Kuwait: Change of government, major energy deals

Government turmoil: The cabinet handed in its resignation on 14 November, amid a corruption scandal involving KD240m ($790m) missing from the Army Fund and tensions between the National Assembly (parliament) and the executive. Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah was subsequently replaced by Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, who had been foreign minister. The revamped government faced immediate problems, with social affairs and labour minister Ghadeer Mohammad Aseeri resigning in late January.