Thousands protest Italy's new budget

Thousands of workers have protested in Rome and other Italian cities against the government's new budget. The demonstrations took place alongside a nationwide strike, which has brought many transport services to a grinding halt. The government says its spending cuts will be good for Italy in the long run, but unions say those cuts, especially to transport budgets, will only bring more hardship. They also claim that reforms to the struggling job market are not happening quickly enough. And they are opposed to a new property tax, which replaces two existing taxes, but protesters say leaves them no better off. Al Jazeera's Sonia Gallego reports from Rome.