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New Delhi, Dec 26 (PTI) India's sports fraternity on Thursday joined the nation in mourning the demise of two-time former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, paying homage to his "calm leadership and wisdom" in stirring condolence messages. Singh, 92, died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here after losing consciousness at his home owing to age-related ailments. Also Read | Premier League 2024-25: Fulham Make History at Stamford Bridge, Dent Chelsea's EPL Title Hopes With 2-1 Victory. "Sad news of the passing of Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji. A visionary leader and a true statesman who worked tirelessly for India's progress. His wisdom and humility will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his loved ones," World Cup-winning former cricketer Yuvraj Singh posted on X. Similar sentiments were expressed by his former teammate and Aam Aadmi Party's Rajya Sabha member Harbhajan Singh, who described Singh as a thorough gentleman and visionary leader. Also Read | Premier League 2024-25: Jordan Pickford Denies Erling Haaland Penalty as Everton Hold Defending Champions Manchester City to 1-1 Draw. "What truly set him apart was his calm and steady leadership in times of crisis, his ability to navigate complex political landscapes, and his unwavering belief in India's potential," he wrote. It was during Singh's second tenure that India hosted the 2010 Commonwealth Games in the national capital. It was the first international multi-sport extravaganza to be held in the country after the 1982 Asian Games, also hosted by Delhi. Former wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who is now a Congress MLA in Haryana, called Singh a man of "extraordinary wisdom, simplicity and vision." "Dr. Manmohan Singh was not just a Prime Minister, but he was a thinker, economist and a true patriot. His calm leadership style and economic vision gave the country a new direction, from the 1991 economic reforms to establishing India's reputation on the global stage. "There was depth in his humility and wisdom in his every word. His services and contributions to the country will always be remembered. You will always live in our hearts, Sir," she wrote in her emotional tribute on social media. Former cricketers Virender Sehwag and VVS Laxman and ex-women's hockey team captain Rani Rampal were also among those who expressed their sadness at his death. Before serving as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, Singh was finance minister in the P V Narasimha Rao-led government and was the brain behind the economic reforms of 1991 that marked the beginning of liberalisation in the country. Widely respected for his intellect and grace in public life, Singh had retired from active politics in April this year after over a three-decade run as a Rajya Saha MP. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)Protesters in Spain Object to Skyrocketing RentsA Winnipeg pilot project offers arena ice and rocks in a curling club to top teams in the area. Two sheets at the eight-sheet Heather Curling Club are prepped and clipped by leading ice maker Greg Ewasko, who has repurposed provincial championship rocks for use. A cabinet containing a TV for video analysis, speed trap equipment for weight control and smart brooms to track pressure, speed and power is rinkside. When Dave Murdoch accepted the job of Curling Canada’s high-performance director two years ago, he envisioned regional training hubs across the country to serve the nation’s top curlers and teams, plus the next generation in the sport, in those geographical areas. Winnipeg’s hub that’s been up and running since Oct. 8 is a step toward his vision. The Saville Community Sports Centre on Edmonton’s University of Alberta campus and Calgary’s Glencoe Club had National Training Centre designations predating Murdoch’s arrival. Winnipeg is a test case for what he hopes will be expansion across Canada. “We’ve got a couple of centres in Alberta, but how can we create a network across the country that’s really going to not only help our national team program, but has somewhere for our NextGen to evolve?” Murdoch said. “We have a lot of interest in this model, and I’d like to think that come season 2025-26 we’ll have a few more in place.” Olympic and two-time world champion Jill Officer oversees the Heather operation as Curl Manitoba’s high-performance director. “The biggest thing about it is, while we are using an existing facility, we have two dedicated sheets that are probably 85 per cent of the time for national team and NextGen athletes,” Officer explained. “The difference is the consistency and quality of the ice. Recreational