you. know. this is it really was live from berlin germany fights international criticism over a key energy project turns the anglo american plays down claims that a gas pipeline from russia will undermine a western security the u.s. wants it stopped and now france says it could hold construction at a european level also coming up south africa's president gives his state of the nation address and a key national elections by cancer rem opposed convince voters that the scandal hit african national congress has cleaned up its act.

on labor markets great to have you along everyone we start this broadcast with the german plans for a pipeline supplying russian gas that have been thrown into doubt by concerted international opposition the u.s. ambassador to berlin has urged germany to ditch the north stream to project and now france says it could halt the construction process by subjecting the russian company building to tell for european union rules critics say the pipeline will make germany dependent on moscow and undermine european security now that leaves a key part of germany's energy strategy under strict. construction of the north stream two pipeline is a ready well underway but the face of the project lies in the balance e.u.

members have not yet agreed on how to proceed and germany and france in particular and peer to be at odds over regulation of the pipeline with transport gas from russia to germany via the baltic sea the project in its current form is operated by russian state energy company probably several german energy firms and one french company have also invested in this. at the heart of division within the e.u. is a plan to extend the blocks rules to foreign operated pipelines e.u. regulations require a separation of gas sales and pipeline operation activities should those rules be extended to gas problem it would mean that the project in its current form at least could not proceed. for more on the story i'm now joined by above a visit from brussels and brady right here with me in berlin but i want to start with you if i may this last minute announcement today by france that it could support new e.u.

guidelines extending the blocs control over the project how much of a setback is that for germany. there would be a setback if in fact it would proceed immediately however things will not go very quickly because the european parliament if it comes to the vote tomorrow will then have to look at the regulation discuss it and vote on it also and also there might be legal challenges in the back of all this because it is complicated the question is can the e.u. really regulate outside of its own territory does it have the competence to sort of tighten regulations on pipeline projects that come from outside from third countries and so this it's not as easy and as clear cut as it seems by it would of course be a setback and it would of course slow down the project also gas from might lose interest that might become economically non-viable after the changes in the regulation in any case is really through the spender in the works are

a kit what does this mean for franco german ties they certainly use just another issue to answer that ever growing list of disagreements between france and germany right now whether it's over finance energy military or reforms you name it they've had it recently and that's a very stark contrast to what we see when it comes to their symbolic friendships a and the backer and emanuel on actually renewed the friendship between france and germany just a few weeks ago but obviously when it comes down to policies there are a lot of disagreements between the two countries they don't always see eye to eye on everything barbara want to go to you now in the brussels tell us a little bit about this meeting that's taking place tomorrow what's going to happen . it's going to be a meeting of the representative of european governments so it's on council level and if it really comes to the point that france will draw a support for up holding

a minute blocking minority and that's really what this is about because germany just has managed to stall the speculation for years if france sort of withdrawals and pulls the rug from under germany's feet and then voting will go ahead and then of course the regulations could come into place because but as i said it this is only a first step nothing will happen immediately there is still time also there is talk about coming from the french side that this might still be changes in the wording of the regulation we haven't seen anything yet nothing on paper because all this is highly secret and so there might be some softening clauses in there there might also be the stick you nation that this is an agreed to strategic position by paris in berlin to sort of somehow get rid of this very cumbersome followed equally difficult project noise for its three into five of course here we are in the realm off speculation stand by barbara and kate because the u.s.

ambassador richard or grinnell also weighed in on this hot button issue urging germany to abandon north stream and of the chancellor already responded to some of the criticism take a listen. come in and i think if you could fully become dependent on russia because of this gas pipeline i say no if we diversify at the same time. germany will expand its gas terminals with regard to liquefied gas. if that means that we don't want to make ourselves dependent on russia and any circumstances. but russia was a source of gas during the cold war and it will remain so today without us entering into them signed it dependants. with that do you think it was a chance or is able to reassure the critics of this pipeline deal i really don't think so at least not immediately of course the criticism that we've been hearing

as you mentioned from the u.s. ambassador to germany richard grinnell that's nothing new and magical has been defending this pipeline for months now and at the same time the criticism particularly from the u.s. and especially since donald trump became u.s. president that has the criticism from washington has simply gotten louder and louder so i don't think this will be quite enough to deter critics just step over your political correspondent kate brady with me here in the studio and barbara result our brussels correspondent joining us from the e.u. capital thank you. art let's bring you up to speed now with some of the other stories making news around the world. france has recalled its ambassador to italy christiane the say after a series of verbal assaults by italy's two deputy prime ministers on president a manual my current relations between italy and france have grown increasingly

