ROUGH CUT - NO REPORTER NARRATIONbr br Large crowds turned out in the northwestern province of Saada on Saturday (February 4) during a ceremony to mark the birthday of Prophet Mohammad, to hear the Houthi rebel leader speak.br br Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi heads the Shi'ite Muslim rebel group and gathered his people in a show of force ahead of presidential elections later this month.br br The Houthis, who seek autonomy for their region in the north, are yet to enter negotiations or sign a deal with the new government.br br They were left empty-handed after President Ali Abdullah Saleh's exit where power was transferred to an opposition led-government.br br North and south Yemen were only united in 1990 and after Saleh's forces crushed a southern successionist campaign four years later.