Iraq's new cabinet was sworn in again on Monday, including five new members, after amendments were made on the oath.

The amendments added an allegiance to "federal democratic" Iraq at the request of Barham Salih, a Kurdish planing minister in the new cabinet.

Iraq's powerful Kurdish bloc, which holds 75 seats in the 270- member National Assembly, is pressing for a federal government that would give strong autonomy to the Kurdish north.

Five new cabinet members, approved by the National Assembly on Sunday, were also sworn in before the lawmakers.

The parliament approved six new names on Sunday, including four Sunni Arabs, but Hashim al-Shibli, a Sunni, who was named as human rights minister, declined to accept the post.

Source: Xinhua