Day: November 16, 2016

    The Iraqis, who have accused troops of abuse over incidents dating back as long ago as 2003, are given spending and living allowances after being flown to hotels overseas for interviews. A controversial law firm, that shut down over alleged irregularities over its conduct in Iraq, has also been paid money out of public funds to attend the interviews in Turkey and Lebanon. A senior MP said the payments could act as a ‘lucrative’ incentive for Iraqis to make claims of abuse. MPs questioned why the interviews are not carried out by video link. The admission over payments followed a series of further damaging revelations made to a defence select committee investigating the treatment of troops. The parliamentary inquiry heard that British troops are being subjected to secret su...

    Syrian President Bashar al Assad has said Donald Trump could be a natural ally if he fulfils his pledge to fight terrorists. Speaking for the first time on Mr Trump's unexpected election victory, Mr Assad said he was unsure the US President-elect would be able to keep his word and step up the fight against jihadists. If...he is going to fight the terrorists, of course we are going to be ally, natural ally in that regard with the Russian, with the Iranian, with many other countries," Mr Assad told Portugal's RTP state television. On Friday, Mr Trump indicated that he will focus on fighting Islamic State in Syria rather than attempting to oust Mr Assad's regime. He told the Wall Street Journal he had an opposite view of many people regarding Syria", adding: We're backing reb...