Footsie holds on after rough night in Asia

The FTSE 100 Index held firm today despite another tumultuous session for markets in Asia.

Universities develop a more sustainable future

(University College London) Experts from the worlds of law, geography, economics, health and planning will meet at UCL on Friday, Sept. 19 to examine the ways in which today’ s universities can become locally-rooted champions for global sustainability, reaching out to the wider community to help bring about lasting change. The symposium, called: "The Sustainable University: Relating Ecological Thinking, Learning and Research, " will feature a keynote speech by Professor Michael M’ Gonigle, co-founder of Greenpeace International.

TVNZ VOD pacts for ABC shows

Business News: Disney-owned channel pacts with Ondemand -- The Asia Pacific arm of Disney-ABC Intl. Television has inked a deal with Kiwi pubcaster TVNZ to provide its skeins on its fledgling online delivery service TVNZ Ondemand.

Children who are concerned about parents arguing are prone to school problems

(Society for Research in Child Development) A new study charted how children's concerns about their parents' relationship may increase their vulnerability to later adjustment problems. Children who worry a lot about conflict between their parents were found to have school problems because of difficulty focusing and sustaining attention. These attention problems were noted by teachers in the year that the concern was reported and one year later. The findings have implications for mental health programs among children dealing with parental discord.

Historic Buildings' Modern Makeovers

Across Asia, developers are mixing old and modern. Singapore leads the charge with the renovation of neoclassical National Museum, and a luxury hotel around Tanah Merah.

Stone named a.d. of Tisch School

Film News: Director to advise on direction of campus -- Oliver Stone has been named the artistic director of NYU Tisch School of the Arts Asia.

LSUHSC awarded grant to address nursing shortage

(Louisiana State University Health Science Center) LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Nursing has been awarded a $100, 000 grant by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to provide scholarships to individuals under-represented in nursing or from disadvantaged backgrounds in an accelerated nursing degree program. The funding will support ten scholarships in LSUHSC's Career Alternative RN Education, or CARE, Program, expanding enrollment and the number of fully qualified nurses prepared to practice.

Britney is back. No, really

BRITNEY Spears' improving health and popularity have prompted her record label to rush-release a new album in a dramatic turnaround of fortunes.

Financial crisis 'far from over', says UK bank chief

The financial crisis is far from over but will take only a moderate toll on fast-growing emerging economies in Asia and elsewhere as they continue to boom in the years ahead, the chief executive of British bank Standard Chartered said today.

15 years later: Landmark hearing study follows up on farm youth

(Marshfield Clinic) A landmark study conducted by Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation 15 years ago found that an educational intervention improved hearing protection use among farm youth.Now, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has awarded a $954, 000 grant to MCRF to study the same group of Wisconsin youth to see whether the increase in hearing protection use continued into adulthood and whether it helped preserve hearing.

ASPA kudo gets double the entries

Film News: Organizers receive more than 180 films -- Selectors for the sophomore Asia Pacific Screen Awards will have to wade through twice as many candidates as the first kudosfest.

'Watchmen' fate goes to federal judge

Business News: Fox, WB forego jury trial on legal tussle -- Fox and Warner Bros. have decided to forgo a jury trial in their legal tussle over which studio has distribution rights to "Watchmen" and agreed instead to let a federal judge decide in two weeks whether Fox can block release of the pic.

ATAS pacts with Alan Perris

Business News: COO signs new multi-year deal with org -- Academy of Television Arts and Sciences chief operating officer Alan Perris has sealed a new multi-year deal with the org.

Journalists' woes trickle down to PR

Business News: Economic crisis hits both writers and praisers -- Misery love company, and if journalism plays a significant role in your professional orbit, there’s going to be plenty of it to go around.

Brad Grey stays put at Paramount

Business News: CEO to remain with studio through 2014 -- Despite a bleak economy and an uncertain media landscape, Viacom is very certain that Brad Grey is the man to run Paramount Pictures.

Family fare does well in down market

Business News: In tough economy, original DVD titles chug along -- As the DVD market plateaus and ever more releases vie for space on store shelves, the direct-to-video kidvid sector is proving resilient in tough economic times.

Home Entertainment Leader Report

Business News: The execs who guide the studios' made-for-DVD units -- Home Entertainment Leader Report: The execs who guide the studios' made-for-DVD units

Vidgames enter brave new open world

Business News: Wii, online gaming, sandbox games point to future -- Eight-year-old Rafael Solano can see the future -- or at least his future. Not content with the ease of use of his Nintendo Wii, he imagines a game system that features "controllers you could actually interact with that could go, like, on your knees or something, and on your arms.

RDF USA boosts Gellert to VP

Business News: Executive to report to Chris Coelen -- RDF USA continues to expand its ranks, tapping Lauren Gellert to serve as senior VP.

Homevid biz weathering the storm

Business News: Stability is the new growth in nontheatrical sector -- Contrary to claims made by some pundits back in the downturn of 2001, the homevid business isn't necessarily recession-proof.
But with numerous estimates for 2008 revenues down only 3%-6% from the nearly $23 billion generated in 2007, peddling discs has gone a lot better than, say, selling Detroit-made SUVs or condos in Miami.

Marketing the end of the world

Business News: Creatively marketing 'Day the Earth Stood Still' -- How do you promote the end of the world? That was the question facing 20th Century Fox as the studio pondered the marketing plan for "The Day the Earth Stood Still."