♪ angry protesters houthi take the airport of yemen's third biggest city in the push south toward the president's stronghold. lauren taylor. this is al jazeera live from london. coming up: peace talks on the verge of collapse after fierce fighting in and around tripoli. syrian government airmen are captured by rebels after a helicopter crashes. could the national front party come out in france's local elections?

plus: >> i am simon mcgregor-wood in front of the pigeon greeting centers where some have been bought byzine ease fancyiers for hundreds of thousands of dollars. hello. we start in yemen where houthi forces have seized control of the airport of the third largest city, taiz. the shia group is in charge of sanaa and a large swathe of the west of the country. it is a key target on the 40 city of aden that's where there is a call for urgent international help. the u.n. security council is scheduled to meet at 1900 gmt. the united states has withdrawn all remaining personnel including special forces from the country. natasha gname reports. >> tear gas, gunshots and anger

on the streets of taiz. proceed toasters are angry about pro-houthi forces arriving in their city. the protesters say the houthi forces surrounding the barracks of the local security forces. >> we refuse reject and dennous these in malitias. we will surround until they leave. >> first, the houthis overtook the capital of sanaa, forcing the president to flee to. president monsur hadi has been trying to hold on to power. i stress the following, the evacwage of all armed militia. >> doesn't seem likely. the united states seems to agree

it shuts down it's forcesments. the u.n. will try to see if it can find a solution until things deteriorate in yemen. al jazeera. >> a full blown war, is that something we are edging toward? >> god forbid you know the regional powers as well, the global are, our global partners. if they don't put their foot real on the ground things could easily slide to that sort of confrontation. >> you mentioned the u.n. security council meeting about this at 1900. >> yes. >> what do you think they are going to propose to try to stabilize yemen? >> as far as we know there was, you know a draft president statement which should have came out a week ago. it was postponed. whether they are going to still

continue on that one, that was calling for a res i knows. >> do you think dialogue is -- we have had the u.s. state department spokesman last night saying they were talking about the withdrawal of the u.s. troops from there. they also then talked about the u.s. supporting the transition but there is no military solution. do you think anybody is going to be willing to put any kind of military solution on the ground there, or do you think -- >> i think what happens, president hadi should show he has the force of his people if the other side feels they can gain or run down through aden that is, you know, a recipe for disaster because wine can win the war. the country, as well as the u.n. really put their foot on the ground and said we are standing beside and we could intervene,

then that would draw people towards the dialogue. >> okay. so you mean the threat of some kind of force? >> yes. yes. a threat of force. >> where would that come from? >> saudi arabia. what people need now is actually to see that the force could be used what happened in bahrain. no fly grown zone. come bombardment of aden. you can't go on bombarding such a peaceful city. you are trying to bring people. no fly zone and the real, you know, show of use of power and e job descriptions are very much worried as far as we have known now. the egypt is very much worried. iran reaches and can control the strait that is a completely defect in the whole initial execute of egypt.

>> how much are they there on the ground? >> at one time, i mean there are rumors about actually the pilots who are, you know, hitting adn and iranians. we know that there are now a lot of military advisors there and they have been there for a long time whether from hezbollah in lebanon who are in yemen. the number 1 advisor is somebody who is, you know from lebanon but he is from iran again. he is the one actually calling the shots now. he is the one coordinating between the previous former dictators dictators' forces and the former forces of houthi. they are regular army. >> complied kited picture. thank you very much. thank you very much indeed.

>> troopshopes libya's warring parties will reach a peaceful agreement are fading fast after fierce fighting in and around tripoli: airstrikes were carried out onsurd killing a senior commander loyal to the rival assembly. a leader of the libya dawn militia has controlled tripoli since august sending the u.n. back to government prime minister to tibruk in the east. hasham talking to sources there, how competent are there that they will actually resume any kind of negotiations? >> reporter: the united nations is talking to the media. as we speak. this is why he had to say he said that talks will continue despite the problems which are on the ground.

fighting in and around tripoli. he said he is confident united nations can push both parties to agree on the main documents which are the national unity government and security arrangements by the end of the next week probably thursday or friday. this is the united nations talking about the future of the talks. but you can see and tell there is something which is wrong about the whole thing because since yesterday, when reports e emerged of fighting in tripoli and around the capital the gmc delegation said we are not going to talk. we are not going to resume talks until we get a final word from our top leaders, still waiting from tripoli whether they will continue talks and very delicate situation. this just gives you an idea about the fractious political reality in libya. this is something that the international it community is hoping to overcome. the internationally recognized government in tribpoli to agree

on a unity government cease-fire across the country, sparrows forming a national army to be able to move forward. a very delicate situation. the international community, as we speak is meeting in this building behind us to try to enforce a settlement any time soon. >> hashem thank you very much for monitoring the progress on those talks. thank you. tunisia's president said a thifd gunman involved in the museum attack on the run. the interior ministry is asking for help to locate the suspect. he was seen on surveillance video with .2 other.2 other gunmen killed at the scene. the president is asking anyone with information to contact the police. >> there are three that we identified and filmed with the surveillance cameras. two were executed but one is on the run still. he won't go very far. we are vigilant. we need to pay tribute to the tunisian police, the specially

