like germany and the prospects for those returning home. join the discussion on g.w. dot com and on facebook. prospects for returning. to make. this do every news coming to your wife from berlin polls close up for a day of clashes as catalonia holds a banned independence referendum come on thorny say hundreds have been injured as riot police tried to block the vote the spanish government has defended the crackdown calling the referendum a mockery taking madrid for the latest loss. in

a french city of more say two women have been stabbed to death in a knife attack officials say the assailant was shot dead by french soldiers investigators are working to determine if the attack was terror related. and to making it official germany celebrates its first ever same sex marriage on sunday u.w. speaks to the happy couple about their big day one they've waited nearly four decades to celebrate. welcome to the show my name sarah harmon it's good to have you with us. the ballot count is under way in catalonia after the region held a tumultuous run for and i'm on independence from spain cattle on health officials say seven hundred sixty people were injured in clashes with police spain's prime minister praised the police response and called the vote

a mockery several european leaders have condemned the violence of the day and called for a political dialogue. spanish police used rubber bullets and batons to stop voters casting their ballots in the referendum for catalonia as independence. violence erupted in front of polling stations in barcelona where several hundred people were reported injured including eleven police officers. said the tough response was justified after spain's constitutional court declared the vote illegal . on sunday morning the civil guard stormed a polling station in toronto where catalan president carlos pushed him on wanted to cast his ballot. instead he voted in the neighboring town and blamed the government in madrid for escalating the situation. that i think today says it all this is a disgrace for the spanish state its image has been damaged massively same thing.

long lines had formed in front of polling stations all day many cast lines were determined to vote but in many cases it was impossible the internet appeared to have been disrupted by the central government and so at times ballot box workers had no access to the electoral roll. it wasn't until the afternoon that the situation returned to normal and voters could cast their vote for many it was an emotional moment. and which i must you know it was a great feeling i was able to vote for independence today so i'm really happy. that we were there. the spanish government meanwhile is blaming the catalan regional government for the situation saying it had acted above the law by d.n.a. that simple catalonia has government has acted irresponsibly it has acted as if there's been a suspension of law the judiciary and therefore democracy in catalonia. yes

madam of that i think. on the streets of boston tonight crowds remained in front of polling stations into the evening hoping for a result but still it's not certain if and when that result will be declared. let's cross now to our correspondent martin roberts who's covering the story for us from madrid martin good evening spanish prime minister marianna were whole address the nation said quote there has been no self-determination in catalonia why would you say that. well he's maintaining the government line. that's a place that. minimal safe. for instance there's been no previously published electoral roll where people could check people can download the ballot slips over to the stations. many other criticisms levelled out.

you know break down hasn't. he said. are people still out on the streets in the capital i understand that at least one rally is still ongoing. absolutely just four hundred meters from where i'm sitting in the course of that. traditional meeting place it's where people camped out six years ago on the so-called spanx revolution well people are really not for a couple of hours to protest against what they say pressure i mean date even as i speak i can hear a helicopter. right so this is not showing any signs of letting up what do you think people are going to be waking up to on monday could we see more clashes more protests or do you think i'll have died down. that's tough to say. the tensions are going very very you know i sort of beautiful surprised it didn't seem a protest it was just something that could happen to you this morning or on tuesday

we've seen the reach of the evidence because casablanca look at pictures of sad to see how huge the. overwhelming yes vote they want to collaborate with. so we could be saying. no i want to check back in with you then martin roberts reporting for us there from madrid thanks for bringing us up to date. and meanwhile barcelona's football team has played a spanish league match behind closed doors today no fans were allowed to enter the stadium the team made the announcement less than half an hour before kick off with thousands of fans already waiting outside the club's president that it was a protest against police efforts to stop the referendum barcelona's camp nou stadium is often used as a rallying point for cattle on national ice. and turning out of france for two women have been stabbed to death at the main train station in the southern city of war say the assailant was shot dead by french soldiers and authorities say they are

trying to determine now if the incident was terror related. police descend one small after another attack in france. the knife wielding assailant was shot dead by patrolling soldiers it's too late to save his two young victims. some eyewitnesses reported that the attackers shouted. but much remains unclear. the individual was killed thanks to the composure of the soldier on patrol it appears that this individual had several identities i don't know anything more and i cannot tell you anything more than the interior minister did. in terri a minister. said an investigation has been opened into what was potentially a terrorist attack. the soldier who shot the attacker was part of. a

