writing for movie magazines, during the 13 years it took to pay off the debts she incurred over a movie that flopped in 2002.

"All I wanted was chances to repay debt, but banks don't let you make money," added Yu, who feels trapped in an unforgiving life-long ordeal, just like the 456 game show contestants of the 'Squid Game'.

While foreigners may associate South Korea with the boyband BTS and sleek Samsung smartphones, the drama points to a dark flipside of rising personal borrowing, the highest suicide rate among advanced nations, and the rarity of getting free of debt.

Record household borrowing is fueling private investment and housing growth, but unforgiving social mores about debt often blur the line between personal and business loans, burdening those who run small businesses.

Personal bankruptcies soared to a five-year high of 50,379 last year, court filings show.

The proportion of those falling behind on more than one type of personal debt payment has risen steadily to reach 55.47% by June from 48% in 2017, figures from the Korea Credit Information Services show.

"If Donald Trump was a Korean, he probably couldn't have become the president, having been bankrupted many times," said a lawyer in Seoul, who specializes in personal bankruptcy.

"In the United States, corporate debt is more separated from personal debt."

An inadequate social safety net for small entrepreneurs and the lack of a rehabilitation program for failures spell risks that could drive some South Koreans desperate, and banks often ignore a five-year limit to destroy insolvency records.

"Due to traditional practices in the banking industry, business owners in South Korea face high likelihood of taking the debt burden from the business they run," said bankruptcy judge Ahn Byung-wook.

Banks often demand that business owners stand as joint surety for the firm's borrowing, a practice the government banned for public financial institutions in 2018, although three owners told Reuters some providers persist.

Applicants for business loans who have poor credit ratings or a history of default need guarantees from state-run financial institutions in South Korea.

"Culturally, failed entrepreneurs are socially stigmatized, so starting over is hard, as people don't trust them," added Ahn, who has spent four years at the Seoul Bankruptcy Court.

"On top of that, those who file personal bankruptcy face a long list of restrictions on employment."

The numbers of South Korea's self-employed rank among the world’s highest, forming a quarter of the job market, making it vulnerable to downturns. A central bank study in 2017 showed that just 38% of such businesses survive three years.

Still, as economic prospects dwindle, with South Koreans chasing fewer good jobs amid surging home prices, many are betting that speculation is the only route to wealth, and have taken on more debt than ever to buy stocks and other assets.

Household borrowing is roughly equivalent to GDP at a record 1,806 trillion won ($1.54 trillion) in the June quarter.

"The government encourages startups but they don't take care of the failed businesses," said Ryu Kwang-han, a 40-year old entrepreneur who exited the debtor rehabilitation program in 2019 but still struggles to get loans.

"How is this different from 'Squid Game' if there's no second chances?"

The global sensation has been watched by 142 million households since its Sept. 17 debut, the world's largest streaming service has said, helping Netflix to add 4.38 million subscribers.

-reuters

Bitcoin notches record high, day after US ETF debut

Bitcoin climbed to a record high on Wednesday, and the first US bitcoin futures-based exchange-traded fund (ETF) built on gains after a solid debut on Tuesday.

The world's leading cryptocurrency was up 3.30 percent at $66,364.72, after reaching a record of $67,016.50, topping the $64,895.22 hit on April 14 this year.

Tuesday was the first day of trading for the ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF - a development market participants say is likely to drive investment into the digital asset.

The ETF closed up 2.59 percent at $41.94 from its opening price of $40.88 on Tuesday and continued its ascent on Wednesday, last up 3.76 percent at $43.52.

The Valkyrie Bitcoin Strategy ETF, expected to debut on the Nasdaq Wednesday, appeared to be delayed after its prospectus was amended in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A person familiar with the matter said the Nasdaq expects the ETF to launch on Thursday, but that has not been confirmed yet.

Trading appeared to be dominated by smaller investors and high-frequency trading firms, analysts said, noting the absence of large block trades indicated that institutions were likely staying on the sidelines.

James Quinn, managing partner at Q9 Capital, a Hong Kong-based cryptocurrency private wealth manager, said the launch of the new product was "meaningful" for bitcoin.

Theoretically, any licensed brokerage firm in the United States that wants to take on this ETF can do so as easily as any other ETF, which "should make it available to a lot of folks," said Quinn.

While the ETF is based on bitcoin futures, Quinn said the trades and hedges underpinning the ETF mean activity will flow into the spot market and the bitcoin price.

Crypto ETFs have launched this year in Canada and Europe amid surging interest in digital assets. VanEck is also among fund managers pursuing US-listed ETF products, although Invesco on Monday dropped its plans for a futures-based ETF.

Ether, the world's No. 2 cryptocurrency, was up 3.63 percent on the day at $4,018.75, after hitting a high of $4,080, nearing its record high of $4,380 reached on May 12.

-reuters

Expect fireworks as Lakers, Warriors open NBA 75

Two teams balancing early-season transitions and late-season title aspirations share the national spotlight Tuesday on NBA Opening Night when the Golden State Warriors visit the Los Angeles Lakers.

The duel of the only Western Conference franchises to win NBA titles since 2014 is a rematch of a historic meeting last May, when the Lakers beat the Warriors 103-100 at home in the opener of the league's first-ever play-in tournament.

Fighting through blurred vision that resulted from getting poked in the eye earlier in the game, LeBron James hit the game-clinching 3-pointer in the final minute in that one, and later declared, "I was seeing three rims and shot at the middle one."

Much has changed since the night when James put up a 22-point, 11-rebound, 10-assist triple-double, which was barely enough to offset a 37-point night by Golden State's Stephen Curry.

The Lakers have retained just three players from that team that went on to lose to the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the Western playoffs. And one of those three -- Talen Horton-Tucker -- won't suit up for the opener because of a thumb injury.

James and superstar sidekick Anthony Davis are now surrounded by the likes of Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, DeAndre Jordan, Rajon Rondo and Dwight Howard, the latter two having returned to the team after playing elsewhere last season.

An 0-6 preseason, which included two losses to Golden State, didn't surprise James.

"We're going to have moments where we're not quite right there," he admitted. "We may take steps backward. I think nothing is worth having if it's not worth working for."

The Warriors return six of the eight who got minutes in the season-ending loss, but still are without All-Star guard Klay Thompson, who continues to rehab an Achilles injury that cost him the entire 2021 season, and big man James Wiseman, who is close to returning from a torn meniscus in his knee.

Golden State gave itself a chance in the play-in game by hitting 15 of its 34 3-point attempts, and the Lakers would be wise to expect more of the same this time around.

After setting a franchise record by averaging 38.7 3-point attempts last season, the Warriors went crazy from beyond the arc in the offseason, putting up a whopping 63.2 a night.

Curry hit 17 of his 42 from deep in his four games, but that wasn't even the most encouraging part for the Warriors. Jordan Poole hit 16 treys over five games, while newcomers Otto Porter Jr. (55.2%) and Nemanja Bjelica (44.4%) combined to make 24 in 47 attempts.

The Warriors went 5-0 in the preseason, capped by a 41-point explosion by Curry in a 22-point romp over Portland in Friday's finale.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr stamped his guys ready to go, especially Curry, the league's reigning scoring champ.

"He's been building up perfectly from before camp started to all of the training over the summer to now," Kerr said of Curry. "He's clearly ready to roll for the regular season. He's in a great place."

In opening the NBA's 75th season, the Warriors and Lakers are opening in Los Angeles for the first time since 1982. Times have changed: That game featured a total of nine 3-point attempts and only two were successful: One by LA's Mike McGee and the other by the Warriors' Joe Hassett.

World B. Free led Golden State with 30 points as the Warriors recorded a 132-117 victory over the defending NBA champions who were led by future Hall of Famers Magic Johnson (22 points), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (20 points) and James Worthy (20 points)

__World B. Free led Golden State with 30 points as the Warriors recorded a 132-117 victory over the defending NBA champions who were led by future Hall of Famers Magic Johnson (22 points), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (20 points) and James Worthy (20 points

--reuters

Bill Clinton recovering in hospital from infection

ORANGE, Calif. - Former US President Bill Clinton remained in a California hospital on Friday, where he was recovering from a non-coronavirus infection three days after he was admitted.

The 75-year-old, who left office in 2001, entered the University of California Irvine Medical Center on Tuesday evening for the infection, according to his spokesman, Angel Urena. Clinton is "on the mend," Urena said.

"He's up and about, joking and charming the hospital staff," Urena told Reuters on Thursday.

Clinton went to the hospital after suffering from fatigue and has received both IV antibiotics and fluids, his doctors said.

