Yemen's political future remains uncertain on the first Friday since President Ali Abdullah Saleh left for medical treatment in the U.S.
The traditional day of prayer is increasingly linked with protests in the capital Sanaa. Thousands took to the streets to call for the departure of the embattled leader.
Across town, the sentiment was markedly different. Saleh's supporters paid tribute to the man who led the country for 33 years. They also urged their fellow countrymen to"forget the bitterness of the past."
A year after the anti-Saleh protests began, Yemen is gripped by lawleless -- with al Qaeda's growing presence in the south, and an increase in attacks on foreigners. On Friday, kidnappers released a Norwegian UN worker who was abductedd two weeks earlier.
Deborah Gembara, Reuters.
