the pharmaceutical giant bayer says its monsanto weedkillers are safe, after a us court ordered it to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in damages to a man who claimed his terminal cancer was caused by glyphosate in the herbicides. turkey's president erdogan has warned the us that his country will look for new friends and allies unless washington reverses a trend of what he calls unilateralism and disrespect. he accused the us of trying to bring his country to its knees because of an american pastor who's detained in turkey over terrorism charges. an airline employee has died after stealing and crashing a twin—engine plane in seattle in the us. the 29—year—old carried out what's been described as "an unauthorised take off" from seattle tacoma international airport. n0 passengers were on board at the time. now on bbc news, it's time for more from the money and power season which is looking at how money, and its inherent power, shapes our lives.

this weekend's programme looks at the cost of marriage in uganda. a new craze is seducing couples across uganda. in a quest to show off new—found wealth or status, and in a race to outdo their neighbours, brides and grooms are going to extremes on their big day. ugandan weddings are now big business. big dresses, big venues and big bills. i'm on the shores of lake victoria. i'm here to witness one of the biggest weddings in kampala, in recent weeks. over a quarter of a million couples are getting married every year in uganda but, in a country where the average annual income is just over $700, many people are spending a small and sometimes unaffordable fortune on their wedding. you feel like your husband cannot provide. you feel like you really made a mistake. rita is an up—and—coming wedding planner in kampala. she started her own events company three years ago. rita's meeting viola, a bride—to—be, for a very special appointment.

that is lovely. it has a touch of weight, it has a touch of champagne, but then it has a little embroidery. you do not like the embroidery? no, it is a bit complicated. we shall get there. this, no. wow. it looks so nice. i love the fact that itjust holds your waist so nicely. i can't breathe! we are going to try millions until we get what you want. it is really nice. how much does that crown go for?

200,000? 200,000 only. yeah, only. 200,000? i do not believe you. rita is one of an estimated 130 wedding planners in the capital. you can do lots better than that. how is it? shoot me! i think we shall get it for your mother. wedding planners, bridal salons and a range of new businesses are all profiting from the new, more modern approach to getting married: the big white wedding. ok so we've fallen in love with this gown. if she wanted to just buy it and take it away, how much would it go for? 4.5. $1500. that would be perfect. thank you so much.

yes. rita's workload is increasing. she now usually works one wedding every weekend. in uganda getting married is a big deal. it is an achievement, i would say. since i started this business about three years ago, the wedding business has really changed a lot. it's really a lucrative business right now. more and more clients are getting interested in wedding planning. rita has noticed a marked trend towards bigger, ever more lavish weddings. five years ago you talk to somebody and you're like, look here, 80 people are enough. and they're like, yeah, it is about me getting married. today, 80 people? are you serious? bridejoyce has

invited 1,500 guests. today she is getting married to her high school sweetheart. the couple had a traditional union ten years ago but, like many ugandans, they now want a second ceremony, a big, white wedding. this morning i'm on the shores of lake victoria. i'm here to witness one of the biggest weddings in kampala in recent weeks. rita has come to meet and observe one of the most successful wedding planners in the country. over the last ten years, andrew has built a reputation organising the most extravagant weddings. about the figures, roughly how much went into this wedding? they spent like 300—400 million. whoa, that's interesting.

that's about over $100,000 — that is huge. it took us three months to organise this wedding. it is a big team. this is the work i am doing every time. we have a video team, we have 20 people to generate the party. so it's a big team. like 100 people altogether. yes, that's nice, that's nice. that dress looks so beautiful on her. it complements her so well. i could say it goes for about 8 million ugandan shillings or it's about $2,500. their wedding guests begin to pour into the reception. this is even bigger than i expected, it's so huge. we even have national tv right here, capturing this lavish wedding. we have some of the biggest cars in kampala, over there. the decor is lovely. it cost over $9,000 us.

you can imagine, that's really huge. you may thinkjoyce and ronald's reception could rival a royal wedding. but the couple are part of a new wave of successful ugandan entrepreneurs. they run two thriving retail businesses and a restaurant in kampala, earning them an annual income of 800 million ugandan shillings or $200,000 us. five—star venues, production crews, fireworks, six—tier cakes, their very own thrones and caterers serving feasts for all the guests. these are just some of the things couples across uganda now request on their wedding day.

such demand is fuelling the growing wedding industry. people like rita, andrew and this decorator are all reaping the benefits. do you think weddings have changed a lot over the years, from ten years ago, how have they changed? of course. they have really changed. initially we did not have all this. we did not have lighted tables, we did not have those flowers, imported from nairobi, we didn't have that art and creativity to really go to that extent. something from india, from china, to create the effects here. at a wedding where no expense has been spared, it is no surprise that the entertainment is a national treasure. music playing but not everyone in the country can afford big white weddings,

with planners, limousines and pop star performers. 0ne groom, with the help of his two sisters, is still busy organising his big day with less than 2a hours to go. how much was it? 15. 15 cause i need to know the budget first. i do not want to go with less money. i don't know how much is going to be spent here. joseph is a 29—year—old businessman who works in kampala, but he has come home to tororo, a rural town in eastern uganda, to get married. his traditional wedding is costing him 7 million shillings, $2,500 us, a fraction of the big white weddings in kampala. i going to address some money that i can top up the money to finish shopping.

