World Scene

LIBERIA

’Iron Lady’ claims runoff victory

MONROVIA — Former Finance Minister Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, known as the “Iron Lady,” claimed victory yesterday in Liberia’s presidential runoff and looked set to become Africa’s first elected female head of state.

The National Elections Commission said that with ballots tallied from nearly 90 percent of polling stations, Mrs. Johnson-Sirleaf had 59.2 percent of the votes from Tuesday’s election. Her rival, millionaire soccer star George Weah, had 40.8 percent.

The declared winner said she would lead “a government of inclusion” and that she would offer Mr. Weah a post in government, perhaps the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Mr. Weah’s camp gave no immediate word on whether he was conceding defeat in the vote.

VENEZUELA

Russian arms supply causes U.S. concern

CARACAS — Venezuela expects to receive delivery of three military helicopters and 30,000 rifles from Russia this year in the first part of an arms deal raising concerns in Washington, officials said yesterday.

Venezuela’s ambassador to Russia, Alexis Navarro, said a shipment of 15,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles will arrive from Russia by Dec. 15 and another batch of 15,000 rifles by the end of the year. The remaining 70,000 weapons of the consignment will arrive by March.

Venezuela expects three helicopters out of an initial 10-aircraft, $120 million deal to be delivered by early next year.

EGYPT

Mubarak’s party ousts rival leader

CAIRO — Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s National Democratic Party ousted opposition leader Ayman Nour from parliament and took a strong early lead, according to first results from legislative elections announced yesterday.

The election commission said Mr. Nour, leader of the liberal Ghad (Tomorrow) Party and Mr. Mubarak’s main rival in presidential elections, lost in the Cairo constituency he has represented for 10 years.

PERU

Envoy in Japan pulled in protest

LIMA - Peru said yesterday it is withdrawing its ambassador in Japan to protest Tokyo’s response to Peruvian attempts to extradite former President Alberto Fujimori, first from Tokyo and now from Chile.

On Wednesday, Japanese diplomats visited Mr. Fujimori at the police training academy where he has been held since he was detained on an international arrest warrant after arriving in Santiago, Chile, on Sunday.

CHINA

U.S. retracts terror warning

BEIJING — The U.S. Embassy yesterday retracted an alert issued this week warning that Islamic extremists were planning an attack at luxury hotels in China. The embassy said there was no credible threat.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said at a regular press briefing that the threat “was fabricated by a certain foreign citizen” who reported it anonymously.

BRITAIN

Napoleon’s tooth sold for $22,600

LONDON — A tooth thought to have been pulled from Napoleon’s mouth was sold yesterday at auction in London for about $22,600.

The tooth, part of a small collection of Napoleon Bonaparte items at the sale, was bought by a private collector from England, said an official from Dominic Winter, an auction house in Swindon, southwest England.

He said the previous owner, who died recently, was a Napoleonic scholar.

From wire dispatches and staff reports