this is d. w. news coming to you live from berlin french president manuel that kong sets out a new ground plan for the e.u. . he wants to shore up support for europe for europe among ordinary people at a time of growing skepticism but he's meeting with resistance from germany also coming up. the showdown escalates between russia and the u.s. over an alleged gas attack in syria the u.s. fuses russia tampering with the site moscow alleges the gas attack was staged.

and a surprise twist in the legal proceedings involving donald trump's personal lawyer michael cohen and last week's raid on his office from. full i'm terry martin thanks for joining us. in a short while from now french president met a woman will address the european parliament for the first time i called the speech to him a piece in the eastern french city of stross fork is part of a series of addresses by e.u. leaders wants big changes in the face of growing skepticism about the european project that's been all mark of the lack of enthusiasm from berlin to budapest. for more on mcallen speech we go now live to strasbourg our correspondent is

standing by there for us hi max the french president is going to outline his vision for europe there today what quick spect we expect him to try to keep the fire burning teria that will be the main goal here now one year ago my call when he was elected french president was the savior of europe because he defended france against the extreme powers of the fall and thus you know the populist there and then he gave a big speech about europe in the fall and still he was the hero of most people here at least of what you would call the democratic parties but that really changed because the thing is michael had to realize that all those big plans that he outlined for example european finance minister or an own budget for the eurozone those things sound great many people want him but it's hard to push them through afterwards because once the interests of the national of the different nations come into play that europe is a very hard place to get things done so europe is

a hard place to get things done as we know how important max is the timing here for my call initiatives that he's outlining today breaks it is just a year away the european elections are coming right after that. absolutely there's not much time i mean the commission president joan told you were once described it like this we need to repair the roof of the european union while the sun is shining meaning that economically things are going in the right direction while you have functioning governments in all the different countries and this is more or less the case at the moment but the thing is there is one huge problem for him under my call to get things done and that problem and you mentioned it earlier is called germany because even if they call and his counterpart in germany. seem to be on the same page really want to restart the german french engine when it comes to the details of the actual policies they are not in accordance especially on those projects that

in monterey might call out lied i just mentioned them the germans are basically against a european finance ministers they are against known budget for the euro zone so it's hard to figure out how all those two powers are going to align with so little time you mentioned it because those things take a lot of time usually to push through the institutions of the european union to push them through the different member states and as you said not much time left so it doesn't seem very likely that those big reform projects from the french president will really be of that that so mccaughan needs to get germany on board if it wants to push through those reforms not later this week come out on a call on is traveling here to berlin to talk with chancellor machall what's on their agenda. well more of the same of those things. they were going to talk about those reforms of the european union of course they have another topic

now on their plate with syria where you could see the difference between those countries france led some of those airstrikes against the regime of bashar assad and the germans said hey we think that's a great idea but we're not going to participate so it shows you that even for those things the differences are very big but on the other hand those to him i knew in my call and i'm going to get along very well they've shown it multiple times they make an effort to show that they are needed but quite frankly terry that this honeymoon phase seems to be over now and now they need to show that for the policies for the day to day life for the day to day routine they can also figure out some kind of compromise to be well on the same page and keep that german french engine that they just wanted to restart humming along speaking of the german french engine that franco german engine that has been so important economically and politically for the european project how much common ground is there right now between

paris and berlin and you said that there are some differences over individual points but are they basically of the same view when it comes to the need for reforms within europe. well to measure it let's take a look back at the year you remember the for example shall the golden caught out in our who after the second world war made those two countries friendly partners again which was a huge deal back then off also i mean to all the french president and him were cool who really started with the big projects of the european union including the euro those things are not at stake at the moment we're talking about important reforms but we're not talking about things on the scale of what nieto all and caused those who defined the term who coined the term franco german engine so we're talking about not even changing any kind of tax laws legislation of the european union but

more or less acting within the framework of existing legislation so it doesn't seem to be that hard and even yet it seems like there is no real path forward to act a kind of reform of the eurozone because those two have very different styles as somebody who speaks and his yes sickly and look out for that here with the grand visions also he captivates his audience and that's what he's going to try to do here in stroudsburg today to like i said fuel the flame of his ideas and you have not who is more on a step by step basis very pragmatic sometimes thinks it's better to take the small steps and let everything handle itself afterwards so it's hard to see how those those differences in styles will be overcome although both really want to make it work. max thank you so much for an hour. in strong and we do hope to be bringing you some of president. speech from straws to you live where he's

