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King Juan Carlos is suffering his lowest ever approval ratings. Some Spaniards roll their eyes at his high-flying lifestyle and now question the future of the monarchy.

This week, the European Union gave some of its member nations more time to meet deficit-reduction targets — in other words, to ease back on austerity. The programs have crushed growth and sent European unemployment to a record high 12 percent.

Spain is deep in recession so the band waived its performance fee for the upcoming concert in Madrid. Tickets for the show now cost half as much as most of the band's other European shows, according to a Spanish newspaper.

In Italy, the youth jobless rate is nudging 40 percent, a record high in post-war history. Demographer Stefano Rosina says the Italian welfare system has always been skewed toward the middle-aged and elderly, leaving Italian youths with no political or trade union representation.

Portugal's creditors are evaluating the country's latest austerity package, which includes 30,000 public sector layoffs, to determine whether Lisbon might need a second international bailout. The Portuguese government is raising the retirement age and lengthening work weeks to try to squeeze out more revenue, and repay its bailout loans.

The deal, which totals $30 billion, includes harsh austerity measures that are unpopular among many Cypriots.

Greek lawmakers approved emergency plans to cut 15,000 government jobs by the end of next year. They have to do it in order to receive more European Union bailout funds.

Spain's jobless rate has exceeded even the most dire predictions. As Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy prepares to release a slate of economic changes, Spaniards are hoping he will heed their calls for mercy after years of budget cuts and austerity.

A third of Italians are now making pizza at home, and 19 percent are baking their own bread, an association of Italian farmers reports. Bakeries are adapting by offering prepared food, and more importantly, sandwiches.

The part of the bailout coming from Cyprus had been estimated at $23 billion, but officials say it will now cost $30 billion.