AP - Greece has reached a tentative agreement on new austerity cuts demanded by creditors to release a euro130 billion ($173 billion) bailout, hours before a crucial meeting of finance ministers in Brussels, Prime Minister Lucas Papademos' office said Thursday.

AP - The number of people seeking unemployment aid neared a four-year low last week, a positive sign that strong hiring could continue in the coming months.

AP - Stock markets extended gains and the euro struck a two-month high against the dollar Thursday after the Greek Prime Minister's office said a deal has been struck with coalition parties on new cuts that are necessary for the country to get crucial bailout funds.

AP - Pentagon rules are catching up a bit with reality after a decade when women in the U.S. military have served, fought and died on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan.