Kuwait's ruling emir, Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah, dies at age 86

Kuwait’s ruling emir has died at age 86. State television reported Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah's death on Saturday. Kuwait TV broke into programming with Quranic verses just before making the announcement. Sheikh Nawaf was rushed to a hospital in late November for an unclear illness. The tiny and oil-rich nation had been waiting for news about his health in the time since. State-run news previously reported that he traveled to the United States for unspecified medical checks in March 2021. The health of Kuwait’s leaders remains a sensitive matter in the tiny Middle Eastern nation bordering Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Kuwait has seen internal power struggles behind palace doors.