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Emmanuel Macron has told Chinese leader Xi Jinping that the war in Ukraine has hit stability and ended decades of peace in the country.

The French president is visiting Beijing alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in an attempt to use Xi’s influence over Russia to promote a peace settlement.

Mr Macron said “Russian aggression in Ukraine has dealt a blow to [international] stability. I know I can count on you … to bring Russia to its senses and bring everyone back to the negotiating table,” Macron told Xi.

“We need to find a lasting peace,” Macron said. “I believe that this is also an important issue for China, as much as it is for France and for Europe.”

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The French president would “try to build, and somehow engage China toward a shared responsibility for peace and stability on international issues”, including Ukraine, Iran and North Korea.

Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, China, April 6, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
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Xi Jinping welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron at the Great Hall of the People

The Chinese leader didn’t mention Ukraine or Russia, but welcomed relations with France. He said Beijing and Paris are “staunch promoters of multipolarisation of the world,” a reference to reducing U.S. dominance in economic and political affairs.

Xi and Russian president Vladimir Putin declared a “no-limits friendship” before the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and China has refused to directly criticise the Kremlin. Beijing has called for a cease-fire and peace talks.

China has become the biggest buyer of Russian oil and gas, helping to prop up the country’s revenue in the face of Western sanctions. This has made China increasingly influential over Putin, though Xi appears reluctant to jeopardise that partnership.

“China has always adhered to an objective and fair position on the issue of the Ukraine crisis,” said a foreign ministry spokesperson. “We have been an advocate of a political solution to the crisis and a promoter of peace talks.”

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Mr Macron said during a meeting with Xi’s number two, Premier Li Qiang, that he wanted to talk about “Ukraine, but also about all the major conflicts and the difficult situations around the world.”

“The ability to share a common analysis and build a common path is essential,” he added.

Li said there was likely to be “broad consensus” between Mr Macron and Xi but did not say whether China would lobby Moscow to make peace.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron review troops during an official ceremony at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, China, April 6, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
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Relations between the two countries have maintained a positive and steady momentum, Xi said

Xi said that China and France had the ability and responsibility to transcend “differences” and “restraints” as the world undergoes profound historical changes, Chinese state media reported.

Relations between the two countries have maintained a positive and steady momentum, Xi told Macron.

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Donald Trump trial star witness Michael Cohen accused of lying about hush money phone call

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Donald Trump trial star witness Michael Cohen accused of lying about hush money phone call

Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former “thug” and “pit bull”, has been accused of lying about a phone call he says he made to the former US president about payments to ex porn star Stormy Daniels.

Cohen, a lawyer who worked for the Trump Organisation from 2006 to 2017, has been giving evidence in the case about hush money payments to Ms Daniels – in an attempt to cover up an alleged sexual encounter in 2006.

Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, called into question an important detail – a phone call made by Cohen to Trump’s assistant, Keith Schiller, on 24 October 2016.

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Cohen, 57, has maintained that during that call he spoke to Trump (who was either given the phone by Mr Schiller or placed on loudspeaker – we don’t know which) and told him he had paid Ms Daniels $130,000 in hush money on his behalf.

But Mr Blanche called this into doubt – showing the jury a number of interactions suggesting Cohen was in contact with Mr Schiller about a different issue at the same time, namely that he was receiving harassing phone calls and texts from a 14-year-old child.

“That was a lie – you did not talk to President Trump on that night, you talked to Keith Schiller about what we just went through,” Mr Blanche said.

Cohen said that, based on his records, he believes he spoke to Trump about the Stormy Daniels matter.

“We are not asking for your belief,” Mr Blanche said. “This jury does not want to hear what you think happened.”

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Pic: Reuters
Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attends trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 16th 2024 in New York City, U.S. Steven Hirsch/Pool via REUTERS
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Donald Trump in court on Thursday. Pic: Reuters

That exchange was part of several hours of questioning which apparently sought to paint a picture of Cohen as someone who is eager to see his former boss behind bars.

