Entertainment News Roundup: Nigerian film about Islamist insurgency aims at Oscar glory; "Dance will prevail" as top ballet competition goes virtual and more

From the movie version of rap-infused musical "Hamilton" to LGBTQ musical "The Prom" and director nods for three women, the nominations - which kick off the Hollywood awards season - recognized social justice issues and performers of color in a U.S. entertainment industry that critics have long complained is dominated by white men.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

'The Crown,' 'Schitt's Creek' lead Golden Globes TV contenders

British royal drama "The Crown," small-town comedy "Schitt's Creek" and crime thriller "Ozark" led the pack of Golden Globe television nominees on Wednesday as voters showcased hits that entertained streaming audiences during a global pandemic. Newcomers "Ted Lasso," "The Flight Attendant" and "Emily in Paris" also were nominated for television honors by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the group that hands out the Golden Globe trophies.

Nigerian film about Islamist insurgency aims at Oscar glory

Ten years ago, Desmond Ovbiagele abandoned his career in investment banking to pursue his dream of making films. Now the Nigerian director's movie about the jihadist insurgency in his country has been put forward as an Oscars contender. "The Milkmaid" tells the story of two sisters who are abducted from their village during a deadly attack by militants in northeast Nigeria. It has been submitted by Nigeria as its entry for international feature consideration at the Academy Awards.

"Dance will prevail" as top ballet competition goes virtual

In a normal year, the dozens of teenaged ballet dancers eyeing the prestigious Prix de Lausanne award would leap in from all across the world to the Swiss city to compete beneath the bright lights of the theatre. With COVID-19 restrictions, dancers are showing pre-recorded routines on a flat screen instead, before socially distanced judges in a hotel ballroom, with no live audience.

Meet Robby Megabyte, Bosnia's first robot rock band musician

Bosnia's most popular rock band, Dubioza Kolektiv, has a new recruit who sings and plays musical instruments - a humanoid robot called Robby Megabyte. Students from Sarajevo University's electrical engineering school agreed to build Robby after the band requested a robot designed to fit the concept of their album #fakenews, which was released last year.

From 'Hamilton' to 'Promising Young Woman' diversity rules Golden Globe nominations

Hollywood period drama "Mank" led a list of Golden Globe nominations on Wednesday that were strong on diversity and dominated by Netflix in a reflection of the upheaval wrought by the coronavirus pandemic on the movie world. From the movie version of rap-infused musical "Hamilton" to LGBTQ musical "The Prom" and director nods for three women, the nominations - which kick off the Hollywood awards season - recognized social justice issues and performers of color in a U.S. entertainment industry that critics have long complained is dominated by white men.

The Weeknd promises to keep it 'PG' in Super Bowl halftime show

The Weeknd, who is known for pushing the limits of creativity in his performances, said on Thursday his Super Bowl halftime gig will continue to follow a story he's been telling but in a more family-friendly way. The Canadian singer, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, has performed recently with his face covered in bandages and released gory videos, including one in which two women come across his disembodied head as part of his performance art storyline.

Eurovision 2021 to proceed in Rotterdam in a limited format - organizers

The 2021 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest will be held in a limited form in the Dutch city of Rotterdam in May due to restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, organisers said on Wednesday. Some performances will be held in the city in a "socially distanced" way, organizers said, without specifying whether any live audiences would be allowed in. Some delegations may submit recorded performances.

Laugh, but not too hard: New Super Bowl advertisers keep it light in pandemic

In a teaser ad Uber Eats released ahead of the Super Bowl, actor Mike Myers, reprising his role as Wayne from "Wayne's World," tells sidekick Garth what is on everybody's mind: "2020, man, that was a great year...not." The food delivery app and other brands doing well during the pandemic including electronics brand Logitech and gardening company Scotts Miracle-Gro, will replace long-time advertisers during Sunday's Super Bowl LV telecast.

"Fantastic Beasts" production halted after positive COVID case

Production on the third "Fantastic Beasts" movie has been halted after a team member tested positive for COVID-19, Warner Bros. Pictures said on Thursday. The franchise, a spin-off from the "Harry Potter" books and films, stars Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne as "magizoologist" Newt Scamander.

Spike Lee back in Hollywood awards race with SAG nominations

Director Spike Lee's Vietnam War drama "Da 5 Bloods" roared back into the Hollywood awards race on Thursday when it was nominated for the top prize at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards, while presumed Oscar contender "Mank" got just one nod. "Da 5 Bloods", from Netflix Inc, scored three nominations, tying with independent Korean-language drama "Minari," and two other Netflix films: jazz period movie "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" and 1960s protest film "The Trial of the Chicago 7."