military deployment of some ten thousand troops it was launched in twenty fifteen to protect areas deemed to be likely terrorist targets. sunday's attack came just two days before french lawmakers are expected to vote on a controversial anti-terrorism bill which has come under fire from human rights experts. here's a look now as well there are stories that are making news around the world police in canada are probing an attack in the western city of edmonton as an act of terrorism a man has been taken into custody suspected of stabbing a policeman and later plowing a round into several pedestrians. legislation banning full face veils in public spaces has gone into effect in australia now it's thought that only about one hundred fifty women where this type of veil in the country but the government says the law is meant to keep faces visible from the hairline to the chin and is

about protecting australian values the so-called burqa ban law signals a shift of the right and restrained politics. of shiite muslim pilgrims have gathered near rocky city of karbala to mark the ashore on religious festival annual holy day marks the killing of the prophet in longer saying the seventh century which led to the deep split between muslims shiite and sunni french. in the u.s. the controversy continues of whether football players should stand for the playing of the national anthem more and more professional players have chosen to kneel during the anthem an act of protest against police violence targeting african-americans president trump do a trenchant to the protests during a speech in alabama last month calling it disrespectful to the flag. well turning now to germany's bundesliga action byron shaky start to the season continued against here to berlin with interim coach willie sanyal replacing sacked

predecessor carlo enchilada in the dugout byron raced into an early lead think straw mats hummels header won ten minutes robert lewandowski doubled barnsley just after half time but the defending champions failed to close out the game berlin scored twice within five minutes andre due to an selman kolo to snatch a comeback to all the final score. here's a quick look at the rest of the results from this weekend. and sunday's late match leipzig defeat of a struggling cologne earlier in the day freiburg beat hoffenheim we just told you berlin came back with a draw against bahrain on center a dortmund one in august for glod back want to get ten over right for left it late against it dark to mark their first home win the sport and mine shared the points in a one all draw and there was a scoreless draw between hamburg and braman in the north darby on friday night another draw between shell and labor christian. gay and lesbian couples in germany

are tying the knot today as a new marriage equality law comes into effect today reporter rebecca waiters brings us this on the country's first same sex idea. finally the day they have waited nearly forty years for until a few months ago both men day and. never imagined it would happen so soon still on the big day some pretty wedding just his he didn't sleep. last night. but happy really happy to be married to a. photo and call met at a party in one thousand nine hundred seventy nine in what was then west berlin they've been together ever since and have spent his campaigning for gay rights in germany. that hard work has finally paid off. the ear. marriage is

a contract for life for two people who love each other and want to make a life together to be there for each other their gender is irrelevant. but now they've made it official in front of their loved ones with the world's media looking on. the most moving moment was walking in here is about seeing all our friends and hearing the wedding march. through that was a moments where you just. you just can't stay cool and. marriage for all is the message on their wedding cake and finally now. it's a dream that's become a reality. i'm joined now in the studio by rebecca ritter's who filed that report record you witnessed history in the making today in germany what i did feel like to be in that room. it was great everything you know is there. i felt really fortunate

to be watching history in the making and the room was filled with really excited people everyone was there they were relieved that this was finally happening in germany and there was a lot of excitement in the room but i have to say that apart from the press scrum which of course do you define it from the sort of a regular. registry office wedding going to say. it was for all intents and purposes like any other registry office wedding you know even if this is it was nice yeah i mean it was it was it was quite traditional in the wedding march played as the boys came down the aisle and you know what the celebrant had to say was more or less in keeping with heterosexual ceremonies so you know i think the hope is that this will just become a normal part of life and you talk to both a and his partner how important was it for them after thirty eight years to actually be married really important you know they they've been gay activists for a really long time in very active in the community and they wanted to get married

so there was a personal element there was also sort of an activist element a sort of political element for them it was more about symbolism then the sort of extension of rights that they'll now get but it was a very symbolic thing and because they've been fighting for for the community for so long you know i think it was a really important day and do people see it as full equality in our is there still a ways to go. i think in terms of gay rights the community see it as germany catching up with a lot of other western democracies that have already allowed gay marriage for some time particularly a lot of european countries i think many in the community felt you know germany just wasn't wasn't in line with those countries. but a lot of people i spoke to said there was still a ways to go particularly in the transgender community. and things like that you know that they're not all the way there but this is a big step in the right direction big step in the right direction one you were able to be in the room for rebecca ritter's thanks for being with us today. just time

for a quick sports item taiwanese spectators turned out sunday for a sporting event that calls for determination imagination and a very sturdy safety helmet soapbox racing teams navigate a treacherous five hundred meter track on the homemade soapbox cars but the bumps and curves proved a little too much for a few contenders the winners of the unlikely named zone those sick bed and team is now on the judges' with their dead good driving. as you know the news you're up to date i'm sara harmon in berlin thanks for watching see at the top of the hour disease. crime fighter the new season of radio crime thrillers. for investigative pieces that will keep you on your toes. pray for.