Iraq parliament delays key ministers selection

Voting on three key Iraqi ministry posts that include defense and interior has been postponed in parliament for two weeks.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki named most of his cabinet two weeks ago but waited on naming the heads national security, defense and interior because the Shia, Sunni and Kurdish political parties could not agree on anyone.

Maliki was expected to announce his choices Sunday, but deputy speaker of parliament, Khaled al-Attiyah, said no decision has been made yet due to differences of the political parties on the prime minister's choices.

Meanwhile, twenty-four students going to take exam were dragged from bus and killed by gunmen on Sunday. On Saturday more than 30 were killed in a bombing of a busy market and four Russian diplomats have been taken hostage.