Entertainment
Bob Weir, founding member of the Grateful Dead, dies at 78
Bob Weir, a founding member of the legendary rock band the Grateful Dead, has died at the age of 78, his family announced Saturday.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Bobby Weir,” his family wrote in a post to his Instagram page. “He transitioned peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after courageously beating cancer as only Bobby could. Unfortunately, he succumbed to underlying lung issues.”
In the statement, the family disclosed that Weir had been diagnosed with cancer in July.
“As we remember Bobby, it’s hard not to feel the echo of the way he lived,” his family wrote. “A man driftin’ and dreamin’, never worrying if the road would lead him home. A child of countless trees. A child of boundless seas.”
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
Weir formed the Grateful Dead with Jerry Garcia after the two met in 1963 as teens in Palo Alto, California. The band, with its unique mix of blues, folk and jazz, became a touring powerhouse for decades until Garcia’s death in 1995.
Weir wrote or co-wrote and sang lead vocals on Dead classics including “Sugar Magnolia,” “One More Saturday Night” and “Mexicali Blues.”
The group eventually reformed a few years after Garcia’s death and took many iterations over the years, the latest as Dead & Company.
AP 
“For over sixty years, Bobby took to the road,” his family’s statement said. “A guitarist, vocalist, storyteller, and founding member of the Grateful Dead. Bobby will forever be a guiding force whose unique artistry reshaped American music. His work did more than fill rooms with music; it was warm sunlight that filled the soul, building a community, a language, and a feeling of family that generations of fans carry with them.”
Weir’s death leaves drummer Bill Kreutzmann as the only surviving original member. Founding bassist Phil Lesh died in 2024.
Dead and Company played a series of concert’s for the Grateful Dead’s 60th anniversary in July at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.
Born in San Francisco and raised in nearby Atherton, Weir was the Dead’s youngest member and looked like a fresh-faced high-schooler in its early years. He was generally less shaggy than the rest of the band, but had a long beard like Garcia’s in later years.
The band would survive long past the hippie moment of its birth, with its fans known as Deadheads often following them on the road in a virtually non-stop tour.
“Longevity was never a major concern of ours,” Weir said when the Dead got the Grammys’ Musicares Person of the Year honor last year. “Spreading joy through the music was all we ever really had in mind and we got plenty of that done.”
Al Jazeera English’s live broadcast was interrupted by an emergency missile alert following Iran’s retaliatory strikes on U.S. bases in the Middle East.
The media outlet shared the video of the incident on TikTok, which quickly went viral, amassing over 12 million views in just a few hours.
The 42-second video clip shows a guest speaking with anchor Folly Bah Thibault when their conversation suddenly gets interrupted by buzzer alarm sounds.
Folly explained that it was the emergency alert residents in Doha receive on their phones during urgent situations.
She added, “The national emergency alert system has gone off here in Qatar,” and quoted the Qatar Defence Ministry, stating that an Iranian missile had been intercepted.
This comes after Iran retaliated against the U.S.-Israel strikes dubbed Operation Epic Fury by the U.S. and Operation Roaring Lion by Israel.
Iran launched barrages of missiles at the U.S. bases across the Middle East, including in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, and Jordan.
Netizens praised the anchor for keeping her composure in an emergency situation. One user commented, “The interviewer lady is so professional, she’s the best.” Another said, “How is she so calm?”
A third user expressed disbelief, writing, “I cannot believe this is happening. It is terrifying.”
- Petroleum Division notifies new prices.
- Petrol price set at Rs266.17 per litre.
- Diesel raised by Rs5.16 to Rs280.86 per litre.
The federal government increased the price of petrol by Rs8 per litre for the next fortnight, starting from March 1.
In a notification, the Petroleum Division announced that the price of petrol has been increased to Rs266.17 per litre, up from Rs258.17.
Similarly, the price of diesel has been raised by Rs5.16 to Rs280.86 per litre, compared with the previous rate of Rs275.7.
Petrol is mainly used by commuters in small vehicles, rickshaws and two-wheelers. Higher fuel prices significantly impact the budgets of middle and lower-middle class households, who rely on petrol for daily travel.
On the other hand, a significant portion of the transport sector relies on high-speed diesel.
Its price is considered inflationary since it is predominantly used in heavy goods transport vehicles, trucks, buses, trains, and agricultural machinery such as tractors, tube wells, and threshers.
The consumption of high-speed diesel particularly contributes to the increased prices of vegetables and other food items.
The Duke of Edinburgh hosted an elegant luncheon at Lancaster House on February 25, bringing together the foreign ministers of Central Asia in a rare gathering.
The event saw ministers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan convene under one roof, with HRH at the centre of discussions highlighting the UK’s ongoing engagement with the region.
The luncheon wasn’t also served as an inspiring platform for young Central Asian students, who were given the opportunity to meet the Duke and hear firsthand about the UK’s initiatives in education, cultural exchange, and international collaboration.
Programs such as Chevening, El‑Yurt Umidi, and the Oxford Hub were spotlighted as pillars supporting talent, leadership, and global connections in the region.
Duchess Sophie’s husband engaged warmly with attendees, fielding questions from both ministers and students alike.
Joining HRH were the five Central Asian foreign ministers alongside Lord Alderdice, adding an extra layer of gravitas to a luncheon that blended diplomacy, education, and international friendship.
Al Jazeera broadcast interrupted by emergency missile alert in Qatar
Govt increases petrol price by Rs8 per litre for next fortnight
King Charles’ ‘trusted’ hand hosts Central Asian leaders in London
-
Tech1 week agoA $10K Bounty Awaits Anyone Who Can Hack Ring Cameras to Stop Sharing Data With Amazon
-
Business1 week agoUS Top Court Blocks Trump’s Tariff Orders: Does It Mean Zero Duties For Indian Goods?
-
Fashion1 week agoICE cotton ticks higher on crude oil rally
-
Entertainment1 week agoThe White Lotus” creator Mike White reflects on his time on “Survivor
-
Politics1 week agoPakistan carries out precision strikes on seven militant hideouts in Afghanistan
-
Sports1 week agoBrett Favre blasts NFL for no longer appealing to ‘true’ fans: ‘There’s been a slight shift’
-
Business1 week agoEye-popping rise in one year: Betting on just gold and silver for long-term wealth creation? Think again! – The Times of India
-
Entertainment1 week agoViral monkey Punch makes IKEA toy global sensation: Here’s what it costs