curlers playing on that ice might have a difficult time managing it because it’s so much more similar to arena conditions. It is curling a lot. The speed is really nice. “I’ve had a lot of players say ‘thanks so much for doing this. It feels good to be excited to go to practice again.'” Mike McEwen, Kerri Einarson, Kaitlyn Lawes, Kate Cameron, national under-25 men’s champion Jordan McDonald and the NextGen mixed doubles duo of Mackenzie Arbuckle and Aaron McDonnell are among curlers training with lively ice and rocks that mimic Grand Slams, national and world championships more than regular club ice and stones. “We went to the Heather because I run some youth programs there, but I also knew they had enough hours for us to be able to offer it,” Officer explained. “A lot of clubs in Winnipeg typically are quite full up or they’re booked. It’s maybe a little more challenging to provide us with two sheets that would be for us 85 to 90 per cent of the time. “The big idea came from David and we’ve been talking about his idea of wanting to have these regional hubs across the country because Canada is so large and we have athletes spread out everywhere. It would be great to have these sort of setups and conditions in more places than just Alberta.” Winnipeg’s hub is a joint venture of Curling Canada, Curl Manitoba, the provincial government, Sport Manitoba and the Canadian Sport Centre Manitoba. “The biggest piece we were missing was funding to make it happen,” said Curl Manitoba executive director Craig Baker. “Curl Manitoba couldn’t go at it alone and Curling Canada couldn’t go at it alone, so how do we make it happen? “There was a bunch of different pieces and for us this year the biggest one was the province coming on board. The province of Manitoba came to Curl Manitoba and said it’s something they wanted to support.” Neither Murdoch nor Baker would give the price tag for the project stating it was the sum of funding from multiple partners. Existing rocks and technological equipment were brought to the facility, and a nutritionist and strength and conditioning coach at the Canadian Sport Centre Manitoba were already working with athletes. Athletes pay a fee to use it, either as individuals or as a team. “We’re trying to do it as economically has possible,” Baker said. “If we’re able to provide a venue where athletes can say they love to train, then I think we’re doing something right.”Loophole protecting AI firms over child abuse images to close

AP Business SummaryBrief at 12:17 p.m. EST

Listing: TSX (Toronto Stock Exchange) Symbol: CMR TORONTO, Dec. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited (“ BlackRock Canada ”), an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (“ BlackRock ”) (NYSE: BLK) announced on November 8, 2024, that it called a special meeting of unitholders (the “ Meeting ”) of the iShares Premium Money Market ETF (the “ iShares Fund ”), to originally be held on or about January 22, 2025 to approve a change to the investment objective of the iShares Fund to permit investments in asset-backed commercial paper (the “ Proposal ”). As a result of the Canada Post labour disruption, BlackRock Canada is postponing the Meeting to February 3, 2025. BlackRock Canada is holding the Meeting solely as a virtual (online) meeting by way of live audio webcast. In accordance with applicable securities laws, a management information circular relating to the Proposal (the “ Circular ”) will be made available to unitholders in advance of the Meeting. Notice of the Meeting and information outlining the procedures for accessing the Circular online (or requesting a copy thereof) will be mailed on or about January 3, 2025. Unitholders of record of the iShares Fund at the close of business on December 5, 2024, will be entitled to receive notice of, and vote at, the Meeting. The Circular will also be made available on www.sedarplus.ca and www.blackrock.com/ca and will include additional details regarding the Proposal. Unitholders of record are entitled to vote: (i) by completing, signing and dating their voting instruction form and returning it by mail following the directions provided in the voting instruction form; (ii) via the Internet at www.proxyvote.com ; or (iii) by calling the applicable number listed on the voting instruction form. Unitholders of record may experience significant delays in mail delivery due to the impacts of the Canada Post labour disruption. Unitholders of record are encouraged to use the alternative methods to submit voting instructions to avoid any delay. Unitholders of record who have not received their control numbers as a result of the Canada Post labour disruption may contact their brokers in order to obtain their control numbers in order to vote their units. If the change to the investment objective is approved by unitholders of the iShares Fund, BlackRock Canada expects that the Proposal will be effective as of February 7, 2025. For more information about the iShares Fund, please visit www.blackrock.com/ca . About BlackRock BlackRock’s purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a leading provider of financial technology, we help millions of people build savings that serve them throughout their lives by making investing easier and more affordable. