BBC在线收听下载:美开征钢铝高关税 豁免墨加

BBC News with Suman Gamry.

The White House has softened its line on President Trump's planned tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, suggesting Canada and Mexico, which among the biggest suppliers could be given exemptions. Crisper Clair has the story.

Both of those proposed exemptions on the original plan for steep tariff on steel and aluminum are based on claims that they are America's national security interests. Basically for the industry supply would be essential if the country had to defend itself. But there are real fears that such actions could lead to a trade war. And while the president says that doesn't worry him, some of his aides believe it could be economically damaging. Earlier this week, Gary Cohn became the latest senior official to announce he was leaving the White House. He had been one of the main voicers warning against the protectionist policy.

Police in Britain say the former Russian spy and his daughter who were found unconscious on Sunday were poisoned by nerve agent, which is left them in critical condition. Britain's top counter terrorism policeman said the police officer who helped them had also fallen seriously ill. John Donelson reports.

The news that the nerve agent was used and that the police officer has also fallen seriously ill, marks a major escalation in the investigation. The UK's most senior anti-terrorism officer, assistant chief constable Mark Rowley confirmed Sergei and Yuliya Skripal appear to have been deliberately poisoned and the attack was treated as an attempted murder. He gave no details of the nerve agent that was used, but given how difficult and dangerous such chemicals are to manufacture, intelligence experts believe the attack is far more likely to have been carried out by a state, specifically, Russia.

Syria government forces have made further gains in their offensive to retake eastern Ghouta, the last major rebel-held area near Damascus. An eye witness said troops overrun the town of Beit Sawa after subjecting it to air strikes and artillery fire. Hundreds have died since Syria intensified its efforts to seize eastern Ghouta last month.

World news from the BBC.