media reports say houthi rebels have received a russian shipment of arms thrived in the em eny port city. ♪ ♪ welcome to al jazerra, i am in doha. also on the program. several children are among the victims as libya's assess of damage the day avi gyps air strikes. the leader of hezbollah in lebanon calls for a wider campaign against isil in iraq. tp-rzsforced out. why thousands of pakistan

refugees are now being deported. we start with reports coming out of yemen and media reports claim a shipment of arms from russia has reportedly arrived in the port city. the area has been under the control of houthi fighters since october. now, the shipment is then said to have been transferred north to the houthi strong hold. let's now get more from jamal who joins us from the support city of aden. what more can you tell us about these reports i've russian weapons shipment? >> reporter: well, what we understand from sources who work at the port there, that the houthis who are in control of the ports have ordered the staff that were not loyal to them or were not their fighters not to approach the harbor as the shipments arrived on board the

ukrainian vessel is what we have been told. we know for sure, for certain is that the airport was closed yesterday, monday. and that's where the reports then arose that the shipment was taken from the ports to the airport and then flown north to the strong hold of the houthis and is where it's understood their leader is based. this isn't the first time reports have emerged of some sort of surprise being sent to the houthis before there was a vessel on which contained fuel, iranian fuel, we understand that was shipped on board russian vessel at the time and that arrived just over a month ago as far as we understand. the houthis obviously, although they control the capital and they have the port under their control, but they do risk being

landlocked in the sense that the south is not under their control and obvious to their north is saudi arabia, that's why it's so important for them to have this gateway so to speak to the outside world in the form of the port in order to get the flies surprise and weapons that they need. >> jamal, just on a separate issue, has there been more on efforts by the opposition factions on how to deal with the houthi coup? >> reporter: yesterday when they came out with the aden documents there. they haven't. what we understand from the reaction that they with you from them just 24 hours ago was that they were kind of shocked and disappointed at the u.n.'s stance post their announcements

where they had expected the u.n. to come out with a stronger support for them and more rigorous action against the houthi coup. and maybe that's why now they are reassessing their position. obviously all of this in light of the fact that these reports of weapons being sent to the houthis just shows you the disparity in terms of the different sides with one side barely unified in its opposition to the coup and lacking international -- real international support in terms of at least arms or some sort of acknowledgment that they represent democracy. and other on the other side you have the houthis who have all the guns, all the weaponry and are -- if these reports turn on the to be true, have the supports of not only russia and iran in terms of diplomatically at the united nations but also in terms of hard weaponry and fuel being sent to them.

>> jamal thank you for updating us on that. speaking for us from southern yemen in aden. now people in the live i can't city are assessing the damage a -- assessing the damage a day avi i didn't want lane offed attacks on targets. cairo says the strikes killed several isil fighters in the raid. but civilians include children appear to have been affected as well. meanwhile security in egypt has been stepped up. armed vehicles have been deployed on roads and highways in every province of egypt. their job is to keep public buildings and property safe and secure. egypt had reportedly been planning an operation against isil for months, in coordination with the u.n. backed government. delegates from that government are in cairo to discuss the next steps. meanwhile, france has called on the u.n. security council to take action against armed groups in libya italy has also

indicated it would participate in any military i want sense in libya. and soon after launching those air strikes in lake yeah, egypt signed a multi billion dollars deal with france for new military hardware. nadine barber reports now from paris. >> reporter: ours after egyptian war plains bombed isil targets in libya a new boost for president sisi and his government. french minister was in cairo on monday sign an arms deal worth almost $6 billion. >> translator: egypt was the first country to buy the mirage 2000 jet fighters and today was the first to choose our jet fighters 67 the contract includes 24-bench built fighter jets their first ever foreign sale as well as missiles and a navel frig frigot. it's a boost for the company which has failed to seal major

contracts in the last few years. >> there is a political element it means this type of deal closer to the french and the egyptian the political authorities, and in a time where we all have to fight gee jihadism it's good to have close connection between the french and egyptians. >> reporter: before monday's signing president francois hollande spoke with his egyptian counter hasn't abdel fattah el-sisi expressing his sympathy for the beheadings and libya agreeing the outside world shouldshould be doing her. paris says is december streets the trust in egypt and their quest to find alternative to his u.s. military distance. last week vladimir putin was in couldcairo for talks presents his

