IMF chief charged with sex attack

The leader of the International Monetary Fund, a possible candidate for president of France, was pulled off a plane in New York moments before it was to depart for Paris and arrested over sex attack allegations involving a hotel maid.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, 62, was arrested on charges of a criminal sex act, attempted rape and unlawful imprisonment. He was taken off the Air France flight at John F Kennedy International Airport yesterday afternoon by police officers.