Latest news bulletin | March 9th – Midday
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00:00 Ukraine remains firm on not engaging directly with Russia on peace talks, as President Volodymyr
00:07 Zelensky visited Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Friday.
00:12 When Erdogan suggested a possible peace summit with Russia, moderated by Turkey, Zelensky
00:17 said it couldn't work.
00:19 "We don't see how we can invite people who block, destroy and kill everything.
00:26 We want to achieve a result, a result of a just peace, and a just one for Ukraine.
00:32 So first, civilized countries of the world will develop a detailed plan and will have
00:38 a result.
00:39 And only then will they invite representatives of Russia, those who are ready for a just
00:45 peace."
00:46 During the visit, the two presidents also signed several bilateral trade and military
00:50 cooperation agreements.
00:52 He also visited a Turkish shipyard where a warship is being built for the Ukrainian Navy.
01:04 The U.S. Embassy in Moscow warned Americans in a security alert posted on its website
01:09 late on March 7 of an imminent threat of attacks on large gatherings in the Russian capital
01:14 in the next two days.
01:17 The embassy is monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings
01:21 in Moscow to include concerts, and U.S. citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings
01:26 over the next 48 hours.
01:29 Latvian and UK foreign ministries echoed the warning with the UK embassy to Russia advising
01:33 British nationals against all travel to Russia.
01:37 The warning was issued several hours after Russia's Federal Security Service said it
01:40 neutralized an Islamic State terrorist cell that had been preparing an attack on synagogues
01:45 in Moscow.
01:46 The U.S. Embassy in Russia gave no further details about the nature of the threat, but
01:50 said people should avoid concerts and crowds and be aware of their surroundings.
01:55 It is unclear if the two statements by the U.S. Embassy and by Russian FSB are linked.
02:04 A ship carrying desperately needed humanitarian aid is expected to set sail this weekend from
02:10 Cyprus to Gaza.
02:12 The Spanish vessel Open Arms is due to use a newly opened shipping route, but as there
02:17 is no functioning port in Gaza and shallow waters, it is still unclear whether the ship
02:22 will be able to dock.
02:26 On Friday, the U.S. revealed details about a highly anticipated floating pier to be constructed
02:32 in Gaza to allow mass aid inflow.
02:34 According to the Pentagon, the installation could take two months and a workforce of 1,000
02:40 U.S. military troops.
02:41 But the Pentagon has stressed no troops will be on the ground in Gaza.
02:47 Meanwhile, Israeli activists from the far-right group Order 9 blocked the Nizana border crossing
02:52 all day on Friday, not letting any trucks through.
02:56 They insist no aid must be sent to Gaza until all the hostages are released.
03:08 Portugal is gearing up for early elections on Sunday as political parties held their
03:12 last rallies.
03:17 The center-left Socialist Party and center-right Social Democratic Party have altered in power
03:22 for decades and are expected to collect most of the 10.8 million potential votes this time
03:28 too.
03:31 Both are tainted by charges of graft and cronyism.
03:37 The public sense of outrage could lend further momentum to a rightward drift in European
03:41 politics, which in Portugal is represented by the Che Guevara party.
03:47 The election is taking place after Socialist leader Antonio Costa resigned as Prime Minister
03:52 amid last November's corruption investigation.
03:56 So far he hasn't been accused of any crime.
04:00 High inflation, a housing crisis, challenged public services such as education and healthcare
04:05 are some of the key issues affecting Portugal, which this year marks almost 50 years of democracy.
04:17 Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez has been convicted of conspiring with drug
04:22 traffickers to enable tons of cocaine to make it unhindered into the US.
04:28 Convicted on Friday in New York, the judge ruled that Hernandez, who was president of
04:31 Honduras from 2014 to 2022, used his military and national police force to help drugs get
04:38 into the US.
04:39 The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 40 years in prison.
04:43 Hernandez is due to be sentenced in June.
04:45 His defense will appeal the ruling.
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