Colin Powell to resign top US job
US Secretary of State Colin Powell has said he is resigning, his department has confirmed.
He will step down from his post once President Bush has chosen a successor, officials were quoted as saying.
The 67-year-old, long rumoured to have planned to serve only one term, was said to have submitted his resignation to President George W Bush last Friday.
A White House spokesman said three other cabinet level resignations would be announced on Monday.
One of those is Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham.
"The Secretary announced to his staff this morning that he had submitted his resignation on Friday," Reuters quoted a state department official as saying.
"He said he was staying on until a successor is confirmed and on board."
Mr Powell was seen as a moderate voice within the Bush administration.
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