newspapers later. now for the latest financial news with sally bundock and world business report. —— we will. red lines: the head of the european parliament meets theresa may with a list of ‘non—negotiables'. but will the uk'sjune election mean a softer approach to brexit? plus: rural revolution — why anti—europe candidates are finding fertile ground in the french countryside. welcome to world business report. i'm sally bundock. also coming up,japan sees its biggestjump in exports in two years. we will have the numbers soon. it has been moving the markets in asia. but first: we start here in london where in a few hours time the head of the european parliament is due in downing street to meet the british prime minister theresa may. antonio tajani's visit comes as the country prepares for an election which will be dominated by britain's exit from the european union. the european parliament has a vote on the final brexit deal, and has set out a series of "red lines" it won't compromise on, something tajani will no doubt discuss with may today. let's have a look at what we know. it wants the final agreement to make sure the uk complies with a range of eu policies on issues such as the environment, tax evasion and competition. it also stresses the united kingdom must honour all its legal and financial obligations to the eu, which includes its agreement to pay into the budget until at least 2020. now, that could mean a hefty exit — or divorce — bill, a figure put by the european commission at 60 billion euros. and one that's bitterly disputed by some in the uk and it insists two major eu regulators currently based in london — the european banking authority and european medicines agency — will also have to move to the continent. some in financial markets are now betting that getting the election out of the way injune will allow the uk to be much more flexible in agreeing to these demands, and avoid a so—called ‘hard brexit‘. markets have recognised that theresa may defending an effective majority of only 17 in parliament was likely to be quite problematic for her in the next couple of years while brexit negotiations are taking place. and so, on the basis that currently the conservative party is enjoying a lead of 18%—20% in the polls, we might logically expect a much bigger and more defensible majority government post thejune 8th election and make the negotiations that she has to conduct over brexit that much more viable. that was the view there. but we get another from anand menon. professor anand menon is professor of european politics and foreign affairs at kings college london. thank you for coming in. mike ingram mac, and many have argued that it theresa may does get their strong majority there that she is hoping for, she will get a better position to negotiation. what are your thoughts on a meeting today? to negotiation. what are your thoughts on a meeting today7m to negotiation. what are your thoughts on a meeting today? in one sense, she is in a stronger position because it makes life easier parliament. she has to make a lot of things happen. i don't think it will affect the european union was that position. i don't think they care one way or another what her size of majorities in parliament. i think they will put together what they think is a fair negotiating position. that won't change to matter what. how important is today's meeting? the european parliament is not involved in the negotiations, but it does have designed. it is a curious one. we are not negotiating with the european parliament. but we need to keep them onside. because the worst of all world is that we get to the end of the two years, and they voted down. they can do that. keeping them on side is important. some of these things we have talked through, they described as red lines that cannot be crossed. the divorce bill of 60 billion euros already, david davis is saying that it is nothing like as nearly as high. this has been bandied about as a possibility. the first stage of our negotiations with the commission is going to be to figure out what we should be including in our bill and what we should not. i don't think that figure is set in stone. but the eu is making it clear that whatever the figure they arrive at, we had to pgy- figure they arrive at, we had to pay. we can get around it. the issue of the timeframe, it has been said from the beginning that it is tight. we had to get negotiations in so that national governments can pass it through their own parliaments, and that it is signed. now the timeframe is even tighter because the prime minister has to fight an election, first. what are your thoughts on that? brussels seems to be fairly miffed about that.|j thoughts on that? brussels seems to be fairly miffed about that. i think we can do the divorce within the time we got. that will be easy. —— we have got. but i don't know any trade experts that think we can negotiate a trade deal to the future even with the two years, which we don't have. what we're looking at is more likely transition. a the translation is then lengthened between the negotiation and our next general election. so theresa may might be able to say have a short transitional implementation phase that allows us falling off a cliff edge for the moment. that allows us falling off a cliff edge for the momentlj that allows us falling off a cliff edge for the moment. i will probably talk to you again in the next little while. we appreciated. —— we appreciate it. we are also in rural provence in southern france — as the nation gears up for the first round of its presidential election this weekend. it's in the countryside that most support has been building for the two populist anti—eu and anti—euro candidates: the national front‘s marine le pen and the hard—left firebrand jean—luc melenchon. theo leggett has been finding out why. glittering under the hajj son of provence. these rice fields are floated before the crop is planted. prices being grown in the region for centuries, but now the industry faces a difficult future. competition from abroad and a big reduction in subsidies have taken a heavy toll on production. growers say they that no help the government in paris. they think that has to change. translation: politician should be focusing on rural issues in france. there are 15 million people living in rural areas. about one quarter of the population. politics must become rural again. the rice business has its own particular concerns, course, but you will hear much the same sort of thing if you talk to farmers up and down this country. they are worried that their problem simply are not being taken seriously enough by politicians