only on al jazeera america >> more saudi-led air strikes on houthi positions in yemen. arab leaders vow to continue the fight you're watching al jazeera live from the headquarters in doha. also coming up counting underway in nigeria's presidential election. results expected later on monday. the battle for tikrit. bombs and booby traps hamper iraq's army as it tries to recapture the city from i.s.i.l.

plus... >> i'm in the northern philippines. there was excitement as the tribe welcomes a new arrival. a saudi arabia-led coalition has been targetting houthi fighters in yemen for a fifth night. arab league leaders say it will continue until the hughesies withdraw and surrender weapons. let's have a look in the capital sanaa. war planes targetting fighter jets seized from the yemeni head force. and they struck a camp in huda yrk dah. it's home to the second largest port. they bombed positions in saada, the main support base. air strikes hit targets across the country.

including in the capital sanaa. jets from the saudi arabia-led coalition have bombed ammunition depots airports and long-range rocket launchers in sanaa, ibb and hugayhah. this is the aftermath of an attack on the al-daylami airbase. it destroyed helicopters, fighter jets and facilities. the saudis deployed thousands along the border that they share with yemen. >> translation: the houthis are a group of militias that staged a coup. they have expanded because of the packing of the former president, and the iranians. >> saudi arabia-led air strikes seem to be weakening houthi fighters that retreat from areas in the south. sunni sunni sunni tribesman are on the move.

these are houthi fighters killed in an ambush in the southern city. the summit in egypt has been dominated by yemen's security situation. the saudis and their allies say the air strikes will continue until the houthis and the deposed president ali abdullah saleh disband their militias. they also insist that the president who fled the country is yemen's leader. >> yemen was on the verge of a collapse. the move came after other means to achieve is peaceful solution including ending a coup. the action will continue until the houthi hand over their weapons. >> abd-rabbu mansour hadi has sacked ali abdullah saleh's son from his post as yemen's

ambassador to the united arab emirates. this comes after saudi arabia media reported that salah was in riyadh a day before the attacks were launched. the reports suggest the former president was willing to turn against the houthis. sanctions against him are lifted. the saudis apparently no longer trust ali abdullah saleh. they are accused of colluding with the houthis and iranians to destabilize the region representatives from six world powers are holding the last full day of talks with the foreign minister over the nuclear programme. the deadline for reaching the agreement is tuesday. iran is refusing to budge on key issues including sanctions vote counting is underway in

nigeria, the incumbent president goodluck jonathan is facing a challenge from muhammadu buhari a former military leader. thousands took to the streets on sunday alleging voting irregularities in the oil producing river states. we have more from the capital. >> reporter: river state is a strategic state in the elections. it's a key battle state between the ruling party. the people's democratic party and the main opposition. what voters are saying is that many of the election material and all important result sheets didn't arrive. as a consequence, they were unable to vote. they want the independent electoral commission to investigate. there was huge concerns what the impact of all of this will be.

tensions were high. here is my summary of the reports happening around the country. up to 15,000 opposition supporters protest outside the offices in the oil-rich southern region. they say they didn't get a chance to vote on saturday because electoral materials and result sheets never arrived. the electoral boss is investigating what happened. it is believed the ruling party lost the election. >> the results i know are challenging. at the coalition center - we are not saying this out of fear out of insecurity. we are seeing it out of practical reality. we are saying this because we know that the government of the

day has lost yagly. >> no -- embarrassingly. >> reporter: outside of abuja, this man and his friends are awaiting the results. they are concerned about delays in voting. what i want to advise is bringing home a process like this. they have to try a smaller election. let's bring it to the general election. like yesterday, what i notice is so many people if i put your hand it doesn't show but the election commission wants people to be understanding. up to 60 million people may have voted in 160,000 polling stations across the country. >> they have to be efficient. because they can be hungry but it has to be a process to follow. let us be patient and follow the process to a conclusion. >> no results have been released

by the electoral commission. but the chairman announced that we'd get some results 48 hours after the last person at a polling station gets the opportunity to vote. they've emphasised the fact that this is a huge logistical challenge for the election authorities. there's some 150,000 polling station. some are in rural areas, difficult to get to. we know that at least 60 million people might participate in this vote according to the number of voters collected. >> they are asking people to be patient. >> a former nigerian health minister says the ruling party is under threat from the opposition. >> this is the closest that they've come to lose power, and that comes with a price. that change that people are yarping for. nigeria has been facing challenges of insecurity unemployment corruption and

the few vested interests really wary to lose it. so i believe that the generality of the population is yearning for something better a better luf. it's very likely in fact that the opposition might win. and that is the close. on the other hand the ruling party has established structures all over the country. they are not going to lose easily. >> in some places it's clear that where there's security government. the state government is trying to use the cover to manipulate the elections. that is not going to bode well if they continue on that path. >> it's nearly a week since the nigerian military detained two journalists in the north. they were embedded with the military before they were detained. >> from last tuesday they've been held in the hotel in

