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BBC News
an hour ago
- General
- BBC News
Reburial service held for World War One soldiers
The bodies of eight British servicemen who died more than 100 years ago in World War One have been laid to rest in a reburial service in took place at the Loos British cemetery last week, after their remains were discovered during the construction of a new hospital outside have been identified, which include Cpl Alfred James Morrant and Pte Henry Joseph Rycraft of the 11th Battalion The Essex Regiment. Also discovered were Pte Arthur Albert Grayston and Pte Lewis Ephraim Lambert, of the 8th Battalion The Bedfordshire Morrant, the great, great nephew of Cpl Morrant, said: "The whole thing was a great experience." The four men all died in 1917 during the Battle of Arras and were identified through DNA testing. Two of the unknown soldiers were also known to belong to the Essex Regiment and several Canadian casualties were Strawn, the granddaughter of Pte Grayston, also attended the service, along with serving soldiers from 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
IOL News
03-07-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Shifting trends: 19. 3 per cent of office properties now being converted to residential and mixed-use developments
The Virginia Airport site is now a R10 billion investment that will start this year to 2030 and create 10 000 jobs. The strategic plan is to redevelop the airport site for mixed-use purposes, including high-end residential and commercial use. Image: Graphic: Supplied A notable 19.3% of office property purchases are intended for conversion to residential or mixed-use developments, according to brokers' estimates. Residential conversions are playing a critical role, especially in Johannesburg, says John Loos, the senior property economist for Commercial Property Finance at FNB. In the first quarter of this year, the FNB Property Broker Survey included a new question on the main reasons for buying office property. The options provided were company purchase for own office use, investment to lease as office space, conversion to residential or mixed use and others. He said aggregated responses from the first and second quarters provided revealing insights. 'Nationally, 43% of buyers were purchasing for their own use, while 36.4% were investors. A noteworthy 19.3% were acquiring office properties with the intention of converting them to residential or mixed-use, an important mechanism for absorbing excess office space is unlikely to be needed in the future, Loos said. Regionally, he said Johannesburg shows the highest conversion intent, with 38.1% of office property purchases estimated to be for repurposing. Nelson Mandela Bay was at 17.1% and Tshwane (14.9%) followed, while Cape Town (4.6%) and eThekwini (1.3%) showed minimal conversion activity. These figures likely reflect healthier market fundamentals and lower vacancy rates in the coastal metros, Loos said. He said that, however, this also means that in cities like Cape Town, opportunities to address housing shortages by repurposing underused office space are limited-particularly in high-demand areas such as the City Bowl. Loos said many of the challenges facing the office property market in recent years have been well-documented. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ He said when Covid-19 lockdowns began in 2020, there was a surge in remote and hybrid working, sparking debate around the future need for office space. He added that some companies reduced their office footprints to accommodate greater levels of remote work. 'While much of the initial hype around working from home (WFH) was overblown, many employees eventually returned to the office-though not in the same numbers as before the pandemic. Long before Covid-19, however, advances in technology had already enabled more flexible work arrangements. "These trends are expected to continue gradually in the post-pandemic 'new normal',' Loos said. Additionally, the senior property economist said productivity improvements driven by technology have allowed office-dependent sectors to grow without proportionally increasing their workforce numbers, curbing long-term demand for office space. At the same time, he said digitisation has reduced the need for physical document storage, further lowering space requirements. The financial institution's commercial property finance unit said South Africa's sluggish economic growth since the early 2010s has also played a role, limiting formal employment growth and, by extension, the demand for office space. 'Unsurprisingly, these factors led to a sharp rise in the national office vacancy rate-from a post-GFC low of 9.2% in 2014 (MSCI data) to a peak of 18.2% in 2021/22, shortly after the hard lockdowns.' Since 2021/22, Loos said there have been encouraging signs of declining oversupply, particularly in the major coastal cities, with the national office vacancy rate declining to 15.8% in 2024-still high, but a notable improvement. 