News In Brief

US, Nato end Afghan combat command
Ap, Kabul

The US and Nato closed their combat command in Afghanistan yesterday, more than 13 years after invading the country in the wake of the Sept 11 terror attacks to target Al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden.
Though quickly routing the Taliban-led government that sheltered the militants, the US-led coalition soon found itself spending billions of dollars rebuilding a country devastated by almost 30 years of war while an insurgency grew as the invasion and occupation of Iraq quickly took America's attention.

Yemen military chief fired as militia digs in
Afp, Sanaa

Yemeni President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi has fired his armed forces chief of staff as Shia militiamen delay their withdrawal from the capital they seized in September, media reports said yesterday.
Under a presidential decree, General Hussein Naji Hadi Khairan replaces Ahmed Ali al-Ashouel, who moves to the Majlis al-Shura (consultative council), the lower chamber of parliament.

Iran president warns corruption threatens state
Afp, Tehran

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani warned yesterday that corruption poses a threat to the Islamic republic, pinning the blame in a thinly-veiled attack on powerful monopolies that control the economy.
"The people made the revolution in order to wipe out corruption," Rouhani told delegates at a conference in Tehran.
“Continuation of corruption and the spread of corruption would mean the system and fundamentals of the revolution are in danger."

HuffPost launches in India
Afp, New Delhi

The Huffington Post launched an Indian version of its news website yesterday, seeking to tap the country's exploding number of Internet users, and announced its next big goal was a Chinese edition.
The AOL-owned website featuring, news, entertainment, health and blogs, has allied with The Times of India Group to launch HuffPost India, its 13th edition worldwide.