Egypt's military council appoints new PM

Ganzouri had earlier headed the government under the Hosni Mubarak regime from 1996 to 1999, Xinhua reported citing Al Jazeera television.

Ganzouri, former prime minister of the country, accepted the offer after meeting the military rulers, including Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.

Former president Mubarak is on trial on charges of ordering the use of force against protesters during an 18-day uprising that toppled him in February.

The former president is also being questioned over charges that he and his family made huge illegal sums of money during the three decades of his rule since 1981.