First, the latest headlines. A man has been charged with the Attempted Murder of the slovak Prime Minister, robert fico. The politician is now able to speak, officials have said, but is still in a very serious condition after being shot several times yesterday. Slovakias Interior Minister described the suspect as a lone wolf who opposed the government. China and russia have put on a display of unity and mutual support during a meeting of their two leaders in beijing. Xijinping and the Vladimir Putin signed a statement that promised to deepen their countries� relationship. Trade between china and russia has surged since moscows invasion of ukraine. South africa has asked the United Nations highest court to order an immediate halt to israels Offensive On Rafah in southern gaza. Todays hearing in the hague is part of a case accusing israel of carrying out genocide. Israel has dismissed the allegation as baseless. The European Union has begun a formal investigation into the Social Media Firms facebook and instagram over allegations they may be failing to protect children. Their Parent Company has been accused of using algorithms which encourage addictive behaviour. Good evening. Before he became president , there was no one perhaps as close to donald trump as his fixer Michael Cohen. The two of them talked daily about matters trump wanted cohen to handle. The Da In New York has bet big that cohen can make in this trial that the former president was directly involved in a scheme to conceal a Hush Money Payment on the eve of the 2016 election. A string of witnesses have testified that money was paid to kill the stories. But only cohen could provide evidence that trump directed the payments and then knowingly lied on the business forms to conceal Campaign Finance crimes. Putting him on the stand was a gamble from the start. Cohen who served prison time for multiple crimes, including for lying to congress in 2018 has significant credibility issues. And today the defence spent all of their time picking at his credibility. The evidence weve heard today has once again been all about trying to undermine Michael Cohens integrity in front of the jury. To some extent, they have a fairwind behind it. The prosecution did much of thatjob for them. And it really hinges on these sort of alternate views of Michael Cohens character and his motivation. There is a significant question remaining. When prosecutors rests tonight, will the defence call donald trump to testify . Will they call any further witness . Or will they make the bold claim that the state of new york has failed to prove Donald Trumps guilt beyond reasonable doubt and move straight to Closing Submissions . The former president s closest congressional allies have never questioned his innocence. There is literally no branch of government that Michael Cohen is not lied to. He lied to investigators. He lied to the judge who sentenced him. He lied to the United States congress, and he committed these lies for his own benefit. The radical left wants President Trump to simply go away. And if President Trump just went away, this would all go away as well. They do not want him to be in this race. They know that he is the number one candidate for president of the United States. Lets bring in our panel. Extraordinary over the last two days of this trial, tuesday and today on thursday that we have seen this procession of supporters from congress coming out to support donald trump. Including the speaker who was there on tuesday. A man whos often spoken about morals in society, coming to support someone who is accused of covering up sex with an Adult Film Star by making false payments. What have you made of it . , ~ i. , false payments. What have you made of it . , ~. ,. ,. , of it . Thank you for having me on and i think of it . Thank you for having me on and i think you of it . Thank you for having me on and i think you are of it . Thank you for having me on and i think you are right. Of it . Thank you for having me on and i think you are right. It and i think you are right. It is really bizarre it not in a good way moment for america and i think it is something, frankly, that has not fully sunk in in our country yet. It is one of the things that republicans have spoken about is the idea of a two tiered justice system. That is the Talking Point for saying that donald trump has been persecuted. What you are actually seeing is the donald trump is the beneficiary of a two tierjustice system. They use some of the most powerful people in the country coming to the courthouse to be there for him and ideally trying to violate the gag order placed on him to see if they can persuade a juror to see if they can persuade a juror to get a hung jury and mess with the trial. But imagine any other criminal defendant. They dont get this kind of treatment. I think it is one of the signs ofjust how far republicans are willing to go to torpedo american institutions including those responsible for law and orderjust to help one man. George conway, the lawyer, husband of kelly and conway who is of course close to donald trump made a interesting point this week saying, the alleged lies of People Versus trump strike at the core of the moral to try since and trump knows it. They are lies allegedly meant to cover up a tawdry mans tawdry behaviour. The case embodies donald trump and for that reason, i think it deeply disturbing. There are a lot of people around him that actually think that it is starting to get at the president , the former president , and it is starting to show. , president , and it is starting to show. , ,. , president , and it is starting to show. , ,. ,. , show. Certainly if you look at him in the court show. Certainly if you look at him in the court room show. Certainly if you look at him in the court room he show. Certainly if you look at him in the court room he looks in the court room he looks absolutely tired and washed out, frankly absolutely tired and washed out, frankly i absolutely tired and washed out, frankly. I do think that there is this issue frankly. I do think that there is this issue that donald trump has thrives this issue that donald trump has thrives on this issue that donald trump has thrives on breaking rules. If you are a thrives on breaking rules. If you are a politician that essentially buitds are a politician that essentially builds your proofs are not up by doing builds your proofs are not up by doing that, almost the inevitable consequence is that you will break Rules Consequence is that you will break rules that consequence is that you will break rules that are lost. Here he is, Finding Rules that are lost. Here he is, finding himself in a courtroom where he is now finding himself in a courtroom where he is now out of control of the process he is now out of control of the process and in a sense happy to see what process and in a sense happy to see what the process and in a sense happy to see what the jurors ultimately think of him. Testimony today, is commercially important and appeals to me commercially important and appeals to me like commercially important and appeals to me like this court case will turn on whether to me like this court case will turn on whether people really feel probably cant believe what he says in spite probably cant believe what he says in spite of probably cant believe what he says in spite of all of his proven misdemeanors in the past. I agree with What Misdemeanors in the past. I agree with what was already said, it is staggering to see elective representatives of the Republican Party representatives of the Republican Party as representatives of the Republican Party as it were, having their say, during party as it were, having their say, during a party as it were, having their say, during a legal court case. Trying to, clearly, during a legal court case. Trying to, clearly, direct thejury during a legal court case. Trying to, clearly, direct the jury in many respects to, clearly, direct the jury in many respects in to, clearly, direct the jury in many respects in terms of what they should respects in terms of what they should think about this. Respects in terms of what they should think about this. There was an extraordinary should think about this. There was an extraordinary line should think about this. There was an extraordinary line in should think about this. There was an extraordinary line in the should think about this. There was an extraordinary line in the new. An extraordinary line in the new york times, this is not a joke by the way, a young aide who is in court called natalie harp and hijab is to carry around a portable printer so she can provide mr trump with hard copies of mood boosting news that she puts in front of him. And you could see him from outside of court and he is holding up these papers that he read some of the nice things that fox news presenters have said about him through the course of the day. And that is hijab, to keep up the day. And that is hijab, to keep up her his spirits so when he appears in front of television cameras, it does not show how frustrated he is been with the events of the day. That shows actually the sort of effect that is hopping on his mental state. Having. I think there is the old Pizza Factoid about if a having. I think there is the old Pizza Factoid about if having. I think there is the old Pizza Factoid about if a shark stops swimmin Pizza Factoid about if a shark stops swimming it Pizza Factoid about if a shark stops swimming it will Pizza Factoid about if a shark stops swimming it will die Pizza Factoid about if a shark stops swimming it will die because Pizza Factoid about if a shark stops swimming it will die because of. Pizza factoid about if a shark stops swimming it will die because of it | swimming it will die because of it seems if donald trump stops being follow latter he will fall asleep. He had trouble staying awake during his criminal trial. Stops being flattered. What is worrisome about thatis flattered. What is worrisome about that is the length, the tie all of this together, the length that other elected officials in the country are now willing to go to flatter donald trump. Because hes made it clear that if he becomes president again, those people are not going to just become standing at the courthouse, outside, that is going to be the attorney general, that will be the head of the fbi, all of these people who know that their number one job is to make donald trump happy moment to moment. Not to serve any concept of the public interest. On one hand, as you say, it is almost hilarious, ridiculous and also, as we have learned of the last several years, things can be silly and terrifying simultaneously. That things can be silly and terrifying simultaneously. Things can be silly and terrifying simultaneously. That is the loyalty that david cohen simultaneously. That is the loyalty that david cohen has simultaneously. That is the loyalty that david cohen has been simultaneously. That is the loyalty that david cohen has been talking | that david cohen has been talking about on the stand, the logo he was expecting to stand even when the fbi had written his offices. Be on the circus of this trial in new york The Real Verdict