AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 1:27 p.m. EST

Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir dies at 78

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bob Weir, guitarist, singer and founding member of the Grateful Dead, has died at 78. Weir’s death was announced Saturday in a statement on his Instagram page. The statement says Weir had beaten cancer but succumbed to underlying lung issues. Weir joined the Grateful Dead in 1965 at just 17 years old. He would spend the next 30 years playing on virtually nonstop tours alongside fellow singer and guitarist Jerry Garcia, who died in 1995. Weir wrote or co-wrote and sang lead vocals on classics including “Sugar Magnolia” and “Mexicali Blues.” In the decades since, he kept playing with other projects including Dead and Company.

Retouched images of Netanyahu's wife, distributed by the state, ignite a fiery ethics debate

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s official state photos from last year portend to show history in the making. They include images of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's trips to the U.N. and world leaders convening to advance a tenuous Gaza peace plan. But when examined closely, the pictures are not accurate depictions of reality. Experts say they have been altered to make Sara Netanyahu look younger. That discovery has ignited a firestorm in Israel. Journalists, lawyers and members of the political opposition say the edited photos violate ethical codes and risk denigrating the state’s archives.

Andrea Bocelli will headline the Milan Cortina Winter Olympic opening ceremony

MILAN (AP) — Andrea Bocelli will headline the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremony on February 6. Organizers said Sunday that he will join Mariah Carey, who was previously announced. The event will take place at Milan's San Siro Stadium and feature the Parade of Athletes and entertainment. The ceremony will also include elements from three other locations, reflecting the Games' spread-out nature. A tribute to the late fashion designer Giorgio Armani is planned. A crowd of 60,000 is expected, with millions more watching on television.

Veteran actor T.K. Carter, known for 'The Thing' and 'Punky Brewster,' dies at 69

DUARTE, Calif. (AP) — Veteran actor T.K. Carter, known for his roles in "The Thing" and "Punky Brewster," has died at 69. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reported that deputies responded to a call about an unresponsive male in Duarte, California, on Friday evening. Police have not disclosed a cause of death but said no foul play is suspected. Carter gained fame as Nauls the cook in John Carpenter's 1982 horror classic, "The Thing." He also appeared in the 1980s sitcom "Punky Brewster" and films like "Runaway Train," "Ski Patrol," and "Space Jam."

Daniel Walker Howe, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, dead at 88

NEW YORK (AP) — Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Daniel Walker Howe has died at 88. A spokesperson at UCLA confirmed he died Dec. 25. Howe was known for his book “What Hath God Wrought,” which chronicled the vast changes in the U.S. from 1815 to 1848. The book was part of Oxford University Press' series on American history and won the Pulitzer in 2008. Howe's work explored themes like Manifest Destiny, the rise of political parties, and the debate over slavery. He highlighted how technological advances impacted society and politics. Howe taught at several universities and aimed to make history accessible to general readers.

Actor Timothy Busfield accused of child sex abuse in New Mexico

Authorities in New Mexico have issued an arrest warrant for director and Emmy Award-winning actor Timothy Busfield to face a child sex abuse charge. An investigator with the Albuquerque Police Department said in a criminal complaint Friday that the child reported that Busfield touched him inappropriately. The acts allegedly occurred on the set of “The Cleaning Lady,” a TV series Busfield directed and acted in. The complaint says the child’s mother told Child Protective Services the abuse occurred between November 2022 and spring 2024. Busfield’s attorney and agent did not immediately respond to email messages seeking comment late Friday.

Hollywood stars gather for an all-winners celebration at the American Film Institute Awards

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — The American Film Institute Awards has gathered its 2026 honorees for a special luncheon in Beverly Hills. The Friday event honored creative teams both in front of and behind the camera. There were no acceptance speeches or suspenseful moments, just thoughtful tributes and clips showcasing the year's work. AFI President Bob Gazzale emphasized shared recognition. The luncheon also featured AFI’s signature March of Time video montage, a sweeping look at cinematic and television milestones from decades past. It put this year’s honorees within the evolving history of the medium. Carol Burnett closed the ceremony, celebrating the power of creative collaboration.

Laura Dave's sequel to 'The Last Thing He Told Me' reveals all

Laura Dave has released a sequel to “The Last Thing He Told Me.” Fans of the book, which spent 65 weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers list, can also look forward to a second season of the TV adaptation on Apple TV next month. Dave explains that the sequel, “The First Time I Saw Him,” picks up after the events of “The Last Thing He Told Me” and fleshes out details from the past. The new book focuses on themes of forgiveness and second chances. Dave, who co-created the TV series with her husband, is also working on a screenplay for Netflix for her novel “The Night We Lost Him.”

Hollywood couple Meagan Good and Jonathan Majors gain Guinean citizenship

CONAKRY, Guinea (AP) — Hollywood couple Meagan Good and Jonathan Majors have received Guinean citizenship after tracing their ancestry to the West African country. They were awarded citizenship in a private ceremony in Conakry on Friday. The couple plans to tour the country's tourist sites on Sunday. Djiba Diakité, head of the president's cabinet, praised them as worthy representatives of Guinea. Majors, once on track for Hollywood stardom, faced setbacks after a 2023 arrest and subsequent conviction. Good, who began dating Majors in 2023, supported him during his trial. They married last year. Guinea's citizenship offer follows similar initiatives by other African countries.