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Sebastian Zapeta, 33, who federal immigration officials said is a Guatemalan citizen who entered the US illegally, was arraigned in Brooklyn criminal court. He appeared briefly before a judge and wore a white jumpsuit over a weathered black hooded sweatshirt. He did not speak. He will remain jailed ahead of his next court date on Friday. The apparently random attack occurred on Sunday morning on a stationary F train at the Coney Island station in Brooklyn. Police said on Tuesday that identification of the victim was still “pending at this time”. Authorities say Zapeta approached the woman, who was sitting motionless in the train car and may have been sleeping, and used a lighter to set her clothing on fire. The woman quickly became engulfed in flames, while the suspect then sat at a bench on the subway platform and watched, according to police. Video posted to social media appeared to show the woman standing inside the train ablaze as some people look on from the platform, and at least one officer walks by. NYPD chief of transit Joseph Gulotta said that several officers had responded to the fire and one stayed to keep the crime scene “the way it’s supposed to be” while the others went to get fire extinguishers and transit workers. They were eventually able to douse the fire, but “unfortunately, it was too late”, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said — the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. During Zapeta’s court hearing on Tuesday, Assistant District Attorney Ari Rottenberg said Zapeta at one point fanned the flames on the woman using his shirt. He said a 911 call from a subway rider helped identify Zapeta. Mr Rottenberg added that under interrogation Zapeta claimed he did not know what happened, noting that he consumes alcohol. But he alleged that Zapeta identified himself to interrogators in images related to the attack. Zapeta was taken into custody on Sunday afternoon while riding a train on the same subway line after police got a tip from some teenagers who recognised him from images circulated by the police. A Brooklyn address for Zapeta released by police matches a shelter that provides housing and substance abuse support. The shelter did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Federal immigration officials said Zapeta had been previously deported in 2018 but at some point reentered the US illegally. The crime — and the graphic video of it that ricocheted across social media — deepened a growing sense of unease among some New Yorkers about the safety of the subway system in a city where many residents take the subway multiple times each day.
Harris has ‘no knowledge’ anyone tried to get RTE to take down viral clipThe are heading into their first off year since 2017, with only the friendly in February on the national team schedule for 2025 so far. Fans will be hoping that this time will be used to expand the playing pool and continue the process of squad regeneration without the pressures of needing to qualify for and perform on the biggest stage. With that being said, it's never too early to look at what's coming up for the team and what future squads could look like. ESPN's Big Board has been wheeled out prior to and as a way of gauging not only who would make a squad, but which players are in and around the national team conversation. In previous editions, the Big Board was constructed with one key consideration in mind: if the squad had to be picked tomorrow, who would make the cut? For a new cycle of Big Boards, we've decided to switch it up. This time around, we're looking into our crystal balls and trying to predict the squad as it will be in 2026. Under the old rules, wouldn't make the cut as she continues to rehab her ACL injury, but this new version of the Big Board means Kerr stands to be fit and available for 2026. In addition to the squad, we will drop some names who are in and around the conversation for each of the position categories: goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and forwards. We will select a 23-player squad with three spots reserved for goalkeepers. Who is stepping up? Who will make the final squad? And who will be unlucky to miss out? Let's find out. ESPN'S PREDICTED 2026 WOMEN'S ASIAN CUP MATILDAS SQUAD , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , GOALKEEPERS Mackenzie Arnold, Teagan Micah, Chloe Lincoln This most recent window offered up a clear indication as to where the future of the Matildas' goalkeeping stocks lies. Arnold and Micah should be battling it out for the No. 1 spot in 2026 with Lincoln, who will be 21 by the time the Asian Cup rolls around, a third-choice keeper soaking up her first senior major tournament. did not take to the field in the last window of 2024 but is one to watch. So too is who was a mainstay -- albeit as third-choice -- in the Tony Gustavsson era, but will need to prove herself