Govt resigns

Egypt’s government resigned yesterday in the face of intense criticism from state-friendly media that reflects growing discontent but stops short of faulting President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, the former general who led the overthrow of an Islamist president two years ago. The office of the president said he accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb and his Cabinet but that the ministers would continue to serve until a new body is appointed. El-Sissi tasked Petroleum Minister Sherif Ismail with forming a new Cabinet within a week. Prior to handing in his resignation, Mehleb provided a report detailing the performance of the government, which two officials from the president’s office said el-Sissi found ‘‘unsatisfying.’’ suspect as a member of the country’s Uighur minority. Confusing and sometimes contradictory official statements have characterised updates into the investigation of the attack that killed 20 people, the majority ethnic Chinese visitors, at a religious shrine in the capital’s bustling downtown district on August 17. Up until Saturday, Thai police had avoided attempts to directly connect the blast with the kingdom’s major ally China or the Uighurs. National police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri said the suspect was a Uighur according to his passport, as authorities released a photo of the moustached and short-haired