How Kazakhstan plans to bring 150,000 foreign students by 2029
Most come from India for its medical programs, followed by students from China, Russia, Pakistan, Turkey, Germany, and the U.S.
Kazakhstan is partnering with Western universities, opening their campuses and launching joint research centres focused on critical minerals. The government is also backing AI innovation — funding student-led startups from early learning through incubation and acceleration.
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France 24
22 minutes ago
- France 24
North Korea opens massive beach resort: state media
Dubbed "North Korea's Waikiki" by South Korean media, the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area can accommodate nearly 20,000 people, according to Pyongyang, which previously described it as "a world-class cultural resort". Kim showed a keen interest in developing North Korea's tourism industry during his early years in power, analysts have said, and the coastal resort area was a particular focus. The tourist zone opened to domestic visitors Tuesday, Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency reported, publishing images of tourists in colourful swimsuits enjoying the beach. North Koreans of all ages from across the country flocked to the site this week "filled with joy at experiencing a new level of civilization", KCNA reported. The visitors were "astonished by the grandeur and splendor of the tourist city, where more than 400... artistically designed buildings lined the white sandy beach in ideal harmony", it added. According to South Korea's Yonhap news agency, a group of Russian tourists is set to visit the zone in North Korea for the first time on July 7. South Korea's unification ministry, which manages relations with the North, said the site's operations are "expected to gradually expand", including to Russian tourists. Kim said last week the construction of the site would go down as "one of the greatest successes this year" and that the North would build more large-scale tourist zones "in the shortest time possible". Previously released images showed him sitting in a chair -- alongside his teenage daughter Ju Ae and wife Ri Sol Ju -- watching a man flying off a water slide in the resort. Limited tourism But given the limited capacity of available flights, international tourism to the new beach resort is "likely to remain small in scale," according to Seoul's unification ministry. "It is estimated that tourists will travel via Pyongyang, and that the number of visitors may be limited to around 170 people per day," the ministry said. North Korea sees tourism as a key source of foreign currency, it said, and Pyongyang may have received aid to complete the site from Russia in exchange for joining its war in Ukraine. The nuclear-armed North reopened its borders in August 2023 after almost four years, having closed them because of the Covid-19 pandemic, during which even its own nationals were prevented from entering. But foreign tourism was limited even before the pandemic, with tour companies saying around 5,000 Western tourists visited each year. Significantly more Chinese tourists were allowed at the time. The impoverished country's political, military and cultural ties with Russia have deepened since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The North last year permitted Russian tourists to return for the first time since the pandemic and Western tour operators briefly returned in February this year. No Chinese tourists are known to have returned to the country. A tourist train between Rason -- home to North Korea's first legal marketplace -- and Russia's Vladivostok resumed in May this year, according to an official from Seoul's unification ministry. US citizens made up about 20 percent of the market before Washington banned travel following the imprisonment and subsequent death of American student Otto Warmbier. Hundreds of thousands of South Koreans also used to visit Mount Kumgang near the inter-Korean border every year, travelling to a Seoul-funded tourist resort that was the first major cooperation project between the neighbours. The trips came to an abrupt end in 2008 when a North Korean soldier shot dead a South Korean tourist who strayed off the approved path and Seoul suspended travel.
Int'l Business Times
38 minutes ago
- Int'l Business Times
North Korea Opens Massive Beach Resort: State Media
North Korea opened a massive resort area on its east coast, state media said Wednesday, with the tourism pet project of leader Kim Jong Un reportedly set to welcome Russian guests later this month. Dubbed "North Korea's Waikiki" by South Korean media, the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area can accommodate nearly 20,000 people, according to Pyongyang, which previously described it as "a world-class cultural resort". Kim showed a keen interest in developing North Korea's tourism industry during his early years in power, analysts have said, and the coastal resort area was a particular focus. The tourist zone opened to domestic visitors Tuesday, Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency reported, publishing images of tourists in colourful swimsuits enjoying the beach. North Koreans of all ages from across the country flocked to the site this week "filled with joy at experiencing a new level of civilization", KCNA reported. The visitors were "astonished by the grandeur and splendor of the tourist city, where more than 400... artistically designed buildings lined the white sandy beach in ideal harmony", it added. According to South Korea's Yonhap news agency, a group of Russian tourists is set to visit the zone in North Korea for the first time on July 7. South Korea's unification ministry, which manages relations with the North, said the site's operations are "expected to gradually expand", including to Russian tourists. Kim said last week the construction of the site would go down as "one of the greatest successes this year" and that the North would build more large-scale tourist zones "in the shortest time possible". Previously released images showed him sitting in a chair -- alongside his teenage daughter Ju Ae and wife Ri Sol Ju -- watching a man flying off a water slide in the resort. But given the limited capacity of available flights, international