Kuwaiti MP dies in his seat during parliament session

A Kuwaiti politician, Nabil al-Fadhl, died in his seat on Tuesday during a meeting of the Gulf state's parliament.

Speaker Marzouk al-Ghanem said the independent Fadhl, 66, died while serving his country. Sessions were suspended for the rest of the day and Wednesday in his honour.

Witnesses said Fadhl had been taking part in regular discussions with his colleagues and made his last remarks on parliamentary business just minutes before he died.

A flag of Kuwait was seen draped on his parliamentary seat.

At the end of 2014, Al-Fadhl criticised Kuwait's ban on alcohol consumption in the country which he claimed had led to Kuwait becoming a "hub for narcotics".

Known for his strong anti-Islamist views, Fadhl suffered from several illnesses and had a kidney transplant last year, but the cause of his death was not immediately announced.