BRUSSELS (AP) ― One of the defining images of Europe’s two-year-old debt crisis is that of the French and German leaders, side by side on a podium presenting their latest strategy for the continent.But the underlying message of this image ― former foes presenting a united front as the 17 countries that use the euro face their biggest crisis since World War II ― may now be under threat.Standard & Poor’s downgrade last Friday of France’s creditworthiness to “AA+” leaves Germany as the only large e

SINGAPORE (AFP) -- A black maternity dress accentuates the football-size bulge in Cassandra Cheong’s abdomen, proudly proclaiming her status as an imminent mother of a “dragon baby.”Cheong, 26, has been carrying her daughter for 38 weeks and is due to give birth after Jan. 23, the start of the Year of the Dragon which comes every 12 years in the Chinese almanac and traditionally triggers a baby boom in Asia.“Of course I am happy,” a smiling Cheong told AFP after emerging from her gynecologist’s

LAGOS (AP) ― Labor unions ended a crippling nationwide strike in Nigeria after the country’s president partially restored subsidies that keep gasoline prices low, though it took soldiers deployed in the streets to stop demonstrations in Africa’s most populous nation.Union leaders claimed a victory on Monday for labor, saying this would allow its leaders to guide the country’s policy on fuel subsidies in the future. But the newly agreed price of about $2.27 a gallon is still more expensive than t

ASTANA (AP) ― Weekend elections have determined that Kazakhstan’s parliament is no longer a one-party chamber, but international observers say the vote failed to meet democratic standards.Authoritarian President Nursultan Nazarbayev had called the snap election in November, so Kazakhstan could proceed further along the path of democracy, he said.According to preliminary results announced Monday, Nazarbayev’s Nur Otan party won 80.7 percent of the vote, with two other parties achieving slightly m

ROME (AP) ― Italy’s cruise liner tragedy turned into an environmental crisis Monday, as rough seas battering the stricken mega-ship raised fears that fuel might leak into pristine waters off Tuscany that are part of a protected sanctuary for dolphins, porpoises and whales.The ship’s Italian operator accused the jailed captain of causing the wreck that left at least six dead and 29 missing, saying he made an “unapproved, unauthorized maneuver” to divert the vessel from its programmed course.Earli

WASHINGTON (AP) ― President Barack Obama and his family are marking Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with a volunteer service project at a local school.The Obamas joined other volunteers Monday morning at the Browne Education Campus in the District of Columbia.After greeting volunteers, the president and his family helped build bookshelves in the school’s library.This is the third year in a row the Obamas have participated in a service project on King’s holiday.Washington is home to the Martin Luther

DUBLIN (AP) _ A famed entrepreneur who was once rated Ireland's richest person was declared bankrupt Monday as a bank pursues him for debts exceeding (euro) 2.1 billion ($2.7 billion).Lawyers for tycoon Sean Quinn withdrew his opposition to a Republic of Ireland bankruptcy order sought by the former

BRUSSELS (AP) _ Rating agency Standard & Poor's said Monday it has downgraded the creditworthiness of the eurozone's rescue fund by one notch to AA+, putting the fund's ability to raise cheap bailout money at risk.The downgrade follows ratings cuts for AAA-rated France and Austria, whose financial g