Rape charge IMF leader claimed he had immunity

Dominique Strauss-Kahn declared he had diplomatic immunity and complained that his handcuffs were too tight after he was taken into custody on allegations he tried to rape a Manhattan hotel maid, court documents show.

The documents filed by prosecutors provide a chronology of statements leading to the arrest of the former leader of the International Monetary Fund, who was arrested at JFK Airport on May 14 as he tried to leave for Paris.

Strauss-Kahn, who is free on $1 million bail under house arrest at a luxury townhouse, maintains he did not attack the maid at Sofitel hotel.

The documents describe Strauss-Kahn seemingly confused as he is taken into custody.

"What is this about?" Strauss-Kahn repeatedly asked detectives.

He asked detectives whether he needed a lawyer, responded to questions about whether he is hungry (at one point saying he would "like some eggs") and complained about his handcuffs, the documents say.

About 9pm that evening, after previously declaring he had diplomatic immunity, Strauss-Kahn tells a detective that he would like to call his lawyer.

Suspected drug baron captured

MEXICAN authorities detained a former police officer accused of leading the armed wing of the violent Juarez Cartel, the government said.

Marco Antonio Guzman, who had several aliases including "El Brad Pitt," was captured on Wednesday in the US border state of Chihuahua.

Police said Guzman, 34, was behind a car bombing on June 15, 2010, that killed a federal police officer and two civilians.

Star sells Hollywood costumes

Film star Debbie Reynolds is selling off her collection of memorabilia associated with some of Hollywood's biggest stars.

Reynolds herself is Tinseltown royalty. Her collection includes the Marilyn Monroe dress lifted by a subway gust in a famous scene from The Seven Year Itch.Women defy driving ban

Activists urging women in Saudi Arabia to defy a ban on driving say some have taken to the road in a planned challenge against the restrictions.

Protester Benjamin Joffe-Walt, said a Saudi women drove around the capital Riyadh before dawn today without incident.

Web message boards set up by campaigners say other women got behind the wheel.

The campaign follows the nine-day detention last month of a Saudi woman who posted video of herself driving.

Soldiers attack Tamil meeting

Sri Lankan soldiers in uniform attacked a political meeting held by a minority Tamil party ahead of crucial council elections in the country's former war zone, a lawmaker said yesterday.

Suresh Premachandran of the Tamil National Alliance, said soldiers armed with sticks attacked a group of 30 in Jaffna.

Police recover stolen relic

Prayers have been answered for the recovery of a 780-year-old religious relic stolen from a church near Los Angeles.

Long Beach police said they had made an arrest and recovered the relic of St Anthony of Padua stolen earlier this week from St Anthony Catholic Church.