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Belarus imposes 30% tax on purchases of foreign currency

Belarus has imposed a 30 percent tax on buying foreign currency and more than doubled interest rates to 50 percent as the ripples of this week’s Russian market turmoil began to be felt in other former Soviet countries. The Belarusian central bank said the move was taken “due to the increased demand for foreign currency on the domestic market”.

First female President of South Korea

Park Geun-hye is a former South Korean politician who served as the 18th President of South Korea from 2013 to 2017. Park was the 1st woman to be President of South Korea and also the 1st female president popularly elected as head of state in East Asia. She was also the 1st South Korean president to be born after the country's founding.

Riots erupt as Argentina falls in economic crises

The uprising in Argentina was mainly a middle-class protest against the government of President Fernando de la Rúa, who failed to contain the economic crisis that had already lasted for the 3rd year. De La Rúa responded by deploying the police, border and coast guards to deal with the growing violence.

President Clinton is impeached

The impeachment process of Bill Clinton was initiated by the House of Representatives against Bill Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States, on two charges, one of perjury and one of obstruction of justice. These charges stemmed from a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against Clinton by Paula Jones.

Britain signs over Hong Kong to China

The Sino–British Joint Declaration was signed by Premier Zhao Ziyang of the PRC and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of the UK in Beijing. In the Joint Declaration, the PRC Government stated that it had decided to resume the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong and the UK Government declared that it would hand over Hong Kong to the PRC.

Adolf Hitler assumes the position of commander in chief

Hitler appointed himself Commander-in-Chief of the German Army, thus taking a direct operational posting usually held by a full German general. Overconfident in his own military expertise, he became distrustful of his Army High Command and began to interfere in the military and tactical planning with damaging consequences.

William Pitt the Younger becomes the youngest ever British PM

William Pitt became the youngest British prime minister at the age of 24. He left office in 1801 but was Prime Minister again from 1804 until his death. He was Chancellor of the Exchequer for most of his time as Prime Minister. He is known as "the Younger" to distinguish him from his father, William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, called William Pitt the Elder.

Anniversaries of the (in)famous