Latest news with #Disability
Hans India
15 hours ago
- Business
- Hans India
Bengaluru's Assistive Technology Pioneer Prateek Madhav Invited to The Royal Society London's Launch of Global Report on Disability Technology
Bengaluru: Prateek Madhav, CEO & Co-Founder of AssisTech Foundation (ATF)—India's first ecosystem enabler for Assistive Technology—has been invited to the launch event of The Royal Society London's Global Policy Report titled "Disability Technology: How Data and Digital Assistive Technologies Can Support Independent, Fulfilled Lives." The event will take place on June 23 in London, in the esteemed presence of renowned statistician and data expert Sir Bernard Silverman, FRS. Prateek is notably the only Indian invited to this prestigious event, where he will also join an international panel discussion to deliberate on the report's insights and its policy implications for enhancing the independence and quality of life for persons with disabilities. Prateek Madhav has been a part of the Royal Society's Steering Committee for Digital Accessibility which is a reflection of the deep expertise and impact that ATF brings to the global Assistive Technology ecosystem. The Committee includes industry leaders such as Dr. Vint Cerf, Chief Internet Evangelist at Google, widely recognized as one of the 'Fathers of the Internet.' Prateek's participation in this prestigious international forum highlights ATF's core values — evidence-based innovation, user-centred design, and inclusive development. It is also a powerful recognition of the Foundation's work in championing accessibility and disability inclusion, not just in India but on the world stage. Speaking about The Royal Society Report launch and event, Prateek said: 'The idea is to drive forward a global conversation that puts the lived experiences of persons with disabilities at the heart of technological and policy advancement. This marks a significant step in ATF's evolution as a global thought leader — expanding its footprint beyond national boundaries, influencing cross-sector collaboration, and aligning with global agendas for inclusive innovation. The opportunity to engage with policymakers, tech leaders, academics, and advocates at the Royal Society event reinforces ATF's role as a bridge between grassroots innovation and systemic change.' The report is the outcome of a collaborative study undertaken with external research and advocacy organizations, with the goal of building a robust evidence base centered on the lived experiences of Digital Assistive Technology users. The event will bring together policymakers, advocates, researchers, and industry leaders to discuss how data and digital solutions can contribute to improving accessibility in all areas of life for persons with disabilities. The report launch is to be followed by a panel discussion on the report featuring Prateek who will be speaking on accelerating digital technologies for persons with disabilities. The panel will be chaired by Geoff Spinks, Senior Professor, University of Wollongong, Australia who is a pioneer in accessibility for persons with disabilities. Joining the discussion are global leaders in the field, including Professor Annalu Waller OBE (Professor of Computer Science at the University of Dundee), Christopher Patnoe, (Head of Accessibility and Disability Inclusion for EMEA at Google), Jess Hider (Senior Technical Designer at Imporium) and Professor Cathy Holloway (co-founder and Academic Director of the Global Disability Innovation Hub, UCL). The event will also feature live exhibits of digital assistive technologies to help people with disabilities live independent lives.
Economic Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Social security shock for Americans: Retirement trust fund could run dry by 2035, report warns
Social Security at Risk Combined Funds Face Depletion by 2034 Disability Insurance Fund Stable for Now, Medicare at Risk Live Events Calls for Action from Leadership FAQs (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The Social Security Board of Trustees issued a new warning that the trust fund that helps pay retirement benefits could run out of money by 2033, potentially slashing monthly payments for future retirees, as per a report. The Social Security Board of Trustees' annual report showed that only 77% of scheduled benefits will be payable at that time, as per Security's combined trust funds, which include the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance trust funds, are expected to have only revenue to pay scheduled benefits and administrative costs until 2034, as per CNBC. The projection indicated that 81% of the combined benefits will be payable at that time, according to the READ: Barron Trump's $40 million crypto windfall? Inside the shocking profits from his father's digital coin empire According to CNBC, even though the combined depletion date is used to gauge Social Security's solvency, the current law restricts joining those funds, but previously Congress has authorised shifting of the funds, when there have been trust fund Disability Insurance Trust Fund will be able to pay full benefits until 2099, and Medicare's Hospital Insurance trust fund, which is associated with Medicare Part A and pays for certain health care services, will be able to pay full benefits only until 2033, reported CNBC. Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank Bisignano said that the financial status of the trust funds is a 'top priority' for the Trump administration, and he also urged Congress to 'protect and strengthen' the trust funds for the millions of Americans who will rely on the program 'now and in the future,' quoted CEO Myechia Minter-Jordan said, 'Congress must act to protect and strengthen the Social Security that Americans have earned and paid into throughout their working lives,' adding, 'as America's population ages, the stability of this vital program only becomes more important,' as quoted in the It is projected to pay full benefits until at least but unless changes are made, you might only receive around 77% of your expected benefits, as per CNBC report.
