Current Issues: September

Study Guide

Overview Page 1/2● Destruction Of Temple Of Bel ● In Rowan County (Kentucky) Clerk Kim Davis refused to grant

marriage licenses to same sex couples● Tom Brady Scandal● Pope Francis “Year Of Mercy” reforms● David Letterman's Retirement ● Texas State University System has a new Idea for future students● Rick Perry drops out of the presidential race● Donald Trump U.S Statement ● Elton John talks to Putin about LGBT rights● CNN Republican Debate Party

Overview Page 2/2● Pope visits Cuba● Pope talks in front of congress and other world leaders● Scott Walker drops out of the presidential race● U.S Government Shutdown for Oct. 1● Network Banned Donald Trump● Russia's military build up in Syria ● Water is found on Mars● Boehner Resignation ● Planned Parenthood

The Temple Of Bel

On September 1, 2015 It was reported that the Temple Of Bel a culturally significant piece of architecture had been destroyed by ISIS. The Temple of Bel nearly stood for over 2,000 years.

Kim Davis 1/2

Between late June and early September, Davis refused to grant the documents to both straight and gay couples in the county. Her religious beliefs, she said, kept her from recognizing the kind of union the nation’s highest court now did. That included the unions of her gay friends

“I can't put my name on a license that doesn't represent what God ordained marriage to be," Davis told ABC News’s

Kim Davis 2/2

Davis returned to her job last week after she refused a federal judge’s order to issue marriage licenses and was sent to jail, where she spent five days. Supporters sent her fan mail and rallied outside the detention center where she was held. Republican presidential candidates Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee even traveled to visit her there.

Tom Brady 1/2 Days after a lengthy report found it was "more probable than not" that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady knew of rule-breaking, the NFL has issued its punishment: a four-game suspension for Brady and a $1 million fine for the Patriots.

Tom Brady 2/2The Patriots will also lose their first-round pick in next year's draft, along with a fourth-round pick in 2017, over the incident known as "Deflategate," in which Brady was accused of using underinflated footballs during last season's AFC Championship Game. The Patriots won that game handily and went on to win the Super Bowl.

Pope Francis: Visiting CubaPope Francis has added a stop in Cuba to his planned trip to the United States this September, a visit that will highlight his role as a peace-broker between the two countries and offer a boost to their efforts to mend relations after 50 years of rancor. Francis will make a Cuba landing in late September before his previously scheduled stops in Philadelphia, New York and Washington, where he is expected to meet with President Obama and address Congress.

Pope Francis: Speaking To CongressPope Francis, in an address to a joint meeting of Congress, encouraged lawmakers to work together to solve the problems of ordinary Americans and to show compassion for people across the globe who are suffering from war and hunger.

His message touched on some of the biggest political controversies of our day, — immigration and the migration crisis in Europe, the death penalty, abortion, the arms trade, poverty and religious extremism.

Boehner Resignation 1/2Mr. Boehner told almost no one of his decision before making it Friday morning. “So before I went to sleep last night, I told my wife, I said, ‘You know, I might just make an announcement tomorrow,’ ” Mr. Boehner said at a news conference in the Capitol. “This morning I woke up, said my prayers, as I always do, and thought, ‘This is the day I am going to do this.’

Boehner Resignation 2/2Looking poised and sounding rehearsed, Mr. Boehner became emotional as he recalled a moment alone on Thursday with Pope Francis when the pontiff asked the speaker to pray for him. Reflecting on that poignant scene and his unlikely ascent, Mr. Boehner said, “I never thought I’d be in Congress, let alone be speaker.”

Pope Francis: Abortion Pope Francis shook up the Catholic world -- again -- on Tuesday by announcing that priests around the world will be authorized to forgive the "sin of abortion" when the church begins a "Year of Mercy" this December."The forgiveness of God cannot be denied to one who has repented," the Pope said, adding that he has met "many women" scarred by the "agonizing and painful" decision to have an abortion.

David Lettermen

CBS didn't waste too much time finding a new host for the "Late Show." Exactly a week after David Letterman announced his plans to retire, his successor has been named.Stephen Colbert, the host, writer and executive producer of "The Colbert Report," will replace Letterman in 2015.

Texas State University SystemThe Texas State University System has an idea for future students busy with families and jobs: Don't even show up on campus freshman year.Starting next fall, the system plans to encourage nontraditional students to take free massive open online courses, known as MOOCs, before arriving on campus. If they take 10 courses and pass tests for college credit, students could show up at school with a year's work complete before paying a single tuition bill.