will come in november as we reported last night. The two candidates has agreed to face off into televised debates. The first of them hosted by cnn, on 27th in atlanta. Fox news polling out this morning that shows biden is behind, just. President trump leads byi point among registered voters, according to this new national poll. Trump at 49 biden on 48 . Although when you factor in the other president ial candidates independents robert f kenneder and Cornel West Trump leads biden by 3 points among 43 to a0. Theres been this debate about independenfs theres been this debate about independent� s effect on the speed but i get in a sense thatjoe biden needs this more than donald trump, he needs to change the dynamics of this bowling and he is prepared to take a gamble to do so. I think that is exactly right take a gamble to do so. I think that is exactly right. Of take a gamble to do so. I think that is exactly right. Of course take a gamble to do so. I think that is exactly right. Of course trump i is exactly right. Of course trump did play is exactly right. Of course trump did play a is exactly right. Of course trump did play a part is exactly right. Of course trump did playa part in is exactly right. Of course trump did play a part in the republican nominee did play a part in the republican Nominee Debates did not interest us at Nominee Debates did not interest us at the Nominee Debates did not interest us at the not Nominee Debates did not interest us at the not because he was so far ahead us at the not because he was so far ahead. These debates are normally held immediately in the run up to the president ial election. This year they will the president ial election. This year they will be injune and the second will be they will be injune and the second will be in they will be injune and the second will be in september. Of course i am here in will be in september. Of course i am here inthe will be in september. Of course i am here in the uk would have an election here in the uk would have an election coming up as well so what you are election coming up as well so what you are seeing is almost an election season you are seeing is almost an election season in you are seeing is almost an election season in america that is notjust going season in america that is notjust going to season in america that is notjust going to affect the states and how people going to affect the states and how people vote there, but actually will percolate people vote there, but actually will percolate back into an important election percolate back into an important election we have here in the uk as well election we have here in the uk as well. � election we have here in the uk as well. , election we have here in the uk as well. N~. ,. ,~ , election we have here in the uk as well. , well. Ask he also makes the points toda that well. Ask he also makes the points today that biden well. Ask he also makes the points today that biden always well. Ask he also makes the points today that biden always planned to debate and he got it what you wanted to instead of the three, no Live Audience and plenty of time for election days, if it goes wrong. Do you buy this argument that actually joe biden needed it more than trump . I thinkjoe biden needs a debate or at least would certainly benefit from one. I do not think it is for the reasons a lot of people put forward. I actually think it is simple. Trump is a very unique figure and a uniquely dangerous figure. At the Positionjoe Biden is and is similarto figure. At the Positionjoe Biden is and is similar to the position barack obama was and when he ran for reelection against mitt romney, when i worked on his Reelection Campaign in 2012. If this election is a referendum on biden, do you think biden has done a good or backdrop, i think he has done a good job but he will probably lose that election. At this election is a choice between joe biden and trump, who do you want to be your commander in chief, the leader of the country for the next four years, that I Thinkjoe Biden will win. So the sooner he can make that pivot and say, this is a choice between two people and they may both between two people and they may both be imperfect, but you have to choose. The sooner i think you will start to see benefit from that in the more likely he will successful at framing that race all the way through november. So the sooner he can debate the better. It through november. So the sooner he can debate the better. Can debate the better. It obviously marks the demise can debate the better. It obviously marks the demise of can debate the better. It obviously marks the demise of the can debate the better. It obviously. Marks the demise of the committee of president ial debates who would normally organise three of these debates, i think they have done so Sincejimmy Carterand debates, i think they have done so Sincejimmy Carter and certainly as they have come a lot later. But it is interesting, one of the theories they have for staging it injune is because these days, people make their decision ahead of elections, many months out. It is baked in. Maybe that is the effect of social media, i dont know but we see so many of our politicians these days that actually there is one strand of thinking that you need to get in front of the electorate much earlier. With that apply here in the uk as well . If earlier. With that apply here in the uk as well . Earlier. With that apply here in the uk as well . If you look at what has happened this uk as well . If you look at what has happened this past uk as well . If you look at what has happened this past week uk as