Syria's Assad renames Halqi as PM

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad renamed Sunday Wael al-Halqi as prime minister and tasked him with forming a new government in accordance with the current constitution, the state-run SANA news agency reported.
The current constitution stipulates the formation of a new government with every new term of the president.
Al-Halqi was firstly appointed as prime minister of Syria on Aug. 9, 2012, after serving as health minister in the government of breakaway Prime Minister Riyad Hijab who fled to Jordan in the same year and declared allegiance to the Syrian opposition.
Assad won a third term in office and was sworn in on July 16.

Source: XINHUA