“They instantly hit it off,” Amanda Oman, 29, told Newsweek, adding that her pet is teaching deaf Daisy how to be a dog again.
Day: July 24, 2025
Elpidio Reyna — who was put on the FBI’s wanted list over last month’s chaos — was busted Wednesday at the US-Mexico border.
The San Diego Padres have been closely linked to Jarren Duran for months now. Could they finally make a deal come to fruition?
Kazakhstan holds the most powerful passport in Central Asia, according to the latest update of the Henley Passport Index. The index ranks 199 passports by the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. Kazakh citizens can now travel to 79 countries visa-free.
Following Kazakhstan in the regional ranking is Kyrgyzstan, whose passport ranks 73rd globally with access to 63 countries. Uzbekistan is close behind in 74th place, with 62 visa-free destinations. Tajikistan ranks 80th (56 countries), while Turkmenistan trails at 85th, with just 49 destinations accessible without a visa.
The Henley Passport Index calculates scores by awarding one point for each destination where no visa is required, or where travelers can obtain a visa on arrival, a visitor’s permit, or an electronic travel authorization. A score of zero is assigned if a visa is required prior to departure or if government pre-approval is needed for a visa on arrival.
On the global stage, Singapore retains the top spot for the second consecutive year, granting its passport holders visa-free access to 193 countries. Japan and South Korea share second place, each offering visa-free travel to 190 destinations. The top ten is dominated by European countries.
The Times of Central Asia previously reported on last year’s edition of the Henley Passport Index and its implications for mobility in the region.
Sanga/Getty Images
- I went to Japan for the first time in March as it was experiencing record tourism.
- While the tourist attractions often felt crowded, I found a way to escape the masses.
- Paying extra to visit gardens within the tourist spots was a great way to enjoy the sights.
If it seems like everyone you know has gone to Japan, you’re probably right.
The country is experiencing record tourism this year, with 14.4 million visitors in just the first four months of 2025, a 24.5% increase compared to 2024, according to The Japan Times.
As with any popular tourist spot, the crowds can be overwhelming. My fiancé and I saw them firsthand when we visited Tokyo and Kyoto in March, just as Japan’s famous sakura season was about to start.
While exploring the famous attractions, we realized there was an easy and affordable way to enjoy the sights and escape the masses. The secret was in Japan’s gardens.
Tucked between the skyscrapers
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
On our second day in Tokyo, my fiancé and I spent the morning wandering the packed stalls of Tsukiji Market. That night, we had tickets to visit TeamLab Planets, another big tourist attraction. What we needed in between was a moment of zen, especially as the jet lag started to creep in.
We found it at Hama-rikyu Gardens, residing alongside Tokyo Bay. It costs just 300 yen, or about $2, to enter. The landscape garden, which dates back to the 17th century, felt serene and idyllic amid the bustle of Tokyo. We walked past seawater ponds that quietly glistened under towering skyscrapers as birds chirped from a beautiful field of yellow flowers.
My favorite part was the teahouse, located on an island within the garden. My fiancé and I swapped our sneakers and boots for the provided slippers and brought our matcha to a bench outside to relax and watch the water.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
We found similar refuge the following day as we made our way through Harajuku, a Tokyo neighborhood also known to attract huge crowds.
As we walked past throngs of people at the famous Meiji Jingu shrine, we came across the Inner Garden. Measuring over 890,000 square feet and older than the shrine itself, the garden has something beautiful to see no matter the season. The beloved iris garden — featuring over 1,500 plants — blooms in the summer, while the centuries-old Japanese maple trees turn stunning shades of orange and gold during autumn and winter.
While the shrine was free, the Inner Garden required a separate entrance fee of 500 yen, or about $3. The extra cost seemed to keep out much of the crowd, as the garden was fairly empty when we visited. We easily found a bench by Nan-chi Pond and enjoyed the peace as we watched the water lilies.
Hidden Kyoto gems
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
At times, the crowds felt even larger in Kyoto, which is significantly smaller than Tokyo but just as popular with travelers.
We could barely move as we shuffled through the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove with our fellow tourists, many wearing brightly-colored kimonos and sandals from nearby rental stores. Thankfully, a friend had recommended that we visit Ōkōchi Sansō Garden, located at the end of the forest.
The 5-acre garden — which once belonged to the late samurai film star Ōkōchi Denjirō — costs 1,000 yen, or about $7, to enter. It features views of Kyoto City below, which my fiancé and I admired with no one around us. It seemed like we had the entire estate to ourselves as we strolled by the gardens, shrines, and traditional villa. The visit concluded at the teahouse, where we sipped free cups of hot tea and gazed at the bamboo groves from the large open windows.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
We discovered another beautiful garden while visiting Nijō Castle, which I was surprised to find had far fewer crowds than many of the Kyoto attractions we visited.
The castle, with its stone walls and moats, was one of the sightseeing highlights of our entire trip. We paid 800 yen, or about $5, to enter the castle and an additional 500 yen, or about $3, to enter the Ninomaru Palace. This gave us access inside the palace, complete with stunning 17th-century illustrations painted on the sliding doors, as well as the Ninomaru Garden.
The garden has a teahouse overlooking its pond, which we admired as we ate a delicious seasonal parfait. It was a lovely reprieve after we’d spent the morning lined up with hundreds of other tourists to see Kinkaku-ji, Kyoto’s famous golden temple.
All the moments in the gardens, enjoying sweets or drinks and taking in Japan’s unique beauty, are among my favorite memories from an incredible trip. It showed me that while crowds are an inevitable part of traveling, you can always find some zen among the hidden gems.
Read the original article on Business Insider
India’s National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued a warning to Indian students regarding enrollment at the Chirchik branch of Tashkent State Medical University in Uzbekistan, as well as three medical schools in Belize.
As reported by The New Indian Express, the NMC cited multiple concerns, including alleged non-compliance with Indian medical education standards, subpar infrastructure, inadequate clinical training, high tuition fees, and instances of student harassment.
According to the NMC, all of the institutions in question “did not comply with Indian medical education standards, lacked adequate or functioning campus infrastructure, provided poor quality educational and clinical training, and had instances of harassment of Indian students.
Additionally, they reportedly charged excessive fees and refused refunds upon withdrawal from the course.”
In response, the Chirchik branch issued an official statement categorically denying the accusations, calling them “unfounded.” The university emphasized that it adheres strictly to academic and clinical guidelines established by Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Health and the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME).
Established by presidential decree in July 2023, the branch began full operations in December 2024. It currently enrolls 801 students, including five from India, alongside others from Jordan, Pakistan, and Egypt.
The university highlighted its modern facilities, which include fully equipped classrooms, laboratories, simulation centers, and student dormitories. “An open and transparent environment is created for students,” the statement read, underlining a commitment to academic freedom and equal treatment.
The Chirchik branch is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools, jointly maintained by WFME and FAIMER. It offers English-language medical programs and maintains partnerships with several international universities and clinical institutions.
“We take the concerns raised by the NMC seriously,” the university stated. “However, we believe these claims are based on information that has not been verified locally and are unfounded.”
The university expressed openness to inspections and dialogue with Indian authorities and reassured students and families of its adherence to global academic standards. “We categorically reject attempts to damage our reputation,” the statement concluded.
President Donald Trump’s policies are working.
True health care excellence is inseparable from the concept of value, not in a purely financial sense, but defined by the impact of care on a person’s health.
For some employees, education benefits such as tuition assistance prove life-changing
Georgian court rules to keep British teenager in custody over drug smuggling charges [deltaMinutes] mins ago Now