Spanish miners burn tires to cut a road during a miner's demonstration in Caborana, near Oviedo, in northern Spain on June 18. Spanish coal miners are staging a nationwide strike action organized by unions against the cash-strapped government's decision to slash subsidies to the sector this year to 111 million euros ($142 million) from 301 million euros last year. Unions argue the subsidy cuts will lead to the closure of Spain's coal mines and the loss of up to 30,000 direct and indirect jobs, since Spanish coal relies on state aid to compete with cheaper imports.

Miners fire handmade rockets at riot police officers as they defend their position after blocking a road in Cinera, near Leon, Spain, on June 19. Striking Spanish coal miners firing homemade rockets and using slingshots have clashed with authorities in northern Spain, driving officers out a town where the miners cut off a highway and railroad service.

Spanish miners throw stones towards Spanish Civil Guards in Cinera, northern Spain on June 19. Spanish coal miners burned tires and blocked roads during a mass strike to protest against subsidy cuts that they say threaten tens of thousands of jobs. Spain's cash-strapped central government has slashed subsidies to the coal sector this year to 111 million euros ($142 million) from 301 million euros last year, part of wide-ranging cuts to lower its deficit.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, left, getures toward German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels, Friday, Dec. 17, 2010. European Union leaders are changing the treaty that underpins the bloc to make room for a huge new rescue system for countries that get into debt trouble in the long term. But they aren't ready to beef up the bailout fund they have in place today.