fighting flares up between azerbaijan and armenia. hello. i'm darren jordan in doha with the world news from al jazeera. running out of patience, protests in greek and turkey over the growing refugee crisis. we will take you to senegal where some syrian refugees have found a safe haven. turkey's president expresses concerns of a rising islamaphobia during his trip to the united states

dozens of people are dead in fighting between azerbaijan and armenia in the dispute acaucuses region. it is the worst violence there in more than 20 years. azerbaijan says 12 of its soldiers have been killed and armenia reported at least 18 dead. both sides there have been civilian deaths. the disputed region lies inside azerbaijan but it has been controlled by ethnic armenians since a ceasefire in 1994. >> reporter: violence has never been far away for the people of here. a ceasefire in 1994 didn't really bring the peace it promised, but the fighting has not been this brutal. azerbaijan and armenia accuse each other of firing the first shots. azerbaijan says its armed forces came under fire from ar till reand grenade launches and it has taken over two strategic hills and a village.

armenia says azerbaijan launched an tack >> translation: they used all types of artillery. we have also lost people >> reporter: the disputed area lies inside azerbaijan but it is a self-declared ethnic armenian enclave running its own affairs since 1994. after the collapse of the soviet union, a war broke out in 1988. an estimated 30,000 people died before a ceasefire agreement in 1994. since then both armenia and azerbaijan have routinely accused the other of stoking the conflict. azerbaijan wants armenia to return the territory. peace talks in recent years have failed to resolve the dispute.

>> azerbaijan has effectively been growing frustrated with the lack of progress in the peace process and by escalating the situation furthered on, it has been trying to attract more of international community's attention into the complicate resolution efforts. >> reporter: both presidents of azerbaijan and armenia are on their way back from an international nuclear summit in washington dc. russia sells arms to both countries. it is also a mediator in the conflict and has called for an end to what is the worst fighting in the area in more than 20 years richard white is a senior fellow at the hudson institute. he says russia will play a big part in how the conflict could play out. >> what we're seeing now is a more serious skirmish, but there's several reasons why we probably won't see an open war

yet. russian-armenia relation s are close. russia has a military base in armenia and they have a military alliance with them, people joined the regime of moscow and so on. azerbaijan is more distant. they've been trying to move closer to europe and the west, and russia sells them weapons, but it's an economic relationship. russia is seen to be a bit more on the side of armenia. that said, in the past when there have been tensions, russia has sought to resolve the immediate cause $of the fighting it-- causes of the fighting, if not necessarily the long-term conflict which gives advantages to moscow. armenia wants to keep the land since its forces occupied since 1994. azerbaijan wants them back. there's no factor driving them to a peace settlement. azerbaijan is stronger

militarily, but the big question mark is it probably wouldn't stay confined to those countries. there's a big possibility of turkish intervention and even more serious is an on possibility of russian intervention if the fighting becomes an all-out war. then it is unclear what will happen, but it will be bad all around people in the greek town of idomeni have been protesting. they say their livelihoods are at risk and that the migrants say they're worse off. on monday the e.u. will start deporting illegal refugees to turkey. >> reporter: attitudes are changing. compassion has given way to anger. at first the solidarity with the thousands of refugees and migrants, but now the people of idomeni are telling the government in atdz ens that livelihoods are at risk. some are furious. they say their quiet town no longer belongs to them

>> when they wam here we embraced them and now our lives are unbearable. we're scared to allow our children to play in the streets. no-one explains to us why they are staying here. >> reporter: the refugees and migrants have been living in the fields close to the border for weeks. farmers have lost their income. they can't employee their land. the people in the village say the refugees have been stealing their chickens and for the past two weeks, the main freight railway line to the rest of europe has been blocked by those who are now stranded in greece. they hope the action will pressure the e.u. to open its borders, but it is adding more pressure on this country's already fragile economy. >> we are now forced to rerout our produce. that means extra cost. we are paying 25% more and it takes longer to deliver the groups. >> reporter: greek police have tried to move people from the tracks. they failed because people resisted and authorities have

