The worst fighting so far has broken out in the Ukrainian city of Odessa. Pro-Ukrainian nationalists attacked pro-Russian separatists that had occupied several buildings. As many as 40 people died in the riots, and there is fear that Russia may use the violence as a reason to intervene. The riots were in response to a more vigorous attempt by the Kiev government to control its territory more completely. In a more encouraging sign, pro-Russian separatists released the monitors from the OSCE that had been held hostage for several days.
The World Bank has just published a report that China’s economy will soon be larger than the US’s economy. The US has had the largest economy in the world since 1872, but there is little question that the Chinese economy will inevitably be much bigger. Curiously, the Chinese government has disputed the projection, arguing that there are methodological problems in the study. The real reason for the Chinese demurral, however, is that China does not wish to be identified as the largest economy because many would then expect China to shoulder a larger burden in maintaining the global economy. Apparently, China does not wish to carry the burden of being a hegemon–it identifies its primary task as taking care of its domestic economy.
The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) has reached the US. The new coronavirus is more prevalent in the Middle East, but a traveler from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, flew to London, then to Chicago and then boarded a bus to Indiana. The virus is quite lethal (out of 401 patients, 93 have died), but it does not appear to be highly contagious.
World Politics News 
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