News: the UK has become the most powerful nation in the world in terms of cultural influence following the success of the London 2012 Olympics, according to Monocle magazine's annual Soft Power Survey. More about UK overtakes US as nation with strongest cultural influence
News: Swedish furniture retailer IKEA has apologised for selling products manufactured by East German political prisoners in the 1970s and 1980s. More about IKEA says sorry for using East German forced labour
News: Chinese architects need to develop their own design manifesto to stem the tide of "half-assed" building projects in the country, according to Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu of Shanghai studio Neri&Hu. Update: this interview is featured in Dezeen Book of Interviews, which is on sale now for £12. More about "Architects in China are lost" - Neri&Hu
News: Finnish studio Rintala Eggertsson Architects is constructing a twenty-ton treehouse for Swedish hotel Treehotel. More about Twenty-ton treehouse under construction in Sweden
News: UK firm Zaha Hadid Architects has been selected to design the new national stadium for Japan. More about Zaha Hadid to design Japan National Stadium
News: Spanish design brand BD Barcelona Design has commissioned designer Jaime Hayón to hand-paint 40 unique vases in celebration of its 40th birthday. More about BD Barcelona Design celebrates 40th birthday with hand-painted vases by Jaime Hayón
News: China will produce as many world-class designers as Japan within 20 years, according to Hong Kong-based industrial designer Michael Young. More about “China is a dream scenario for a designer” - Michael Young
News: the US military is developing its own 3D printers for the frontline which will enable soldiers to quickly and cheaply produce spare parts for their weapons and equipment. More about US military invests in 3D printing on the frontline
News: designer and urbanist Dan Hill has been announced as the new managing director of Fabrica, the Benetton Group’s communication research centre in Treviso, Italy. More about Fabrica appoints Dan Hill as managing director
News: a trawler fishing net that filters out young and endangered fish from the catch has won this year's James Dyson Award for students working on innovative engineering solutions. More about Sustainable fishing net wins James Dyson Award
News: journalist Kieran Long has been appointed senior curator of contemporary architecture, design and digital at the V&A museum in London. More about Kieran Long appointed senior curator of architecture, design and digital at V&A
News: Bahrain-based investment bank Investcorp has agreed to pay $140m to buy luxury design brand Georg Jensen, the Danish luxury brand famous for its silverware and jewellery, from Danish private equity group Axcel. More about Georg Jensen sold to Investcorp for 0 million
News: Italian architect and designer Gae Aulenti, best known for the interior design of Paris art gallery the Musée d'Orsay, has died at the age of 84. More about Gae Aulenti 1927-2012
News: Moscow skyscraper Mercury City topped out today and has overtaken Renzo Piano's The Shard as the tallest building in Europe. More about Moscow's Mercury City overtakes The Shard as Europe's tallest skyscraper
News: experimental architect and artist Lebbeus Woods has died at the age of 72. More about Lebbeus Woods 1940-2012
News: Apple is to bring its hardware and software design teams closer together as part of a major shake-up of its management team. The move follows claims that the company is "a little bit behind" in integrating industrial and digital design and criticism of its attachment to skeuomorphic design. More about Jonathan Ive to lead both hardware and software design at Apple
News: the yacht that Apple's co-founder Steve Jobs designed for himself before he died this time last year with interiors by French designer Philippe Starck is now complete and has been unveiled at the Dutch shipyard where it was built. More about Steve Jobs' yacht completed
News: Finnish design company Marimekko's classic floral print will appear on the livery of two Finnair aeroplanes as part of a collaboration that also includes a range of textiles and tableware for use onboard. More about Marimekko makeover for Finnish airline
News: Sebastian Wrong has resigned as design director of Established & Sons, becoming the fourth of five founding partners to exit the British design brand. More about Sebastian Wrong resigns from Established & Sons
News: architect David Adjaye has topped a list of Britain's most influential black people, ahead of Olympic athlete Mo Farah, the shadow business secretary and the Archbishop of York. More about Architect David Adjaye tops list of UK's most influential black people