Moscow

Ankara could take measures to counter Russian sanctions against Turkey on a global level Turkish Economy Minister Mustafa Elita? has signaled after the sanctions came into effect with the new year. 

"We'll use our rights in line with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules," Mustafa Elita? said in a meeting to release 2015 export figures on Jan. 4. 

Belarus stands ready to put in "maximum effort" to help wind down tensions between Russia and Turkey, but cannot impose mediation on either side, PM Vladimir Makei has said.

Tensions between Iran and its Sunni Arab neighbors reached new heightsyesterday as Saudi Arabia and its allies cut or downgraded diplomatic ties with Tehran in a row over the execution of a Shiite cleric.

As had been previously announced, Russia suspended its visa-free regime with Turkey on Friday.

This is one of the retaliatory measures taken by Russia in response to the downing of the Russian Su-24 bomber by Turkey near the Turkish-Syrian border on November 24 last year.

Russia has also imposed bans on the import of certain Turkish fruits and vegetables.

A suspected terrorist attack led to the evacuation of two major railway stations in Munich on Thursday.

Police informed of "two concrete tips" of planned suicide attacks with "Islamist background", with the threat linked to Islamic State (IS).

Millions of people gathered in central squares and streets around the world to welcome the New Year amid terror fears.

At least two million people crowded at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro to watch a spectacular fireworks show that lasted 16 minutes.

Russia is carrying out talks with Bulgarian-Russian company Overgas to settle "trade issues" of the past few years, but will continue delivering natural gas to Bulgaria, TASS quotes the Foreign Ministy in Moscow as saying.

"Bulgaria will not be left without natural gas," the statement also reads.

The world has celebrated the coming of a New Year on the last day of 2015, amid terror threats leading to a number of central squares being blocked to celebrations. 

Australia's biggest city, Sydney, was the first to host a major event to ring in the New Year, with pyrotechnics exploding over the harbor.

Moscow on Dec. 30 called for Ankara to arrest a rebel who it claims killed the pilot of the Russian jet downed by Turkey last month on the Syrian border.

The United States expressed concern on Dec. 29 at what it said was the heavy civilian toll of "indiscriminate" Russian air strikes in Syria.  

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke to his Russian counterpart Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Dec. 28 and conveyed Washington's worries.