The story: Iraq’s parliament has elected veteran lawmaker Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani as speaker. After a year of being held by a Shiite Muslim, the election returned the position to a Sunni Arab per the country’s ethno-sectarian apportionment system. The development comes amid apparent shifts on the Sunni political stage, with some observers speculating that new cross-sectarian alliances could also be in the making.

The coverage: The state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA) on Oct. 31 reported that Mashhadani, who served as speaker...