close
TOKYO: Tokyo Gov Yuriko Koike looks over a report during an expert panel at the Tokyo Metropolitan government office in Tokyo, yesterday. A Tokyo metropolitan government panel reviewing costly Olympic venues has proposed downgrading the expensive rowing and canoeing site for the Tokyo Games to a temporary facility, or moving the events to an existing site in northern Japan. — AP
TOKYO: Tokyo Gov Yuriko Koike looks over a report during an expert panel at the Tokyo Metropolitan government office in Tokyo, yesterday. A Tokyo metropolitan government panel reviewing costly Olympic venues has proposed downgrading the expensive rowing and canoeing site for the Tokyo Games to a temporary facility, or moving the events to an existing site in northern Japan. — AP

Tokyo details venue changes, cost cuts for 2020 Games

Cuban Eduardo Viciana taught himself to blow glass using the most basic of tools and raw materials, one of a handful of artisans to master the art on the Caribbean Island nation. Viciana, 54, toils daily at his trade, heating his glass in three handmade brick ovens, then blowing them into exquisite and colorful forms for use as lamps, ceiling lights, sculptures and containers. “There is no tradition of glass blowing in the country,” Viciana said. “Everything we do here is done self-taught. We design our own equipment and the tools.”

Glass blowing is an art form that involves inflating molten glass into a bubble with the aid of a blowpipe, a practice that dates back at least 2,000 years. To create an object, pieces of glass are placed inside a handmade brick oven to melt. The artist then uses a blowpipe and tongs give the piece its shape. In Cuba, even a corner hardware store is a rarity due to a grinding economic crisis that has led to widespread shortages. Viciana said he uses scraps of glass anywhere he can find them. His recycled glass, transformed into art, is exhibited in the Spanish Embassy in Cuba, in the National Capitol building, in Havana’s Grand Theater and in the stained-glass windows of local churches, Viciana said. — Reuters

By Dr Nermin Yousuf Al-Houti Today my long awaited realization of a dream became a reality, as I saw Madinat Al Irfan Theatre Center, when I was invited by Oman’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth to attend the 8th Omani Theatre Festival and c...
By Dr Sajed Al Abdali, MD As the clock strikes midnight, another employee sends that “urgent” email. Across town, a manager tosses and turns, worrying about tomorrow’s presentation. These scenes, playing out in countless homes, point to a grow...
MORE STORIES