BREAKING NEWS

Italy PM Monti says preparing to hand in resignation

ROME - Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said on Friday he was preparing to hand in his resignation to President Giorgio Napolitano shortly, opening the way to elections expected in February.
Speaking to a conference of Italian ambassadors in Rome as parliament approved the 2013 budget, Monti said his speech was "in all probability the final act and my final words before formally placing my resignation in the hands of the head of state".