Latest news with #Wightman
BBC News
20-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Are these Roman remains in Colchester Britain's earliest church?
Christians are coming together to celebrate their most important festival, Easter. While the arrival of the faith in England is usually associated with St Augustine's mission from Rome in AD597, its roots go further back. Archaeologists now believe 4th Century remains unearthed in Colchester are probably those of Britain's earliest known church. So what does the evidence say? When it was first unearthed during the Victorian era, it was assumed to be the remains of a Roman temple or now archaeologists believe a 25m by 7.5m (82ft by 24ft) Roman building in the Essex city may have a rather different 4th Century foundations in Butt Road, along with dozens of graves, were first excavated by Victorian archaeologist William Wire, and further digs were held in the 1930s and returned in the 1970s and 80s, and made more discoveries, suggesting another way of looking at the finds and the building itself."It was rectangular, had stone and tile walls and a tiled roof and was aligned east-west, with a curved eastern end," says Adam Wightman, director of archaeology at Colchester Archaeological began to suspect the ruins, just a stone's throw from a major roundabout and the city's police station, were in fact those of a Christian date of the building was crucial, since it was from a time shortly after religious toleration for Christians was established. Mr Wightman admits there is no "definitive evidence", such as the discovery of Christian iconography, that the building must have been a church."But you get this wholesale change in burial practice surrounding the building and it's very, very apparent; 61 of the later Roman burials were oriented east-west," he burials were associated with Christian beliefs that Jesus was expected to return to Earth from the churches were also aligned in the same way."There is also a lack of the grave goods seen in earlier Roman burials. The Christian belief is the soul goes up to heaven and that you don't need all of this material to take with you," adds Mr Wightman. In addition, the graves were laid out "very, very neatly... much like a cemetery today".This contrasts with early Roman cemeteries, where people "just cut across" the old graves, he the east-west graves, the bodies were buried on their backs, whereas in earlier Roman burials, they were laid out in a variety of positions, including on their sides. Finally, a hoard of more than 500 coins, dating from AD330, was discovered on the site, after the Roman Empire became officially building dates from AD320 to 340, was divided by a wooden screen, and seems to have been in use until at least AD400."As archaeologists, we're trying desperately as detectives to piece these things together, but there's lots of smaller bits of evidence and it's those weighed together that suggest it's a Christian church," says Mr Wightman. How Rome became Christian Ancient Rome was a pagan empire, believing in a pantheon of gods, which included some of its emperors. Christians rejected this, arguing there was only one true god, and refused to make sacrifices to the Roman deities. They remained a small cult, suffering periods of persecution by emperors including Nero (AD54 to 68), Domitian (AD81 to 96) and Diocletian (AD284 to 305) - and while some were "thrown to the lions", other horrible punishments were more typically meted out. This changed when the Edict of Milan (AD313) permanently established religious toleration for Christianity, helped by a soldier called Constantine who attributed his victory in a key battle a year earlier to the Christian became emperor (AD324 to 337), proclaimed his conversion and began the empire's evolution into a Christian state. After the withdrawal of the Roman armies in AD410, Anglo-Saxon settlers from the Germanic lands brought their own pagan did cling on in west and north parts of the British Isles, including Cornwall and Wales, but the re-Christianisation of much of England began with St Augustine's arrival on a mission from Rome in is possible the remains of other Romano-British churches have been found at sites, including St Albans, Hertfordshire, and Colchester is home to some of the best Roman finds in Britain, so perhaps it is not surprising that one of these could the foundations of its oldest church. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Associated Press
15-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Kansai International Airport's Populous Redesigned Terminal 1 Opens Ahead of World Expo 2025