tourism to the new beach resort is "likely to remain small in scale," according to Seoul's unification ministry. "It is estimated that tourists will travel via Pyongyang, and that the number of visitors may be limited to around 170 people per day," the ministry said. North Korea sees tourism as a key source of foreign currency, it said, and Pyongyang may have received aid to complete the site from Russia in exchange for joining its war in Ukraine. The nuclear-armed North reopened its borders in August 2023 after almost four years, having closed them because of the Covid-19 pandemic, during which even its own nationals were prevented from entering. But foreign tourism was limited even before the pandemic, with tour companies saying around 5,000 Western tourists visited each year. Significantly more Chinese tourists were allowed at the time. The impoverished country's political, military and cultural ties with Russia have deepened since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The North last year permitted Russian tourists to return for the first time since the pandemic and Western tour operators briefly returned in February this year. No Chinese tourists are known to have returned to the country. A tourist train between Rason -- home to North Korea's first legal marketplace -- and Russia's Vladivostok resumed in May this year, according to an official from Seoul's unification ministry. US citizens made up about 20 percent of the market before Washington banned travel following the imprisonment and subsequent death of American student Otto Warmbier. Hundreds of thousands of South Koreans also used to visit Mount Kumgang near the inter-Korean border every year, travelling to a Seoul-funded tourist resort that was the first major cooperation project between the neighbours. The trips came to an abrupt end in 2008 when a North Korean soldier shot dead a South Korean tourist who strayed off the approved path and Seoul suspended travel. Kim (L) said last week construction of the site would go down as 'one of the greatest successes this year' and that the North would build more large-scale tourist zones 'in the shortest time possible' AFP
Time Out
39 minutes ago
- Time Out
What it's like to have breakfast at Australia's most luxurious hotel buffet
As a kid, nothing made me feel like I'd hit the jackpot like staying at a hotel with free buffet breakfast. I treated that breakfast counter like a mini supermarket, doing laps of the aisles, piling my 'trolley' high with pancakes and pastries, and always going back for seconds… or thirds, or even fourths. I'd heard on the grapevine that the buffet breakfast in Australia is served at The Epicurean – a luxe restaurant inside Crown Towers in both Sydney and Perth. On my most recent trip to Western Australia, I was lucky to spend a night at Crown Towers Perth – the country's only Forbes five-star luxury hotel – and experience the famed buffet for myself. Here's what it was like. The Epicurean is located on the ground floor of the Crown Towers Perth, right next to the gym (if you need to work up an appetite) and the day spa (if you need to recover from your post-buffet food coma). The dining room itself is incredibly elegant, featuring plush upholstered chairs, chandelier-style lighting, mirrored columns and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Crown's impressive lagoon pools. First up, you'll encounter a salad station filled with fresh veggies and dressings that range from the classics, like thousand island and balsamic, to more adventurous options, like yuzu and raspberry. Sure, salad isn't the first thing most people reach for in the AM, but it's great to have the option if you're aiming for a bit of balance before diving into the good stuff. Next to the salad, you'll find a marble counter with premium cold cuts and seafood, including a grand ice bucket with delicately rolled smoked ocean trout. The charcuterie and seafood are replenished regularly and pair perfectly with the artisan cheeses and gourmet crackers – everything you need to build the most bougie breakfast cheese board. The only thing missing is a glass of red... but we'll let it slide – it is breakfast, after all. If you're craving a classic Western brekkie (boring, but hey, no judgement), there's no shortage of options – from good old-fashioned cereals to housemade granola, bircher muesli and chia pudding. Top it with yoghurt, fresh-cut fruit, poached figs, goji berries and a sprinkle of wholesome seeds. The most impressive feature of The Epicurean's buffet breakfast is its open kitchen, showcasing a series of culinary stations from around the world. You can pile your plate high with Asian breakfast staples, including steamed dim sum, basil fried rice, stir-fried noodles, spring rolls and rice congee. Or wake up in India with vegetarian curries, stuffed paratha bread and cooling chutneys. Of course, all your classic Western hot breakfast favourites are on the menu, including eggs cooked four ways, crispy potato gems, housemade baked beans, sizzling bacon, grilled sausages and confit cherry tomatoes. Slap them on a slice of toast – white, wholemeal, seeded, sourdough or rye – or switch things up with an English muffin, crumpet or brioche roll. If you're more sweet-inclined, then you're spoiled for choice at The Epicurean. Pastries are baked fresh daily, there's a high-tea-style tower of bite-sized treats, and you'll find every spread imaginable. Think international jams, sweet lemon curd, thick peanut butter and even a DIY honey station. But the undeniable star of the dessert buffet is the chocolate fountain, perfect for drizzling over churros, waffles or pancakes – or all three. Warning: let the kids loose at your own risk. The staff at The Epicurean are incredibly attentive and took our coffee orders almost immediately after we sat down. After your morning caffeine fix, refresh your palate with a glass of fruit juice – I'd highly recommend the Green Booster of apple, lemon and kale (#healthgoals). The Epicurean breakfast buffet is open daily to both guests and the public from 6.30am to 10.30am. It's $54 for adults and $27 for children on weekdays, with a slight increase to $58 and $29 on weekends. Having sampled many buffet breakfasts across Australia, I can confidently say this one ranks among the very best.
