Iraq's parliament has approved Prime Minister-designate Nouri al-Maliki's Cabinet, opening the way for the inauguration of a national unity government.
The legislature's approval Saturday came after more than two hours of delay because of last-minute haggling and a motion for postponement.
Some Sunni Arab legislators expressed dissatisfaction that no candidate was named for the important Defense and Interior Ministry posts.
The government - a broad coalition of majority Shi'ites, minority Sunni Arabs and Kurds - has taken months of negotiations to form after the December 15 elections.
The political breakthrough came amid more sectarian violence Saturday.
Iraqi officials say at least 19 people were killed and 58 others wounded in the Shi'ite district of Sadr City in the eastern part of the capital, Baghdad.
Elsewhere, a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a police station in the town of Qaim, near the border with Syria, killing five policemen and wounding 10 others.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
