berlin. tonight the french president hopes the american president, macron and trunk in paris. donald trump salutes france's resolved to terrorism and reduce bureaucracy. but it was trump's comment about the paris climate agreement that got everyone's attention. also coming up, the human rights giant and chinese dissidents liu xiaobo has died. the 61-year-old nobel peace prize winner died in custody after chinese authorities rejected international pleas to let him receive cancer treatment abroad. and, the tour de france enters the grueling mountain stages. we will find out whether the reigning champion could power through the pyrenees and retain

the yellow jersey. i have brent goff. it's good to have you with a straight we start in paris. the french president emmanuel macron is hosting u.s. president donald trump for dinner at the eiffel tower tonight. during a press conference earlier today mr. trump said something that made a lot of people gulp. the u.s. president said something could happen with the paris climate agreement. people took that as a signal that mr. trump is reconsidering his decision to pull out of the agreement. at that same press conference trump praised the relationship between france and the u.s., describing it as unbreakable. the two said that they are cooperating on counterterrorism efforts and a roadmap for postwar syria. the talks are part of trump's whirlwind 36 hour visit to the

country, his first official visit to france. and our very own correspondent is covering this visit for us, he joins us now from paris. good evening to you, max. both of these leaders went out of their way to reassure their intended audiences that all is good andell between them. did you buy it? reporter: i wouldn't say that they tried to say that all is good and well, but they emphasized the things that they agree on, for example, the fight against terrorism and secure the situation. france and the united states have more in common on that front than germany and the united states, for example, with their activities in syria, and then they did mention that they still have their divergences on how to fight climate change, specifically of course the paris agreement that continued to

agree to disagree. you are right, this was a display more or less of unity, someone say even of friendship, at least between the two countries, if not between the two men. brent: let me ask you about what the u.s. president said about the paris climate agreement. he said something could happen with that agreement. some people are saying he was trying to give himself some wiggle room to maybe reconsider his decision to exit the agreement. what is your take? what have you been hearing? reporter: we of course noticed that sentence as well. we asked our sources where they were, but it's hard to make sense of it, whether this means he thinks the paris agreement might be renegotiated. that would be one possible explanation, or if he himself is given with the room to stay in the paris agreement. if you look at the substance of what he said, he often says we need to protect the environment, for example. that is the sense of the paris

agreement, police one of the main things the paris agreement wants to achieve. in substance, at least what he says every once in a while, they don't seem to be so far apart, but emmanuel macron mentioned at his press conference, he said he understands and respects that donald trump made a campaign promise to get out of the paris agreement and he has to honor his campaign promises. this might not be a question of substance, but of form. at this point, this is more or less speculation. brent: before mr. macron welcomed mr. trump, he spent some time with his biggest european ally. that's the german chancellor, angela merkel. was there a completely different atmosphere during that meeting? reporter: i would say there was less anticipation because by now we know what to expect when emmanuel macron and angela merkel show up in public

together, a very strong show of unity, that's what they've been doing in the last weeks and so that continued in paris. the german chancellor said she could imagine, for example, a euro finance minister, something emmanuel macron has been asking for before. she was more or less reluctant in the past. she said they would do research together to introduce the next generation of euro fighter jets. that's also something new because the germans were reluctant to do that, the french as well. you are trying to beef -- they're tryg to beef up their cooperation. during the whole time of the fronts while the presidency,, so macron's predecessor. brent: if you're looking at today's events through the eyes of the french president, was today a day of big successes for president macron? reporter: saying, welcoming angela merkel and donald trump. the leaders of germany and the united states, he doesn't get

much better, what he's doing. behind me, the eiffel tower. he's having dinner up there with donald trump and their respective wives, overlooking paris. i think emmanuel macron is trying to make an impression today, not only towards the u.s. president but maybe a statement towards the world that is watching, and he's using all the symbols at his disposal. brent: our correspondent, max hoffman on the story for us tonight. in the shadow of the eiffel tower, in paris. max, thank you very much. as we said, before president macron welcomed the u.s. president in paris he spent some time with his biggest european ally, the german chancellor angela merkel. as you are about to see, they began their visit by focusing on speaking the same language, literally. reporter: two leaders who play ball together.

