Kuwait emir dissolves parliament

Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah dissolved parliament on Tuesday, state media said, after the government was forced to resign last month in one of the deepest political crises in the oil-exporting state.   

A decree from the emir read out on state television cited "difficulties in achieving progress and defining the national interest of the country, which required going back to the nation to choose its representatives in order to overcome present difficulties".   

The decree said there would be elections but gave no date. Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah and his government bowed to growing demands by protesters and opposition deputies to step down over allegations of corruption and mismanagement.   

Opposition lawmakers and protesters stormed parliament to demand the resignation of Sheikh Nasser last month after a request to question him was blocked by the cabinet in a move the opposition said was unconstitutional.   

The emir named outgoing Defence Minister Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak al-Sabah as new prime minister, and asked him to form a government.