coming up at 6am on breakfast — sally nugent and jon kay will be here. i'm alpa patel. the top stories this hour: a lawyer for one of president trump's former aides, michael flynn, says he has offered to give testimony about alleged russian meddling in last year's us presidential election in exchange for protection from prosecution. south korea's ousted president, park geun—hye, has been arrested on corruption charges. they're the same charges that led to her political downfall, when the country's constitutional court backed a decision to impeach her. more us—led troops have arrived in poland in as part of nato‘s response to concerns over russia. they are part of the alliance‘s four battalions, aimed at giving reassurances to states unsettled by russia's actions in ukraine. a californian company has made history by launching a used rocket back into space. spacex has developed a way of landing its boosters, which are the most expensive part of a rocket, safely on earth after a mission. now it's time for our news review.

what's making headlines around the world 7 first, we have the wall streetjournal on—line. it reports that donald trump's former security adviser michael flynn has told officials that he is willing to be interviewed about alleged russian interference in the us election, in exchange for immunity from prosecution. wow. a photo of scotland's first minister, nicola sturgeon, is on the front page of the daily telegraph. it shows nicola sturgeon in a relaxed pose writing a letter to theresa may demanding she give scotland a referendum vote. could self—driving cars add money to the economy, and give opportunities to disabled people? that's a story being reported in the business section of the daily telegraph. it says self—driving cars would boost earning power for the uk economy. that's according to new research. a

good point. absolutely. the guardian reports on a study that found incentives such as a fee for disposable coffee cups could slash the number thrown away in the uk every year by up to 300 million. and finally, the backlash over high heels for babies. the straits times says a us company has come under fire over its baby range of high—heeled shoes. you have got to be kidding me.” cannot wait to get to that one. joining us is iain anderson, founder of the international communications agency, cicero group thank you for being with us. good morning. good morning. the story leading the news bulletin, michael flynn offering up testimony in relation to donald trump and his campaign's relation with russia. what are your thoughts? this is the story that refuses to go away. in all of my contacts with colleagues

in washington, i think we can expect to see this on the front page for weeks and months to come, if not for the entire term of donald trump's presidency. the fact that michael flynn, who spectacularly had to come out of the government, literally within 3—4 weeks of donald trump becoming president, the fact he is offering up his ability to testify, i think that is a very significant moment for the story. it is significant, but no one has accepted he should give testimony. no one has given him this immunity. we don't know what he has to say. we don't know what he has to say. we don't know what he has to say. we don't know what he has to say. whether or not he desires to testify with immunity or he is asked or forced to testify, that is the question ahead of us and him. just the word they are using, immunity, it smells a little bit, perhaps. the phrase his

lawyer used was that he has significant information. something to tell. a story to tell. he has facts, something to put on the table. that is a very, very significant moment. if i am in the oval office right now i am watching this. absolutely. let's go to your... umm, your country. always a good idea. nicola sturgeon. this photograph. we will put it up. it has a picture of contrast compared to theresa may. you and i were just talking before we went on it. what do you want to say about that —— air. we had a picture of theresa may looking very prime ministerial in front of great british figures in downing street. here they contrast. clearly a manufactured picture.

tweeted out by the first minister's offers. it creates a contrast. —— office. the right leaning telegraph compares it to maggie in downing street. i am old enough to remember that picture. we do actually have a picture of theresa may signing article 50. we can see the contrasts right here as soon as it comes up. the comparison is very deliberate, the difference between nicola sturgeon and theresa may. but as a communications guy, i am asking myself what is nicola sturgeon actually trying to convey by looking so... actually trying to convey by looking so... is that supposed to be her in her business suit in her actual office. in her slippers. this is supposed to be a serious moment for

the uk and scotland. i am supposed to be a serious moment for the uk and scotland. lam missing what they are trying to convey. surely it is informality, but for what reason? they seem to be on a collision course, these two women. they absolutely us. section 30. this section 30 letter is being written to theresa may. there is a stand—off, a scottish stand—off, thatis stand—off, a scottish stand—off, that is set to take place, and run for the next two years. if they gave them the ability to have a referendum... a ref... a referendum, what happens? the better it is for the snp if that happens. self—driving cars. the snp if that happens. self-driving cars. would you get in one? i would. i would self-driving cars. would you get in one? iwould. iwould because i don't like driving. 8 billion quid!

