Second major cabinet reshuffle in a year in Oman

Oman's Sultan Qaboos has sacked the information minister and replaced the justice minister in a second major cabinet reshuffle in a year, state news agency ONA reported Wednesday. The sultan appointed Abdulmunem al-Hasni, a mass communication professor at Sultan Qaboos University, as new information minister, ONA said. Sheikh Abdulmalik al-Khalil, previously the tourism minister, was appointed justice minister replacing Mohammed al-Hinnaie who was named an advisor of state affairs. Meanwhile, the minister of trade and industry exchanged posts with the sports minister. The reshuffle comes amid a string of changes Oman has seen following protests that hit the normally peaceful sultanate in February 2011. Demonstrators took to the streets at that time to demand improved living conditions and more rights as well as the sacking of ministers they accused of corruption. Among those were the justice and information ministers. Sultan Qaboos last March sacked his economy and interior ministers in a major cabinet reshuffle that followed the anti-government protests in the strategic Gulf state. In October, members of Oman's elected Majlis Al-Shura consultative council elected their speaker for the first time ever. Earlier the same month, Qaboos had granted some legislative and regulatory authorities which he had pledged to the advisory body in response to unprecedented social unrest.