IMF Head Accused of Sexually Assaulting Maid at NYC Hotel

Harold Cunningham/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and a man considered a likely French presidential candidate, was taken into custody by police on Saturday at a New York airport after a hotel maid said he sexually assaulted her.

Authorities said a maid at a midtown Manhattan hotel told police that Strauss-Kahn stepped out of the bathroom naked as she was cleaning the room and assaulted her.

Strauss-Kahn was taken into custody aboard an Air France jet at John F. Kennedy International Airport, just as the doors were closing to take off on a flight to Paris.

Detectives from the New York Police Department picked up the IMF president from Port Authority police and took him to east Harlem for questioning at the department’s Special Victims Unit.

Strauss-Kahn faces a charge of attempted rape.

NYPD officials notified Port Authority police of the allegations against Strauss-Kahn and asked that they "take him off the plane," Deputy Police Commissioner Paul Browne told ABC News.

Port Authority detectives did so moments before the flight's departure, Browne said.

Browne said the maid notified hotel managers of the alleged assault and the hotel contacted police, who arrived at about 1:30 pm.

"She reported the attack to hotel officials who called police," Browne said.

When police arrived they found Strauss-Kahn's cell phone, Browne said.

"It appeared he left in a hurry," he said.

Authorities said the hotel maid's account "is credible."

According to senior police officials Strauss-Kahn has no diplomatic immunity, despite his position with the IMF, which makes him technically an administrative official with the United Nations.

On Sunday the IMF issued a statement saying that it had no comment on the case and that “the IMF remains fully functioning and operational.”

Copyright 2011 ABC New Radio

'Sweet Micky' Sworn in as President of Haiti

THONY BELIZAIRE/AFP/Getty Images(PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti) -- From pop star to the presidential office, that’s the journey Michel Martelly has travelled.

On Saturday, Martelly, 50, was sworn in as president of Haiti, a country still dealing with the devastation that resulted from the January, 2010 earthquake. Martelly, also known as “Sweet Micky,” was inaugurated in a ceremony held in front of the crumbled National Palace in Port-au-Prince. Among the guests at the ceremony was former U.S. President Bill Clinton, the United Nations Special Envoy to Haiti.

During the ceremony there was a minor hiccup in the form of a power outage, however, the swearing-in was eventually able to take place with the presidential sash being placed on Martelly, and perhaps earning him the new nickname “President Micky,” which is his current Twitter moniker.

On April 4, it was announced that Martelly had defeated Mirlande Manigat in the race for president.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Fighting Cholera and Dirty Water in Earthquake-Ravaged Haiti

Thinkstock/Getty Images(PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti) -- On Saturday, former carnival singer Michel Martelly takes over the presidency of Haiti as that country continues to struggle with water-borne diseases like cholera following the catastrophic earthquake that hit the country in 2010.

Five thousand people have died in Haiti from cholera since the outbreak began in October 2010, according to United Nations officials.

World Water Relief, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, is a small group of dedicated humanitarians trying to fix the problem of dirty water in Haiti by installing clean water systems, but even more effectively by teaching kids how to wash their hands. So far, World Water Relief's cholera prevention program has taught basic hygiene classes in 100 schools and has reached 30,000 students in Haiti.

Although millions of dollars were donated in the terrifying aftermath of the earthquake, the country has still not significantly recovered.

"When I started going to down to the [region] doing medical mission work, I quickly realized that you can treat all these problems with medicine, but the real problem is that people don't have access to clean water," Dr. Kevin Fussell, vice chairman of the board for World Water Relief told ABC News.

Globally, more than 3.5 million people die each year from waterborne illnesses like cholera, according to World Water Relief. More than 80 percent of those who die from those diseases are children.

A deadly outbreak of cholera struck Haiti in October 2010, stemming from the unsanitary conditions that continue to plague Haitians.

"We were in Haiti [in fall 2010] when the cholera epidemic broke out, so it was really important to teach kids really basic hygiene," Tim Douglas, an education coordinator for World Water Relief, told ABC News. That involved teaching "when to wash your hands, how to wash your food, use a latrine, clean the latrine -- really basic stuff. But you realize it's difficult to do there, because you want to wash your hands but there's no clean water."

World Water Relief buys water filtration systems from a company called PURAUV, which sells ultraviolet water filtration systems. It installs large, 300-gallon tanks so that even if electricity cuts out, the purified water will flow out through the force of gravity.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Shanghai Implements 'One Household, One Dog' Policy

Chris Amaral/Thinkstock(SHANGHAI) -- China’s most-populated city is seeking to cut down on its dog population, by implementing a new rule which calls for a maximum of one dog per family.

The “one household, one dog” policy is scheduled to take effect in Shanghai on Sunday and applies to local city residents, as well as to foreign residents. According to Shanghai Municipal Government officials, the only people exempted from the rule are families who already have licenses for more than one dog.

City officials say approximately 140,000 of the city’s dogs are licensed, while at least 600,000 dogs are not licensed.

New city regulations will see licensing fees cut by 75 percent, dropping down to 500 yuan ($77), which officials hope will encourage dog owners to have their pets licensed.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

6.0 Earthquake Strikes Costa Rica

Jason Reid/Thinkstock(SAN JOSE, Costa Rica) -- A 6.0 magnitude earthquake rocked Costa Rica Friday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The quake hit the Central American country at 4:47 local time near the country's capital city, San Jose.

