IMF chief charged with sexual assault*****
Monday, 16 May 2011
Fazle Rashid
NEW YORK, May 15: Dominique Strauss-Kahn, managing director of International Monetary Fund (IMF), was disembarked from plane at JFK yesterday and detained for questioning for alleged sexual assault on a maid at a Manhattan hotel. He was on his way to Paris. He was disembarked from a Air France flight to Paris, minutes before the plane was to depart. He was handed over to New York Police for questioning. The IMF chief has not been indicted. The 32-year hotel maid entered the room of Dominique Strauss-Kahn and saw him emerging from the bathroom in birthday suit. He allegedly threw down the maid and tried to sexually abuse her. She disengaged herself and ran from the room telling the hotel front desk about the incident. The IMF chief left the room in a hurry leaning many personal belongings including his cell phone. The IMF spokesman refused to comment on the incident. This will certainly doom Dominique Strauss-Kahn's prospect for the French presidential race. AFP adds: Martine Aubry, leader of the French Socialists said Sunday the shock news of Strauss-Kahn's arrest was a "thunderbolt" which left her "astounded." Pundits and political figures on both the right and the left said Strauss-Kahn's hopes for the presidency had been destroyed by the arrest, which could damage the entire party's prospects. Former French presidential candidate, Segolene Royal, who defeated Strauss-Kahn in the 2006 race for leadership of the Socialist Party, said the arrest was "staggering" but stressed he was innocent until proven guilty. The IMF posted a statement on its website early Sunday saying Strauss-Kahn, who has headed up the IMF since 2007, had been arrested and retained legal counsel. "The IMF remains fully functioning and operational," said the statement from the world body's director of external relations, Caroline Atkinson, adding the Fund had no further comment on the case. Strauss-Kahn, whose stint at the IMF does not officially end until September 2012, had been due to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Sunday to discuss an aid package for debt-laden Greece. He was then to attend a meeting of EU finance ministers on Monday and Tuesday in Brussels. It is not the first time that the silver-haired political veteran, who is married to a high-profile journalist, has been tainted by scandal. In 2008, he was discovered to be having an affair with an Hungarian IMF economist. The affair was investigated by the IMF, which concluded he had not exerted pressure on the woman, but noted his inappropriate behavior. Strauss-Kahn had taken over the helm of the International Monetary Fund pledging to push reforms of the 187-member country institution that helps oversee the global economy. The first-round of the French presidential elections will be held on April 22 next year with the second round run-off on May 6, 2012.
NEW YORK, May 15: Dominique Strauss-Kahn, managing director of International Monetary Fund (IMF), was disembarked from plane at JFK yesterday and detained for questioning for alleged sexual assault on a maid at a Manhattan hotel. He was on his way to Paris. He was disembarked from a Air France flight to Paris, minutes before the plane was to depart. He was handed over to New York Police for questioning. The IMF chief has not been indicted. The 32-year hotel maid entered the room of Dominique Strauss-Kahn and saw him emerging from the bathroom in birthday suit. He allegedly threw down the maid and tried to sexually abuse her. She disengaged herself and ran from the room telling the hotel front desk about the incident. The IMF chief left the room in a hurry leaning many personal belongings including his cell phone. The IMF spokesman refused to comment on the incident. This will certainly doom Dominique Strauss-Kahn's prospect for the French presidential race. AFP adds: Martine Aubry, leader of the French Socialists said Sunday the shock news of Strauss-Kahn's arrest was a "thunderbolt" which left her "astounded." Pundits and political figures on both the right and the left said Strauss-Kahn's hopes for the presidency had been destroyed by the arrest, which could damage the entire party's prospects. Former French presidential candidate, Segolene Royal, who defeated Strauss-Kahn in the 2006 race for leadership of the Socialist Party, said the arrest was "staggering" but stressed he was innocent until proven guilty. The IMF posted a statement on its website early Sunday saying Strauss-Kahn, who has headed up the IMF since 2007, had been arrested and retained legal counsel. "The IMF remains fully functioning and operational," said the statement from the world body's director of external relations, Caroline Atkinson, adding the Fund had no further comment on the case. Strauss-Kahn, whose stint at the IMF does not officially end until September 2012, had been due to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Sunday to discuss an aid package for debt-laden Greece. He was then to attend a meeting of EU finance ministers on Monday and Tuesday in Brussels. It is not the first time that the silver-haired political veteran, who is married to a high-profile journalist, has been tainted by scandal. In 2008, he was discovered to be having an affair with an Hungarian IMF economist. The affair was investigated by the IMF, which concluded he had not exerted pressure on the woman, but noted his inappropriate behavior. Strauss-Kahn had taken over the helm of the International Monetary Fund pledging to push reforms of the 187-member country institution that helps oversee the global economy. The first-round of the French presidential elections will be held on April 22 next year with the second round run-off on May 6, 2012.