King asks Al Razzaz to form new government

Amman: Jordanian King Abdullah asked Omar Al Razzaz to form a new government after the resignation of Hani Mulki on Monday, a ministerial source said, a move aimed at defusing big protests over government economic policies.

Al Razzaz, a former World Bank economist, was education minister in the outgoing government. Jordan has been shaken by its biggest protests in years, in response to planned tax hikes.