January 14, 2022

*) Russia considering sending troops to Latin America if tensions with West rise Russia has raised the stakes in its dispute with the West over Ukraine and NATO expansion after a top diplomat refused to rule out a military deployment to Latin America if tensions with the United States and its allies escalate. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said he could "neither confirm nor exclude" the possibility of Russia sending military assets to Cuba and Venezuela. US national security adviser Jake Sullivan dismissed the statements about a possible Russian deployment to Latin America as "bluster in the public commentary". *) US arrests far-right militia chief for role in Capitol invasion Stewart Rhodes, the founder and leader of the far-right Oath Keepers militia group, has been arrested and charged with seditious conspiracy in the attack on the US Capitol. 10 other people were also charged in connection with the attack on January 6, 2021, when members of the extremist group raided Washington to stop the certification of President Joe Biden’s victory. These are the first charges of seditious conspiracy that the US Department of Justice has brought in connection with the attack led by supporters of former president Donald Trump. ​​​*) UN calls for release of Afghanistan funds to avoid destitution The United Nations has urged the United States and the World Bank to unfreeze Afghan funds, locked since the Taliban's return to power. "We must ... rapidly inject liquidity into the economy and avoid a meltdown that would lead to poverty, hunger and destitution for millions," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said. He called on Washington to take the lead in helping the country avoid a collapse "because the major part of the world financial system works in dollars". Washington seized nearly $9.5 billion in assets belonging to the Afghan central bank. The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank also suspended activities in the country. *) North Korean hackers stole $400m in cryptocurrency in 2021 Nor