Kuwait names new prime minister amid week-long parliamentary crisis

Kuwait’s ruling emir named a new prime minister on Tuesday in a move that is being seen as an end to a week-long political deadlock.

The state-run KUNA news agency announced on Tuesday the country's ruler appointed Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah as prime minister.

Al-Hamad has served in Kuwait's government for 41 years, taking on various ministerial posts. In 2011, he was appointed as both deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister.

The move comes a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah refused to continue as prime minister after deliberations with Kuwait's ruler. He'd held the job since 2011.

Al-Mubarak turned down Monday's request from Kuwait's ruler to form a new government, saying he was offended over the "baseless lies" against him, which was preventing him from taking up the role.

Read more: 'That's enough!': Anti-corruption protests reach Kuwait amid regional uprisings

The ruling emir recently fired both Defence Minister Nasser Al-Sabah - his son - and Interior Minister Khaled Al-Sabah, who had issued statements against each other.

The defence minister said he discovered that $790 million was embezzled while the interior minister served as his predecessor.

Subsequently, the cabinet resigned after a minister stepped down following a grilling by parliament.

The country's parliamentary elections are expected in November 2020.

Kuwait's justice ministry imposed a gag order on local media from reporting on the case.