Greece’s uncertain future — Short documentary (Video)

A short, 10-minute documentary, compiled by Brandon Jourdan and Marianne Maeckelbergh, introduces us to the current social crisis in Greece.

After six years of recession, the situation in Greece is looking increasingly dark. With widespread misery from austerity measures and budget cuts, unemployment and lowering of wages, contributing to the rise of a fascist party in Greece.

Jourdan and Maeckelbergh have compiled this short and informative documentary, showing scenes of the situation in Athens, and also interviewing many people on the state of the country, which has descended into an increasingly unpredictable situation.

The video discusses how Golden Dawn is infiltrating the police and gradually taking over the country, how people are trying to make things work by a system of barter and exchange, and how the people of Greece are trying to fight the fascist influences in their country.... as the video cannot be embedded here, please click here to view.

10's of 1000's hit UK streets in anti-austerity protest (video)

It was the UK's turn to hit the streets on Saturday in protest against austerity measures and budget cuts. Tens of thousands participated with a wide range of different groups involved.

Amidst cries of "Pay your taxes", more than 100,000 protesters poured into the streets of London, Belfast and Glasgow, angry at the Government's austerity measures which they say are killing Britain.

Protesters were blowing whistles, waving flags and banners, reading ‘Cameron has butchered Britain’, ‘cut war not welfare’, and ‘need before greed’.

The protest was led by a group of unemployed young people, nurses, teachers and off-duty policemen, along with anti-war activists and politicians. In all three demonstrations (London, Glasgow and Belfast), there was a strong trade union presence... read more and watch videos.

Video: MUTE — The visualization of an economic rape

Yiannis Biliris has created a short documentary which, with very few words, gives a clear picture of the current economic crisis in Greece. The video shows us that Greece's economic rape is turning into a social one.

Biliris was born in Athens, Greece in May 1980.

At a young age he began experimentation in filming and on graduating, attended a film-editing school. He has worked for several TV stations, editing live news and feature stories.... read more and watch short and very moving documentary.

Spaniards march against ‘authoritarian’ austerity (video)

Tens of thousands of Spaniards hit the streets in Madrid on Saturday against brutal cuts and tax hikes imposed by the Spanish government.

Spain’s ruling party, the PP (People’s Party or Partido Popular) has created a new wave of public anger, over unpopular cuts to the country's public sector services. On top of the brutal cuts, everyday living expenses like electricity, water, phone bills, clothing and haircuts all became more expensive at the start of the month after a hike in value-added tax... read more and watch video.

Anti-austerity demonstration in Portugal (video)

The streets of Portugal were filled with around 150,000 people on Saturday, rallying and protesting against a planned tax hike in the country.

Portugal's center-right government has recently announced a planned tax hike. Protesters made their opinions known in the streets of Lisbon and other cities of Portugal, chanting, "Out of here! IMF is hunger and misery!", and calling for the Portuguese government to resign.... read more and watch video.

Spanish fieldworkers union 'expropriates' food for the poor

On Tuesday, 200 members of the Andalusian fieldworkers' union, in a example of sheer civil disobedience, went to two supermarkets, filled up shopping carts, and left without paying. They then donated the food to the poor.

As austerity measures cut deeper into the lives of the Spanish people, drastic measures are being taken.

Now it is not just the 15m Indignados initiating civil disobedience, other members of the population have had enough too... read more.

Protesting miners use home-made bazookas against Spanish Police

200 miners were protesting austerity cuts yesterday in the northern Spanish village of Ciñera near León. Police used rubber bullets, protesters retaliated with their own home-made weapons.

There have been ongoing protests in several mining towns and villages in Spain, over the Spanish Government's plans to slash subsidies to the coal sector by over 60%. This would reduce subsidies from 301 million euro last year, to only 111 million this year.

According to union officials, these austerity measures could jeopardize the jobs of about 8,000 coal miners and up to 30,000 other people indirectly employed in the mining sector... read more.

Ireland year away from Greek devastation unless austerity stopped

A video interview with Richard Boyd Barrett, a member of the Irish Parliament, about the devastation of EU-enforced austerity measures.

RT interviews Barrett and asks him about the "No" campaign on the referendum on the fiscal pact with the European Union.

He explained that the pact is a European agreement, which countries are being asked to sign, that will compel governments to reduce debt and deficit payments over a long period of time (up to 10 years)... read full article and view video.

61-year-old pensioner hangs himself in Athens, Greece

In the continuing crushing austerity in Greece, yet another suicide has been reported. The 61-year-old could not carry on any longer.

The Athens Times has reported that the man's lifeless body was found hanging in a public park, not far from his home in Nikaia, Athens. A park attendant found the pensioner and also a suicide note which was in the man's pocket... read full story.

Millions protest in Spain over education austerity cuts

Most educational institutions, at all levels, closed today as teachers and students took to the streets to protest austerity cuts.

Through the recent austerity measures, the Spanish government plans to cut billions of euros from educational sector expenses.

Up to one million teachers and seven million students, from every level - elementary schools to universities - are out protesting these cuts. The strike is taking place in all but three of the seventeen regions of Spain.... read full article.

Spain: Thousands take to the streets against austerity on Sunday

Tens of thousands of Spaniards took to the streets once again yesterday in protest at the draconian austerity measures introduced by government in healthcare and education.

The latest austerity measures introduced by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy have caused devastating problems with both the healthcare and education system in the country.

With a $13 billion cut to the healthcare and education budgets, people have had enough.

Many banners in 55 cities throughout Spain read, "It's a crime to cut healthcare!" ... read full article.

The Netherlands drawn into EU crisis — may ditch the Euro

The Netherlands has been drawn into the debt crisis in Europe as the government failed to agree on budget cuts, thus casting doubt on its support for the Euro zone

Reuters reports that over the weekend, the government in the Netherlands failed to gain coalition support for its austerity plans. Elections are now planned for September and analysists have said that one of the EU's strongest economies might just bring about the demise of the Euro.

The Netherlands Prime Minister, Mark Rutte strongly advocates the Euro. He has been attempting to get the Dutch Parliament to adopt 14-16 billion Euros worth of austerity cuts in the country. This attempt is aimed at getting the Dutch budget deficit under the 3% of deficit to GDP limit which was established by the new EU fiscal agreement... read full article.

Video: Italy museum burns art to protest deadly cuts

In the latest drastic example of protests against austerity measures, an art museum director has promised to burn 3 pieces of art per week until the Italian government listens to him.

"Our 1,000 artworks are headed for destruction anyway because of the government's indifference," said Antonio Manfredit of the Casoria Contemporary Art Museum in Naples, as he set fire to the first painting on Tuesday.

Artists have given their permission for this and the first piece was by French artist Severine Bourguignon, who was in favour of the protest and watched it online.

Manfredi says he will burn 3 paintings a week from now on, in a protest he has dubbed "Art War"... read full article and watch video.