February 28, 2023

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Tuesday, February 28th. *) Turkish president pledges to preserve fabric of quake-hit historical provinces Türkiye's president has promised not to allow major changes to the fabric of the country's southern provinces amid efforts to rebuild from the devastation caused by two powerful earthquakes earlier this month. Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged that his government will take the necessary steps to prepare cities for future disasters, saying that construction would not be allowed in areas near fault lines or areas prone to soil liquefaction. The president also ruled out high-rise buildings in old settlements and repeated his promise to mend the damage caused by the earthquakes within the span of a year. *) Egypt showed friendship, fraternity in 'difficult times,' says Türkiye Hailing the solidarity Egypt displayed immediately after Türkiye’s deadly earthquakes, the Turkish foreign minister has said that the two countries were "opening a new chapter in relations." Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry visited the southern quake-hit Adana and neighbouring Mersin provinces on Monday along with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu. Cavusoglu said he and Shoukry addressed ways to further develop ties in a bilateral meeting at Adana's Sakirpasa Airport. *) Russia fights to encircle Ukraine's defenders in Bakhmut Russian forces have pressed their offensive in eastern Ukraine as they attempt to encircle the small mining city of Bakhmut - a frontline city in the Donetsk province. "The enemy is constantly destroying everything that can be used to protect our positions for fortification and defence…," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Russian President Vladimir Putin identified Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk and Luhansk provinces as a focus from the outset of the conflict. Moscow-backed separatists have fought in the region since 2014. *) West African bloc urges candidates to accept election results in Nigeria Election observers from the Economic Community