Nov 2 (Reuters) – Apple ( AAPL.O ) on Thursday delivered a sales forecast for the holiday quarter that missed Wall Street expectations, hurt by weak demand for iPads and wearables, sending its shares down about 3% in after-hours trading.

Chief Executive Tim Cook insisted the company’s new iPhone 15 models are doing well in China, seeking to ease Wall Street concerns that Apple is losing market share to a resurgent Huawei and other local smartphone vendors. Sep. Apple’s revenue from China fell 2.5% overall in the fiscal fourth quarter ended March 30, although it grew after accounting for foreign exchange rates, Cook said.

Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri told analysts on a conference call that sales for the current quarter, which included the Christmas holidays and Apple’s generally huge sales of its new iPhone models, were about the same as a year earlier. Wall Street had expected sales to rise 4.97% to $122.98 billion.

Apple shares, which have risen 37% so far this year, fell 3.4% after hours, following the forecast.

Maestri said Apple expects higher iPhone sales in the first quarter of the fiscal year, despite lower weekly sales in this year’s holiday quarter than last year.

“I would say that as confident as Tim Cook was in China’s future performance, we know there are many potential geopolitical challenges in that market,” said Bob O’Donnell, chief analyst at Technolysis Research.

Apple on Thursday reported sales and profit for the fiscal fourth quarter that beat Wall Street expectations, with a rise in iPhone sales and $1 billion in services revenue offsetting big drops in Mac and iPad sales.

Cook said the company’s new high-end handset models, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max devices, are facing supply constraints.

The Cupertino, California-based company has navigated the global smartphone slump better than its rivals, but faces an uneven economic recovery in China, a key market.

“We believe investors should heave a sigh of relief as both sales and profits were better than expected, the upside was small and we were concerned about weak sales from China,” said DA Davidson analyst Tom Forte.

Apple said sales for the latest quarter fell about 1% to $89.50 billion, but analysts’ estimates were $89.28 billion, according to LSEG data. Net income rose by around 11%. Earnings per share of $1.46 beat analyst expectations of $1.39 per share, according to LSEG.

Apple faces stiff competition in the smartphone market this year as Huawei Technologies ( HWT.UL ) returns to the field with new phones powered by Chinese-made chips after being shut out of the market by U.S. government trade sanctions for years.

Apple’s sales in China fell to $15.08 billion from $15.47 billion in the fourth quarter a year ago. After accounting for foreign exchange rates, Cook said Apple’s business in China grew year over year, driven by iPhone sales and service revenue.

“In mainland China, we had a quarterly record in the September quarter for the iPhone,” Cook told Reuters. “We have four of the top five best-selling smartphones in urban China.”

Apple is “working hard to produce more” of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max devices, Cook said. “By the end of this quarter, we believe we will achieve supply-demand balance.”

For now, the iPhone is Apple’s biggest seller. Fourth-quarter sales were $43.81 billion, in line with analyst expectations, according to LSEG data.

“We expect (Apple’s fiscal first quarter) performance to improve further as the supply issues of the flagship Pro and Pro Max models are resolved by then,” ITC analyst Nabila Bhopal said. “Demand across regions continues to favor more premium models, and we expect an even larger proportion of those models this year than last year,” he said.

The PC market is also expected to do well in the coming year. Earlier this week, Apple unveiled new Mac machines.

However, Mac sales fell by a third to $7.61 billion, and iPad sales fell 10% to $6.44 billion, compared to $8.63 billion and $6.07 billion, respectively.

Sales at Apple’s wearables division, which includes the Apple Watch and AirPods, fell 3% to $9.32 billion, missing estimates of $9.43 billion, according to LSEG data.

Apple has faced several quarters of declining sales of Macs and iPads, and continued that trend in the fourth quarter.

Apple’s services division, which includes Apple TV+ and recently closed a deal with global soccer superstar Lionel Messi, rose 16% to $22.31 billion, compared with analyst estimates of $21.35 billion.

Our Standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

According to TMZ, actor Alan Ragin crashed into the back of a car in Rivian Hollywood and ended up crashing into the wall of a pizza restaurant. October 31, 2023.

Los Angeles police told KTLA Thursday that no charges will be filed as a result of a multi-car crash in Hollywood involving “Ferris Bueller” and “Heir” actor Alan Rugg.

The collision happened around 9 p.m. on Halloween at the busy intersection of La Brea Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard.

Two surveillance videos obtained by KTLA show Rugin’s Rivian electric pickup truck parked behind another car at a red light as pedestrians cross the crosswalk.

