Briefly

UKRAINE

Deal for anti-tank missiles from US

Ukraine's Defense Ministry said on Thursday that it has signed contracts for more United States antitank missile systems, known as advanced fire-and-forget portable weapons. "During the fourth quarter ... the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine managed to sign contracts for the supply of the second batch of anti-tank missile systems 'Javelin', which are manufactured by the USA," Deputy Defense Minister Anatoliy Petrenko said.

IRAQ

President offers to quit over PM pick

Iraq's president refused on Thursday to designate a candidate for prime minister nominated by the Iran-backed parliamentary bloc and offered to resign. President Barham Salih's decision plunged the country into deeper political uncertainty amid nearly three months of unprecedented mass protests. Salih said in a statement that he would not name the governor of the southern Basra province, Asaad al-Eidani, as the country's next prime minister "to avoid more bloodshed".

CHILE

Wildfires in port city leave 700 homeless

Some 245 homes have been destroyed and 700 people left destitute after a forest fire tore through a poor area of the Chilean seaside city of Valparaiso on Christmas Eve. President Sebastian Pinera said on Thursday during a tour of the affected zone that there was evidence the fire had been started deliberately. "I deeply regret that what should have been a good night, a night of peace, should have been so profoundly altered by this tragedy," Pinera said.