ISRAEL - Western states aspire to be liberal and open, while Israel is withdrawing into itself. Why a president? Actually, why not a king? King of Israel. As Israel gallops toward its past, basing its existence and character on what was here (or not) thousands of years ago, we cannot rule out reinstating the monarchy: the United Monarchy and the kings. Why not a king? There’s no lack of candidates, it’s a relatively simple procedure.

USA - The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday voted in favor of advancing a proposal that could dramatically reshape the way consumers experience the Internet, opening the possibility of Internet service providers charging websites for higher-quality delivery of their content to American consumers. The plan, approved in a three-to-two vote along party lines, could unleash a new economy on the Web where an Internet service provider such as Verizon would charge a website such as Netflix for faster video streaming. The proposal is not a final rule, but the vote on Thursday is a significant step forward on a controversial idea that has invited fierce opposition from consumer advocates, Silicon Valley heavyweights, and Democratic lawmakers. The FCC will now open the proposal to a total 120 days of public comment.

USA - Oberlin College is considering a set of rules in the athletics department which would include mandatory transgender sensitivity training for all of its staff and coaches. The “Guidelines for Inclusion and Respectful Treatment of Intercollegiate Transgender Student Athletes” was developed for the college by the school’s Transgender Participation Advisory Committee, Campus Reform reported. “It is basically intended to sort of be a 101,” Emily Clarke, a junior and member of the committee, told Campus Reform. “We also talk about choice, privilege and agency in presentation of gender and pronouns and ends with trans-allyship dos and don’ts. It’s basically like, don’t question people about their transitioning processes, respect pronouns and names, don’t use ‘ladies’ or ‘gentlemen’ when addressing a group of people.” The new guidelines would replace pronouns “he/him/his/she/her/hers” with “they/them/theirs.”

JAPAN - Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called for a new interpretation of the constitution, which could pave the way for the military to fight overseas. His call came hours after a panel of advisers - picked by Mr Abe - released a report recommending changes to defence laws. Japan's constitution bans acts of war and "the threat or use of force" to settle international disputes. China has criticised the move, accusing Japan of taking "negative actions". Under Article 9 of its post-war pacifist constitution, Japan is blocked from the use of force to resolve conflicts except in the case of self-defence.

USA - With the recent revelations by NSA whistle blower Edward Snowden, it’s no secret that we live on a planet characterized by mass surveillance and virtually zero privacy. We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with the idea that we face threats, that a high level of national security is needed in order to keep us safe. Think about it, the United States pumps a large majority of their money into the Department of Defense. A state of fear, war and terror is needed to keep those funds flowing in that direction. Many people are starting to wake up and realize a lot of the so called threats we face and have been facing are largely manufactured and fabricated in order to justify a specific agenda, agendas that deal with the black budget world.

USA - Wildfires roared out of control in Southern California, forcing authorities in San Diego county on Wednesday to order thousands of people to abandon their homes, including students at a state university, though no major injuries were reported. Television images showed several homes in flames, with thick black smoke filling the sky and drifting over the Pacific Ocean, as California entered the height of wildfire season in the midst of one of the state's worst droughts on record. Officials told a news conference that nine fires had burned more than 9,000 acres in the county by late Wednesday. Fire officials fear the drought could provide the tinder for a particularly dangerous year for wildfires in the state.

RUSSIA - Russia and its allies consider Eurovision to be morally toxic after Conchita Wurst's win, and are seeking to establish their own 'Eurasian' version of the popular song contest that upholds traditional moral values. Russian lawmakers have proposed creating their own version of Eurovision after Europe's premier song competition was won by a bearded Austrian drag queen who promotes gay rights.

GRENADA, CARIBBEAN - A team of scientists is exploring the darkest corners of a huge underwater volcano in the Caribbean in the hope of better understanding the mysteries of earthquakes and tsunamis, ultimately saving lives. ‘Kick'em Jenny’ is a dangerous and active volcano sitting roughly 6,000 feet below the surface of the Caribbean Sea, and located off the coast of the island of Grenada, south of St Lucia. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the Kick'em Jenny volcano has erupted 10 times since 1939 with the most recent eruption in 1990. “This is the most hazardous part of our planet, where [tectonic] plates are head-on,” Ballard said, noting that the devastating 2011 Japanese earthquake and the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami were both underwater earthquakes.

