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Kuwait Times
a day ago
- Business
- Kuwait Times
IKEA, KU unite to empower young designers
KUWAIT: IKEA, the leading brand for life at home, hosted a special event in collaboration with Kuwait University's College of Architecture. Held at IKEA for Business, the event brought together creativity and inspiration, shining a spotlight on the work of Visual Communication Design students. Guests were invited to explore a vibrant exhibition of student-designed toys, each piece blending play with education. 'At IKEA, we believe that children are the most important people in the world and every child has the right to play. Play is not just about having a good time; it is important for the future as it is an essential way of learning for life. We thank Kuwait University for giving us the opportunity to be part of the journey of young designers in Kuwait as they create toys that spark curiosity and learning in the lives of children, celebrate culture, and encourage language development; values we care deeply about at IKEA,' said Elisa Albendea, IKEA Brand and CMI Director. The evening also featured the announcement of the top projects, with college professors and IKEA interior designers forming a judging panel to select three standout toy ideas based on their innovation, functionality, safety, and educational aspects. IKEA invited the top three winners to visit its origin for a deep dive in the IKEA product design world. Winner Aisha Al-Ajmi with university professors and the IKEA team. 'During this course, Visual Communication Design students addressed a pressing challenge: the lack of engaging, well-designed products that are both culturally appropriate and support the Arabic language for children. With IKEA support our students brought their ideas to life through full prototypes,' said Dr. Sarah Alfalah, Assistant Professor at Collage of Architecture, Kuwait University. 'We are grateful to IKEA for their generous sponsorship and belief in our students' potential. And we thank the students for pushing boundaries, embracing challenges, and pouring their hearts into developing these meaningful products,' stressed Alfalah Earlier this year, IKEA hosted a workshop for the Visual Communication Design students. Experts from IKEA shared insights about children's development stages and safety considerations in product design where children's needs stay at the core. Following the workshop, Kuwait University students toured the IKEA store to observe how these measures are implemented in children's room settings and toys. 'At IKEA, children's safety and development are at the heart of everything we do. We follow the strictest safety and quality standards and often go beyond them by setting our own. We were delighted to welcome students from the Visual Communication Design department to our store, and we hope that the experience inspired them to bring more safety, joy, purpose, and a better everyday life to children across Kuwait,' said Sabrina Shammas, IKEA Sustainability Manager.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ohio and Wright-Patt's Air Force research lab to continue to share knowledge, tech
Jun. 2—BEAVERCREEK — The state of Ohio and the Air Force's chief research and science arm renewed an agreement to share knowledge and technical know-how Monday, agreeing to find ways to foster mutually beneficial economic development in Ohio. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Brig. Gen. Jason Bartolomei, commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) documents at the Pentagon Tower Club. "This is a relationship that is vitally important to the state of Ohio, and I hope, general, vitally important to the Air Force," DeWine said to Bartolomei in a joint press conference announcing the continued partnership. Bartolomei called Ohio "a vital partner." "This memorandum represents a shared vision of the future," the one-star general said. Headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, AFRL is the primary scientific research and development center for the Air Force. Wright-Patterson itself is a hugely important economic engine for the Dayton area and the state, being Ohio's largest single-site employer with some 38,000 military and civilian employees and a reliable magnet for high-paying defense industry jobs. "The brainpower we have at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is unsurpassed anywhere in the world," DeWine said. DeWine credited Wright-Patterson's importance and location with attracting industry players such as Joby Aviation and Anduril Industries to the state. The governor singled out for praise the SkyVision system at the Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport, a system that allows Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) control in the national airspace system for drone operators. "The future of Ohio is tied very, very closely to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base," DeWine said, adding: "What's going on in Springfield is also vitally important." Springfield-Beckley is also home to the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence that supports research at Wright-Patterson, AFRL, NASA and a host of private companies. In 2007, the state and the Air Force signed a similar memorandum of understanding. "This partnership will enable AFRL to engage with the state of Ohio at a higher level to maximize AFRL and state of Ohio collaboration opportunities," Maj. Gen. Curtis Bedke, then AFRL commander, said at the time. Based at Wright-Patterson, AFRL performs Air Force-focused research with more than 12,500 employees across the world.