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com/corporate . About iShares iShares unlocks opportunity across markets to meet the evolving needs of investors. With more than twenty years of experience, a global line-up of 1400+ exchange traded funds (ETFs) and US$4.2 trillion in assets under management as of September 30, 2024, iShares continues to drive progress for the financial industry. iShares funds are powered by the expert portfolio and risk management of BlackRock. iShares® ETFs are managed by BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited. Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investing in iShares ETFs. Please read the relevant prospectus before investing. The funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional. Contact for Media: Sydney Punchard Email: Sydney.Punchard@blackrock.comPortland, Oregon, swears in new government and mayor who campaigned to end homelessness

The Tirupati district police have arrested two men associated with Finnbul Technologies Private Limited for harassing a woman and threatening her over defaulting one installment of a loan. The woman, a software engineer from Sullurpeta, currently working in Bengaluru, had taken a loan from the Hyderabad branch of the company. After making five payments on time, she faced delays in repaying the sixth installment. District SP L. Subba Rayudu said on Friday that the company's recovery team allegedly morphed her photographs and sent them to her and her family via WhatsApp, threatening to share them with her contacts if the loan was not repaid. Based on the victim’s complaint, the Sullurpeta police arrested two suspects. The accused were identified as recovery team manager Marka Bharath Yadav who is a resident of RK Puram, Neredmet, Malkajgiri, and recovery team member Putamsetti Ramakrishna, who is a resident of Film Nagar, Hyderabad. The SP cautioned the public against unethical practices by non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and loan app operators. He emphasised that any complaints of harassment or inappropriate behaviour by recovery agents would result in strict legal action against the respective companies and individuals involved. The Tirupati police arrested a 73-year-old man for placing a red Santa Claus hat on the statue of Annamacharya at the Rayala Cheruvu Road Circle on December 23. According to the police, the suspect, identified as Bandhu Dharji Jawanar from Maharashtra, had been wandering from place to place after leaving his home. About 15 days ago, he arrived in Tirupati, scavenging waste paper and living on city platforms. On the afternoon of December 23, he found a red Santa Claus hat near the Annamacharya statue and placed it on the statue’s head. The incident was deemed provocative, with the potential to incite communal tensions and hurt Hindu sentiments. Following an investigation using technical evidence and intelligence, the police traced the suspect and arrested him near Tiruchanoor. He has since been remanded to judicial custody.

Jamal Murray shoved the ball away from him With 4.2 seconds left and the Nuggets trailing Dallas, 121-119, Murray stepped up for the second of two free throws with the intention of missing. It banked off the backboard and tushed right through the net. One of those nights. One of those Novembers. “The whole game, I’m trying to make (a shot), and I’m trying to miss one time,” the Nuggets guard recalled with a rueful chuckle late Friday night after a 123-120 defeat. “So, that’s the way it goes sometimes, you know?” You’d laugh, but only to keep from crying. Before Saturday night’s late-night showdown with the Lakers, the Blue Arrows looked more like a Broken Arrow. Mr. 50-40-90 went into Tinseltown averaging 17.4 points per game in November while shooting 40.7% from the floor and 33.3% on treys. You don’t know what you’re going to get on a given night. As of Saturday morning, the Arrow had posted four games this season in which he’d scored 20 points or more. After each of those four, he went out the next time and shot 6 for 20, 2 for 7, 7 for 17 and, more recently, 4 for 16 vs. the Mavericks. “You sure you’re feeling OK?” I asked the Nuggets guard at his locker after the Dallas loss. “You keep saying, ‘I’m