BAGHDAD - Several polling stations in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk were being besieged by gunmen on Wednesday, four days after a national election, the head of the electoral commission said. Riyadh al-Badran said the gunmen, who he did not identify, were putting pressure on the commission to change the election results. 'The employees of the commission are in a hostage situation,' he said, calling on authorities to provide protection.
