BAGHDAD, Iraq: Iraq's first freely elected 275-member National Assembly in half a century was sworn in Wednesday after convening for the first time, as politicians wrangled over the formation of a "national unity" government.

The opening marked a major milestone on the road to forming the nation's first government after the fall of ousted tyrant Saddam.

More than half a dozen explosions were heard as the lawmakers convened at a convention center in central Baghdad's Green Zone.

The historic meeting, coming nearly two years after the US invasion and six weeks after national elections, opened at 1130 (0830 GMT) with a recitation from the holy Quran.

Later, Iraqi Chief Justice Medhat Al-Mahmoud administered the oath to the National Assembly elected on January 30 following speeches from members of the interim government and political party leaders.

“It makes us proud to see history written in front of our eyes,” the UN envoy to Iraq Ashraf Jehangir Qazi said.

Najaf shrine bomber held, Iraq sees big anti-Jordan rallies HOLY NAJAF, Iraq: Thousands of Iraqis staged big protests against Jordan after hearing reports that relatives of a Jordanian suicide bomber who committed Hilla attack in which at least 132 Iraqis were martyred and nearly 200 injured celebrated to honor him, and separately the man responsible for a 2003 bombing at Imam Ali (p) shrine that left Ayatullah Baqer Al-Hakim and more than 100 others martyred has been arrested.