good, I’m good ...'” Murray looked daggers in my direction. “Then take that,” he replied. , it’s the head. You get flashes of Playoff Mal, those spring heat checks that could melt a glacier. But much of the time, it looks as if Murray is on his back, a wanna-be All-Star staggered by the weight of expectations. A max contract guy putting up mid numbers. To wit: While closing out a miserable first half against Dallas and a Mavs squad missing Luka Doncic, the Nuggets nevertheless found themselves with a chance to take the final shot. Only Murray, who was 2 for 7 at the time, turned it over and then committed a foul, gifting Big D two free throws and a 73-53 cushion at the break. “I think (if) we just take care of the first half, don’t come out as sloppy and make better urgency, we can win that game,” Murray reflected. Alas, the Nuggets ran out of juice over the final three minutes. Which was compounded by Dallas hunting Murray defensively and taking it to him, time and again. Over his first 10 games, the Arrow has posted a 112 or higher Defensive Rating in the fourth quarter — higher is worse — six times. Mind you, he put up the same ratio at the start of the 2022-23 season. You just notice it more when he stops making shots at the other end of the floor. “Some of those are shots that he probably makes,” Malone said. “And I’m sure some of those are probably ... shots where maybe we could have swung it or made an extra pass for maybe a better shot.” Maybe. Although these days, even Murray’s clutch gene comes and goes like the autumn wind. NBA.com defines “clutch” stats as applying to any action that takes place in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime of a game that’s within five points or less. In the first month of the 2022-23 campaign, one that ended with a parade, This season? Seven “clutch” games as of Saturday morning, with a yikes 123.4 Defensive Rating and a Net of plus-7.9. Christian Braun went into Saturday night with 10 “clutch” games and a 115.3 Defensive Rating and a Net of plus-18.9, best among Nuggets starters. Nikola Jokic was second in “clutch” Net, at plus-14.2, followed by Peyton Watson (plus-14.0), then Michael Porter Jr. (plus-13.3) ... and then Murray. When the eye test and the computers match up, you’ve got a problem. If MPJ can be benched for defensive reasons in the fourth quarter, why not the Arrow? “We’ve got to find a way,” Malone continued. “And I have to find a way to help to get Jamal going.” The Canadian’s most buzz-worthy moment Friday came with 8:27 left. Murray caught a live fly, walked over to the sideline “It was just squirming on the court and ... I just thought I’d go to Doris or whoever was over there and just lighten up my mood as well,” the Nuggets guard explained. “Sometimes, you just have to smile ... so I just tried to, more for myself, honestly, break the negativity mentally and have a joke with those guys.” “Did you catch that thing in the air?” I asked. Another look. Another dagger. “I’ll let you figure that out,” he countered. This version of Murray wouldn’t hurt a fly. But it’s hurting the Nuggets in the middle of Jokic’s title window, as the latter creeps ever closer to a cold, lonely sill.None

As I See It: My warning to Albany: Do not go down this same rabbit holeNEW YORK — The rumbling buses echoed for blocks on the quiet campus at Fordham University. Nebraska’s sprawling football operation had arrived. This isn’t the typical home team, the FCS-level Rams that just completed a 2-10 season. The Huskers took the practice field on a cold and sunny Thursday afternoon flanked by social-media cameras and a host of staffers. A post-practice grab-and-go buffet line greeted players afterward as they headed the few miles back toward downtown Manhattan and an evening at a high-profile ping-pong club. “Just looking around, spending time with each other,” freshman linebacker Vincent Shavers said of more time in New York City. “I ain’t never did this before with no other team so I’m very happy. I’m grateful for them.” Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” played on the sound system as Nebraska went through workouts two days before the Pinstripe Bowl. The Huskers practiced at Joe Moglia Field — Moglia, a Fordham alumnus, was once the executive advisor to former NU coach Bo Pelini in 2009 and 2010 — on an artificial surface shared also by the Fordham soccer and baseball teams. Baseball’s press box named after another famous graduate, Vin Scully, was only yards away as the visiting Big Ten team went through drills. The gated campus — just a couple blocks away from bustling neighborhood streets in the Bronx — was covered with small piles of snow scattered throughout. Temperatures in the sun felt perhaps in the mid-40s while shady conditions felt closer to 20. New Nebraska assistant coaches Daikiel Shorts (receivers) and Phil Simpson (outside linebackers) spoke with a smattering of reporters afterward along with a few players. Coach Matt Rhule will talk midday Friday as part of a Pinstripe availability before kickoff Saturday at noon eastern time. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Russian President Vladimir Putin taunted the US Thursday by challenging America’s military to a “duel” to see if its defense systems could stop the Kremlin’s new hypersonic ballistic missile . During his end-of-the-year conference, Putin mocked the West’s claims that the new Oreshnik missile , capable of carrying a nuclear payload, was not as deadly as Moscow claims following its limited use against Ukraine. The Russian leader then suggested the US pick a target to protect and see if its defense systems would be up to the task of stopping the Oreshnik. “We’re ready for such an experiment,” Putin said, adding that Western technology “stands no chance.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was shocked by the challenge Putin put forth, telling reporters that it would be crazy for two superpowers to directly test their weapons against each other in such a way. “Do you think he is a sane person?” Zelensky asked reporters at a news conference hours later. The Oreshnik, Russian for hazel tree, was reportedly based on Moscow’s RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile and is capable of carrying either conventional or nuclear warheads . The rocket hit speeds of nearly 8,500 miles per hour after it was launched from the 4th Missile Test Range in Russia’s Astrakhan region last month, decimating a military site in Dnipro. The missile can fly between 310 to 3,400 miles, officials have said, putting all of Europe at risk. Along with the challenge to the US, Putin reiterated threats against Kyiv, suggesting Ukraine’s “decision-making centers” were viable targets in the war. The threat was made after Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia’s nuclear weapons department, was killed in a scooter explosion in Moscow earlier this week. Kirillov was the highest-ranking Russian official to be killed since the war began in February 2022. Despite claiming to be confident in Russia’s invasion progress, Putin said he would be willing to agree to a cease-fire agreement on the condition that the US do the bulk of the work getting Kyiv to agree. He said he was ready for such conversations to take place under the incoming Trump administration, warning the US that Russia is not in a weaker position to bargain with. “If I ever meet with the newly elected president, Mr. Trump, I am sure we’ll have something to talk about,” Putin said. With Post wiresBig Ten could place four teams in playoff, thanks to IU's rise

Over 700 hospitalised with flu as post-Christmas surge ‘at upper end’ of predictionsLas Vegas (3-12) at New Orleans (5-10) Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox BetMGM NFL odds: Raiders by 1 Against the spread: Raiders 6-9; Saints 6-9 Series record: Tied 7-7-1 Last meeting: Saints beat Raiders 24-0 on Oct. 30, 2023, at New Orleans. Last week: Raiders beat Jaguars 19-14 ; Saints lost to Packers 34-0 . Raiders offense: overall (28), rush (32), pass (14), scoring (29) Raiders defense: overall (12), rush (13), pass (9), scoring (27) Saints offense: overall (19), rush (13), pass (23), scoring (22) Saints defense: overall (30), rush (30), pass (28), scoring (T17) Turnover differential: Raiders minus-17; Saints minus-1 After his 11 catches for 99 yards last week, rookie tight end Brock Bowers has a team-leading 101 catches for a team-high 1,067 yards and four TDs. As one of few healthy skill players left on New Orleans' offense, tight end Juwan Johnson has become more prominent in the game plan. The former Penn State and Oregon receiver, who was converted to a tight end during his third NFL season (2022), now ranks second on the club in catches this season with 38 and yards receiving with 402, while his three TD catches are tied for third on the team. Bowers will test New Orleans' coverage scheme. Those Saints responsible for containing Bowers could include linebackers Demario Davis and Peter Werner, as well as safeties Will Harris and Tyrann Mathieu. Raiders guard Jordan Meredith (ankle), linebacker Kana'I Mauga (calf) and guard Jackson Powers-Jordan (quadriceps/ankle) were all listed on Las Vegas' injury report this week. The Saints listed nine players on their injury report this week, including QB Derek Carr (left hand), running back Alvin Kamara (groin), center Erik McCoy (elbow) and guard Lucas Patrick (knee), who all missed practice time. Those limited at practice this week included defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd (eye), defensive end Payton Turner (ankle), receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (chest) and Johnson ( foot). The Raiders have won two of the past three, while the Saints have won four of the past six. The teams have met eight times previously in New Orleans, with the Saints winning four and the Raiders winning three. The clubs' first ever meeting was a 21-all tie in New Orleans in 1971 at the old Tulane Stadium. Raiders QB Aidan O'Connell completed 24 of 38 passes (63.2 percent) for 257 yards without an interception last week. He has not thrown an interception in three of his past four games. ... Bowers last week became the second rookie in NFL history (joining Odell Beckham Jr.) and the third TE ever (joining Zach Ertz and Evan Engram) with 10 or more catches in four games in a season. Bowers’ 1,067 yards receiving leads all NFL tight ends this season and he needs just 10 more yards to surpass Hall of Famer Mike Ditka (1,076 in 1961) for the most by rookie TE. ... Veteran RB Ameer Abdullah had season-high 85 scrimmage yards (47 receiving, 38 rushing) and a TD rushing last week, giving him a TD in two straight games. He needs 75 scrimmage yards for his third season with 500 (along with 2015 and 2017). ... RB Alexander Mattison had 56 scrimmage yards and a TD rushing in Week 16. He caught a TD pass in his only career game in New Orleans, when he was with Minnesota in 2022. ... DT Adam Butler has a tackle for loss in five of his past six games and at least half a sack in three of his past four. ... DE K’lavon Chaisson had a sack last week, giving him a tackle for loss in four straight games. ... S Isaiah Pola-Mao had nine tackles and the first two forced fumbles of his career last week. ... Saints rookie QB Spencer Rattler passed for 153 yards and rushed for 28 yards in Week 16, but also was intercepted and lost a fumble. He is 0-4 as an NFL starter. ... Versatile veteran RB Alvin Kamara, who hopes to return from a groin injury before this season ends, needs 7 scrimmage yards for his fourth 1,500-yard season and needs 50 yards rushing for his first 1,000-yard rushing season. ... WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling has a TD catch in three of his past four home games. TE Foster Moreau had 91 catches, 1,107 yards receiving and 12 TD catches in 61 games with the Raiders from 2019 to 2022. Moreau has 25 catches for 335 yards and four TDs this season. ... DE Cameron Jordan has a tackle for loss in each of his past two games. ... DE Carl Granderson has sack in two of his past three home games. ... DT Khalen Saunders had career-high two passes defensed and a tackle for loss last week. ... DT Bryan Bresee, a 2023 first-round draft choice out of Clemson, has a career-best 7 1/2 sacks in 2024. ... DE Chase Young has at least half a sack and a tackle for loss in three of his past four home games. ... LB Demario Davis has 114 tackles in 2024 and is one of three players (along with Eric Kendricks and Bobby Wagner) with 100 or more tackles in each of the past eight seasons. ... S Tyrann Mathieu has 99 passes defensed. He's intercepted a pass in each of his past two games against the Raiders. Bowers is a good bet to have another big game against a defense that ranks 28th in the NFL against the pass. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLOpenAI whistleblower death: Parents want to know what happened to Suchir Balaji after apparent suicide

This was some response to charges of being shot shy. Arsenal’s lack of cutting edge on foreign trips had been the pre-match talking point but it turned out they had saved up a hiding for the continent’s form team. Sporting had no answer to a masterful first-half display that was reflected accurately by strikes from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Magalhães, all of whom exposed a grievously flaky backline. While the hosts were given hope by Gonçalo Inácio early in a more competitive second period they had too much to do. Arsenal went back through the gears when it mattered, Bukayo Saka’s penalty and a Leandro Trossard header dealing their ambitions of swift passage to the knockout stage a significant boost. If Saturday’s straightforward win over Nottingham Forest had cleared a few heads around Arsenal, they arrived in Lisbon with another slate to wipe clean. Their away record in Europe has been substandard for almost two years and Arteta admitted in the buildup that something, whether it be by luck or judgment, needed to change. They had drawn blanks in their last four trips and, beginning with a 2-2 draw at this venue in March 2023, had won only one of their previous eight. So here was their chance to produce a statement that might look