http://news.linktv.org Link TV News Videos (Filtered by topics: Austerity) en-us Tue, 21 May 2013 09:56:00 -0700 Copyright 2011 Link Media, Inc. http://news.linktv.org/videos/cross-italian-scales-st-petes-in-austerity-protest?start=0 Italian beach resort owner Marcello Di Finizio is spending his second day perched on the dome of St. Peter's Basilica to protest Italian austerity measures that he complains are ruining lives and businesses. The nation is trapped in its longest recession in decades and record unemployment rates. Tue, 21 May 2013 09:56:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/cross-italian-scales-st-petes-in-austerity-protest Protest, Austerity, St. Peter's Basilica, Italy, Vatican City, Reuters Italian beach resort owner Marcello Di Finizio is spending his second day perched on the dome of St. Peter's Basilica to protest Italian austerity measures that he complains are ruining lives and businesses. The nation is trapped in its longest recession in decades and record unemployment rates. http://news.linktv.org/videos/portuguese-flee-grim-economy-for-former-colonies?start=0 With youth unemployment near 50% and people with jobs facing pay cuts, emigration from Portugal is soaring. Many have fled the debt-battered economy for booming former colonies including Brazil, where young emigrants say they have a much better chance of living a normal life.<br /> Fri, 10 May 2013 03:04:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/portuguese-flee-grim-economy-for-former-colonies Portugal, Emigration, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Economy of Portugal, Austerity, European sovereign debt crisis, Russia Today With youth unemployment near 50% and people with jobs facing pay cuts, emigration from Portugal is soaring. Many have fled the debt-battered economy for booming former colonies including Brazil, where young emigrants say they have a much better chance of living a normal life. http://news.linktv.org/videos/spain-violent-protests-as-unemployment-hits-record-high-of-27?start=0 It started as a peaceful protest but ended in violent clashes with police after Spain announced the worst unemployment figures since records began. People took to the streets of Madrid after it was announced over a quarter of the workforce is now jobless. The violence erupted after around 1,000 demonstrators attempted to push down the police barriers between them and parliament as they called for the government to step down. Over 1,400 police were deployed to the protest which ended in 15 arrests and 14 injured officers. On Friday, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is expected to announce further reforms to tackle Spain's deficit. Report by Lisa Hartle. Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:29:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/spain-violent-protests-as-unemployment-hits-record-high-of-27 2011-2013 Spanish Protests, 2008-2013 Spanish financial crisis, Mariano Rajoy, Spain, Economy of Spain, Protest, Anti-austerity protests, European sovereign debt crisis, Madrid, Unemployment It started as a peaceful protest but ended in violent clashes with police after Spain announced the worst unemployment figures since records began. People took to the streets of Madrid after it was announced over a quarter of the workforce is now jobless. The violence erupted after around 1,000 demonstrators attempted to push down the police barriers between them and parliament as they called for the government to step down. Over 1,400 police were deployed to the protest which ended in 15 arrests and 14 injured officers. On Friday, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is expected to announce further reforms to tackle Spain's deficit. Report by Lisa Hartle. http://news.linktv.org/videos/study-austerity-programs-based-on-spreadsheet-screw-up?start=0 The government austerity programs making life a misery for millions of people in the European Union and around the world may all be the result of a mistake in Microsoft Excel, according to University of Massachusetts researchers. They found major errors in the influential Reinhart-Rogoff study, which claimed economic growth halts when public debt exceeds 90% of GDP.<br /> Thu, 18 Apr 2013 03:03:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/study-austerity-programs-based-on-spreadsheet-screw-up Carmen Reinhart, Kenneth Rogoff, Austerity, Economic growth, Economics, Microsoft Excel, Output (economics), Government spending, European Union, Debt The government austerity programs making life a misery for millions of people in the European Union and around the world may all be the result of a mistake in Microsoft Excel, according to University of Massachusetts researchers. They found major errors in the influential Reinhart-Rogoff study, which claimed economic growth halts when public debt exceeds 90% of GDP. http://news.linktv.org/videos/anger-protests-as-cyprus-bailout-deal-creates-uncertain-future?start=0 Banks in Cyprus remain closed despite a bailout deal the country's newly elected government signed with international creditors. Protests have followed the agreement which called for Popular Bank, the country's second biggest bank, to be closed down and the imposition of austerity measures. At the biggest lender, Bank of Cyprus, the chairman has handed in his resignation and the head office is being occupied by the bank staff. Al Jazeera's Simon McGregor Wood reports from the capital, Nicosia. Tue, 26 Mar 2013 10:59:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/anger-protests-as-cyprus-bailout-deal-creates-uncertain-future 2012–2013 Cypriot financial crisis, Bank of Cyprus, Cyprus, Bailout, Economy of Cyprus, International Monetary Fund (IMF), European Union, Protest, Eurozone, Nicosia Banks in Cyprus remain closed despite a bailout deal the country's newly elected government signed with international creditors. Protests have followed the agreement which called for Popular Bank, the country's second biggest bank, to be closed down and the imposition of austerity measures. At the biggest lender, Bank of Cyprus, the chairman has handed in his resignation and the head office is being occupied by the bank staff. Al Jazeera's Simon McGregor Wood reports from the capital, Nicosia. http://news.linktv.org/videos/im-off-says-borisov-bulgarian-government-quits-amid-violent-protests?start=0 Bulgaria's government has resigned amid growing public violence over high energy prices and a low standard of living. Prime Minister Boiko Borisov had tried to calm nationwide street protests. He had sacked his finance minister and promised to cut the cost of electricity which is one of the major complaints from Bulgarians who earn, on average, just over 400 euros a month. But that did nothing to deflect the anger and he resigned to parliament. Borisov said he will not participate in a government under which police beat people. There were ferocious clashes between riot squads and protesters; at least 25 demonstrators had to have hospital treatment. Even though Bulgaria's austerity measures appeared relatively tame compared to others elsewhere in Europe, nearly 12 per cent of the workforce are jobless, and frustrations boiled over when heating bills went up during the winter. There is a chance that elections scheduled for July could be brought forward. <br /> Wed, 20 Feb 2013 14:54:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/im-off-says-borisov-bulgarian-government-quits-amid-violent-protests Boyko Borisov, Bulgaria, Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Anti-austerity protests, Politics of Bulgaria, Government of Bulgaria, Electricity pricing, Police brutality, Economy of Bulgaria, Austerity Bulgaria's government has resigned amid growing public violence over high energy prices and a low standard of living. Prime Minister Boiko Borisov had tried to calm nationwide street protests. He had sacked his finance minister and promised to cut the cost of electricity which is one of the major complaints from Bulgarians who earn, on average, just over 400 euros a month. But that did nothing to deflect the anger and he resigned to parliament. Borisov said he will not participate in a government under which police beat people. There were ferocious clashes between riot squads and protesters; at least 25 demonstrators had to have hospital treatment. Even though Bulgaria's austerity measures appeared relatively tame compared to others elsewhere in Europe, nearly 12 per cent of the workforce are jobless, and frustrations boiled over when heating bills went up during the winter. There is a chance that elections scheduled for July could be brought forward. http://news.linktv.org/videos/iceland-president-says-let-banks-go-bankrupt?start=0 Iceland President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson tells Al Jazeera's Stephen Cole that Europe should let banks that are ran "irresponsibly" go bankrupt. Speaking at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Grimsson also held his country as a model of economic recovery after