AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 6:29 a.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.

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

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge has 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. The judge issued her order Monday. 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. Paramount, which was bought out by Skydance just last year, has called the states claims meritless and vows to “vigorously defend” its acquisition.

Luke Skywalker's 'Empire Strikes Back' lightsaber with severed hand attached auctioned for $3.75M

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A lightsaber with Luke Skywalker's severed hand prop from “The Empire Strikes Back” has sold for $3.75 million at auction. Heritage Auctions said this is the highest price ever for a “Star Wars” prop. The auction house announced the results of its Hollywood & Entertainment Signature Auction on Monday. The lightsaber was used by Mark Hamill in the iconic Cloud City fight. Other items included a Wicked Witch of the West hat from “The Wizard of Oz” and Gene Wilder's top hat from “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” Two rugs from “The Big Lebowski” also sold for more than expected.

Toronto International Film Festival sets lineup with films by Chris Rock, Peter Farrelly

NEW YORK (AP) — The Toronto International Film Festival has unveiled the bulk of the lineup to its 51st edition, setting world premieres for Chris Rock’s drama “Misty Green” and Peter Farrelly’s Sylvester Stallone film “I Play Rocky.” TIFF, North America’s largest film festival, annually hosts some of the fall’s most anticipated titles. On Monday, it revealed more than 60 films that will play in the festival’s gala and special presentations sections. Festival organizers earlier announced that “Being Heumann,” director Siân Heder’s film about the late disability rights activist Judith Heumann, will open this year’s edition. TIFF runs Sept. 10-20.

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.”

Wilt Chamberlain Lakers jacket found by a teen at a thrift store fetches over $89,000 at auction

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A warmup jacket worn by Wilt Chamberlain during the 1972 NBA finals that was found in an Oregon thrift store fetched over $89,000 in an auction that closed Monday. Nineteen-year-old Portland resident Quinn Brown found the Lakers warmup jacket at a Goodwill. After buying it for about $3, he searched online for photos and measurements from other Chamberlain jerseys to compare. When he posted about the jacket on social media, Sotheby's contacted him about consigning it. The auction house determined that Chamberlain wore it during the 1972 finals, in which he was named finals MVP. The NBA Hall of Famer is viewed as one of the all-time greats.

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.