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Ex-IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, housekeeper reach settlement
A New York hotel housekeeper and former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn have reached a settlement in her civil lawsuit against him over an alleged sexual assault, a judge said Monday.
Strauss-Kahn pleaded not guilty in June to the charges that prompted him to resign from his post as managing director of the IMF. Prosecutors have recently disclosed credibility issues regarding the hotel maid.
FULL STORYFrench police to open inquiry into new allegations against Strauss-Kahn
French prosecutors have widened an investigation into former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn's alleged participation in a prostitution ring.
Authorities said Monday that Lille police will open a preliminary inquiry into acts alleged to have taken place between 15 and 18 December 2010 in Washington D.C..
CNN was waiting to hear back from Strauss-Kahn's lawyers Monday morning.
The French newspaper Liberation reported earlier this month that the allegations stemmed from statements made by two women it describes as "escort girls," who were interviewed by Belgian police as part of an investigation into a prostitution ring run out of the Carlton Hotel in Lille, near France's border with Belgium.
According to the newspaper's account of the depositions, the women said they had accompanied two associates of Strauss-Kahn on a visit to Washington, where they had stayed at the W Hotel.
One of them alleged that Strauss-Kahn had used force against her during a sexual encounter at the hotel, despite her protests.
The newspaper did not specify how it obtained the statements. CNN could not independently confirm the report.
FULL STORYJudge denies Strauss-Kahn immunity claim
A New York judge Tuesday rejected claims by former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn that a civil lawsuit against him should be dismissed because he was protected by diplomatic immunity.
Bronx Supreme Court Justice Douglas McKeon denied a motion by Strauss-Kahn's lawyers to dismiss the lawsuit, which was filed by a hotel maid who accused him of sexual assault last year.
A lawyer for the maid, Nafissatou Diallo, said his client was pleased with the decision.
"We are extremely pleased with Judge McKeon's well-reasoned and articulate decision recognizing that Strauss-Kahn is not entitled to immunity," said attorney Douglas H. Wigdor. "We have said all along that Strauss-Kahn's desperate plea for immunity was a tactic designed to delay these proceedings and we now look forward to holding him accountable for the brutal sexual assault that he committed."
Strauss-Kahn lawyers to argue immunity to dismiss civil sex assault case
Lawyers for former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn are expected to argue in a New York court Wednesday that a hotel maid's lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault should be thrown out because his then-job gave him immunity from civil cases.
Strauss-Kahn has denied Nafissatou Diallo's allegations that he sexually assaulted her, but nonetheless resigned as head of the powerful organization days after he was arrested last May.
The criminal case against Strauss-Kahn fell apart last year before it even reached a courtroom when New York prosecutors cited credibility issues with Diallo.
In September, Strauss-Kahn told French television station TF1 that what happened with the maid in a luxury New York hotel suite was a "moral weakness," but denied any violence or aggression.
FULL STORYStrauss-Kahn lawyers fight against prostitutes claim
By Saskya Vandoorne, CNN
Lawyers for Dominique Strauss-Kahn pushed back Tuesday against allegations that he facilitated prostitution in France, saying there was "no significant evidence" the former International Monetary Fund chief knew young women at parties he attended were being paid for sex.
Other suspects held over an investigation into prostitution centered around the city of Lille "said that Dominique Strauss-Kahn did not know that these women were being paid," Strauss-Kahn's lawyer Henri Leclerc said in a press conference.
"We hear that these women say otherwise. Well, no! I can tell you these women do not say otherwise," he said.
Strauss-Kahn was formally warned Monday that he is under investigation for "aggravated pimping" for accusations that he participated in a prostitution ring, prosecutors said.
Hollande appears to be French left choice to oppose Sarkozy
Francois Hollande appeared Sunday to be the French Socialist choice to face President Nicolas Sarkozy in next year's presidential election.
His opponent in Sunday's runoff election congratulated Hollande.