its near-collapse four years ago. "We didn't follow the traditional prevailing orthodoxies. And the end result four years later is that Iceland is enjoying progress and recovery." Fri, 25 Jan 2013 16:23:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/iceland-president-says-let-banks-go-bankrupt Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, Davos, World Economic Forum, Iceland, Global Financial Crisis, Icelandic financial crisis, Bank, European sovereign debt crisis, Economic recovery, Bankruptcy Iceland President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson tells Al Jazeera's Stephen Cole that Europe should let banks that are ran "irresponsibly" go bankrupt. Speaking at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Grimsson also held his country as a model of economic recovery after its near-collapse four years ago. "We didn't follow the traditional prevailing orthodoxies. And the end result four years later is that Iceland is enjoying progress and recovery." http://news.linktv.org/videos/failure-of-epic-proportions-us-treasury-nominee-jack-lews-pro-bank-austerity-deregulation-legacy?start=0 Former bank regulator William Black and Rolling Stone's Matt Taibbi join us to dissect the career of Jack Lew, President Obama's pick to replace Treasury Secretary Timothy Geither. Currently Obama's chief of staff, Lew was an executive at Citigroup from 2006 to 2008 at the time of the financial crisis. He backed financial deregulations efforts while he headed the Office of Management and Budget under President Bill Clinton. During that time, Clinton enacted two key laws to deregulate Wall Street: the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999 and the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000. Black, a white-collar criminologist and former senior financial regulator, is the author of "The Best Way to Rob a Bank is to Own One." A contributing editor for Rolling Stone magazine, Taibbi is the author of "Griftopia: A Story of Bankers, Politicians, and the Most Audacious Power Grab in American History." <br /> Fri, 11 Jan 2013 10:37:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/failure-of-epic-proportions-us-treasury-nominee-jack-lews-pro-bank-austerity-deregulation-legacy Jacob Lew, United States Secretary of the Treasury, US economy, Austerity, Politics of the United States, Wall Street, Barack Obama, Timothy Geithner, Deregulation, Bernie Sanders Former bank regulator William Black and Rolling Stone's Matt Taibbi join us to dissect the career of Jack Lew, President Obama's pick to replace Treasury Secretary Timothy Geither. Currently Obama's chief of staff, Lew was an executive at Citigroup from 2006 to 2008 at the time of the financial crisis. He backed financial deregulations efforts while he headed the Office of Management and Budget under President Bill Clinton. During that time, Clinton enacted two key laws to deregulate Wall Street: the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999 and the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000. Black, a white-collar criminologist and former senior financial regulator, is the author of "The Best Way to Rob a Bank is to Own One." A contributing editor for Rolling Stone magazine, Taibbi is the author of "Griftopia: A Story of Bankers, Politicians, and the Most Audacious Power Grab in American History." ---- President Obama is facing criticism for nominating another former Wall Street executive to become treasury secretary. On Thursday, Obama tapped his own chief of staff, Jack Lew, to replace Timothy Geithner. Lew was an executive at Citigroup from 2006 to 2008 at the time of the financial crisis. He served as chief operating officer of Citigroup’s Alternative Investments unit, a group that bet on the housing market to collapse. Lew has also long pushed for the deregulation of Wall Street. From 1998 to January 2001, he headed the Office of Management and Budget under President Clinton. During that time, Clinton signed into law two key laws to deregulate Wall Street: the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999 and the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000. On Thursday, independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont criticized Lew’s nomination, saying, quote, "We don’t need a treasury secretary who thinks that Wall Street deregulation was not responsible for the financial crisis." At a press conference at the White House Thursday, President Obama praised Jack Lew’s record. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Jack has the distinction of having worked and succeeded in some of the toughest jobs in Washington and the private sector. As a congressional staffer in the 1980s, he helped negotiate the deal between President Reagan and Tip O’Neill to save Social Security. Under President Clinton, he presided over three budget surpluses in a row. So, for all the talk out there about deficit reduction, making sure our books are balanced, this is the guy who did it—three times. He helped oversee one of our nation’s finest universities and one of our largest investment banks. In my administration, he’s managed operations for the State Department and the budget for the entire executive branch. And over the past year, I’ve sought Jack’s advice on virtually every decision that I’ve made, from economic policy to foreign policy. For more on the nomination of Jack Lew, as well as other news about Wall Street, we’re joined by two guest. William Black, author of The Best Way to Rob a Bank Is to Own One_, he’s associate professor of economics and law at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, former senior financial regulator. His recent 2446848.html">article for the Huffington Post is called "Jacob Lew: Another Brick in the Wall Street on the Potomac." We’re also joined by Matt Taibbi, contributing editor for Rolling Stone magazine, his latest piece, "Secrets and Lies of the Bailout," which we’ll talk about in a bit, author of Griftopia: A Story of Bankers, Politicians, and the Most Audacious Power Grab in American History. We welcome you both to Democracy Now! Professor Black, let’s start with you. Your assessment of Jack Lew? Well, on financial matters, Jack Lew has been a failure of pretty epic proportions, and he gets promoted precisely because he is willing to be a failure and is so useful to Wall Street interests. So, you’ve mentioned two of the things in terms of the most important and most destructive deregulation under President Clinton by statute. But he was also there for much of the deregulation by rule, and a strong proponent of it, and he was there for much of the cutting of staff. For example, the FDIC, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, lost three-quarters of its staff, and that huge loss began under Clinton. And the whole reinventing government, Lew was a strong supporter of that. And, for example, we were taught—instructed by Washington that we were to refer to banks as our "clients" in our role as regulators and to think of them as clients. He goes from there to Wall Street, where he was a complete failure. You noted that part of what Citicorp did was bet that housing would fall. That was actually one of their winning bets. But they actually made a bunch of losing bets, as well. And the unit that he was heading would have not been permissible but for the deregulation of getting rid of Glass-Steagall under President Clinton. And you saw, as an example of Citicorp, why we shouldn’t be doing this. Why would we create a federal subsidy where all of us, through the U.S. government, are on the hook for Citicorp’s gambling on financial derivatives for its own account, you know, running a casino operation? That makes absolutely no public policy sense. Then he comes into the Obama administration, and he was disastrously wrong. He tried very hard to impose austerity on the United States back in 2011, which is—he wanted, you know, the European strategy, which has pushed the eurozone back into recession, and Spain, Greece and Italy into Great Depression levels of unemployment. And this is the guy, after all of these failures, who also is intellectually dishonest. He will not own up to his role and deregulation’s role and de-supervision’s role in producing this crisis—and not just this crisis, but the Enron-era crisis and the savings-and-loan debacle. Well, Matt Taibbi, your reaction to the nomination of Jack Lew by President Obama? I think there’s a couple things. I agree with everything that Professor Black said. I think it’s—the symbolism of this choice is, I think, very important for people, just the mere fact of picking somebody from Citigroup and from that same Bob Rubin nexus that Timothy Geithner came from. And, you know, you heard Barack Obama, as he’s introducing Jack Lew, praising Tim Geithner as somebody who’s going to go down in history as one of the great treasury secretaries of all time. I think what this tells everybody is that Jack Lew is going to represent absolute continuity with the previous treasury secretary, who