Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz reshuffled his cabinet and named a new central bank governor, a new head of the religious police and chosen the first- ever female deputy minister in the oil-rich kingdom, local Al- Arabiya website reported Saturday.
Muhammad al-Jasser was appointed by the king as the central bank governor, replacing Hamad Saud al-Sayyari, Xinhua reported.
Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Humain was named in the sweeping shakeup as new head of the Muttawa religious police, who replaced sacked Sheikh Ibrahim al-Ghaith.
Norah al-Faiz became deputy education minister for women's education, the first holder of a new position and the most senior ever granted to a woman in the kingdom.
The monarch also appointed Abdul-Aziz Khoja, who was ambassador to Lebanon, as information minister, replacing Iyad bin Amin Madani.
Meanwhile, Saleh bin Humaid, who was speaker of the advisory Shura Council, was appointed head of the Supreme Judiciary Court and was replaced by the outgoing justice minister, Abdullah al- Sheikh.
The key cabinet positions, such as ministers of oil and mineral resources, defense and foreign affairs, remain unchanged.
Abdullah, who came into the throne in August 2005, had made minor changes in the government.
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