USGS has not immediately reported injuries, casualties or damage as a result of the quake.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Syrians Demand Change in Face of Military Crackdown

KARIM SAHIB/AFP/Getty Images(JABIR, Jordan) -- Syrians calling for democracy once again defied a brutal military crackdown to take to the streets by the thousands across the country. However, the death toll was far lower than it has been on past Fridays, when demonstrators have been protesting following midday prayers.

Despite reported orders from President Bashar al-Assad to his forces to not fire on demonstrators, a human rights activist said at least three people were killed and warned the number may tick higher as reports emerge.

This Friday was called the "Friday of Free Syrian Women," coming days after one of Assad's closest aides claimed the regime had the upper hand in the two-month uprising, adding that she believe the worst was over.

Friday's protests proved the opposite, a leading activist said, pointing to the fact that the masses came out despite the omnipresence of army tanks and soldiers.

"I think it's amazing what happened today," Wissam Tarif, director of the human rights group Insan, told ABC News in a telephone interview. "We're talking about the army everywhere, security apparatus suppressing people for eight weeks, 11,000 people arbitrarily detained, schools being turned into detention camps. And they still went. I think the regime got shocked today."

The United Nations said Friday it believes the civilian death count to be between 700 and 850. Activists said 10,000 or more have been rounded up, specifically men between 15 and 50, who make up the bulk of the protesters.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Thailand Busts Animal Trafficking Network

Paula Bronstein/Getty Images(BANGKOK) -- Anti-trafficking officers at Bangkok International Airport have hit pay dirt with the discovery of rare baby animals hidden in the suitcases of a man bound for Dubai. They found two leopards in the luggage, a bear in a bag, a pair of panthers and matching monkeys. All were sedated in the various pieces of baggage belonging to a 36-year-old man from the United Arab Emirates.

Agents had tracked the suspect since he was observed purchasing animals on the Thai black market. Authorities believe the individual was part of a larger wildlife trafficking network and a search is now on for accomplices.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Wife of Egypt's Ex-Leader, Suzanne Mubarak Detained

Ralph Orlowski/Getty Images(CAIRO, Egypt) -- In addition to the large protests in Cairo Friday, Suzanne Mubarak, the wife of ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, has been detained for 15 days as part of a corruption investigation. She is the last of the immediate family to be held. 

On the same day of her detention, BBC reports that Suzanne Mubarak suffered a heart attack.  The 70-year-old is now in an intensive care unit, but it is unclear what will happen to her next.  A source tells Egyptian newspaper Al Ahram that she will be moved to Qanater prison in Cairo.

Her husband also reportedly suffered heart trouble on the day of his detention weeks ago. Hosni Mubarak, who's detention was just extended another 15 days, is currently being treated at Sharm el-Sheikh hospital under house arrest.  Officials say that he will be moved to Tora once his health improves.

Sons Gamal and Alaa have also been held for weeks and currently in custody at Cairo’s famous Tora prison.

Investigators are holding the family to determine whether the Mubarak's wealth was acquired illegally as a result of Hosni Mubarak's 30 year rule.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio 

Porn Found in Osama Bin Laden Evidence Trove

AFP/Getty Images(ABBOTTABAD, Pakistan) -- A "huge stash" of pornography was found among the trove of evidence seized from Osama bin Laden's Abbottabad compound by U.S. Navy SEALs, according to a report confirmed by ABC News.

An official tells ABC News the material was found in bin Laden's bedroom, apparently stored in a wooden box.

The discovery of the pornographic videos is just the latest in a steady stream of information gleaned from evidence obtained by the SEALs during the mission that killed bin Laden nearly two weeks ago, from invaluable intelligence on al Qaeda operations to embarrassing personal revelations about the terror leader.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Japanese Businessmen Trade Suits for Hawaiian Shirts, Sandals

BLOOMimage/Getty Images(TOKYO) -- The Japanese are ditching traditional suits and ties for Hawaiian shirts and jeans at work.

In a country where the black suit and tie is virtually a workplace uniform, a call for no ties and short-sleeve shirts is cause for news. On Thursday, Japanese officials took the call a step further, green-lighting T-shirts, jeans and sandals in the office.

The look is dubbed "super cool biz;" it's the government's campaign slogan to promote energy conservation in light of the power shortage triggered by the Fukushima nuclear disaster. The push for business casual comes as Japan braces for an uncomfortably hot summer where air conditioning will be in short supply.

When the earthquake and tsunami crippled Fukushima's reactors, they reduced energy supply to major cities like Tokyo. On Friday, the operator of another nuclear plant began shutting down two of its reactors -- a move made after questions were raised about earthquake safety. With those two plants now out of commission and more than half of Japan's nuclear plants halted for inspection, the country faces the prospect of a serious power shortage in the peak summer months.

Japan has promoted "cool biz" for years now. The program began six years ago to cut down on carbon emissions. Air conditioning at offices was turned down, inside temperatures set to a sweltering 82 degrees, and workers were given permission to suit up in short-sleeved button-ups and ditch the jackets. The campaign has helped slash millions of tons of greenhouse gases and they've helped retailers make millions selling "cool biz" wear, including underwear that helps soak up sweat. With looming power shortages, the government has added the "cool biz" wear to include jeans and sandals this year, though shorts and flip flops still won't be allowed.

Workers will begin revealing the new look at the beginning of June. There is not yet a separate dress code for women.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio