BEIRUT - Syria's president says he expects the government to lift the country's decades-old emergency laws next week. Lifting the state of emergency has been a key demand during a wave of protests over the past four weeks. The demonstrations have posed the most serious challenge to President Bashar Assad's authoritarian regime. The emergency laws give the regime a free hand to arrest people without charge and extends the state's authority into virtually every aspect of Syrians' lives. Assad said Friday he expects the emergency laws to be lifted next week. He spoke in a televised speech before the Cabinet.
