“Life in the oceans is in catastrophic decline with the number of fish, seabirds and marine mammals having halved since 1970… The report, based on analysis of more than 600 studies and assessments of 1,234 marine species, says that the average size of populations declined by 49 per cent between 1970 and 2012” (The Times, September 16, 2015).

“With its $17.7 billion takeover of Cablevision, the European company Altice solidified its position as a bold new player in the fast-consolidating American cable market. And its executives promised on Thursday that this was just the beginning of the company’s empire building in the United States, noting the potential to acquire other cable companies and even mobile networks” (New York Times, September 17, 2015).

“Japan and the United States staged a naval show of strength off Tokyo Bay on Sunday as they flashed a pair of powerful, flat-deck warships perhaps just days before the U.S. Navy plans to challenge disputed Chinese claims to territory in the nearby South China Sea” (USA Today, October 19, 2015).

At least eleven people died and over a million people were evacuated to avoid 15-foot-high tsunami waves, after an 8.3 magnitude earthquake struck off the cost of Chile in mid-September (Reuters, September 17, 2015).

On September 17, 2015, Time Magazine ran an article entitled: “Pope Francis and the New Roman Empire.” The article stated, “Francis’ strategy is bold, both on the world stage and within the Vatican. First, he is injecting himself into high-level diplomacy by taking controversial positions on the biggest issues of the day… In the Middle East, the Pope has alternately pleased and disappointed all sides. His push for the Iran nuclear deal bolstered the White House but angered Israel.