September 2013 Current Events: Business News. Here are the key events in business and science news for the month of September 2013. *. Weak Job Report Raises Doubts (Sept. 6):According to the Labor Department, 169,000 jobs are added in August, slightly less than the monthly average over the last year. Meanwhile, unemployment decreases from 7.4 percent in July to 7.3 percent in August. However, unemployment continues to decrease for the wrong reason, because more people have dropped out of the labor force, and not because they have found jobs. Adding to the uncertainty, job growth estimates for July and June are revised to be less than what they were originally reported.

September 2013 Current Events: Disasters & Science News. Here are the key events in Science and Disasters news for the month of September 2013. *. Colorado Floods Leave Thousands Stranded (Sept. 12):Flash floods around Boulder, Coloradocause massive damage, cutting off highways, destroying at least 19,000 homes and killing at least eight people. University of Colorado's main campus is closed and five hundred students and staff members are ordered to evacuate. The flooding is due to heavy rains producing record levels of rainfall. Officials expect the death toll to rise.(Sept. 15):More rain in the area complicates the rescue effort. The death toll rises to six people. More than 800 people are unaccounted for in Boulder and Larimer Counties. During a CNN Television interview, Colorado Governor John W. Hickenlooper says, "There are many, many homes that have been destroyed. A number have been collapsed, and we haven't been in them yet. So we're still dealing with that. How do we save lives first?" *. Massive Fire Destroys Jersey Shore Boardwalk (Sept. 12):A fire destroys the Jersey Shore boardwalk nearly a year after Hurricane Sandycaused massive damage to the same area. The fire begins at an ice cream shop before spreading over six-blocks, taking out at least 20 businesses. The Funtown Pier, the same pier that was damaged by Hurricane Sandy, is immersed in flames. The fire wipes out months of rebuilding and recovery from the hurricane. At a news conference, New JerseyGovernor Chris Christie calls the blaze "unthinkable" and admits that when he heard the news, "I said to my staff, 'I feel like I want to throw up.'"(Sept. 17):Officials declare the fire an accident. The investigation determines that the fire was caused by faulty electrical wiring, which may have been damaged by water and sand during Hurricane Sandy last fall. *. Massive Storms Hit Both Coasts in Mexico (Sept. 12):Hurricane Ingrid, coming from the Pacific, and Tropical Storm Manuel, coming from the Gulf of Mexico, hit Mexicoat the same time. The two storms cause flooding in several towns and cities. Major highways are cut off. Heavy rains cause deadly landslides. More than 120 people are killed. Thousands are left homeless. The government declares the storms, which are some of the most damaging in decades, a national emergency. As the storms continue, stranded tourists have to be airlifted from Acapulco to Mexico City. Although several hotels in Acapulco are not damaged from flooding and mudslides, power failures and destroyed highways make getting food and other provisions to tourists impossible. At least 40,000 tourists are stranded in Acapulco. *. Magnitude 7.7 Earthquake Kills at least 327 (Sept. 23):A 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Baluchistan, an area of deserts and mountains in Pakistan. The earthquake causes hundreds of mud houses to collapse on residents. At least 327 people are killed. The earthquake is the worst in the country since 2005 and is felt throughout South Asia. Hundreds of soldiers from Pakistan's army are airlifted to help in the rescue effort. The earthquake hits Pakistan while the country is still in mourning over the deaths of more than 80 Christians in the suicide bombing of the All Saints Church in Peshawar.