said that they have no intention of evacuating idomeni by force. this used to be a transit camp. some have moved to facilities, but the people left here are reluctant. they're blaming the e.u. for a lack of transparency. they have set up this information center to explain to those trapped in greece their official options, even as they argue that the system is not functioning. >> our message is let all the people in. there is no full europe or something like this. it doesn't exist. our message is listen to the people here on the ground that are not treated according to human rights. their lives are on hold. proergs are set in place for people to have greek asylum system, it doesn't work at all. >> reporter: the people here say they too are under impossible strain. they temporarily blocked the main highway to idomeni hoping

that the authorities will act. once they left, refugees and migrant who continue to believe the border will open make their way along what has become a road to nowhere in western turkey there is concern over the arrival of yet more refugees. about 300 people demonstrated against the setting up of registration desks and the building of refugee camps in their town. the camps will house asylum seekers that have been sent back to turkey from europe. >> translation: first of all, we don't know who these people are. there are not only syrians in that group, there are members of the p.k.k. there are even appeal from zimbabwe. nobody knows who they are. how can i be sure they are not terrorist terrorists? >> translation: we feel sorry for the migrants but we all know the policies are wrong. there is no need to say more the mayor is worried about the effect more refugees will

have on his town >> translation: the infrastructure in the area is not suitable for this. nobody asks the opinion of people here before making a decision. first of all, there are concerns over security and about where these people, especially the children, would live and where they will be educated. when you look at the latest data released by the world health organisation, we will be under threat especially in the areas where they will build camps we're getting reports that at least five people have been shot dead by guards at a detention center in libya. security forces tied on a group of pie grants trying to escape a center. it holds thousands of migrants and refugees who were stopped from coming to europe across the mediterranean sea. thousands of syrians fleeing the war have channelled to nearby countries like lebanon, jordan and turkey to seek refuge. a record number are trying to get to europe.

a few are travelling more than 9,000 kilometers to west after to find a safe place to live. >> reporter: it is a lonely life. so far away from home selling perfumes at a market stall. this man lived on the outskirts of damascus. the fighting, senseless violence and the smell of death was too much to bear. nearly three years ago with no end in sight, he left it all for a better life here in senegal. >> translation: i am not a refugee. i have my job here. the moment i feel my country is fine, i will definitely go back. i hope all syrians can return to their country. >> reporter: in this break exodus in which five million syrians are fleeing their homes to wherever they can find sanctuary, he considers himself one of the lucky ones. he has made it out alive and

found an accident enough place to live and work. here he says he is free, not like those who chose to go to europe. >> translation: europe to he is a big prison. you can't move freely. every move needs permission from government. they also have restrictions on people there. life is tough for them. >> reporter: you might any west africa is not an obvious designation, but hundreds of registered as refugees. many are hoping to cross the sahara and then the mediterranean to reach europe using the well-known migrant trafficking routes. then there are those who have made west africa home, like this man who found work here thanks to friends and family connections. people from the middle east have settled here for generations.

there has only been a small syrian community along with the lebanese. like this man, born in senegal to syrian parents, he sells curtains made in aleppo. >> translation: we're not going to let the war stop us. our suppliers have moved to turkey and we try to continue our work as best as we can. trade is a lifestyle of our people >> reporter: news from syria is a few swipes away. again, it's not good news. pictures of his home or what is now left of it. this feeling of loss is only broken by the arrival of a new customer, a chance to forget the war for just a moment, and focus on life here in senegal localities more still to come here on al jazeera, including. [ ♪ ] why tension is brewing over

a mining project in a remote part of south africa. plus, fighting for their culture. indigenous australians demand their centuries old right to fish. more on that. stay with us. stay with us. loouz isiana

welcome back. a quick reminder of the to be stories here on al jazeera. dozens have been killed in the fighting between azerbaijan and armenia in a dispute region. it is the worst violence there in more than 20 years. people in the greek town of idomeni have been protesting

over the expanding refugee camp. on monday e.u. will tart deporting refugees to you are key. a mallta base has reported deaths. turkey's president says he is concerned about rising islamaphobia in the u.s. president erdogan made the comment while opening a new islamic center. >> reporter: turkey's president ended his u.s. tour surrounded by p roshgs-turkish throngs-- pro. he lamb entitied-- lam ened the rise. >> translation: it is unacceptable that muslims have to pay the price of the suffering created by terrorists here in the aftermath of 9/11

