Syria's Assad forms new government with slight changes

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad issued a presidential decree on Wednesday to form a new government under incumbent Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi, bringing in few new ministers, according to the state news agency SANA.
The new government keeps the ministers of all major ministries unchanged, including Minister of Defense Fahed Jassem, Minister of Foreign Affairs Walid al-Moallem and Minister of Information Omran al-Zoubi.
Assad has added a new Ministry of Administrative Development and entrusted it with Hassan Nouri, who ran against Assad in the recent presidential elections.
Assad won a third term in the latest presidential elections and was sworn in on July 16. The current constitution stipulates the formation of a new government with every new term of the president.