all over again. Closer to home, and are two young goalkeepers in the who could be more seriously in contention come 2026 or beyond. DEFENDERS Ellie Carpenter, Charlotte Grant, Alanna Kennedy, Steph Catley, Clare Hunt, Kaitlyn Torpey, Winonah Heatley The World Cup back four of choice goes again in 2026 with Catley, Carpenter, Hunt, and Kennedy all in. Catley serves as centre-back cover as does Heatley, who has impressed enormously in her nascent national team career. Heatley also provides an option in defensive midfield. For full-back cover, Grant gets the nod as someone who can play either flank while Torpey is a viable option as a full-back, winger, or wing-back. There are plenty of people who will read this list and ask where is, and it's a valid question. She is one of the unlucky ones to miss out in this iteration based on the versatility of those ahead of her. Other names which will continue to float around this group of players are , , , , , and . All will need to prove themselves to continue being a part of the conversation, especially Nevin who is the most experienced of the group. For a look at some even younger players, and are two exciting prospects worth keeping an eye on. MIDFIELDERS Kyra Cooney-Cross, Tameka Yallop, Emily van Egmond, Clare Wheeler, Katrina Gorry, Daniela Galic In 2026, Cooney-Cross will be the player the midfield is built around. Gorry should still be an integral part of the lineup, with Wheeler serving as a more defensive option. Yallop's form across the November/December window was an incredible reminder of how good she can be when utilised in her preferred positions, and how big a role good form plays in good performances. Galic and van Egmond represent the new and the old in terms of a technically sound, creative midfielder. Galic will be 19 come the start of the tournament and this will be a good place for her to cut her teeth and learn the ropes. Van Egmond's inclusion will no doubt be contentious but there is still a time and place for the 153-gamer -- namely as a luxury option off the bench. While injuries don't preclude anyone from selection under the new rules of the Big Board, they still colour our selections. Knee injuries have meant the likes of and haven't made the cut this time around. Players like , , and all got game time against and will be worth watching in the A-League Women. , and represent players at the beginning, middle, and end of their national team careers who could come into calculations. FORWARDS Caitlin Foord, Hayley Raso, Mary Fowler, Sam Kerr, Cortnee Vine, Sharn Freier, Holly McNamara The ideal Matildas attack remains a combination of Kerr, Foord, Fowler, and Raso. The issue, as always, is ensuring everyone is a) healthy and b) in form at the same time. Foord, Raso and Kerr will all be in their early 30s by the time the Asian Cup rolls around but will be supported by a crop of younger, exciting wingers. Freier has been an excitement machine over the last six months, while McNamara will hopefully be healthy for long enough to show exactly why she is so highly rated. Vine is the selection with the most question marks around her and there is a case to replace her in this squad with a more traditional No. 9. That brings us to those who are unlucky to miss out. Adding in a classic, big striker would make the squad more balanced but the key options are and , who will be 37 and 33 respectively come the Asian Cup. presents a more youthful strike option but will need to force continued selection with strong goal-scoring form. , , and are some options who have played in the Young Matildas and are currently in the A-League.
Flag football uses talent camps to uncover new stars
With the first quarter of the 2024-25 NBA season already gone, some believe the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks have already separated themselves from the rest of the pack in the Western Conference. An opposing general manager told ESPN's Tim MacMahon last week that the Thunder and Mavericks "are clearly the two best West teams." The Thunder rank first in the West with a 23-5 record and have won each of their last eight games. Oklahoma City fell to the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Cup championship but appears driven to contend for an NBA title this season. Star point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is once again in the running for NBA MVP, ranking third in the league with 30.6 points per game. Following a slow start that saw them open the year with a 7-7 record, the Mavs appear to have rounded into form and rank fourth in the West at 19-10. Perhaps even more impressively, Dallas has gone 6-2 in games that star point guard Luka Dončić has missed, as MacMahon called this "the best the roster has looked" in his seven-year career. The Mavs are set to face the Minnesota Timberwolves (14-14) on Christmas Day in a rematch of the 2024 Western Conference Finals. The Thunder will be back in action on Thursday against the Indiana Pacers (15-15). Dallas and Oklahoma City split their first two meetings of the season and will face each other again on Jan. 17.Harvard Study: Children’s Heart Health Begins Declining at Age 10
