>> tears of relief - thousands of refugees cross into germany. thousands more are still to hello, you are with al jazeera, come... >> i'm wayne hay reporting from bangkok, where a vote has seen a political uncertainty extended. >> guatemalans head to the polls to elect a president after weeks ever political turmoil. >> translation: this is my life. i can't do anything else.

we hear from nigeria's small-scale gold diggers, the government tells them they must pay taxes we start in germany where thousands of refugees arrive and they continue to do so. many have made their way over the mediterranean, and up through the balkans. for days they have been held in hungary, uncertain of whether they'd be allowed through to austria and into the e.u. rob reynolds reports from munich, where they've been met with a warm welcome. >> reporter: weary but happy, refugees arrive at a german train station at last. for thousands those steps represent the finishing to a harrowing journey stretching thousands of kilometres.

germans gathered at the station to cheer and clap as refugees went through a temporary processing center. there they went through the first step of applying for asylum. >> translation: it's running smoothly in an ordinary manner. we had several meetings with the crisis management team. the governmenters police and aid organizations are managing this in an impressive way. >> reporter: german officials estimate that 800,000 refugees arrived in the country before the end of the year. the refugees waited in line to register and receive new clothing, water and food. some families faced many days of hostility in hungary, before being allowed to move on to germany. >> my house bomb.

i decide to go from syria. i hope to find here a better life to me, and to me and my family. >> germany had relatively generous benefits for refugees, and laws for asylum seekers. government officials say the cost of absorbing the refugees may reach 10 billion euros this year. german chancellor angela merkel says they can cope with the influx without raising taxes or raising a deficit. >> as the politicians settle in, a meeting is planned on sunday to discuss ways to streamline the asylum process and set aside funds for the refugee shelters. those political actions lie ahead. for now, thousands of refugees are happy to have reached a long sought-after goal, a warm welcome in a peaceful land.

well, those refugees crossing into germany from austria, where there are many thousands of people waiting to get across. this is a town of nicholls dorfe in austria, right on the border with hungary. already on sunday morning hundreds of people have been getting on trains bound for germany. our correspondent mohammed jamjoom is in the town. the austrians seem to have an organised way for dealing with the numbers of people come into the country from hungary. >> yes, that's absolutely right. i can tell you that every single refugee that i have spoken to today, and i have spoken to dozens, told me they are so gratified at the treatment from the austrians - they've been getting food, water. local volunteers, charity and aid workers are here. they got blankets.

it was cold, many people here behind us slept outside. they are so happy with the treatment they received. they feel better than when they were in hungry. we spoke a while ago to the spokesperson for the local police. we asked about the logistics under way to take care of the refugees, here is what he told me. >> we have a situation that was a challenge for us. austrian police yesterday morning. along yesterday we had to face about 2,000 people, just to come in or over the border, and to have to get them shelter, and to bring them, transport them to vienna. yesterday we had several trains, extra trains, about 14 the whole day. they transported around 400 - 300 to 400 people each

transportation. we transported about 6,500 people. not only by trains, but also by buses. we drove to vienna it's a stark contrast to the reception in austria to the one received whilst in hungary. i'm wondering are there many people who prefer to say let's stay in austria, a rich calm country, a member of the e.u. >> i have spoken to some refugees here today, who said that they are wondering maybe if it's preferable for a stay in austria, but most of the ones i spoke to do want to get to germany and feel their applications for asylum will be accepted there, that they have ample opportunity, and that is the best place to go. they want to continue, now that they have a better reception here in austria. a woman i met yesterday, her

family, he is an english teacher that used to work in syria, a city that's been ravaged by war the past few years, and she told me about this journey that she and her family have been on, especially the past month, crossing from turkey to greece, and they almost drowned. she's shocked at the treatment in hungary, and so relieved to cross from hungary into austria for this woman, the road has been longer and more dangerous than she ever could have imagined. >> terrible, terrible. a bad situation. >> reporter: never worse, the english teacher from syria, than when she, husband and three children found themselves on a boat that started to sink after they set off from turkey, but before they reached cos. >> when we were in the boat in the sea, i was standing on one

leg and raising my son on the other, in order to get them up from the water. because the water was here. and the sea was up here. >> reporter: rescued by the greek coast guard, the family set you have again. a few days back, they wound up in hungary. >> they took us to one of the camps, as if we were in prison. >> every setback made her determined to reach germany. >> yes, i'll try and i'll do it. we tried three times to get to germany, and we were prevented. >> she tells europeans need not fear refugees like her. >> we want to live in peace. we don't want to take anyone, other than money or any, not at all having made to this far, moral among the travel companions is there.