egyptian counterpart with an assault rifle. now egypt is getting new hardware as it flexes its plus unless north africa. the leader of hezbollah in lebanon has called on his military wing to increase its presence in iraq. he said his forces will not retreat from syria and in a rare admission, economy seeded that hezbollah fighters were already inside iraq. he called for an expansion in the campaign to counter what he called a threat for lebanon. and the wider region. let's go now to imran cannes life live for us in baghdad. give us an idea of what the reaction in iraq has been to the comments. >> reporter: well, i can tell you it's been one of surprise from a lot of people i have spoken to throughout the day. today i have spoken to basically iraqi and to u.s. and european

sources that told me they weren't aware of any such presence of hezbollah fighters within iraq itself but what they have said is that it doesn't come as a surprise if there were limited numbers of hezbollah fighters here in iraq. hezbollah and syria have been fighting for a very long time. they are there in damascus protecting the key that lines under the asepsis of iran. for iran the shia shrines near iraq have always been a red line. if they get attacks, that means the iran rain iranians have to sends ground troops in eye rook. hezbollah are a useful too for the iranian to his sends them here. i don't think they are here in any huge number. what we are hearing is if there are hezbollah fighters here they will be embedded with the shia ma russias and in sort some of training and advisory capacity again under the asepsis of iran but not here in any kind number. that's likely the type of role they'll be playing here in iraq if, in deeked they are here in

any kind number. >> meanwhile imran, there has been a parliamental deadlock with the sunni block suspending their participation in the government. has there been anymore development on that? >> reporter: there has been intense closed door meetings. on thursday they'll take another look if they want to extend it or they want to go back to par lamb. what's happening is they are discussing a number of things. the investment in to the killing of the sunni m.p. and the other 11 pima long side that is key. the version needs to happen soon and happen quickly. also they are looking at whether to disarm shia militia groups within the capital itself. and to handover all of the weaponry to government forces in -- government forces to do all the security within the city. so there is a number of things being discussed. all we really know is that these closed-door meetings have gone on every single day since the

crisis began. that there has been no movement as of yet and, of course again as i say they make a decision on whether to go back to the parliament or suspends further the suspension. >> thank you imran speaking to us from baghdad. thousands of afghan refugees in pakistan are being deported back to afghanistan. this comes in the whack of a dead a taliban attack on a school in december last year. at the time the pakistani government said it would immediately begin expelling all illegal afghan refugees. 1,500 refugees were departed in january. twice the number from the previous month. a further 22,000 nicole johnson is live for us. i am a little confused here, can you please make the link for us between the attack on the school

and the re repatriation of these refugees? what's the link? >> reporter: the link is that pakistan is using it as a reason or some jeff gees would say an excuse to crack down on afghan refugees. and many people would say that potentially something that pakistan has wanted to do for a while. so they are use this is what pakistan callings counter terrorism campaign inside pakistan to tart rounding up afghan refugees. many of these refugees are not documented and don't have papers to be there pakistan is very concerned about his security situation and also says that these afghan refugees are a huge drain on resources. now, we are here at a united nations processing sent tore try to help some of these afghan refugees. once they arrive back in pakistan, they get medical treatment, they get money as

well to help them try to reestablish a life. but even still some 90% of the people who are crossing the border at the moment aren't registered, they don't have document and that moments they can't come here and get any help from the united nations. and we met one family like that just outside of the town. beneath the gum trees he has put up a tent and made a home for his family. he escaped from afghanistan 35 years ago. with one son. on his way his other five children and wife drowned crossing a river. in pakistan he was remarried and had more children and grandchildren, all 16 of them are now book in afghanistan. he says the pakistani police detained him and then his son until they agreed to leave. >> translator: they gave us this document saying you have only three days, you have to leave. what can you do in three days? i was selling things in the

street. some people owed me money. i left it all behind. >> reporter: he still remembers his old mud brick home in afghanistan. and its orchards. it's the first time his sons who were porn in pakistan have ever been to afghanistan. >> our first few days were if you have i wasn't is relaxed also all knew. now. [ inaudible ] country. no callings. [ inaudible ] >> reporter: in the last month more than 3,500 afghan families have left pakistan. that's more than the entire number who crossed in all of last year. thousands of afghan refugees are entering behind me at the crossing, and many are accusing the pakistani government of carrying out raids on their homes and detaining the men until they leave their country they say this is happening even they are registered as refugees

and have the proper papers to remain in pakistan. there is about 1.6 million registered after began refugees in pakistan the pakistani government has given them until the end of the year to leave. there is also another 1 million unregistered or illegal refugees and pakistan wants them out now. so in this push camp, people are getting by. children spends their days making up games. and when the winter is over, they'll pack up the tends and travel to their ancestral village. hoping that will be the end of the journey that began more than three decades ago. so the afghanistan government is very concerned that it's going to end up with a huge influx of thousands of returnees back to the country in afghanistan which has a very tough security

situation. economic problems and not enough jobs and not the ability to absorb them. so it will be sending its own del indication to pakistan to meet with the government there to try and resolve this issue. >> nicole, thank you. nicole johnson speaking to us from afghanistan. more to come on al jazerra. new zealand soldiers could soon join the fight against isil. critics say it would be a mistake. taiwan calls on company to his share their profits with their young workers.

