Large Protests Take Place in Yemen

Sana'a- Mar 11, 2011- Tens of thousands of anti- and pro-government protesters have taken to the streets of Yemen's capital after Friday prayers.

Protesters against President Ali Abdullah Saleh's 32-year rule gathered at Sana'a University in the capital, with crowds stretched back about two kilometers.

In a counter rally in the capital's Tahrir Square, tens of thousands of Saleh loyalists gathered, touting pictures of the 68-year-old leader.

The demonstrations followed the March 10 proposal by Saleh, a U.S. ally against Al-Qaeda's Yemen-based wing, for a new constitution to be put to referendum within the year and new electoral laws to ensure equal representation.

Opposition figures rejected the offer, calling it "too little, too late."

Source: Radio Free Europe