>> there is palpable sigh of relief, as they are a few steps away from the border with austria. they are hoping that they are close to the end of their journey once in austria, they were greeted by a welcoming aid worker. >> anyone speak english? okay. >> reporter: for this woman, the moment brings a more complicated situation. >> i am happy that i did it. that terrible journey. but i'm also sad and sorry for my family. they are still in homs. i wished they'd be here. i wish they would be safe from the war. . >> i hope so. . >> i hope so too

well, many refugees begin their journey on the greek island of lesbos. there are around 25,000 people waiting to be brought on to the mainland. and on saturday, fighting broke out again between refugees and the police. it started when they tried to board a ferry bound for athens, without tickets. these people are from syria, iraq and afghanistan, and are frustrated that the authorities there are not processing them quickly enough now, the canadian relatives of the two syrian toddlers that drowned when they tried to reach greece held a vigil in vancouver. the 3-year-old and 5-year-old brother and mother were among 12 that died when boats capsized off the turkish coast. the children's aunt said if she hadn't sent the money, the boys

would be alive. >> thousands rallied in paris in a show of support for the refugees. they called on the government to welcome syrian refugees that head it to europe. opinion is divided. a poll showed 56% of people do not want their country to open its doors to more people now, to thailand, and the military-appointed national reform council rejected a new constitution, if it passed it would pave the way for referendum. wayne hay reports. >> a return to any form of democracy is slipping further away from thailand. outside parliament, a few protesters want their voices heard. it's not allowed under the military government that seized power in a coup last year. inside it was something of a farewell badge for so-called national reform council. handpicked by the army.

the last task was to vote on a new constitution, one seen by many as a way for the army to consolidate and legitimize their power. >> it's par for the course. the people want to remain in power. and call the shots. >> but they are trying to throw them out. the reform council voted against it. the process is back to the beginning. the draft constitution is condemned as democratic. given those who wrote and voted on the charter were chosen by the army and rejected it, provoked suspicion, the process was a delay in tactics. the longer the deporters tried to stay in power, the greater the risk of conflict. >> it will not be resolved.

relying on the rules of the game. that means it will tend to lead to either violence or maybe another cow de tar -- cout detar now a new constitution will need to be written. this will stay in the boxes, and thailand's political uncertainty goes on. >> still to come here at al jazeera... ..violent protests in nepal over proposed changes to the constitution, plus looking east. how the world's most populous countries are inspiring trends in the west.

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in-depth reports and investigations. start weekday mornings with al jazeera america. open your eyes to a world in motion. hello again. let's have a look at the top stories here at al jazeera. thousands of refugees are continuing their journey across europe. they are being taken in buses across the hungarian border into austria. from there they are being put on to trains, bound for germany. that is where they are claiming asylum in greece, refugees fought with police on the island of lebos. struggles broke out when they tried to board a ferry for athens, without tickets. it's thought there's about 25,000 refugees on the island thailand's island of reform

council voted against a draft of a new constitution. if it had passed, it would have paved the way for a referendum and possible end to military rule the australian prime minister tony abbott says he is not committed the country to taking any more refugees. tony abbott said any increase in intake of refugees at syria would be at the expense of the people from other parts of the world. later on sunday the minister for border protection is expected to travel to geneva, to talk to the high commissioner. >> we are disposed to take more people from the trouble region under the refugee and troubled programme and providing more financial assistance to the u.n.h.c.r. in the weeks and months ahead 47 fighters have been killed in battles between i.s.i.l. and

syrian rebels. the fighting centered around the rebel held town of moraya. it has been a safe zone, suggested by turkey last month. if the rebels lose the town, it will make it harder to clear i.s.i.l. from the area in yemen, saudi-led coalition forces carried out air strikes on the capital sanaa on sunday. the strikes targeted the republican guard, and special forces headquarters in the aldalami base. a local university targeted it along with other positions belonging to houthi militia in iraq, soldiers were killed in a string of i.s.i.l. attacks. 13 of them died in a duel attack on northern and southern ramadi. further east another eight soldiers and popular mobilization forces were killed during a showing.

i.s.i.l. is preparing itself in preparation for the attack tens of thousands of protesters marched in southern nepal, carrying the bodies of five people. it broke out over a new draft constitution. ethnic minorities say they were not getting enough political or economic power. we have more the village in nepal's southern plains is in mourning. a young man from the village had been shot dead. he was studying to be the first qualified engineer from the village. his family had high hopes. >> translation: my second was in the 10th grade and got into engineering. i hoped he'd go and work in the government. we had take loans to educate

him. now he's gone. >> five young men died. dozens were wounded when police opened fire on protesters. they restructured nepal in southern states. police try to redirect goods to the capital. there were violent clashes. >> how can the state treat us like this. shots were fired at the hospital, wounding many. nepal is writing a new constitution, and one of the most controversial part is how to draw federal boundaries. they were finally released. >> they were parading the bodies of the five men, across the district of varsa, and back to the villages, for final goodbyes, people here are emotional memories.