have you gone slightly over budget? yeah. some small things that i never expected actually but they are coming in right now at the last minute. so i'm going in. i am not regretting it, i am just happy that i'm doing it for myself. one day, one thing in life that i do not need to take for granted. meanwhile, in a neighbouring town of mbale, joseph's bride—to—be, 27—year—old cissy is preparing food for her guests. i began realising i was falling in love withjoseph when he sent me a song.

he sent me a song and the song was so touching, it made me reflect about my life with him. that song made me have a sleepless night, it kept on ringing in my mind over and over and i said, ok, the feeling i had that time made me realise that actually i loved him, i was in love with him. as tradition dictates, cissy‘s father, fabien, will host the wedding at the family home. now, cissy, you're my last to go. and i feel the excitement this week is greater than before, because we stayed with you for a longer time. how was it for you? what are the memorable moments you have? wedding is like we are putting

your last, last oath, this is the person i want, this is a person want to stay with, this is the person i want to be the father or the mother of my children so that is a very touching moment. you feel very excited that you are at last going to be husband and wife. what did you take for appreciation to the family, for raising money? that time, people were talking in terms of animals. but my father—in—law said he was an old man so he wanted the equivalent in cash. cissy‘s parents got married 45 years ago. for generations, gifts such

as cattle, have been offered as a dowry or bride price when the man asked for the woman's hand in marriage. the offer is increased by the woman's worth: her social standing, her education, age, looks and so on. while this tradition continues throughout uganda and beyond, cissy‘s parents did not ask joseph for a bride price. that evening, joseph collects his final gift ahead of tomorrow's celebrations. this one. hello. i am not paying a bride price. i can't equate her to an animal. she is for more than this, she is a beautiful woman, very intelligent, very loving and, above all, she's god—fearing.

that is the most important thing that i love about her. with everything now paid for ahead of tomorrow, the total wedding costs them just under $2,000 us, a quarter of their annual earnings. with the help of their families, the couple have come in on budget. the big day has arrived. cissy‘s mother, katharine, has come to spend her last moment with her youngest daughter before she embarks on a new chapter. yeah, so far, so good. everything seems to be ok. my family is happy. you can see from my mum right there! everyone is happy. my prayer for cissy is that

joseph has come here, let him be a loving husband, and an outstanding husband, a caring husband. i am happy that my family doesn't ask for bride price, didn't askjoseph for bride price. he chose to bring whatever he can afford. so i'm happy about that. at least he shows the appreciation for them raising me up and he shows his respect to their culture but it is out of his own will, not by force. bride price means when the husband takes you, you are his property. whatever you do is for him. so when joseph came, we received them and told him that cecilia was too precious for a bride price so whatever they are bringing is a gift.

not a bride price. in uganda, lam happy that it is dying out. i love you. i love you too, mummy. cissy and joseph have decided to have a kwanjula, a type of traditional wedding which alongside religious and civil ceremonies is one of three legally recognised forms of marriage in uganda. wonderful! finally, joseph and his entourage arrived.

the main celebrations can now commence. asjoseph is a lure from a tribe in eastern uganda and cissy is from another group, the dancers must formally greet and invite him across the family's threshold. cissy‘s sister and maid of honour joyce is tasked with seating joseph. she comes covered, dressed like the other girls, the other sisters. and a little difficult for the groom to choose. dressed like other

girls, other sisters. this is one of the oldest traditions in a kwanjula. joseph must identify his bride amongst the sisters. it's a final test the groom must pass before he finally earns the bride's hand in marriage. the pressure is on. 0ne mistake and it's all off. these are presents from joseph to cissy‘s presents and the family members. each gift offered to cissy‘s family has a significance like the two white goats that symbolise cissy‘s purity.

the union is finally blessed and celebrated by their family and community. making them lawfully husband and wife. at each stage of the ceremony, cissy changes from one outfit to another with a grand total of five dresses. as night descends, it is time for a universal tradition. dancing... i feel super excited. i'm really happy that she is mine. i'm super excited. oh, i'm extremely excited. i'm happy. the function went well. i'm happy that this is not a worry. thank you.

i promise i won't mistreat you. i will do my best to keep a smile on your face. back in kampala, rita is meeting a couple who've had a very different wedding experience. right now, i am on my way to visit my old clients. i did their wedding last year, moses and joan. they are such a lovely couple but right now, they are going through some financial difficulties because of the expenses they had to incurfor their wedding. they had to go into debt. it has greatly affected their marriage so i'm going to check on them and see how they are progressing. father, in jesus' name, we thank you because you are a good and gracious god.