>> reporter: he weighed in on the presidential campaign >> translation: it is very interesting and shocking for me to observe some of the presidential candidates here in the u.s. using these allegations and using these labels against the muslims on a continuous basis and openly. >> reporter: despite the support ich ending to his american trip, the road through washington has provoked controversy >> it is a very strong marriage of convenience. he is disappointed at president obama's actions in the middle east. the u.s. is concerned about democracy and the future of turkey in a region that is very unstable, but on the other hand we need turkey to do almost anything that we are required to do in the region. >> reporter: outside his speech at the brookings institution, security forces tried to block critical journalists from entering and clashed with protesters who dogged his every

stop. even as he toured washington, washington evacuated family members of military troops at a turkish base after suicide bomber struck in various cities. erdogan had hoped that president obama would be joining him to dedicate this cultural center. obama declined to meet with erdogan here or at the nuclear summit that brought him to washington. that is widely been seen as a snub. obama didn't merely sideline him, he scalded him >> i think that the approach that they've been taking towards the press is one that could lead turkey down a path that would be very troubling. >> reporter: we asked erdogan what he thought. mr president, president obama says there are troubling signs in turkey. what do you say? >> reporter: but he kept the answer to himself a coastal community in south

africa is mourning the death of an anti mining activist killed last week. he had been battling for years to stop an australian company from mining day obtain yum there-- titanium there. >> reporter: hundreds turn out to mourn a community leader on the wild coast. anti mining activist was killed ten days ago. he was shot multiple times by unknown gunmen. he has been fighting plans to mine titanium >> mining is not good for our area because our area we do agriculture. once the mining takes place, there will be no agriculture. >> reporter: fellow activist has been in hiding since his murder, but has come out to his funeral

>> now it is who is coming next. that is my question. i just tell myself, okay, let me not be stupid and think who is coming next. no matter who, but let me not look back. let me go forward. >> reporter: people here consider this to be an says tore-- ancestoal land. nine million tons lies below this area, the source of titanium. they want to mine this area and create jobs. the crisis group alleges that there has been local corruption. tribal crown princess says the government removed her father from his position as king because he was opposed to the mining. >> when the australian mining company came to us finally, they came to beg us to sign for the

community. we said we do not sign for the community. we do not own the land. we hold the land in custody for the community, so what the community says goes. >> reporter: the government department of mineral resources says it is consulting with the palestinianing and has-- with the public but has not been granted a mining licence. the community says it doesn't know who is behind the attacks. many here identified as pro-mining has refused to talk to us. with the entire community watching, he has been laid to rest. people are working his death is the beginning of escalating tensions which they fear could tear the community apart in niger the president has been sworn in. he got 92% of the vote in the disputed election last month. turn out was low and the

opposition boycotted the election because the candidate was barred from taking part. indigenous australians are calling for a slice of a multi million dollar fishing industry they feel they're excluded from. aboriginal people have gone to prison on charges of fishing. the government says they're not entitled to even though their ancestors have done so for thousands of years. >> reporter: off the coast here south of sydney are lobsters, oysters and abalone. they sell for hundreds of dollars a kilo, by these men say they aren't fishing commercially. they're collecting seafood for their families just as their aboriginal ancestors did. strict fishing limit, they say, shouldn't apply to them, but as a repeat offender he has been