they use deceptive force, and could state grievances and demands. in the same village, what is taken to the house, they could hardly contain the matter. >> my son, my life. what is my life without you. it had quit the armed police force to go and work as a migrant worker. in the past week, the government imposed a curfew here, was lifted for three hours for the funeral procession. as the day moved on, more started to fall on to the streets. >> tens of thousands moved on to the river banks. >> translation: we don't want talks for the government. we want constitutional

amendments. nobody has come here for us. villages from different religions, caste and communities arrived in solidarity. and the bodies are taken to be cremated guatemalans head to the polls on sunday after a week of political turmoil. a wealthy businessman, former first lady and television comedian are among the presidential candidates. david mercer reports. >> reporter: veronica is disillusioned by politics. up until a few weeks ago, the 45-year-old mother decided not to vote in the guatemalan general election. when she saw the changes sweeping the country, she decided that now was the time, even if it meant voting for the least worst candidate. >> if i don't participate in this election, i will not be able to question the future, and

also i have to set an example for my daughter. i need to show her the importance of political participation. >> 7.5 million guatemalans are eligible to vote. many feel the same way as veronica. of the 14 candidates, you'd thing the people are spoilt for choice. many guatemalans said they heard the campaign promises, but they have not heard a plan on how they will deliver. >> i have a well-structured governance plan. i will not need to improvise, i have the leadership experience to my political advantage. >> translation: i don't belong to the traditional political class. what i'll do is fight the class associated with corruption and immunity. we have a plan to work in all

areas of society. >> some groups are encouraging guatemalans to vote, others are telling people to stay at home, a protest against an election tainted by corruption. in the past few days, people told us they've been pressured to vote for certain parties. for veronica, what is important is her daughter's future, and that means going to the polls, hoping she makes the right choice the nigerian government says it's losing millions in revenue every year from illegal mining. some gold diggers in the north operate without licences, and therefore they don't pay tackses. we have this report from the north. >> reporter: this man has worked the mines for 17 years. he dropped out of school because his parents couldn't afford

expenses. soon he may have to look for other jobs. authorities are planning a crackdown on illegal mining. and he is not amused. >> this is my life. ifr don't know anything else. >> most of the gold prospecting is crude. the turn over is crude. a good day can protect hundreds of dollars, those are the dollars the government wants. the authorities want him and hundreds like him to pay taxes on their earnings.

the finers are given a development in some part. >> the federal government says regulations are under way. most units are unlicensed. they hardly pay taxes. the challenge is to get them to pay. >> we can pay more taxes. we want to stop the government coming to nigeria for the mining. and live with nigerians, to enjoy, eat with. >> reporter: for now, that is not what the government wants to do. it wants to stop legal mining,

and bring investors with revenue, and jobs in the camp. >> which means more time is ahead. for small-time miners. >> now, there has been a change in command at the international space station. russian gernadi who has been on board handed over the lab to n.a.s.a.'s scott. five different agencies from many countries fill the station, which is a lovely structure into space. >> an exhibition on china's influence on western fashion is drawing record crowds in new york. the show, china through the looking glass is on display at the natural museum of art. kristen saloomey went along. >> reporter: east meets world and the world's most populist county inspires fashion

designers. it's the latest exhibit on the metropolitan museum called "through the looking glass", and there's no shortage of people wanting a glimpse of the designs. the costume institute held a star-studded fundraiser to kick off the show. as in the past, celebrities made it new york's social event of the year. now the exhibit is a must-see event. china through the looking glass broke attendance records through the institute, more than 660,000 visitors. that's amongst exhibits of all time. it is so popular, they presented the show through monday. it's an appeal going through the fashion world. >> the demography is not just

the fashion crowd. it's also skewing to younger audiences. that's heart warming aspect. it's changed the demographic. >> reporter: fashions are displayed with artefacts. the collaboration celebrates a 100th anniversary and broadens the show's appeal. film clips and music add to the ambience. it's stunning. it gives you chills. >> we were excited to see our traditional clothes presented here. >> we learnt a few things, chinese art. the exhibit traces influences going back to the mid 18th century. the modern significance helped to fuel the imagination of designers and the interests of

many museum goers. >> kristen saloomey, al jazeera, new york. >> you can keep up to date with days developing stories. the big stories on the al jazeera website. there's a lot on the current refugee crisis that is deflecting other parts of the world as well. wildlife poaching is big business worth more than 17 billion dollars a year and growing. the slaughter is being fueled by demand from asia.