EUROPEAN UNION

Greek political leaders said they had clinched a deal on economic reforms and spending cuts needed to secure a second bailout, but eurozone finance ministers demanded more measures and a parliamentary seal of approval. Finance ministers of the 17-nation eurozone meeting in Brussels warned there would be no immediate approval for the rescue package.

The euro and Asian shares pulled back Friday as investors remained concerned about prospects of restructuring Greece's debt and global lenders demanded more steps even after it struck a long-awaited deal on fiscal reforms.

Tanks amassed outside opposition neighborhoods in Homs Friday as Alawite-led forces bombarded the Syrian city for the fifth day and residents expected a major push to subdue the center of revolt against President Bashar al-Assad's rule

President Barack Obama assured Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti on Thursday that the United States will do whatever it can to help stabilize the situation in the euro zone, which he said demanded a more muscular approach to fighting its debt crisis.

Greece's debt crisis on Thursday dominated the first day of Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti's visit to the United States, as he urged the International Monetary Fund to be more lenient with Athens in bailout talks to prevent a big potential explosion.

The Czech National Bank launched an iOS app that will help people tell if their cash is counterfeit or not. It's marketed to tourists who may not know what real Czech cash and coins look like. Using the camera on an iPad, iPod or iPhone, the app can tell if the security elements are in the right place or even there at all.

Greek political leaders clinched a long-stalled deal on Thursday on harsh austerity measures and reforms required to secure a second international bailout in two years but the country's financial backers reacted skeptically.

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi opened the door on Thursday to helping Athens indirectly after Greek politicians finally signed up to an austerity package following days of dither and delay.

The plans underscore concerns in the eurozone about debt and a potential relapse into recession.

India is highly dependent on Persian oil and may not heed demands from the west that it buy its crude elsewhere.

Gold prices rose 1 percent on Thursday as the euro rallied to a fresh two-month high against the dollar after Greece clinched a deal with European Union and IMF leaders needed to avoid a messy default.

Following days of exhausting political drama, high-level brinkmanship and stern rhetoric in both public and private statements, the red-eyed leaders of Europe's leading financial institutions reached a deal Thursday with Greece's governing coalition to impose further austerity measures on that country in exchange for a €130 billion bailout ($172.56 billion).

Furthermore, the department likely will approve a consortium led by Apple and Microsoft to purchase Nortel Networks patents for $4.5 billion.

Singapore enjoys close relations with both the U.S. and China.

Greek leaders clinched a long-stalled deal on reforms and austerity measures needed to secure a bailout and avoid a messy default, government sources said, hours before the country's financial backers were to meet in Brussels on Thursday. The euro and European stocks strengthened on news of the breakthrough.

The European Central Bank held interest rates at a record low on Thursday, seeing tentative signs of economic stabilization, but refused to say what part it might play in averting a ruinous Greek default.

Stock index futures slipped on Thursday as Greek leaders had not yet reached a deal on fiscal reforms and ahead of policy decisions from the Bank of England and the European Central Bank and data on the U.S. labor market.

European stock markets and the euro extended two months of gains on Thursday as Greece edged closer to a bailout deal and investors bet a brace of central bank meetings would offer further support for the move into riskier assets.

The rally in the euro and European shares advanced on Thursday as Greece edged closer to a bailout deal and on expectations the Bank of England and the European Central Bank will maintain support for the move into riskier assets.

More than three quarters of U.S. company bosses think that the federal government did not do its part to effectively deal with the implications of the global economic crisis.

Asian shares struggled but the euro recovered on Thursday, as markets were left without a clear direction after Greek political leaders failed again to conclude a deal for a bailout package, which Athens needs to avoid a messy debt default.