ABBY MANN, writer of socially-conscious scripts for movies and television and winner of the 1961 Academy Award for adapted screenplay for Judgment at Nuremberg, has died aged 80. The cause of death was not given.

The Writers Guild of America have moved swiftly towards a resolution of its three-month-old strike, with union leaders voting unanimously to ask members to decide on ending the walkout that has paralysed film and TV production.

The traditional Golden Globe Awards ceremony has been scrapped over a boycott threat by stars, to be replaced with a news conference format, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association said today.

The Golden Globes and broadcasting giant NBC is poised to scrap the traditional show format to be picketed by striking writers, in favour of a news conference approach, a person close to the awards said.