Russia

A total failure: this is the current point we are at as far as the Syrian policy, based on the assumption that the Bashar al-Assad regime would be toppled in a matter of days when the turmoil started.

Let's recall: in those days, it was not enough for our rulers to be a regional power; we were about to take our place in the competition among global powers.

Iran's official news agency announced yesterday that the country exported a crude shipment to Europe for the first time since reaching a landmark nuclear deal with world powers.

Turkey has raised the stakes in Syria by beginning to shell the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Defense Units (YPG) in an effort to deter the group from capturing more territory along the Turkish border. Although pro-government media is drumming up support for this action, one does not need much imagination to realize that average Turks are worried about where this is all leading to.

Three people died while 18 more were injured on Monday when a bomb placed inside a car was detonated in the Dagestan Republic, southern Russia.

RT is reporting that the incident happened near a police checkpoint in the town of Derbent.

Public support in Russia for the country's air strikes in Syria has slipped since the Kremlin launched its air campaign more than four months ago, a poll showed on Feb. 15, but a comfortable majority still backs the bombing. 

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has demanded that the government immediately brief parliament on the Turkish army's recent shelling of the military wing of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) in northern Syria.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) said its suicide bomber had blown up a car in Russia's volatile Dagestan that killed two policemen on Feb. 15, the deadliest attack in the southern republic since 2013.

European Union officials have called on Turkey to halt its military action in Syria after Turkish forces shelled positions held by the Democratic Union Party (PYD) over the weekend.

EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini says she has seen "no signs" of a new Cold War with Russia.

"I have not seen the climate of Cold War in these last days," Mogherini told reporters in Brussels ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers, Reuters said, noting she was asked to comment on "the warning" by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

Russia said on Feb. 15 that Turkey's shelling of Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party(PYD) and Syrian regime positions in the north of the country was a "provocative" action.