had a very specific agenda when it came to Wall Street. And I think we’re just going to expect more of the same, more of the same really being overt and covert support of these too-big-to-fail institutions that Lew worked for, Citigroup being the worst and most disastrous example of that kind of company. So I think it’s—the choice of somebody from that particular firm is fraught with pretty upsetting symbolism for the country, I think. I want to go back to 2010, when Jack Lew appeared before the Senate Budget Committee for a confirmation hearing after he was nominated by President Obama to head the Office of Management and Budget. During the hearing, he was questioned by Senator Bernie Sanders. SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Do you believe that the deregulation of Wall Street, pushed by people like Alan Greenspan, Robert Rubin, contributed significantly to the disaster we saw on Wall Street several years ago? JACK LEW: Senator, I—as when we discussed, I mentioned to you, I don’t consider myself an expert in some of these aspects of the financial industry. My experience in the financial industry has been as a manager, not as an investment adviser. My sense is, as someone who has, you know, generally been familiar with these trends, is that the problems in the financial industry preceded deregulation. There was an increasing emphasis on highly abstract leveraged derivative products that got us to the point that, in the period of time leading up to the financial crisis, risks were taken. They weren’t fully embraced. They weren’t well understood. I don’t personally know the extent to which deregulation drove it, but I don’t believe that deregulation was the, you know, proximate cause. I would defer to others who are more expert about the industry to try and parse it better than that. That’s Jack Lew responding to Bernie Sanders, who, when President Obama announced his nomination of treasury secretary—to treasury secretary of Jack Lew, Senator Sanders said, "We don’t need a treasury secretary who thinks that Wall Street deregulation was not responsible for the financial crisis." Professor Black? Well, I mean, we can agree that he lacks expertise in the area, but he was supposed to have expertise. This was supposed to be his area of expertise, both in his role as OMB head under Clinton, and then, of course, as being in the industry and actually implementing the fruits of this deregulation. So—and he has the history, in one sense, correct. He says the problem arose before deregulation. That’s true that derivatives were already a problem before deregulation. And so, Brooksley Born proposes to deal with the problem by having a regulation to deal with credit default swaps. And then the Clinton administration, in league with Greenspan, in league with Phil Gramm, and with one of the important architects of all of this being Jack Lew, squashes Brooksley Born to destroy the proposed regulation and to pass something, the Commodity Futures Modernization Act—talk about a dishonest phrase—that not only said, "You, Brooksley Born, cannot go forward with this particular regulation," the statute actually said, "We hereby withdraw all regulatory powers to protect the nation, period. From the federal government, from the state and local governments, we exempt you from the gambling laws. We exempt you from the boiler room laws to prevent fraudulent operations." It’s one of the most extraordinary abusive things in the world, heavily involved with AIG’s ability to produce not just the disaster at AIG, but the disaster of credit—of the CDOs that blew up a larger portion of the world. And those CDOs would not have been possible without these credit default swaps. So, this is a guy who designed the disaster, participated in the disaster on Wall Street, was made rich by it. We haven’t talked about the fact that he got a huge bonus for destroying—helping to destroy the world at Citicorp. And he got it through the bailout of Citicorp by the U.S. government. So he produces disaster, profits from the disaster, we pay him bonuses for causing the disaster, and then we have the absurdity of the president of the United States saying that this is a man with a track record of unmitigated success. It is exactly the opposite, in terms of finance. He is a worthy successor to Tim Geithner, in that he has screwed up everything substantively he has ever touched. William Black, I’d like to ask you about another aspect of Lew’s portfolio: his stance on austerity. You have raised questions in terms of his continued support of austerity measures, as opposed to efforts by the government to stimulate the economy. Could you talk about that? Yeah, and this is an irony, as well, in terms of the political aspects and Obama. So, under Lew, in his new incarnation a while back as OMB head of—for Obama, I have a piece that talks about how OMB under Obama sounds almost exactly like the tea party. So, it adopts all of their rubric about, you know, these terrible social programs, this terrible safety net and how it’s going to imperil our nation, and what we need to do is be balancing the budget—in other words, austerity. Now, had Obama succeeded in following Lew’s recommendation in July 2011, when they were trying to negotiate the so-called "grand bargain," which is really the grand betrayal of the safety net—unemployment in July 2011 was 9.1 percent. Austerity in the United States would have done just what it did in Europe. Unemployment would have surged. So, all through 2012, the election year, unemployment would have been going up well above 10 percent, quite possibly into the 11 and 12 percent range, which is where it is in Europe. Obama would have been toast; would have been no chance. He would have been crushed in the election. The Democrats would have lost control of the Senate, and such. And these folks, even today, are claiming that the failure to achieve the grand betrayal and to cut the safety net is their great disappointment. So, they not only tried to destroy themselves and the country, they are continuing to do that, and indeed, but for Harry Reid literally throwing the Obama administration’s suggestion that they do cuts to the safety net in the fireplace and burning it up, they would have gotten it as part of this interim austerity deal that was just done about eight days ago. We’re going to break, then come back to this discussion with William Black, professor at University of Missouri-Kansas City, and Matt Taibbi, Rolling Stone editor. "Secrets and Lies of the Bailout" [is] his latest piece. This is Democracy Now! Back in a minute. http://news.linktv.org/videos/food-banks-struggle-as-greece-faces-harsh-2013?start=0 Greece is entering 2013, its sixth year of recession, with record high unemployment and a bleak outlook for the year ahead. In the port city of Patras, demand at a food bank has doubled and it is pleading for donations to help more than a thousand hard-hit families.<br /> Wed, 02 Jan 2013 20:04:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/food-banks-struggle-as-greece-faces-harsh-2013 Greece, Economy of Greece, Food bank, Unemployment, Austerity, Patras, Greek government-debt crisis, Euronews Greece is entering 2013, its sixth year of recession, with record high unemployment and a bleak outlook for the year ahead. In the port city of Patras, demand at a food bank has doubled and it is pleading for donations to help more than a thousand hard-hit families. http://news.linktv.org/videos/with-monti-resignation-italian-politics-brace-for-change?start=0 Italian politics took another dramatic turn as Prime Minister Mario Monti announced he will not run for election, two days after being forced to resign. Monti was appointed to save Italy from a financial crisis a year ago, but had trouble enacting his reform policies. Sat, 22 Dec 2012 11:15:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/with-monti-resignation-italian-politics-brace-for-change Mario Monti, Politics of Italy, Prime Minister of Italy, Economy of Italy, Italy, Austerity, Al Jazeera English Italian politics took another intriguing turn as Prime Minister Mario Monti announced he will not run for election, two days after being forced to resign. Monti was appointed to save Italy from a financial crisis a year ago, but had trouble enacting his reform policies. http://news.linktv.org/videos/with-berlusconi-comeback-bid-italy-gears-for-political-ruckus?start=0 Italy is struggling to pull itself out of its economic woes, with more Italians growing increasingly frustrated with Prime Minister Mario Monti's austerity measures. Now former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, notorious for personal scandal, has thrown his hat back into the political ring. Sun, 09 Dec 2012 14:32:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/with-berlusconi-comeback-bid-italy-gears-for-political-ruckus Silvio Berlusconi, Mario Monti, Italy, Prime Minister of Italy, Austerity, Politics of Italy, Economy of Italy, Al Jazeera English Italy is struggling to pull itself out of its economic woes, with more Italians growing increasingly frustrated with Prime Minister Mario Monti's austerity measures. Now former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, notorious for personal scandal, has thrown his hat back into the political ring. http://news.linktv.org/videos/greece-gets-lifeline-after-marathon-talks?start=0 European finance ministers and the International Monetary Fund have reached a deal on an urgently needed bailout of up to 44 billion euros for struggling Greece after 12 hours of talks on measures to reduce Greek debt by 40 billion euros by 2020. "It has been a very difficult deal," said&nbsp;Eurogroup President Jean Claude Juncker. "It required very significant efforts by each and every stake holder."