With the UK riots dominating the world news agenda, how are global newspapers and TV channels reporting the unfolding events?
The New York Times reported Londoners were “stunned” over the riots just months after the Royal wedding and Harry Potter dominated headlines around the world.
The paper was surprised at unarmed police being deployed on the city's "front lines" and seemed baffled at the restraint shown by the Metropolitan Police in handling the rioters.
European press are fearful of similar riots across the continent in the wake of the financial crisis, growing unemployment and social unease amidst spending cuts.
Die Welt in Germany blamed the benefits culture and said countries had lived beyond their means - and other European countries could face similar riots.
In China, the English edition of the Global Times in Beijing said western democracies are “at their wit's end”.
The editorial reads: “The world has been shocked by two recent events: the US debt crisis and the escalating riots in Britain. The most advanced democracy is in deep trouble but seems unable to do anything about it.
“China is one of many countries long targeted by Western criticism. It is reproached by the West for its every frustration, making many Chinese people believe domestic problems are China's systematic fault while admiring Western powers.
”However, the troubles in the US and Britain, the Norway mass killing and the protests in Israel against high living costs show that the Chinese actually does not have enough understanding of the ups and downs of an industrialized society.”
The press in Iran were quick to report British Police were being 'heavy handed' with protestors.
The media, including state-run Press TV, took pity on the rioters, blaming high levels of unemployment, cuts and the weak economy for the reason they were on the streets.
And on Wednesday, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad urged the U.N. Security Council to take action over the rioting in Britain, arguing it was hypocritical in its reaction to such events in the aftermath of the Arab Spring.
Iran also issued a security warning to visitors traveling to the UK.
Egyptian blogger and activist Mosa'ab Elshamy was quick to point out Egyptian protestors took to the streets for quite different reasons.
“Egyptians and Tunisians took revenge for Khaled Said and Bouazizi by peacefully toppling their murdering regimes, not stealing DVD players”, he tweeted.
Back home. Peter Wilson of the Australian newspaper said the scariest thing about the unified mobs was their “unpredictability” as they ran riot across the capital.
He said there was no political cause or common motivation, but that people on drugs, anarchists, and the greedy and selfish had all joined together to loot.
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