International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn has resigned from his post after being arrested on sexual assault charges. The now former IMF chief is being held in a New York City jail with Jane Krakowski, Martin Short and Ludacris. (UPDATE: CityBeat has been notified by representatives of Jane Krakowski that she IS NOT AND HAS NEVER BEEN in jail with Martin Short and/or Ludacris. We apologize for our intern’s mistake.) Strauss-Kahn’s resignation has set off a heated debate over who should succeed him as head of the powerful world financial institution. —-
Al Qaeda has released a posthumous audio recording by Osama bin Laden during which he heaps praise on the revolutions sweeping through the Arab nation and called for Arab “tyrants” to be brought to the sword of justice. The message was recorded a week before his death and included in an Internet video more than 12 minutes long and posted on Islamist websites. “The sun of the revolution has risen from the Maghreb. The light of the revolution came from Tunisia. It has given the nation tranquility and made the faces of the people happy,” the speaker, who sounds like bin Laden, said. Bin Laden also calls on young Arabs to consult “those of experience and honesty” and to set up a framework that would allow them to “follow up events and works in parallel … to save the people that are struggling to bring down their tyrants.”
In his first response to revolts in the Arab world, President Barack Obama has promised U.S. aid to nations that support democrac and erase any doubt that the U.S. supports the call for change. Obama ,during a Middle East Speech today, was expected to defend new sanctions on Syrian President Bashar Assad and drive home his message for the repressive leader: Embrace democracy or get out. And change. Obama also announced aid for Egypt and Tunisia, the two nations seen as models for success while protests for freedoms elsewhere had been crushed. Obama plans to forgive roughly $1 billion in debt owed by Egypt to free up money for job-creating efforts there.
California-based crazy man Harold Camping predicts that the world will end on May 21. The 89-year-old Camping, the head of Christian radio network Family Stations Inc., previously said that Jesus Christ would walk the Earth in 1994. If he did, he didn’t do it in front of a camera. Camping is sure of this prediction that an apocalypse will ensue May 21.
The Chicago Bulls failed to stop a late surge by LeBron James in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals, losing 85-75 at home. The series is now tied at 1-1.
The Pirates ended their five-game losing streak against the reds last night at the Great American Ball Park. Charlie Morton earned only his second career shutout for the Pirates in the team’s 5-0 win over the hapless Reds.
This article appears in May 18-24, 2011.