"The Socialist primaries have made Mr. Hollande more legitimate and stronger to fight against the right," Martine Aubry told CNN affiliate BFM-TV.
Hollande had 58% of the votes and Aubry 42% in early counting.
The pair squared off after former favorite Dominique Strauss-Kahn was felled by accusations of attempted rape in both the United States and France.
FULL STORY
Prosecutors drop attempted rape complaint against former IMF head
(Correction: An initial version of this post incorrectly reported that charges in this case were dropped, when in fact they were never filed.)
[Updated at 11:15 a.m. ET] After investigating a complaint filed against former IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn, in which a journalist accused him of attempting to rape her in 2003, French prosecutors said there was a lack of sufficient evidence to file charges.
Strauss-Kahn admitted to "sexual aggression" against Tristane Banon at the time, but a three-year statue of limitations applies in the case, the Paris prosecutor's office said in a statement.
Strauss-Kahn, who recently returned to France after sexual assault charges against him in New York were dropped by prosecutors, was questioned by Paris police last month, along with Banon.
Banon filed a complaint against Strauss-Kahn in France, alleging he attempted to sexually assault her in 2003; he has filed a counter-suit alleging slander.
Banon's mother, Socialist politician Anne Mansouret, has said she discouraged Banon from filing charges against Strauss-Kahn at the time of the alleged assault for fear it would hurt her journalism career.
In an interview with French TV station TF1 earlier this month, Strauss-Kahn said he met with Banon recently and "I said the truth to her in this meeting. There was no act of aggression, there was no violence. ... The version that was presented was imaginary."
On Monday, lawyers for Strauss-Kahn asked a judge in New York to dismiss a civil suit filed there by his accuser in a now-dismissed sexual assault case.
FULL STORYEx-IMF chief's charges dismissed
New York Judge Michael Obus has accepted the Manhattan district attorney's request for a dismissal of criminal charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former International Monetary Fund chief who had been accused of sexually assaulting a hotel maid.
Attorney for Strauss-Kahn accuser seeks special prosecutor
An attorney for the hotel maid who accused former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexual assault filed a motion Monday asking a judge to halt proceedings in the case and appoint a special prosecutor.
The move comes hours before Nafissatou Diallo and her attorney, Kenneth Thompson, are scheduled to meet with prosecutors. Thompson said Sunday that he believes prosecutors intend to announce at that meeting they will drop charges against Strauss-Kahn.
"We're calling for a special prosecutor to prevent Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance from irreparably damaging Ms. Diallo's right to have her criminal case go to trial, " Thompson said.
The motion cites allegations of "abuse of confidence, unfair treatment and bias and prejudices," by Vance that make him unfit to try the case. Vance's office declined to comment on the motion.
FULL STORYStrauss-Kahn accuser: 'I want justice'
The woman accusing former International Monetary Fund Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexually assaulting her insisted she's "telling the truth from my heart," in an interview broadcast Monday.
"I want justice. I want him to go to jail," Nafissatou Diallo told ABC. "I want him to know you cannot use your power when you do something like this."
The 32-year-old hotel maid, whose credibility has been called into question by prosecutors and Strauss-Kahn's lawyers, said she was terrified when she found out how powerful Strauss-Kahn was.
When she saw news reports explaining that the man she was accusing was a leading candidate for the French presidency, "I said, 'Oh, my God.' I was crying. I said, 'They're going to kill me, I'm going to die.'" That's because in her native Guinea, West Africa, accusing "a powerful man like that" would put her life in danger, she said.
Diallo's choice to go public with her accusations in the middle of a pending criminal investigation is extremely unusual. She spoke with both ABC and Newsweek magazine.
FULL STORYNo plea deal, no guilty plea, attorney for Strauss-Kahn says
Former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn won't accept any plea bargain and "won't plead guilty to anything," William Taylor, an attorney representing him in a sexual assault case, said Thursday.
