Anti-government protestors react during a demonstration demanding the resignation of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh in Sana'a, April 20, 2011

Elsewhere in the region, tens of thousands of anti-government demonstrators rallied Wednesday in Yemen's capital Sana'a, and in several other cities. The gatherings took place despite a government crackdown Tuesday in which dozens of protesters were wounded.

The Gulf Cooperation Council talked with representatives of Yemen's government and opposition in the United Arab Emirates. The talks centered on a GCC plan for Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down.

A representative of Saleh’s ruling party, Ahmad Obeid Ben Dagher, said it is best that the president remain in office for the time being. He said the government side is ready to implement the plan, but the opposition must understand that a transfer of power must follow the constitution.

In Syria, several anti-government sit-ins took place overnight near the port city of Banias, in a suburb of the capital, Damascus, and in Deraa. Demonstrators denounced government accusations that Islamic extremists were behind the recent protests.

Syria’s interior ministry has forbidden further protests, although the government is in the process of repealing a state of emergency law that dates back to 1963. A Syrian opposition support group on Facebook is calling for more anti-government protests Friday.