Egypt is becoming more independent from the United States.  “The Muslim Brotherhood’s election platform called for a reworked relationship with Washington based on ‘independence of decision’ and an end to ‘subordination’” (CNS News, August 22, 2012).

The polarizing debate of whether or not the Australian states should “go it alone” on the issue of homosexual marriage rose to the fore last week as rallies were held in most major cities by those who want to change the definition of marriage.  State premiers from South Australia and Tasmania along with the Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory (where the country’s federal government is located) threw their weight behind efforts to legislate and legalize homosexual marriage.

Tensions between Israel, Iran and Lebanon are heating up.

Many assume that Greece will be forced to leave the EU and that Spain and Italy must follow.  This could leave Germany with a trillion euro liability—something few Germans want their nation to be responsible for.  Experts and the European press are starting to suggest that the only really feasible option for Germany may be for it to leave and let the EU “sink or swim” on its own (Telegraph, August 21, 2012).

Spain and Portugal are experiencing one of the worst forest fire seasons in recent history.  Forest fires have consumed three times as much area in Spain (January 1-August 5) as they did last year.  Fires also rage fiercely in Spain’s Canary Islands.  About 10 percent of the island of La Gomera has burned, including a quarter of a UNESCO World Heritage nature preserve.  Thousands have been evacuated (BBC, August 14, 2012).