USA - Earlier this year, a select group of Wall Street Insiders were surveyed, and the results were ominous. These financial experts and fund managers predicted a 98% chance a stock market crash will happen in the next six months. Gary Shilling, one of Wall Street’s top economists, says the S&P Index could drop as low as 800, a 42% decline. Jeffrey Gundlach, one of the world’s biggest bond fund managers and CEO of DoubleLine Capital, says the real damage is yet to come and an “ominous third phase” will “far exceed the damage of 2008.”

UKRAINE - R Hunter Biden will be in charge of the Holdings’ legal unit and will provide support for the Company among international organizations. On his new appointment, he commented: “Burisma’s track record of innovations and industry leadership in the field of natural gas means that it can be a strong driver of a strong economy in Ukraine. As a new member of the Board, I believe that my assistance in consulting the Company on matters of transparency, corporate governance and responsibility, international expansion and other priorities will contribute to the economy and benefit the people of Ukraine.” The Chairman of the Board of Directors of Burisma Holdings, Mr Alan Apter, noted: “The company’s strategy is aimed at the strongest concentration of professional staff and the introduction of best corporate practices, and we’re delighted that Mr Biden is joining us to help us achieve these goals.”

USA - It’s an insect spy drone for urban areas, already in production, funded by the Government. It can be remotely controlled and is equipped with a camera and a microphone. It can land on you, and it may have the potential to take a DNA sample or leave RFID tracking nanotechnology on your skin. It can fly through an open window, or it can attach to your clothing until you take it in your home. And for all you who automatically say “fake” because you don’t think the government is funding this… do some research.

USA - Is the petrodollar monopoly about to be shattered? When US politicians started slapping economic sanctions on Russia, they probably never even imagined that there might be serious consequences for the United States. But now the Russian media is reporting that the Russian Ministry of Finance is getting ready to pull the trigger on a "de-dollarization" plan. The fact that the Russian government has held a meeting to discuss "getting rid of the US dollar in Russian export operations" should be front page news on every mainstream news website in the United States. That is how big this is. But instead, we have heard nothing from the big mainstream news networks about this so far. If Russia starts asking for payment in currencies other than the US dollar, that will essentially end the monopoly of the petrodollar.

USA - We have previously discussed the increasing use of tasers by police in circumstances where other avenues were available, including cases involving young children. Now we have a case where two Indiana police officers tasered a 10-year-old, 94-pound boy at the Tender Teddies Day Care in Martinsville. The officers from the Martinsville Police Department responded to a report of an unruly child at a home day care location. Such calls are not uncommon, particularly with so many children with emotional or developmental problems. However, after the police arrived, they introduced tasers at Tender Teddies Day Care as witnesses watched in horror. Even the Martinsville Police Chief Jon Davis has acknowledged that his officers could have avoided using a stun gun on a child and has put the two officers on administrative leave pending investigation.

RUSSIA - A meeting this month could offer a peek behind the curtain at the countries' powerful partnership. The progression of the countries' relationship remains as steady as it is mysterious. China and Russia have learned to lean on one another, sometimes strategically, and sometimes because they require each other to keep the lights on. As Russia continues to meddle in eastern Ukraine, China has been reticent to respond despite its highly publicized interest in investment there last year. The situation is yet another telltale sign that much of this powerful alliance has been forged and maintained deep behind closed doors. The latest incarnation of Russian and Chinese leadership will meet again this month to potentially finalize details of a critical energy alliance. Such an accord will offer new clues into Russia’s apparent neo-Soviet designs and China’s desires to become a legitimate 21st-century superpower.

USA - Texas Republican Representative Lamar Smith reacted harshly to a new report detailing the crimes committed by 36,007 criminal immigrants that Immigration and Customs Enforcement released last year. “This would be considered the worst prison break in American history, except it was sanctioned by the President and perpetrated by our own immigration officials.” An internal Department of Homeland Security document revealed that last year ICE released 36,007 criminal immigrants who had nearly 88,000 convictions. The document further broke down the crimes and number of convictions – including 193 homicide convictions, 426 sexual assault convictions, 303 kidnapping convictions, and 1,075 aggravated assault convictions.