Russia

Turkey stands ready to help fight the growing threat of terrorism in West Africa under a new strategic partnership that aims to boost trade and other ties with the continent, President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an said on March 2.

Foreign trade figures for January released at the beginning of this week have revealed that the deficit has decreased 13.4 percent from $4.343 billion to $3.762 billion. In parallel with the declining foreign trade this year, the current account deficit is expected to continue shrinking.

Turkish electronics and domestic appliances maker Vestel closed down its factory in Russia, citing the country's 2014 financial crisis. 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called March 1 for the closure of Syria's border with Turkey to cut off outside supplies to "terrorists," including through humanitarian convoys.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad pledged March 1 to do his part to ensure that a fragile ceasefire holds and offered "full amnesty" to rebels who hand in their weapons.

"We will do our part so that the whole thing works," he told German public broadcaster ARD in an interview, referring to a three-day-old truce drawn up by Russia and the United States.

A group of 33 journalists, including Bulgarian nationals, came under artillery fire near the border town of Kensaba in the northern Syrian province of Latakia on Tuesday.

TASS news agency informs that the group consisted of 33 journalists, among whom Bulgarian, Russian, Greek, German, US, Chinese and Canadian nationals.

According to the latest figures of the National Statistical Institute (NSI) released on Monday, Bulgarians completed 306 856 trips abroad in the first month of this year, which represented an increase of 4 % compared to January 2015.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg expressed concern on Feb. 29 about the "Russian military build-up in Syria."

Turkish armed forces shelled positions of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Syria on Feb. 29, while a fragile ceasefire inside Syria continued into its third day. 

Turkish artillery, located in the southern border province of Kilis, targeted ISIL positions north of Syria's Aleppo province on Feb. 29, coordinating with the U.S.-led anti-ISIL coalition. 

Syria could become a federal state if that model works in the country, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told a news briefing on Feb. 29.