The National
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
The V&A exhibition by disabled artists that wants to reclaim the narrative with humour
One of the pieces in the new Disability and Design exhibition at London's V&A South Kensington is a short film by disabled performance and video artist Katherine Araniello which parodies an advert made by UK TV's Channel 4 for the 2012 Paralympics. Named Meet the Superhumans, the original advert's premise was how inspirational and resilient disabled sportspeople are, depicting them as strong and invincible. In Araniello's satirical version of the advert, she can be seen smoking and stuffing her face with junk food to the same hyper-catchy soundtrack as the original advert. Her mock interviews as an inspirational athlete in a wheelchair are delivered deadpan to camera and riddled with tropes and superlatives along the lines of: "It was the toughest race of my life", "I never let my disabilities hold me back" and "I have inspired a future generation of sporting excellence". It's a deeply funny yet deadly serious reminder that disabled people shouldn't have to be superhuman to be worthy of respect, attention or care. 'And it's a way of saying, 'Hang on, this isn't how I want to seen',' says Natalie Kane, curator of the exhibition that opened on Saturday at the museum's original South Kensington branch. 'It's important to challenge when we don't feel represented,' Kane tells The National, and comedy or humour is a tool that some disabled artists have used successfully to do that. Divided into three sections – Visibility, Tools and Living – the exhibition includes 170 objects from the spheres of design, art, architecture, fashion and photography. Unlike a lot of other exhibitions dedicated to design and disability, the pieces here are made or conceived by disabled people and highlight aspects of living and working with disability that are personal and intimate but also often political and quietly revolutionary. There's Conor Foran's Dysfluent magazine, which gives brilliant graphic form and a visual identity to stammering by repeating certain letters or stretching parts of them. Other standout pieces include Maya Scarlette's incredible hand-sewn Notting Hill Carnival costume inspired by Sandro Botticelli's The Birth of Venus. Scarlette is a fashion designer with ectrodactyly, meaning digits in her hand or feet are absent. There's also a moving performance piece by Carmen Papalia, who calls himself a non-visual artist. In the piece, Papalia replaces his white cane with a brass band, the latter guiding him though a Vancouver park via a site-reactive musical score and sound cues – when an obstacle is near, the music becomes more shrill. The results of these works, which highlight the need for collaboration and support are joyful, unexpected and, at times, fraught. Disability is not a problem that needs to be fixed posits the exhibition. Rather, disabled people are the experts when it comes to expressing their identities and designing for their own needs, hacking and subverting everyday objects in ingenious ways. A great example of the latter are the low-tech but clever adaptations made by septuagenarian disabled woman Cindy Garni in the US, who added a cable tie to the zip of a purse to help open it, or a stick-on-wall-hook to the screw top lid of a pot of beauty cream to do the same. In the same vein, the McGonagle Reader is an audio-assisted tactile voting device created for people with low vision. But there's also the adapted bike of Palestinian cyclist and founder of paracycling team Gaza Sunbirds, Alaa al-Dali, who was shot by an Israeli sniper in Gaza in 2018. It's a timely and poignant reminder that access to disability rights or activism is even more difficult (and often impossible) for people living under war or the brutality of occupation. The exhibition hones in on the moments when technology or sustainability aren't always the silver bullets we think they are. For instance, the policy to phase out plastic straws that has been problematic for disabled people who require a lot of support as plastic straws are stronger, safer and more hygienic. Or the robotics or GPS elements non-disabled designers have tried to add on to the white cane that have proven unpopular and even dangerous. One modification to the cane that did stick was when a foldable version was produced in the 1950s after a woman asked for a cane that would fit in her shopping bag. But it's not just the content of this exhibition that takes a disability-first