Key Egyptian negotiator with IMF quits

CAIRO (Reuters) - A key Egyptian negotiator with the International Monetary Fund said on Sunday he has resigned as first deputy finance minister, in a potential blow to Cairo's prospects of an early IMF deal.

Hany Kadry Dimian has been the crucial point man in Egypt's protracted and so far fruitless negotiations to obtain a $4.8 billion loan needed to help combat a severe economic crisis.

"The only comment I can make for the time being is that yes, my term ends on April 30 according to my resignation, which I submitted in December," Kadry told Reuters by telephone.

"My next move is not decided."

A senior technocrat appointed in 2007, Kadry survived five finance ministers in office since the 2011 uprising that overthrew former autocratic President Hosni Mubarak.

Kadry gave no explanation for his decision to quit, first reported on the Egyptian dissident Rebel Economy blog, saying he would say more on Tuesday.

A senior European diplomat said his departure was not a good omen for Egypt's hopes of wrapping up a deal on the long delayed IMF loan next month, as the government has said it aims to do.

Kadry was the one expert in the ministry who fully understood the IMF program and was able to deal with the global lender professionally, the diplomat said.

The daily El-Watan said on its website that Kadry had been under increasing pressure from the ruling Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, and in conflict with Abdallah Shehata, the FJP economic adviser to Finance Minister Al-Mursi Al-Sayed Hegazy.

Separately, the head of Egypt's bourse, Mohamed Omran, told Prime Minister Hisham Kandil he would like to leave his position at the end of his term on July 1, the state news agency MENA reported, citing an unnamed official stock exchange source.

The report did not give a reason for Omran's request, but said he had told the prime minister in August he wanted to leave the post. Kandil had asked him to stay until the end of his term, MENA said.

(Additional reporting by Alexander Dziadosz; Writing by Paul Taylor; Editing by Jon Hemming)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/key-egyptian-negotiator-imf-quits-191627035.html

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Upcoming Myrtle Beach area health events | Communities ...

GEORGETOWN

Many of these classes, events and meetings are sponsored by Georgetown Memorial Hospital, but some take place at different locations. Call the numbers listed for more information or visit www.georgetownhospitalsystem.org.

Chronic kidney disease education | Varying schedule, varying locations in Horry and Georgetown counties. Free. 866-647-9396 or www.ultracare-dialysis.com/TOPS.

Health screenings | Finger-stick lipid profiles with blood sugar test: $20; diabetes screening-hemoglobin A1C: $15; blood sugar levels: $3. Free blood pressure screenings. 520-8579

??7:30 a.m. to noon Tuesdays, mall area, Georgetown Memorial Hospital

??7:30 a.m. to noon Thursdays, hallway by Same Day Surgery, Waccamaw Community Hospital.

??8:30-11:30 a.m. second Friday every other month, Waccamaw Community Care, 4310 Dick Pond Road, Myrtle Beach.

Obstetrics tour | 6 p.m. Tuesday, Waccamaw Community Hospital. Pre-registration required, 520-8490.

Regional health screening | 7:30-10:30 a.m. Friday, Forestbrook Baptist Church, Myrtle Beach. Screenings offered include cardiac risk assessment, $25; chemistry panel, $20; thyroid screening, $15; diabetes, $15; PSA for men, $15. Blood panel tests require a 10- to 12-hour fast. Registration packets are available at the information desks at Georgetown Memorial Hospital and Waccamaw Community Hospital.

Retired nurse tea | 3-4 p.m. May 6, private dining room, Georgetown Memorial Hospital. Email khazzard@georgetownhospitalsystem.org to register.

Candlelight vigil | 8 p.m. May 6, in front of Waccamaw Community Hospital and will honor the memory of nurses and blessing of the hands.

Retired nurse tea | 1-2 p.m. May 7, first-floor classroom, Waccamaw Community Hospital. Email jhashey@georgetownhospitalsystem.org to register.

