Kirstjen Nielsen resigns
US Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen has resigned her post. The BBC cites Nielsen’s resignation letter as saying it was “the right time for me to step aside” and that she leaves the US “safer today than when I joined the Administration”. But Reuters claims that a senior administration official said president Donald Trump asked for Nielsen’s resignation. The New York Times in May last year reported that Nielsen had almost resigned after Trump berated her in front of the entire cabinet. CBS says the president “continues to fume” over continued illegal border crossings and that Nielsen’s departure is a part of a massive overhaul of the Department of Homeland Security. The president tweeted that customs and border protection commissioner Kevin McAleenan would become acting DHS secretary.
Netanyahu annex pledge
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he will prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state by “controlling the entire area” if his Likud party wins Tuesday’s election. The Guardian reports that Netanyahu gave interviews in which he pledged to annex Jewish settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. With Likud tied in the polls with the Blue and White party, Channel 4 says the move is an attempt to rally nationalist supporters.
Libyan rebels close in on Tripoli
The Guardian reports that Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar has seized control of the area around Tripoli airport, just outside the capital city. Haftar’s Libyan National Army, backed by the United Arab Emirates, is looking to oust the UN-backed government of national accord. CNN says the US withdrew a contingent of its troops from Libya on Sunday. But the government forces are fighting back and have launched a counteroffensive dubbed “Volcano of Anger”, according to Aljazeera.
Asian stocks rise
Asian shares were at a seven-month high on Monday according to Reuters. The news agency reported that Chinese blue chip stocks climbed 1.4% as the government announced plans to encourage financing for small and medium-sized businesses. CNBC says that better-than-expected jobs data in the U.S. and reports of progress in US-China trade negotiations also helped.
Chinese bonds continue to be attractive
In a separate item, CNBC reports that global investors are “snapping up high-risk bonds in Asia”. The Xinhua-Global Times says data shows that Chinese bonds held by international investors surged 46% year-on-year by the end of 2018.
Pakistan claims India plans attack
The BBC reports that the Pakistani foreign minister has said he has “reliable intelligence” that India is planning another military attack on his country in April. But a spokesman for the Indian foreign office called the Pakistani statement a gimmick that “appears to be a call to Pakistan-based terrorists to undertake a terror attack in India.”
KPMG to separate its British businesses
The Times (paywall) reports that KPMG in the UK is planning to create an independent audit firm, even if the competition regulator does not enforce a separation of auditing and advisor businesses of the Big Four. Reuters has more on the story.
Polls suggest socialist win in Spain
Spain’s socialist party could gain between 137 and 139 seats in the 350-seat parliament according to latest polls, Reuters reports. The country votes in a general election on 28 April. It means prime minister Pedro Sanchez would most likely have to form another coalition with far-left parties.
Rhino poacher killed and eaten
Kruger National Park rangers think a suspected rhino poacher was killed by an elephant and probably eaten by lions, NPR reports. Only a skull and a pair of trousers remained of the body, according to CNN.
Cambridge wins boat races
Cambridge beat Oxford in both the men’s and women’s boat races on the Thames in London on Sunday. Rowing for Cambridge, 46-year old Olympic gold-medallist James Cracknell became the oldest man to compete in the race. The Guardian and The Telegraph both have full reports.
Today’s breakfast briefing was written by Duncan Roberts