Kuwaiti Government Collapses

(Reuters) Kuwait's prime minister and his government resigned on Monday, bowing to escalating demands by protesters and opposition deputies that he step down over corruption allegations.

The oil-producing state has tolerated criticism of its government to a degree rare among its Gulf neighbours, helping to insulate it from the protest-driven political tumult that has helped topple four Arab leaders this year.

But tensions rose sharply this month when opposition lawmakers and protesters stormed parliament to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah.

"We decided to submit our resignation to comply with the national interest and due to the danger the situation had reached," the state television channel reported Sheikh Nasser as saying.

The storming of parliament followed a request filed by a group of MPs to question Sheikh Nasser, which was blocked by the cabinet in a move decried as unconstitutional by the opposition.

Opposition MPs warned that if Sheikh Nasser did not step up to the questioning stand on Nov. 29, they would escalate their campaign against him.

In his letter of resignation, Sheikh Nasser criticised the "incitement of the street and the sowing of discord between the sons of Kuwait which damages national security and stability," according to KUNA.  Read full story at Reuters...