For reasons still unclear, the truck suddenly lurched forward, rear-ended the other car, then careened across the lanes of traffic and struck another vehicle before crashing through the wall of Ruffalo’s Pizza. No one in the restaurant was injured.

Tim Radcliffe, who owns several nearby restaurants, rushed to help the actor, who was more concerned about the safety of the people he attacked than his own well-being.

“I asked him, ‘Are you okay? The first thing that came out of his mouth was, ‘Is everybody okay?’ [else] right? I think I hit someone. Is he OK?’,” Radcliffe told KTLA.

A 32-year-old man from one of the other vehicles was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, officials said. Ruck was not injured and was later seen on video talking to police at the scene.

The disorder is not suspected and the LAPD said no crimes occurred.

“I’m fine, thank God no one was killed,” the actor said TMZ told the photographer Thursday, without any information about the crash.

Ruck, 67, recently earned 2023 Emmy nomination Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his portrayal of Connor Roy in the hit HBO series “The Heir.” His breakout role came in the 1986 John Hughes comedy classic, “Ferris Puller’s Day Off,” where he played the hilariously depressed Cameron Fry opposite Matthew Broderick.

SAG-AFTRA members and supporters picket outside Disney Studios on the 111th day of the strike against Hollywood Studios on November 1, 2023 in Burbank, California.

Frederick J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)

Hollywood will remain in suspense Thursday as negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers continue.

The parties were in talks until Wednesday evening, talking about AI — This has proved to be a key factor in the rejection of these treaty talks — and other topics, a union source said. As with previous negotiating dates this week, Hollywood CEOs were absent from talks hosted by AMPTP President Carole Lombardini on the executive side.

“Things are still moving, but slowly,” a studio source said when reached Wednesday.

Hence SAG-AFTRA wrote in a message “The negotiating team met today to discuss and finalize our response to the AMPTP AI counter-proposal we received yesterday,” it told its members following Wednesday’s talks. Negotiators met with AMPTP representatives for over three hours this afternoon and evening to present and review our revised plan. We continue to await AMPTP’s response to our comprehensive set of counter-proposals that we presented on Saturday to resolve the outstanding issues.

As of Tuesday, a deal appeared to be in sight, despite concerns over entertainment companies’ uses of AI, including security. Earlier in the day, a studio source indicated that it could take days to reach a resolution on the remaining deal points on the table, while several key actors said they had been told a tentative deal could be reached soon.

Members of SAG-AFTRA’s negotiating team, including President Fran Drescher and National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, joined a crowded “unity picket” at the Disney Studios in Burbank, before negotiations began at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. In front of Disney’s main gate is a sign that says “Your offer is bananas! Bananas!” and “Bxtch Betta keep my money.”

In a video message shared on SAG-AFTRA’s social media, Crabtree-Ireland emphasized that members of other entertainment unions such as the IATSE and Teamsters also showed up. “Everyone is supporting us today and sending a message to these companies that they need to make it across the finish line and make a fair deal with us,” he said.

In his own video message on social media Wednesday, Drescher addressed his negotiating style after reports surfaced that he attended negotiations with a plush, heart-shaped doll. “I can be right, I can lead with intelligence, I can lead with wisdom, I can lead with empathy, I can be me,” he said. “I can guide and still hold a little silk doll in the shape of a heart that I call ‘love’.”

Kim Masters contributed to the report.

Bob Knight, the sixth-winningest coach in Division I men’s college basketball history, had his Hall of Fame career highlighted by three national titles. Indiana — coming off an undefeated season — and countless on-court outbursts, died Wednesday, his family said.

PHOENIX — On the first day of December 2021, just hours before Major League Baseball owners lock out players, the Texas Rangers held a series of press conferences to introduce their new $500 million middle infield. Both Marcus Siemian and Corey Seager left the Rivals to sign with a franchise that hadn’t posted a winning record in five seasons. Money influenced their decision. And so – the players said – was the view put forward by Rangers officials.

“We’ve laid it out, we’re real, we’re very transparent,” Texas general manager Chris Young said that day. “We are a 102-loss team. We didn’t run from it. But we have a vision, we have a plan, how we are going to accomplish this. Does it scare you? are you afraid Would you like to be a part of this? Do you want to do something great that has never been done in Texas Ranger history?”

After beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 11-7 in Game 4 of the World Series on Tuesday, history was almost upon them. The Rangers are one win away from capturing their first championship. The path does not go in a straight line. Texas lost more than it won in 2022, a skid that saw owner Ray Davis fire manager Chris Woodward and longtime president of baseball operations John Daniels. But Young remained. Siemian and Seager, who anchored the Texas offense all summer, were the laughing stock at Chase Field on Tuesday.

