News

As EU nations met in Wales to discuss the ISIS crisis in Iraq, former Israeli president Shimon Peres met with Pope Francis at the Vatican. Mr. Peres’ aim was to encourage the Pope to create “a ‘United Nations of Religions’ to counter the rise of religious extremism” (The Times, September 5, 2014). “Mr.

Today, on Thursday, September 18, 4.29 million registered voters living in Scotland will be able to vote on the question “Should Scotland be an independent country?” The prospect of an independent Scotland has sent shockwaves through the rest of the United Kingdom, and around the world. If the Scots vote “Yes,” Great Britain will, at a stroke, cease to exist in the form we have known for more than 300 years. What does this vote portend for the UK and the world?

“A new athletic program at Robert Morris University in Chicago is offering scholarships for videogamers—to play on the school’s League of Legends team” (The Wall Street Journal, September 1, 2014). The University is giving creative scholarships in order to counter its declining enrollment.

“Deadly flooding has affected more than one million people in Pakistan, officials said Wednesday.” Tens of thousands have been rescued and hundreds of thousands remain stranded (AFP, September 10, 2014).

Russia is moving further away from the “West” politically, militarily and monetarily. “Russia and China pledged on Tuesday to settle more bilateral trade in rouble and yuan and to enhance cooperation between banks… we’re going to encourage companies from the two countries to settle more in local currencies, to avoid using a currency from a third country [the U.S. dollar]” (Gulf News, September 9, 2014).