Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will appear in an interview with the Syrian television Sunday to speak about the country's recent situation and escalating international pressure; particularly after U.S. President Barack Obama explicitly urged him to step down on Thursday and imposed new economic sanctions.
The state-run news agency SANA said Assad will also speak about government reforms and his "future vision" for Syria in the wake of current regional and international developments.
The International Committee of the Red Cross voiced hope on Friday that it receives permission to visit detainees in Syrian prisons.
During a visit to Syria in late June, ICRC president Jakob Kellenberger secured permission in principle for the neutral humanitarian organization to access all detainee sites for the first time, said a Red Cross spokesman in Geneva.