September 2013 Current Events: U.S. News. Here are the key events in United States news for the month of September 2013. *. Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams Win the U.S. Open (Sept. 8-9): Rafael Nadalbeats Novak Djokovicin four sets (6–2, 3–6, 6–4, 6–1) to win his second U.S. Open Men's Singles Championship. Serena Williamsis tested in a tough three set match (7–5, 6–7, 6–1) against Victoria Azarenka for the U.S. Open Women's Championship. It is Serena's fifth U.S. open win and her seventeenth major singles title. *. Colorado Recalls Pro-Gun Control State Senators (Sept. 10):Voters in Coloradothrow out of office Democrats John Morse and Angela Giron for their support of recently enacted gun-control laws that mandate background checks on private gun sales and limit magazine clips to 15 rounds. The election draws national attention not only for the ouster of the officials but also for the influx of money on both sides, from the National Rifle Association and New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, a gun-control advocate. *. Gunman and 12 Victims Killed in D.C. Navy Yard Shooting (Sept. 16):Former Navy reservist Aaron Alexis, 34, kills 12 people at the Washington Navy Yard, near the U.S. Capitol. Alexis, who had been employed at the base by a military subcontractor, is killed in a shootout with police. *. Government Heads Toward a Shutdown (Sept. 30):The Senate rejects a Republican bill that will fund the government but delay the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The rejection increases the chance of a government shutdown at midnight because the spending bill must pass to fund the government. With just hours left before the deadline, the Senate votes against the spending bill, which the House approved over the weekend. The bill will delay the Affordable Care Act for a year and eliminate a tax on medical devices that would cover some costs of the new health care program. The Senate's rejection sends the bill back to the House. However, Republicans in the House show no signs of backing down on the bill. Speaker John Boehnersays on the House floor, "The House has done its work. We passed a bill on Saturday night — sent it to the United States Senate — that would delay Obamacare for one year, and would eliminate permanently the medical device tax that is costing us tens of thousands of jobs that are being shipped overseas." Boehner also says that the health care law "is not ready for prime time." The impact of a possible U.S. government shutdown is already being felt by the world's financial markets as stocks fall around the globe.

September 2013 Current Events: World News (part 2 of 2): *.Somalian Militants Terrorize Luxury Mall (Sept. 21):Shabab militants attack an upscale mall in Nairobi, killing nearly 70 people and wounding about 175. The siege continues with persistent fighting between government troops and militants. The attack is meticulously planned, and the militants prove to be challenging for the government to dislodge from the Westgate mall. Shabab, based in Somalia, says the attack is in retaliation for the Kenyan military's role in helping Somalia battle the militant group. In the wake of the violence, the ICC suspends the trial of Deputy President William Ruto so he can return to Kenyaand assist in managing the crisis. *. Bo Xilai Is Sentenced to Life in Prison (Sept. 22):Chinese politician Bo Xilai is sentenced to life in prison. Eastern China's Jinan Intermediate People's Court finds him guilty of embezzlement, accepting bribes, and abuses of power, including a failed attempt to stifle the murder allegations against his wife. During the trial, Bo pleads not guilty, contesting every allegation. After the verdict, Bo's associates say that he will likely appeal his sentence. Bo's wife, Gu Kailai, is currently serving a suspended death sentence, the equivalent of life in prison, for the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood. *. Historic Christian Church Destroyed by Taliban (Sept. 23):Two suicide bombers linked to the Taliban attack the All Saints Church in Peshawar, killing more than 80 people and destroying the historic church. It is the deadliest attack against Christians in Pakistan's history. Shiites, also a religious minority in Pakistan, have also been targeted by the Taliban in the past year. The attack prompts many to question if the government should move ahead with plans to begin negotiations with the Taliban. *. Iranian President Takes Steps to Thaw Relations with the West (Sept. 20):In an opinion article in theWashington Post, Iranian President Hassan Rowhanisignals his willingness to engage the international community to forge mutually beneficial relationships. Such diplomacy, he says, means "engaging with one's counterparts, on the basis of equal footing and mutual respect, to address shared concerns and achieve shared objectives." He offers to mediate between the Syrian government and the opposition and reiterates that the country intends to pursue nuclear power for peaceful purposes. "Mastering the atomic fuel cycle and generating nuclear power is as much about diversifying our energy resources as it is about who Iranians are as a nation, our demand for dignity and respect and our consequent place in the world."(Sept. 26):Rowhani's charm offensive continues on his trip to the U.S., where he addresses the UN General Assembly. His speech notably lacks the anti-Israel bluster of his predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and he is careful to refrain from making statements that will raise eyebrows at home or expectations by the West. He repeats his earlier claim that Iran will never seek nuclear weapons but will continue to pursue uranium enrichment for peaceful purposes. He also suggests that the U.S. and Irancan come to agreement on Iran's nuclear program within six months. In another remarkable turn, Rowhani calls the Holocaust "reprehensible." The statement further illustrates how Rowhani is steering a markedly different course from Ahmadinejad, who denied the Holocaust on several occasions. Many observers are disappointed that President Obama and Rowhani didn't shake hands at the UN. Still, expectations for future talks and progress on the intractable nuclear issue remain high.(Sept. 27):Obama speaks with Rowhani in a historic phone call. It is the first time the leaders of the United States and Iran have talked in 34 years. The phone call lasts 15 minutes. During the call, the two discuss an ongoing effort to reach an agreement over Iran's nuclear program.

