Egypt's Vice-President quits

Egypt’s state TV says Vice-President Mahmoud Mekki has resigned.

Mr Mekki’s resignation was announced with more than five hours to go for voting in the second and final phase of a referendum on a disputed, Islamist-backed constitution. Mr Mekki, a career judge, has said he intends to quit once the charter is adopted. The new constitution eliminates the post of Vice-President.

“I have realized a while ago that the nature of politics don’t suit my professional genesis as a judge,” he wrote.