here say reminder of our top stories a report out of yemen says a shipment. arms have arrived from russia. the shipment is said to have been trans ford north to the houthi strong hold. people in the libyan city are setting the -- a significants the damage the day avi i didn't want launched a series of air strikes, these are the latest pictures from a hospital in the city. cairo says the strikes killed

several isil-linked fighters in the raid but civilians including children appear to have been killed as well. the leader of lebanon's hezbollah has called on its military wing to increase its presence in iraq. they say their forces are already fighting isil in iraq, he also said that hezbollah would not retreat from syria. new zealand is set to debate on whether to deploy troops to help iraq in the fight against isil. the government says its soldiers will perform a noncombat role in iraq. critics say a deployment would be a mistake. now a report. >> reporter: this was the public invitation to a fight then people said new zealand signed up for long ago. last week the first iraqi foreign minister visited here calling on his new zealand

counterpart to sends troops to his country. >> the notion has always been that there would need to be some invitation, that we would need to feel our efforts were welcome. >> reporter: according to the government any troops it decides to sends to would be to help train iraqi soldiers it's reform similar jobs in afghan that. it is the price of belong to go the club. a reference to the intelligence alliance that includes the united states, great britain australia and canada. it's also about payback last year iraq vote today include newie sand on the united nations security council. some are worrying that new zealand is losing its independent reputation that had at times taken steps against its bigger allies lying banning nuke or ships in the '80s a move too certainly upset the united states. or its condemnation of the u.s.-led invasion of iraq in two

through three. opposition member of parliament phil if gulf was a member of foreign affairs at the time and says the currents government is making a mick that. >> we need to go down a different path. they have not taken in to account the he is lessons of history. >> reporter: the chances of an an attack here may be low but as the military prefares to join the fight in iraq, the dangers of some new zealanders overseas may increase. >> journalists, business people, diplomats who are within the reach of the islamic state and that reach, for example now extends heavily in to libya. it's presents in egypt. it's present in algeria. >> reporter: the government says the decision on what is likely to be a long deployment will be made within weeks. wayne hey, al jazerra aukland.

two al jazerra journalists are out on bail after 411 days in jail in egypt. but their fate for justice isn't over yet. bahar mohamed and mohamed fahmy are still charged with co colluding with the band muslim brother hood their previous conviction has been society out and the pretrial is set for november 23rd. bahar mohamed spoke to al jazerra about being reunited with his family. >> it's hard to describe that moment. you can see it, you can feel it, but to describe those moments with words i think it's -- i can't. but it's -- it's finally i am home. the children was different. it was like it was something different. as soon as they saw me, they saw me on the stairs and they suddenly jump on me. i took them and start hugging them and we start playing and i think i start crying, this is the first time it & why thin start telling me stop going to

work. don't leave again. you have been -- you spent too much hype thyme on work being so don go again, we want you to stay. >> nigeria-based boko haram as warned nyjer chad and cameroon there been more attacks. they say they will carry out bombings in the countries sending troops to fight them of the threat thr*et comes at ring that would leaders meet to device a plan to battle boko haram. >> reporter: they say they have united in order to eliminate an expanding threat. leaders in central africa are in the cameroon capital to finalize an offensive against bicycle haram. >> translator: this session is historic because we moved use it to respond to the barbaric actions of the terrorist group boca huh a. this group has the military and human resources of a conventional army but uses

methods making it more costly for cameroon and chad. >> reporter: the economic community of central african states has agreed to spends $86 million to fight the group. and cameroon and chads are among countries that have committed 9,000 soldiers to be sent to nigeria, this is why they are mobilizing. these picked picked from friday show the first raid on chad soil. five people killed in this village in the south of the country. and in niner thousands of people have left their home to his escape fighting between the arms i and the boko haram. so just as regional countries step up their campaign against it the group is launching more attacks outside of its base in nigeria. the it's not just african countries that are involved. the u.s. military is conducting exercises in chad and niger to train too and i reach the forces. >> translator: as you no this exercise takes place in the context of everyone fashion terrorist acts from all sides particularly in african and particularly from boko haram.

