美国有线新闻 CNN 法国总统马克龙对美国进行国事访问 加拿大多伦多发生汽车冲撞行人事件（在线收听）

And we're starting today's show with a bit of trivia. What nation is widely considered America's oldest ally? The answer to that France. It factors into our first report today because its leader, President Emmanuel Macron is at the White House for the first state visit hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Other world leaders have visited the U.S. since President Trump was inaugurated, but a state visit is a more formal event. This one is scheduled to last three days, planning for Tuesday's nights dinner alone started months ago. And as part of it, valuable and symbolic gifts are exchanged between President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump and President Macron and French First Lady Brigitte Macron.

France is considered America's oldest ally because it supported the U.S. in the revolution, its war for independence from Great Britain. The relationship between the American and French leaders today is said to be very close. It's an interesting and complex dynamic because the two leaders have at different times criticized each other and complimented each other. On some points, they have very little in common, on others, a lot.

One example is the recent air strikes that the U.S., France and Britain worked together on in targeting the chemical weapons program of Syria.

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The strikes may have been carefully coordinated but the route that followed was anything but — after the French president claimed to be driving U.S. policy in Syria.

EMMANUEL MACRON, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (through translator): Ten days ago, President Trump said the U.S.'s will is to disengage from Syria. We convinced him. We convinced him that it was necessary to stay.

BELL: It took less than five hours for the White House to respond, denying that its policy had changed. A squaring off between two presidents that began nearly a year ago with the grip that was more arm wrestle than handshake.

Last May, two ideologically different political newcomers si?zed each other up for the first time. The policy clash came only weeks later over climate change when President Donald Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Accord.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris.

BELL: Emmanuel Macron responded, turning Trump's campaign slogan against him.

MACRON: Make our planet great again.

BELL: But the sizing up and political differences then gave way in July to an unexpected truce. In Paris, the two presidents met and it appeared actually liked each other.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I really have a feeling that you're going to have a very, very peaceful and beautiful Paris, and I'm coming back. You better do a good job, please. Otherwise, you're going to make me look very bad.

MACRON: And you're always welcome.

TRUMP: Thank you.

BELL: Progress, they said, had been made on a number of issues, even it seemed on climate change.

TRUMP: We discussed a lot of different topics. We briefly hit on the Paris Accord. We'll see what happens.

BELL: After the pomp and circumstance of the Bastille Day parade and more exchanges between the two presidents, it was time to say good-bye, which they did with more warmth than anyone had imagined possible — warmth that has now translated into the first state visit of Donald Trump's presidency.

Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.

AZUZ: In Toronto, Canada, a white van collided with dozens of people on a sidewalk yesterday. When we produced this show, police said nine people were killed and 16 were injured. A law enforcement official told CNN that police believe the act was intentional, though they hadn't said so publicly.

Terrorists have used vehicles to attack pedestrians in major cities in recent years. But we don't know yet if this was terrorism, a suspect is in police custody.