Ministry of Truth No More

Egypt's Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab has made a shocking announcement that may be a sign of better times. On Monday, the PM made an extraordinary claim that the yet-to-be-sworn in cabinet will not include a Ministry of Information.

The new government, set to be sworn into office on Tuesday, will not be swearing in a Minister of Information, which has led many to rejoice, as finally a recurring demand seems to have been heard by the powers that be.

This marks a drastic change in policy, as the Ministry of Information has been around since 1952, with the sole purpose of surveying government-owned TV and radio agencies, and removing any material or information that doesn't follow the guidelines of broadcast.

By eliminating the Ministry of Information, many believe that media restrictions will be eased, allowing for greater freedom of speech, though recent crackdowns on media and press figures have not bode well for these freedoms.