which is spreading terror. >> reporter: it's in nigeria are iitself where people have suffered the most of the thousands killed in 2014 alone many more displaced. al jazerra. malaysia's opposition leader has appeared in court to give testimony. he was granted leave from jail to testify in the lawsuit. now, he accuses him of offering money to switch to the opposition. the formally deputy prime minister is serving a five-year prison sentence for sodomy. talks between greece's new government and the european creditors in brussels have ended with no agreement. the negotiators have until the end of the month to reach ideal or greece will run out of money and face default on the ground its debts. taiwan's government is calling for new laws to insure companies share more of their

profits with their employees. a generation that has once benefited from a growing economy is now facing a lack of job opportunities. harry fawcett reports from taipei. >> reporter: there are end of year office parties, and then there is this. the lunar new year approaches electronics firm is thanking their employees with a multi-$000,000 bash. senior management talk about increased revenues and rage rises and handing out prize prizes raging from $3,000 to a new car. it seems like the real winnowers of economic growth are getting fewer. a bachelor's degree from the best university and a masters earned in london. but she thinks her future lies with hundreds of thousands of other taiwanese working oversees. >> i feel like my study. [ inaudible ] for you to enter the job market. not a guarantee for find ache

better job. and another difficulty is that it's everyone if i find a job that it's not good enough for me to live in taipei. >> reporter: since 1995, taiwan's gross domestic product per capita has shot up by about half. but wages have plateaued during that time. evening as big companies have prospered. taiwan continues to post healthy growth figures of three to 4% but that headline economic number hides a persistent problem, relatively low wages and poor job opportunities with many big companies choosing to base themselves out of mainlands china, companies like fox con1 of many to make the most of relaxed restrictions on doing business in china since the turn of the millennium. morning half of taiwanize products are these days main on the main -- made on the mainland. >> sooner or later the ind department or high level. [ inaudible ] okay, have to move

up with these manufacturing. >> reporter: on her old university campus we meet a banker who moved to hong kong 10 years ago she says they misses home. >> translator: hong kong is very efficient, but it's all about work. i should think about moving back to taiwan to live a more balanced life. >> reporter: in order to return taiwan woo need to rebalance it's workforce. in china it employs up to 90,000 in taiwan 7,000. well no,'s times square is undoubtedly one of the most popular tourist attractions, but with an average of 50 million visitors a year, locals are finding it inconvenient and overcrowded. kristen saloomey reports. >> reporter: it's known as the crossroads of the world and it's not hard to understand why.

on a busy day half a million people pass through times square. >> it's icon i.i love it here. i am make earn jealous back home. >> i want today experience when new york was all about. what better place than to see where the city nevers sleeps. >> reporter: all of this foot traffic is great for retailers who spends top dollar to have billboards and stories store stores in the area but not so much for those who live and work here. a prevent suhr pay vey found that one in fore were discourages by the people and the course tombed characters. >> a lot of people don't know how to walk and don't know that walking is a mode of transportation in new york. so i find myself walking on the street whenever possible. >> reporter: some streets have been close today traffic but the move design today make more room for p*edz only pedestrians only cements to have attracted more of them. >> definitely. ever since they finished construction and making it more

pedestrian friendly, it's gotten more crowded and more costumed characters. >> reporter: the city now wants to rig late people who dress up oscar toon characters and pose for pictureed with tourists after some were caught harassing the public, but even so, sometimes square is still more family friendly than it was back in the 1970s and '80s, then the area was known for porn shops, some automatic parlors prostitutes and drug dealers it took tax incentives with a concerted effort by city and state official to his clean up the area and fill new skyscrapers with tenants the challenge now is to hold onto it with some major tenants like conde last publishing moving out of the. >> we have challenges that so many more people here it gets very crowded. we have to make sure we stay fresh and take care of the customer. it looks like the tourists here

to stay and as long as they don't block the sidewalk, it's hope that the businesses will remain too. chris tim saloomey, al jazerra new york. a reminder that you can always keep up to date will at latest news and analysis on our website, at arsenal.com. >> louisiana's bayou, 70 miles southwest of new orleans. this is the heartland of the native american houma tribe. and it's one of the most valuable ecosystems in the entire united states. >> we go to the bayous to provide for our families. everything's there...