&nbsp; Tue, 27 Nov 2012 00:16:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/greece-gets-lifeline-after-marathon-talks Jean-Claude Juncker, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Euro Group, Greece, Bailout, Austerity, Euro, Eurozone, Economy of Greece, Finance minister European finance ministers and the International Monetary Fund have reached a deal on an urgently needed bailout of up to 44 billion euros for struggling Greece after 12 hours of talks on measures to reduce Greek debt by 40 billion euros by 2020. "It has been a very difficult deal," said Eurogroup President Jean Claude Juncker. "It required very significant efforts by each and every stake holder." http://news.linktv.org/videos/raw-video-europe-anti-austerity-clashes-rage-into-the-night?start=0 Anti-austerity protesters in Spain and Portugal continued to clash with police late into the night after a day of rallies and strikes. Rubber bullets were fired at protesters in Barcelona and in Lisbon, protesters attempted to storm the Portuguese parliament. Wed, 14 Nov 2012 19:36:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/raw-video-europe-anti-austerity-clashes-rage-into-the-night Spain, Anti-austerity protests, Portugal, Protest, 2011-2013 Spanish Protests, General strike, Europe, Austerity, Raw video, Economy of Spain Anti-austerity protesters in Spain and Portugal continued to clash with police late into the night after a day of rallies and strikes. Rubber bullets were fired at protesters in Barcelona and in Lisbon, protesters attempted to storm the Portuguese parliament. http://news.linktv.org/videos/mega-strike-european-workers-rise-up-against-austerity?start=0 Workers take to the streets as general strikes are called in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, and other European countries to protest austerity measures across the continent. Isa Soares reports. Wed, 14 Nov 2012 09:01:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/mega-strike-european-workers-rise-up-against-austerity General strike, European sovereign debt crisis, 2011-2013 Spanish Protests, 2010-2012 Greek Protests, 2010-2012 Portuguese financial crisis, Anti-austerity protests, Greek government-debt crisis, Austerity, 2008-2013 Spanish financial crisis, PIGS (economics) Workers take to the streets as general strikes are called in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, and other European countries to protest austerity measures across the continent. Isa Soares reports. http://news.linktv.org/videos/greece-carves-deeper-as-stunned-protesters-march?start=0 Get ready for more angry Athens protests. The Greek parliament has&nbsp;passed a new round of harsh austerity measures in a bid for a new handout from the Eurozone. The measures include shaving $13.5 billion over the next two years, raising the retirement age from 65 to 67, and slashing pensions by as much as 15 percent. Sun, 11 Nov 2012 23:48:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/greece-carves-deeper-as-stunned-protesters-march Parliament of Greece, Austerity, Athens, Anti-austerity protests, Economy of Greece, Eurozone, Greece, European Union, Angela Merkel, Germany Get ready for more angry Athens protests. The Greek parliament has passed a new round of harsh austerity measures in a bid for a new handout from the Eurozone. The measures include shaving $13.5 billion over the next two years, raising the retirement age from 65 to 67, and slashing pensions by as much as 15 percent. http://news.linktv.org/videos/argentinians-join-huge-anti-government-rallies?start=0 Thousands of people joined rallies in Buenos Aires and other Argentinian cities yesterday for the country's biggest anti-government protest in a decade. The protesters slammed Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's government for failing to deal with crime, inflation, and corruption. Fri, 09 Nov 2012 01:22:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/argentinians-join-huge-anti-government-rallies Argentina, Buenos Aires, Protest, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, Economy of Argentina, Austerity, Inflation, Al Jazeera English Thousands of people joined rallies in Buenos Aires and other Argentinian cities yesterday for the country's biggest anti-government protest in a decade. The protesters slammed Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's government for failing to deal with crime, inflation, and corruption. http://news.linktv.org/videos/no-end-in-sight-to-greek-unrest?start=0 Athens became an urban war zone once again yesterday as violent protests greeted the Greek government's harshest austerity package yet. With life about to get even harder for ordinary Greeks, analyst Charlie McGrath believes the country could end up in a state of civil war unless it admits it is bankrupt.<br /> Thu, 08 Nov 2012 05:45:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/no-end-in-sight-to-greek-unrest Greece, 2010-2012 Greek Protests, Athens, Greek government-debt crisis, Greeks, Molotov cocktail, Water cannon, Parliament of Greece, Tear gas, Anti-austerity protests Athens became an urban war zone once again yesterday as violent protests greeted the Greek government's harshest austerity package yet. With life about to get even harder for ordinary Greeks, analyst Charlie McGrath believes the country could end up in a state of civil war unless it admits it is bankrupt. http://news.linktv.org/videos/greece-violence-erupts-as-parliament-debates-more-cuts?start=0 Petrol bombs punctuated fierce battles among riot police and protesters outside Greek parliament rallying against severe belt-tightening measures on the government agenda. The violence erupted amid thousands of protesers in the second day of a general strike.&nbsp; Wed, 07 Nov 2012 14:06:00 -0800 http://news.linktv.org/videos/greece-violence-erupts-as-parliament-debates-more-cuts 2010-2012 Greek Protests, Greek government-debt crisis, Greece, Anti-austerity protests, Greek Police, Athens, Molotov cocktail, Tear gas, Water cannon, European sovereign debt crisis Petrol bombs punctuated fierce battles among riot police and protesters outside Greek parliament rallying against severe belt-tightening measures on the government agenda. The violence erupted amid thousands of protesers in the second day of a general strike. http://news.linktv.org/videos/uk-protesters-cry-out-against-austerity-cuts?start=0 Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of London, Belfast and Glasgow on Saturday demanding alternative solutions to Britain's austerity cuts. Many accused the government's financial policies of favoring corporations and bankers.<br /> Sat, 20 Oct 2012 11:39:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/uk-protesters-cry-out-against-austerity-cuts Anti-austerity protests, Austerity, David Cameron, Economy of the United Kingdom, London, United Kingdom, Ed Miliband, Michael Fallon, Channel 4 News Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of London, Belfast and Glasgow on Saturday demanding alternative solutions to Britain's austerity cuts. Many accused the government's financial policies of favoring corporations and bankers. http://news.linktv.org/videos/merkels-symbolic-visit-angers-austerity-hit-greeks?start=0 Greeks who are angry about austerity measures being imposed on their country by the European Union and IMF in return for a financial bailout are protesting against a visit to Athens by Germany's Angela Merkel. But CNN's Mathew Chance says the German chancellor's visit to Greece demonstrates how much she wants to keep the eurozone together. Tue, 09 Oct 2012 09:28:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/merkels-symbolic-visit-angers-austerity-hit-greeks 2010-2012 Greek Protests, Greek government-debt crisis, Angela Merkel, Greece, Anti-austerity protests, Eurozone, Athens, Riot police, International Monetary Fund (IMF), European Union Greeks who are angry about austerity measures being imposed on their country by the European Union and IMF in return for a financial bailout are protesting against a visit to Athens by Germany's Angela Merkel. But CNN's Mathew Chance says the German chancellor's visit to Greece exemplifies how much she wants to keep the eurozone together. http://news.linktv.org/videos/spanish-protestors-refuse-to-back-down-in-face-of-police-brutality?start=0 