going to outline his vision for the european union he's due to begin that speech any moment now but first let's move on to syria russia and the u.s. have stepped up their war of words over an alleged poison gas attack in the syrian city of duma the u.s. says moscow may be trying to remove evidence from the site to thwart an investigation it also accuses russia of delaying a visit to the site by international chemical weapons inspectors russia denies the claims and says the inspectors will be granted access to duma to morrow on monday syria allowed international journalists to visit the city the destroyed town of duma city as fated revolution rules up. after seven years of fighting and with the last of the rebels gone the government is trying to win back its people. meeting their most basic needs first.

when the rebels left we found in that depo stuff that could satisfy too much residents for a year they were not offering as anything but only hunger and starvation and. the media may have been invited here but u.n. chemical weapons inspectors will have to wait for them to wait in state to get near the site of last week's a legit gas attack and which dozens were reportedly killed. an emergency meeting of the international watchdog was called to demand an explanation for the delay but ended with frustrations and hostilities running high. this was also our opportunity for us and for allies to set out our case in the organization that is designed to uphold the chemical weapons convention to make very very clear that the russians have blocked cool diplomatic channels for us to do it is the norm all the little bits of the nations didn't even hold the leaders missiles and this is.

normal all the bill has been mentioned by britain says that's textbook russian fake news. following the weekend's u.s. led airstrikes demands for accountability have grew in. statements of the prime minister. which is prime minister to resign may was forced to explain why the u.k. joined the u.s. and france and attacking syria without getting parliament's prior approval based what they are actually taken we have acted because it is in our national interest. it is in our national interest to prevent the further use of chemical weapons in syria and to uphold and defend the global consensus that these weapons should not be used this is a limited targeted effect for three hours she took one hundred forty questions

though her answers failed to satisfy her opponent the governments of the parliamentary scrutiny is set to intensify on changed to he said it did not stop the syrian regime from carrying out the most. the situation in syria was discussed at a crisis meeting of e.u. foreign ministers in luxembourg yesterday our e.u. correspondent spoke to the dutch foreign minister's staff bloc. minister how optimistic are you that russia can be brought to the negotiating table after these airstrikes to find a political solution. we have to be optimistic as foreign minister and realistic or false we see dad's eyes it's very religious it was in that peace process i face it it's lost it friday night hurts them again to come to the negotiating table and the security council. and he didn't say yes that the only way forward is a political solution for the security council on a first a full stencil and humanitarian aid is very urgent and false in the end we want to

peace process so we have two people marching towards for a shot of our field or parts and forth to participates in the negotiations will it take more pressure to convince the russians or is it more the economic leverage that the e.u. is prepared to invest into. restructuring syria after the civil war so there can be no question of restructure and before dairies peace agreements so it will for now be a political prayer share. on russia and all member countries and told to come back to negotiate are sanctions on the table change of sorts certainly other sanctions have not been discussed thank you dutch minister for mr stuff there now let's look at some other stories making headlines around the world today the new york times and new yorker magazine have won a pulitzer prize for their reporting of sexual harassment allegations against

a film mogul harvey weinstein the story set off the me too movement towards for also a landmark moment for music as kendrick lamar became the first rapper to win a pulitzer for his album down. as eight men go to trial in india used the rape and murder of an eight year old girl to supreme court has ordered protection for the victim's family and their lawyer the cases stirred controversy in india and the lawyer said she had been threatened for taking up the case. and gunman in nigeria have kidnapped a german engineer near the northern town of congo police say attackers on motorbikes ambushed to be a goal carrying construction workers and killed a police escort before abducting the man nigerian authorities are hunting the assailants german officials have not yet commented. sean hannity a host on the conservative leaning u.s. channel fox news has been unmasked as