33—year—old moses is a pastor whose livelihood is dependent on community donations. his 27—year—old wifejoan is a new mother and works odd jobs when she can. moses, tell me, why were you under so much pressure to have this big wedding? first and foremost because of my position as a pastor, as a man of god in community and society and even in church as well. i had to give them what they expected from me. so i wish i listened what you told me, the advice of doing something that is meaningful but i had no choice. if i had a chance to do it again, i would do it much better and at a more affordable cost, within my means. moses and joan spent 10,000 us dollars on their wedding ceremonies, half of which went towards the bride price. they still owe $a000. it has been so, so, so,

so challenging, rita. at times it felt like hell. when all the debts are settled, i will finally feel my husband is now at peace. the situation has been so tense to me, as a man, as a father, as a husband. also as a pastor. sometimes you end up feeling like you are not worth it enough, you end up doing sacrifices to put food on the table. like some days i used to tell my wife that i am fasting. for them to have a meal that we couldn't share both of us. it has put a lot of stress and strain and pressure on me, even between me and my wife. basically, with stress, you can develop depression. you feel like your husband cannot provide. you feel like you really made a mistake but sometimes we really get off the hook and we kind of fight over financial issues. i think it's such a horrible impact

that anyone could ever choose to have, because of poor planning and i can call it extravagance. save me, oh, god, forthe waters are coming to my soul... as a leader of his community, moses wants to know what can be done to prevent other couples ending up in a similar situation. he has heard a group of politicians are proposing a change in the law to regulate weddings and support young couples getting married. monica is an mp leading the campaign. there has to be regulation

of marriages so we don't commercialise and make it a business, per se. as a country, we have not moved faster to address the costs embedded in celebrating the various steps of marriages. customary marriage, civil marriage and the church marriage. that is why we are working together as members of parliament to streamline these types of marriages and provide for the basic requirements which are acceptable under the law. that's why i am so much interested in hearing what parliamentarians are really discussing about it. the mps are also proposing a legal change to the tradition of bride price in an effort to reduce wedding costs. the first thing we require is that bride price doesn't have to be paid. and if it is paid, it should not be refundable as it has been. as a pastor, i have a young man behind me that right now intending to get married.

and that cost is scaring them off? yes. newlyweds cissy and joseph are contemplating what their marriage will bring. so i'm looking forward to seeing ourselves happy, growing old together. getting wrinkles together. and seeing our grandchildren together. at the office, they will be calling me mrs, not miss. it's going to give me a certain amount of respect. i'm happy that i came to your family. we didn't choose to go to the city where things are so high, you know. we have seen so many people make it look big, at the day, they end up clashing. a new level, a new responsibilities, new status amongst our friends.

with us, let us work towards having it work. till death do us part. as couples across uganda decide on how they wish to celebrate their marriage, they will each find their unique way of managing tradition and the allure of big white wedding. hello. it stays fairly changeable over the next few days,

and as a general rule of thumb, if you saw some sunshine today like here in north yorkshire, you are likely to see rain over the next 12—24 hours. conversely, where we have some rain today and a fair amount of it across parts of wales, then tomorrow you should see a bit more in the way of sunshine. outbreaks of rain working their way eastwards through england and wales, placed by sunny spells but also some sharp and maybe thundery showers. the rain slow—moving on itsjourney northwards through scotland. here we are at a:00pm on sunday afternoon. we still have some outbreaks of rain across southern england with sunny spells following on behind but yes, still potential for some showers which could be heavy and thundery. still some showers for northern ireland and the far north

of england but here, the best of the sunshine and mainly dry in the afternoon. meanwhile across scotland, although turning drier through dumfries and galloway and the borders, further outbreaks of rain for central and northern scotland. far north into 0rkney and shetland mainly dry and the best of the sunshine here. quite breezy for the western isles and a noticeable wind as well for south—west england. elsewhere, a gentle—moderate breeze. in the sunshine, we'll see temperatures getting up to between 19 and 21 celsius but they may struggle around 15 or 16 celsius across central and northern parts of scotland where that rain is somewhat stubborn to go. but through sunday evening, slowly, we will see the rain pushing its way northwards across scotland with some late spells of sunshine and southern areas of scotland. meanwhile, across england and wales, watch out for further heavy and maybe thundery showers slowly clearing their way eastwards. through the early hours of monday morning, still some showers around and another fairly mild if not warm and muggy night, with lows between 12 and 16 celsius. so on monday, we still have our area of low pressure clearing the eastern side of the uk. so that means we'll still see some showers anywhere from the east coast

of scotland down through north—east england, east anglia and south—east england through monday morning. again, still heavy and thundery. as they clear eastwards, behind it, across much of england and wales and northern ireland, we'll see some spells of sunshine, but it looks like scotland will also be a bit more cloud and some showers for the western isles. 16—18 here on monday. getting up to 2a celsius across central and south—east england in the best of the sunshine. so looking ahead to tuesday and wednesday, always the chance we could see some showers, with longer spells of rain across scotland and northern ireland. meanwhile, for much of england and wales, drier, brighter and feeling warmer. bye— bye. this is bbc news.

i'm nkem ifejika. our top stories: romanians rally against the government for a second day, the protests pass peacefully after friday's violence. chemical giant monsanto insists its products are safe after a court orders it to payout nearly three hundred million dollars to a man who claims its weedkiller caused his cancer. british author and nobel prize winner vs naipaul has died at the age of 85. and we meet the scientists behind a new type of mosquito net that could save thousands from malaria. hello and welcome to bbc news.