Awwal 28, 1432 H/March 3, 2011, SPA -- Egypt's military rulers say the prime minister appointed by ousted President Hosni Mubarak has resigned, meeting a key demand of the opposition protest movement, as AP reported. Former air force officer Ahmed Shafiq was named prime minister by Mubarak shortly after the Jan. 25 outbreak of massive anti-government protests. Mubarak stepped down Feb. 11, but Shafiq stayed in office at the head of a caretaker government. Leaders of the 18-day uprising that forced Mubarak to step down have been pressing the military to fire Shafiq. A brief statement posted Thursday by the military on its official website said it had chosen former Transport Minister Essam Sharaf as the new prime minister and tasked him with forming a new Cabinet.
