this is the w.'s line from berlin fighting back the european union stands up to the united states over the iran nuclear deal the leaders move to ban european companies from complying with u.s. sanctions for a live at the leaders' summit in the balgair in capitals sophia also coming up a controversial referendum in boon to people in this piece african country votes on whether to extend the president's term for up to sixteen more years tensions are high in a nation that's no stranger to political violence and toward all wedding fever

excitement builds among the fans of the british royals ahead of this weekend's big day right making marco meanwhile confirms that her father will not be attending her wedding to prince harry so who will walk her down the aisle. it's great to have you along i'm leyla rock the european union has sent a strong signal that it will keep the iran nuclear deal alive despite the decision by u.s. president donald trump to abandon it european commission president john kline juncker has said the e.u. will we activate a blocking statute it's used more than twenty years ago to counter u.s. sanctions against cuba libya and iran alone makes it illegal for companies to comply with american sanctions. you know her announced

a decision in the capital sofia where has of state we're meeting well in a sign. of a declining transatlantic relations the e.u. council president adulterous cad this also to say today at a press conference. i think the geo political problem is when you have. unpredictable opponent all enemy. of the problem is if your closest friend is unpredictable. it's not a joke throughout and it's that because i think it's a. different problem today was our friends on the other side of atlantic. because how can they agree with president trump was. when he says that unpredictability can be a very useful tool in politics but. are you

heard on a bar of ezola is in so you're covering the summit for you a barber of the e.u. a clearly closing around i have just witnessed the european union in effect siding with iran over the u.s. . you know how life wouldn't really say that because donald tusk when he was asked about but said of course when on siding with iran a country like iran we know we have very limited expectations we know what we can do we know how far greens can go however the big disappointment that comes out of what he said here and his quotes and what many other heads of government european leaders he has said is that the united states treating the europeans as if they where their enemies their fellow opponents on the other side off the brink and that is something that they really took all last night during dinner and today of

a part of this day to digest to talk about and to find countermeasures and that is why we see this very strident response there it is a mix of anger in disappointment i think right and strident i think is a perfect description of barbara a europe sending a very strong message to the trumpet ministration that the e.u. won't be dictated by the u.s. on how to run their business but let's look at the practical side of this member states may stand firm but will investors go along if they risk being blacklisted by the u.s. . the practical side of this is very difficult because we know you know to make a big political gesture that's one thing and that's what the europeans trying to do here you know trying to show trump you know we are not the dormant you can just trample all over on the other side when on the other hand when it comes to really implementing of this law we've been talking about when it comes to companies sort

of from their own will and decision drawing back from deals with iran because they feel threatened by us thanks because they're fearful their business model of their profit then the european union is at the limit off its powers and that's the problem it can help some like smaller and medium sized countries it can companies it can open up all to alternative history of finance for deals was around and it can do all sorts of small things but when it goes like when it is about the big investments when we're talking about billions that for instance the french oil giant fatah wanted to invest in a gas field in iran then companies do what they want and the european comes to the end of its powers right now how long on that note how long can the e.u. maintain this united front. it stands for the moment and i assume it will stand for a while unless trump starts to modify modify his stance towards europe and maybe

favor some countries over others but so far they have resisted that i mean there has not been any dividing and ruling so far the europeans to feel that their only chance is to stick together because otherwise they see what trump is capable off and otherwise every individual european country will just be completely clobbered so no they will stay they will stay together for a while and they are now waiting for a reaction another tweet maybe from the white house all right and before i let you go of barbara relations have been the klein ng for separatists lee how unprecedented is this. this is quite unprecedented in my experience even at the height of the fight about the iraq war between then president bush and the european union we haven't seen anything like this we haven't seen a tone like this we haven't seen that level of disappointment and anger and really

felt really the feeling that is very strong here in sofia that the united states have somehow completely left the table at the off the transatlantic relations and that is something that we haven't had ever but a vessel reporting from the bulgarian capital sofia thank you. all right we like to bring you up to speed now with some of the other stories making news around the world. the european commission is taking germany and five other e.u. countries to court over air pollution the e.u. claims germany has failed to tackle diesel vehicle emissions since they pushed for cleaner air in two thousand and fifteen many german cities suffer from poor air quality mostly due to the economy's reliance on making diesel vehicles. facebook c.e.o. mark zuckerberg has agreed to speak with leaders of the european parliament about

