World News Roundup: Russian buildup at Ukraine border includes blood for wounded, U.S. officials say; Turkey's Erdogan threatens media with reprisals over 'harmful' content and more

In a notice published in the Official Gazette, he said measures were needed to protect Turkey's "national culture" and prevent its children's development "from being adversely affected as a result of exposure to harmful content on all written, verbal and visual media." Lebanon's president sees no reason to delay polls after Hariri exit Lebanese President Michel Aoun said on Saturday he saw no reason for a delay to parliamentary elections in May after three-times former prime minister Saad al-Hariri announced he was boycotting the vote and stepping away from politics.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Russian buildup at Ukraine border includes blood for wounded, U.S. officials say

A Russian troop buildup along its border with Ukraine includes supplies of blood https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/exclusive-russia-moves-blood-supplies-near-ukraine-adding-us-concern-officials-2022-01-28 for the wounded, three U.S. officials told Reuters, a detail reinforcing U.S. comments that Russia "clearly" now has the capability to move on its neighbour. The disclosure by the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, adds to growing U.S. concern that Russia could be preparing for a new invasion of Ukraine as it has amassed more than 100,000 troops near its borders.

'Bloody Sunday' still scars Northern Ireland 50 years on

Five decades after British soldiers killed 13 unarmed Catholic civil rights marchers on one of the defining days of the Northern Ireland conflict, relatives are still searching for the justice they believe is needed for a scarred society to heal. Family and friends of the 13 Catholics who died in Londonderry on "Bloody Sunday", Jan. 30, 1972 - and of a 14th who died later of his wounds - gathered this week for a series of commemorations to mark the event that helped fuel three decades of bitter sectarian and political violence.

Ottawa set for 'massive' protest against Canada's vaccine mandates

Canada's capital city of Ottawa is set on Saturday for a "massive" protest against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's COVID-19 vaccine mandates with the arrival of convoys of hundreds of vehicles from across the country. The so-called "Freedom Convoy" - coming from east and west - started out as a protest against a vaccine requirement for cross-border truckers, but has turned into a demonstration against government overreach during the pandemic with a strong anti-vax streak.

Turkey's Erdogan threatens media with reprisals over 'harmful' content

President Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday threatened Turkish media with reprisals if they disseminated content that damaged the country's core values, in a move that might be a prelude to further censorship in the sector. In a notice published in the Official Gazette, he said measures were needed to protect Turkey's "national culture" and prevent its children's development "from being adversely affected as a result of exposure to harmful content on all written, verbal and visual media."

Lebanon's president sees no reason to delay polls after Hariri exit

Lebanese President Michel Aoun said on Saturday he saw no reason for a delay to parliamentary elections in May after three-times former prime minister Saad al-Hariri announced he was boycotting the vote and stepping away from politics. Hariri has been Lebanon's leading Sunni Muslim politician since inheriting the mantle of his father, Rafik al-Hariri, after his assassination in 2005.

New Zealand PM Ardern is self isolating after exposure to COVID positive case

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has gone into self-isolation until Tuesday after being deemed a close contact of a person who tested positive for COVID-19, the government said. The exposure took place on Jan 22 during a flight to Auckland from the town of Kerikeri, the government said in a statement on Saturday, adding that the result of whole genome sequencing was expected the following day.

Italy rejects extradition of Venezuela's ex-oil minister, says lawyer

Italy has rejected a request by Venezuela for the extradition of Rafael Ramirez, a once powerful oil minister and former head of state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela, his lawyer said on Saturday. Authorities in Venezuela had asked Interpol to locate and arrest Ramirez in 2018 and subsequently demanded his extradition from Italy in 2020 in connection with embezzlement charges.

Hong Kong university covers up Tiananmen crackdown memorial slogan

A leading Hong Kong university on Saturday covered a painted slogan commemorating China's Tiananmen Square crackdown, the latest instance of a public June 4 memorial being removed in China-ruled Hong Kong. A Reuters journalist saw about a dozen construction workers wearing yellow hard hats erect grey metal construction hoardings around a "martyrs slogan" painted across the length of the University of Hong Kong's (HKU) Swire bridge.

Italian parties ask Mattarella to remain president after vote disarray

Italy's ruling parties asked Sergio Mattarella on Saturday to carry on as president for a second term after failing to find a compromise candidate in a week of often fraught voting in parliament. Mattarella, 80, has always ruled out remaining in office and made no immediate comment, but with the country's political stability at risk, it looked highly unlikely he would be able to resist the pressure.

Cambodia to host summit of ASEAN foreign ministers from Feb 16

Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will meet next month to discuss humanitarian aid for Myanmar, the current chair of the grouping, Cambodia, said on Saturday. Cambodia's foreign minister, and ASEAN special envoy, Prak Sokhonn, is a preparing for his first visit to Myanmar, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)