Tuesday Morning Briefing: Britain races to treat former Russian spy's mysterious illness

Highlights

As if emerging from the John le Carre world of high espionage and betrayal, a former Russian spy Sergei Skripal lived modestly in Salisbury, England, and kept out of the spotlight until he was found unconscious on Sunday. British police raced to identify the unknown substance suspected of striking the former Russian double agent, as Britain threatened to pull out of the soccer World Cup in Russia if Moscow was shown to be behind the mysterious illness.

The 2018 U.S. primary elections kick off in Texas, where Democrats hope record-high levels of early voter midterm turnout and anger over President Donald Trump’s policies will help them flip congressional seats from Republican control.

Trump faces growing pressure from political and diplomatic allies as well as U.S. companies urging him to pull back from proposed steel and aluminum tariffs, although he said he would stick to his guns.

Commentary: Trade wars do not benefit anyone, writes Trevor Kincaid, a former Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative on how Trump's plans to raise steel and aluminum tariffs could hurt, not help, U.S. national security. "With the stroke of a pen, he could unravel the global trading system, raise prices on basic goods, make American businesses less competitive, drive a wedge between the United States and its European allies, and open the door for China to construct new national security based trade barriers."

World

North Korea is willing to hold talks with the United States on denuclearization and will suspend nuclear tests while those talks are under way, the South said after a delegation returned from the North where it met leader Kim Jong Un.

Details are available for the first time of a committee of scholars created by Modi's government to rewrite the history of India. A Reuters special report explores how the group is using archaeology and DNA to try and prove India's Hindus are directly descended from the land's first inhabitants, as the country's Muslim minority worries the government wants to make them second-class citizens.

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince wants to persuade his British and U.S. allies that “shock” reforms have made his country a better place to invest and a more tolerant society on his first foreign tour as heir apparent.

Mike Dolan  @reutersMikeD

Eyeing the easy money exit - Five questions for this week's #ECB meeting http://reut.rs/2oXWdpF @ritvikcarvalho @DharaRanasinghe

7:38 AM - MAR 6, 2018

Business

Kobe Steel admits data fraud went on nearly five decades, CEO to quit

Kobe Steel admitted its data fraud has been going on nearly five decades and also revealed new cases of cheating, highlighting the challenges facing the 112-year-old company mired in compliance failures and malfeasance.

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U.S. clothing, cosmetics on possible EU retaliation list

Clothing, orange juice, cosmetics and other products from the United States may be subject to European Union duties if Trump carries out his threat to impose global import duties on steel and aluminum.

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Diesel collapse gives automakers carbon headache

The accelerating demise of diesel, long used by carmakers to boost fuel-efficiency, is undermining their plans to meet looming European Union CO2 goals, and avoid big annual fines.

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VW workers only back trucks IPO if it protects their rights

Volkswagen’s powerful works council will only back a stock sale of the group’s truck and bus division if it doesn’t restrict workers’ rights.

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