Europe
Image: Woodleywonderworks at Flickr

If you haven't been paying close attention to the European crisis, now would be a really excellent time to start, as next week is going to be pivotal and exhausting, and potentially hellacious.
What's happening?
Basically it all leads up to a big December 9 (Friday) summit, which might result in some kind of new economic/stability framework for Europe, wherein the players agree to cede some budget sovereignty with the assumption that if they do this, the ECB will provide a funding backstop for Europe.

However, before Friday there are other big days, including Monday, when Merkel and Sarkozy are expected to produce some kind of stability framework to prepare for Friday's summit.

Then on Thursday, the ECB will make its second interest rate decision since Mario Draghi took over. Right now, a cut in rates (reversing Trichet's disastrous hikes) is expected. The big question is whether or not Draghi will signal some future ECB role in ending the crisis in exchange for action on the fiscal front.
Every week in Europe has been tense, but because of the magnitude of the discussions -- namely serious changes in Economic oversight and the role of the ECB- this week is a biggie.

Credit to Lorcan Roche Kelly, the Chief Europe Strategist of Trend Macrolytics for identifying this as the "Week From Hell."