Maliki asked to form new Iraqi govt

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MASON: Roger Federer of Switzerland waves to the crowd after defeating Bernard Tomic of the Western & Southern Open at Lindner Family Tennis Centre here Thursday. — AFP Photo

The Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has formally asked Nouri Maliki to form a new government, reports BBC.
The move gives the caretaker prime minister 30 days in which to negotiate yet more potential hurdles as he hands out ministerial portfolios to Iraq's various political factions.
Parliamentary elections in March returned an inconclusive result.
The country has been without a new government for more than eight months - a record delay - following elections.
This is one more step along the tortuous road to a new government, says the BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse in Baghdad.
After more than eight months of limbo, squabbling and back-room negotiations, a deal was finally struck two weeks ago, which would allow Mr Maliki to remain in his post.
He is now tasked with putting together a government in 30 days.
But the road ahead is littered with potential pitfalls, our correspondent says - dividing up ministries among Iraq's notoriously fractious parties and factions will not be easy.
The new government is expected to include all the major factions, including the Kurds and Shia political parties aligned with Iran.
It should also include Iyad Allawi's Sunni-backed al-Iraqiyya coalition bloc, which won more seats than Mr Maliki's largely Shia National Alliance, but lost out in the negotiations.
But there are fears he could withdraw from the process if he feels he is being sidelined.