World Highlights

¤ Liberia's Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf took office as Africa's first elected woman president yesterday, pledging to break with the country's history of corruption and violence that spread war to neighbouring states. The colourful, open-air inauguration was attended by US first lady Laura Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, signalling US backing for Africa's oldest republic, founded in 1847 by freed slaves from America.

¤ Pakistan's Islamist opposition yesterday vowed more protests against a US airstrike aimed at Osama bin Laden's deputy that killed at least 18 civilians, and commentators said the raid would boost support for militants. Intelligence officials said US counterparts had told them the order for Friday's strike was based on information that al Qaeda's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahri, had been invited to a dinner at a village in the Bajaur tribal region near the Afghan border.

¤ Chilean president-elect Michelle Bachelet, a Socialist who will be the country's first female leader, yesterday vowed to shrink the gap between rich and poor that persists in the South American nation despite lower poverty and a thriving economy. Ms Bachelet, from Chile's ruling centre-left coalition, won 53 per cent of ballots cast in Sunday's election while opposition candidate Sebastian Pinera took 47 per cent, the government Electoral Service said.

¤ Police in Ivory Coast fired tear gas at several hundred young demonstrators outside the UN mission in Abidjan yesterday as protests broke out across the city against foreign mediators' calls to dissolve Parliament. Some of the roughly 300 youths loyal to President Laurent Gbagbo hurled rocks at the police and a Reuters witness said at least one officer was injured. The crowd chanted: "Respect Gbagbo's power!"