Latest news with #Samurai
TimesLIVE
a day ago
- Business
- TimesLIVE
Ivory Coast issues debut Samurai bond in diversification push
Ivory Coast has raised 50-billion Japanese yen (R5.99bn) in an ESG-certified sovereign Samurai bond, it said late on Thursday, the first such issuance by a sub-Saharan African nation. Samurai bonds are debt denominated in the Japanese currency. The West African nation has been diversifying its funding sources, including issuing its first regional currency denominated international bond in March, partly to avoid volatility in the dollar-denominated global capital markets. "After successively establishing a track record on the dollar and euro capital markets, and opening up the CFA franc Eurobond market, Ivory Coast has now entered the yen bond market, the third largest capital market in the world," said the ministry of finance in a statement. The 10-year issue, which was guaranteed by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), came with a 2.3% coupon, the ministry said, and will be listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The attainment of an ESG label by the issue, which shows the bond has met Environmental, Social and Governance standards, helped to boost investor appetite, the ministry said. "This makes Ivory Coast the only sub-Saharan African sovereign currently outstanding in the Samurai market," consultancy Oxford Economics said in a note. South Africa has previously issued Samurai bonds. Emerging market debt sales are on track for another record year, with a number of governments pivoting away from the dollar to other currencies — chiefly the euro, but also the yuan and Swiss franc in a bid to access new markets and cut costs via lower interest rates.
South Wales Guardian
2 days ago
- South Wales Guardian
Ammanford cases heard at Llanelli Magistrates Court
Elizabeth Jones, 25, of High Street, Ammanford, admitted stealing items worth £17.90 from the Home Bargains store on Quay Street, Ammanford on April 15, 2025. On July 15, she was fined £80 and ordered to pay £85 in prosecution costs and £17.90 compensation. Alexander Williams, 28, of Clos Nant Y Ci, Ammanford, pleaded guilty to failing to co-operate with a roadside breath test when required by police in Llanelli on May 25, 2025. On July 11, 2025, he was banned from driving for 56 days and fined £100. He must also pay £400 in prosecution costs. Ademola Adebolu, 37, of Tirycoed Road, Glanamman, appeared on July 14, 2025, where he is accused of robbery. The offence is alleged to have taken place on July 13, 2025, in Ammanford, where Adebolu is alleged to have stolen £800 from the victim. He is also charged of being in possession of an offensive weapon, namely a Samurai sword. Adebolu was granted conditional bail to appear at Swansea Crown Court on August 15, 2025.
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
I'm a theme park ‘fat tester' – I spent my day squeezing into seats at Thorpe Park & these are the rides you can't go on
A PLUS-SIZE woman has been dubbed a 'theme park fat tester' after spending the day seeing which rollercoasters she could fit into and which ones left her sat on the sidelines. Posting under 2 Tiktoker, @TeamTopsy is a self proclaimed 'fat-tester' Credit: Tiktok/ @Teamtopsy 2 She spent her day squeezing into rides at Thorpe Park Credit: Tiktok/ @Teamtopsy Wearing leggings, trainers and a positive attitude, she spent the day climbing into test seats, checking harness space and asking staff for tips on how She joked that she was '72 miles off' from fitting into Colossus but gave a full, no-nonsense review of what each ride was like for people in bigger bodies. Some rides like The Walking Dead and Detonator were surprisingly comfy, with wide seats and space to spare. Others, like Stealth, were a definite no as she couldn't even pull the harness down. Read more on theme parks She rated Nemesis Inferno as one of the best for She also praised the helpful staff who moved queues around to help her access special seats. But it wasn't all smooth sailing. On Hyperia, one of Most read in Fabulous Susan, who rode several rides solo when her friend didn't fit, described Hyperia as 'the best ride ever' but admitted the airtime was so intense she felt like she might fly out of her seat. Samurai, Colossus and Saw were all marked as too tight for guests over a size 18. We Spent the Day at Thorpe Park and Rode EVERY Rollercoaster with the Family And she highlighted that rides with chest restraints could be especially tricky for those with larger busts. She explained that Samurai's locking system wouldn't close over her 63-inch chest and recommended others check out test seats first to avoid embarrassment at the front of the queue. The TikToker didn't sugar-coat it, saying that while She summed it up by saying the park was 'not completely accessible for full-size bodies,' despite fitting on more rides than she did at The key, she said, is to ask for the bigger seats and not be afraid to speak up. Fans praised her honesty in the comments, with one saying: 'As a plus-size person, I love this. Thanks for being real.' But others were cruel, calling her names and telling her not to bother going. One even wrote: 'Anything but a calorie deficit.' Still, she's not letting the trolls stop her and she's already planning to try more parks soon. As she put it: 'If I die, I die — but at least I had a laugh.' Use these tips on your next theme park trip Next time you visit a theme park, you may want to use our top tips to make the most of your adrenaline-inducing day out. Go to the back of the theme park first. Rides at the front will have the longest queues as soon as it opens. Go on water rides in the middle of the day in the summer - this will cool you off when the sun is at its hottest. Download the park's app to track which rides have the shortest queues. Visit on your birthday, as some parks give out "birthday badges" that can get you freebies. If it rains, contact the park. Depending on how much it rained, you may get a free ticket to return.