approach, the design and organisation of the exhibition does as well. For one thing, visitors are repeatedly reminded to touch objects and, where possible, it's the original object and not just a 3D copy. It feels awkward but it is a useful reminder of how two-dimensional and exclusionary many exhibitions can be. The other is that the show begins with a rest space filled with modular chairs, some with armrests, some without, for different sorts of physical support. Round tables, for example, are much better than square or rectangle tables for deaf people to gain full vision of people who use sign language. There's also an inviting blue and white bench by Finnegan Shannon inscribed with the words: "Do you want us here?" There are further seating options dotted around the exhibition, including an inviting chaise longue in the last room, in what is an obvious attempt to address the startling and deeply exclusionary lack of seating in so many exhibitions. Further attempts to make the space as accessible as possible include a tactile key to the different exhibition sections. But there are also mirrored doorway arches that help deaf people understand what is around the corner in a given space. Or low stools that can be pulled out so that people of all heights can enjoy the displays fully. There are also a range of ways of experiencing the exhibition including tactile maps, audio descriptions, sign language, large print and online audio options. The idea is that the museum, which like many older institutions is grappling with accessibility issues, is accruing knowledge and training in this area and creating a legacy for the future. 'It shouldn't be that a show about disability is the only show where you get access principles,' says Kane. 'The aim is for this design thinking to be applied to future exhibitions.'
The Journal
10-06-2025
- Business
- The Journal
Michael Healy-Rae's property company records profits of €800,000 over last two years
KERRY TD MICHAEL Healy-Rae's property management firm recorded combined profits of €841,908 over a two-year period, new account filings show. In the 12 months to the end of May 2024, the minister of state's first Roughty Properties Ltd recorded post-tax profits of €376,048. It recorded a €465,860 post tax profit in its first year in operation from May 2022 to May 2023. The profits for the two periods add up to a combined €841,908 post tax profit. The accounts filed are abridged and don't provide a revenue figure. The Kerry TD's entry in the Dáil Register of Members' Interests states that the main activity of Roughty Properties Ltd is 'management of rental properties'. In the register, Healy-Rae describes himself as an owner of rental properties and his entry lists 17 separate properties for letting, including 14 houses. The portfolio includes Rosemont House in Tralee, a guesthouse providing accommodation for Ukrainians who came to Ireland to flee the war. Separate figures published by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth show that Healy Rae's Rosemont House has received €1.22m over two years and three months to the end of December last. Advertisement Roughty Property Ltd is Healy-Rae's most profitable enterprise, with the accounts showing two years of strong profits. Cash funds at the company last year increased from €555,933 to €718,046. The company also strengthened its balance sheet during the year with the addition of a fixed asset which has a book value of €204,519. Healy-Rae owns 100% of the share capital of the company. Under the heading of directors' loans, a note states that at the end of May 2024, 'there were no loans, quasi loan, credit transactions or guarantees for and on behalf of the directors'. In 2022, Kerry County Council refused planning permission to Roughty Properties Ltd's planning application for a three storey extension to expand guest capacity at Rosemont Guest House. Separate accounts filed earlier this year by Minister Healy-Rae's plant hire firm, Roughty Plant Hire Ltd, show that its accumulated profits increased by €74,887 from €734,024 to €808,911 in the 12 months to the end of April 2024. Accounts for another Michael Healy-Rae firm which operates a fuel station and grocery shop in Kilgarvan show that it recorded post tax losses of €26,986 last year. Healy-Rae's entry to the Dáil's members' register of interests lists his other occupations as postmaster, farmer, service station owner and owner of rental properties. The Kerry TD also has shares in the New York Times and owns 146 acres of farmland/forestry.
