Egypt to announce cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday: PM

Egypt would announce a cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Hesham Qandil said on Monday evening.

Qandil's statement came after meeting with candidates for the ministries that could be involved in the reshuffle.

The ministries of interior and information would not be included in the reshuffle, state-run Ahram Online news website quoted a presidential source as saying.

According to the source, Hatem Bagato, former vice-chairman of the Supreme Constitutional Court, would be appointed as minister of legal affairs; Amr Darrag, senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, would become minister of planning and international cooperation.

Sherif Hadara, an engineer believed to have close ties with the Muslim Brotherhood, would be appointed as oil minister; while Counselor Ahmed Suleiman would take over the ministry of justice, according to the source.

Although Qandil is facing harsh criticism over his cabinet's " poor performance," a presidential source told Xinhua on Sunday that he will remain in office in the upcoming reshuffle.

"There is no deliberation over assigning the post to another figure," the source said.