a client of president trump's lawyer michael cohen that link was revealed at a courthouse in new york as lawyers for the u.s. president and cohen did battle with judges the case involves both potential russian interference and twenty sixteen elections and allegations of extramarital affairs with an adult film star t w washington correspondent claire richardson reports. u.s. president donald trump's longtime attorney michael cohen was in a new york city court this week fighting for his legal team to be able to review the documents that were a season of high profile raid of his office and apartment last week one of the items of interest appears to pertain to a possible payoff of the adult film star known as stormy daniels she says she was given one hundred thirty thousand dollars in hush money for an affair with the president this came shortly before the twenty sixteen elections and could possibly constitute a violation of campaign finance laws now all this comes as donald trump is at his florida club mar

a lago for the week where he is fuming over an interview given by former f.b.i. director james comey komi said that trump was morally unfit to be president. that was our washington correspondent claire richardson there now diplomatic tensions between russia and the west are heating up this time it's about industrial espionage and sabotage against iran it's not pleasant of the u.s. and britain have accused russia of in a joint declaration they say moscow is preparing cyber attacks on computer networks that could be used to sabotage critical infrastructure that the statement says is also using the internet for political and economic as. russia denies the allegations but western security experts are warning a new cold war in cyberspace is in full swing. the hacking accusations against russia came at a rare joint statement the british and u.s. cyber agency said russia could be laying the foundation for future offensive cyber

attacks they warned that hackers backed by the russian government were targeting government and private computer networks the hackers aim to compromise key hardware like routers and fire walls that would give them virtual control of data flows allowing them to steal critical data and plant the ability to carry out cyber warfare the attacks weren't limited to the two countries australia also accused kremlin back hackers of targeting hundreds of companies. the the points which forces for us as a government and should reinforce for all the struggle is that vigilance is absolutely imperative the security and the announcements come at a time of growing concern about russia's cyber activities last year the us ordered civilian government agencies to remove casper's key antivirus software from their networks amid concerns the company was sharing data with the kremlin casper's key

denied the accusations. and in february germany said russian hackers had breached key government networks the ongoing cyber assault raises new questions about russia's intentions a country the agency's described as their most capable hostile adversary in cyberspace fears of a trade war with the us haven't dented china's growth official figures out today show gross domestic product beat expectations in the first quarter the world's second largest economy expanded by six point eight percent. compared. that was down only slightly from last year's overall growth figure of six point nine percent the government says china's economy can withstand threatened u.s. tariffs of up to one hundred fifty billion dollars on its goods but economists say

efforts to rein in china's infamous small could take that toll on growth later in the year as beijing idols factories and steel plants to cut pollution. now let's bring in dana cope. he's standing by i hope yes at the ranch the stock exchange where usually is strong figures from china there danielle what are investors saying. well and this is here on the trading floor always amazed i would say how china is able to forecast their g.d.p. numbers six point five percent annual growth that is their growth that is their goal and they either reach it or even surprise with better now numbers now six point eight percent this time in general there is the question how much you can really trust those numbers for investors this number means now a little bit of relief because of the latest geopolitical tension and also discussion about tariffs some are fearing that this could have an impact for the worldwide economy as well some even here talk about

a possible recession so those she d.p. numbers were very much awaited here among and this is the chinese statistic obviously that mostly the boom in sales off property and also and higher consumption let's now to this six point eight g.d.p. growth and analysts pointed out a little bit earlier that china has almost half it's dependent on exports over the last ten years. but then the shares in the german chemical john but also up a surprising two were two and a half percent what can you tell us. yeah a big plus for the buy a shares this morning that's happening because of a capital increase the submarine welfare and to my site from singapore is investing three billion euros in the company of those capital increases are in many cases not very much appreciated by investors in the case of buy it's a different buy i can use this money very well the company has been paying sixty two point five billion u.s. dollars for the u.s.

