Secretary-general of the al-Haq opposition party in Yemen, Hassan Zaid, said President Ali Abdullah Saleh was offered a proposition in which he would resign within one month in exchange for immunity. Saleh would hand over power to his vice president, who would serve as acting president for two months, after which a new president would be elected. Al-Alam reports that Saleh has rejected the proposition and says he will hold on to power until the end of his presidential term in 2013, despite ongoing popular protests throughout the country.

During a press conference in Washington D.C., U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton demanded the release of all American citizens detained in Libya, including two journalists. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned against a Western ground operation in Libya, saying it would be an "extremely risky move with unpredictable consequences.” The BBC reports that the Libyan government has proposed a cease-fire, followed by a six month transitional period. A general election would then be held under the auspices of the U.N. The opposition rejected the offer, saying that they will “eventually have the upper hand in the battle for Libya.”

Massive demonstrations throughout Syria have been organized on social networking websites for what is being called “the Great Friday.” These calls come despite President Bashar al-Assad approval to lift the state of emergency and abolish the state security court. Protestors believe that these reforms have come too late and do not pave the way for a “transition to real democracy.”

Baghdad TV reports from Iraq, where people are taking to the streets in protest of rising unemployment, the decline of living conditions, and the widespread corruption in government. Iraqis say they are living with no electricity, no guaranteed source of food, and no steady income and affirm that they will keep protesting until their demands are met.

France 24 reports on a U.N. conference held in Vienna last month to discuss the issue of Palestinian prisoners detained in Israeli prisons. The conference focused on the condition of the over 7,000 Palestinian prisoners as well as the legality of their detention. The outcome was a statement calling on Israel to guarantee that minors’ rights as well as prisoner visitation rights were respected. The council also urged Israel to take measures to expedite the peace process as well as recognize a Palestinian state within the 1967-borders.