United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen Jamal Benomar (center) at a meeting with United Nations Security Council members and key Yemeni political figures at the presidential palace in Sana'a, Yemen.

United States Ambassador to Yemen Gerald Feierstein at a United Nations Security Council session at the presidential palace in Sana'a.

Yasin Said Numan, the Secretary General of the Yemeni Socialist Party, at the presidential palace in Sana'a, where United Nations Security Council members held a meeting with key Yemeni political figures.

Moroccan UN Security Council representative Mohammed Loulichki (center) expresses support for Yemen's planned National Dialogue Conference at a press conference at the presidential palace in Sana'a.

UN Security Council members and other key international political figures answer questions about Yemen's planned National Dialogue Conference at a press conference in Sana'a, Yemen.

Alongside other key international political figures, United Nations Security Council President Mark Grant answered questions about Yemen's planned National Dialogue Conference at the presidential palace in Sana'a.

Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary General Abdul-Latif Al-Zayani and UN Security Council President Mark Grant at the conclusion of a press conference at the presidential palace in Sana'a.

The entrance to the presidential palace in Sana'a, Yemen, where United Nations Security Council members met with Yemeni political figures to discuss the nation's planned National Dialogue Conference.

In a socially conservative nation, three students are taking on one of the most controversial of campaigns.
While most of the Yemen was marking the rare 12/12/12 on Thursday by participating in a highly publicized “Clean Up Yemen” effort, three young students at the Lebanese International University in the capital of Sana’a, were attempting to use the day’s events to draw attention to a crisis that couldn’t be more controversial in a socially conservative country, HIV/AIDS awareness and the protection of those affected by it.

In a marking of “12/12/12” (December 12, 2012) Yemenis nationwide were invited
to participate in a massive campaign to “Clean-up Yemen,” by painting walls,
sweeping streets or shoveling debris out of the way of road traffic.
The effort was led by the office of President Hadi, Yemen’s first president since the
2011 ousting of Ali Abdullah Saleh after an uprising that ended his 33-year rule.

Three men participate in the nationwide "Clean Up Yemen" day on Algiers Street in the capital of Sana'a on Wednesday

In a marking of “12/12/12” (December 12, 2012) Yemenis nationwide were invited
to participate in a massive campaign to “Clean-up Yemen,” by painting walls,
sweeping streets or shoveling debris out of the way of road traffic.
The effort was led by the office of President Hadi, Yemen’s first president since the
2011 ousting of Ali Abdullah Saleh after an uprising that ended his 33-year rule.

Judge Khamis Salim Al-Daini cleans participates in
"Clean Up Yemen" Day in Sana'a outside his offices at the Supreme Council for Elections and Referendum where he serves as Vice-Chairman of the Commission on Wedensday.

While most of the Yemen was marking the rare 12/12/12 on Thursday by
participating in a highly publicized “Clean Up Yemen” effort, three young students
at the Lebanese International University in the capital of Sana’a, were attempting to
use the day’s events to draw attention to a crisis that couldn’t be more controversial
in a socially conservative country, HIV/AIDS awareness and the protection of those
affected by it.

A student at the Lebanese International University in Sana’a Yemen tapes a
poster promoting awareness about HIV/AIDS on a campus wall on Wednesday

While most of the Yemen was marking the rare 12/12/12 on Thursday by
participating in a highly publicized “Clean Up Yemen” effort, three young students
at the Lebanese International University in the capital of Sana’a, were attempting to
use the day’s events to draw attention to a crisis that couldn’t be more controversial
in a socially conservative country, HIV/AIDS awareness and the protection of those
affected by it.

Three students at the Lebanese International University in Sana’a Yemen tape
a poster promoting awareness about HIV/AIDS on a campus wall on Wednesday.

While most of the Yemen was marking the rare 12/12/12 on Thursday by
participating in a highly publicized “Clean Up Yemen” effort, three young students
at the Lebanese International University in the capital of Sana’a, were attempting to
use the day’s events to draw attention to a crisis that couldn’t be more controversial
in a socially conservative country, HIV/AIDS awareness and the protection of those
affected by it.

