China has launched its first aircraft carrier, joining 9 other nation-states with such a vessel. Carriers are probably the most complex military weapons ever developed and it will be some time before China develops the manpower to use it effectively. Nonetheless, the capability inherent in a carrier signals a dramatic increase in Chinese power. Given the current dispute with Japan, one can be certain that the launching raises the tension in East Asia.
Spanish protests against the austerity measures demanded by the European Union, the European Central Bank, and the IMF turned violent today. In such cases, it is always difficult to determine what changed the peaceful protest into a violent one, but we will get more information as the days pass. But one of the most important states in Spain, Catalonia, is going to hold a referendum on whether to secede from Spain, a move that the Spanish military has declared will be treated as “treason.” The stakes in Europe continue to get higher and international financial markets are beginning to show strain.
Global Post ran a story on President Obama’s speech to the UN General Assembly and then compiled a number of tweets from the Middle East about the speech. The tweets make for fascinating reading.
World Politics News 
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