Strauss-Kahn, 62, is accused of having attempted to rape the maid when she entered his suite at the Sofitel off Times Square on May 14 to clean it.
On Wednesday, attorneys for Strauss-Kahn said that the defense team had a "constructive meeting" with prosecutors, who maintained that they are not ready to drop sexual abuse and attempted rape charges even after questions were raised about the accuser's credibility.
"The investigative process is continuing, and no decisions have been made," said Manhattan District Attorney spokeswoman Erin Duggan.
The two-hour meeting came just days after prosecutors disclosed credibility issues regarding the hotel maid who accused Strauss-Kahn of sexually attacking her.
Strauss-Kahn attorneys to meet with prosecutors
Attorneys for Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the French financier who has pleaded not guilty to sexual abuse and attempted rape charges, are scheduled to meet with prosecutors Wednesday, a source with knowledge of the case told CNN.
The meeting comes days after prosecutors disclosed to Strauss-Kahn's defense team that investigators had uncovered several credibility issues concerning the woman who accused him of attacking her as she tried to clean his Manhattan hotel suite in May.
The charges prompted Strauss-Kahn to resign from his post as managing director of the International Monetary Fund.
Questions about the case surfaced last week when Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance indicated the woman, 32, had been less than truthful with authorities about some aspects of her life and her whereabouts immediately after the alleged attack.
FULL STORYStrauss-Kahn pursued by media
One day after a stunning court revelation about an accuser's lack of honesty in the Dominique Strauss-Kahn sexual assault case, media across New York descended on the freed financier with a renewed sense of vigor.
On Saturday, the former head of the International Monetary Fund was pursued by photographers and news teams across Manhattan.
FULL STORY
Judge releases former IMF chief from custody
A New York judge released former International Monetary Fund Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn on his own recognizance Friday, following serious credibility issues with the woman who accused him of sexual assault.
The case has changed dramatically but prosecutors said "we are not dismissing the case."
Strauss-Kahn's release significantly eases the extraordinary bail conditions that had been previously ordered. He had been released from jail on $6 million bail but was under house arrest in a luxury townhouse in Manhattan's Tribeca neighborhood.
FULL STORY
On the Radar: Ex-IMF chief's case, royal wedding, Syria, Casey Anthony, Panetta
Doubts in Strauss-Kahn case - A source familiar with the Dominique Strauss-Kahn case tells CNN that prosecutors are expected to notify the court Friday about troubling believability issues with the hotel maid who alleged the former International Monetary Fund chief sexually assaulted her. Prosecutors disclosed the problem in a meeting Thursday with Strauss-Kahn's defense team, the official said. In a hastily scheduled court hearing set for Friday morning, the defense will ask the court to modify Strauss-Kahn's bail.
Syria demonstrations - Activists expect protests to across Syria on Friday to demand the departure of President Bashar al-Assad and his regime. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said al-Assad is "running out of time."
Former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn pleads not guilty
Former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn has pleaded not guilty to charges related to the alleged sexual assault of a housekeeper in a New York City hotel room.
Strauss-Kahn, who was considered a front-runner in France's next presidential race before his arrest, faces seven charges, including criminal sexual acts and sexual abuse.
Authorities say he sexually assaulted a housekeeping employee at New York's Sofitel hotel on May 14.
FULL STORY
Judge signs order for release of ex-IMF chief
A judge has signed an order for the release of former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, his lawyer said Friday.
The attorney spoke to reporters outside the courtroom where final details of his release from Rikers Island jail were hashed out between the prosecution and the defense.
"He will be released," lawyer William Taylor said about his client, who resigned Wednesday as head of the IMF and who is charged with sexual assault of a maid last Saturday in a Times Square hotel. Taylor did not say when the release would take place.
The comments came after Taylor met with Assistant District Attorney John McConnell and New York State Supreme Court Judge Michael Obus in Obus's chambers.