In response to police violence last week and in reaction to newly announced budget cuts, thousands took to Madrid's streets Saturday. The protest was dispersed by riot police who beat and detained demonstrators and journalists. Mon, 01 Oct 2012 09:18:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/spanish-protestors-refuse-to-back-down-in-face-of-police-brutality 2011-2013 Spanish Protests, 2008-2013 Spanish financial crisis, Anti-austerity protests, Spain, Government spending, Madrid, Protest, Police brutality, Economy of Spain, Riot control Amid anti-austerity protests throughout Spain, the government announced more than USD$50 billion in cuts to public spending. In response to the police violence throughout last week and in reaction to the 2013 budget cuts, thousands converged outside the Spanish parliament on Saturday. As expected, the protest was eventually dispersed as riot police plowed into crowds of protesters and journalists, beating and detaining many along the way. http://news.linktv.org/videos/spain-police-fire-rubber-bullets-and-beat-austerity-protestors?start=0 Police fired rubber bullets and beat protesters with truncheons at an anti-austerity demonstration near Spain's parliament in Madrid. Wed, 26 Sep 2012 09:09:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/spain-police-fire-rubber-bullets-and-beat-austerity-protestors 2011-2013 Spanish Protests, 2008-2013 Spanish financial crisis, Anti-austerity protests, Spain, Police brutality, Madrid, Austerity, Rubber bullet, Protest, European sovereign debt crisis Police fired rubber bullets and beat protesters with truncheons at an anti-austerity demonstration near Spain's parliament in Madrid. http://news.linktv.org/videos/massive-greek-anti-austerity-protest-turns-violent?start=0 Greek police fired teargas at hooded protesters hurling stones, bottles, and petrol bombs, as tens of thousands took to the streets of Athens in the biggest anti-austerity protest in months. Wed, 26 Sep 2012 08:29:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/massive-greek-anti-austerity-protest-turns-violent 2010-2012 Greek Protests, Greek government-debt crisis, Athens, Greece, Anti-austerity protests, European sovereign debt crisis, Greek Police, Tear gas, Parliament of Greece, Austerity Greek police fired teargas at hooded protesters hurling stones, bottles, and petrol bombs, as tens of thousands took to the streets of Athens in the biggest anti-austerity protest in months. Report by Sophie Foster. http://news.linktv.org/videos/pain-of-austerity-angry-greeks-face-yet-more-cuts?start=0 Greece's prime minister is trying to push through a new round of austerity measures in order to obtain a vital new cash injection from the EU. But obtaining consensus on where new cuts worth roughly 12 billion euros should come from is far from a done deal. Mon, 10 Sep 2012 10:36:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/pain-of-austerity-angry-greeks-face-yet-more-cuts Greek government-debt crisis, Antonis Samaras, 2010-2012 Greek Protests, Greece, Thessaloniki, Austerity, Coalition government, Anti-austerity protests, European sovereign debt crisis, Eurozone Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is trying to push a new round of austerity measures through parliament in order to obtain a vital new cash injection from the EU. But obtaining consensus on where the latest painful cuts should come from is far from a done deal, as leaders of the coalition government disagree about where to slash spending worth roughly 12 billion euros. Samaras's allies in the government objected to across-the-board cuts on wages and pensions and also criticized plans to trim disability benefits. At the same time, Greece's foreign lenders, who are currently in the country to assess its progress on meeting the bailout terms, also rejected parts of the austerity measures, with talks set to continue. But the fiercest opposition to the cuts have come from the Greeks themselves, as Peter Oliver reports. http://news.linktv.org/videos/greek-close-to-new-bailout-deal-but-at-what-cost?start=0 Greek leaders say they have broadly agreed the latest austerity package demanded by the EU and IMF in return for bailout cash. But some coalition members say they cannot agree to any cuts that will mean more pain for low-wage earners and pensioners. Wed, 29 Aug 2012 12:31:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/greek-close-to-new-bailout-deal-but-at-what-cost Greek government-debt crisis, Antonis Samaras, Austerity, Greece, Evangelos Venizelos, Fotis Kouvelis, Economy of Greece, European Union, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Politics of Greece Greece's political leaders say they have broadly agreed the latest austerity package demanded by the EU and the International Monetary Fund in return for bailout money, with only a few "minor, technical" details still to be worked out. But some top members of the coalition government said they could not agree to cuts that will mean more pain for low-wage earners and pensioners. ---- Greece's finance minister Yannis Stournaras said: "The package will be sealed next week and presented to the troika." But leftist and Socialist allies - both under pressure from voters to oppose a new round of austerity - were more cautious on the work left to finalize the package. Fotis Kouvelis, leader of the moderate Democratic Left party that campaigned on an anti-bailout but pro-euro platform, said he would reject any wholesale cuts to wages and pensions and that poor Greeks on already low salaries must be protected. "We are trying to avert across-the-board cuts, which I categorically oppose," Kouvelis said after the leaders of the three parties in Greece's ruling coalition huddled together to discuss the plan. "Low-income earners must not bleed any further." Socialist leader Evangelos Venizelos said the party leaders would continue talks to ensure the cuts were "balanced and just" and did not "destroy the middle class". Previous austerity packages have plunged Greece into a depression with widespread unemployment and business closures. http://news.linktv.org/videos/greece-suffers-as-europes-financial-crisis-festers?start=0 While the world's attention was diverted by the Olympics, the war in Syria, and other news over the summer, Europe's economic crisis has continued to fester. VOA's Al Pessin reports that some experts say the situation is getting worse and requires immediate and strong action that leaders do not seem ready to take. Wed, 29 Aug 2012 10:29:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/greece-suffers-as-europes-financial-crisis-festers Greek government-debt crisis, Antonis Samaras, European sovereign debt crisis, Global Financial Crisis, Greece, Austerity, Athens, Eurozone, European Union, Economy of Greece While the world's attention was diverted by the Olympics, the war in Syria, and other news over the summer, Europe's economic crisis has continued to fester. VOA's Al Pessin reports that some experts say the situation is getting worse and requires immediate and strong action that leaders do not seem ready to take. http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-082912?start=1024 <p>Rights groups warn of deteriorating conditions in Israeli prisons as Palestinian hunger strike continues, Ban Ki-moon arrives in Tehran despite Western attempts to isolate Iran, Pakistan demands immediate end to US drone strikes, and more.</p> Wed, 29 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-082912 Israel, Syrian Civil War, Non-Aligned Movement, Syria, Damascus, France, Palestinians, Tehran, Palestinian prisoners in Israel, Ban Ki-moon The declining economic situation and rising layoffs in Israel brought the Knesset Plenum into a special session today, amid reports that the government is considering tinkering with the planned unpopular price hikes, part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's austerity measures. Only about 25 Knesset members, mostly from the opposition Kadima party who called for it, showed up to the special session. http://news.linktv.org/videos/after-2500-years-could-austerity-destroy-greeces-parthenon?start=0 As Greece wrestles with its financial crisis, the state budget for cultural heritage has been slashed leading to fears that unprotected historical sites could be looted or ancient treasures left to crumble. Mon, 20 Aug 2012 16:59:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/after-2500-years-could-austerity-destroy-greeces-parthenon Greek government-debt crisis, Greece, Austerity, Athens, Economy of Greece, European sovereign debt crisis, Parthenon, Government budget, Bailout, Europe The threat to Greece's ancient monuments comes because the state budget for cultural heritage has been slashed and there are fears that unprotected sites could be looted or ancient treasures left to crumble. Greek finance officials on Monday held new talks on finalizing $14.19bn in spending cuts necessary for the country to continue receiving the international rescue loans that are protecting it from bankruptcy. Al Jazeera's Jacky Rowland reports from Athens. http://news.linktv.org/videos/greece-no-refuge?start=0 For hundreds of thousands of refugees, reaching Greece means a life away from violence and persecution. But with Greece facing harsh austerity measures and rising unemployment, anger and violence is being increasingly directed towards refugees, with the police providing little protection. Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:19:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/greece-no-refuge Greece, Immigration to Greece, Refugee, Illegal immigration in Greece, Immigration, Minorities in Greece, Golden Dawn (Greece), Greek government-debt crisis, Nikolaos Michaloliakos, Far-right politics For hundreds of thousands of refugees, reaching Greece means a life away from violence and persecution. But with Greece facing harsh austerity measures and rising unemployment, anger and violence is being increasingly directed towards refugees, with the police providing little protection. http://news.linktv.org/videos/raw-video-thousands-rally-for-social-justice-in-tel-aviv?start=0 More than 5,000 Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday to protest recently approved austerity measures and tax hikes. The "Occupy Israel" movement has been on the rise in recent months, with people becoming increasingly frustrated at the high cost of living. Sun, 05 Aug 2012 08:00:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/raw-video-thousands-rally-for-social-justice-in-tel-aviv Tel Aviv, Anti-austerity protests, Protest, Austerity, Economy of Israel, Israel, Cost of living, Benjamin Netanyahu, Self-immolation, Russia Today Students, activists and advocates for equality in military service laws joined together for a march Saturday night in Tel Aviv. More than 5,000 people gathered to protest austerity measures and tax hikes recently approved by the government. The protest movement in Israel has been on the rise in recent months, with people becoming increasingly frustrated at the high cost of living. http://news.linktv.org/videos/sudan-and-south-sudan-strike-oil-deal-end-months-of-dispute?start=0 Sudan and South Sudan have ended an oil dispute that nearly ignited an all-out war earlier this year. The freeze in the flow of oil during the dispute had a major impact on the economies and people of both countries. Sat, 04 Aug 2012 08:15:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/sudan-and-south-sudan-strike-oil-deal-end-months-of-dispute South Sudan, Economy of Sudan, 2012 South Sudan–Sudan border conflict, Sudan, Price of petroleum, Politics of Sudan, Austerity, 2011-2012 Sudanese protests, Al Jazeera English Sudan and South Sudan have ended an oil dispute that nearly ignited an all-out war earlier this year. The freeze in the flow of oil during the dispute had a major impact on the economies and people of both countries. Al Jazeera's Imran Khan reports. http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-073112?start=803 <p>Syria accuses armed rebels of committing crimes against civilians, eight killed as clashes erupt between Yemeni forces and Saleh's loyalists in Sanaa, Turkey grants Iraqi VP permanent residency, and more.</p> Tue, 31 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-073112 Syrian Civil War, Free Syrian Army, Aleppo, Syrian army, Iraq, Israel, 2011-2012 Saudi Arabia protests, US-Pakistan relations, US-Egypt relations, Sanaa The Israeli cabinet passed the controversial economic plan that calls for budget cuts and increasing taxes. Prices are set to rise tomorrow in a number of areas for items such as gasoline and alcohol, while cigarette prices already rose last week. Income taxes will also rise beginning in January 2013. However, value-added tax will stay as is for the time being due to a technicality. The new tax increases and budget cuts are expected to cost the average household an estimated 1,700 shekels a year. http://news.linktv.org/videos/raw-video-spains-jobless-protest-austerity-in-madrid?start=0 Hundreds of demonstrators from around Spain marched to Madrid to protest the country's near 25 percent unemployment rate and the government's tough austerity measures. Sun, 22 Jul 2012 09:14:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/raw-video-spains-jobless-protest-austerity-in-madrid Madrid, 2011-2013 Spanish Protests, Unemployment, Spain, Anti-austerity protests, Protest, Austerity, 2008-2013 Spanish financial crisis, Bailout, Public sector Hundreds of demonstrators from around Spain marched to Madrid to protest the country's near 25 percent unemployment rate and the government's tough austerity measures. http://news.linktv.org/videos/as-new-austerity-protests-rock-spain-is-the-country-becoming-ungovernable?start=0 Eurozone ministers have approved a huge bailout of Spanish banks Friday. But, in Madrid, police fired rubber-coated bullets to disperse protesters. They are angry at the latest budget cuts and tax hikes, as demonstrations were held in 80 cities. Fri, 20 Jul 2012 14:57:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/as-new-austerity-protests-rock-spain-is-the-country-becoming-ungovernable 2011-2013 Spanish Protests, 2008-2013 Spanish financial crisis, Anti-austerity protests, Spain, Austerity, Mariano Rajoy, Eurozone, Unemployment, Madrid, Public sector Eurozone ministers are expected to give their final approval of a huge bailout of Spanish banks on Friday. But, in Madrid, police fired rubber-coated bullets to disperse protesters. They are angry at the latest budget cuts and tax hikes as demonstrations were held in 80 cities. Al Jazeera's Paul Brennan reports. http://news.linktv.org/videos/raw-video-spanish-anti-austerity-protestors-brawl-with-police?start=0 Thousands of Spanish civil servants took to the streets Friday in angry protest as the government approved sweeping austerity measures that include wage cuts and tax increases. Sat, 14 Jul 2012 09:03:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/raw-video-spanish-anti-austerity-protestors-brawl-with-police Spain, Anti-austerity protests, 2008-2013 Spanish financial crisis, 2011-2013 Spanish Protests, European sovereign debt crisis, Austerity, Economy of Spain, Protest march, Unemployment, Sales tax Thousands of Spanish civil servants took to the streets Friday in angry protest as the government approved new sweeping austerity measures that include wage cuts and tax increases. In July, Spain will become the fourth country in the eurozone to receive bailout funds, after Greece, Ireland and Portugal. http://news.linktv.org/videos/democracy-now-july-12-2012?start=413 Today a Democracy Now! special on the life, politics, and music of Woody Guthrie, the "Dust Bowl Troubadour." Born a hundred years ago on July 14, 1912, in Oklahoma, Guthrie is best remembered as a musician, but he also had a deeply political side, speaking out for labor and civil rights at the height of McCarthyism. Plus headlines, and more.<br /> Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:58:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/democracy-now-july-12-2012 Woody Guthrie, Protest song, Centennial, McCarthyism, Mitt Romney, Syrian Civil War, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, 2011-2013 Spanish Protests, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Nawaf al-Fares Spain: Thousands Protest New Austerity Measures Thousands of people marched in Spain's capital of Madrid on Wednesday after the government unveiled a new round of spending cuts and tax hikes to obtain a rescue of the country's banks. Speaking to lawmakers, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said the $80 billion austerity measures were demanded by the European Union as a condition for an emergency bailout of Spain's banks. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy: "With the inevitable fiscal adjustment, we must take on the structural reforms our economy needs to recover its competitiveness and flexibility to generate growth and jobs. The package I present in this chamber is balanced, which combines spending cuts with the initiatives for earnings, following the recommendations of the European Council." Scores Injured as Police, Protesters Clash in Madrid After Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's speech, an estimated 70 people were injured after clashes broke out between police and protesters in the streets of Madrid. The crowd included a large turnout of coal miners, who say an end to government subsidies will kill their industry. One protester said Spanish workers are being forced to bear the brunt of Spain's fiscal crisis. Julio Novillo: "We, the workers, have to sacrifice ourselves for others — for the bankers, for those who don't pay their taxes. There is no equitable distribution of suffering over this crisis. The same people always pay: the public workers and non-public workers." http://news.linktv.org/videos/spanish-anti-austerity-protests-erupt-into-violence?start=0 There have been angry scenes in Spain after the government announced sweeping tax rises and spending cuts. Wed, 11 Jul 2012 16:46:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/spanish-anti-austerity-protests-erupt-into-violence 2011-2013 Spanish Protests, Anti-austerity protests, 2008-2013 Spanish financial crisis, Spain, Mariano Rajoy, Marcha Negra, Strike, Unemployment, Madrid, Protest march There have been angry scenes in Spain after the government announced sweeping tax rises and spending cuts. http://news.linktv.org/videos/democracy-now-july-11-2012?start=110 Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is in the hot seat over his vast personal fortune, estimated at up to $250 million. Five more corporations have severed ties with secretive right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) over its controversial policies on gun use, voter suppression, union busting, and more. And Democracy Now! hosts a debate on the legality of Israel's self-proclaimed right to build settlements throughout the occupied West Bank. Plus headlines, and more. Wed, 11 Jul 2012 11:00:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/democracy-now-july-11-2012 Mitt Romney, Mitt Romney presidential campaign, 2012, Tax avoidance and tax evasion, Tax haven, US presidential election, 2012, 2011-2013 Spanish Protests, American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), Anti-austerity protests, Israeli settlement, Israeli-occupied territories Protests have erupted in Spain over a massive new package of spending cuts and tax hikes to obtain a rescue of the country's banks. In an address to parliament earlier today, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy unveiled an austerity package of nearly $80 billion involving a new sales tax and cuts to public spending. Rajoy said the measures were demanded by the European Union as a condition for an emergency bailout of Spain's banks agreed to on Tuesday. http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-071012?start=203 After cutting half of the number of its ministerial portfolios to manage expenditures, the new Sudanese austerity government consisting of 37 members took the oath before President Omar al-Bashir, Dubai TV reports. Tue, 10 Jul 2012 17:26:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-071012 2011-2012 Saudi Arabia protests, Nimr al-Nimr, Shia Islam, Saudi Arabia, Israel, US-Pakistan relations, 2011-2012 Sudanese protests, Syrian Civil War, Ehud Olmert, Palestinian prisoners in Israel Presenter, Male #1 After cutting half of the number of its ministerial portfolios to manage expenditure, the new Sudanese government, consisting of 37 members, took the oath before President Omar al-Bashir. While the ruling party believes the new government conforms to the austerity plan to minimize the effects of the economic crisis in Sudan, others believe it doesn't bring anything new. The opposition vowed that this change will not stop it from renewing its calls to topple the regime. Sami al-Shinawi reports from Khartoum. Reporter, Male #1 It was as the ruling party desired, and was called "a slimmed-down cabinet," which preserved its old nature and some of its figures, including tribal members. It's the new Sudanese austerity government, which the ruling party says will help improve the economic crisis raging in the country. Guest Male #2 (Hasabu Mohamed Abdel-Rahman, NCP Political Secretary) This change was part of the economic measures adopted by the state with the aim of cutting down government spending. This will help us counter the economic challenges by cutting the positions of nearly 100 leaders at the federal government, including experts, advisors, as well as federal and state ministers. Reporter, Male #2 By cutting 76 ministerial posts, mostly by combining or cancelling certain positions, the Khartoum government was reduced to 37 cabinet and state ministers. The opposition believes the new makeup will not help resolve the latest economic crisis, vowing to continue to demand the downfall of the regime. Guest, Male #3 (Asmaa al-Turbai, Opposition Popular Congress) The program of the opposition will not change with the change of the government. The opposition will continue to move in the same direction. Our program is the answer to the demands of the Sudanese street. This government must leave in order to end this frightening deterioration of the country's economy and society. Reporter, Male #2 The recent economic crisis that struck Sudan due to the loss of oil revenue after the secession of the South has sparked massive protests on the Sudanese streets. Meanwhile, the Sudanese people continue to look for a way out of this suffocating economic crisis. Reporter, Male #2 The Sudanese street may not pay much attention to this newly-formed austerity government. The decisive factor that will determine the success of the ruling party's emergency rescue plans hinges on finding a real solution to the economic crisis that is threatening its survival. Sami al-Shinawi, Dubai TV, al-Khartoum. http://news.linktv.org/videos/the-sudans-one-year-later-divided-we-fall?start=0 South Sudan is celebrating its first year of independence from Sudan, but has the split brought progress or regression for the two countries? The two nations are facing border wars, internal violence and a huge loss in oil revenues. Tue, 10 Jul 2012 12:11:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/the-sudans-one-year-later-divided-we-fall Sudan, South Sudan, Politics of Sudan, Economy of Sudan, 2011-2012 Sudanese protests, 2012 South Sudan–Sudan border conflict, Anti-austerity protests, Extraction of petroleum, Austerity, Sudanese pound South Sudan is celebrating its first year of independence from Sudan, but has the split brought progress or regression for the two countries? Border wars with the north, internal violence and a shutdown of oil production are serious economic and security challenges for South Sudan. Sudan, meanwhile, has lost 75 per cent of its oil revenues in the past year. As a result, its economy is struggling with soaring inflation and depreciation of the Sudanese pound. Al Jazeera's Inside Story takes a deeper look at the two Sudans one year later. http://news.linktv.org/videos/behind-the-masks-spanish-miners-battle-police-over-austerity?start=0 Spanish miners in the northwestern provinces of Asturias and Leon, armed with homemade rockets and slingshots, have been battling police in protest against government cuts, including a slashing of subsidies in their industry. Mon, 09 Jul 2012 16:24:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/behind-the-masks-spanish-miners-battle-police-over-austerity 2011-2013 Spanish Protests, Anti-austerity protests, 2008-2013 Spanish financial crisis, Spain, Asturias, León Province, Coal mining, Strike, Fireworks, Riot police Spanish miners in the northwestern provinces of Asturias and Leon, armed with homemade rockets and slingshots, have been battling police in protest against government cuts, including a slashing of subsidies in their industry. http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-070612?start=34 Sudanese activists organized new protests dubbed "Vagabonds Friday" after President Omar al-Bashir's description of protestors as a handful of rogue vagabonds, amid unprecedented popular anger due to deteriorating living conditions, reports BBC Arabic. Fri, 06 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/mosaic-news-070612 Libyan Public National Conference election, 2012, Knesset, Libya, Jerusalem, Elections in Libya, Israel, 2011 Libyan Uprising, 2011-2012 Sudanese protests, 2011-2012 Jordanian Protests, 2011 NATO attack in Pakistan Presenter, Male #1 Sudanese activists organized new protests today dubbed "Vagabonds Friday" in response to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir's description of protestors as a handful of rogue vagabonds with no prospects. In a statement to the media in Cairo, Sudanese Tourism Minister Hassabo Abdel-Rahman said the protests witnessed in his country are normal, and expressed doubt that the Sudanese people will revolt the way they did in neighboring Egypt and Libya. Reporter, Male #2 This is the third week of protests in Sudan that is witnessing unprecedented popular anger due to deteriorating living conditions in the aftermath of the government's attempt to implement austerity measures in response to worsening economic conditions, especially after the secession of the South one year ago. Reporter, Male #2 The protests that were sparked by the students at the University of Khartoum quickly turned into a revolt against corruption, and soon afterward became a demand for the removal of President Omar al-Bashir, who has been ruling the country for 23 years. Reporter, Male #2 The opposition's political parties are insisting on repealing laws that restrict freedoms, and are calling for holding a national constitutional conference, and to get the country ready for free elections. As for the Khartoum government, it confirms that the protestors are implementing a foreign