September 2013 Current Events: World News (part 1 of 2): Here are the key events in world news for the month of September 2013. *. President Obama Seeks Approval for Military Action Against Syria (Sept. 1): President Obamasurprises many when he announces that he will seek Congressional approval for military action against Syria. The military action will be in response to the chemical attack that killed 1,429 people last month. In a televised address, Obama calls Syria's alleged use of chemical weapons "an assault on human dignity." He also says, in the address, that a failure to respond "could lead to escalating use of chemical weapons or their proliferation to terrorist groups who would do our people harm. In a world with many dangers, this menace must be confronted."(Sept. 4):The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee votes, 10 to 7, to authorize military action in Syria. In the following days, Obama attempts to rally support for the strike, but both the public and Congress expresses increases reluctance for military action.(Sept. 9):A diplomatic solution is back on the table after U.S. secretary of state John Kerrysuggests half-heartedly that a strike can be averted if Assad agrees to hand over all chemical weapons. Russiatakes the proposal seriously. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov says, "If the establishment of international control over chemical weapons in the country will prevent attacks, then we will immediately begin work with Damascus. And we call on the Syrian leadership to not only agree to setting the chemical weapons storage sites under international control, but also to their subsequent destruction."(Sept. 12):Syrian foreign minister Walid al-Moallem also embraces the option. "We are ready to reveal the locations of the chemical weapon sites and to stop producing chemical weapons and make these sites available for inspection by representatives of Russia, other countries and the United Nations," he says in a statement on Sept. 12. It is the first time the Syrian government acknowledges it has chemical weapons. Given the uncertainty of Congressional authorization, diplomacy will spare Obama a potential rebuke that can undercut his authority for the remainder of his presidency.(Sept. 15):Russia and the U.S. reach an agreement that Syria must provide an inventory of its chemicals weapons and production facilities within a week and either turn over or destroy all of its chemical weapons by mid-2014. If the government fails to comply, then the UN Security Council will take up the issue. The timetable is extremely aggressive; such disarmament typically takes years, not months. While the agreement delays a Congressional vote on a military strike, the U.S. keeps that possibility on the table. "If diplomacy fails, the United States remains prepared to act," Obama says. *. Kenya's Deputy President Denies Charges of Crimes Against Humanity (Sept. 11):Kenya's Deputy President William Ruto pleads not guilty to charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court in early September 2013. The charges stem from the violence that followed the 2007 election. President Kenyatta is scheduled to appear before the court in November. Days before Ruto appears at the ICC, parliament votes to withdraw from the court. *. United Nations Confirms Use of Chemical Weapons in Syria (Sept. 16):The UN confirms in a report that the chemical agent sarin was used near Damascus on Aug. 21. "Chemical weapons have been used in the ongoing conflict between the parties in the Syrian Arab Republic, also against civilians, including children, on a relatively large scale," the report says. "The environmental, chemical and medical samples we have collected provide clear and convincing evidence that surface-to-surface rockets containing the nerve agent sarin were used." The report does not indicate who was responsible for launching the attack.(Sept. 18):Russia denounces the UN's report, calling it incomplete. In a statement broadcast on Russian television, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei A. Ryabkov says, "We think that the report was distorted. It was one-sided. The basis of information upon which it is built is insufficient."(Sept. 26):The five permanent members of the Security Council agree on a resolution that requires Syria to hand over its stockpile of chemical weapons. If Syria fails to comply, then the Security Council will reconvene to determine repercussions, which could include military action or sanctions. Meanwhile, the fragile coalition of opposition groups further splinter, when 11 rebel groups announce that they will no longer recognize the Syrian National Coalition, the dissident leadership that is based in Turkey. Instead, the groups say they will work together to establish sharia, or Islamic law, in Syria. The move signals the rising power of groups affiliated with al-Qaeda.