caught with 75 abalone rather than the 10 he is allowed. he spent more than a year in prison >> i thought to myself, you're kidding and the judge didn't even look at me >> reporter: authorities say limits are necessary to protect stocks and ensure fishing is sustainable for commercial fisherman who pay big fees for licences. >> reporter: what's in dispute is whether strict limits should apply to aboriginal people whose ancestors have gathered fish here for thousand of years. he feels it has compromised thinks identity >> it is our culture to go and practice what we were taught as a very young age >> reporter: he was caught with too many abalone three years agoment he was initially prosecuted, but when his lawyer brought up his native title cultural rights, the charges were dropped >> they have a right to take

those fish. it is's legally protected right. so on the legal front, they're just doing what they're entitled to do. >> reporter: andrew does have a commercial licence. he pays nearly $15,000 a year to fish and sell prawns, but as an aboriginal man, he resents that >> we should not be paying for something that belongs to us. if that's our lease, why should we be paying our money for it? >> reporter: indigenous australians have won the right to small-scale cultural fishing, but they think they should be allowed to selfish. he admits sometimes he has sold abalone on the black market. protesters say that should be legal >> at the end of the day we want to be part of the industry instead of being made out to be criminals >> reporter: indigenous communities around here suffer from chronic levels of unemployment. fishing for profit, they say, would help tackle that and protect their culture

former braz immian president lula da silva says me will take up the chief of staff position. he made the comment during a rally. a judge had barred him from the post, but brazil supreme court removed the judge from the case linking lula da silva to a skrupgs scandal. in-- corruption scandal. thousands took to the street to protest against the government of the current president. they oppose ongoing peace talks with the farc and mean it will be impunity for the rebels. >> reporter: venting anger and frustration at a president they see as a traitor. thousands of supporters of the right wing party of former president took to the streets in over a dozen sites and towns

encloses colombia. they're protesting against his policies trying to reach a negotiated peace with the biggest rebel group in the country, the farc, to whom they feel he has given too many concessions. >> translation: the president is selling the country to the rebels underneath the table. this peace process is a lie and we all know that. we need help or soon we will end up like venezuela >> reporter: many supported the yellow jersey while calling on the president to resign. others retired soldiers and policemen came in their uniforms to rally against perceived ill treatment of armed forces members accused of human rights violations. these rallies show just how divided colombiams still are when it comes to the peace process and they're a show of strength by supporters at a time when the president's approval

rating are at an all-time low. >> in any other country in the world it would be inconceivable that such large numbers of the population would march against this. this is a push to pressure the process and to see how much leverage he and his party can game in terms of stirring up opposition on the part of the population >> reporter: recent economic worries and delays in the peace process are providing fertile ground for the increased frustration felt by many colombians. an eventual peace deal will have to be committed to a popular vote to a plebicide and in hay country as divided as this one, it will be far from certain georgia's economy may be struggling but the fashion industry seems to be thriving. fashion week began with three designers last year but this

year over 50 of them are showing off their creations. local talent is drawing much of the inspiration. >> reporter: georgia's overall economy ask looking foggy, but fashion hasn't noticed. this-- is looking foggy, but fashion hasn't noticed. this is a sign of a healthy sector. >> when we started we had three designers and now we have up to 50/60 designers. it means that it is developing. >> reporter: it is a fashion capital of the post-soviet world, ready to wear collections from delube. this is a celebration of fashion. some of which is internationally recognised but it isn't the catwalk that is keeping georgia

fashion alive. take a stroll through the streets and it is easy to find georgian girls wearing the fashion. buyers and designers enjoy a close relationship says this woman. >> we really think in the same way. we create something that they like, they like something that we create. balls i think georgians has the one taste >> reporter: a taste in treating foreign fashionistas who see potential here >> you need to involve national talent, not to redo it, but just to fines serveds the edge of what's happening here. what is happening here is great and it is a really exciting thing, that tweaking it a little bit could compel it onto a much

bigger platform >> reporter: in other words, today here; tomorrow may be the world a quick reminder, you can keep up-to-date with all the news on our website. there it is on your screen. the address aljazeera.com >> thanks for joining us on "america tonight." i'm joie chen. this week we marked international women's day when we commemorate the achievements of women. but there are still great challenges for them, too, like limited opportunity, inequity an