>> hello, and welcome on "focus on europe" as we take you behind the scenes. i am michelle, thank you for joining us. coming up, the turkish border town of syrian refugees with a call home. para olympic athletes pay the price of war. in britain, a matchmaking service for would-be homebuyers. our first report access to turkey, a country deeply enmeshed in the syrian refugee crisis because it lies between syria and the eu, where many

would like to end up. it has become your's de facto frontier. -- it has become europe's de facto frontier. turkey has also attacked kurdish forces in northern syria. there are more than 2.5 million refugees seeking shelter. in camps, long ago reached capacity. hundreds of thousands more are expected. in one border town, turks now make up one third of the population. the two groups lived in harmony with many turks benefiting from the arrival of refugees. even though the government has put up a wall, relationships between syrians and turks continue to flourish. >> it is a big day for the keuri gs. they are fine going to get

married. they are already married according to islamic law and have a son. >> my wife is syrian, they told us to get documents from damascus, but i cannot send my wife back into the war. >> on the syrian border, there are many turkish-syrian refugees. many refugees have fled from syria outnumbering the 90,000 locals. and more on the way. every day, thousands of syrian refugees head for the border. but turkey, which is already taken a 2.5 million refugees, has begun building camps on syrian soil. the syrian presence in police is very visible -- kelis is very visible. many have used their savings to

create -- for a long time refugees were welcome here of the central square, turks have been donating blood for wounded syrians. but slowly, the mood is shifting. >> hello. there has been no hostile activity toward syrians. as more arrive, this can change. >> the relatives have arrived at the office or the official marriage. but once again, the couple is sent away because a signature is missing. they are told to come back next week. it has been like this for the last three years now. he currently earns his living as a taxi driver. two years ago, he lost his job at a textile company. >> i earned about 700 euros,

then the syrians came. they have work permits now and have been hired. >> he claims -- it is a controversial topic within his family. is that things the country has taken in of refugees and they are a burden on ordinary turks. >> take rent for example, it has doubled. syrians even paid three months upfront. turkey can't bear this burden alone. >> the arrival of more and more middle-class syrians has created in the among turks. he used to work as a jeweler in his hometown. now, it is still mainly syrians who buy from him.

but he does not understand why his turkish neighbors are envious. >> it is normal that things become more expensive when a town's population suddenly doubles. real estate and rent goes up and so does commercial rent. scarce. -- space becomes scarce. >> turkey has the gun in directing a wall along the syrian border to deter refugees and smugglers. this saddens him. he misses the days where turks and syrians could cross the border freely. >> we used to head over there for lunch and they would come over to us. our politicians also met regularly. we were like brothers and should help them like brothers. if that means tightening our

belts, so be it. >> behind this while, the work continues to rage. despite the hardships to turks, the inhabitants are still willing to help. ♪ >> more than a quarter century has passed since the fall of the berlin wall. images of its toppling stir feelings of euphoria. in our new series, european world of walls and the stories behind them, reporters travel across the confident to explain the meaning behind the walls that people are tearing down, or putting up. we begin our series in cyprus. legend has it that aphrodite, the goddess of love, was born on the mediterranean island. that is a stark contrast compared to the hostilities that pervaded modern history. for over 40 years since the

greeks -- cyprus has been divided into. greeks on the south. turkish on the north. for decades, peace talks have failed. but now, there is a new hope of reunification thanks to the new leaders of each territory who show a will to compromise. our reporter went to the heart of the island divide to see it citizens of both sides if the love once associated with the home, could ever return. ♪ >> our travels begin -- he wants to take us into the buffer zone that separates turkish citizens for 42 years. he has good contacts with the

government in the north and is hopeful that this nomad's land will be filled with life. >> having a checkpoint that it can make people to feel more comfortable. feel with peas and understanding. >> he is confident that changes coming. for months, delegates from northern edit done southern cyprus have been negotiating the opening of a new border crossing. until that happens, the turkish military still controls the area and the connecting growth to the south. so, he advises us to be cautious as tillman -- filming is still forbidden. >> once we realize that people are crossing, -- there will be

more options for people to cross over. >> on the way back, he stops to visit saddick at his mother. they discuss business opportunities ahead. sadiq plans to open a snack bar. directly opposite is the forbidden city, that is healthy -- greek city. to this day, it remains off-limits, even for us. we are careful to not attract attention to ourselves. minutes later, we were arrested and were interrogated by the turkish military. the next day, we were allowed to continue filming. but, he is outraged.

