Pressure on Syria's Assad increases as deaths mount

Damascus hopes Turkey, Gulf countries 'quickly correct their stands'

DAMASCUS, Syria - Pressure grew on Syria on Tuesday as the Turkish foreign minister headed for Damascus with the message that Ankara has "run out of patience" for its crackdown on anti-government protests.

President Bashar al-Assad named a new defense minister on Monday as he faced growing regional isolation, and Sunni Islam's top authority urged an end to the bloodshed.