20,000 in Greece protest austerity cuts

Greece's private creditors signaled progress late Tuesday on a debt-relief deal but crucial talks between Greek coalition leaders about forcing more austerity upon a hostile public were again postponed. Anger flared on the streets of Athens as more than 20,000 protesters marched through the Greek capital and unions called a general strike Tuesday against the new cuts in jobs and spending. The strike halted trains and ferries, closed down schools and banks and put state hospitals on short staffing.

Cracks found in A380 • Australia's Qantas Airways said Wednesday it was temporarily grounding one of its Airbus A380 superjumbos after discovering dozens of hairline cracks in its wings during a maintenance inspection.

Falkland Islands dispute • Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez says she will formally complain to the U.N. Security Council over Britain's sending one of its most modern warships to the Falkland Islands.

Russia denies threatening Qatar • Russia's U.N. ambassador denied reports that he threatened that Qatar could be "wiped off the map" during contentious negotiations over a Syrian peace resolution last week.

Cruise captain remains under house arrest • An Italian court refused Tuesday to lift an order of house arrest for Francesco Schettino, the captain of Costa Concordia cruise ship that ran aground off a Tuscan island last month. The court in Florence rejected two requests: one from prosecutors to jail Schettino and another from Schettino to be freed.

Air France hit with strike • Hundreds of Air France flights were canceled Tuesday — including 40 percent out of Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport — and the disruption is expected to get worse during a union strike over labor rights.

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