He has dealt with heart problems in the past, including a 2004 quadruple bypass surgery and a 2010 procedure to open a blocked artery.

The Democrat served two terms in the White House from 1993 to 2001, overseeing strong economic growth while engaging in bruising political battles with his Republican opposition.

The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives impeached him in 1998 over his sexual relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky, but Clinton was acquitted by the Senate. He was only the second US president to be impeached; Donald Trump would later become the third when he was impeached twice during his term.

The former Arkansas governor was known as a exceptionally talented politician, combining a folksy charm with a deep knowledge of policy issues. He defeated an incumbent president, Republican George H.W. Bush, in 1992 and then beat longtime Republican Senator Bob Dole in 1996.

Since leaving office, Clinton has become a cheerleader for his wife, Hillary Clinton, who was elected to the US Senate from New York in 2000.

She unsuccessfully sought the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination and then won the party's nod in 2016, when she eventually lost to Trump despite winning the national popular vote.

-reuters

Apple cuts iPhone 13 output forecast on chip shortage: report

SAN FRANCISCO, United States - Apple is unlikely to meet production goals for its new iPhone before the holidays because of a global electronic chip shortage, a report said Tuesday. 

The firm had planned to produce 90 million iPhone 13s before the end of the year, but will have to settle with 80 million as suppliers Broadcom and Texas Instruments cannot meet demand, the Bloomberg News said, citing sources familiar with the matter who asked to remain anonymous.

Apple presented a new line of iPhones last month, with four new models, including the iPhone 13 Mini, which sells from $700, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max, which costs $1,100.

"We estimate that overall demand has been robust globally," Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said, highlighting strong demand in China and the United States especially. 

"Apple will be running into a 5 million-plus iPhone 13 unit shortage for the holiday season if consumer demand keeps up at this pace," he added.

Chief executive Tim Cook warned during quarterly earnings reports in late July that supply chain constraints would have an even bigger impact on the current quarter than it had in the previous three months. 

He pointed out that electronic chip shortages were affecting all parts of the industry, not just Apple, and stemmed from significantly higher-than-expected demand.

Agence France-Presse

Kanye West puts Wyoming ranch, business sites up for sale

CODY, Wyo. (AP) — Rapper, music producer and clothing entrepreneur Kanye West has put his ranch and business properties in northwestern Wyoming up for sale.

The West Ranch, formerly known as Monster Lake Ranch, went on the market Monday for $11 million. The property sprawls across six square miles (16 square kilometers) of open land and tree-studded hills and outcrops about six miles (10 kilometers) south of Cody.

The property features lakes, a lodge, commercial kitchen, equipment sheds, horse facility, corrals and go-kart track, according to the DBW Realty listing.

The listing came days after West listed his seven commercial properties in Cody for more than $3.2 million, the Cody Enterprise reported.

The ranch, which leases additional land owned by the U.S. government, listed for $13.3 million before West bought it in 2019 though it’s unknown how much he paid for the property. Wyoming law does not provide for public disclosure of real estate sale amounts.

-Associated Press

Denmark to ban violent offenders from night-life zones

COPENHAGEN - Police in Copenhagen have set up four "no go" zones aimed at barring violent offenders from popular night-life areas in a bid to reduce violence in a country known for its low crime rates.

Under a new law, Danish courts can exclude people convicted of violent crime from "night life zones" set up by police, effectively controlling after-dark access to whole streets popular with partygoers.

"We have definitely got a new tool, a tool that affects the few, but which helps the many," Copenhagen police inspector Tommy Laursen told Reuters.

In an early application of the new law, a court in Helsingor last week gave a 24-year-old Dane a five-month prison sentence for violent behaviour.

In addition, he was handed a nine-months ban from visiting pubs, restaurants and places that serve alcohol between midnight and 5 a.m. as weall as being excluded from night-life zones.

In Copenhagen, prosecutors will on Monday use the new law in a violent crime case against a 31-year-old man.

Despite having declined in recent years, violence in bars and clubs is a major contributor to Denmark's violent crime statistics.

Many of those convicted of violence in night life venues are repeat offenders, Laursen said.

Violating a ban, which can last up to two years, will initially result in a fine of 10,000 Danish crowns ($1,500). A second offense means 30 days in prison, Laursen said.

-reuters

Malaysia lifts travel restrictions for fully vaccinated people

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia on Sunday lifted interstate and international travel restrictions for residents fully vaccinated against COVID-19, as the country achieved its target of inoculating 90 percent of its adult population.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the government has agreed to allow fully vaccinated Malaysians to travel overseas without applying for permission.