The Sun
03-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Major charity retailer to close three stores starting in days after shutting 35 this year – see the full list
A MAJOR charity shop chain is set to close three more of its stores starting from tomorrow. Disability charity Scope has confirmed its stores in Taunton, Bromley and Portsmouth are all closing this month. 1 The charity previously announced it was considering shutting 77 of its 138 shops across the country. Its bosses said it had to make the difficult decision because of spiralling costs and fewer shoppers heading to the high street. The Taunton store is first to close and will be shutting its doors for good tomorrow. Shoppers responded to the news on Facebook, with one saying: "Oh, no - I've got lots of great bits from there." Another wrote: "Oh no really? That a, really good charity shop aswell." The store in Bromley closes on June 14 while the Portsmouth one is going on June 21. It means shoppers only have days left to grab final bargains from the stores. Debbie Boylen, head of retail at Scope, said: "Our shops have helped us raise vital income to support our work with disabled people and their families. "We know our teams put in their very best efforts, but our shops are collectively now losing money when taking account of all of their costs. "A number make strong profits but there are loss making shops too." Beloved department store chain shutting more locations with clearance sales on now until final May 25 deadline She said the charity had consulted on the proposals to shut 77 shops and had come to the "sad" decision about the Taunton, Bromley and Portsmouth stores. Boylen added: "We've had such incredible support from these wonderful and generous communities. We never take the decision to close our stores lightly. "We recognise for our colleagues and volunteers, it's more than just a job. "We know they feel passionately about playing their part in our work, creating an equal future with disabled people. "We will be doing everything we can to support them and our decision does not reflect their hard work and dedication to Scope." The news comes after Scope already shut 35 of its shops this year. It closed 11 stores between the end of March and the end of May. Full list of Scope closures in 2025 Closed before the end of the consultation in early March: Bexhill Hertford Mitcham Petersfield Scarborough Worthing Closed by March 31: Amersham Barking Bangor Birkenhead Bishop Auckland Castleford Devizes Dewsbury Eastbourne Haywards Heath Lewisham New Milton Orpington Parkstone Scunthorpe Shirley (Southampton) Skipton Workington Closed by May 31: Blyth Hove George Burton Erdington West Hampstead Exmouth Bury Newport Southampton (Portswood Road) Atherstone Welling What's happening at Scope? The charity is among scores of big chains facing trouble on the high street. Chief executive Mark Hodgkinson said previously that its high street stores had been hit by shoppers increasingly turning to online shopping. On top of that, it has faced rising rents, soaring energy costs, increased staff costs, and lower customer spends. In its annual report for the year to March 2023, Scope said it had made £24million from trading activities, including shops and online sales, up from £23.6million the year before. In the same year it had spent £24.7million maintaining and operating its shops, £1million more than the previous year. Hodgkinson said Scope's shops had made a "real contribution to raising vital income" but external factors had "made trading harder". Scope wants to make sure its funds are not taken away from its charitable purpose, the boss said. The store closures have led to a number of job losses and also impacted volunteers. Why are retailers closing shops? EMPTY shops have become an eyesore on many British high streets and are often symbolic of a town centre's decline. The Sun's business editor Ashley Armstrong explains why so many retailers are shutting their doors. In many cases, retailers are shutting stores because they are no longer the money-makers they once were because of the rise of online shopping. Falling store sales and rising staff costs have made it even more expensive for shops to stay open. The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs from April 2025, will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40. In some cases, retailers are shutting a store and reopening a new shop at the other end of a high street to reflect how a town has changed. The problem is that when a big shop closes, footfall falls across the local high street, which puts more shops at risk of closing. Retail parks are increasingly popular with shoppers, who want to be able to get easy, free parking at a time when local councils have hiked parking charges in towns. Many retailers including Next and Marks & Spencer have been shutting stores on the high street and taking bigger stores in better-performing retail parks instead. In some cases, stores have been shut when a retailer goes bust, as in the case of Carpetright, Debenhams, Dorothy Perkins, Paperchase, Ted Baker, The Body Shop, Topshop and Wilko to name a few. What's increasingly common is when a chain goes bust a rival retailer or private equity firm snaps up the intellectual property rights so they can own the brand and sell it online. They may go on to open a handful of stores if there is customer demand, but there are rarely ever as many stores or in the same places. The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
