Macao

More than 2.7 million foreign tourists visited Istanbul in the first six months of 2021, the provincial directorate of culture and tourism has said.

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In June alone, the number of foreign arrivals amounted to 685,000 people and this was the highest figure in the past 16 months.

Economists appear optimistic that Greek tourism will make a significant comeback this summer. They estimate that Greece and its economy will return to the focus once enough people have been vaccinated to allow for a dynamic return of economic activity and the service sector across Europe.

China has the necessary capabilities and resources to defeat the pneumonia caused by the new type of coronavirus, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said today at a meeting with the leader of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adanu Ghebreyesus.

The death toll from a new flu-like coronavirus in China rose to nine on Jan. 22 with 440 confirmed cases, Chinese health officials said as authorities stepped up efforts to control the outbreak by discouraging public gatherings in Hubei province.

Balkan countries that are members of the EU fared significantly better than their non-EU neighbours in the latest Passport Index, which ranks countries based on how many other states can be accessed with their respective passports.

On the list, ranked from one to 94, Croatia took 14th place, as 144 countries can be visited using a Croatian passport without a visa.

The number of Turkish 15-year-olds who scored below average on the triennial PISA test is three times more than the number of students who scored below average in more successful countries, according to test results. 

Turkey dropped five places over the previous PISA tests in 2012, regressing from 44th to 49th place. 

The Bulgarian Council of Ministers has announced that the country is likely to soon get a satellite city near the capital.

The project, comprising numerous 4 and 5-star hotels, four 22-storey apartment buildings and "an indoor sea, offering imitations of sun, high temperatures, waves and wind" will be among the key features.

An investment fund is to build a satellite city near Bulgaria's capital Sofia, sources close to the entity have said.

Three billionaires are reported to be involved in the project, Bulgarian newspaper 24 Chasa has revealed, citing the sources.

Bulgaria ranks 46th in a report of property consultants CBRE on the top destinations for expanding global retail chains.

According to the survey, as cited by investor.bg, some 3% of the polled international retail chains expressed interest in expanding their business in Bulgaria.

Macao, India, Oman and Serbia have similar scores.