New York City mayor meets with Trump's 'border czar' to discuss how to go after 'violent' criminalsWASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said her agency will need to start taking “extraordinary measures,” or special accounting maneuvers intended to prevent the nation from hitting the debt ceiling , as early as January 14, in a letter sent to congressional leaders Friday afternoon. "Treasury expects to hit the statutory debt ceiling between January 14 and January 23," she wrote in a letter addressed to House and Senate leadership, at which point extraordinary measures would be used to prevent the government from breaching the nation's debt ceiling — which was suspended until Jan. 1, 2025. The department in the past deployed what are known as “extraordinary measures” or accounting maneuvers to keep the government operating. Once those measures run out, the government risks defaulting on its debt unless lawmakers and the president agree to lift the limit on the U.S. government’s ability to borrow. "I respectfully urge Congress to act to protect the full faith and credit of the United States," Yellen said. FILE - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen speaks during a visit to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) in Vienna, Va., on Jan. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) Susan Walsh Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts The news came after Democratic President Joe Biden signed a bill into law last week that averted a government shutdown but did not include Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s core debt demand to raise or suspend the nation’s debt limit. Congress approved the bill only after a fierce internal debate among Republicans over how to handle Trump's demand. “Anything else is a betrayal of our country,” Trump said in a statement. After a protracted debate in the summer of 2023 over how to fund the government, policymakers crafted the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which included suspending the nation's $31.4 trillion borrowing authority until Jan. 1, 2025. Notably however, Yellen said, on Jan. 2 the debt is projected to temporarily decrease due to a scheduled redemption of nonmarketable securities held by a federal trust fund associated with Medicare payments. As a result, “Treasury does not expect that it will be necessary to start taking extraordinary measures on January 2 to prevent the United States from defaulting on its obligations," she said. The federal debt stands at about $36 trillion — after ballooning across both Republican and Democratic administrations. The spike in inflation after the COVID-19 pandemic pushed up government borrowing costs such that debt service next year will exceed spending on national security. Republicans, who will have full control of the White House, House and Senate in the new year, have big plans to extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts and other priorities but are debating over how to pay for them. Many consumers may remember receiving their first credit card, either years ago in a plain envelope, or months ago from a smartphone app. Still other consumers may remember their newest card, maybe because it's the credit card they're now using exclusively to maximize cash back rewards or airline miles. But for most consumers, there's also a murky in-between where they add, drop and generally accumulate credit cards over time. Over the years, consumers may close some credit card accounts or leave some of their credit cards dormant as a backup form of payment, or perhaps left forgotten in a desk drawer. In the data below, Experian reveals the changes in consumers wallets in recent years. Average Number of Cards Has Declined Since 2017 U.S. consumers, on average, carry fewer cards today than they did in 2017, when the typical wallet held 4.2 active credit cards. As of the third quarter (Q3) of 2023, consumers carried 3.9 cards on average. This average is up slightly since the early days of the pandemic, when consumers reduced their average credit card debt and number of accounts as the economy slowed. Canva As Experian revealed earlier this year, credit card balances are still climbing, despite (and partially because of) higher interest rates. And while average balances are increasing, they are spread across fewer accounts than in recent years. Alternative financing—including buy now, pay later plans for purchases—may account for at least some of this discrepancy, as consumers gravitate toward these newer financing methods. Residents of More Populous States Have More Credit Cards on Average In general, residents of higher-population states tend to carry more credit