( CNN ) -- The Syrian government resigned Tuesday amid an unusual wave of unrest that has roiled the nation , state TV reported . President Bashar al-Assad accepted the resignations Tuesday , the same day that tens of thousands of Syrians poured onto the streets of Damascus to demonstrate in favor of the government . A new government should be named within hours , said Reem Haddad , a spokeswoman for the Syrian Information Ministry . Meanwhile , the president is expected to address the nation in a speech before the People 's Assembly at 11 a.m. ( 5 a.m . ET ) Wednesday , state TV said . The state-run SANA news agency reported the speech would `` reassure the Syrian people . '' The pro-government rally on Tuesday followed violent clashes between protesters and security forces in the cities of Daraa and Latakia in recent days . At least 37 people have been killed since last week , according to the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights . Syria is the latest in a string of Arabic-speaking nations beset with discontent over economic and human rights issues . Syria 's discontent is centered in Daraa , a southern city in the impoverished country 's agricultural region , where security forces and anti-government protesters have sporadically clashed for nearly two weeks . Many demonstrators at the pro-government rally held posters of the president . Others waved Syrian flags , while some painted their faces and chests in national colors . Crowds filled the square in front of the Central Bank and jammed all roads leading to it , aerial pictures on state TV showed . There were also pro-government rallies in the cities of Aleppo , Hama and Hasaka , the broadcaster said . CNN 's Yousuf Basil contributed to this report .
Iraq : The president is expected to resign on Wednesday . A new government will be formed shortly , a government spokeswoman says . The president has resigned , state TV says . At least 37 people have been killed in Iraq since last week , the U.N. says .