the ones who were on site within 10 minutes. the people are interested in this. >> kenyan and somali forces have recertain a keyport town from al shabaab. couday was a stronghold. and their operational hub it was taken in a major beach assault. several fighters were killed. iraq ministry of defense has released videos. according to the ministry more than 70 isil fighters were killed in the strikes in samara and sala hadin. isil continues to holds parts of tikrit inthey have asked for u.s.-led airstrikes to retake the key city city. >> act visits say syrian if's -- pictures posted social media are said to show the helicopter going down near jabalawazia in

idlib progressive. they say the helicopter had a mechanical problem. >> lebanese military says it doesn't have sufficient once again troshing take on isil and fighters along the border with syria. al jazeera was given access to a military front line. >> reporter: each day here in the mountainous border with syria, the lebanese army is looking for any sign of movement by the enemy. when soldiers spot it, they attack. we are concealing the identity of this captain to protect him. >> even if we are not armed very well we are doing the best we can and sacrificing, giving life and we have given a lot of years on this mission and we keep doing that until the last drop of blood. >> the less than knees army is trying to ensure that fighters with isil and the al-qaeda-linked nusra front don't expand their specific war fronts across the border. this military post is just a few

kilometers from where armed groups have staked their positions. >> they are very dangerous because they work in small groups. they used to use covers like farmers and shepherds. so it was very hard at the very beginning to distinguish between civilians and between terrorists. >> reporter: at least for now, the lebanese army says that it is headache making gains one strategic post at a time. the stakes are high. lebanon has its own share of political trouble and doesn't want to get sucked into the broader, sectarian conflict in the region. >> it's not about only infiltrating or actually crossing the borders inside the syria inside the lebanese city. it could be also again, a hybrid country. it could be creating instabilities. >> military leaders say that while lebanon may be divided politically, it's politically, it's trying to put on a united front when it comes to protecting its boundaries.

al jazeera. >> coming up in the next 15 minutes, why good luck jonathan's main rival refused to take part in an election debate. >> what's behind the dwindling numbers in afghanistan's army as the country stands alone against the talibantable. >> tonight. >> you're taking "if" i have kids and you're changing it to "when" i have kids. >> a life-changing choice. >> it is wonderful to have children, but i think you can have a happy life without children. >> follow a very personal journey. >> after the age of 45 to get pregnant... is one percent. >> i'm a bit nervous. >> from the best filmmakers of our time. >> it's not traditionally what broadcast journalism does. >> the new home for original documentaries. al jazeera america presents "motherhood on ice". tonight, 1

hemo. a reminder the top stories here on al jazeera: houthi forces have seized control of the airport in yemen's third largest city. taiz is a key target on the way to the president's stronghold in

aden. libyan peace talks in morocco are on the way to collapse. a top military commander loyal to the tripoli-based government is among the dead. activists say syrian rebels have captured several government airmen after their helicopter crashed in the northwest. more on our top story, the situation in yemen. houthi leader has made a speech criticizing the bomb attacks targeting mosques in sanaa on friday. he says isil and al-qaeda were part of an umbrella of tierney which was trying to gain control of yemen. >> they have crossed all of the red lines. they have violated everything. everyone has targeted. these groups feel no shame killing children or the elderly, even killing people in hospitals and mosques. this level of crime aims at hugh milating the great many people into surrender. that is something we will not allow. >> the french foreign right

party, the nursera front is expected to make gains. people are electing candidates in 101 government areas across the country. the most recent polls show the national front is winning about 30% of the vote. party leader lapen is thought likely to be a serious con tender for the presidency in two years' time. let's get more from aneve barker. in general, normally local elections don't garner that much attention. why are these so significant? >> reporter: well, yes. this is the first of two rounds of voting. there is going to be a runoff vote next sunday after which we hope to get the final outlook of how the country is voting? but as you rightly said there is traditionly thighs regional elections. there is a tremendous amount of

intrigue the huge and impressive gains that have been made by mary lapen's front nationale in recent months. some of its support and some gains made after it took the lead in last year's european parliamentary elections winning 24 seats, he leads the center right ump party. paris attacks happened in january. on how people will vote last year of course only two years

away from the presidential election as it stands. any one head of some of the leading political parties here in the country can well have a shot at the presidency. it's self. but perhaps it's a sign of how concerned from the political staebtment have bean. the front nationale campaigning ahead of these region elections as it stands sarkozy and the other party are roughly neck and neck. for the president and the socialists, they are trailing in third. the question is: further gains. they most sentially are making sure the socialists and umm party are making a run for their money. thank you very much indeed six

days until nigeria's presidential elections. several other independent candidates his main rival abstained from the debate saying it would not have been fair or balanced. our correspondent is in nigeria's capital and explains what dominated the debate: the president answered questions head-on about what he intends to do if he wins the election about corruption. said he put in preventitive measures fighting corruption was about strengthening institutions and talked about examples of what he had done in the ruling party he talked about the government payroll system

