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The article urges the U.S. government to raise its financial transactions tax (FTT) in order to limit the effects of unfair trading, increase revenue and help reduce income inequality.

The article offers information on the issues regarding U.S. credit card interest rates and also mentions the Loan Shark Prevention Act, as the new legislation that impact as to help driving the market away from consumers with low credit scores.

The sale of the robo advisor represents a $1.6 billion dollar vote of confidence for all financial advisors, says Riskalyze CEO Aaron Klein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles published in previous issues including one related to high rating of the Kia Sorento sport utility vehicle (SUV); another related to natural disasters resulting in resulting loss of electricity; and one on concept of cashless society.

As large credit unions look to expand under the NCUA’s new field of membership rule, they should be required to comply with additional bank rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It's easy to hate the mounds of email in your inbox. I'm quite the contrarian. With the right approach, you can close deals, hire amazing talent and connect great people. Here's how I've done it, while maintaining Inbox Zero. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expanding the definition of a credit union's "common bond" so that it is essentially meaningless appears to be the direction the industry and its regulator are headed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents world news briefs for the week of February 18, 2013. Israel has sent warplanes into Syria, officially starting to participate in the Syrian Revolution ongoing since 2011. Chokri Belaid, a Tunisian opposition politician, was assassinated, leading to protests. Schools in Mali reopened following the French ousting of Islamist militias that had occupied the country.

The article discusses the occurrence of child abuse and sex crimes in Israel's conservative orthodox community that has brought the attention of outside authorities. Charges of incest, rape and child abuse have been reported in four of Israel's different orthodox communities. The Israeli national police force has conducted raids in Haredi communities such as Bnei Brak, and authorities are being called to investigate cases of molestation and rape.

The article presents a profile of Benjamin Kahn, an Israeli businessman who has devoted himself to preserving the coral reefs of Eliat in the Red Sea. The reefs were damaged by fish farms in the area, and Kahn's legal battle to have the fish farms dismantled is recounted. His family connections to aquarium parks and the study of marine biology are also noted.

The article discusses the state of Israel's use of its army to evict Jewish settlers from Palestinian territories. One of the obstacles to peace between Israelis and Palestinians, the settlers are scheduled to be evicted and relocated within Israel. Many of the soldiers assigned to evict them have religiously motivated qualms about doing so and it is questionable whether the plan to dismantle all such settlements is politically feasible.

This article examines the controversy surrounding the plea bargain deal offered by Israeli Attorney General Menachem Mazuz to Israel President Moshe Katsav on charges that the President is a serial sex offender. Mazuz, who was famed for being a fearless prosecutor, has fallen from grace with the decision which is fueling public outrage. Mazuz faces some tough choices ahead such as whether or not to indict the Israeli Prime Minister on charges of illegal property deals and conflict of interest.

The article describes how the Islamic militant group Harakat al-Muqawamah al-Islamiyah (Hamas) not only will have to deal with Israel but it also faces threat from Fatah in establishing its control of the Palestinian government. A clash between the Hamas and the Fatah is inevitable. Further, elections on March 28 in Israel, do not augur well for the Hamas. The Kadima party of acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is planning to draw permanent borders between Israel and the Palestinian territories.

The article discusses the need for lending laws in the U.S. to be updated to keep pace with artificial intelligence that are adopted by banks and other financial companies. Topics mentioned include the need for lawmakers to consider what structures are needed to protect consumers against unfair lending practices, a machine learning algorithm used by artificial intelligence (AI) to integrate big data sets, and transparency for borrowers and lenders to know how AI operates.

It's easy to hate the mounds of email in your inbox. I'm quite the contrarian. With the right approach, you can close deals, hire amazing talent and connecte great people. Here's how I've done it, while maintaining Inbox Zero. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the U.S. National Credit Union Administration's (NCUA) approval of rules that open up membership requirements to more easily create national credit unions. Topics discussed include the desire of some credit unions to grow into national financial institutions, the need for the NCUA to require compliance under the Community Reinvestment act, and the average asset size of credit unions in America.

In the article, the author discusses the decision by the U.S. Treasury Department to improve the bankruptcy code and the Dodd-Frank Act to better govern the financial services industry. Also cited are the proposal by U.S. Congressman Jeb Hensarling and Senator Pat Toomey to repeal the Orderly Liquidation Authority (OLA), and the single point of entry (SPOE) regime that was created by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC).

The author reports on violence that has erupted in Israel over the harvest of olives by Palestinians. The Israeli military has been criticized by Palestinians for allegedly favoring Israeli settlers who live in the area in relation to the conflict between the two groups. The number of olive trees that have been destroyed from 2005 through 2010 is mentioned.

The article reports that Shahar Peer, a female Israeli tennis player, will be allowed to play at the Qatar Open in Doha, Qatar, despite previous precedents keeping Israeli tennis payers out of tournaments in Persian Gulf countries. Qatar, a potential host city for the 2016 Olympics, may have some interest in appearing welcoming to all athletes. The article concludes by discussing Peer's rivalry with Russian player Maria Sharapova.

The article reports on the evolution of kibbutz life in Israel. Degania is the name of Israel's oldest kibbutz which announced that the socialist ideals were being replaced by individualism. The Zionist ideal includes honest work and camaraderie within the home. Degania's elders state that they understand the need for change.

The article examines the ability of Israeli Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to forge peace in the Middle East. Olmert must rig up a coalition government with potentially troublesome partners to secure a majority in the Knesset. Political observers in Jerusalem believe that Olmert's plans to disengage with the Palestinians are likely to be stalled or re-grooved by his coalition partners.

The author comments on the proposal to allow everyone on the social network Website Facebook or uses online retailer Amazon who share a common bond to form a credit union in the U.S. Topics discussed include the concept of a common bond in the credit union movement, the consequences of expanding the definition of common bond to a meaningless level, and the outdated regulatory structure of credit unions.

The author talks about the leverage ratio or risk-weighted capital approach by banks in the U.S. Topics include the author's comparison of these capital measures to eating Chinese food elegantly with two chopsticks, the failure of advocates for either the leverage ratio or risk-weighted measures to appreciate the need for a balanced approach to capital, and the benefits and drawbacks of each measure.

Regulation is the biggest driver of change for mutual funds and money market funds, according to a new EY survey, and it may have consequences beyond higher costs. Heightened regulatory demands anticipated to fall on managers and their products means increased costs of doing business. For financial advisors, this may mean higher costs of products for their clients or, if costs become too high, potentially avoiding such products in favor of more passive investment methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Will GAO take into account the impact of the legislative and regulatory changes that have occurred since the passage of the Dodd-Frank Act? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article opines financial crisis in the European Union countries and in the U.S. has allowed policymakers to increase their central banks' regulatory authority and also offers five principles central bankers should consider. The principles include recognizing the diverse business models of systemically important financial institutions (SIFIs) and giving central bank regulators a status equal to that of monetary policy specialists. Cooperation between regulatory agencies is also noted.