Iraq's Maliki to deliver important speech

Baghdad (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, who faces mounting pressure to drop his bid for a third term, will deliver an important speech on television on Sunday night, state television reported. Maliki, seen as a sectarian ruler, has defied calls by Sunnis, Kurds, some fellow Shi'ites and regional power broker Iran to step aside for a less polarizing figure. (Writing by Michael Georgy; Editing by Sandra Maler)