'Rode data paints a similar picture, with national average A+, A, and B-grade office vacancy rates dropping from nearly 18% in the first half of 2022 to 12.8% in Q1 2025. Although this remains above the long-term average of 9.5%, the trend is positive.' Loos said. He said that, however, Rode data also reveals a regional divergence with Cape Town and Durban's decentralised markets showing vacancy rates just above 8%, possibly supported by a growing demand for call centre space. In contrast, Gauteng is said to remain under pressure, with this year's first quarter vacancy rates of 14.1% in Johannesburg and 13.4% in Pretoria. With regards to investment sentiment, 57% of brokers in this year's second quarter FNB Property Broker Survey believe that office property supply still exceeds demand. However, this is down significantly from the record high of 98.4% in the second quarter of 2021. New was said to have significantly slowed down the key factor in reducing oversupply, being the dramatic decline in new office space development. In 2024, only 82,942 square metres of office space were completed, an 86% drop from 2019 levels and a 90% decrease from the 2013 peak. The affordability improvements were said to support recovery with real (inflation-adjusted) office rentals declining by 16.5% from the 2020 peak to 2024, while real capital values per square metre have dropped by 25.9% since the 2016 high (MSCI data adjusted for GDP inflation). For both tenants and investors, office space has become more affordable, another factor helping to reduce oversupply. In conclusion, Loos said the office property market is gradually 'right-sizing' amid structural shifts in demand. 'While reduced new developments and improved affordability have played important roles, residential and mixed-use conversions-particularly in Johannesburg-are emerging as a key solution to the sector's oversupply. "The future of the office market lies in its ability to adapt to long-term changes in work patterns, economic conditions, and urban development needs.'
BBC News
17-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Family 'over the moon' at lost WW1 soldier's burial in France
The great-grandson of a World War One soldier whose remains were found during building work in France said his family was "over the moon" to see him buried with full military Henry Ashton from Derbyshire was killed aged 44 in 1917, during an operation near Lens, and he was listed on the Memorial to the Missing at from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) traced Sjt Ashton's living relatives, and a funeral was held for him in Loos-en-Gohelle on Brookes, from Chellaston, Derby, said the service was "very moving". Sjt Ashton initially served 12 and a half years with the Seaforth Highlanders before working for the Midland Railway rejoined the Army in March 195, first with the Derbyshire Yeomanry before transferring to the 14th Battalion Durham Light Infantry in October his death in 1917, Captain Allden Owles sent a letter to his family which said that Sjt Ashton died "instantly" and served "bravely". Sjt Ashton's remains were discovered during construction work for a new hospital in Lens, and DNA testing of metal ribbons led to formal Brookes said: "You always wonder about somebody who's been in the military and killed in the war, how it had happened, and hope that he'd never suffered."When the letter dropped through the door saying the Ministry of Defence found him, we were over the moon."A pocket watch found with Sjt Ashton's remains and other items have since been returned to the family, as well as a union jack flag that had been draped over his coffin. The service was organised by the MoD's Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre, also known as the MoD War of their investigators, Alexia Clarke, said: "I think they were delighted to know in a strange kind of way."It brings closure, even after 110 years."
BBC News
12-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
WW1 soldier's remains found on French building site
The remains of a World War One soldier that were found during building work in France have been laid at Henry Ashton from Derbyshire was killed aged 44 in 1917, during an operation near Ministry of Defence (MoD) said following the war, Sjt Ashton's body was not recovered, and he was listed on the Memorial to the Missing at service on Wednesday in Loos-en-Gohelle, France, was attended by Sjt Ashton's family and was supported by Padre John Storey of 5th Bn The Rifles, and soldiers from 1st Bn The Rifles who flew in from Cyprus. His remains, the MoD said, were discovered during construction work for a new hospital in Lens, and DNA testing of metal ribbons led to formal Ashton initially served 12 and a half years with the Seaforth Highlanders before working for the Midland Railway re-joined the Army in March 1915, first with the Derbyshire Yeomanry before transferring to the 14th Battalion Durham Light Infantry in October his death in 1917, Captain Allden Owles sent a letter to his family which said that Sjt Ashton died "instantly" and served "bravely". The service was organised by the MoD's Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the MoD War Ashton was the first named soldier to be buried and laid to rest at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's Loos British Cemetery Extension, the Clark, MoD War Detective said: "It has been a privilege to identify Sjt Ashton, and to be able to organise this burial service for him."When you consider the half-a-million men still missing from the First and Second World Wars, every one we can identify feels like an achievement."I am delighted that Sjt Ashton's family have now been able to give him the dignified burial he had been denied for so long."
