More than a third of voters believe the Army will have to be brought in to deal with a "summer of rage" on British streets as the recession bites, a poll showed. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said rioters may target April's G20 summit in London. The widespread fear of serious unrest was disclosed as a senior police officer warned activists were planning unrest and could find rioters easier to recruit because of the credit crunch.

uk.news.yahoo.com

Solidarity Needed For Waterford Crystal Workers!

Around 100 Waterford Crystal employees are staging an unofficial sit-in at their factory's visitors' centre tonight. Earlier today workers representatives have been on the radio stating their position and are refusing to leave. On tonight's evening news they had told of angry scenes at the Kilbarry plant as the wildcat action took place to occupy the visitors centre, security guards fought with workers. Deloitte representatives had earlier confirmed, by phone, that 480 of the 670 employees have been made redundant. This scandalous maneuver by the bosses at Waterford Crystal can only but fuel anger felt by workers, their families and the community who have rallied in support of their workplace occupation. An Injury to One, Is An Injury to All!

indymedia.ie

rte.ie

More than 300 workers occupied the administrative building of Kherson Engineering Plant. During occupation no worker has injured. Factory guards did not resist seriously. The situation is controlled by elected workers council. The police has not yet appeared near the building.

livasprava.livejournal.com

Squatters are holed up in two £15 million-rated mansions on one of the country's most exclusive roads.

According to The Sun, around 20 "hippies" have set up home in the seven-storey properties in London's Park Lane, famous for its super-rich residents, luxury car dealers and hotels.

The group told the paper they spent their time strumming guitars, creating artworks and taking their dogs for walks in Hyde Park opposite.

One of the squatters, called Martin, said: "The view at sunset over Hyde Park is just magic - especially from the penthouse. I really love it here." Another, 21-year-old Meg, added: "It's much better when squatters move into a rich person's home like this, as the owner can obviously afford to have us here."

The squatters claim the properties - thought to be owned by the Duke of Westminster - have stood empty for about two years.

Martin, 27 and from South Africa, told The Sun: "There's quite a large squatters community in London and we always pass on information. We'd noticed these houses had been empty for about two years. We got in through an open basement door."

Squatting is not illegal if entry is not forced and no criminal damage is caused to the premises.

According to the paper, the properties are number 94 and 95 Park Lane. Pictures show they are unfurnished save for some basics.

Just a short stroll away are some of Park Lane's exclusive addresses - including an Aston Martin dealership, the Dorchester Hotel and celebrity haunt and restaurant Nobu...

Security forces in northwest China (Gansu province) used tear gas to quell two days of violent protests by thousands of people who used axes, chains and iron bars to attack police. At least 60 people, including police and officials, were injured during the riots. The protest was triggered by about 30 people whose houses had been demolished to make way for a new government building, in an apparent typical "land grab" case that often leads to protests in China. As the global economic slowdown hits China and thousands of workers are laid off, the Communist Party is becoming increasingly concerned that any protest might escalate into broader unrest and form a challenge to its rule.

ca.news.yahoo.com

fxstreet.com

In the Dhaka area, thousands of garment workers came out on strike over the weekend (9-10th Aug) in a new outbreak of unrest.

Two workers were assaulted overnight by security forces, after 400 mainly women workers had recently been sacked, with no warning and without receiving wages owed. Workers then attacked the security forces camp with sticks, stones and bricks. The response was rifle fire into the crowd. Workers spent the next four hours vandalisng the factory until a huge contingent of police and soldiers arrived.

On Sunday morning, 300 workers of Polonia Garments Ltd gathered in expectation of payment of owed wages. Finding the factory gates locked, thousands of furious workers from neighbouring factories began ransacking that factory and others on the Dhaka-Tangail highway. Highway traffic was blocked. 15 RMG factories and four shopping centres were also attacked as rioting continued through the day. Strikes occurred in at least three other factories. 60 factories were closed in response to the violence. Later, roving workers set fire to an RMG factory in Gazipur.

libcom.org

On July 21, some 5,000 Bangladeshi workers began indefinite industrial action in Kuwait to protest underpayment, irregular wages and a lack of access to promised facilities.

wsws.org

Chinese rescue workers are struggling to reach 30 miners, a day after they were trapped underground when the mine they were in was flooded. Six have been confirmed dead. There has been no word from the others.

news.bbc.co.uk

The protests began on 10 July in Kanmen in the coastal province of Zhejiang. Hundreds of workers - reportedly angered by a beating meted out to a colleague - attacked a police station for three successive nights.

libcom.org

Over 200 workers were arrested in Peru on July 9 as a result of a national strike to protest the high cost of living and against government repression.

wsws.org