UPDATE 1-NBA-Jazz stifle Heat as Miami's road woes continue

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* Miami lead in East down to half a game
* LeBron 18 away from 20,000 career points
Jan 14 (Reuters) - The Miami Heat were unable to complete a furious second half fightback as the defending NBA champions continued to struggle on the road, falling to a 104-97 loss to the Jazz in Utah on Monday.
LeBron James scored 32 points to help the Heat cut a 21-point deficit to just two when they pulled within 93-91 in the final few minutes, but the Jazz held firm to consign Miami to a third loss in four contests on their six-game road trip.
"The game was too close to be nervous," Utah big man Al Jefferson told reporters.
"I knew they would make their run, they are too good."
Gordon Hayward scored seven of his 22 points in the final three minutes, Al Jefferson added 23 and 11 rebounds as Utah (21-19) made sure their early hard work would result in a victory.
After being buried by the home team's assault through the first three quarters, Miami (24-12) embarked on a 21-5 spurt in the fourth to get back into the game.
Hayward responded with a pair of jump shots down the stretch and the Jazz made free throws as the Heat misfired.
"We can't dig ourselves a hole," said James, who moved to within 18 of becoming the youngest NBA player to reach 20,000 career points.
"Low energy against a team like this in their building in front of their amazing crowd - we can't play with low energy."
Chris Bosh added 16 and Dwyane Wade scored 11 for Miami, who were also out-rebounded by a comfortable 40-23 margin.
Wade did not play in the fourth quarter with coach Erik Spoelstra opting for an unconventional lineup.
"I don't know. I just always stay ready," Wade said.

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Jazz stifle Heat as Miami's road woes continue

(Reuters) - The Miami Heat were unable to complete a furious second half fightback as the defending NBA champions continued to struggle on the road, falling to a 104-97 loss to the Jazz in Utah on Monday.
LeBron James scored 32 points to help the Heat cut a 21-point deficit to just two when they pulled within 93-91 in the final few minutes, but the Jazz held firm to consign Miami to a third loss in four contests on their six-game road trip.
"The game was too close to be nervous," Utah big man Al Jefferson told reporters.
"I knew they would make their run, they are too good."
Gordon Hayward scored seven of his 22 points in the final three minutes, Al Jefferson added 23 and 11 rebounds as Utah (21-19) made sure their early hard work would result in a victory.
After being buried by the home team's assault through the first three quarters, Miami (24-12) embarked on a 21-5 spurt in the fourth to get back into the game.
Hayward responded with a pair of jump shots down the stretch and the Jazz made free throws as the Heat misfired.
"We can't dig ourselves a hole," said James, who moved to within 18 of becoming the youngest NBA player to reach 20,000 career points.
"Low energy against a team like this in their building in front of their amazing crowd - we can't play with low energy."
Chris Bosh added 16 and Dwyane Wade scored 11 for Miami, who were also out-rebounded by a comfortable 40-23 margin.
Wade did not play in the fourth quarter with coach Erik Spoelstra opting for an unconventional lineup.
"I don't know. I just always stay ready," Wade said.
The loss meant Miami's Eastern Conference lead was trimmed to just half a game ahead of their trip to Golden State on Wednesday.

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Yankees sign relief ace Rivera for another season

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Major League Baseball's all time saves leader Mariano Rivera has signed a one-year contract to return for his 18th season with the New York Yankees, the team said on Friday.
The Panama native tore ligaments in his left knee in May while catching fly balls in the outfield before a game and pitched in only nine games in 2012.
"I didn't want to go out like that," the 43-year-old Rivera said. "I didn't want that to be the last image."
No details were announced, but local media reports said Rivera had signed for $10 million plus incentives.
"It wasn't an easy decision because there's more than just baseball with me. I have to consider my family and the church, too," said Rivera.
"But I feel like we have a great group of guys and a team that can compete for a championship. I'm not just coming back to play. I'm coming back to win."
The right-hander, who has long baffled hitters with the deceptive, late movement on his cut fastball that bears in on left-handed batters, has 608 career saves and won five World Series titles with the Yankees dating back to the 1996 season.
A 12-time American League All-Star, Rivera's 42 postseason saves is the major league record.
His 18 seasons with the club tie him with Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle and team mate Derek Jeter for the longest tenure at the storied franchise.

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4 women strip, protest Vatican gay marriage stance

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Four women have gone topless in St. Peter's Square to protest the Vatican's opposition to gay marriage.
Police quickly took the women away Sunday, and the pope appeared not to have been disturbed as he delivered his traditional prayer from his studio window overlooking the piazza.
On their bare backs, the women had painted slogans "In Gay We Trust," and "Shut Up." One of them, Inna Shevchenko, said: "Today we are here to protest against homophobia."
The small demonstration coincided with a march in Paris that is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of people to protest the French president's plan to legalize gay marriage and let gay couples adopt children.
French Catholic bishops and other religious leaders have strongly opposed the proposal, and the Vatican has backed them.

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Steam train chugs through London's subway system

LONDON (AP) — Tourists waiting for their morning subway train to Madame Tussauds were treated to an unusual sight Sunday: a 19th- century steam engine chugging down the tracks.
Transit officials sent the Met Locomotive 1, built in 1898, down London's Metropolitan Line to mark the 150th anniversary of the capital's Tube network, the world's oldest.
Hundreds of train fans, costume-wearing enthusiasts, and curious onlookers gathered at platforms and bridges across the city to watch as the locomotive traveled non-stop from Kensington Olympia station in the west to Moorgate station in central London.
London Mayor Boris Johnson was among the invited passengers aboard the historic black-and-red locomotive. He said the trip was "romantic," describing "thick clouds of white steam going past and then bits of soot coming through from the engine.

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Ahead of failed rescue in Somalia, hostage chained

PARIS (AP) — France's defense minister says the intelligence agent held hostage for more than three years by Islamic militants in Somalia was chained up, mistreated and constantly moved around by his captors ahead of a failed rescue operation.
Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Sunday the decision was made to attempt the rescue because the agent, known by his code-name Denis Allex, was finally in a situation that seemed relatively stable. Planning for the operation began about a month ago, Le Drian said.
The overnight operation Saturday ended in the death of a French soldier and the likely deaths of the hostage and a second service member, Le Drian said. The militant Islamist group al-Shabab denies Allex was killed and claims to have a wounded French soldier in custody as well.

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