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Portner's grand slam helps DSU steal win over Valley City State
DICKINSON, N.D. (DAKOTA STATE) — No. 5 seed Dakota State (S.D.) erased a three-run deficit in the ninth inning to defeat No. 8 seed Valley City State (N.D.) 5-4 on Friday morning in the North Star Athletic Association Baseball Tournament elimination bracket at Dakota Community Bank & Trust Ballpark. With the win, the Trojans improved to 25-23 on the season, while the Vikings ended their year at 20-32. Trailing 4-1 entering their final at-bat, DSU mounted a four-run rally capped by Dawson Portner's go-ahead grand slam to center field. The senior third baseman came through after the Trojans loaded the bases with back-to-back hit-by-pitches and a pinch-hit infield single. The dramatic finish backed a strong relief outing from Sam Tyrpa (W, 5-6), who earned the win with 4 2/3 scoreless innings. Tyrpa allowed just two hits, struck out seven and did not issue a walk, facing the minimum over his final two frames to preserve the lead. He extended his all-time DSU school record of 259 strikeouts, previously held by Nicholai Arbach briefly who had 254 career strikeouts after Friday's game. VCSU opened the scoring in the bottom of the first. Kaden Rozdeba singled with two outs, advanced on a wild pitch, and scored on a sharp single through the left side by Alexis Velasco to give the Vikings a 1-0 advantage. Dakota State tied the game in the fourth when Ben Loos homered to center with two outs, his first long ball of the postseason and his collegiate career. Loos finished 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. The Vikings responded with a three-run fifth inning. Diesel Goya was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame and stole second. With one out and two runners on, Porter Jorgenson delivered the biggest hit of the day for Valley City State—a three-run double to the left-center gap that cleared the bases and extended the lead to 4-1. Jorgenson went 1-for-3 with three RBIs and a walk, while Rozdeba reached base three times and scored twice. DSU managed just five hits through the first eight innings off Valley City State starter Takao Cookson, who struck out eight in 7 1/3 innings. He exited with one out in the eighth, and the Vikings turned to freshman left-hander Connor Martin. Martin (L, 0-6) after allowing both inherited runners to reach and surrendering Portner's decisive homer. The Trojans' ninth-inning dramatic rally began with a hit-by-pitch to Cassidy Watt, followed by another hit batter—Camaron Haller—putting two aboard with no outs. After a flyout, Loos struck out looking for the second out. Seth Altwine entered as a pinch hitter and legged out an infield single to keep the inning alive and load the bases. Portner followed with the game-winning blast. On the mound, Alex Swack started for Dakota State and allowed four earned runs on three hits and five walks over 4 1/3 innings. He exited in the fifth with the bases loaded and one out. Tyrpa entered and retired the next two batters, limiting further damage and keeping the Trojans within striking distance. Offensively, Aidan Perry paced the Trojans with a 2-for-3 day and reached base three times. Altwine and Camaron Raney each added a hit, while Michael Buchmann (courtesy runner for Watt) and Raney scored key runs in the ninth. Defensively, the Trojans played solidly behind their pitching staff, committing just one error. The Vikings turned two double plays in the loss and got an error-free effort from their fielders. DSU awaits the loser of the winner's bracket game between No. 7 seed Mayville State (N.D.) and No. 3 seed Dickinson State (N.D.), which is played Friday evening at 8 p.m. (CT)/7 p.m. (MT). The Trojans' second elimination game of the NSAA tournament is slated for 12 p.m. (Central Time)/11 a.m. (Mountain Time). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