The new rules take effect on Monday.

The government is preparing to shift into an endemic COVID-19 phase where it will not impose wide lockdowns again if cases rise, Ismail Sabri told a news conference.

"We have to train ourselves to live with COVID, because COVID may not be eliminated fully," he said.

Nearly 65% of the country's 32 million population, including those aged 12 to 17, were fully vaccinated as of Saturday.

The Southeast Asian nation has recorded 2.3 million coronavirus infections and 27,265 deaths from COVID-19.

(Reporting by Mei Mei Chu; Editing by David Goodman and William Mallard)

-reuters

India to reopen for tourists from October 15

India will reopen for tourists from October 15 after being closed for more than a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the government said Thursday.

"After considering various inputs, the MHA (home ministry) has decided to begin granting fresh Tourist Visas for foreigners coming to India through chartered flights with effect from October 15, 2021," the home ministry said in a statement.

"Foreign tourists entering into India by flights other than chartered aircraft would be able to do so only with effect from November 15, 2021 on fresh Tourist Visas," it added. 

India suspended all visas for foreigners in March 2020 when the pandemic took off as the government imposed a strict lockdown.

Restrictions on some categories of foreigners such as diplomats and businesspeople were later lifted but tourists remained barred.

Earlier this year India was hit by a severe wave of coronavirus infections with about 400,000 cases and 4,000 deaths every day.

But cases in the country of 1.3 billion people have since slowed sharply to around 20,000 new daily infections and 200 to 300 deaths.

At the same time restrictions on most activities have been lifted.

Agence France-Presse

Martinez on ALDS roster, not in Game 1 lineup for Red Sox

ST. PETERSBURG. Fla. (AP) — Boston slugger J.D. Martinez is on the Red Sox roster but not in the lineup for Game 1 of their AL Division Series against the 

Martinez missed Tuesday night’s win over the New York Yankees in the AL wild-card game because of a sprained left ankle. The best-of-five ALDS was scheduled to start Thursday night in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Boston manager Alex Cora said Martinez was available off the bench for Game 1.

“Obviously, four at-bats, it’s going to be hard,” Cora said. “He will keep getting treatment. If we need it in a big spot and in a situation that we feel it’s the right one, not only because of his bat, but where he is at physically, we’ll use him.”

Martinez stumbled over second base while heading to the outfield in Sunday’s regular-season finale at Washington.

Because the National League does not use a DH in games played in its stadiums, Martinez was playing right field against the Nationals. He stepped on the bag and twisted the ankle heading out to play defense in the fifth inning.

It was only the seventh game in 2021 that Martinez started in right field. He was in the starting lineup as a DH for 113 games and as the left fielder for 28.

Martinez hit .286 with an AL-leading 42 doubles and 28 homers and 99 RBIs during the regular season.

Tampa Bay has 13 pitchers on its roster that does not include speedy outfielder Brett Phillips. Lefty Ryan Yarbrough, who went 9-7 with a 5.11 ERA in 30 games, including 21 starts, was also left off.

Rays manager Kevin Cash plans to be aggressive in using his bullpen during the series. He said right-hander Drew Rasmussen will start Game 3 or 4, with the other contest being a bullpen day.

Boston also added Game 2 starter Chris Sale, left-hander Martín Pérez and infielder Danny Santana to the ALDS roster.

Sale made nine starts this year after having Tommy John surgery on March 30, 2020.

“It’s been two years trying to get to this point,” Cora said. “All the hard work, all the tears and sweat throughout the process. So we have to take care of him, but it was his turn and we feel comfortable with him.”

Sale said he would be available to work as a reliever later in the series as well.

“There’s no reason to save an arm to go sit on the couch, you know what I mean?” Sale said. “This is all the baseball we have left, and we’re going to get certain points in these series where tomorrow might not come. So if that’s the case and it’s what’s called upon, you know, it’s my job.”

Red Sox right-hander Matt Barnes, who lost his closer role in August, is not on the roster after being active for the wild-card game. Others dropped were catcher Connor Wong, infielder Jonathan Araúz and outfielder Jarren Duran.