Business Upturn
29-05-2025
- Business
- Business Upturn
Lighthouse Guild Awards $195,000 in College Scholarships to 17 Blind Students
By GlobeNewswire Published on May 29, 2025, 21:00 IST New York, May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lighthouse Guild announced today it is awarding scholarships totaling $195,000 to 17 students from across the country who are legally blind and will be entering college or attending graduate school this fall. Since 2005, Lighthouse Guild's Scholarship Program has awarded more than $3 million in college scholarships to students who are legally blind. Former recipients have gone on to successful careers as nurses, attorneys, teachers, engineers, chemists, composers, musicians, and neuroscientists. 'Our scholarship program is a powerful investment in the future of students who are blind or have low vision,' said Thomas Panek, President and CEO of Lighthouse Guild. 'These remarkable students have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement and perseverance. We are proud to support them as they pursue their goals and contribute their talents to the world.' The 2025 Lighthouse Guild scholarship recipients will be attending some of the nation's most competitive colleges and universities. The awards are based on academic excellence and merit, helping students who are legally blind make a successful transition to higher education. Recipient of the Lighthouse Guild Scholar- $40K ($10K per year over 4 years) Aubree Lautenschuetz, Plattsburgh, NY – Attending Case Western Reserve University Recipient of the Visual Aid Volunteers of Florida Scholarship– $12,500 Andrew Feng, Boca Raton, FL – Attending University of Notre Dame Recipient of the Daniel M. Callahan Memorial Scholarship– $10,000 Andrea Hernandez, Laredo, TX – Attending the University of Texas at Austin Recipient of the Dr. Neil S. Patel Memorial Scholarship– $2,500 MaKenzie Love, Commercial Point, OH – Attending Miami University Lighthouse Guild $10K Scholarship Recipients Andrew Gillespie, Loveland, OH – Purdue University Daniel Gunderson, Chicago, IL – Washington University in St. Louis Toban Harnish, Lebanon, PA – Messiah University Elliot Lapp, Atlanta, GA – University of Georgia Elektra Larson, Washington, D.C. – Georgia Institute of Technology Madeline Major, Plymouth, MN – University of Minnesota Twin Cities Kaelyn McColl, Chicago, IL – Harvard College Sid Miller, Cedar Grove, WI – Milwaukee Area Technical College Brooke Petro, Leawood, KS – Creighton University Zoe Tseng, Tinley Park, IL – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Quinn Wagner, Reading, PA – Cornell University Lucy Ye, Flushing, NY – Queens College, City University of New York Amanie Riley, Graduate Student, New York, NY – Dominican University of New York *Scholarship recipients' photos and quotes available here About Lighthouse Guild Lighthouse Guild is committed to providing exceptional services that inspire people who are blind or visually impaired to reach their goals. Through vision rehabilitation, assistive technology, mental health services, and innovative programming, Lighthouse Guild is dedicated to breaking barriers and enhancing lives. For more information visit Attachment Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. GlobeNewswire provides press release distribution services globally, with substantial operations in North America and Europe.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
This artist is keeping Hong Kong's neon heritage alive
The neon signs that once illuminated Hong Kong have mostly gone dark. The lights were once synonymous with the city, but in recent years, the government has tightened regulations over safety concerns about unwieldy signs, and many have been removed. But inside a workspace in the Wong Chuk Hang neighborhood, neon lights are shining bright. Jive Lau founded the Kowloneon studio in 2021, with the hopes of preserving the craft of neon making. He had long been interested in neon when, in 2019, he took a week off from his job as a graphic designer to fly to Taiwan for a neon-making course. When Lau, now 42, was laid off during the Covid-19 pandemic, he took it as a sign to devote himself to neon full-time. Now he's achieving commercial success with his designs — including an elaborate neon popup shop façade for the US fashion brand Coach, a sign for a Louis Vuitton event, and light installations for the Hong Kong Ballet. Through his work, Lau hopes he can help reverse neon's decline in the city. 'Neon is not replaceable,' he tells CNN from his workshop, illuminated by a neon cow shaking maracas mounted on the wall behind him. 'It's magical.' Neon signs were first introduced in Hong Kong in the 1920s. As the city's economy flourished from the 1950s to the 1980s, neon did also, according to Brian Kwok, an associate professor of design at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and author of 'Fading Neon Lights, an Archive of Hong Kong's Visual Culture.' The lights were once used to advertise everything from tailor shops and bars to seafood restaurants, but in recent decades, the neon industry has been in decline. In 2011, the city's Buildings Department found there were about 120,000 signboards in the city, including neon, many of them unauthorized. Stricter regulation has led to the removal of many signs, like a well-known neon cow measuring three meters (10 feet) hanging above Sammy's Kitchen, a steakhouse, which was taken down in 2015 after being deemed an illegal structure. Some local business owners have willingly replaced the signs with newer technology, including LED lights, which are cheaper. Societal