The protests in Iraq have been escalating since their ignite on Tuesday. The death toll has reached approximately 42 and may continue to increase. These protests have been taking place in Baghdad and the Shiite south. The protests led by students have sparked due to unemployment levels, government corruption and shortages of water and electricity. These issues have been running rampant for years within Iraq, protesters are trying to make government officials step down from their position or solve the issues Iraq is facing. Because of the ongoing violence, parliament has been called. Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the top government official in Iraq, has urged both government officials and protesters to heed the violence so peace can be reached. This story is likely to develop further along the week due to the intensity of the protests.