Januray 25, 2022

*) NATO deploys ships, jets to eastern Europe in Ukraine crisis Tensions over the threat of Russia invading Ukraine are rising as NATO allies put forces on standby and sent ships and jets to bolster Europe's eastern defences. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance is ready to respond to any security threat and is reinforcing its eastern front. Stoltenberg pointed to Denmark sending a frigate and warplanes to the Baltic states, Spain bolstering naval deployments and the Netherlands putting "ship and land-based units on standby". *) Military seizes power in Burkina Faso Mutinous soldiers have announced they are in control of Burkina Faso after taking the president hostage following a day of gunbattles in the capital. The soldiers declared on state television that the government and parliament were dissolved and the constitution suspended. Burkina Faso's military, with support from the public, has been unhappy with how the government has handled a spike in militancy in the country. *) Syria's displaced hit by brutal snowstorm Many of Syria's nearly three million internally displaced people face dire winter conditions with a brutal snowstorm hammering the region, the United Nations has warned. The UN is urging the international community to do more to protect the Syrian IDPs before it's too late. Mark Cutts, the UN deputy regional humanitarian coordinator for Syria, says the conditions are "absolutely unacceptable." *) Colombia kills top commander in 'blow' to FARC rebels The commander of a rebel splinter group in Colombia, that rejected a 2016 peace deal, has been killed in a clash with the military. President Ivan Duque announced in a statement that Euclides Espana –– also known as Jhonier –– had been "neutralised." "This is one of the greatest blows that has been dealt [to] FARC dissidents," the president said in a public statement. *) Deadly stampede hits African Cup football game in Cameroon Cameroon's progress at the African Cup of Nations was overshadowed by a stampede outs