>> they might put us into prison just because we take a photo. the snakes are living inside. the rats are living inside. but if you take a photo, become punished. >> we continue on our journey with the uneasy feeling that walls, fences, and other barriers are not likely to disappear any time soon. our next stop this peel a -- pila. it is located within the u.s. buffer zone. we need a turkish community leader. they are set to electing parliament. how will that affect the chances

of creating a new checkpoint, or a unified cyprus? >> when you listen to the greeks, they say, there are no guarantees. how are we going to solve this in six months? >> we are confronted with the burden of the past area the fear of expulsion, which stems from the periods of conflict. mutual mistrust abounds. mental as well as physical. could the checkpoints be a thing of the past? here, barb dwyer, walls, and san saxe still separate. almost after 42 years, that is crazy. he firmly believes island can be reunited. >> it needs political will,

courage, commitment and leadership. at the moment, the leaders on both sides have shown commitment , they have shambling mess, and i think it's -- they have shown commitment, willingness. >> we learned that both greek and turkish are willing to work to bring them along that divides them. he sees his hometown as a -- as vital. he believes opening a new border crossing will be a turning point for the entire island. >> we have a leader aware of the potential. the are aware of the potential. with the banking crisis, cyprus

knees more productive economy -- cyprus needs a more productive economy. it will make life easier for the next generation. >> his optimism is infectious. still, cyprus is an island with contradictions and liberating it self from the past will be far from easy. >> like our reporter, are you optimistic about cyprus coming together as one? many as know what you think by getting in touch with us on facebook or twitter. the conflict in ukraine may have vanished from the headlines, but the east of the country is still a war zone. two years ago, progression fighters took parts of eastern

ukraine. villages were destroyed with thousands of lives lost. a formal cease-fire was announced. but for those people trying to return home, there is little sign of peace. among the thing the price of war are ukraine's disabled athletic team. finishing fourth at the london 2012 paralympics. these athletes are living and training far from home. the continuing conflict has meant they lost funding and access to their craft. but, they have not lost their winning spirit. >> tim is one of the team's greatest hoax. a group of young, disabled athletes from northern ukraine are highly motivated. many of the young athletes were orphans, or placed in children's homes by their parents when they were babies. now, the coach is like a mother

to them. >> she helps make sure we get vocational training. at the same time, we prepare for competitions. first at the national level then for the european championships. >> she is hoping she will be able to take her youngsters to italy this summer. just taking part would be an achievement for tim. it was a major achievement that the group could train here at all. the town lies in eastern ukraine. this used to be the kid's summer camp. now it is their refuge. their hometown is nearby, but on the other side of the front lines. it is occupied by rushing-backed rebels. -- rurussian-backed rebels. >> we don't understand it.

we did not have a bad light be here. now there is nothing but problems. >> the next large town to the south has repeatedly seen heavy fighting since the war began in 2014. skirmishes continue even now. when the war broke out, tim and his team were competing for metals in their last major championship. the coach remembers the already won a metal there. but, when they try to return home that summer, the road was blocked. they could not get through. >> are training ground had come under fire. we no longer had a place to train. we brought home five medals, but there was no one because tell about our success. >> they soon found a new location where they could train

in peace and safety. >> i hope we will eventually get going again and make it to the paralympics. >> but they are still in the midst of a war. until recently, the disabled athletes had to walk the distance from their quarters to the gym and back. when the fighting began in 2014, the russian rebels still their minibus. the couch had to lobby the ukrainian authorities for months to get a new one. >> ordinary people help us out. the authorities don't. at least of all, the bureaucrats. >> but they were determined to carry on. even in the midst of a dangerous war zone, with military checkpoints and destruction all around.

the athletes' quarters have become an oasis. everyone on the team does their bit helping out where they can. tim is almost always at his coach's side. she gives a tour of the new training grounds. >> this is our stadium now. once it is warm, we will be outside. >> the athletes do what they can to keep each other's spirits up. their home seem so far away. they are hoping their barracks are just a temporary home until the war between ukrainian and rebel forces is over. >> i really hope it ends because i would rather live in study at home.

there are many more possibilities there. >> but the fighting in eastern ukraine goes on. and the coach seems to have settled in here with her at the for the long haul. >> there is a saying in britain, an englishman's home is his castle. recent studies show nine out of 10 young people in the u.k. will probably never own their own home. that same may soon become a thing of the past. nowhere is this more apparent than in the capital, london. the city -- housing demand has far exceeded supply. for those desperate to get a foothold, one company is offering a solution. in this modern social media age, buyers in london struggling to afford a home, can be matched with others with the same problem. it sounds like online dating, but if it a dinner on the first date, you may buy a house

together. >> the browns have to get up early to commute to london. it takes three hours, but they cannot afford a place closer in. they would like to buy a home, if only to escape the horrific conditions in their rental contract. >> there is a term in our lease at the moment that says we are not allowed to have children on the property. >> no children here? >> no. that is tough. >> yes. >> spurred on by poor protection laws, every weekend, aaron collins scour -- aaron and: scour another neighborhood. as every month goes by, home prices increase. the northeastern london artist ever been a highly coveted