maiduguri. al jazeera is demanding their release. iraqi security forces are struggling to retake tikrit from i.s.i.l. bombs and booby traps hampered their efforts in the northern city. there's distrust between u.s. forces and shia militias on the ground. >> reporter: another barrage hits islamic state of iraq and levant. government forces and militias are closing in on the home town of saddam hussein. iraqi military makes up a 30,000 strong force deployed to retake the city. they are close to taking control for weeks. >> god willing, we'll enter tikrit tikrit. we hope the end of d.a.e.s.h. and tikrit is ending. >> our advance is slow because

of i.e.d.s and bobby trapped roads, there's some resistance but it's due to the booby trap set ups on the roads, houses and shops. >> reporter: last week the u.s. airport joined the operation with a precondition that shia would withdraw. the fighters left the front lines because they don't need help from the u.s. army. many are back. reportedly incorporated into government forces. taking credit when they pushed i.s.i.l. in tikrit which is important. it's not just tikrit that we are talking about, it's the future of iraq and the united states and its partners does not want to see it dominated and controlled by the shia'as. >> the disrupt is not just between the u.s. and militias. there has been accusations shia militias have been carrying out human rights abuses.

this shows an explosive charge hit in a house. the video was posted by users linked to the iraqi backed militias. the fighters are with one of the brig outside. al jazeera cannot independently verify the images. human rights groups reported the actions in sunni areas. >> iraqi army continues to see a win in tikrit is not far away. >> peace is a distant possibility the former israeli prime minister ehud olmert has been found guilty of corruption. he will appeal. he was sentenced. he was acquitted of a series of charges, including accepting

cash-stuffed envelopes from a businessman. his former office manager became a state witness. you are with al jazeera. what has made the tiny county of djibouti a shipping hub and elections - not well enough for france's france runner marine la pen.

>> weeknights on al jazeera america. >> join me as we bring you an in-depth look at the most important issues of the day. breaking it down. getting you the facts. it's the only place you'll find... the inside story. >> ray suarez hosts "inside story". weeknights, 11:30 eastern. on al jazeera america. hello again. the top stories on al jazeera. a saudi arabia-led coalition has

been consulting rebels. the strikes will continue until the houthis withdraw and surrender their weapons. vote counting underway in nigeria, where for the first time an opposition candidate has a chance of unseeding the ruling party. thousands took to the streets alleging voting irregularities in the oil-producing state. iraqi security forces are struggling to retake the street from i.s.i.l. booby traps and improvised explosionive devices are slowing their advance. a syrian government sent a top military commander to recapture idlib. rebels took control after four days of fighting. it's the second provincial capital to fall into opposition hands. the city is close to the capital

aleppo. syrian refugees needs urgent aid, says united nation with resources dwindling. the gap is likely to be addressed at the third international aid conference on tuesday. we have is this report in 2014 the united nations appealed for 7.7 bullion in aid to help civilians in syria. 63% of the money pledged was donated. in a report for oxfam, they analysed what developed country should afford to donate. worst offenders was australia, japan, south korea and russia. more team need help this year. 80 million requiring $8.7 byion providing only the minimum, little more than the equivalent of $1 a day. 10% of that amount has been pledged. countries neighbouring syria are overburdened with refugees.

most are in turkey lebanon, jordan egypt and iraq. oxfam says 2% of those people have been offered resettlement to places like canada, australia, german and sweden. >> countries that signed the referendumed need to offer more openings. the charity says gulf countries like saudi arabia qatar and the u.a.e. can help more. and by relaxing visa restrictions. the east africa country of djibouti is dealing and getting a boost from military spending. djibouti sits on the edge of a sea lioning link -- sea link a few kilometres from the base. >> this is the port city of djibouti. the capital of a little country of big dreams.

hundreds of millions of dollars of overseas investments are pouring in. from this one city they want to turn it into a hub. djibouti sits across the bubble a vital corridor providing access to the red see. with 30km across at the narrow point. it separates djibouti from yemen. >> taking advantage of the geographical location, it is transporting itself into a shipping hub. >> you want to achieve a creation of more jobs. and our models is in the model corp. singapore, hong kong. more issues. here the chinese workers build a fourth port. because of the strategic position the country is attracting the attention of power of the nations, providing another source of revenue. >> djibouti is home to a number of bases for foreign troops

including the biggest u.s. base in africa. it's a ground for counterterrorism operations in yemen and south america. this u.s. base gives forces an opportunity to strikal lies. the pentagon used djibouti to train forces and cutting out warfare. over the years a number of other countries, including germany and spain followed an example. >> djibouti has benefited in several ways. first the foreign forces pay. there is also the millions of dollars injected into the local economy. finally, and importantly there is the issue of job creation. over 1,000 jobs have been created by the presence of military forces which is a key issue where unemployment sa major problem.

