Kuwait City - The Emir of Kuwait has accepted the government's resignation, in an apparent attempt to shield the prime minister from lawmakers' questions about misuse of public funds.

Kuwait's official KUNA news agency reported that Jassem al- Kharafi, speaker of Kuwait's National Assembly, adjourned Tuesday morning's session of the legislative assembly because Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah had accepted the resignations of the prime minister and his cabinet the night before.

Opposition politicians had submitted questions to Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammed al-Sabah, the emir's nephew, accusing him of misusing government funds, mismanagement of the economy, and breaching the country's constitution.

While the emir accepted the government's resignation, he reappointed Sheikh Nasser as prime minister and asked ministers to continue working until a new cabinet could be formed, KUNA reported.

Opposition lawmakers repeatedly called on the emir to replace Sheikh Nasser since he first became prime minister in 2006. They have forced him to resign four times and to form a new government twice, most recently in January. (dpa)