tense tense meet twenty mostly because of disagreements over migration policy. british prime minister theresa may and european commission president as soon close younger have pledged to continue talks about break that but younger once again refused to renegotiate the terms of the already agreed would draw a deal overseeing britain's divorce from the european union that is set to take place on march twenty ninth. and a related subject to norway has warned its students against studying in the u.k. due to the uncertainties surrounding brags that education minister said those hoping to study abroad should favor other countries due to potential problems with brock receive an exam result recognition every year thousands of new jews had to great britain great britain's universities. now south africa's president cyril that ram opposed has promised reform in his state of the nation speech she

was speaking at of a coming elections in may oppose as ruling a.n.c. party is under pressure after melting evidence of corruption a flagging a chrono me and high unemployment opposition parties accuse them of failing to address a problem since president jacob zuma was ousted a year ago. and i'm happy to say that christine went to a forward to defuse africa desk is here with me now to shed some light what was going to put his message to south africa and so tonight you heard in russia about the economy you heard a lot about job creation you heard a lot about for interaction. direct investment and that matches because when rebels i came in at the end of twenty seventeen he told south africans that that's what he was going to do that he was going to create the jobs that he was going to go abroad and bring investment back into the country he talked about corruption he said state institutions were going to have their its independence restored this matches in a country where these very institutions were being used by corrupt politicians

elite to take them or to promote their interests or you heard a lot of you know people wondering which talking about the state of the nation here but really was it a state of the party for the a.n.c. a wonderful platform for the president of the party to stand in front of south africans and say an election is coming up give us time why was tonight's message so important tonight's missed it was important because we're talking about the a.n.c. we're talking about the fact that we are twenty five years into democracy and a lot of people a lot of south africans are asking what has this party done for us we're still poor and the numbers show that we're getting even poorer this is a country with with conservative estimates tell you that forty percent of people are unemployed a huge number of those people young people like myself have never had a job in their lives and so this conversation is taking place in a country where people are saying has the agency's time come and gone should we be looking to changing the political space yet and perhaps we're talking about another posse coming in twenty five years into democracy so tonight is a missing to the south african people coming from the president he is supposed to

be the statesman tonight but he is also the a.n.c. president isn't he and he is seeking reelection for the party and he is also africans to give them more time how much more time do they need nobody knows but zuma is gone we have a boss and now and the mistress of africans is we are a new party and the future will be different our christian right thank you as always great to get your perspective on that are of. our to germany back to germany actually a reason to trust watchdog is cracking down on facebook moving to restrict the social media giants ability to collect data in the country authorities say cannot gather information from third party sites without user account without user consent excuse me well more evidence that facebook's business model fifty four could be under sarette. it is a long awaited decision three years that's how long it took germany's federal cartel office to decide to clamp down on facebook's data collection the question

was whether obtaining data from activity on social media widgets on third party sites could be considered anti-competitive behavior is being used as a given is. the whole conclusion is that facebook can still collect data on its platform invited. facebook facebook can also continue to gather data on its other services like what's up or instagram or on third party sites. but they may in the future collect such days out only with a user's explicit consent. dustin. indy's it's. very clear minded. like in most countries facebook is the leading social media network in germany it has more than thirty million users and the second most popular social network instagram with some seventeen million users is now also owned by facebook that leaves the competition far behind. the

decision to restrict facebook's data collection in germany is the latest in a long line of walls for the company that began with a major privacies gondolas last year since then authorities around the world have been turning the heat up on the tech firm facebook has already responded to the move by german authorities saying it will appeal the decision. alexanders referee has been reelected president of european football's governing body you a thought for another four years severino was the only candidate for the post and secured his second term at u a fist and hall meeting in rome well earlier he vowed there'd be no breakaway super league involving europe's elite clubs under his tenure and as such leak would be a direct threat to the champions league you if as most lucrative club competition. following their agent cup victory qatar's national football team has skyrocketed up

the fifo world rankings moving nearly forty fleeces to fifty fifth they were considered a dark horse by many at the continental championship but had a remarkable run they'd been star eurabia iraq and south korea on their way to the final where they stand for time champions japan three one well it's quite the boost ahead of qatar's next two major tournaments by copa america this june followed of course by the twenty twenty two world cup which host for the first first time. right that does it for me as if you can always get out of meetings on the go just download our app from google play or from the apple story they'll give you access to all the latest news from around the world as well as a push out of occasions for any breaking news you can also use the d to be app to send us your photos and videos of business africa is coming up for next year and i

hope to see you tomorrow. we make up oh but we watch as a polka for that and that's because we are the seven seven percent. team want to shape the continent's future to. be part of enjoying african youngsters as they share their stories their dreams and their challenges. the seventy seven percent. platform for africa charge.