Egyptian president asks Cabinet to resign

Egyptian president asks Cabinet to resign

HADEEL AL-SHALCHI,Associated Press

HAMZA HENDAWI,Associated Press

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's embattled President Hosni Mubarak said early Saturday that he had asked his Cabinet to resign, and promised reforms in his first response to protesters who have mounted the biggest challenge ever to his 30-year rule.

But Mubarak also defended the crackdown by police on tens of thousands of demonstrators that drew harsh criticism from the Obama administration Friday and even a threat to reduce a $1.5 billion program of foreign aid if Egypt escalated the use of force....