merkel spoke some phrases in french, macron in german, a sign of friendship. the two showed new or for strengthening europe and bringing it further along. >> in the face of many developments in our neighborhood, we must also increasingly take control of europe's destiny. we must succeed, and we must give our people both protection as well as security, advancement, and development. security, climate protection. the development of the eurozone. the french and german governments agreed a whole range of shared goals at the joint cabinet meeting. merkel also stressed the importance of reforms for france . and, macron made it clear that he's not criticizing germany for investing too little. >> i said in an interview that i would wish for increased private and public investment from

germany. but, in the same interview, i also said that in our relationship, neither side lectures the other. reporter: germany and france agreed on a project of great symbolic and economic significance, after years of competing with one another in the arms industry, both countries now want to work together and build a fighter jet. up to now, france's aircraft arrival the euro fighter built by germany and three other european countries -- rivaled the euro fighter built by germany and three other european countries. brent: liu xiaobo died. the 61-year-old suffered from liver cancer. china ignored international pleas to allow liu to seek treatment abroad. he died in custody in a hospital, still serving out an 11 year prison sentence. here's a look back now at liu xiaobo's life and legacy. reporter: for 3 decades, this

mild-mannered man of words let the struggle for human rights in the face of the mighty chinese state. it was amid the brutal crackdown on tiananmen square in 1989 that liu xiaobo turn from academic to activist he was one of the thousands of young people demanding democracy. he was imprisoned and stripped of his teaching position but undeterred. in the mid-1990's, liu was sentenced to time in a reeducation camp, for he met his second wife and soulmate. if anything, his insect -- if his incarceration served only to embolden him. a prolific writer, liu xiaobo spent time between prison terms producing a series of books that extol the virtues of democracy, human rights, and free speech. but it was a manifesto for democracy called "charter 08" to lead to his longest and harshest punishment. outside china, his work was honored on the international stage. >> the committee has decided to

award the nobel peace prize to liu xiaobo. reporter: liu was not allowed out of prison for the ceremony and was instead represented by an teacher. he remained little known in china, due to strict censorship. in late june, liu was moved under police guard from prison to a hospital after diagnosed with late stage liver cancer. but the chinese government denied international calls to move him abroad for treatment, and left liu xiaobo as the first nobility's laureate to die in detention in almost 80 years -- nobel peace laureate to die in detention in almost 80 years. brent: i am joined by representative of amnesty international. we appreciate you taking the time to talk to us tonight. talk to me about liu xiaobo's struggle and his work. why were they so important? reporter: it was incredibly important. liu xiaobo was really a human

rights giants of our time, a man of enormous courage, grace, decency under such pressures. he took incredible risks again and again. he defied the authorities in beijing, knowing punishment would come. he had many opportunities to leave the country and he refused. he was repeatedly jailed, repeatedly locked up for speaking in the simplest sense, for speaking truth to power. he spoke simple truths about the kind of freedoms on chinese people should have, oh people in the world should have, and he was terribly punished for that right up to his final days. brent: he was punished right up into his death, he was still in custody when he died. how much of a chilling effect do you think that will have on other activists who may want to push for more human rights in china? reporter: it's difficult to say.

