Link: http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE84P01H20120526?irpc=932

Federal prosecutors on Friday urged a judge to lift her order barring enforcement of part of a new law that permits indefinite military detention, a measure critics including a prize-winning journalist say is too vague and threatens free speech. Manhattan federal court Judge Katherine Forrest this month ruled in favor of activists and reporters who said they feared being detained under a section of the law, signed by President Barack Obama in December.

Link: http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/turn-out-the-lights-the-largest-u-s-cities-are-becoming-cesspools-of-filth-decay-and-wretchedness

Once upon a time, the largest U.S. cities were the envy of the entire world. Sadly, that is no longer the case. Sure, there are areas of New York City, Boston, Washington and Los Angeles that are still absolutely beautiful but for the most part our major cities are rapidly rotting and decaying. Cities such as Detroit, Cleveland, Baltimore, Memphis, New Orleans, St. Louis and Oakland were all once places where middle class American workers thrived and raised their families. Today, all of those cities are rapidly being transformed into cesspools of filth, decay and wretchedness. Millions of good jobs have left our major cities in recent decades and poverty has absolutely exploded.

Link: http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2012/05/as-an-encore-to-bailing-out-the-big-banks-government-to-backstop-derivativees-clearinghouses-in-the-u-s-and-abroad.html

Little noticed is that on Tuesday Team Obama took its first formal steps toward putting taxpayers behind Wall Street derivatives trading — not behind banks that might make mistakes in derivatives markets, but behind the trading itself. Yes, the same crew that rails against the dangers of derivatives is quietly positioning these financial instruments directly above the taxpayer safety net.

Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/25/syria-arms-russia-idUSL1E8GPFB820120525

A Russian cargo ship loaded with weapons is en route to Syria and due to arrive at a Syrian port this weekend, Al Arabiya television said in a report that Western diplomats in New York described on Friday as credible.

Link: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/05/25/documentary-on-u-s-torture-seeks-to-begin-process-of-truth-telling/

Since the close of the Bush administration, there has been little official attention paid to the policy during those years of using torture on accused terrorists in order to extract administration. As a result, the American Civil Liberties Union and the writers’ and human rights group PEN have conducted their own study of 150,000 declassified documents and other materials and have now published The Torture Report: What the Documents Say About America’s Post-9/11 Torture Program.

Link: http://theintelhub.com/2012/05/26/popular-hair-growth-drug-chemically-castrates-users/

Warning to all men who are considering using Propecia to treat their male pattern baldness: it causes sexual dysfunction in nearly all users and this is often PERMANENT! The alternative, Rogaine, is not much better and carries a risk of causing skin problems, dark circles and accelerated aging. Fortunately, there IS a natural (and much safer) alternative.laught of the American led so called War on Terrorism in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan."

Link: http://www.activistpost.com/2012/05/house-passes-hr-4133-binding-us-to.html

Without any mainstream media coverage at all, the House of Representatives passed the United States – Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 2012 (USIESC).

Link: http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/national/25-May-2012/us-drone-strike-hits-mosque-10-killed

At least 10 people were killed and several others sustained injuries when unmanned US predator drone targeted a mosque in Mir Ali area of North Waziristan Agency on Thursday.

Link: http://wsws.org/articles/2012/may2012/queb-m25.shtml

After Tuesday’s 150,000-strong demonstration supporting Quebec’s striking students and opposing the provincial Liberal government’s draconian Bill 78, the state has intensified its campaign of repression.

Link: http://www.allgov.com/Top_Stories/ViewNews/If_Violent_Crime_Rate_is_at_40_Year_Low_Why_is_US_Spending_100_Billion_Dollars_a_Year_on_Police_120525

From the amount of money spent each year in the United States on law enforcement, one might assume crime continues to be a growing problem. Crime rates today are at their lowest levels in 30 years and the rate of violent crime has dipped to a 39-year low. Yet the number of arrests between 2009 and 2010 declined only slightly, according to the Justice Policy Institute (JPI), which noted in its new report that police spending increased 445% between 1982 and 2007 and federal funding for police burgeoned by 729%.

Link: http://theintelhub.com/2012/05/24/economic-collapse-the-end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it/

As everyone is well aware, Europe is an absolute mess. The gravity of the global debt crisis is getting worse and for sure it’s the end of the world as we have known it. EU trade commissioner Karel De Gucht recently said, “The endgame has begun, and how it will finish I do not know.”

Link: http://buzz.money.cnn.com/2012/05/25/the-euros-parachute-drop-has-no-end-in-sight/?iid=Lead

So much for the euro currency holding up well versus the dollar. The euro has plunged 5% in the past month. That's like a 50% move for a stock. Sleepy currencies don't often move that sharply in such quick fashion.

Link: http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-spain-bankia-20120525,0,267898.story

Bankia and its parent asked the Spanish government for 19 billion euros in aid on Friday. Bankia was among the five banks downgraded by S&P on Friday. It’s not looking good for the Spanish banking system. Standard & Poor’s just slashed the credit ratings of five banks and said the country is headed into a double-dip recession. One of them, Bankia, just asked the government for 19 billion euros in aid - a roughly $23.8 billion boost.