Jordan's King Sacks Government After Protests

Jordan's King Abdullah II and his wife, Queen Rania

Jordan's King Abdullah has sacked the government after weeks of opposition protests demanding change in the country.

The Royal Palace said the king has appointed his former national security chief Marouf Bakhit to be the new prime minister, and gave him orders to form a new cabinet and carry out "true political reforms."

Bakhit previously served as premier 2005-2007 and has also served as Jordan's ambassador to Israel.

Thousands of Jordanians have demonstrated in Amman every Friday over the past three weeks to press for political and economic reform, and demanded that the government resign.

compiled from agency reports