Jailed IMF chief under pressure to quit

Dominique Strauss-Kahn faced growing pressure to quit as head of the IMF on Wednesday after his arrest and detention in a New York jail on attempted rape charges. The arrest, while dashing his prospects for the French presidency, has also raised a broader question over the future of the world economic body. Developing countries, looking to a succession, have questioned Europe's hold on the post.
-- Geithner says Strauss-Kahn not in a position to run IMF
-- Emerging nations challenge Europe's hold on top IMF job
The United States, the IMF's biggest shareholder, said Strauss-Kahn was clearly unable to go on running the global lender from a prison cell, whatever the eventual outcome of the allegations of sexual assault on a New York hotel maid. China, Brazil and South Africa questioned Europe's right to the International Monetary Fund job but Europeans said it made sense for them to retain the post while the Fund plays such a crucial role in helping to ease the eurozone debt crisis.
Strauss-Kahn, who denies the charges, is expected to remain in New York's Rikers Island jail, known for gang violence, at least until his next court appearance on Friday, when lawyers may again request bail. Any trial could be six months away. A law enforcement source said he had been placed on suicide watch, but purely as a precautionary measure.
A lawyer for the maid, a 32-year-old widow from the West African nation of Guinea with a 15-year-old daughter, said she had not been aware of Strauss-Kahn's identity until a day after the alleged attack. "She didn't have any idea who he was or have any prior dealings with this guy," Jeffrey Shapiro, a New York personal injury lawyer, told Reuters.
The IMF said it had not been in touch with Strauss-Kahn since his arrest but it would be important to do so "in due course". Two IMF board sources told Reuters the board would ask Strauss-Kahn whether he planned to continue in his post. But emerging countries are starting to flex their muscle over who should succeed Strauss-Kahn, who had been expected to leave soon anyway to run for French president. China said on Tuesday the selection of the next IMF boss should be based on "fairness, transparency and merit". It marked the first time that China, the fund's third largest member, weighed in early and so publicly on an IMF selection debate.