Greece's designated finance minister resigns

The prime minister's office says Greece's designated finance minister, who was rushed to hospital on Friday, has resigned.

Vassilis Rapanos, chairman of the National Bank of Greece, had been named finance minister last week in the country's new three-party coalition government. But he was taken ill before he could be sworn in Friday and has been in hospital ever since.

The prime minister's office say Rapanos has sent a letter of resignation to Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and that his resignation has been accepted.