Tunisian Prime Minister quits

TUNISIAN Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi has announced his resignation after a renewed outbreak of street violence in the North African country in the past few days.

Ghannouchi was a long-time ally of president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, and had pledged to guide the country until elections can be held this summer.

Ben Ali fled the country on January 14 amid massive protests.

Ghannouchi, 69, has been a major irritant to Tunisians behind the so-called Jasmine Revolution — weeks of public upheaval that drove autocratic president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali from power last month.

Even though Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia on January 14,

Ghannouchi — who served for 11 years as his prime minister — had promised to stay on to guide the country until elections this summer.