Doctor nominated as Iraqi premier

Iyad Allawi, a Shiite Muslim doctor who spent years in exile, has been nominated by the Governing Council to become prime minister of the new Iraqi government, which takes power on June 30.

Allawi was endorsed unanimously by the council, said council member Mahmoud Othman.

An aide to council member Salama al-Khafaji said Allawi was the choice of the council but did not know whether it had been endorsed by UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, who is charged with putting together a new government.