cards than those who live in states with fewer and smaller population centers. Nonetheless, the difference between the states is relatively small. Considering that the national average is around four credit cards per consumer, the four states with the fewest cards per consumer (Alaska, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming) aren't appreciably different, with "only" about 3.3 credit cards per consumer. Experian Similarly, the four states on the higher end of the scale where consumers have 4.2 or more credit cards are Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, New Jersey and Rhode Island. Older Consumers Have More Active Credit Cards on Average The disparity in average credit card counts is more apparent when the population is segmented by age, thanks in part to Generation Z, many of whom have yet to receive their first credit card. The average number of credit cards for these consumers was two, less than half of what older generations keep on hand. Experian
Greg Gumbel, a longtime CBS sportscaster, has died from cancer, according to a statement from family released by CBS on Friday. He was 78. “He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten,” his wife Marcy Gumbel and daughter Michelle Gumbel said in a statement. In March, Gumbel missed his first NCAA Tournament since 1997 due to what he said at the time were family health issues. Gumbel was the studio host for CBS since returning to the network from NBC in 1998. Gumbel signed an extension with CBS last year that allowed him to continue hosting college basketball while stepping back from NFL announcing duties. In 2001, he announced Super Bowl XXXV for CBS, becoming the first Black announcer in the U.S. to call play-by-play of a major sports championship. David Berson, president and CEO of CBS Sports, described Greg Gumbel as breaking barriers and setting standards for others during his years as a voice for fans in sports, including in the NFL and March Madness. “A tremendous broadcaster and gifted storyteller, Greg led one of the most remarkable and groundbreaking sports broadcasting careers of all time," said Berson. RELATED STORY | Richard Parsons, prominent executive who led Time Warner and Citigroup, dies at 76 Gumbel had two stints at CBS, leaving the network for NBC when it lost football in 1994 and returning when it regained the contract in 1998. He hosted CBS’ coverage of the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics and called Major League Baseball games during its four-year run broadcasting the national pastime. But it was football and basketball where he was best known and made his biggest impact. Gumbel hosted CBS’ NFL studio show, “The NFL Today” from 1990 to 1993 and again in 2004. He also called NFL games as the network’s lead play-by-play announcer from 1998 to 2003, including Super Bowl XXXV and XXXVIII. He returned to the NFL booth in 2005, leaving that role after the 2022 season.SAN DIEGO (AP) — Mark Few liked what he saw unfold at San Diego State's Viejas Arena when his No. 3 Gonzaga Bulldogs made their first foray outside of Spokane, Washington, this season. A double-digit victory in a packed, loud arena. Toughness from a deep, experienced lineup that once again is driven to win an elusive national championship. And, peeking a few seasons ahead, he saw an SDSU team that he views more as a future Pac-12 partner than rival. Behind big man Graham Ike and guard Ryan Nembhard, Gonzaga displayed its size, speed and strength in beating Brian Dutcher's young, hobbled squad 80-67 on Monday night. The Bulldogs returned the favor after SDSU won 84-74 last December at The Kennel in Spokane, which ended their 59-game nonconference winning streak. Both teams reached the Sweet Sixteen last season. Gonzaga is the only team in the nation to reach the Sweet Sixteen the last nine seasons as the Bulldogs extended their streak of NCAA Tournament appearances to 25 straight. Back in Spokane on Wednesday night, the Zags improved to 5-0 by routing Long Beach State 84-41, no doubt firing up expectations in the Lilac City and beyond. In a college sports climate dominated by NIL and the transfer portal, the Zags are stacked. Of the 12 possible players who could return from last year, 10 did, including all four starters. They returned 81% of last season's scoring and 71% of their rebounding. Six of its top seven scorers are back, along with 81.4% of minutes played. “We're tougher,” Few said. “We're physically tougher, we're mentally tougher, at least so far in the season. A lot of the same guys from last year. That's what happens when you stick around a couple of years. “You've got to have both to be able to go on the road in a place like this and dig out wins," Few added. "That's one thing San Diego State is going to bring. They're going to bring physicality, they're going to bring great athleticism, they're going to challenge you in every facet of the game.” Hoops powerhouse Gonzaga announced on Oct. 1 that it will move from the West Coast Conference, where it has dominated for most of the last quarter-century, into a Pac-12 conference being rebuilt around football. Beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, Gonzaga will become the eighth member along with holdovers Washington State and Oregon State, and fellow newcomers Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State, Utah State and Colorado State from the Mountain West. While not as dominant as the Zags, the Aztecs have been one of the West Coast's best programs for several years, first under Steve Fisher and then Dutcher, his longtime assistant who is in his eighth season as head coach. “They're just going to be such a great partner, because they value basketball and they support basketball,” said Few, who's in his 26th season as head coach. “They understand, when you have a national program like we both have, it pays unbelievable dividends to the university, to the community, to the city and the state, like the Northwest and down here. They get that. We're looking for other like-minded places to partner with us.” Few said he would often chat with Fisher about the possibility of the Zags and Aztecs playing in the same conference. Fisher watches Aztecs games with his wife, Angie, from the second row above Steve Fisher Court. “We talked about it forever,” Few said. “I'm happy for Dutch. He's doing a great job." San Diego State reached its first Final Four in 2023, when Lamont Butler's thrilling buzzer-beater against Florida Atlantic lifted the Aztecs into the national championship game, where they lost 76-59 to UConn. SDSU was routed again by UConn, 82-52, in last season's Sweet Sixteen, while Gonzaga lost to Purdue. Gonzaga opened this season with a 101-63 win against then-No. 8 Baylor at the Spokane Arena. It was Gonzaga’s biggest victory margin over a top-10 opponent, over a team it lost to in the 2021 national title game in Indianapolis. Nembhard, who had 19 points and 10 assists against the Aztecs, said the Zags “did a really good job, actually,” of handling the pressure of playing at Viejas Arena. "Every time they went on a little run and the crowd got loud, we did a good job staying composed and trusting our offensive sets.” Nembhard will be gone when the Bulldogs and Aztecs are in the Pac-12 together, but thinks "the rivalry will be great. This is a great program. I played them a couple of times at Creighton, and they always gave us a tough game. They have a great fan base, a great coach over there, and they play really hard. I think it’ll be a great rivalry to come.” ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketballNEW YORK — I’ll get you, my pretty! And your little pygmy hippo, too! Forgive us the shameless attempt to link the fantasy hit “Wicked” to the delightful Moo Deng . But, hear us out — there’s something the two have in common as the year draws to a close. Escapism. Whether we found it on the yellow brick road, or in videos from a Thailand zoo, or perhaps in unlikely Olympic heroes , we gravitated toward fantasy and feel-good pop culture moments this year. There were new trends, as always. “Brat summer” became a thing, as did “demure, mindful.” And for some inexplicable reason, we became obsessed with celebrity lookalike contests. There were breakups — Bennifer is, again, a thing of the past — and reunions: Oasis, please try to stay together for the tour. Yet some things stayed, remarkably, the same: Taylor Swift and Beyoncé kept on breaking records and making history. So, after a year where much changed but some things held steady, here’s our annual, very selective trip down pop culture memory lane: Lily Gladstone poses in the press room Jan. 7 with the award for best performance by an actress in a motion picture, drama for "Killers of the Flower Moon" at the 81st Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. It starts as a cheery tweet from a beloved “Sesame Street” figure: “ ELMO is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” The answers hint at something deeper and more worrisome. “Not great, Elmo. Not great,” says one milder reply. Doing much better is the viral phenomenon called “BARBENHEIMER,” which makes its awards season debut at the GOLDEN GLOBES . But perhaps the most poignant moment comes from neither film: LILY GLADSTONE , first Indigenous winner of best actress in a drama for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” begins her remarks in the language of her tribe, Blackfeet Nation. