— Iraqi lawmakers on Thursday named Kurdish politician Abdul Latif Rashid as the country"s new president, ending a lingering political stalemate that will now lead to the formation of a new government. Rashid garnered some 162 votes in a landslide win over incumbent Barham Salih"s 99, according to official results after the second round of voting, said the parliament in a statement. The Kurdish politician, who was congratulated by Iraq"s political leaders on his ascension to the post, immediately took the oath of office in parliament, setting in motion the process of forming a new government. Rashid, 78, previously served as Iraqi minister of water resources from 2003 to 2010, as he will now be given a 15-day period to invite a nominee from the largest parliamentary bloc to form a government. — Agencies