company monsanto an amount that some investors even call for a company like a little bit too risky done in the open frankfurt thank you. the european union has filed documents with the world trade organization to protest u.s. tariffs on steel euro bonds compensation saying the import duty is really based on national security as claimed but represents terror. switched against w t o rules in march the u.s. imposed duties of twenty five percent on steel and ten percent on a limb in him although it quickly granted temporary exemptions to the u.n. some of the trading partners but those exemptions have run out soon and talks on a more permanent solution. a few brand name symbolizes luxury glitz and glamour as well as the rates coco chanel rides hemingway and the billionaire rockefeller family or just some of many

a last was regulus at the iconic hotel in paris is also struck tragically famous as the place princess diana dined that only minutes minutes before her fatal car crash now tell us of many items that no longer have a place in the renovated. beds like this were essential to the wellbeing of the likes of coco chanel and they must have provided some extraordinary sleep after all the french diva resided for well over thirty years at the paris ritz the prestigious house is now undergoing a major overhaul and is auctioning off many items that are no longer needed all in all about ten thousand objects from the last century will come under the hammer not all of them are exorbitantly priced. you could have a collection of eight ashtrays at one hundred euros the ashtrays have the name written on them and you don't have much higher prices than george carriers for

example which are large lamps and are estimated to be worth around ten or fifteen thousand euros to discount. the auction catalogue includes beds from the one nine hundred thirty s. and hemingway era burst or. other objects or more unusual like the ritz is first bath tub. well i would want to get it's probably the oldest object in this season it's the founder of the ritz wanted his guests to have the greatest comfort. if you're watching news we're about to bring you live coverage from a straw spurt the french president of kong is preparing to address the european parliament he'll be outlining his vision for europe for the coming months and years with briggs it just a year away and the european parliamentary elections following that he's being introduced right now we have our correspondent max hop on standing by for us in straw's where he's covering the president's speech for us will be getting analysis

from max perhaps we can cross to him now as we prepare for a man or woman i call to take the podium this this is part of a series of speeches that are going to be given by european leaders chancellor merkel is also due to address the european parliament in november i there's our correspondent max standing by for us in strasburg max it looks like it's about to begin there what so what's the what are the highlights that we should be looking for in in president maicon speech. well externally i would say or the big picture right here how does he intend to get the things done that he announced he would like to see in europe so the big reform of the euro zone of the european union of the institutions we talked about earlier for example i don't budget for the eurozone or a finance minister for the eurozone things that aren't well necessarily very well

received in countries like germany so what's this timetable how does he want to proceed because europe the european union at least is about procedure you need to be sure to have a majority or at least germany on board to convince all the others that would be one part of the second part is his relation to the european parliament which is very interesting terry because at home he has a majority so he can decide things and then he can enact them because he has this huge majority in the french parliament not here he doesn't even have a group because there hasn't been a european election ever since he founded his own movement so no majority will get over him much harder than that thing's done and people are putting a mile he will do that. will they come back to you shortly let's listen in president french president manuel call. happy an honor to be able to replied to your invitation mr president and to use this opportunity to engage in an open and free debate on the situation of our continent in a very special time and open and free debate.

because i've already made speeches there is my speech in the song and i think. i think an exchange of views is essential in this place where each and every day you make our europe it come alive in all its tied in all its own variety of differences of opinion agreements and of course by putting together the promoters that it allows to make progress in the context is really rather special. and that's why our responsibility is all the greater. we have a context of division and indeed doubt within europe. it. breaks it continues and it's still being discussed and worked on in here i would pay tribute to the work being performed. there is

doubt in a number of european countries. month after month we're seeing visa insensibility emerge which going to question certain fundamental. this seems to be a sort of the european civil rights national selfishness a negative seems to take precedence over what brings us together if. there is a fascination with the liberal and that's growing with time to come back to if there are political threats to i'm sure will come to them discussion so europe has a ever greater responsibility their international conflicts. and we've seen that in the eleventh and and we're seeing the emergence of. ours with a clear strategy which seeks to call into question the mounted outro system where europe takes its place and that's of course the framework within which europe can

exercise influence and that's also the frame which will we've built up to your stablished piece is debated taking place at that at a time of great change in transformation digital. revolutions climate change and its consequences and. these also make because call into question the key to the foundation of societies. they have led to fears. and that was man will make on their address in the european parliament referring to a context of division and doubt in europe he's outlining his vision for europe ahead of bragg's it and next year's european parliamentary elections will bring. full summary of his speech in our next poll is now at the top of the next hour thanks for watching.

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