It’s t-minus 4 days until the election in Iraq, and 5 candidates have died so far. One candidate, Faruq Mohammed al-Zarzwr, from Qayyara south of Mosul, was shot and killed on Monday and ISIS claimed responsibility for the murder. That same day, another candidate, a woman called Fawziya al-Jashma’I, died in a car accident in Babel.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s leader says the Iran-backed militant Shia group and its allies have achieved “victory” in Lebanon’s first parliamentary elections since 2009. Although official results have not been announced, Hassan Nasrallah said their gains guaranteed the protection of the “resistance” against Israel. Sunni Prime Minister Saad Hariri said his Western-backed Future Movement had lost a third of its seats but is still expected to be asked to form a new unity government.
Lastly, US First Lady Melania Trump has announced a campaign to teach children the importance of social, emotional and physical health. The “Be Best” initiative aims to promote healthy living, using social media in positive ways and combating opioid abuse.
