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 and well 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 trying 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 theheoint cabinenet meetingng. merkel also stressed the imimportance o of reforms for fe . and, macron made it clear that

he's not crcritizing germrmany r 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 thahat in our relationship, neitither side lelectures the other. reporter: germany and france agreed on a projoject of great symbolic and economic significancece, after years of coeteting th onene another i in the arms indusustry, 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 jujune, 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 t they so i important? reporter: it was incrcredibly importrtant. liu xiaoaobo was really y a humn righghts giants ofof our time, n of enormous courage, grace, decency ununder such p pressure. hehe took incredible risks a agn and again.. he d defied the authoritities in beijing, k knowing punisishment would cocome. he had m many opppportunities to leavave the countrtry and he refused. he was repeatedlyy jailed, rerepeatedly lockeked up for speakingng in the simplest sens, for spepeaking truruth to power. he spoke s simple truths about e kind of freedoms on chinese peoplele should have, oh peoplen the world d 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 custstody whenen 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? rereporter: it's d difficult to. we have to remember that all of the people d doing things s like this, h human rights lawyers s n be lococked up, humaman righ activistss have been locked up. all of them know they are taking extraordinary r risks to do so. i think that in some respects, it is chilling. that's whatat the chinesese auauthoritieies resort t to do,o create thahat chilling e effect. back i in 2009, 2010 when n he d been l locked up foror 11 yearst babackfired on b beijing becauae then receiveved the nobel peacee prizee a and became know notot t betterer worldwide, but i in cha wherere they trieded so hard to suppress hisis name. hehe became a bit more knonown. i ththink we w will find hisis h and that real callousness s we have seeeen from the beijingng authoritiess in refusing to o aw

him to travel abroad. i thinink that will l again maks name betteter known. yoyou cannot but respepect the incredible p piece move,e, the defifiant coururage we'veve seem him. his wife, , who was in the quite flflawless way o of the beijing authorities,s, she is stilill ur house arrest. i think from interernational --- amnesty inteternational has perspectivive, who campapaignedr heher as a prisoner of cononsci, but t now amnesty internrnations callining that house arrest -- r that house arrest to end and that she should be able to travel abroad if she wishes to. brent: whahat are the chances tt china will release her and let her move somomewhere outsidede f china? reporter: the sad t tng is we arare seeing far too l little ininternational pressssure. amneststy international lilike

otothers, we havave r repeatedly cacalled f for the release of lu xiaobo over many y yrs, and of her as w well. westerern leadersrs have not wio speak trututh to powow in the wy that liu xiaoboo so brbravely d. they wouould have nothing to loe except billion-dollar deals is what they fear the most. i think those plain truths s ned to be spokenn behalf o of real strong and good c china, freedom to b benefit all c chinese and e ruru of law which is not exexist at the moment. it's difficulult to know whether chinaa wililtake the sensible ad humane path.h. they did not do ththat with liu xiaobo but i hope they w will do that with x xia. brent: our guest joining us tonight from london with

wednesday international. -- amnesty international trade is still to come, the chinese artist and activist t pays tribe 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.u.s. president donalald trump praise the relationship between france and the u.s. as unbreakable. chavez in paris for talks with the french president emmanuel macron. thee 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 deaeath. >> 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 thinknk liu x xiaobo's legy

is, impossible condition, still an individidual who isis intelligence, brave, and d the belilieves throughgh those individuals defending, they can win. >

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 wid 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 oth 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. ♪