New Iraq PM fails to fill cabinet

Iraq's new prime minister has failed to put together a complete cabinet in time for ministers' swearing-in on Tuesday.
Seven posts in Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari's government - including the defence and oil ministries - remain empty amid partisan haggling.

The power broker for the minority Sunni community, outgoing President Ghazi al-Yawer, stayed away from the event.

Mr Jaafari must bring credible Sunnis into his government to undercut the insurgency, the BBC's Jim Muir says.
Without them, the new government's chances of reaching out to disaffected Sunnis - long-time rulers of Iraq who now find themselves out of power - would be greatly reduced, our correspondent in Baghdad says.

Not until the swearing-in ceremony was it clear that critical positions remained to be filled.

The defence ministry has proved a particular sticking point, with an unnamed source telling AFP news agency that Sunni parties had rejected the three candidates offered to them.

The failure to fill the seven posts is a considerable embarrassment for the prime minister, our correspondent says.

Violence has surged since the partial cabinet was agreed last week.