Rick Perry: Drops Out Of The Race

Former Texas governor Rick Perry is suspending his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination after failing to convince primary voters to give him a second look.We have a tremendous field — the best in a generation — so I step aside knowing our party is in good hands,’’ Perry said in remarks to the Eagle Forum in St. Louis. "As long as we listen to the grassroots, the cause of conservatism will be too."

Donald Trump: Immigration Statement Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is renewing his campaign against illegal immigration, telling a cheering crowd of thousands in Dallas that “it’s disgusting what’s happening to our country.”

He told the crowd at the American Airlines Center on Monday that the United States is “a dumping ground for the rest of the world.” And he promised Republican leaders he’s just getting started.

Fox News Vs. TrumpThe conflict began heating up again around noon on Wednesday, when Trump tweeted that he would be boycotting Fox because the network has treated him "very unfairly.""I have therefore decided that I won't be doing any more Fox shows for the foreseeable future," he wrote. But a Fox News spokesperson suggested Trump wasn't telling the full story. In a statement to CNN, Fox said "at 11:45 a.m. today, we canceled Donald Trump's scheduled appearance on 'The O'Reilly Factor' on Thursday, which resulted in Mr. Trump's subsequent tweet about his 'boycott' of Fox News."

Elton John: Phoning Putin About LGBT rightsJust days after Elton John revealed that he was keen to discuss Russia's 'ridiculous' stance on gay rights with the country's leader, the entertainer has confirmed that his requested was granted. The Candle in Wind hitmaker has revealed that president Vladimir Putin called him to discuss LGBT equality in the European nation.

CNN Republican Debate Party 1/2 2016 candidates for the Republican nomination debated foreign policy, immigration and Donald Trump attacks. CNN, the host of the debate, released a poll Sept. 20 showing how voters responded to the different candidates. Carly Fiorina, already considered the winner of the Sept. 16 debate by many political commentators, received a bump in her ratings among Republicans. Meanwhile, current frontrunner Donald Trump saw his poll numbers decrease.

CNN Republican Debate Polls

Scott Walker: Drops From The Race"Today, I believe that I am being called to lead by helping to clear the field in this race so that a positive, conservative message can rise to the top of the field. With this in mind, I will suspend my campaign immediately," Walker said at a news conference in Madison, Wisconsin.He encouraged other trailing Republican candidates to follow his path.

U.S Government Shutdown For Oct. 1The government shutdown over Planned Parenthood didn't come to fruition this time, but that doesn't mean the debate is over. Not hardly.Abortion is back at the center of American politics, and even though it looks like lawmakers will avert a shutdown over the issue on Wednesday, the drama is not likely to go away anytime soon. In fact, if a hearing Tuesday in the House is any indication, it's very possible Republican leaders simply postponed a shutdown showdown over abortion by a couple months.

Planned Parenthood: Withholding Funding 1/2

A Continuing Resolution to fund the government, minus money for Planned Parenthood, would face stiff opposition from Senate Democrats and a veto from President Obama, which could force a government shutdown. The strategy has failed at least twice on other measures, once by shutting down the government for 17 days, giving Republicans a black eye. Even GOP leaders scoff at the idea as impractical and foolish.

Planned Parenthood 1/2

At issue is the nearly $500 million Planned Parenthood receives annually in federal funding. After a series of videos released this summer showed employees of the organization discussing the sale of fetal tissue for research, possibly for profit, pro-life advocates called for Congress to defund the organization, sending the money instead to community health centers that don’t provide abortions.

Russians Military Build Up In SyriaThe warning flags that Russian forces were about to intervene in Syria’s multi-layered war have been visible for weeks – both in terms of the rapid buildup of military capability and the diplomatic choreography between Damascus and Moscow.Now that Russian jets have carried out their first airstrikes, the key questions are over the scale of the operation, and Russia’s real targets in Syria, amid evidence its military buildup is designed for a conflict far beyond the threat posed by Islamic State.

Water Found On MarsThere are still no signs of little green men, but NASA announced on Monday the discovery of proof of recent flowing liquid water on Mars. These findings boost the odds that there is life on the Red Planet."Mars is not the dry, arid planet that we thought of in the past," said Jim Green, director of planetary science for NASA. "Under certain circumstances, liquid water has been found on Mars."

Honorable Mentions●