his company's data sharing scandal but the meeting may happen behind closed doors instead of the public testimony like a brick faced in the u.s. last month british firm cambridge analytic a share of the data of nearly three million e.u. based facebook users without their consent. huge clouds of ash spewing from hawaii's go away a volcano have prompted a red alert for aircraft traveling in the region it's the first such warnings since eruptions started twelve days ago explosions have intensified with the volcano shooting out boulders and triggering tremors now two thousand people have been evacuated. the people of are voting in a referendum today that could allow current president. to stay in power until twenty thirty four around five million people have registered to vote and long lines have already been reported at polling stations in the capital of course these

are is currently serving a throne room and every violence erupted after his controversial reelection back in twenty fifteen there are fears that extending his rule could spark new bloodshed. while the incumbent to appear in court is already serving a controversial third term described as unconstitutional. by his opponents his plans to change the constitution could undermine years of peace building this tiny east african nation has a bloody history a twelve year brutal civil war killed more than three hundred thousand people between one thousand ninety three and two thousand and five in the year two thousand the so-called peace and reconciliation deal was signed helping to end the fighting five years later ten years of relative peace followed but unfortunately violence flared up again in two thousand and fifteen when guernsey's us started his

third term more than a thousand people were killed when you were ports now of voter intimidation there are no fears burundi could see a return of the deadly violence of recent years. in the small village of. bloodstains a straw mats where a family used to sleep pray for gruesome attack by neighbors assailants he murdered twenty six villages in their homes earlier this month with guns flames and machetes . these killers attacked my family my family is dead and the army did nothing to save them and although they weren't far from here. no one knows for sure if this attack was related to burundi's referendum but it gives a taste of the tense atmosphere in which the vote is taking place. the not always apparent bundy is deeply divided over its president and his plan to amend the constitution to be able to extend his reign pm currencies believes he has

a god given right to rule and while not everyone agrees he has a huge support in rural areas i am here before you turn arounds to all burundians that the election will go very well as god is my witness. the opposition says the president's planning a power grab and that it's him and to stop him. who are trying to intimidate us claim that a new vote would push our country back to war this is terrorism let us say no. but saying no to pm isn't easy. when the indians took to the streets to protest his last controversial reelection demonstrations were crushed twelve hundred people died in the violence that followed and hundreds of thousands fled their homes many now live in refugee camps in neighboring countries such as this one in rwanda. those who stayed behind said they live in fear

elena and her children watched as their husband and father was taken away in a raid. move they were afraid we don't have a propagate we're trying to block the entrance to the yard with branches so we can hear the police and call for help. then as now the president's ruling party was accused of using violence to stifle opposition the run up to the referendum has been marred by hate speech and intimidation and the pull it suggests that people opposed to and. have been arrested and beaten. us actress megan marko has confirmed that her father will not be attending her wedding to britain's prince harry if those reports that thomas marco has undergone heart surgery the couple are due to marry at windsor castle on saturday and excitement is growing among fans of the orioles. with camping bed already in place this

woman doesn't want to miss a thing and she's not alone among the police and security ardent fans of the british royal family have been descending on the town of windsor outside london for straight. to go really well read. and see for is history to. be heard through a straight road through. crowds gathered in windsor have already had the chance to watch a military rehearsal of saturday's royal event with the pomp and circumstance fit for a prince and princess members of the army navy and air force have been precessing through the town. but want excitement is building ahead of the wedding between prince harry and meghan markle things haven't been so easy for the couple. the american actress has been forced to issue a statement confirming that her father will not be attending have big day because

of his health thomas marco was jus to walk his daughter down the aisle but is reported to have undergone heart treatment. despite the difficult circumstances fans of the british royal family are still expecting saturday to be a fairytale wedding. and early as i caught a goalkeeper before and says he will play his last match for club view venters this weekend but put off for terrorists to consider offers to play overseas for fun is widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers of all time and many were expecting a retirement announcement interest but the forty year old says he's received exciting offers which have changed his mind about haleigh his clothes. are now before i let you go this is the main headline that we're following for you right now european union leaders. to bad if you're to bad european companies from

complying with american sanctions against iran the move is part of the e.u. is attempt to salvage the iran nuclear deal after the united states holdouts. on the rocks thank you so very much for spending in this part of the day with us news continues at the top of the hour to see that. cut. it's all happening touch of it coming. your link to news from africa the world story links to exceptional stories and discussions genuinely welcome to diffuse african program tonight from one jimi come on uses easy to our i would say de deputed code smash africa join us on facebook at g.w. africa.