December 22, 2022

*) Live blog: US sending Patriots to Ukraine under $1.85B military aid package US President Joe Biden has committed $1.85 billion in military aid to Ukraine including, for the first time, the Patriot missile defence system. The news came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Washington for his first known trip out of his country since Russia started its assault in February. The Patriot would be the most advanced surface-to-air missile system the West has provided to Ukraine to help repel Russian aerial attacks. *) Israel's Netanyahu says he formed new coalition government Israel's Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that he has formed a new coalition, setting the stage for him to return to power as the head of the country's most right wing government ever. Netanyahu intends to give cabinet positions to hardline figures, including extremist politician Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has a long record of violent anti-Arab rhetoric and behaviour. The announcement comes after weeks of difficult negotiations with his political partners. *) Desperate migrants throng US-Mexico border amid asylum limbo The US Supreme Court has temporarily blocked an order that would lift pandemic-era restrictions on asylum seekers. The policy, called Title 42, was due to expire on December 21st, and allows authorities to send migrants of certain nationalities to Mexico without a chance to seek asylum. Immigration advocates have said the restrictions go against international obligations to people fleeing persecution, and that the pretext is outdated as coronavirus treatments improve. *) Chicken tikka masala inventor dies at 77 A chef from Scotland, who claims to have invented the curry dish chicken tikka masala, has died at the age of 77. Ahmed Aslam Ali invented the dish in the 1970s by improvising a sauce made from a tin of tomato soup at his restaurant Shish Mahal after a customer complaint. The dish went on to become the most popular dish in British restaurants.