factors, like an association with seediness, have also contributed to neon's decline, according to the city's M+ Museum. Kwok tells CNN that in 2018 and 2019, when he was doing research for his book, there were about 470 neon signs left in the five Hong Kong districts he surveyed. Today, he thinks that only about 10% of those remain. Making neon signs is a delicate and difficult task that entails using powerful burners to heat and shape glass tubes and injecting the right mixture of gas into the tubes, which must be connected seamlessly so the joints can't be seen. There aren't many people left that know how to do the painstaking and delicate work. Kwok estimates that there are about three to five remaining neon masters in Hong Kong, with only one or two actively working in the craft. In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on the disappearing neon, which has drawn media and public attention. A few artists like Lau have started working with neon at a time when the city is undergoing rapid changes. That includes a Beijing-led crackdown on dissent, following pro-democracy protests in 2019, which critics say has stifled creative expression and subdued the once freewheeling city. Many young Hong Kongers have left the city. 'Neon is representative of Hong Kong,' says Lau. 'If the most beautiful and representative things of Hong Kong fade out, I will be really sad,' he adds. Some Hong Kong brands continue to incorporate neon into their stores. Lau has designed signs for a gelato shop and a large neon installation he created sits atop the flagship store of local retailer Goods of Desire (G.O.D) in the central nightlife area Lan Kwai Fong. He says that unlike the old neon masters, who largely made signs with just the name of the shop they advertised, he takes a more creative approach to his designs. His sign above G.O.D., for example, depicts characters holding a wine glass and pouring tea. In his studio, where he receives subsidized rent from the government-backed Hong Kong Arts Development Council, tools cover the walls, and are scattered across worktop tables, while the remnants of broken tubes litter the floor. He shows CNN a neon sign taller than him, with intricately bent neon depicting a phoenix and a dragon — symbols common as a backdrop for Chinese wedding photos — which he says took him a month to make. He also uses neon to create sculptures and is planning for an upcoming exhibition. And he's working to open a store that will sell neon objects suitable for Hong Kong's notoriously cramped apartments. He shows CNN a small sculptural neon lightning bolt mounted on a base. 'I want to reach a different kind of consumer,' says Lau. Kwok sees similar trends among Hong Kong's handful of neon makers. 'The whole industry has shifted to more art-related projects, or small-scale projects for interior decoration,' he says. Lau wants to encourage more people into the art form and late last year, he launched a three-month internship program to teach other young people the craft. His initial batch of eight apprentices included students and professionals working in fields ranging from technology to art repair. He plans to run a second internship program later this year. 'Some people say to me, 'don't create competition for yourself,'' Lau says. 'But we have to make the community bigger for the future.'
IOL News
23-05-2025
- IOL News
Convicted rapist's parole revoked after he is caught with missing Hanover Park girl
Igshaan Williams appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on Friday. Image: Supplied The man alleged to have kidnapped and raped a nine-year-old Hanover Park girl appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on Friday. Convicted rapist Igshaan Williams, 51, was formally charged with rape, kidnapping, human trafficking, and sexual assault. Williams was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in 2005 for raping a 10-year-old and was granted parole in late last year. Previously, the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) said Williams was identified as Isaac Booi on their system, however, he appeared in court under a different Muslim name. DCS spokesperson, Singabakho Nxumalo, explained that community corrections officials have since verified his identity and confirmed that he is indeed a parolee currently under the supervision of the Cape Town Community Corrections office. Speaking to IOL, the Western Cape spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Eric Ntabazalila, confirmed that the matter has been postponed for two months. He also revealed the status of Williams' parole. 'The accused's parole has been revoked. This means that there is no bail application. The accused will now appear via Audio Visual Remand (AVR) from now on,' Ntabazalila said. Residents from Hanover Park came out in their numbers demanding justice for the girl and her family. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ According to the Public Relations Officer for the Faith and Hope Missing Persons, Dennis George, they got a call at about 5pm that the girl had gone missing. She was last seen on Tuesday, May 13, between 3pm and 4pm. 'The suspect had sent the girl to the shop with R20 to buy him milk. On her way to the shop, she got a friend and told her she would be back. She said she would just be taking the milk back,' George said. When she did not return, residents went searching for the child, and she was found in the home of the parolee. This caused immediate chaos as residents were baying for Williams' blood. The matter has been postponed until July 25. IOL Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
