BBC News with Gaenor Howells

Police and protesters in Greece have fought pitched battles outside parliament in Athens as MPs debated another round of (austerity measures). Police fired tear gas at demonstrators who hurled stones, petrol bombs and flares. Several buildings were set ablaze. One person at the demonstrations, Thomas Lamaris, explained why he was protesting.

"Mainly we're against our politicians. They decide for us without asking us. They don't make elections. They don't make the referendum. They don't give a damn about the people."

Parliament is expected to vote in the next few hours on further (budget cuts) needed if Greece is to secure billions of dollars more in bailout money from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. Mark Lowen, in Athens, sent this assessment.

In reality, the bailout package is likely to pass because the coalition commands a large majority of MPs inside the parliamentary chamber, so even if there is a rebellion of sorts, it will probably still win the majority approval. But all eyes really among Europe are on Athens tonight because if Greece were to declare (bankruptcy), to potentially leave the euro, then the whole ideological basis of the European project could start to unravel. This is where Europe's sovereign debt crisis began about two years ago, and once again tonight, Athens is taking centre stage.

The Arab League has decided to ask the UN Security Council to (set up) a joint peacekeeping mission to end the violence in Syria. The decision was taken at a meeting of Arab League foreign ministers in Cairo. From there, Jeremy Bowen reports.

The meeting ended without a news conference, but a (statement) was circulated that contained the Arab League's toughest language so far about the Syrian crisis. It remains to be seen how much of it will turn into concrete action. The statement called for the opening of communications and the financing of the Syrian opposition. It also called for a (peacekeeping force) approved by the UN to supervise a ceasefire, but without detailing the kind of force the Arab League had in mind. Perhaps they couldn't agree on that. But the fact that the league is even considering a peacekeeping mission into an Arab country shows the Assad regime's isolation.

An Iraqi government official has told the BBC that al-Qaeda and other militant groups have moved some of their activities away from Iraq and into Syria. The Deputy Home Minister Adnan al-Asadi said Iraq had noticed a decrease in the number of (militant attacks) because al-Qaeda had instructed its followers to move to other countries, including Syria.

Salvage workers in Italy have begun pumping fuel from the cruise liner Costa Concordia, which ran aground off Tuscany (a month) ago. There were more than 2,000 tonnes of oil and diesel in the tanks of the stricken vessel, and environmentalists say a fuel leak would be disastrous. Plans to carry out the pumping operation had previously been delayed partly because of bad weather. Seventeen people died when the ship hit a reef and capsized, and another (15) are missing, presumed dead.