KANSAI, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 15, 2025-- Kansai Airports and global design firm Populous have been working for more than seven years to completely reimagine the airport's floor plan, bringing a new level of efficiency and experience for travellers to Japan's west. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: KANSAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT'S POPULOUS REDESIGNED TERMINAL 1 OPENS AHEAD OF WORLD EXPO 2025. The final phase of the refurbished Kansai International Airport (KIX) Terminal 1 has opened on 27 March 2025 to accommodate the millions of passengers expected to pass through the iconic building to attend World Expo in Osaka. Kansai Airports and global design firm Populous have been working for more than seven years to completely reimagine the airport's floor plan, bringing a new level of efficiency and experience for travellers to Japan's west. Populous Senior Principal and Director, Brett Wightman, said the original Kansai International Airport (KIX) Terminal 1 wanted to make the best possible use of the existing infrastructure and maximize commercial return for Kansai Airports. 'Working closely with the facility operators, key stakeholders and end users, as well as expert retail and planning consultants, we have been able to craft a design that is built upon operational functionality, passenger convenience, accessibility and sustainability, while delivering innovative solutions that create an authentic and experiential environment with a clearly defined spirit of place,' Mr Wightman said. The new Terminal 1 includes a 60% increase in the size of the international departure lounge and retail offerings, the introduction of innovative retail layouts based on passenger experiences, and the creation of a seamless processing experience. PHASED RENOVATION TO ALLOW FOR CONTINUED OPERATIONS Populous led the architecture and interior design of the redevelopment, as well overseeing the project throughout construction. Mr Wightman said, importantly, the design considered operational functionality during renovation. The project has been completed in four phases to allow for continued operations of the airport, which is expected to accommodate more than 40 million passengers a year from 2025 and almost double international capacity. In October 2022, KIX opened the new Phase 1 domestic area followed by the new international area. Phase 2 of the project was completed in December 2023, and included 6,650 square meters of additional airside retail outlets, 1,130 square meters of food and beverage space and a new centralized immigration area. The Populous team and Kansai Airports completed Phase 3 on March 27, 2025, allowing the consolidation and extension of the security screening area to be ready before World Expo 2025 begins in April in Osaka. PHASE 3 – INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CHECKPOINT OPENS 27 MARCH 2025 Phase 3 includes faster, more comfortable and smoother security inspection with additional smart lanes capable of processing between 4,500 and 6,000 passengers an hour. The new queuing management system is the first of its kind in Japan, automatically controlling flapper gates to switch waiting lines by utilizing real-time passenger flow data. The system enables passengers to be automatically guided to the security inspection lanes based on the number of passengers and their flow. A new commercial area includes 13 stores across international departures, international arrivals and a street food court. The project has already been recognised for its architectural vision as a finalist in the 2023 World Architecture Festival Awards for Future Projects – Infrastructure. Originally designed by world renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano, the airport is considered an architectural icon. Regarded as part of the high-tech architecture movement of the 1990s, KIX's industrial design is famous for its asymmetrical clear-span sweeping aerofoil roofline. At 1.7km long, it is one of the longest airport passenger terminal buildings in the world. Principal Design Manager, Architect Jack Kato said the redesign had to respect the old while embracing new commercial opportunities for passengers. 'We broke away from the former gray color scheme, reinvigorating the interior spaces with a palette of natural materials to give the terminal a distinctly Japanese feel, but at the same time we opened up areas like the relocated immigration hall to provide an open space reflecting the original architecture and offering an inspiring arrival experience to start each journey,' Mr Kato said. 'This will transform the arrival experience of each journey into something inspirational.' View source version on CONTACT: Charlie Brooks [email protected] +44 7881268501 KEYWORD: AFRICA UNITED STATES JAPAN NORTH AMERICA ASIA PACIFIC EUROPE MIDDLE EAST CALIFORNIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: RETAIL ARCHITECTURE TRANSPORTATION DESTINATIONS TRAVEL COMMERCIAL BUILDING & REAL ESTATE RESTAURANT/BAR LUXURY CONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY AIR TRANSPORT LANDSCAPE FOOD/BEVERAGE INTERIOR DESIGN SOURCE: Populous Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 04/15/2025 05:00 AM/DISC: 04/15/2025 05:00 AM
CBC
01-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
'I wont give up on you:' Essex NDP candidate vows, launching campaign
Essex NDP candidate Lori Wightman kicked off her election campaign Friday with a virtual event positioning herself as a union fighter for the people of Essex. Wightman, born in River Canard and living in Amherstburg as a library worker, underscored her years of union involvement and leadership with CUPE during the Essex County Library workers strike in 2016. "During that eight-month-long Essex County Library Workers strike, I didn't stay behind a desk," Wightman told supporters over Zoom. "I stood shoulder to shoulder with my fellow workers on the picket line every single day. I listened. I fought. "I never gave up on them, and I won't give up on you." She was joined in launching her campaign with former Essex NDP MP Tracey Ramsey and CUPE Ontario president Fred Hahn. "I know Lori, I've stood beside her in the struggle. I've seen her fight for what's right, even when it was hard, especially when it was hard," Ramsey said. "She led one of the longest public sector strikes in the history in this region ... That kind of strength doesn't come from personal ambition. It comes from values. It comes from knowing what's at stake for working people, because she's one of them, because she's one of us." Also running in the riding are Conservative candidate Chris Lewis, Liberal candidate Chris Sutton, People's Party candidate Jason Henry and Green candidate Mark Vercouteren. Wightman also highlighted key NDP policies, including national pharmacare and dental care. She pointed to her party's role in securing both programs and stressed the importance of defending them, drawing on her daughter's experience with cancer. "When complication after complication set her back, it left her unable to work," she said. "I was lucky. I could step in and help pick up the financial slack, and I could take time off work here and there to take care of her. "I wondered often how more vulnerable people could make it through a catastrophic illness like that. That's why national pharmacare matters. That's why we need to fight to keep it and expand it." University of Guelph political scientist Julie Simmons has previously told CBC she expects NDP candidates to draw heavily on those key wins for the party in making their case for election. Simmons also said she expects to see NDP candidates emphasizing their connection with unionized workers who will be hit hard by U.S President Donald Trump's tariffs, which are widely anticipated to be a defining issue of the campaign.
Reuters
05-03-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Briton Wightman says he will no longer be coached by father
NEW YORK, March 5 (Reuters) - British middle-distance runner Jake Wightman will no longer be coached by his father, the 2022 1,500 metres world champion said on Wednesday, offering thanks for the "years of selfless time". A long-time sports commentator, Geoff Wightman famously called Jake's stunning upset win at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, announcing to fans: "That's my son and he's world champion." The younger Wightman said that his father helped him grow from a schoolboy runner to a top contender, but that they "physically and mentally" needed to go their separate ways. "By doing this we ensure there's plenty more to come in the future, not as a coach/athlete but as a father/son, away from the intensity and stress of training and racing," he wrote on Instagram. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jake Wightman (@jakeswightman) Wightman was unable to defend his 1,500m world title in 2023 due to a foot injury and last year was forced to withdraw from the Paris Games due to a hamstring injury. "Thank you Dad for all the years of selfless time and money," said Wightman. "I hope we can both look back on what we achieved together with immense pride."
BBC News
18-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Coventry charity 'thrilled' after proposed council cuts reversed
A charity which supports people with learning difficulties said it was "thrilled" that proposed cuts to its services would no longer go Grapevine said a proposed 45% budget cut to its Help and Connect service would not happen, following the council's City Council had planned to make cuts to public services including the voluntary sector, but proposals were reversed following a boost in government authority added the cash, alongside its "careful approach" to financial planning, meant not all cutbacks consulted on would be needed. In a statement, the council added financial challenges were still there as it tried to deal with the impact of what it called "chronic historical under funding".Dozens had protested against proposed cuts to the Grapevine, which said 7,000 adults in the city may lose out if plans went users had previously feared the impact of the cuts, with one woman telling the BBC she would "go back into a hole" if the charity's Help and Connect programme was chief executive officer, Clare Wightman, thanked the council for listening to concerns but acknowledged it was in a "difficult position" and needed to make said the local authority had "made the right decision for everyone"."We're extremely pleased to have saved this grant for voluntary sector services that, in our case, helps prevent people from being exploited, scammed, abused, experiencing avoidable ill health and much more, Ms Wightman added."We're looking forward to supporting people in the same way we always were now and in the future, getting them out of crisis, helping them become less isolated and ultimately have a better life." Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