Boston outrighted infielder José Iglesias to Triple-A Worcester, reinstated infielder-outfielder Yairo Muñoz from the COVID-19 related injured list and outrighted him to Worcester on Wednesday. Iglesias was not eligible for the postseason roster because he signed with the team after the Aug. 31 cutoff.

Nick Anderson, Tampa Bay’s closer during its run to the World Series last year, failed to make the roster. He didn’t make his 2021 debut until Sept. 13 because of a right elbow injury and struggled in six late-season appearances.

With Boston having several left-handed starting pitchers on its roster, Tampa Bay added right-handed hitting outfielder Jordan Luplow.

The AL East champion Rays lost the World Series in six games to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020.

-Associated Press

Golf: Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau to face off in 'The Match V'

The Feud is now coming to Las Vegas to become The Match V.

Brooks Koepka will square off against nemesis Bryson DeChambeau in a 12-hole match at The Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas on Black Friday, Nov. 26, Golf.com reported Tuesday.

Turner Sports will air the match, as it has the first four, with Ernie Johnson and Charles Barkley on the call, per the report. This will be the first of "The Match" series that won't include Phil Mickelson as one of the participants.

DeChambeau foreshadowed the duel during Ryder Cup week.

"I think there may be something fun coming up here moving forward, but I won't speak too much more on that," he said when speaking about himself and Koepka -- to which the latter said he had "no idea" what DeChambeau was talking about.

An official announcement, including stakes, is expected later this week.

The pair buried the hatchet for the Ryder Cup, even embracing after the Americans' win over Team Europe.

Their feud began in 2019 when Koepka criticized DeChambeau's pace of play, and that sparked a series of barbs and social media posts ever since.

DeChambeau sits ranked No. 7 in the world while Koepka is ninth. DeChambeau has career earnings of nearly $26 million, while Koepka has $36.7 million in winnings.

-reuters

Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram suffer worldwide outage

Facebook and its Instagram and WhatsApp platforms were down across wide swathes of the world Monday. Facebook’s internal systems used by employees also went down.

The company said it was aware that “some people are having trouble accessing (the) Facebook app” and it was working on restoring access. Regarding the internal failures, Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, tweeted that it feels like a “snow day.”

The company did not say what might be causing the outage, which began around 11:45 ET. It is normal for websites and apps to suffer outages, though one on a global scale is rare. Users reported being unable to access Facebook in California, New York and Europe.

Doug Madory, director of internet analysis for Kentik Inc., said it appears that the routes Facebook advertises online that tell the entire internet how to reach its properties are not available.

Madory said it looks like the DNS routes that Facebook makes available to the networking world have been withdrawn. The Domain Name System is an integral element of how traffic on the internet is routed. DNS translates an address like “facebook.com” to an IP address like 123.45.67.890. If Facebook’s DNS records have disappeared, no one could find it.

Facebook is going through a separate major crisis after whistleblower Frances Haugen, a former Facebook product manager, provided The Wall Street Journal with internal documents that exposed the company’s awareness of harms caused by of its products and decisions. Haugen went public on “60 Minutes” on Sunday.

Haugen also anonymously filed complaints with federal law enforcement alleging that Facebook’s own research shows how it magnifies hate and misinformation, leads to increased polarization and that Instagram, specifically, can harm teenage girls’ mental health.

The Journal’s stories, called “The Facebook Files,” painted a picture of a company focused on growth and its own interests over the public good. Facebook has tried to play down the research. Nick Clegg, the company’s vice president of policy and public affairs, wrote to Facebook employees in a memo Friday that “social media has had a big impact on society in recent years, and Facebook is often a place where much of this debate plays out.”

Twitter, meanwhile, chimed in from the company’s main Twitter account, posting “hello literally everyone” as jokes and memes about the Facebook outage flooded the platform.

-Associated Press

Protesters in Brazil demand Bolsonaro's impeachment

RIO DE JANEIRO - Tens of thousands of Brazilians took to the streets around the country Saturday, once again calling for the ouster of unpopular President Jair Bolsonaro over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, among other issues. 

Large crowds gathered in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Brasilia and dozens of other towns and cities as part of the "Bolsonaro Out National Campaign," which is backed by a dozen left-wing political parties and labor groups.

Among other issues, the right-wing president has come under stinging criticism for his handling of the pandemic, which has claimed nearly 600,000 lives here.

Hundreds of people marched through the central Rio de Janeiro neighborhood of Candelaria, shouting "Bolsonaro out!" which was also emblazoned on several large banners. 