During the hearing, Obus said a security company had found a temporary location for Strauss-Kahn to live in and that a hunt was on for longer-term lodging. While Strauss-Kahn is in the initial location, he will not be able to leave at all except for medical reasons, Obus said. Once he is in his longer-term location, the former banker must give six hours notice before leaving.
Taylor pleaded with members of the news media to grant privacy to his client and his client's family. "The reason that he had to move is because members of the press attempted to invade his private residence and interfere with his family's privacy," Taylor said.
The defense team was planning to take proof of the $1 million cash bail and $5 million bond to the judge, a court officer said. A document signed by bondsman Ira Judelson shows that the bond was secured by money from the accused's wife, Anne Sinclair.
FULL STORY
On the Radar: Ex-IMF chief, Mideast peace, Mississippi floods, no 'Governator'
Strauss-Kahn release: Former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn is expected to be released from jail Friday after being granted bail on charges related to the alleged assault of a housekeeper in a New York hotel, his attorney said. "It's a great relief to the family to be able to have him with them," defense attorney Bill Taylor told reporters outside the courtroom Thursday. He said his client was spending the night at the jail on Rikers Island before being released Friday.
The next court appearance is set for June 6. Supreme Court Judge Michael Obus granted bail on condition that Strauss-Kahn post $1 million in cash and a $5 million bond, surrender his travel documents and submit to home detention.
Obama-Netanyahu meeting: There is likely to be some tension at the White House on Friday when President Barack Obama meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the day after laying out his vision for the Middle East and North Africa. In his speech Thursday at the State Department, Obama said the pre-1967 borders of Israel should serve as the basis for negotiations in the formation of a future Palestinian state "with mutually agreed swaps, so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states."
In a statement issued in Jerusalem before his departure for Washington, Netanyahu said such borders would leave Israel "indefensible," by putting major Israeli population centers beyond those lines. Both leaders are set to make statements in the Oval Office around noon.
Mississippi flooding: The Mississippi River is expected to crest Friday at Red River Landing, Louisiana, a day after claiming the life of a 69-year-old Mississippi man.
Resignations at Japanese utility company: Tokyo Electric Power Co. President Masataka Shimizu has announced his resignation, and Managing Director Toshio Nishizawa has been tapped to replace him. Tokyo Electric is the parent company of the nuclear plants damaged by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, leading to radiation release and evacuations. The company reported a net loss of more than $15 billion Friday.
The board of directors must still approve Shimizu's resignation at a June meeting. Vice Presidents Sakae Mutoh and Makio Fujiwara also tendered their resignations.
No Schwarzenegger comic book: Comic book creator Stan Lee's company announced it would stop plans to produce "The Governator," a children's comic book and TV show based on former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's life. "In light of recent events, A Squared Entertainment, POW, Stan Lee Comics, and Archie Comics have halted production," the statement said. The statement was a revision from an earlier one that said the companies "have chosen to not go forward with the 'Governator' project."
New York jury indicts Strauss-Kahn on seven counts; court grants bail
[Updated at 3:59 p.m. ET] Strauss-Kahn has been granted bail on several conditions.
He must post a $1 million cash bail, surrender his travel documents and agree to home detention. He must also post a $5 million cash bond.
Strauss-Kahn had previously been held without bail at New York's Rikers Island prison.
[Posted at 3:41 p.m. ET] A grand jury in New York has voted to indict former International Monetary Fund managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn on seven criminal charges.
The charges are two counts of criminal sexual act in the first degree, sexual abuse in the first degree, sexual abuse in the third degree, unlawful imprisonment in the second degree, attempt to commit rape in the first degree and forcible touching.
Strauss-Kahn was arrested earlier this month and charged in connection with an alleged sexual assault on a 32-year-old housekeeping employee at a luxury suite in a Manhattan hotel.
Read CNN's full coverage of the Strauss-Kahn indictment and bail hearing
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