News Brief

Los Angeles Times: The plot thickens at strike-hit soaps. When talks broke down earlier this month between the studios and striking writers, it began to hit home that scribes could be jobless for many months to come. One of those writers finally made the agonizing decision to stop picketing and go back to work. "Daytime serials are not in a healthy situation," said the writer, who asked for anonymity, fearing fallout from both sides in the complex and highly charged standoff. "If we can keep shows on the air, I perceive it as something that needs to be done for the future generation of writers." David Rupel, a writer on "The Guiding Light," said all nine members of his team were on strike. However, he said WGA daytime committee members had conducted a lively debate via conference call on whether to seek interim agreements similar to the deal David Letterman's company, Worldwide Pants, worked out with the WGA. In the end, he said, "We agreed to abide by whatever deal gets made" by the WGA. "If they think it's a good idea strategically, we'd support that." "If some people weren't writing, we wouldn't have a show to come back to," said Tracey Thompson, a writer on "General Hospital." She said two of 10 writers on that show had returned "for personal reasons."

Boston Globe: Actor Ron Raines is best known to millions as the sometimes dastardly Alan Spaulding on the CBS soap opera "Guiding Light." But Raines was all smiles for the thousands at Symphony Hall hearing his "Gershwin & Friends" concerts with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops over the weekend. Raines has his fifth show with the Pops tonight.

Worcester Telegram: Singer/songwriter Agona Hardison: "I’ve written songs for 'All My Children' and 'One Life to Live.' Composers send me a music file, I write lyrics and find the song, record it here at home and send it all back to them digitally to mix the final product."

Student Operated Press: Should "General Hospital" tone down the violence?

MyParkMag: EastEnders' Kevin and Shirley in car crash horror.

Daily Mail: Ex-EastEnders star Martine McCutcheon looked beach-happy as she frolicks in the sea with her new beau. The mystery man and Martine cuddled up in the warm waters off Barbados as she wound down from her filming schedule.

SNS: "Days of our Lives" star Julie Pinson fired? "She was told she will be done filming in January. She already has the scripts." (login required)

Metro: Former "Hollyoaks" star Mikyla Dodd is apparently set to feature in an upcoming episode of "Casualty." The 29-year-old actress, who starred as Chloe Bruce on Hollyoaks from 2000 to 2004, will guest star in an instalment of the BBC medical drama which will air in early January. She will play Clare, a young woman whose life is threatened when the caravan she lives in is accidentally hit by a lorry.