Politics

Reuters reports on the growing power of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which has been made possible in large part by the Saudi-led war on Yemen supported by the U.S.:

If Islamic State’s capital is the Syrian city of Raqqa, then al Qaeda’s is Mukalla, a southeastern Yemeni port city of 500,000 people. Al Qaeda fighters there have abolished taxes for local residents, operate speedboats manned by RPG-wielding fighters who impose fees on ship traffic, and make propaganda videos in which they boast about paving local roads and stocking hospitals.

An investigation has uncovered Britain’s secret mission in Yemen using special forces to help American covert operations. Britain has used a loophole to get around its human rights obligations and has deployed soldiers under the guise of special intelligence operatives rather than special reconnaissance soldiers. Russia Today reports: Embedded with British foreign intelligence agency MI6, undercover troops from the Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR) operated in support of the Yemeni regime and US foreign policy goals before the 2014/15 revolution.

A Kremlin report released this week has revealed that the Obama administration have allowed at least 13 top ISIS commanders to enter the United States posing as immigrants in order to prevent Russian troops from capturing them. Russia have accused the U.S. of protecting their “assets” in a move that has been likened to Operation Paperclip during World War 2 – in which over 1,500 Nazi war criminals were allowed to secretly enter the United States.

After winning only six delegates in Wisconsin, and with Ted Cruz poaching delegates in states he has won, like Louisiana, Donald Trump either wins on the first ballot at Cleveland, or Trump does not win.

Yet, as that huge, roaring reception he received in his first post-Wisconsin appearance in Bethpage, N.Y., testifies, the Donald remains not only the front-runner, but the most exciting figure in the race.

Three jailed bankers from Iceland were freed on Thursday due to a change in law brought about by corrupt politicians in the country.  Former Kaupthing Chairperson of the Board Sigurður Einarsson, former Kaupthing Luxembourg CEO Magnús Guðmundsson and former 10% owner of Kaupthing Ólafur Ólafsson have been released from Kvíabryggja prison, despite opposition from members of the public. Grapevine.is reports: They will instead move to a halfway house, Vernd, where they will have to return every night but will otherwise be free.