people don't work but get paid. there are execute challenges he talked about those in his own regions in the niger delta. people feeling they had this resource oil but they don't get money from it. that's causing problems there. kidnapping in the east of the country. so overall, i think he took on the issues. i think the feeling is this looked good for jonathan and didn't look good for buhari. >> the national security and the battle against boko haram that may have dominated campaign. there are many other issues including chronic water shortages. a report from nigeria's biggest city lagos. >> nuvenl men who formed the

water. the city's walt company supplied 945 million lighters of water and now for just seven million of the city's 20 million residents. >> is where the water is come can. a hefty demand for water is high. we have to walk long hours, but it pays well. >> their customers are far from happy, though. spending $100 every month on water from the vendors? >> i feel bad. i feel very very bad. i think the government should come and help us to put water for us. it's easy for us. >> another group cashing in on the water shortage this factory

alone. 1.5 million bottles of water a day. there is not in sight. with the list of 1,500 people moving from other parts of the country to the city every day. it's 40 million in juv 5iers the demand for water by 2020 the city water companies says it can't afford the massive cost of improving and expanding it's plans to satisfy demand. >> we have put in place the master plan to develop about eight large water schemes to be able to support a mega city to execute a master plan we are looking at an investment of $35,000,000,000. >> is anginvestment that the state government cannot solely fund. >> the lagos state government is

looking for private investors. without them legos will continue to struggle for good safe drinking water. mohammed abdu al-jazerra, lagos, nigeria. expected to discuss the pace of the u.s. troop withdrawal. nicole johnston reports. >> getting ready for a highway patrol. first up, a lesson in using an american-made machinegun but the men tell us they prefer russian weapons. this one, they say, sometimes jams. over the last five years, the number of troops this is basin creased four-fold. the talibantable in many parts of easternafghanistan's country side. the new base commander says the problem isn't troops. it's weapons.

>> lack of air support, intelligence balloons and drones have affected our operations a lot. we should have an air force so we can destroy the enemy's bases. we are week in having long-range weapons. this days, the war has been modernized. we need modern weapons. even the food budget has been cut. there was no need for lunch. instead, rice spinach, and a potato. most foreign troops have pulled out. the size of afghanistan's army is at its lowest level in four years. sderings, lack of recruitment and casualties are taking a toll. last year troop numbers dropped by eight 1/2 % to just over 169,000. the latest found u.s. military leaders over estimated the

strength of security forces. they thought there were more police and troops than there really are. it makes it difficult to judge the afghan's government ability to security the country. 1300 afghan soldiers were killed last year for many poor afghans, it's the only job they can find. mohammed ashna has to support 13 people in his family. he gets home every six months and says it's just as well he is single. >> the boys are left for a long time. they get board for nine to 10 months or a year without leave. then when they finally get a holiday there you think going back to the military wondering if they will get a leave again. that's why they don't come back. they say if they had night vision goggles and jammers to block remote controlled homemade bombs, they could do a better job protecting people.

taliban fighters are only a few kilometers away. the challenge is holding them back. it's one afghanistan is now facing on its own. the most high flying it of sports. now, big money ishoming in on pigeon racing with china's super rich becoming fans. simon macgregor wood reports from belgium where some of the best racing pigeons are being bread. >> in this box is a bell jum racing pigeon called nicholas, something of a long distance star a national champion who has just been sold to a chinese billionaire. >> this was the most expensive pigeon in the auction and, also in the whole auction season actually. this is the most expensive pigeon sold since may 2013. he was sold for

244,000 euronikollas and others live at pigeon paradise an exclusive breeding paradise. $23 million worth of racing pigeons were sold from here mostly china. this is where retired champions breed with the all important bred in belgium tag. to dhien easy that means they are buying the best thanks to expertise. >> it's also a matter of snobbery that people from china. even they know they have good quality pig ons in china but they will not quickly trust other chinese. they prefer to come to bell jum and buy pig ons from belgium. >> another 420 birds are on their way to china. total value, $911,000. >> national buying clubs. >> it's a long way from when pigeon race can was a hobby. using their mysterious homing instincts, itt they were

released hundreds of kilometers from home. owners anxiously waiting for them to come back or not, all for a few hundred dollars. >> what's transformed what used to be a cottage industry into a multi-million dollar global business is the huge popularity of pigeon racing in china where millions of dollars change hands both in racing and gambling. but according to some with that money has come mistreatment and truth cruelty. thousands of birds die in these races off the cost of tie with a. elsewhere, there has been doping extortion and bird theft. >> the whole principle of pigeon racing is to send birds hundreds of miles where they belong from their homes, from their mates, from their babies and bet them whether or not they are going to make it alive. >> at pigeon pair died birds are very well treated. as you see young pig options spreading wings for the first time it's hard not to be taken in by the original attraction of this sport. the connection between humans

and the birds who always try to come home. sire mon mcgregor wood al jazeera a pigeon paradise in belgium. >> more stories for you many time on our website. the address of that is aljazeera.com and, of course, watch us on the "watch live" icon. china's one child policy has quoted controversy, from >> china's one child policy, today t is being blamed