and mexico. meanwhile the telegraph says according to president trump the uk would also face a better prospect of avoiding us tariffs on steel and aluminium once britain had completed leaving the european union. the independent asks whether poisoned spy, sergei skripal, could have been working in a freelance capacity. the paper says the russian double agent may have become a target after working on behalf for private security firms. and finally also in the independent it's a question of not having your cake and eating it. uk health authorities want employers to consider swapping "cake days" for healthier alternatives, in a countrywide push aimed at tackling unhealthy habits at work. so let's begin. with me isjonathan charles, who's managing director of communications for the european bank for reconstruction and development. very good to see you. let's begin with this surprise announcement that president trump was invited to meet

with kim jong—un. president trump was invited to meet with kim jong-un. no one could have seen this, i think even if you had said a few hours before. these are two people but as we know have spent the past few months attacking each other publicly. it was not that long ago that donald trump was describing kim jong—un as little rocket man, and kimjong—un kim jong—un as little rocket man, and kim jong—un was describing kim jong—un as little rocket man, and kimjong—un was describing him asa and kimjong—un was describing him as a dotard and lunatic. i think what is piling the pressure on north korea is these economic sanctions, as well as the fact that china is participating in those sanctions. we should probably be fairly cautious. it normally requires a lot of preparation, this is jumping it normally requires a lot of preparation, this isjumping for directly into the talks pretty much with very little time to prepare, but we will see. i think we have got two lea d e rs but we will see. i think we have got two leaders who are very different from the normal leadership models and asa from the normal leadership models and as a result, anything is

possible because they are not following the traditional leadership model. president trump keen to say that this is a result of his policies and his behaviour, which has as you said, alarmed many people with the rhetoric that has gone on and on both sides, but perhaps he has a point that actually has said from the beginning, even during the campaign, that actually i am willing to talk. he has not said on what conditions and we have to see what comes from it, but perhaps his policies, his behaviour, are paying off. i think that may be right. this is someone who behaves unpredictably, as indeed does the north korean leader and when you get unpredictable leadership, there is the option for something to come out of it that is not conventional and a willingness, because donald trump is not at along the usual principal lines of leadership, that means that he is prepared to make deals a different way and he might be prepared now to do a deal which other american leaders would not

have contemplated. and we can't forget the fact that he is willing to meet the north korean leader is also a big change. no sitting american president has ever met a sitting north korean leader. and the two sides are technically... are technically at war, yeah. there was only a ceasefire in the 1950s, not the formal peace agreement. it is a strange moment i do not think should automatically think it could end in disaster because anything could come from this, but one thing i would say is that the north koreans have a track record of commerce in to do things and not delivering on the nuclear programme, so things and not delivering on the nuclear programme, so we willjust have to see. we will not have to wait long, will we? no, ithink have to see. we will not have to wait long, will we? no, i think we will be watching with some fascination. the financialtimes, this is the other big news overnight, also involving president trump. this is about the steel and aluminium tariffs. the white house

show is a gift that keeps on giving, every day brings a new news story. this again is something quite unconventional. in the past, of course, all leaders really have been pledging themselves to the rules —based economic order, trying to avoid trade wars, trying to fit in with international norms. now we have donald trump behaving in this very different way, fulfilling this campaign promise, america first is what he said on the campaign trail. he was fairly quiet over the passed year but now we see him moving very quickly, saying i'm going to protect american industry and the steel industry, 25% tariffs on any steel imports. —— past. we're also seeing as the potential times out, offering concessions on the steel tariffs to allies, initially mexico and canada. that may be more than just symbolic

because the car industry were very concerned, saying how do we operate without canadian and mexican steel? we need that and it cannot be replaced immediately with american steel. there is a lot of pragmatism and lobbying that will have gone on behind the scenes. i think we will see a lot of pragmatism and lobbying going on behind the scenes in a lot of country saying these counts us as a friend, give us a special deal. of country saying these counts us as a friend, give us a special dealm seems that president trump wants countries to come cap in hand to him? it does, there are going to the country saying give as a deal but there is also going to be some retaliation. the chinese are looking at retaliation against us agriculture, the eu as well. whether thatis agriculture, the eu as well. whether that is against american orange juice, soya beans, all sorts of things. there was a trade war that broke out in the early 1990s, the problem with them is that once they start, you never know where they are going to end, you get retaliation

after retaliation. so what about written? is that going to exempt us, do you think? trump thinks uk could avoid steel tariffs after brexit. we are still bound into having to negotiate with the eu as a trading bloc, and we are still bound by that for the civil future. there bloc, and we are still bound by that for the civilfuture. there is bloc, and we are still bound by that for the civil future. there is an argument saying that it will not in the eu, would beget a special deal? we need to be careful about saying that, i the telegraph is looking for a silver lining in a cloudy sky over brexit but america, donald trump has made it clear that he believes in protecting american interests, it is america first. we should not forget that. let's take a look of the story that. let's take a look of the story that has been dominating the news agenda here for much of the week, this is the former double agent who is still seriously ill alongside his daughter, sergei skripal. what is your take on this as we get more and more information? we do not know the

actual nerve agent used, there is more pressure on the uk government to reveal that. the uk policeman who was affected by this hopefully not ina was affected by this hopefully not in a critical condition any more, but what is your take on this, what is your analysis? healy have the independent, former double agent may have been a freelance sky. —— spy. the suggestion i have heard is that this might be, possibly he was targeted because he was selling his services to private take the intelligence firms. well, possibly, but you have got to remember this is someone but you have got to remember this is someone first of all who had been out of the real intelligence gameboard very long time, since 2006, secondly we are talking about a rare nerve agent which could only really had been made in state laboratories. is it, do we think right that because he might have been doing some freelance work, if possible for a private intelligence firm, he would have been targeted? i think that is a big question.

