News archive of July 2021

President Xi Jinping hailed China's "irreversible" course from colonial humiliation to great-power status at the centenary celebrations for the Chinese Communist Party on July 1, in a speech reaching deep into history to remind patriots at home and rivals abroad of his nation's - and his own - ascendancy.

Europe's cocaine trade has never been larger or more lucrative. The EU's drug monitoring agency, the EMCDDA, valued the retail market for cocaine at 9 bn euros in 2017 - its most recent estimate. This figure represents a rise of 60% from its estimated value in 2013, when it was said to be worth just under 6 bn euros.

Donald Rumsfeld, the cocksure and unrepentant defense secretary who led the United States into war in Iraq and Afghanistan, has died, his family announced on June 30. He was 88.

Turk Eximbank made bond issuances worth $750 million with a five-year term in foreign markets to expand investors' volume, the bank said on June 30. 

From today, all online purchases from outside the European Union will be subject to VAT. Until now, receiving only small shipments up to 22 euros has been exempt from tax. In addition to charging VAT, a customs declaration will be submitted for the shipments.

A score of defendants was sentenced in Turkey on June 30 for membership in the FETÖ- the group behind the defeated 2016 coup - in a case in which 55 former judges and prosecutors faced trial for greenlighting illegal wiretapping of thousands of people.

On the first day of July, the heat will slowly begin to subside in some western areas. However, afternoon temperatures still remain high in the range of 32-37 degrees. The highest values ​​will be in the central and eastern regions of the Upper Thracian Lowland.

78 are the new cases of coronavirus, with more than 13 thousand tests performed. 179 people remain for treatment in the intensive care unit. There are 12 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Turkey's Kanal Istanbul mega-project will not impact proper governing of the Turkish Straits, the Turkish foreign minister told his Russian counterpart on June 30 after bilateral talks.