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) kisses Taylor Swift on Feb. 11 after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in overtime during the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game in Las Vegas. Valentine’s Day — a perfect time to settle into a sweet love saga via TikTok. Only that’s not quite what we get with “Who TF Did I Marry?,” REESA TEESA ’s depressing, fascinating, 50-part account of her disastrous marriage with a man who lied about absolutely everything. Meanwhile, if you're looking for a single week that encapsulates peak SWIFT cultural dominance , try this: she begins with the Grammys in Los Angeles (becoming the first artist to win album of the year four times AND announcing a new album), then heads to Tokyo for four tour dates, then jets back just in time for the Super Bowl in Las Vegas — where she shares a passionate smooch with boyfriend TRAVIS KELCE on the field of victory. Ryan Gosling performs the song "I'm Just Ken" from the movie "Barbie" on March 10 during the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. “What was I made for?” BILLIE EILISH sings at the OSCARS, channeling BARBIE . And what was KEN made for? Not entirely clear — but it's clear RYAN GOSLING was made to play him. His singalong version of “I’m Just Ken” is one of the most entertaining Oscar musical moments in years. Still, Christopher Nolan's “OPPENHEIMER” prevails, a rare case of the top prize going to a blockbuster studio film. Will it happen again in 2025? CYNTHIA ERIVO and ARIANA GRANDE sure hope so; as presenters, they make a sly reference to their upcoming juggernaut, “WICKED.” Speaking of marketing, people are obsessed with that bizarre “DUNE” popcorn bucket. Beyonce And BEYONCÉ carves her space in country music with “Act II: Cowboy Carter,” which will make her the first Black woman to top the Billboard country chart. Taylor Swift performs June 21 at Wembley Stadium in London as part of her Eras Tour. Tennis, anyone? The game’s been around for centuries, but it’s having a cultural moment right now, helped mightily by “CHALLENGERS,” the sweaty romance triangle starring ZENDAYA, MIKE FAIST and JOSH O'CONNOR (40-love? More like 40-sex.) Elsewhere, a new era dawns: At midnight, SWIFT drops “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT," then drops another 15 songs two hours later. The fascinating and disturbing “BABY REINDEER,” the story of a struggling comedian’s extended encounter with a stalker, debuts on Netflix. Ben Affleck, left, and Jennifer Lopez arrive Feb. 13 at the premiere of "This Is Me ... Now: A Love Story" at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. It’s MET GALA time — or as it's known in 2024, another early marketing moment for “WICKED.” ERIVO and GRANDE make fashion waves on the carpet and then musical ones at dinner, with a soulful performance of “When You Believe.” If the “Wicked” tour is in full force, another one stops in its tracks: JENNIFER LOPEZ cancels her summer tour amid reports of both poor ticket sales and trouble in her marriage to BEN AFFLECK . It’s been an eventful year for J.Lo, who's released an album and movie called “THIS IS ME ... NOW" — both reflections on her renewed love with Affleck. Welcome to BRAT SUMMER ! CHARLI XCX releases her hit “Brat” album , with its lime green cover, and launches a thousand memes. Collins Dictionary defines “brat,” its word of the year, as “characterized by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude.” At the celeb-heavy SWIFT shows in London, we see PRINCE WILLIAM shaking it off, which is either charming or cringe, you decide. Even better: KELCE dons a top hat and tux and performs for one night. At another stadium across the pond, METS infielder JOSE IGLESIAS delights the crowd with his cheery number “OMG.” Stephen Nedoroscik is introduced June 29 at the United States Gymnastics Olympic Trials in Minneapolis. Bonjour, it’s OLYMPICS time! In Paris! An audacious opening ceremony along the Seine is punctuated by a fabulous CELINE DION , perched on the EIFFEL TOWER , singing her heart out — in the rain, too. Controversy swirls over a scene critics feel mocks Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” (organizers say it does not). Olympic stars are born — including French swimming superstar LEON MARCHAND , rugby player ILONA MAHER , and bespectacled “Pommel Horse Guy” gymnast STEPHEN NEDOROSCIK , who nets two bronze medals and comparisons to Clark Kent. Baby pigmy hippo Moo Deng plays with a zookeeper Sept. 19 in the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand. Also capturing hearts: yep, MOO DENG , born this month. Her name means “bouncy pork.” Australia's Rachael Gunn, known as B-Girl Raygun, competes Aug. 9 during the Round Robin Battle at the breaking competition at La Concorde Urban Park at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. This is them ... now: BENNIFER is no more. After two decades, two engagements and two weddings, J.Lo files for divorce. One union dissolves, another returns: OASIS announces a reunion tour. Everyone seems to want to get in on TikToker JOOLS LEBRON 's “ DEMURE, MINDFUL ” act — even the WHITE HOUSE press team. Back at the Olympics, in the new sport of breaking, we meet Australia’s RAYGUN , arguably neither demure nor mindful with her “kangaroo” move. Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani brings his dog Decoy to the mound Aug. 28 before Decoy delivered the ceremonial first pitch prior to a baseball game between the Dodgers and the Baltimore Orioles in Los Angeles. Cute animal alert: SHOHEI OHTANI ’s perky pooch DECOY does a great “first pitch” in his Major League Baseball debut. Chappell Roan performs "Good Luck, Babe" on Sept. 11 during the MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. One of the year’s biggest breakout artists, CHAPPELL ROAN , withdraws from a music festival after speaking out about frightening fan interactions. And more on the price of fame: In an excruciating moment, “Bachelorette” JENN TRAN , the franchise’s first Asian American lead, is forced to sit through a painful viewing of her proposal to her chosen suitor, after tearfully explaining how he’d later dumped her over the phone. Tran is keeping busy though — she’s announced as part of the new “Dancing with the Stars” lineup. Also on the list: rugby player Maher, and Pommel Horse Guy! Also, ANNA SOROKIN , dancing with an ankle monitor. Online fandom, meanwhile, is shaken when X is temporarily suspended in Brazil and celebrity stan accounts post tearful farewells, revealing to many across the globe that their favorite accounts are run by Brazilians. Miles Mitchell, 21, wins of the Timothee Chalamet lookalike contest Oct. 27 near Washington Square Park in New York. “Dune” Chalamets! “Wonka” Chalamets! Thousands gather in Manhattan for a TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET lookalike contest, and things really get interesting when Chalamet himself shows up. He doesn’t enter the contest, though, and with his mustache, he may not even have won. The trend continues with contests for JEREMY ALLEN WHITE, ZAYN MALIK and — in a very Washington version — Kennedy scion JACK SCHLOSSBERG , who's been gathering a following with some interesting social media posts. New York Liberty Kennedy Burke dances with the mascot, Ellie the Elephant, during an Oct. 24 ceremony after a parade in honor of the Liberty's WNBA basketball championship at City Hall in New York. Turning to basketball, who’s that dancing with USHER ? Why it’s ELLIE THE ELEPHANT , the now-viral NEW YORK LIBERTY mascot. Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, right, appears Nov. 2 with Maya Rudolph on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" in New York. MAYA RUDOLPH does a pretty good KAMALA HARRIS laugh on “Saturday Night Live,” but you know who does it better? HARRIS herself. The Democratic candidate makes a surprise cameo three days before the U.S. presidential election, following in the footsteps of HILLARY CLINTON , SARAH PALIN and others. Elsewhere in television, Bravo announces that “VANDERPUMP RULES,” the Emmy-nominated reality show that has lived through countless scandals, is entirely recasting its 12th season — apart from namesake LISA VANDERPUMP . As for MOO DENG , she doesn't have her own TV series yet, but our favorite pygmy hippo is generating plenty of merch . And THAT brings us back to ... Ariana Grande, left, and Cynthia Erivo pose for photographers Nov. 11 prior to the premiere of "Wicked" at Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City. “WICKED” ! Director JON M. CHU ’s emerald-hued fantasy remains very very popular, to quote one of its buzzy show tunes, dancing through life and defying gravity at the multiplex. Moviegoers also come for “GLADIATOR II” and, in a veritable tidal wave, Disney's “MOANA 2,” which beckons us back to the seas of Oceania. Once again, 2024 seems to be telling us: Give people some whimsy, a place to escape, maybe some catchy tunes — and no one knows how far they’ll go. The stories and images that defined 2024. Searching for something? From queries about U.S. politics to cricket in India, Wikipedia has become a source of information for millions of people across the globe. From the Paris Olympics to the Super Bowl. From Simone Biles to Shohei Ohtani. And, of course, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. These are the sp... AP photographers assembled a visual catalog of our civilization as life in 2024 hurtled directly at us at every speed and in every imaginable ... In 2024, photographers captured glimpses of humanity, ranging from a deeply divisive presidential election, to hurricanes and fires that ravag... Associated Press photographers captured voters with raw emotions of joy, excitement, contemplation or sorrow. See entertainment's biggest moments in 2024, through the lens of Associated Press photographers. It beat five other finalists: demure, slop, dynamic pricing, romantasy and lore. News anchors, politicians and other public figures in the U.S. struggled with these words the most this year. Is it any surprise Merriam-Webster's word of the year is "polarization"? Here are the other words that rounded out the top 10 for 2024. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!