Protests paralyze cities across Yemen

SANAA, Yemen, May 7 (UPI) -- Protests, shutdowns and sit-ins were reported across Yemen Saturday as the opposition continued its campaign to topple President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

In Sanaa, the capital, stores were closed for almost 5 hours, the Yemen Post reported.

In Aden and Lahj, government offices, universities and schools as well as commercial activity came to a halt.

The opposition has called for civil disobedience actions on Saturdays and Wednesdays until Saleh gives in.

The Gulf Cooperation Council of neighboring Arab states submitted a fourth version of its plan to resolve the crisis to Yemen's ruling and opposition parties Friday.

The GCC secretary-general said 30 leaders from the two sides would sign onto a deal after Saleh refused to sign it as president. He said he would sign an accord as head of his General People's Congress instead.

Last month Saleh and the opposition endorsed a GCC proposal for him to quit in a month in favor of a new vice president, but protesters are demanding he go immediately.