Iraqi president names Shia bloc candidate Ali al-Zaidi as PM-designate

Iraqi President Nizar Amedi has named Ali al-Zaidi as prime minister-designate, tasking him with forming a government. Al-Zaidi was chosen by the Coordination Framework, a coalition of Shia parties that holds a majority in parliament, breaking a months-long deadlock. The candidacies of Nouri al-Maliki and outgoing Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani were withdrawn following intervention from U.S. President Donald Trump, who opposed al-Maliki.