Iraq’s Prime Minister-designate Nouri al-Maliki said today that the formation of the Cabinet was “mostly complete,” but an influential Shiite group and some Sunni Arab politician signalled the deal was far from done.

The Sunni Arab bloc in Iraq’s parliament remains opposed to a new term for Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari and will ask the Shiites to present new names for consideration for the top government post, a Sunni spokesman said today.

The body of an official with Iraq’s largest Sunni Muslim political group was found with signs of torture, his party said today.

SUNNI Arab and secular groups refused yesterday to open discussions with the Shiite religious bloc, leading in Iraq's parliamentary elections, until a full review of the contested results is carried out.

Sunni Arab and secular political groups joined forces today to decide whether to reject the results of last week’s parliamentary election and call for a revote.

US forces launched a “precision attack” today against a suspected gathering of insurgents outside a house in the volatile city of Fallujah, the US military said.

The US military insisted today it targeted foreign fighters not an Iraqi wedding party in a helicopter attack that killed more than 40 people, including children.

American forces have denied targeting a wedding party near Iraq’s border with Syria, in an air strike that allegedly killed more than 40 people, including children.

A US helicopter fired on a wedding party in western Iraq today, killing more than 40 people, Iraqi officials said.

Two more key members of Saddam Hussein’s regime were in Allied custody tonight as the hunt for his chief henchmen continued.

Suspected suicide hijacker Mohammed Atta met at least once with an Iraqi intelligence agent during one of two trips to the Czech republic, a senior government official said today.