Three students at the Lebanese International University in Sana’a Yemen tape
a poster promoting awareness about HIV/AIDS on a campus wall on Wednesday.

While most of the Yemen was marking the rare 12/12/12 on Thursday by
participating in a highly publicized “Clean Up Yemen” effort, three young students
at the Lebanese International University in the capital of Sana’a, were attempting to
use the day’s events to draw attention to a crisis that couldn’t be more controversial
in a socially conservative country, HIV/AIDS awareness and the protection of those
affected by it.

Students leaf through informational material about HIV/AIDS from the
UNAIDS program distributed by a fellow student at the Lebanese International
University in Sana’a Yemen on Wednesday.

While most of the Yemen was marking the rare 12/12/12 on Thursday by
participating in a highly publicized “Clean Up Yemen” effort, three young students
at the Lebanese International University in the capital of Sana’a, were attempting to
use the day’s events to draw attention to a crisis that couldn’t be more controversial
in a socially conservative country, HIV/AIDS awareness and the protection of those
affected by it.

Students leaf through informational material about HIV/AIDS from the
UNAIDS program distributed by a fellow student at the Lebanese International
University in Sana’a Yemen on Wednesday.

While most of the Yemen was marking the rare 12/12/12 on Thursday by
participating in a highly publicized “Clean Up Yemen” effort, three young students
at the Lebanese International University in the capital of Sana’a, were attempting to
use the day’s events to draw attention to a crisis that couldn’t be more controversial
in a socially conservative country, HIV/AIDS awareness and the protection of those
affected by it.

Students leaf through informational material about HIV/AIDS from the
UNAIDS program distributed by a fellow student at the Lebanese International
University in Sana’a Yemen on Wednesday.

While most of the Yemen was marking the rare 12/12/12 on Thursday by
participating in a highly publicized “Clean Up Yemen” effort, three young students
at the Lebanese International University in the capital of Sana’a, were attempting to
use the day’s events to draw attention to a crisis that couldn’t be more controversial
in a socially conservative country, HIV/AIDS awareness and the protection of those
affected by it.

Students listen a fellow student at the Lebanese International University in
Sana’a Yemen advocating for greater awareness about HIV/AIDS on Wednesday.

Girl in Sana'a's zoo.

March in the streets of Sana'a against the still powerful Yemeni ex-president, Ali Adullah Saleh, who was ousted from the presidency after a series of popular protests across the main cities in 2011, which ended in the brink of civil war.

A Shia Houthi wedding in Old Sana'a.

March in the streets of Sana'a against the still powerful Yemeni ex-president, Ali Adullah Saleh, who was ousted from the presidency after a series of popular protests across the main cities in 2011, which ended in the brink of civil war.

March in the streets of Sana'a against the still powerful Yemeni ex-president, Ali Adullah Saleh, who was ousted from the presidency after a series of popular protests across the main cities in 2011, which ended in the brink of civil war.

Boy standing near souq Hajjar, Sana'a

Souq Hajjar, a qat marquet in Sana'a. The qat is a plant widely cultivated in Yemen, whose leaves contain a compound with effects similar to those of amphetamines. Among the people from the Arabian penisula and the horn of Africa, qat chewing has a long history as a social custom dating back thousands of years. Studies have shown that only in Yemen, almost 80% of its population spend 3 to 4 hours a day chewing the plant. Moreover, the enormous need for water of the qat industry is on course to make the capital, Sana’a, the first in the world to completely run out of water.

Rooftop view in Old Sana'a. Sana'a has been inhabited for more than 2,500 years, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. In the 7th and 8th centuries the city became a major centre for the propagation of Islam. This religious and political heritage can be seen in the 103 mosques, 14 hammams and over 6,000 houses, all built before the 11th century. At an altitude of 2,300 metres (7,500 ft), it is also one of the highest capital cities in the world.

A barber shop in Sana'a during Ramadan.