CAIRO - Egypt's ruling military council has accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, the council said in a statement Thursday. 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.