News Roundup & Comment

These stories and more made up this edition of the Round-Up for this final week of 2022:

--Russian President Vladimir Putin is threatening to destroy the Patriot missile system if the U.S. follows through with its commitment to supply them to Ukraine.

--Russia is reported to have lost hundreds of troops and at least five tanks over Christmas.

--Ukraine's foreign minister is calling for a peace summit to be held at the end of February but says Russia would have to face a war crimes tribunal before they directly engage with Moscow.

--Russia fired scores of missiles into Ukraine early on Thursday in a massive aerial bombardment that sent people rushing to shelters and knocked out power.

--Thousands of U.S. trained Afghan troops are reportedly considering joining Russian forces as mercenaries to fight in Ukraine as they face a life of poverty in Iran.

--Senator Lindsey Graham repeated his call for Vladimir Putin to be assassinated.

--Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a continuation of a partnership with the investment management company known as BlackRock for the rebuilding of Ukraine from war.

--Russia and China have completed naval drills in the East China Sea after a week of joint exercises.

--China's military sent about 71 planes and 7 ships toward Taiwan in a 24 hour display of force.

--President Joe Biden may have made a Christmas gift to Taiwan by signing into law a defense bill in which the U.S. is to loan the island 2 billion dollars to bolster its capabilities against threats from China.

--South Korea fired warning shots, scrambled fighter jets and flew surveillance assets across the heavily fortified border with North Korea Monday.