Assad faces crisis in Syria as US launches sanctions amid growing protests against his rule

Syrian president Bashar al-Assad is facing a perfect storm of economic collapse, a bold new wave of US sanctions and growing protests against his rule, threatening to weaken his grip on power. This week a new round of sanctions targeting key supporters of the Syrian government is due to come into force under the Caesar Act, which is named after a defector who documented horrific human rights abuses carried out by the regime. Unlike previous US sanctions, the Caesar Act targets all of Assad's fin