"We're going to get him out. The hope of the people here in the streets is to put pressure on legislators so that they call for impeachment," 69-year-old retired professor Elizabeth Simoes told AFP. 

More than 100 requests for the impeachment of Bolsonaro have been filed with the Chamber of Deputies, but its leader Arthur Lira, a government ally, has refused to take any of them up. 

The Supreme Court has ordered several investigations into Bolsonaro and his aides, including for spreading false information.

In Sao Paulo, tens of thousands of people gathered Saturday afternoon on the central Paulista Avenue, including former cabinet minister Ciro Gomes.

"Bolsonaro is destroying the national economy," said the center-left politician, calling for unity. "He fills Brazil with shame abroad and is responsible for the death of almost 600,000 Brazilians" from COVID-19.

Meanwhile, hundreds of demonstrators gathered along the Esplanade of Ministries in Brasilia.

Local media counted protests in 24 of Brazil's 27 states, and in 84 cities, including 14 state capitals.

Red flags of the Workers' Party of former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, or Lula, could be seen Saturday, along with Brazilian flags and the signs of several other left-wing and centrist parties often seen at protests against the far-right Bolsonaro.

- 'Can't stand this government' -

In recent months, protests led by leftist movements have demanded Bolsonaro's impeachment due to his mismanagement of the pandemic. But Saturday's demonstrations were also against a hike in food and fuel prices, as well as for relief for the 14.1 million unemployed people throughout the country.

"The population is going hungry, and we can't stand this government any longer," said Isadora Lessa, 22, in Rio.

"What is the importance of being here? That he knows he doesn't have unanimity, that he's going to have a hard time getting elected again," said Marcelo Werneck, who joined the protests in Rio in memory of the "friends and family" who died of COVID-19.

"If he doesn't face an impeachment, he loses the election in 2022," Werneck added.

Besieged by judicial investigations and the economic crisis, Bolsonaro's popularity has plummeted in recent months to 22 percent, its lowest level since he took office in January 2019.

But backers of the president have also made themselves known in recent weeks, as around 125,000 of them gathered in Brasilia and Sao Paulo September 7 in a show of support for Bolsonaro. 

A mid-September opinion poll by the Datafolha Institute found that Bolsonaro has 26 percent support compared with Lula's 44 percent, just one year ahead of the presidential vote. 

Agence France-Presse

Expo 2020 Dubai kicks off with lavish opening ceremony

DUBAI—The first world fair to be held in the Middle East, Expo 2020 Dubai, opened on Thursday with a lavish ceremony of fireworks, music and messaging about the power of global collaboration for a more sustainable future.

Stars headlining the opening ceremony, which was projected in public spaces around the UAE, included Italian tenor singer Andrea Bocelli, British singer Ellie Goulding, Chinese pianist Lang Lang and Saudi singer Mohammed Abdu.

Dubai, the region's tourism, trade and business hub, is hoping to boost its economy by attracting 25 million business and tourist visits to the world fair, which has been built from scratch on 4.3 square kilometers of desert.

Many countries and companies are also looking to the expo - the first major global event open to visitors since the coronavirus pandemic - to boost trade and investment. 

The full expo site will open its doors to exhibitors from almost 200 countries on Friday after being delayed for a year by the pandemic. Chosen eight years ago to follow the 2015 Expo in Milan, Italy, the event cost around $6.8 billion.

Dubai says it wants the Expo, an exhibition of culture, technology and architecture under the banner "Connecting Minds and Creating the Future", to be a demonstration of ingenuity, and a place where global challenges such as climate change, conflict and economic growth can be addressed together.

The event will probably contend with a global reluctance to travel and many events will be streamed live online. But Expo still officially expects to attract more visits than Milan received and more than twice the population of the UAE.

"We are quite confident...that by being responsible in how we manage the situation with COVIV but also in how we put forward an exciting program for visitors, we will hopefully be able to thread the needle by opening up but remaining at the same time conservative and keep public safety first and foremost," Reem Al Hashimy, Expo 2020 Dubai's Director General told Reuters.

The Gulf state has relaxed most coronavirus restrictions but Expo requires face masks to be worn and for visitors over 18 to be vaccinated against, or test negative for, COVID-19.

Before the pandemic, the consultancy EY forecast that the Expo would over the course of its six months contribute 1.5% of the UAE's gross domestic product. (Writing by Lisa Barrington; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

-reuters