particularly meaningful given Sporting had eviscerated Manchester City here three weeks previously. That night provided the most piquant of farewells for Ruben Amorim; now his successor, the former reserve-team coach Tiago Teixeira, was charged with maintaining such rattling momentum. It was punctured within seven minutes and, having begun the game at some speed, Arsenal had advertised the opener’s arrival. Jurriën Timber was the creator, slipped in on the right by Declan Rice before curving a gorgeous low ball into the six-yard box. The cross was impossible to defend and, while it evaded Havertz, the recalled Martinelli was on hand to sweep in. Martin Ødegaard waved his teammates forward as Sporting got things back under way, evidently keen that they sustain the blend of urgency and potency. The home side had, after all, responded ruthlessly to falling behind against City. They flurried here, the former Tottenham forward Marcus Edwards buzzing purposefully in his first Champions League action of the season, but it would not be long before Ødegaard’s wish came true. This time it was Saka finding space in behind, fed by a clipped pass from Thomas Partey that sent him haring beyond Maximiliano Araújo. The goalkeeper Franco Israel advanced but Saka showed the presence of mind to nudge the ball across him with the outside of his left foot, leaving Havertz with the simplest of finishes from near the line. A noisy venue, rightly buoyant at the outset, had been virtually silenced. As the half-hour passed, the only fireworks in David Raya’s penalty area had been those set off above it by the home support shortly after Havertz’s goal. When the vaunted Viktor ­Gyökeres looked to run beyond Gabriel, the defender kept pace and the ball ­ultimately ran out of play. After a break led by Ødegaard, who was purring, Saka again exploited Sporting’s clear right-sided weakness with a jink inside and shot that Israel held. Rice then blasted wildly after another Saka effort had been blocked. Arsenal were dominant in every area and, moments after a rare moment of Sporting cohesion led to Raya tipping over from Geovany Quenda, they made the game safe. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion There was no time for another Sporting restart after Gabriel rose in characteristic fashion to meet a high, deep left-sided corner from Rice and plant it beyond Israel. Arsenal had produced a near-perfect half of European football. The last thing they needed to do was inject the remainder with unnecessary drama. So it changed the picture when, from a corner awarded when Raya pushed Hidemasa Morita’s shot wide, Inácio escaped Riccardo Calafiori and converted a controlled volley inside the near post. Only two minutes of the second half had passed and now the crowd, remembering how City had been blown away at the equivalent stage, were up again. Gyökeres’ eyes lit up when he was presented with a free-kick well inside the ‘D’ but he blasted his shot into orbit. Then Raya had to prevent an Edwards cross from sneaking in, soon afterwards seeing the same player fire over at the end of a flowing move. Sporting were attacking in waves, neither team bearing the faintest resemblance to its first-half iteration, but from nowhere Arsenal were given the opportunity to restore order. There was no disputing the spot-kick’s award. Ødegaard ran through Inácio far too easily and was clipped from behind by Ousmane Diomande when looking to find Saka. The decision for Szymon Marciniak, the referee, was simple and Saka did the rest. Then Trossard, reacting after Israel had parried his fellow substitute Mikel Merino’s effort, applied further gloss. Download the Guardian app from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play store on Android by searching for 'The Guardian'. If you already have the Guardian app, make sure you’re on the most recent version. In the Guardian app, tap the Menu button at the bottom right, then go to Settings (the gear icon), then Notifications. Turn on sport notifications.ORLANDO, Fla. — The silence has been broken, amid Miami Heat hopes that silence now can follow. In the wake of increasing conjecture of Jimmy Butler pushing for a trade and the team considering a deal, Miami Heat President Pat Riley on Thursday issued a terse and pointed statement on the matter. “We usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches,” Riley said. “Therefore, we will make it clear — we are not trading Jimmy Butler.” In addition, a person intimately familiar with the machinations of recent days said that at no point has Butler requested a trade. Earlier, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra also said Thursday that the desire of the team is to move forward with Butler, while also pausing to