in towns and cities. in the small village here, farmers have gathered for the weekly market. they have little time for mainstream politics. translation: rural issues are taboo. it is only large towns and their inhabitants that politicians care for. country people are being forgotten. translation: i think it is the candidates on the far right and far left that people here would vote for. the extremes. translation: i will vote marine le pen. because she is a woman, and we have never had a female president in france. she could bring something new that male leaders have not in the past. opinion polls suggest that dissolution among rural people is providing a boost for the populist candidates. jean—luc melenchon and the front national‘s marine le pen. they have a sense of abandonment from the major political parties. you know, they used to be a large portion of the population. now they are very small portion, and therefore they are not in the centre of the political scene any more and so more of the political scene any more and so more and more they are turning to the front national, which again looks like the only alternative for them. although more than three quarters of friends's population now lives in cities, the countryside is still home to millions of voters. —— france. their voices might ultimately become very important indeed. theo leggett, bbc news, provence. now, let's go to asia now where markets are getting a boost from some strong trade figures from japan. rico hizon has been looking at them for us. nice to see you. this is great news out of japan nice to see you. this is great news out ofjapan in the munch of march. it has sold a lot of goods overseas? but the big question now is can be sustained? for but the big question now is can be sustained ? for now, but the big question now is can be sustained? for now, the japanese stock—market and investors are cheering will stop this was better than expected. these export levels have not been seen in more than two yea rs. have not been seen in more than two years. and a strong result, which came in better than expected, may be a sign that the economy is indeed picking up in the world's third largest economy. export gains were led by strong than full auto—parts and optical instruments, such as mobile phones and tools to make semiconductors. and by regions, exports to china rose by more than 16%. exports to china rose by more than i6%. shippers to america expanded by three and a half %. so the fundamentals are improving here, you now have the international monetary fund raising its forecast, projecting a 1.2% annual expansion this year from projecting a 1.2% annual expansion this yearfrom a projecting a 1.2% annual expansion this year from a previous forecast of just this year from a previous forecast ofjust .8%. and also a key business confidence survey also pointing to rising optimism amongst big manufacturer ‘s. soap shinzo abe might be pulling the right strings, pushing the right buttons, and he has been trying for years to rejuvenate growth and end a period of the non— inflation through a policy of easy money, stimulus, and reform. —— predator. but the question is can be sustained in april and the coming months? we will rely on you to keep us informed. we will see you soon. —— so, shinzo abe. that is all promised on world business report for the time being. we will see you in a minute for a review of the new stories. see you ina review of the new stories. see you in a moment. sally will be back in a minute. cycling to work could halve the risk of developing heart disease and cancer according to new research published today. scientists at the university of glasgow have been analysing data from more than 250 thousand people — said walking reduced the risk of the same conditions by a quarter. the commit to some is the only exercise they get all day. for those of us that cycle to the office, there is some good news. experts from the university of glasgow say it reduces the risk of developing cancer and heart disease. —— commute. in fact, cancer and heart disease. —— commute. infact, cycling cancer and heart disease. —— commute. in fact, cycling to work is linked to a 45% lower risk of developing cancer, and a 46% lower threat of cardiovascular disease. that compares to driving or even taking public transport. it also means you are less likely to die younger. walking has its benefits too, although it is not as effective as cycling. you have to walk a total of two hours a week at an average speed of three mph for the health benefits to kick in. we need to make it easierfor people benefits to kick in. we need to make it easier for people to cycle. we need to have more cycle lanes and have city hire schemes. subsidise aik schemes. have people have showers at work so they do not feel sweaty at work. there are whole host of things to make it easier for the average person to cycle. if we do that, more people will be on bikes, and we will improve public health. just like places like amsterdam and copenhagen. charities welcomed the findings. cancer research uk says it is evidence that you do not need to joina is evidence that you do not need to join a gym or run a marathon, and that everything they get you hot and out of breath can help make a difference. coming up at 6am on breakfast, the team will have more on the first formal speech of the election campaign by the labour leader, jeremy corbyn. he'll set out how his party will put the interests of the majority over those of the powerful and wealthy. the top stories this hour: the main candidates for the french presidency have held some of their last major rallies before sunday's first round vote. none of the four front—runners is likely to secure an outright majority. a run—off between the top two is expected in may. at least two people have been shot dead in venezuela in protests against the government of president nicolas maduro. tens of thousands took to the streets to demand new elections and the release of jailed opposition politicians. china, one of north korea's few allies, has called for the denuclearisation of the entire korean peninsula. amid rising tensions it's asked both pyonyang and washington to exercise restraint. monitors from the organisation for the prohibition of chemical weapons, which is mandated by the un, say their test results confirm that sarin gas or a similar nerve agent was used in an attack in syria earlier this month. now it is time for our news review. the telegraph leads with a warning from uk prime minister theresa may that britain will be run by a coalition of chaos if voters

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