address. now home prices are skyrocketing here, too. with demand high, it is a seller's market. this little house would be perfect. one bedroom for the couple. one for the children's room. they may fall in love with it, but then comes the price. equal to 735,000 euros. >> it is 525 thousand pounds. that is a lot for a two bedroom. 75 deposit. >> london continues to boom. construction is going on everywhere. south, 18,000 new flats are under construction as part of one large-scale project. most are likely to end up as luxury space for investors who have no intention of living in them. london hospital class, like the browns, are left out in the

cold. where there is a need, there is a potential business idea. i'm a lester and her partner spend weeks perfecting it. if internet matchmaking works so well for lonely hearts, why not for homebuyers? >> we can definitely offer a service to people that can collaborate together to get on the property ladder. i definitely think we are addressing a lot of problems. >> they found what they hope will be the perfect match for aaron and calling. >> it is quite sporty. erin is a homebody. it really worked out quite well. now, the three go house hunting together. now, that is three people whose

needs and wishes have to be considered and who have to make a decision fast. the estate agent gives them just three venice to look around. he's got many more prospective buyers. that is three minutes to decide if the strangers will be able to share this house, or not. soon, the pre-are back outside and the agent has to rush up to his neck showing. he will need the decision today. london is fast-paced and ruthless. >> in a couple of years, if we decide, we are ready to move on, things changed, then we could expect to sell it just as quickly. >> he doesn't seem convinced.

>> are you looking for investment? are you looking for a home, or an investment? >> a home, but i cannot be too fussy. >> london has been one of the world's major financial capitals. it serves more as an investment than an actual living space. that drives prices out of reach for all but the wealthy. these days, a couple takes an average of 25 years to save up the down payment on a home of their own in london. by that time, they may no longer need a children's bedroom. so, these three will be spending their weekends househunting and getting to know each other. it looks like it is their only chance of getting a foot on the

property ladder. >> could you buy a home with a total stranger and make that decision in just three minutes? our house prices were you live in sintered -- make you consider something so drastic? get in touch on e-mail, facebook, or twitter. that is it for today. thank you for watching. it it is goodbye from me and the whole team. see you next time. ♪

steves: a selection of ferries make the 50-mile crossing between helsinki and tallinn nearly hourly. because of the ease of this delightful two-hour cruise and the variety a quick trip over to estonia adds to your nordic travels, pairing helsinki and tallinn is a natural. stepping off the boat in tallinn, the capital of estonia, you feel you've traveled a long way culturally from finland. its a mix of east and west. tallinn's nordic lutheran culture and language

connect it with stockholm and helsinki, but two centuries of czarist russian rule and nearly 50 years as part of the soviet union have blended in a distinctly russian flavor. fins and estonians share a similar history. first, swedish domination, then russian. then independence after world war i. until 1940, the estonians were about as affluent as the fins, but then estonia was gobbled up by an expanding soviet empire and spent the decades after world war ii under communism. when the ussr fell, estonia regained its freedom, and in 2004, it joined the european union. tallinn has modernized at an astounding rate since the fall of the soviet union. its business district shines with the same glass and steel gleam you'll find in any modern city. yet nearby are the rugged and fully intact medieval walls, and the town within these ramparts has a beautifully preserved old-world ambiance.

among medieval cities in the north of europe, none are as well preserved as tallinn. the town hall square was a marketplace through the centuries. its fine old buildings are a reminder that tallinn was once an important medieval trading center. today it's a touristy scene, full of people just having fun. through the season, each midday, cruise-ship groups congest the center as they blitz the town in the care of local guides. like many tourist zones, tallinn's is a commercial gauntlet. here there's a hokey torture museum, strolling russian dolls, medieval theme restaurants complete with touts, and enthusiastic hawkers of ye olde taste treats. woman: [ laughs ] steves: but just a couple blocks away is, for me, the real attraction of tallinn -- workaday locals enjoying real freedom and better economic times. still-ramshackle courtyards host inviting cafés.

bistros serve organic cuisine in a chic patina of old-world-meets new. and just outside the walls, it seems there's no tourism at all. under towering ramparts, the former moat is now a park, perfect for a warm afternoon stroll.

welcome to "newsline." it is tuesday march 1st. i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. al shabaab has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack in somalia. its members set off two bombs at busy locations. they killed more than 20 people, and injured more than 40. the explosions happened northwest of the capital mogadishu. a car bomb exploded outside a restaurant. it was followed by a suicide bomb nearby. the militant group also claimed responsibility for a friday attack near the presidential office in mogadishu. at least 14 people were killed. somali troops and african union