Mr Blanche played jurors audio clips of Cohen saying the case “fills me with delight” and that imagining Trump and his family in prison made him feel “giddy with hope and laughter”.

“Does the outcome of this trial affect you personally?” Mr Blanche asked.

“Yes,” Cohen replied. He is due to return to the witness stand on Monday.

Michael Cohen (right) leaves his apartment building in New York on Tuesday. Pic: AP
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Michael Cohen (right) was Donald Trump’s fixer. Pic: AP

Cohen worked as the former president’s fixer. He once described himself as Trump’s “spokesman, thug, pit bull and lawless lawyer”.

He once said he would take a bullet for his boss and admitted at the end of questioning on Tuesday that he “violated my moral compass” while working for Trump.

Hush money payouts are not illegal, but Trump is accused of falsifying business records to hide it – a claim he denies.

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Cristiano Ronaldo tops Forbes top 10 list of highest-paid athletes

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Cristiano Ronaldo tops Forbes top 10 list of highest-paid athletes

Cristiano Ronaldo has topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes for the fourth time in his career.

Spanish golfer Jon Rahm took second place following his switch to Saudi-backed LIV Golf.

Ronaldo became the world’s highest-paid athlete after his move to Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr and Forbes said the 39-year-old’s estimated total earnings were around $260m (£205m) – an all-time high for a football player.

Jon Rahm. Pic: Jeff Faughender/USA TODAY Sports/Reuters
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Jon Rahm came in second. Pic: Jeff Faughender/USA TODAY Sports/Reuters

His on-field earnings amounted to $200m (£158m) while off-field he earned $60m (£47m) thanks to sponsorship deals where brands make use of his 629 million Instagram followers.

Rahm earned $218m (£172m) and joins Ronaldo as the only two athletes to earn over $200m.

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi. Pic: David Kirouac/USA TODAY Sports/Reuters
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Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi. Pic: David Kirouac/USA TODAY Sports/Reuters

Third on the list is record eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, who switched to Major League Soccer team Inter Miami, which helped the Argentine World Cup winner earn $135m (£107m).

The 36-year-old earned $65m (£51m) in on-field earnings but $70m (£55m) off it from deals with major sponsors such as Adidas and Apple.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James came in fourth at $128m (£101m), while fellow NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks made fifth with $111m (£88m).

France football captain Kylian Mbappe dropped down to sixth with $110m (£87m).

Neymar, who also moved to the Saudi Pro League to join Al-Hilal, is seventh with $108m (£85m), despite sitting out the majority of the season with a torn ACL.

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French striker Karim Benzema, who also moved to Saudi Arabia, is eighth on the list with $106m (£84m), followed by Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry with $102m (£80m).

Lamar Jackson is the only NFL player on the list, in 10th place with $101m (£80m), thanks to the signing bonus negotiated into his new Baltimore Ravens contract last year.

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Kharkiv: Ukraine’s second city ‘under missile attack’, mayor says

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Kharkiv: Ukraine's second city 'under missile attack', mayor says

Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, is “under missile attack”, its mayor has said.

Ihor Terekhov made his comment not long after regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said at least five Russian drones had struck the northeastern city late on Thursday.

Mr Terekhov said the city’s Osnovyanskyi district had been hit, triggering a fire.

It is unclear whether there have been casualties.

Fabrice Deprez, a journalist reporting from Ukraine, said on X he had “lost count of the number of explosions shaking Kharkiv right now – a dozen or more in the past hour”.

An air raid alert lasted more than 16-and-a-half hours, public broadcaster Suspilne said – the longest alert since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Residents are advised to stay in shelters.

Ukraine war latest

Kharkiv has been a frequent target of Russian attacks in recent weeks.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the city earlier on Thursday to try to boost morale.

In recent days, Moscow has advanced several kilometres into the north of the Kharkiv region.

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