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I'm a theme park ‘fat tester' – I spent my day squeezing into seats at Thorpe Park & these are the rides you can't go on
PLUS SIZE I'm a theme park 'fat tester' – I spent my day squeezing into seats at Thorpe Park & these are the rides you can't go on Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A PLUS-SIZE woman has been dubbed a 'theme park fat tester' after spending the day seeing which rollercoasters she could fit into and which ones left her sat on the sidelines. Posting under Team Topsy on TikTok, the woman headed to Thorpe Park in Surrey to put ride restraints to the test and her viral video has had thousands of fellow thrill-seekers hooked. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Tiktoker, @TeamTopsy is a self proclaimed 'fat-tester' Credit: Tiktok/ @Teamtopsy 2 She spent her day squeezing into rides at Thorpe Park Credit: Tiktok/ @Teamtopsy Wearing leggings, trainers and a positive attitude, she spent the day climbing into test seats, checking harness space and asking staff for tips on how larger guests could still enjoy the park. She joked that she was '72 miles off' from fitting into Colossus but gave a full, no-nonsense review of what each ride was like for people in bigger bodies. Some rides like The Walking Dead and Detonator were surprisingly comfy, with wide seats and space to spare. Others, like Stealth, were a definite no as she couldn't even pull the harness down. She rated Nemesis Inferno as one of the best for plus-size riders, calling it an 'easy fit' and revealing that certain rows even have double seat belts designed for bigger bodies. She also praised the helpful staff who moved queues around to help her access special seats. But it wasn't all smooth sailing. On Hyperia, one of Thorpe Park's most popular rides, she couldn't get the restraint to click, so her mate Susan had to ride alone. Susan, who rode several rides solo when her friend didn't fit, described Hyperia as 'the best ride ever' but admitted the airtime was so intense she felt like she might fly out of her seat. Samurai, Colossus and Saw were all marked as too tight for guests over a size 18. We Spent the Day at Thorpe Park and Rode EVERY Rollercoaster with the Family And she highlighted that rides with chest restraints could be especially tricky for those with larger busts. She explained that Samurai's locking system wouldn't close over her 63-inch chest and recommended others check out test seats first to avoid embarrassment at the front of the queue. The TikToker didn't sugar-coat it, saying that while Thorpe Park's accessibility for mobility needs is great, with lifts, ramps and helpful staff but it's still hit or miss for plus-size guests. She summed it up by saying the park was 'not completely accessible for full-size bodies,' despite fitting on more rides than she did at Alton Towers. The key, she said, is to ask for the bigger seats and not be afraid to speak up. Fans praised her honesty in the comments, with one saying: 'As a plus-size person, I love this. Thanks for being real.' But others were cruel, calling her names and telling her not to bother going. One even wrote: 'Anything but a calorie deficit.' Still, she's not letting the trolls stop her and she's already planning to try more parks soon. As she put it: 'If I die, I die — but at least I had a laugh.'