we have to remember that all of the people doing things like this, human rights lawyers can be locked up, human rights activists have been locked up. all of them know they are taking extraordinary risks to do so. i think that in some respects, it is chilling. that's what the chinese authorities resort to do, to create that chilling effect. back in 2009, 2010 when he had been locked up for 11 years, it backfired on beijing because he then received the nobel peace prize and became know not just better worldwide, but in china where they tried so hard to suppress his name. he became a bit more known. i think we will find his death and that real callousness we have seen from the beijing authorities in refusing to allow him to travel abroad. i think that will again make his name better known. you cannot but respect the incredible piece move, the

defiant courage we've seen from him. his wife, who was in the quite flawless way of the beijing authorities, she is still under house arrest. i think from international -- amnesty international has perspective, who campaigned for her as a prisoner of conscious, but now amnesty international is calling that house arrest -- for that house arrest to end and that she should be able to travel abroad if she wishes to. brent: what are the chances that china will release her and let her move somewhere outside of china? reporter: the sad thing is we are seeing far too little international pressure. amnesty international like others, we have repeatedly called for the release of liu xiaobo over many years, and of her as well. western leaders have not wish to

speak truth to power in the way that liu xiaobo so bravely did. they would have nothing to lose except billion-dollar deals is what they fear the most. i think those plain truths need to be spoken on behalf of really strong and good china, freedom to benefit all chinese and the rule of law which is not exist at the moment. it's difficult to know whether china will take the sensible and humane path. they did not do that with liu xiaobo but i hope they will do that with xia. brent: our guest joining us tonight from london with wednesday international. -- amnesty international trade is still to come, the chinese artist and activist pays tribute to his friend, liu xiaobo.

the nobel prize winner and political prisoner died today while still in custody. that interview plus the latest business news coming up next. ♪

brent: welcome back here with "dw news." u.s. president donald trump praise the relationship between france and the u.s. as unbreakable. chavez in paris for talks with the french president emmanuel macron. the two announced joint efforts on counterterrorism, trade, and syria. but trump danced around the question of whether he would reverse the u.s. withdrawal from the paris climate accord. the jailed chinese dissident and nobel peace prize winner liu xiaobo has died. the 61-year-old, pro-democracy activists had been suffering from liver cancer. china's authorities have refused international pleas for liu to seek treatment abroad. the nobel committee has said the

chinese government bears heavy responsibility for liu xiaobo's death. the renowned chinese artist and activist was a long time friend and supporter of liu xiaobo. our reporter spoke to him in berlin after the world heard of liu's death. >> he sent me the draft of chapter eight, which is the reason he has been sentenced. he asked me my opinions on that writing. >> what is liu xiaobo's legacy? >> i think liu xiaobo's legacy is, impossible condition, still an individual who is intelligence, brave, and the

believes through those individuals defending, they can win. >> is his death in custody a blow for the human rights movement in china? >> i think it's a very sad story because the human rights movement in china are in very extremely sad condition. most lawyers or ngo's, human rights fighters are in jail. the are being held without trial without chance to see their lawyers or their families. with such a severe condition, there's very little voice from outside of china. >> what keeps, let's say the

german government for more actively pressing for human rights in china? >> i think german should defend their own principles, which german are different from many other societies, and german should be much rational in defending human rights, even though they did a lot and they helped a lot in the past, i of course recognize that, but you never do enough for humanity under human rights. it's not a mercy, it's a responsibility. if we want the world to become a better world, if we want our business partner to understand the condition of respects, very essential values. >> with all the media attention on liu xiaobo's situation and on his death now, is there hope that maybe the situation, the

human rights situation will be better? >> i should say i don't have that hope. china has been going through a lot of much worse situations. the government is very tough, very arrogant in that sense, but nevertheless there's always people defending those, and it doesn't matter how difficult that is. there's always hope. >> thank you very much. brent: that was the artist speaking with our max sender -- reporter on the death of liu xiaobo. we will talk about the idea of unifying the eurozone when it comes to a finance minister. that is a controversial idea. >> it might sound like a snooze fest at first, but this is a massive change of heart for german chancellor angela merkel. she said she is now open to the idea of a joint finance minister. it's a big step for germany