self—driving cars, the industry, could add a billion quid, for viewers around the world, that is, what, $12 billion? ——8. viewers around the world, that is, what, $12 billion? --8. that is the point. it isn'tjust happening here, it is happening across the world to bei it is happening across the world to be i agree with you. i believe this is hugely empowering. the point about this analysis, and i have done about this analysis, and i have done a lot of work trying to empower disabled people around the workplace, the point of this story is that there are 1 million people who will be empowered by this you are disabled in a way they would not have been before. literally the ability to get to work. forget public trans board and all the difficulties of using public transport. —— transport. this is hugely exciting. lots to do in terms of laws and regulations and lots to do in terms of making sure these things don't actually crash into anything else, but it is a really

positive and empowering move. incidentally, there was a study i was reading yesterday in the paper saying the majority of londoners support the driving cars. have you tried driving in london to fight you do not want to. exactly. how do you drink your coffee, from a disposable cup, orfrom a mug? drink your coffee, from a disposable cup, or from a mug? i am afraid i am not quite responsible for 2.5 billion throwaway cups each year, but quite a lot of them, and i suppose he is as well. i throw lots of disposable cups away. this story is suggesting a tax, a charge, might actually, just as has been done with plastic bags, it might reduce the numberof cups being plastic bags, it might reduce the number of cups being thrown away. plastic bags, it might reduce the number of cups being thrown awaylj remember this sort of surfaced last year. i was surprised. remember this sort of surfaced last year. iwas surprised. ifelt remember this sort of surfaced last year. i was surprised. i felt bad. people had thought that they were... how many do you throw away everyday?

i have one coffee a day. just one coffee a day? yes. that is probably all you need. i don't mind having a price to pay, you know, for reusable cups. we should. i throw away about three a day. really? i want to get to this story, high heels for babies. disgusting. disgusting. i was ina babies. disgusting. disgusting. i was in a meeting yesterday talking about, actually, where does your worldview, when do all the neurons set, about age seven. this idea of toddlers wearing high heels, i mean, go figure. that is all we have time for. thank you for being with us. goodbye. see you in a moment. goodbye. see you in a moment. goodbye. goodbye. hi there. it was the warmest day of the year so far yesterday with temperatures reaching 22 celsius in gravesend. 72 fahrenheit.

but it wasn't warm and sunny everywhere. pulses of rain affecting western parts of the uk and the rain here was associated with these atlantic weather fronts that will slowly push across the country during the next 12 hours. the front very weak, though, as it works across south—east england, bringing little if any rain here. the wettest weather will always be across more north—western parts. however, wherever you are, in the morning it's going to be a nice mild start to the day. temperatures around 11 or 12 degrees for many of us but there will be some rain around. i think it will probably be quite a wet start to the day across south—west england and for wales. some fairly heavy pulses of rain here. there could be a few spots getting in across the midlands and hampshire, but not amounting to too much. east of this line is probably going to be largely dry. the front will be very weak as it moves in later during the morning. now, for northern ireland, although it starts off on a cloudy and wet note, the rain moves through fairly quickly during the morning and these guys will then brighten up. but it's a different story in scotland. here the rain willjust continue to get more extensive and a bit heavier as the day goes by with some

strengthening winds in the north. north—west england, some wet weather around cumbria and north lancashire but the rain rather patchy across the likes of cheshire, merseyside, greater manchester. as i say, as this weather front moves across south—east england, it's going to be so weak in the south—east it will bring little if any rain. in fact, for much of england and wales, at least the weather will brighten up with some sunshine and there will be some sunshine for a time in northern ireland. temperatures still on the mild side, up to 17 degrees, but not quite the dizzy heights of 22 that we had yesterday. then during the night time, well, low pressure will be swinging towards the south—west approaches, bringing a number of showers across wales and south—west england overnight. quite a bit of cloud elsewhere. still some damp weather for northern ireland and scotland but for most of us, temperatures stay on the mild side. now, this weekend, mixed fortunes weather—wise. saturday, a day of sunny spells and showers. those showers clear through overnight, it then turns quite chilly, but then a fine day will follow for sunday. so sunday the better of the two days on the weekend for getting out and about.

low pressure then toward south—west england and wales, that's where we're going to see the most frequent of the heavy showers on saturday but the showers are going to be slow—moving because there's not much wind to push them through. so if you catch a shower, could be with you for quite a length of time, could give you quite a hefty downpour too. quite a chilly night follows then, maybe a few mist and fog patches to start the day on sunday, but high pressure building in and that means the weather should become nice and quiet for sunday. early morning cloud breaking, sunny spells coming through. similar temperatures ranging from ten in the north to 17 towards the south—east. that's your latest forecast. bye for now. hello, this is breakfast, with sally nugent and jon kay. longer waits for hospital operations in england as the health service is forced to make a tough "trade—off". the head of nhs england says treatment is no longer guaranteed in the 18—week target time but in return there would be quicker cancer diagnosis and emergency care. good morning.

it's friday, the 31st of march. also this morning: as britain prepares for brexit, today the eu will set out its plans for two years of negotiation. trying to save the african elephant — today, china will close almost half of its official ivory carving factories and shops. good morning. a payrise for britain's lowest pa id staff. the national minimum wage goes up to £7.50 an hour tomorrow,