agenda, and are in the service of hostile parties. Reporter, Male #2 The government reiterated that conditions in the country are normal, as described by a Sudanese official who said the latest protests witnessed in his country cannot be compared to the uprisings of the "Arab Spring." Officials indicate that the latest government measures aim to address the inequality between the rich and poor, especially when it comes to state subsidies. Reporter, Male #2 Sudan witnessed demonstrations after the government removed the subsidies on some goods, the price of public transportation increased, and the price of oil and food doubled. Then, they started demanding an end to the rule of the Sudanese president. Some protestors also raised slogans calling for civil disobedience. Reporter, Male #2 Al-Bashir, who is known for his inflammatory statements, was quick to describe the demonstrators as a few deviants, and threatened to send those he called true warriors to deal with them. The first Friday protests were held on June 22, under the banner of "Sandstorm Friday" that security forces confronted with rubber bullets and tear gas. The second Friday protests were held on June 29, under the banner of "Elbow-Licking Friday" that security forces also responded to with force. As for the third Friday, activists called it "Vagabonds Friday," and it seems it is a response to al-Bashir's description of protestors as a handful of rogue vagabonds with no prospects. Sadi al-Dousali, BBC. http://news.linktv.org/videos/police-fire-teargas-at-sudan-anti-government-protest?start=0 Demonstrators have been calling out slogans like "down with the regime" in opposition to further austerity measures imposed by the Sudanese government. It's almost 23 years to the day that President Omar al Bashir took over leadership in a coup. Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr is in Khartoum and sent this report. Fri, 29 Jun 2012 09:21:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/police-fire-teargas-at-sudan-anti-government-protest 2011-2012 Sudanese protests, Omar al-Bashir, Tear gas, Sudan, Khartoum, Arab Spring, Austerity, Protest, Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English Demonstrators have been calling out slogans like "down with the regime" in opposition to further austerity measures imposed by the Sudanese government. It's almost 23 years to the day that President Omar al Bashir took over leadership in a coup. Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr is in Khartoum and sent this report. http://news.linktv.org/videos/spain-and-italys-troubled-banks-get-eu-bailout?start=0 Italy and Spain meet in Warsaw in the final of the euro 2012 on Sunday. And both countries will be pleased with their performance in the political arena too as the crucial EU summit goes into a final day. The deal allows bailout funds to go directly to banks without further austerity measures being applied. Fri, 29 Jun 2012 08:57:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/spain-and-italys-troubled-banks-get-eu-bailout European sovereign debt crisis, Spain, Italy, Bailout, Austerity, European Council, Eurozone, European Union, Bank, François Hollande Italy and Spain meet in Warsaw in the final of the euro 2012 on Sunday. And both countries will be pleased with their performance in the political arena too as the crucial EU summit goes into a final day. The deal allows bailout funds to go directly to banks without further austerity measures being applied. http://news.linktv.org/videos/sudan-protests-citizens-explain-their-frustrations?start=0 Sudan's government is facing growing public anger over its austerity measures. In the last two weeks, hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets over the rising food and fuel prices. Al Jazeera's Mohamed Vall reports from Khartoum. Thu, 28 Jun 2012 10:50:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/sudan-protests-citizens-explain-their-frustrations Sudan, 2011-2012 Sudanese protests, Khartoum, Anti-austerity protests, Economy of Sudan, Austerity, Politics of Sudan, Price of petroleum, Omar al-Bashir, South Sudan Sudan's government is facing growing public anger over its austerity measures. In the last two weeks, hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets over the rising food and fuel prices. Al Jazeera's Mohamed Vall reports from Khartoum. http://news.linktv.org/videos/sudanese-protests-spreading-beyond-students?start=0 Student protests in Khartoum demanding President Omar al-Bashir's ouster are picking up steam and attracting attention throughout Sudan. The demonstrations have been going on for a week in response to harsh austerity measures. Mon, 25 Jun 2012 12:05:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/sudanese-protests-spreading-beyond-students 2011-2012 Sudanese protests, Omar al-Bashir, Sudan, Khartoum, Economy of Sudan, Student protest, Anti-austerity protests, Politics of Sudan, Austerity, Student activism Student protests in Khartoum demanding President Omar al-Bashir's ouster are picking up steam and attracting attention throughout Sudan. The demonstrations have been going on for a week in response to harsh austerity measures. http://news.linktv.org/videos/raw-video-sudanese-students-revolt-against-government?start=0 This raw footage of a student protest in Khartoum, filmed on June 20, is one of many happening at universities across Sudan. The massive demonstrations are the result of growing frustrations with President Omar al-Bashir's austerity measures. Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:38:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/raw-video-sudanese-students-revolt-against-government Khartoum, Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, Anti-austerity protests, Economy of Sudan, Price of petroleum, Politics of Sudan, Austerity, Raw video, Student protest This raw footage of a student protest in Khartoum, filmed on June 20, is one of many happening at universities across Sudan. The massive demonstrations are the result of growing frustrations with President Omar al-Bashir and the rest of the Sudanese government as the country's economic conditions worsen. http://news.linktv.org/videos/new-greek-government-faces-uphill-struggle?start=0 As Greek politicians clinch a deal to form a new pro-euro coalition government, Philip Williams reports from Athens on the tough task the country's leaders now face.<br /> Wed, 20 Jun 2012 09:07:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/new-greek-government-faces-uphill-struggle Greek general election, 2012, Antonis Samaras, Greece, New Democracy, Greek government-debt crisis, PASOK, European sovereign debt crisis, Democratic Left (Greece), Evangelos Venizelos, Coalition government As Greek politicians clinch a deal to form a new pro-euro coalition government, Philip Williams reports from Athens on the tough task the country's leaders now face. http://news.linktv.org/videos/raw-video-striking-spanish-miners-fire-homemade-rockets-at-police?start=0 Striking Spanish coal workers continued to block roads and clashed with police inside a mine in the northern region of Asturias on Friday. Fri, 15 Jun 2012 17:17:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/raw-video-striking-spanish-miners-fire-homemade-rockets-at-police Spain, 2008-2013 Spanish financial crisis, 2011-2013 Spanish Protests, Anti-austerity protests, Coal mining, Riot police, Asturias, Oviedo, Miner, León Province Striking Spanish coal workers continued to block roads and clashed with police inside a mine in the northern region of Asturias on Friday. ---- Coal miners fire a rocket during a clash with Spanish national riot police in the surroundings of the "El Soton" coal mine in El Entrego, near Oviedo, northern Spain June 15, 2012. The miners were protesting against the government's proposal to decrease funding for coal production. http://news.linktv.org/videos/greece-final-pleas-to-voters-ahead-of-greece-election?start=0 Greek voters go to the polls for a second general election on Sunday, and the choices appear stark. A vote for left-leaning Syriza party could force Greece to leave the euro. But a vote for the conservative New Democracy would mean more painful austerity. Fri, 15 Jun 2012 15:55:00 -0700 http://news.linktv.org/videos/greece-final-pleas-to-voters-ahead-of-greece-election Greek general election, 2012, Greece, Alexis Tsipras, Antonis Samaras, Greek government-debt crisis, Politics of Greece, Syriza, New Democracy, Austerity, Euro Greek voters go to the polls for the second round of a general election on Sunday. The country is voting for a new government, and the choices appear stark. A vote for left-leaning Syriza party -- led by Alexis Tsipras -- would cancel the international bailout deal, a move that could force Greece to leave the euro. But a vote for the conservative, pro-euro party New Democracy -- led by Antonis Samaras -- would likely keep Greece in the single currency but at the cost of massive, painful austerity measures. Al Jazeera's Tim Friend reports from Athens.