Top story: Let me tell you a story, says Flynn

Good morning. This is Martin Farrer with the top news of the day.

Mike Flynn, the short-lived US national security adviser, has hinted that he would testify to the inquiries into the Trump campaign’s links to Russia in exchange for immunity from prosecution. The general, who was ousted from his job in February after admitting misleading the vice-president over his communications with Russian officials, released a statement through his lawyer saying that he has a “story to tell, and he very much wants to tell it”.

Plus, check out this video of Flynn talking about how immunity deals normally mean people are guilty. (It’s from September 2016 and was in relation to the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of personal emails)

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Brexit blackmail row – David Davis has been scrambling to reassure European diplomats that the UK does not intend to jeopardise security despite suggestions in Theresa May’s letter to the EU that cooperation could be “weakened” without a good deal. European capitals were unimpressed with what several called threats. Only another two years to go, but to help you through our diplomatic editor Patrick Wintour has this analysis of the situation.

Off target – Patients face longer waiting times for surgery after the NHS decided to relax one of its most important targets as part of its survival plan. The service is significantly relaxing the requirement on hospitals to treat, within 18 weeks, 92% of all patients in England who are waiting for a hip or knee replacement, cataract removal, hernia repair or other non-urgent operation.

Flood death fears – The tailend of Cyclone Debbie continues to wreak havoc on the east coast of Australia. Swollen rivers in northern New South Wales have not yet peaked after some areas received as much as 789mm of rain in a 24-hour period. (That’s 31 inches.) Emergency services fear there may be fatalities as they struggle to reach homes cut off during the deluge. Residents in areas of the Queensland tourism capital Gold Coast have been ordered to evacuate their homes.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Much of the northern New South Wales town of Lismore is under water. Photograph: Michael Barnes/AFP/Getty Images

Lost in space – If anyone sees a 1.5-metre long debris shield floating around in space, the people at Nasa would like it back. The world’s most experienced female space walker, Peggy Whitson, and station commander Shane Kimbrough saw the bag float containing the shield float away as they were trying to fit it on to the outside of the international space station. There’s a good video too.

Sexy beast – Despite its fearsome reputation, scientists believe the Tyrannosaurus Rex could have been a sensitive lover thanks to its nerve-packed snout. The findings appear in the US journal Scientific Reports and follow the discovery of a new member of the family in Montana. Its name? D horneri.

Lunchtime read: The problem with Aung San Suu Kyi

Dictatorial. Uncaring. Silent. These aren’t words you would associate with the Nobel prize-winning, junta-slaying Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi. But an in-depth report by our correspondent Poppy McPherson reveals that her time in power has failed to live up to expectations and glaring problems such as persecution of Muslims, poverty and free speech have yet to be tackled. Find out what’s gone wrong.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Aung San Suu Kyi. Photograph: Edgar Su/Reuters

Sport

Everton’s Romelu Lukaku is a traditional No 9 who could play in any era, says Jonathan Wilson in his exploration of the hustling, bustling Belgian striker. Meanwhile Jamie Jackson delves into José Mourinho’s efforts to turn his Manchester United squad into the new Invincibles. Also in football, Liverpool might be in breach of academy rules for tapping up a schoolboy from Stoke.

In cricket, England’s Liam Livingstone tells Will Macpherson he always had confidence that he’d make it, and national ODI captain Eoin Morgan is convinced a new eight-team T20 competition will not hurt the county game. Sean Ingle reports that Ed Warner, the UK Athletics chairman, has called for the end of UK Sport’s “no compromise” approach to winning Olympic medals, saying “it has had its time”.

Business

In a blow for Brexiteers, more and more City firms are laying the groundwork for an exodus of thousands of jobs from London, writes business reporter Graham Ruddick. And as Donald Trump prepares to meet Xi Jinping next week, China has denied that it is devaluing its currency to boost exports. Trump tweeted that the meeting could be “very difficult”.

Another quiet day on the Asian markets, and in currencies the pound was little changed at $1.25 and €1.17.

The papers

The FT has a technical but interesting splash reporting that HMRC fears it risks being swamped post-Brexit as it expects five times as many customs declarations at ports.



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Front page of The Guardian, 31 March 2017. Photograph: The Guardian

The Sun’s splash is “Break-in Bad”, which says police across the UK solve only one in 10 burglaries. The Mirror has “The Great Tory NHS Con”, in which it reports that a new strategy unveiled by the government will mean longer waits for operations.

The Telegraph leads on its red-tape campaign again. It says Britain began taking back control from Brussels with the announcement that the first EU law to be scrapped post-Brexit would be one the paper claims helps criminals avoid deportation. The Times has the news that the armed forces are facing an £10bn overspend due to costly jets and ships, and savings have to be found.

The Mail’s splash is “How care homes hit middle classes”, in which it claims a new report reveals councils are increasing care home fees for middle-class pensioners because others had not saved for their retirement.



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