address reports of his star forward preferring to be elsewhere. “That’s just the deal,” Spoelstra said of Christmas Day turning into conflicting reports of Butler privately expressing a desire to move elsewhere and the Sun Sentinel confirming from both sides of the equation that there had been no trade demand put forward. “You have to compartmentalize in this business. We want Jimmy here. There’s no ifs, ands or buts about it. And it’s just unfortunate that you have to control or deal with a lot of the noise on the outside.” Thursday was the first opportunity for the Heat to address the speculation, with the team idle for Christmas, traveling to Orlando on Wednesday evening. Spoelstra spoke after the morning shootaround, ahead of Thursday night’s game against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center. “In terms of this morning, this was a pretty focused group coming off of the last game that we came here,” Spoelstra said, with the Heat blowing a 22-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter in Saturday night’s 121-114 loss in Orlando. “The guys understand the task at hand and looking forward to getting out there on the wood and trying to redeem what happened the last time we were here.” It is a process that instead came in the wake of the ESPN discussion about Butler’s reported desires, with Butler having been away from the team the past week with what has been listed as a stomach ailment. Asked whether Butler had within the team expressed a desire to move on, Spoelstra said, “That’s all I’m going to talk about. The more any of us talk about it, the more fuel it gets. It’s just really unfortunate that it just continues to build momentum outside of our building.” Riley’s statement followed, amid the hopes of ending the fuel on that fire. As team captain, center Bam Adebayo said what matters with Butler is what happens on the court and within the building. “You go out there and you win games,” Adebayo said. “That’s how you keep the distractions out. You go out there and win games, do it together. Like I said, they’ll handle everything behind closed doors. “Obviously, you have the business side of it. So at the end of the day, we’re all a family, we’re all in a brotherhood. So we’ll worry about the basketball games that we have to play.” So, no, Adebayo said, the conjecture did not sour his Christmas. “It’s a holiday. We’re with our families, so we’re going to worry about our families and worry about everything else later,” Adebayo said. Guard Tyler Herro, who has dealt with his share of trade speculation, said Wednesday’s televised conjecture was just part of the NBA process. “I didn’t really have a reaction, honestly,” he said of the reporting on Christmas morning. “My focus is on my daughter and my son, and I haven’t really picked up my phone or worried about basketball until this morning. So, I don’t know.” Herro said the concern was getting a teammate back to health and back on the court. “Yeah. I mean, Jimmy is sick, I believe,” Herro said. “So he had to take a couple days off. If I was sick, I might need a couple days one day, too. So we’ll see what happens.” Butler, 35, is eligible to reach free agency this summer should he opt out of the final year of his contract, a 2025-26 player option for $52.4 million. He also is eligible for an immediate Heat extension. By NBA rule, players are not allowed to publicly demand trades while under contract. Former Heat forward P.J. Tucker was fined $75,000 by the NBA in February for public statements regarding a desire at that time to be relocated from the Los Angeles Clippers. Similarly, in August 2023, James Harden, then with the Philadelphia 76ers, was fined $100,000 by the league for publicly expressing a trade desire. Butler, at least initially, played along with the conjecture, including changing the color of his braids to bright orange, a color prominently featured by the Phoenix Suns, one of his reported preferred landing spots. “I actually like it,” Butler said following a Dec. 11 Heat practice at Kaseya Center of the conjecture. “It’s good to be talked about. I don’t think there’s such a thing as bad publicity to a point. But if somebody is talking about me getting traded, that’s a lot.” Now there again is talk. “It’s fine with me,” Butler said two weeks ago of speculation that likely will continue until either a move is made or the passing of the NBA’s Feb. 6 trading deadline. “It doesn’t bother me, not one bit, and I do appreciate it.” Asked as a follow up to that answer about where he stands in terms of a potential long-term future with the Heat, he responded, “Who knows?” ©2024 South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Visit sun-sentinel.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.