Parl. postpones speaker’s election

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi Parliament on Monday postponed its speaker’s election until February 4 during a session presided over by First Deputy Speaker Sheikh Khaled Atiya. Mahmoud al-Mashhadani stepped down as Parliament speaker following a heated argument with members of parliamentary committees, during which he allegedly used “offensive” language that prompted many parliamentarians to call for his resignation. SS (P) 1