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
At AFMC's iconic War Surgery Museum, a glimpse into how surgeons fought to save lives of frontline soldiers
Are you curious about the life of an Indian Army surgeon in active combat, and the challenges they face on the warfront? If so, just step into the War Surgery Museum at the Armed Forces Medical College in Pune where you can walk past Samurai swords gifted by the Japanese to Indian doctors who treated them despite being the enemy during World War II, shrapnels from the 1971 Indo-Pak conflict, and taken out of the patients at 7 Air Force hospital, Kanpur. Other exhibits at this iconic and one of the oldest museums, include equipment from 60 Parachute Field Hospital – the Indian Army's only airborne medical unit, a 17th century painting depicting the battle between Chhatrapati Shivaji's forces and Rustam Zaman who commanded Adil Shah's army in the Battle of Kolhapur to and even a war diary that dates back to 1912. 'For young medical graduates curious about the role of army surgeons, this is the ideal place to begin,' Director-General Armed Forces Medical Services Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin said while on a recent visit to Pune. She was accompanied by Lt Gen Pankaj Rao, Commandant, AFMC, Air Commodore (Dr) Anurakshat Gupta, Head, Department of Surgery, AFMC, Col Jafar Husain, Professor of Surgery, AFMC, and others. 'Whether it is during conflict or in peacetime operations like disaster relief, medical units are not just reactive but proactive in ensuring our soldiers receive cutting-edge care,' Surgeon Vice Admiral Sarin said. She added that the museum showcases the vital role of the war surgeon and brings to light their critical contributions in saving lives. 'The collection includes a war diary of the 3rd Indian Field Ambulance, which was deployed in Mesopotamia during WWI. It was donated by the British High Commission and records daily medical activities from 1915 to 1916. There are medical instruments dating back to 1917- some by James Wise and Company and even the personal collection of Captain P B Bardhan, who started his career in the British Royal Army Medical Corps and later served as Commandant, AFMC. The mess jacket, silver medicine weights, and other memorabilia embody the spirit of military medicine,' elaborated Col Husain of AFMC on some of the collections that have been meticulously preserved. The officer also explained the notable role of the 60 Parachute Field Hospital and how a mobile surgical team parachutes behind enemy lines, swiftly setting up a fully functional field hospital complete with an operating theatre, radiology unit, laboratory facilities, and even a patient ward. Recently, 60 Para had gone to Myanmar during Operation Brahma, Turkey during Operation Dost, Nepal during Op Maitri, and Indonesia during Op Samudra Maitri, providing a unique experience of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. From the imposing mannequins of 'plague doctors' who constantly chewed garlic and used primitive masks in the form of a bird's beak way back in 1619 to the well-defined personal protective equipment worn by modern-day doctors during Covid-19 pandemic, an array of posters, computer printed charts, scroll boards and kiosks on different aspects of public health define South East Asia's largest public health museum at Pune's Armed Forces Medical College. This museum has served as an invaluable teaching aid and draws students from across the country. In its new 'avatar', the museum has a 'pandemic' gallery and another on `lifestyle diseases' that is in sync with the rising importance of non-communicable diseases. Different aspects of military public health have been professionally displayed with a new model for high-altitude health. An innovative 3D classroom can be used to screen educational videos and for regular tutorials. A huge wall depicts a 'timeline' of the evolution of public health as a concept and discipline in the world and India. 'The museum over the years has been an invaluable teaching aid and has been upgraded many times to keep it contemporary,' DGAFMS Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin said during her visit. According to college authorities, undergraduate and postgraduate students from different medical colleges and other visitors from all over the country make special trips to the museum. Started by Lt Col J Rice in 1944 at Babina,Jhansi district in UP, it was shifted to a government premises near Pune University in 1948 and then to the Army School of Physical Training. In 1958, the museum was relocated to AFMC and modelled on the lines of the Wellcome Trust Museum of the History of Medicine, University College of London. The then AFMC Commandant Air Marshal CK Ranjan had asked for a plan as he had envisaged a complete revamp – to change the structure which he had been seeing since his days as a medical student. It was a formidable task that required a total restructuring. While the museum was modernised to make it contemporary almost continuously, the basic structure of the main museum was preserved – that is, the herringbone structure and the display panels. The high ceiling was retained with its heritage fans to give it a grand look. A huge wall in the grand hall of the museum depicts a 'timeline' of the evolution of public health as a concept and discipline in the world and India. Sections on pertinent health aspects of the Army, Navy, and the Air Force have been included, especially post-deployment of troops at Siachen glacier, the highest battlefield in the world, when health problems of high altitude and extreme cold were the most important issues. Over the years, this iconic museum has become a 'must-visit' place in the college for its sheer vastness and uniqueness. On a recent visit, Dr Rajiv Bahl, Director-General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), applauded the department of community medicine's effort that has made it so engaging for the medical student. 'The passion, enthusiasm, and innovation in creating the galleries and museum are awesome. I wish every medical college in India had a museum like this,' Bahl wrote in the visitor's book.
