Syrian cabinet quits over protests

Syria’s Cabinet resigned en masse today hoping to help quell the wave of protests that is now threatening President Bashar Assad’s 11-year rule.

Mr Assad, whose family has controlled Syria for four decades, is trying to calm the growing dissent with a string of concessions. He is expected to address the nation in the next 24 hours to lift emergency laws in place since 1963 and moving to annul other harsh restrictions on civil liberties and political freedoms.