Siemian delivered a two-run triple in the second and a three-run homer in the third. In between, Seager hit a two-run home run. The Rangers destroyed Arizona’s attempt to run a bullpen game. Texas hung five on the Diamondbacks relievers in the second and scored five more in the third. The lineup isn’t rattled by the loss of rising star outfielder Adolis Garcia. His replacement, Travis Jankowski, continued the second-inning rally with a single and scored two runs in the third.

Texas starter Andrew Heaney pitched five innings of one-run baseball. He saved the Rangers’ bullpen for Game 5. It will be a rematch between Arizona starter Jack Galen and Texas starter Nathan Ewaldi. The Rangers have three more chances to collect a win since the club last reached this point in 2011 against St. Louis. The Rangers were within a strike on two separate occasions. Left a series of scars. The team could make up for an injury that suggested Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre earlier in the series.

“I’m going to feel like it took a little weight off us because we didn’t do it, those guys did it for us,” Beltre said. “So I would be very happy about that.”

Texas spent the afternoon updating its roster. The Rangers won Game 3, but lost two top players to injury. Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer has been dealing with back pain. Garcia, an outfielder who was recently crowned MVP of the American League Championship Series, strained an oblique muscle. Scherzer’s back didn’t budge on Tuesday. Garcia felt pain while trying to swing, Young explained before the game.

Scherzer’s absence could only matter if the series reaches a seventh game. Garcia’s absence robbed Texas manager Bruce Bochy of a slugger with a great arm in right field. Garcia launched a walkoff dinger in Game 1. He cut down Arizona first baseman Christian Walker at the plate to short-circuit a Game 3 rally. “You hate to lose your cleanup hitter,” Bochy said before the game. “But it happened.”

The Diamondbacks had their own problems. Manager Torrey Lovullo lacks a reliable fourth starter on his roster. He should lean on his relievers. This approach worked in Game 4 of the last round against Philadelphia, a team more willing to chase pitches out of the strike zone than the Rangers. Lovullo was asked before the game if he’d rather use a starting pitcher than play silly with his relievers. “Drysdale, Gibson, Koufax, Gooden, you name it,” he said.

Instead, Lovullo had Joe Montibley. The lefty reliever handled first, then surrendered a leadoff double to Texas rookie Josh Jung. Jung took third base on a groundout. Jung raced home on a wild pitch for the first run of the game when a changeup from Castro eluded the plate and past Gabriel Moreno.

The Rangers didn’t stop there. Unable to find his fastball or changeup, Castro struck out outfielder Leoty Taveras. Up came Jankowski, who replaced Garcia in right field. Jankowski rolled a two-out single up the middle. Next, Siemian ripped a slider down the left-field line. Arizona outfielder Lourdes Curiel Jr. fumbled in the corner trying to protect the baseball. A two-run triple forced Lovullo out of the dugout.

Down by three runs, Lovullo intentionally didn’t want to walk Seager, who delivered massive home runs in Game 1 and Game 3. At least the result was behind Nelson’s second pitch rather than his first pitch. Nelson hung a slider. Seager hit the baseball 431 feet over the center field fence for a five-run lead.

It fell to third-place Arizona. Nelson delivered singles to Jung and first baseman Nathaniel Lowe. Walker flopped a grounder that loaded the bases. Jankowski, the freshman Arizona reliever, doubled to right-hander Luis Frias. Siemian pushed the advantage into double digits with the next at-bat. Siemian destroyed a fastball in the top of the zone for his first home run of the postseason.

Blasts from Texas left the game. The Rangers could have known Game 5 represented the final innings of Game 4. The vision that Texas officials suggested to Semyon and Seager, a vision that seemed fanciful in the days before the shutdown, could come to fruition in just a day.

Required reading

(Photo: Rob Tringali / MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Jerusalem
CNN
—

An Israeli strike targeting a Hamas commander in the densely populated Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza caused catastrophic damage and killed scores of people, according to eyewitnesses and medics in the enclave.

“I was waiting in line to buy bread and suddenly seven to eight missiles fell without warning,” eyewitness Mohammad Ibrahim told CNN.

“There were seven to eight big holes in the ground, full of dead people, body parts,” he said. “It felt like the end of the world.”

According to a statement from the Israel Defense Forces, the airstrike targeted and killed Ibrahim Biari, who it described as one of the Hamas commanders responsible for the Oct. 7 attack on Israel that killed more than 1,400 people and took hundreds hostage.

The IDF said “several Hamas terrorists” were hit in the strike and the Central Jabalya Battalion took control of civilian buildings.

