ROME (Reuters) - A growing scandal at Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the world's oldest bank, has helped Silvio Berlusconi close the gap with the center-left frontrunners to five percent, its tightest so far, weeks before Italy's election, a poll showed on Friday. An SWG survey showed former premier Berlusconi's center-right coalition had gained 1.3 percent in a week and was now on 27.8 percent, compared to 32.8 percent for Pier Luigi Bersani's center left, which had lost 1.6 percent. ...

By MICHAEL FALCONE (@michaelpfalcone) NOTABLES CHANGING OF THE GUARD: It’s Hillary Clinton’s last day in Foggy Bottom. Sen. John Kerry will be sworn in on Friday afternoon as Secretary of State in a private, small ceremony, notes ABC’s Dana Hughes. Justice Elena Kagan will swear...

RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has named former intelligence chief Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz as second deputy prime minister, a role historically seen as making the incumbent second in line to become king. Holders of the position have gone on in the past to be crown prince of the world's top oil exporter, where the ruling family controls most senior government posts and, in the absence of elections, wields near absolute authority. ...

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday threw her weight behind plans presented this week by her environment minister to limit increases in electricity prices for consumers despite opposition from some in her center-right coalition. The public declaration of support for Peter Altmaier's plans show that Merkel wants to try to push the reforms through parliament before September's election. "Peter Altmaier has made valuable, important and good proposals which we should talk about," Merkel said in Berlin, adding all parties should work together to agree on the reforms. ...