PARIS (AFP) ― A flood of easy money courtesy of the European Central Bank made for a calm start to 2012 but a poor Spanish bond sale last week signals it may only have been a lull before the debt storm breaks, analysts warn.The ECB injected roughly one trillion euros ($1.3 trillion) into eurozone banks at auctions in December and February, helping to ease concerns banks would face a funding crunch.Some of this cash ended up in the sovereign bond markets, helping reduce the rates countries need t

Japan and China will seek to coordinate on supporting the International Monetary Fund’s effort to contain Europe’s debt crisis, Japanese Finance Minister Jun Azumi said. “Rather than make decisions independently, we’ve agreed to consult each other very closely” on financial contributions to the IMF, Azumi told reporters Saturday after meeting with Chinese Finance Minister Xie Xuren in Tokyo. The finance ministers of Asia’s two largest economies met before the Group of 20 countries gathering late

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) ― The Porsche 911, with its sloping roof line, long hood and powerful rear engine, has been a sports car-lover’s fantasy for the half century since its 1963 introduction. Its creator, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, grandson of the automaker’s founder, is dead at age 76.Porsche died Thursday in Salzburg, Austria, Porsche AG said Thursday. No cause was provided.Known as F.A. to his colleagues, Porsche headed the company’s design studio in the early 1960s when it needed a repl

CAIRO (AP) ― Egypt’s most powerful political group, the Muslim Brotherhood, announced Saturday it is nominating the head of its party as a back-up candidate for president in the face of attempts to disqualify their primary nominee.The decision to put forth a second candidate was spurred by fears that the ruling military council may use Egypt’s election committee to disqualify Islamist presidential hopefuls in order to make room for former regime officials to win.The upcoming election, slated for

BLANTYRE, Malawi (AP) ― Malawi has known rule by Britain and by a mercurial dictator. Over the last few days, however, it wasn’t clear who was leading this impoverished southern African country, as doctors disclosed Malawi’s President Bingu wa Mutharika had died but the government insisted he was only ill.In the end, Joyce Banda, who had held onto her post of vice president despite falling out with Mutharika, was sworn in on Saturday in a brief ceremony in Lilongwe, the capital. Earlier Saturday

VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia (AP) ― Zooming along at 170 mph in a fighter jet carrying thousands of pounds of volatile fuel, two Navy pilots faced nothing but bad choices when their aircraft malfunctioned over Virginia’s most populated city.Somehow, however, the student pilot and his instructor and everyone on the ground survived Friday when the men ejected from their F/A-18D jet moments before it crashed in a fireball in an apartment complex courtyard. The pilots and five on the ground were hurt, b

YANGON (AFP) ― Myanmar’s president held his first meeting with Karen rebels on Saturday, officials said, as the government intensifies efforts to bolster peace with the country’s oldest insurgent group.The meeting is the latest sign that Myanmar is keen to cement a ceasefire in the war-torn eastern state, amid pressure from the international community to end ethnic conflict as it considers lifting sanctions to reward recent reforms.Delegates from the Karen National Union (KNU) met President Thei

JERUSALEM (AP) ― Thousands of Christians gathered near Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulcher for Easter Saturday and marched in processions brimming with tradition, taking turns to pray in the site where they believe Jesus was slain and buried.Easter Saturday is a day of reflection and waiting for many Christians, who believe Jesus was crucified on Friday and rose from the dead on Sunday.“This day is very important for us. It’s the waiting for the great celebration of the resurrection,” said

Investors worry that Spain  could join the ranks of Greece, Portugal and Ireland  in asking for a bailout MADRID (AP) ― Rising concerns over Spain’s economy and its ability to handle its debts sent its cost of borrowing higher Thursday, sparking fears that Europe’s debt crisis is flaring up again after a brief respite.Spain has become the focus of investors concerns with many worried about the ability of the government to push through a big austerity program at a time when its economy is headin

The U.S. Coast Guard unleashed cannon fire Thursday at a Japanese vessel set adrift by last year's tsunami, stopping the ship's long, lonely voyage across the Pacific Ocean.A Coast Guard cutter fired on the abandoned 164-foot (50-meter) Ryou-Un Maru in the waters of the Gulf of Alaska and more than 150 miles (240 kilometers) from land, spokesman Paul Webb said. In this image obtained from the US C