somebody would have had to get their hands on something that is a, very ha rd to hands on something that is a, very hard to get a hold of, and secondly would need to be transported. this looks like a state actor. the question is, i know we are waiting to see whether it is russia, i should say that people regard russia asa should say that people regard russia as a monolith, in terms of if this happens, it must have been a decision taken at the highest level. if it is russia, we really should hold off and see, but russia is not like that, it doesn't work in the same way as we would involve the west working. is it possible that someone west working. is it possible that someone could have gotten hold of material? yes. you got to remember that betrayed some 300 intelligence agents when he was selling secrets to the west. there will be some disgruntled people out there, and they may not have taken it to the kremlin and said we're going to do this, they may have just done it. i doubt whether it is because he was

working as a freelance buyer. i think that that would be unlikely, but at the same time, we should not be necessarily this was a decision taken at the highest levels in the kremlin. i think this is much more nuanced and much more complex. let's talk about much more serious matters now, do you have cake? we do. there isa now, do you have cake? we do. there is a hold just outside my office where my team always been in cakes and it is a real public health nightmare, and i know as someone would not very much willpower, if i see a great cake, i am going to go for it. i would be in favour of this because it would help me with my willpower question. i was reading yesterday if you want to keep the body of a 20—year—old in your 80s, you have got to keep up the physical exercise. your colleagues will be happy with bringing grapes to work. thank you very much for watching. bye for now. good morning.

it's been a bit of a rollercoaster start to spring. this weekend, we could see some of the warmest air of the year so far. but, whilst we finished yesterday with some clear skies around, this those clear skies overnight will lead to a frosty start to friday morning. so a cold start, but a bright start across many areas. we've got some rain and snow flurries across the highlands of scotland, and any early brightness will be hazy sunshine towards the channel islands, devon and cornwall. and that cloud will drift its way northwards, turning the sunshine hazy through the morning across other southern areas. is best of the sunshine, really, through the day — northern england, southern scotland and northern ireland. parts of northern scotland will see good sunny spells at times, but one or two further showers to come here. a pleasant day, though, once you're in the sunshine. but by the end of the afternoon, whilst temperatures could reach ten or 11 degrees, we will see rain spread across devon, cornwall, and other southern counties of england. that's going to work its way northwards as we go through friday evening, pushing through wales, into the midlands, and parts of east anglia as well. and it's all linked in to this warm front. now, on it, we'll see some heavy pulses of rain through the night

and into saturday morning. but it's what follows in its wake which many of you will notice. some very mild air working its way to all but northern scotland by the end of the day. now, it means it's going to be a fairly mild weekend, compared to what we've been used to of late, but you'll have to cater for at least a little bit of rain at some points. now, the wettest weather to start saturday will stretch from east anglia, northern england, north wales, into northern ireland. as that hits colder air across scotland, on the hills we will see a spell of snow, before it turns back to rain as the milder air pushes its way in. england and wales will see some sunny spells for a time, another batch of showers working through. but the big story, note the temperatures — 15, maybe 16 degrees, with a little bit of brightness through the middle part of the day, across parts of the east midlands and east anglia especially. now, through saturday night and into sunday, that area of rain and hill snow clears its way northwards, takes the milder air into scotland as well. so it's a frost—free night forjust about all as we go into sunday morning.

maybe one or two spots in the east could see a temporary frost, but a little bit of morning sunshine. but sunday at the moment not shaping up to be too bad a day. we're likely to see some breezy conditions in the west, with some showers around. just got to watch this area of rain pushing out of the near continent. looks like it will stay in the north sea, but it could be a bit further west. so east anglia and the south—east, check your forecast for sunday nearer the time, because there could be some rain very close by. some of the brightest weather will be in scotland. a frosty night to come here, to take us into monday, but low pressure to start the week means many of you will start the week with showers. bye for now. hello — this is breakfast, with charlie stayt and naga munchetty. an historic breakthrough as president trump accepts an offer from north korea to hold talks with kim jong—un the two leaders will meet by may — the north koreans also agree not to carry out any more nuclear or missile tests. good morning — it's friday 9 march.

also this morning: pressure grows on counter—terrorism police to identify where the nerve agent, used to attack a former russian spy and his daughter, came from. the us imposes tariffs on steel and aluminium imports. other countries have threatened to retaliate, sparking fears of a global trade war.