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KUWAIT: The total number of candidates applying to run for by-elections in the third electoral constituency reached 39 and then dropped to 38 (including one female candidate) when one of them withdrew by the end of working hours on the seventh day.

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah today opens the new term of the National Assembly which is expected to start with a discussion of a grilling against the Social Affairs and Labor Minister over alleged irregularities. The Amir will address the lawmakers about the local, regional and international situation. The address will be followed by the government statement to be delivered by the Prime Minister in which he will outline the government projects over the next year.

Minister of Electricity and Water and Public Works Ahmad Al-Jassar submitted his resignation yesterday and did not attend the regular meeting of the Cabinet as a result. Jassar tendered his resignation after the lower court on Monday sentenced him and 14 former and current officials from the ministry of electricity and water to a two-year jail term and dismissal from service, with an option to pay KD 1,000 to suspend the imprisonment. They were also fined KD 20,000 each.

The Cabinet yesterday appointed Finance Minister Anas Al-Saleh as deputy prime minister. Notably, Saleh was appointed minister of commerce and industry in 2012, then assumed the finance ministry portfolio in January 2014.

MP Abdullah Al-Adwani found it strange that MP Abdul Hamid Dashti is involved in the interrogation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid concerning Kuwait’s foreign policies, reports Al-Jarida daily. Al-Adwani added the pivots of grilling proposal submitted by MP Dashti is full of constitutional defects that interfere in the activities of the Executive authority and meddle in the general policies of the state governed by HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad who’s among the major political leaders of the world.

Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Al-Subaih said mandating unions to hold their elections according to the onevote system would be a violation of the international treaty concerning unions’ liberty. Responding to a parliamentary inquiry, Subaih said international treaty number 87/1984 that Kuwait signed pertaining unions’ and syndicates’ liberty prevents authorities from interfering in labor unions’ and syndicates’ affairs. She added that unions’ affairs are regulated by the foundation charter approved by the founders and general assembly members.

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Thousands of anti-government protesters have rallied in Kuwait, demanding an end to alleged multi-million dollar corrupt transactions which they say involve government officials.

The protesters came out in response to a call made by veteran opposition leader Musallam al-Barrack, who vowed to reveal the names of officials he accused of complicity in bribery.

Kuwait will hold parliamentary by-elections on June 26 to replace five lawmakers who quit over a row about questioning the Gulf state's prime minister in parliament, a senior government official said late on Sunday.

Some Kuwaiti media have said the resignations of the five in April and May could lead to the dissolution of the 50-member assembly. By setting a date for by-elections, the government is signaling it wants to push ahead with the current parliament.