Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 31 Mar 2017

1. Sturgeon signs letter asking for IndyRef2

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon yesterday signed a letter asking the UK government for a second referendum on independence. Official pictures of the act contrasted with those of Theresa May signing the Article 50 letter. Instead of a formal pose behind a desk, Sturgeon is seen on a comfy sofa with her knees drawn up - a pose once used by Margaret Thatcher.

2. Spain gets Gibraltar 'veto' in Brexit negotiations

The European Council's draft Brexit negotiating guidelines include an effective veto for Spain, if it does not get a say over the future of Gibraltar. The leaked document says no agreement on the EU's future relationship with the UK would apply to Gibraltar without the approval of Spain. Conservative MPs have warned the sovereignty of the UK overseas territory is non-negotiable.

Brexit: Theresa May says ‘trust me’ to deliver

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3. NHS waiting times increase in 'trade-off'

NHS England is to increase waiting times for non-urgent operations and forego some new drugs in order to channel resources into A&E and mental health services. The trade-off is part of plans for the next two years to be unveiled today, showing how the service will cope with an ageing population and slowing budget growth.

NHS abandons 18-week waiting times in 'trade-off'

4. Trump on diplomatic collision course with China

A tweet from Donald Trump has set the US President on a diplomatic collision course with China ahead of his first meeting with President Xi Jinping next week. Trump said the meeting, to be held at his Florida holiday resort Mar-a-Lago, would be "very difficult" and that US companies should be prepared to look for alternatives to trade with China.

5. Trump and Russia: Flynn has 'story to tell'

Donald Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn has offered to testify to the inquiry into Russia's alleged meddling in last year's US presidential election if he is granted immunity from prosecution. His lawyer says the retired lieutenant general has a "story to tell and… very much wants to tell it".

Donald Trump sued by two states over business links

6. Japanese fleet kills 300 minke whales

a Japanese whaling fleet has killed more than 300 minke whales in Antarctic waters, flouting a worldwide moratorium on hunting and defying global criticism. The country's fisheries agency described the annual hunt as "research", but the International Court of Justice says the real purpose is to hunt for meat.

Japan kills 300 minke whales in annual hunt

7. Successful second flight for SpaceX booster

Elon Musk's SpaceX company has successfully re-used a section from one of its Falcon 9 rockets, the first time anyone has relaunched a booster into space. The first-stage rocket, which was used on a mission 11 months ago, was part of a launch to put a telecom satellite into orbit. It then returned to Earth and landed again.

SpaceX successfully launches used rocket into orbit

8. Glasgow bin lorry driver escapes jail

The driver of the bin lorry that killed six people in Glasgow in 2014 has has escaped jail after admitting culpable and reckless driving just nine months after the tragedy. Harry Clarke admitted driving a car in Glasgow even though his licence had been revoked for medical reasons following the crash. He was tagged and ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

9. Google reveals 2016 UK tax bill

Google paid £36.4m in UK corporation tax last year, according to its latest annual results. It had sales of £1.03bn and pre-tax profit of £149m for the 12 months to the end of June 2016. It paid around £25m in UK tax last year, but expects to make a further payment of about £12m. Last year the tech company agreed to pay £130m in back taxes.

10. Briefing: What's in the great repeal bill?

Prime Minister Theresa May may have triggered Article 50 with parliament's consent, but "another Brexit battle is looming in the form of the government's Great Repeal Bill", says the BBC.

May will set out her plans to convert all EU legislation into UK law in a white paper today. But research has shown as many as 52,741 separate relevant pieces have been passed since 1990.

"The huge scale of unravelling the legal mountain - that includes 6,718 new laws applying in the UK since 2010 alone - prompted warnings that any 'bonfire of these regulations' will be a tortuous and complex process," says The Sun.

Brexit: What is the great repeal bill?