What is American exceptionalism? Where does the US's world monopoly on democracy come from? How does the US give itself license to do as it pleases? "Exceptionalism" is a film by RT correspondent Anissa Naouai. Karl Denninger: 'We no longer have a right to claim 'exceptionalism'

The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) climate modeling produces terrifying scenarios of global warming and apocalyptic consequences including polar melting, coastal flooding, extreme weather, and species extinctions. Such forecasts assume that human emissions of greenhouse gases—principally carbon dioxide from burning coal and oil—will cause unprecedented warming. Although the IPCC claims that they provide “scenarios” rather than forecasts, they conflate the terms in practice to suggest that their scenarios describe what will actually happen to climate over the 21st Century.

● In August, Scheindlin ruled that New York police’s stop-and-frisk tactics are in violation of New Yorkers’ constitutional rights. She ordered a federal monitor to oversee changes to NYPD practices. Many racial minorities in New York, who complained innocent people were being arrested in the police sweeps, celebrated the ruling. Scheindlin ruled that civil rights of innumerable people, including black and Hispanic men, were trampled underfoot by the NYPD.
● The three-judge panel, which issued the ruling on Thursday, said the lower court judge, Shira A. Scheindlin, “ran afoul” of the judicial code of conduct, removing Scheindlin from the case. The appeals court said Scheindlin jeopardized “the appearance of partiality… by a series of media interviews and public statements purporting to respond publicly to criticism of the District Court." The appeals court ruling was a temporary victory for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the NYPD officials, who have asserted that stop-and-frisk tactics have led to a marked decline in crime rates. "We could not be more pleased with the Court's findings," said Corporation Counsel Michael Cardozo, the city's chief attorney, who called Scheindlin's ruling "unjustified and deeply problematic."

Jerusalem considers administration’s confirmation of Israeli air attack on missile stores to be ‘scandalous’; TV analyst warns US risks starting ‘major flare-up’. ● Israel is fuming with the White House for confirming that it was the Israeli Air Force that struck a military base near the Syrian port city of Latakia on Wednesday, hitting weaponry that was set to be transferred to Hezbollah. Israel has not acknowledged carrying out the strike, one of half a dozen such attacks widely ascribed to Israel in recent months, but an Obama administration official told CNN on Thursday that Israeli warplanes had indeed attacked the Syrian base, and that the target was “missiles and related equipment” set for delivery to Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The Guardian: Israel strikes "Russian weapons shipment" in Syria
The Guardian: US claims Israel attacked Russian missile shipment in Syria
RIA Novosti: Russia Boosting Arms Shipments to Syria – US Officials

British authorities claimed the domestic partner of reporter Glenn Greenwald was involved in "terrorism" when he tried to carry documents from former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden through a London airport in August, according to police and intelligence documents. ● Greenwald's partner, David Miranda, was detained and questioned for nine hours by British authorities at Heathrow on August 18, when he landed there from Berlin to change planes for a flight to Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. After his release and return to Rio, Miranda filed a legal action against the British government, seeking the return of materials seized from him by British authorities and a judicial review of the legality of his detention. At a London court hearing this week for Miranda's lawsuit, a document called a "Ports Circulation Sheet" was read into the record. It was prepared by Scotland Yard - in consultation with the MI5 counterintelligence agency - and circulated to British border posts before Miranda's arrival. The precise date of the document is unclear. "Intelligence indicates that Miranda is likely to be involved in espionage activity which has the potential to act against the interests of UK national security," according to the document.

Jason Ditz: David Miranda Involved in ‘Espionage’ and ‘Terrorism’ ■ The lawsuits surrounding the British government’s detention of Glenn Greenwald’s partner David Miranda took an odd turn today with the introduction of a statement prepared by Scotland Yard which accused him of involvement in “espionage” and “terrorism.” [...] The “terrorism” justification is just flat out shocking, however, since it insists that advocacy journalism “falls within the definition of terrorism” because it involves disclosures which are “designed to influence a government.” The argument is particularly bizarre because despite the detention and confiscation of Miranda’s personal effects, there was no arrest made. Greenwald was particularly critical of the report, noting they are “explicitly equating terrorism with journalism.”

Edward Snowden papers unmask close technical cooperation and loose alliance between British, German, French, Spanish and Swedish spy agencies ● The German, French, Spanish and Swedish intelligence services have all developed methods of mass surveillance of internet and phone traffic over the past five years in close partnership with Britain's GCHQ eavesdropping agency. The bulk monitoring is carried out through direct taps into fibre optic cables and the development of covert relationships with telecommunications companies. A loose but growing eavesdropping alliance has allowed intelligence agencies from one country to cultivate ties with corporations from another to facilitate the trawling of the web, according to GCHQ documents leaked by the former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden.

Russia Today: Britain’s GCHQ shepherding mass surveillance operations throughout Europe
T r u t h o u t: A Timeline of Mass Surveillance in America [08 June 2013]

Internet specialists highlight moves by Brazil, Germany and India towards creating separate networks in order to block spying. ● The vast scale of online surveillance revealed by Edward Snowden is leading to the breakup of the internet as countries scramble to protect private or commercially sensitive emails and phone records from UK and US security services, according to experts and academics. They say moves by countries, such as Brazil and Germany, to encourage regional online traffic to be routed locally rather than through the US are likely to be the first steps in a fundamental shift in the way the internet works. The change could potentially hinder economic growth.

The Guardian: NSA spying: Germany and Brazil produce draft UN resolution

Thomas Gaist: FBI “Suspicious Activity Reports” target political dissent ■ Aside from the targeting of immigrants and persons with a Middle Eastern background, the documents provided by the ACLU show that Americans who express dissident views or anti-government sentiments are being targeted for surveillance and entry into eGuardian databases. All of this is being done in the name of the “war on terror.” As the revelations by Edward Snowden have made clear, however, the real targets of the surveillance are not terrorist groups, which in many cases receive backing from the US and its allies. The US government is aiming its massive spying operation against the people of the US and the world. Well aware of the growing anger over social inequality, war and the threat of dictatorship, the government is putting into place the framework for a political police network aimed at monitoring, controlling, and ultimately suppressing opposition to the American state and ruling elite. As the ACLU reports reveal, the ruling class has traveled far down the road in this direction.