News: plans to remove creative subjects from the UK curriculum are “short-sighted insanity”, according to incoming D&AD president Neville Brody (+ interview). More about Removal of design from school curriculum is "insanity" - Neville Brody
News: industrial designer Yves Behar believes his revamped SodaStream can save 2000 bottles a year - but a TV advert promoting its green credentials has been banned in the UK for alleged "denigration" of rival products (+ watch the ad). More about Yves Behar's "denigrating" SodaStream ad banned in UK
Italian prosecutors have dropped charges against the former CEO of Milan's Zona Tortona design district, two years after he was arrested at his office on suspicion of receiving a parcel containing cocaine. More about Maurizio Ribotti acquitted of drug trafficking
News: Dezeen has been highly commended in the digital service of the year award at the International Building Press National Journalism Awards. More about Dezeen highly commended for digital service of the year at IBP Journalism Awards
News: construction is set to begin next month on the world's tallest building in Changsha, China, which will be completed in just 90 days. More about World's tallest building will be constructed in 90 days
News: 3D printer manufacturer Makerbot has opened a photo booth in its New York City store offering customers the chance to print out a model of their own face. More about Makerbot photo booth prints 3D models of faces
News: the Royal College of Art will end up as a "Chinese finishing school" unless the UK government does more to encourage young people to study art and design, according to writer and broadcaster Andrew Marr. More about Royal College of Art risks becoming a "Chinese finishing school"
News: the lighting of the London 2012 Olympic Cauldron was conceived as a religious ceremony, designer Thomas Heatherwick has explained. More about "The Olympic Games is phenomenally religious" - Thomas Heatherwick
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