LOS ANGELES - PROLIFIC screen and television writer John Furia Jr, who penned popular series including 'Bonanza,' 'The Waltons,' and 'Hawaii Five-O' among many others, has died. He was 79.

The cause or exact time of death could not immediately be determined.

NEW YORK - ARTISTS and gallery owners have their fingers crossed at New York's Affordable Art Fair this week, waiting to see how the economic downturn affects sales of their work even as demand in the high-end market crumbles.

Taking place for the eighth year, the fair aims to lure new art buyers and longtime patrons with prices ranging from US$75 to US$10,000 (S$109 to S$14,589). Most of the work is priced at US$5,000 or under.

MUMBAI - MUSIC composers and lyricists in India's Hindi-language film industry have joined forces to fight for better pay, copyright and royalties on their work.

Leading Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar is among those campaigning for a change, which involves a legal battle in the courts against big music labels. 'This move has just been initiated by all of us and we hope to get fair rights and money for our songs,' he said.