We begin with the rising danger of war between North and South Korea, and the dilemma which this situation poses for President Obama. While China and Russia renounce the U.S. dollar, Israelis and Palestinians utter their disappointment with the lack of American leadership in the Middle East.
We continue with a report on Ireland’s inevitable decision to be bailed out by Europe, showing that a “deep divide of two almost irreconcilable camps” exists in Europe. While we can safely predict that the euro will survive, the “two camps” might give way to the prophesied emergence of a core Europe, consisting of ten nations or groups of nations.
Newspapers write about Germany’s “astounding growth,” but at the same time, reports of possible terror attacks in Germany are causing fear and concern; and such reactions might have undesirable consequences for the country in the long(er) run.
The pope’s confusing statements about condoms have raised unrealistic hopes of a change in Roman Catholicism; the pope’s new comments about Pius XII have angered Jewish leaders; and the pope’s recent letter to Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad raises questions as to the Vatican’s ambitions in the Middle East.