which has long had a strong aversion to making changes in the eurozone. reporter: as the biggest country using the euro, germany has opposed the idea of handing over control to a common finance minister out of fear that financial discipline could be lost. but as angela merkel visited emmanuel macron, she changed her tone, saying for the first time she would not oppose a eurozone budget, and is also open to talks about a finance minister for the common currency. >> having a european finance minister is something we can talk about. we've been talking about an economic government and how to do it for a long time. rep to reconsider the method and the intensity of cooperation in europe to finish projects more rapidly. reporter: merkel expressed willingness to meet another key french demand, to step up public spending and stoke the european economy. >> the u.s. spends more on

health care than any other industrialized country, yet has some of the worst outcomes. what little public health care there is is fragmented and the largest part of the market is privatized and expensive. president obama set out to change that with his obamacare plan, which president trump is always found to repeal. his first attempt to do so failed but now republicans are lining up another bill for the senate which some say could lead a further 22 million americans uncovered. they plan to vote on that next week. so, obamacare on, obamacare off. the uncertainty must be harming the health of insurance companies. what do they say? >> insurance companies are getting nervous because they are being left in the dark. the problem is they will be forced to calculate their rates for 2018 without knowing all the variables they should take into account for a calculation of their premiums, but it's almost

impossible to do that when insurance company -- an insurance company doesn't know what might happen to so-called cost-sharing reductions, short csr. those payments are provided to insurers to defray the cost of offering low income americans cheaper out-of-pocket costs, but trump hasn't said whether the federal government will continue to make these payments next year or even next month. >> moving onto something else, janet yellen was testifying to the senate on thursday. and talking about hanging bankers out to dry. tell us more. >> well, wall street watched as senator elizabeth warren was on to wells fargo. asleep, she said, and now she westjet to take care of it. she wants yellen to remove most of the bank's board instead of slapping wells fargo with more fines. yellen confirmed the fed has the legal authority to oust

directors but she also said there needs to be a thorough investigation to understand the root causes of the problems at wells fargo. brent: the carmaker daimler to latest under investigation over devices designed to cheat admissions tests. german media are reporting their mercedes manufacturers sold around one million vehicles with engines manipulated to conceal damaging emissions over the past decade. it's an accusation daimler strenuously denies. we asked our business correspondence if this is the dawn of daimler's own dieselgate. reporter: it certainly seemed that way to investors. at the start of the trading day, daimler shares jumped 2.5% as investors were spooked at the idea that the affected cars could lose market approval and be bad for the sale. for its part, daimler has said

it sees little risk that will happen. as such, investors were relieved and a sharp price bounced back by close lower -- the share price bounced back by close lower. clouds over investor sentiment are bound to stay overhead. >> now for the greatest race on two wheels, back over to brent. brent: the tour de france has entered the mountain stages with the writers -- riders taking on long bursting climbs in the pyrenees. that means it's business time for the reigning champion and his rivals for the yellow jersey. he went into stage 12 at the top of the standings but his slender advantage could be wiped out in an instance. reporter: disaster struck 15 kilometers from the finish line for the defending champion. luckily for the brits, his closest rival followed him off the road, fabio aru.

the pair were able to continue and build a huge lead over one of the other favorites. the colombian writer ken tana -- quintana appears to be out of the running. aru and two other writers -- riders broke away. froome wasn't able to keep up. it was france's raomin bardet -- romain bardet taking the victory. froome finished 22 seconds back, enough to see him lose the yellow jersey to aru, the italian leads by six seconds with more tough mountain stages to come. brent: and here's a reminder of the tab story we're following for you, u.s. president donald trump has praised the relationship between france and the u.s. as unbreakable. trump is in paris for talks with french president emmanuel macron. the two announced joint efforts on counterterrorism, trade, and syria, but trump danced around

the question of whether he would reverse the u.s. withdrawal from the paris climate accord. after a short break, i will be back to take you through the day. stick around for that. we will be right back, everybody. ♪

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