Around the World: Iraq

PM bloc wins in Baghdad

The bloc backed by Iraq's prime minister Nuri al-Maliki placed first by landslides over Shi'ite rivals in local polls in Iraq's two largest cities, Baghdad and Basra, according to preliminary results released yesterday.

Results released by the independent election commission showed Maliki's State of Law bloc winning 38 percent of votes in the capital and 37 percent in Basra, the province that includes the second largest city and most of Iraq's oil exports.