However, Hamas has vehemently denied that any of its leaders are in the camp. Hazem Kasim, a spokesman for the militant group, accused Israel of trying to justify what he described as a “heinous crime against innocent civilians, children and women in the Jabalya camp.”

Eyewitness Mohammed Al Aswad described a “terrible scene” after the strike, telling CNN he ran to the refugee camp to check on family when he heard the missiles land.

“Children were running carrying other injured children, ash filled the air. Bodies were hanging from the rubble, many of them unidentified. Some were bleeding, others were burned,” Al Aswad told CNN by phone.

The people of the area are going crazy, he said. “I saw women screaming and confused. They didn’t know whether to cry for the loss of their children or run and look for them, especially since there were so many children playing in the neighborhood.

Pictures from the scene showed a large chasm between the rubble and damaged buildings. Palestinians and rescue workers can be seen trying to find victims, some using their hands to clear detritus.

Speaking to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Richard Hecht accused them of “hiding behind civilians, as they do.” Reminded that there were many innocent civilians in the camp, Hecht replied, “This is the tragedy of war” and urged the civilians to go south.

Southern Gaza has also seen deadly airstrikes, and aid agencies have repeatedly warned that there is no safe place in the isolated enclave. Israel’s bombardment of Gaza has killed at least 8,485 people and injured more than 21,000, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah.

At the Indonesian hospital, a large medical facility near Jabalya, videos showed long lines of bodies lying on the hospital floor, as doctors rushed to treat the wounds of scores of injured people, including children.

The hospital was overcrowded and several injured were seen being treated on the ground. The head of the hospital, Dr. Atef Al-Khalhoud, estimated that many people were killed in the blast.

“What you see is an unimaginable sight: wounded martyrs, hundreds of charred bodies,” said another doctor, Mohammed Al Ran. “All we can do is take them. Most of the injuries are from explosives and head injuries and amputations.”

Twenty homes were “totally destroyed” in the blast, according to the Hamas-controlled interior ministry in Gaza.

After the bombing, Israeli human rights organization B’tselem condemned weeks of Israeli aerial bombardment of Gaza, saying in a statement released Tuesday that “the scale of Israeli killing and the continued destruction of Gaza is appalling.”

“More than 8,000 people have been killed so far, more than half of them women and children. Buildings have all collapsed, leaving residents trapped inside. Entire families have been destroyed in an instant. This criminal harm to civilians is intolerable and must be repeated frankly – including in the war on Hamas, in everything in war.” Not allowed,” it said.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry described the strike as a “massacre”, citing “chilling documented scenes” of children and women. “Its bones lie in a large-scale massacre carried out in full view of the world and under the pretext of self-defense,” the statement added.

Saudi Arabia, Iran, Jordan and Egypt have also condemned the strike, with Egypt accusing Israel of violating international law by targeting an “inhumane” settlement. “Egypt considers this a new flagrant violation by Israeli forces against the provisions of international law and international humanitarian law,” the ministry said.

When pressed repeatedly throughout the White House briefing on the Jabalya strike and whether Israel was doing enough to protect Palestinian civilians, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the US had “signs they are trying.”

“We’re not going to react in real time to every event, but we’re certainly aware that civilians have been injured,” he said. “Civilians have been killed in the thousands … we recognize that, we observe, and we do not accept any civilian deaths in Gaza.”

“It is not the aim of the Israeli forces to go out and deliberately take the lives of innocent civilians, and they have made efforts to minimize that,” he added.

This story is evolving and being updated.

Angels
CNN
—

Emergency responders were called to his home on Saturday to find Matthew Perry “passed out in a private Jacuzzi.”

“A bystander brought the man’s head above the water to the edge and then removed him from the water as firefighters arrived,” a Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman told CNN on Monday when asked about the incident. Perry’s address. “A quick medical evaluation, unfortunately, revealed that the man had died before first responders could arrive.”

Perry is 54 years old.

The circumstances surrounding the actor’s death are being investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, according to the LAFD.

An autopsy was performed, but investigators are awaiting the results of toxicology reports to determine Berry’s cause of death, the medical examiner’s office told CNN on Sunday. Such reports can take weeks to complete.

A law enforcement source told CNN that no foul play is suspected.

Perry’s parents, John Bennett Perry and Suzanne Morrison, and his stepfather, “Dateline” reporter Keith Morrison, were seen arriving at the actor’s home Saturday night amid a police response.

Perry’s family released a statement People “They are heartbroken at the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother,” the paper said.

“Matthew brought so much joy to the world as an actor and friend,” the statement read. “You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love.”

The The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to trade guard James Harden to the LA Clippers as part of a multiplayer deal involving multiple draft picks, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.