Everyday Breaking News

Anti-austerity protests erupted throughout Europe on Wednesday -- Greek medical doctors and railway employees walked out, Spanish employees shut down trains and buses, and one guy even blocked the Irish parliament using a cement truck to decry the country's enormous standard bank bailouts.

Tens of a large number of demonstrators marched through the streets of Brussels toward European Union architectural structures in bright red, green and blue labor union jackets, aiming to reinforce the impact of Spain's first nationwide strike in eight years.

Strikes or protests were also getting place Wednesday in Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Slovenia and Lithuania, all aimed at the budget-slashing, tax-hiking, pension-cutting austerity strategies that European governments have implemented to attempt to control their debt.

The march in Brussels was getting place just as the EU Commission proposed new penalties to punish member states that have operate up deficits, generally to fund social programs in a time of substantial unemployment. The proposal, backed by Germany, is operating into powerful opposition from France, which wants politicians to decide on sanctions, not rigid principles alone.

"It is a bizarre time with the European Commission to be proposing a regime of punishment," John Monks, basic secretary of the European trade Union Confederation, told linked Press television News. "How is that going to make the circumstance better? It is going to make it worse."

Anti-austerity protests erupted across Europe on Wednesday -- Greek doctors and railway employees walked out, Spanish workers shut down trains and buses, and one man even blocked the Irish parliament with a cement truck to decry the country's enormous bank bailouts.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched through the streets of Brussels toward European Union buildings in bright red, green and blue labor union jackets, aiming to reinforce the impact of Spain's first nationwide strike in eight years.

Strikes or protests were also taking place Wednesday in Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Slovenia and Lithuania, all aimed at the budget-slashing, tax-hiking, pension-cutting austerity plans that European governments have implemented to try to control their debt.

The march in Brussels was taking place just as the EU Commission proposed new penalties to punish member states that have run up deficits, mainly to fund social programs in a time of high unemployment. The proposal, backed by Germany, is running into strong opposition from France, which wants politicians to decide on sanctions, not rigid rules alone.

"It is a bizarre time for the European Commission to be proposing a regime of punishment," John Monks, general secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, told Associated Press Television News. "How is that going to make the situation better? It is going to make it worse."Anti-austerity protests erupted across Europe on Wednesday -- Greek doctors and railway employees walked out, Spanish workers shut down trains and buses, and one man even blocked the Irish parliament with a cement truck to decry the country's enormous bank bailouts.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched through the streets of Brussels toward European Union buildings in bright red, green and blue labor union jackets, aiming to reinforce the impact of Spain's first nationwide strike in eight years.

Strikes or protests were also taking place Wednesday in Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Slovenia and Lithuania, all aimed at the budget-slashing, tax-hiking, pension-cutting austerity plans that European governments have implemented to try to control their debt.

The march in Brussels was taking place just as the EU Commission proposed new penalties to punish member states that have run up deficits, mainly to fund social programs in a time of high unemployment. The proposal, backed by Germany, is running into strong opposition from France, which wants politicians to decide on sanctions, not rigid rules alone.

"It is a bizarre time for the European Commission to be proposing a regime of punishment," John Monks, general secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, told Associated Press Television News. "How is that going to make the situation better? It is going to make it worse."