AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 3:44 p.m. EDT

Los Angeles medical examiner pushes for greater transparency in high-profile deaths

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles County's chief medical examiner is emphasizing the need for greater transparency when it comes to autopsies following celebrity deaths. Dr. Odey Ukpo is also keen to underscore his office's independence from law enforcement in handling high-profile cases. He has overseen the autopsy reports of “Friends” star Matthew Perry and director Rob Reiner. And he made a rare public objection to being forced to withhold for months his office's findings on 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The singer D4vd has been charged with murder in her killing. Ukpo believes holding back such information only increases anxiety for the family and the community.

Officials sought phone records of NYT journalists and their relatives in an effort to unmask sources

WASHINGTON (AP) — A court document says President Donald Trump's administration sought New York Times journalists’ phone records and even those of some of their relatives in an attempt to unmask the confidential sources of reporters who wrote about Trump’s Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet. The motion unsealed Monday reveals more expansive attempts by Trump's Republican administration than previously known to compel the identity of sources. The Justice Department has justified the original subpoenas by saying “reporters are not the targets, those leaking classified information are.” Additional subpoenas included a request for phone records of one reporter’s mother and two of the journalists’ spouses.

What to Stream: Charli xcx, 'The Dink,' 'Stuart Fails to Save the Universe' and '72 Hours'

Charli XCX claims the dance floor is dead on her new album, “Music, Fashion, Film,” out Friday. The album features distorted guitars and processed vocals, with a pop heart intact. Meanwhile, Jake Johnson stars in “The Dink,” a comedy about pickleball, streaming July 24 on Apple TV. These are some of the streaming offerings the week of July 20. Also online will be Kevin Hart’s new Netflix comedy, “72 Hours” — it arrives July 24. The “Big Bang Theory” spinoff, “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe,” premieres July 28 on HBO Max. Nintendo’s “Splatoon Raiders” offers a treasure hunt adventure on Switch 2, starting June 23.

Shakira, Madonna and many Muppets take the World Cup stage, along with BTS and Bieber

Madonna opened the World Cup halftime show with her 2000 dance-pop hit “Music,” joined by star Brazilian soccer players of yesteryear, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. Sunday's show started with an apparently prerecorded piece in a roller rink before she rode into the stadium on a dune buggy. Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel led an orchestra through the White Stripes’ sporting anthem “Seven Nation Army,” while Animal and other Muppets bopped and shook. K-pop sensations BTS took to the field in red and black moments later singing “Dynamite.” There was also Justin Bieber, “Ted Lasso” characters and, of course, “Dai Dai.”

Medical examiner outlines how his office handles autopsies of the famous and everyone else

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office has performed autopsies in many high-profile cases, including that of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who singer D4vd is charged with killing, and the death of “Friends” star Matthew Perry. Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Odey Ukpo's office determined in December 2023 that Perry died primarily from acute ketamine toxicity, with drowning as a secondary cause. He says ketamine rendered Perry incapable of rescuing himself. Ukpo also says “overdose” is never used in autopsy reports, as any drug level can be fatal. He says the toxicology process in autopsies is lengthy because of the need for accuracy.

Judge says Paramount and Warner must halt merger for at least two weeks, granting states' request

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge on Monday ordered Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery to halt their $81 billion merger for at least two weeks, allowing states that are challenging the deal more time to see their case through in court. Twelve states, led by California, sued to block Paramount’s pending buyout of Warner last week — alleging that such a combination would “extinguish competition” in Hollywood and lead to fewer choices for consumers, particularly moviegoers and cable customers across the U.S.

The World Cup is over. Here's where to get your next soccer fix

The World Cup may be over, but the soccer calendar never really stops. In just a few weeks, many of the tournament’s biggest stars will be back with their clubs in leagues such as England’s Premier League, Spain’s La Liga and Germany’s Bundesliga. Europe’s best clubs also meet in the Champions League, widely regarded as the highest level of club soccer. Meanwhile, MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX are already in full swing. Together, the competitions offer year-round soccer and a chance to keep following many of the players who starred at the World Cup.

Nolan’s 'The Odyssey' storms the box office with a $264.1 million global debut

NEW YORK (AP) — Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” launched with an estimated $124.5 million in domestic ticket sales and another $139.6 million from overseas, even better than the filmmaker's “Oppenheimer” debut. The weekend tally marked Nolan's best opening since “The Dark Knight Rises” in 2012. Few filmmakers alive could pull off such a starry, big-budget adaptation of Homer’s epic poem. But in a Hollywood where intellectual property rights rule most hits, Nolan turned one of the world’s oldest works of literature into an unlikely summer blockbuster. By comparison, The Walt Disney Co.’s “Moana” landed in a distant second place with $19 million in its third box office weekend.