>> reporter: for now, djibouti a military hub reaps the benefits of its strategic location. the greek government is set to present a list of economic reform proposal to the international creditors. leaders in athens are hoping to unblock more than a billion euros. greece fears that it will run out of money to keep the economy afloat if the bail out money is not released. >> in france the party led by the former president nicolas sarkozy looks set to win local elections. president francis hollande's socialists are thought to have reacted badly. marine le pen's party did not do as as well as she hoped. >> as she voted on sunday. marine le pen hoped this would be a break through election and it would gain control of local

councils. projected results suggested a big disappointment for her. while it gained more members, it will struggle to control even one council. she stride to put a brave face on it. >> translation: the historical fact is the establishment of the thanksal front as a force. it is a good sign for the future. the socialist party is disappearing whilst the national front showed exceptional results. >> reporter: the clear winner was projected to win two thrds of france's councils. that may help the campaign to become the umps next presidential candidate. >> with their vote the french poem have rejected the politics of france where francis hollande's government.

this has never happened before never have they lost so many. the socialists have been punished. frustrated bit the stuttering economy and high unemployment. results suggest they have lost up to 30 councils to the ump. >> before the elections the polling suggested the french people were turning towards the national front in greater numbers, increasingly attracted to anti-immigration and anti-europe nationalism. projected results showed whi a party is gaining grassroots popularity, it doesn't have the mass to break through, reassuring those looking ahead to the 2017 presidential election in which marine le pen will run as a candidate. >> the ruling party in bolivia suffered a setback.

the movement lost elections in la paz and st. cruz. it is expected to make things difficult for the president. daniel schweimler has more. >> reporter: the regional election results dealt a blow to the government of evo morales. he won a third term as president at the end of last year which means the remaining 4.5 years will be difficult, facing strong opposition in several parts of the country. the biggest blow was here in la paz, in the capital. where the governorship was won by a former minister. the biggest blow was up the mountainside from here. also won by the opposition. that was previously a strong hold and his governing party, a place that he took for granted

and there is the route of the problem. while the president has a strong following and support, members are less popular. they are out of touch, complacent and corrupt. regional results dealt a below to the party. the president is in office he's the president, but one thing is certain, his remaining time in office would be more difficult. >> in the u.s. the clash over gay rights and religion fared again. the state of indiana passed a law allowing business owners to refuse to serve and sell things to gay people. rob reynolds reports. >> several thousand people marched through indiana's capital city denouncing a law allowing business owners to refuse service to gays lesbians and transgender people on the

grounds of religious belief. >> are you tired of fighting the backward thinking of the worst state legislators. ? are you tired enough to fight back? >> reporter: indiana's party dominated legislature, and the law, dubbed the religious freedom restoration act will stop business owners being forced go against their religion. indiana is the latest state to pass such wars. i'm working hard to clarify this. we are reaching out to businesses. >> in one example the law allows florists to refuse to sell arrangements to be in same-sex weddings. this florist said she wouldn't turn away gay customers. >> if someone walks in my store,

i'd burp them. >> the ban was overturned and conservative tifs were unable to put a ban in place. some groups are reconsidering plans to hold conventions in the midwest. the major indiana based consumer website postponed plans to hire staff. >> if the atmosphere is we can't draw the talent that they can't be comfortable, we can't commit the company. >> apple's c.e.o. tim cook a prominent gay business leader declared his company were disappointed in indiana. the obama white house stepped into the fray. it should be easy to stand up and say it's wrong to

discriminate against people. with march madness, and the basks tournament to be played. tournament officials hinted that they may move them elsewhere. >> a group of grandmothers in the philippines are proving to be bright sparks. they are trained to provide engineers with solar powered energies. >> deep in the mountains live the oldest tribe in the country. they farmed and hunted in these lands for thousands of years with little change. the tribe has a new hero. this person doesn't know how, but the shy grandmother of 10 is called the engineer. the bringer of light. >> it gets very dark here in the mountains, it's good we have found something like this to help us help the others.

>> dias has come back from india with three other women, and they were part of a group of similar women invited by a college to learn how to harness solar energy and build their own lamps and panels. >> we couldn't under each other. we had to do everything through sign language. >> after six months away we returned to the community to share what they learned. >> villages like this the project aims to help - isolated impoverished and not access to services. the thinking is that d eventually the community will be empowered. >> another newly trained engineer says she is happy to make fire of a different kind. >> when there is life there'll be joy all around us.

>> reporter: they still call this new arrival fire. they are not sure how much this will change them. they know it will transform the future of the tribe more news on the website at aljazeera.com. missouri's new acting police chief - speaks for the first time on national television to this show about fixing what is broken, and of the fear his companies face on the streets. >> they are afraid. if you are sitting looking in the crowd, it's in your mind who has got the gun. and there's no way to prevent it.