Support groups

?? Young stroke survivors between ages 20 and 65 | 11:30 a.m. third Wednesday each month, first-floor classroom, Waccamaw Hospital or 5:30 p.m. education center, Georgetown Memorial Hospital. 655-2835 or visit www.YoungStroke.org

?? Mended Hearts | 6 p.m. last Tuesday of each month, Health Point Center for Health and Fitness, 12965 Ocean Highway, Pawleys Island. Light supper provided. 685-3378 or rkeilen@mercyhospice.org

?? Bosom Buddies | 6-7 p.m. Monday, Wachesaw Conference Center, 4367 Riverwood Drive, Suite 160, Murrells Inlet. 237-8787

GRAND STRAND

Blood drives sponsored by American Red Cross are scheduled as follows. Call 839-4483 or 800-RED-CROSS.

??10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, in the parking lot, City Services Building, 921 Oak St., Myrtle Beach. 918-1114

??2-7 p.m. Monday, First Baptist Church, 6 N. Rosemary St., Andrews. 520-6564

??11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Horry County Complex, 1201 21st Ave. N., Myrtle Beach. 915-5293

??9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, St. James High School, 10800 S.C. 707, Murrells Inlet. 650-5600

??7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Red Cross Center, The Plaza at Carolina Forest, 3681 Renee Drive, Unit 4, Myrtle Beach.

??10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Waccamaw Community Hospital, 4367 Riverwood Drive, Murrells Inlet. 652-1135

??9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 7, Socastee High School, 4900 Socastee Blvd., Myrtle Beach. 293-2513

??10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 8, Horry County Office Complex, 1301 Second Ave., Conway. 915-5000

??9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 8, Carolina Forest Elementary School, 285 Carolina Forest Blvd., Myrtle Beach. 236-0001

??noon to 6 p.m. May 9, McLeod Loris, 3655 Mitchell St., Loris. 390-8327

??1:30-6:30 p.m. May 9, Myrtle Beach Pelicans, 1251 21st Ave. 918-6002

??9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 10, North Myrtle Beach Aquatics and Fitness Center, 1100 Second Ave. S. 281-3743

??9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 10, Georgetown High School, 2250 Anthuan Maybank Drive. 546-8516

??10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 11, Wal-Mart, 2709-A Church St., Conway. 796-1965

CONWAY

Many of these classes, events and meetings are sponsored by Conway Medical Center, but some take place at the Conway Medical Wellness and Fitness Center. Call the numbers listed for more information or log on to www.conwaymedicalcenter.com.

Obstetrics tour | 2 p.m. every Sunday, The Birthplace, Conway Medical Center, 300 Singleton Ridge Road, Conway. 347-8108

Wellness Coaching with Robin Robinson | ongoing, Conway Medical Wellness and Fitness Center, 2369 Cypress Circle. $99. 347-1515

Mobile services | free screenings for blood pressure, finger-stick full lipid panel to include total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides and blood sugar. Scheduled as follows:

??7:30-9:30 a.m. Monday, Quick Shop, 5100 Kates Bay Road, Conway.

??7:30-9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Pee Dee Grocery, 9150 U.S. 701 S., Conway.

Wake Up Call | 5:15-6 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays through May 15, Conway Medical Wellness and Fitness Center, 2369 Cypress Circle. $80 member; $120 non-members. 347-1515

Support groups

?? Parents Anonymous | 5-7 p.m. every Tuesday, Conway Medical Center. 448-5804

MYRTLE BEACH

Many of these classes, events and meetings are sponsored by Grand Strand Regional Medical Center, but some take place at the YMCA on 62nd Avenue North in Myrtle Beach or at HealthFinders in Coastal Grand mall. Call the numbers listed for more information or log on to www.grandstrandmed.com.

Walk-in screenings | 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, HealthFinders. $7 for cholesterol screening; $20 for lipid panel; $20 for A1C testing; blood pressure and weight screenings free. A 12-hour fast required for lipid profile. 692-4444

Ask the Pharmacist | 2-4 p.m. Fridays, HealthFinders. Bring your medication for review. One-on-one consults with a registered pharmacist. 692-4444

BLS CPR/AED classes | First Aid; Babysitter and Family Care Giving classes and certifications offered weekly by appointment. All instructors are AHA/ARC certified. K-Loc Healthy Kids, Inc., 1435 Cannon Road, Myrtle Beach. Classes available in Georgetown and North Myrtle Beach. Registration required. 467-0068.

Addiction counseling | Narconon. Call for free assessments or referrals, 877-413-3073 or www.drugsno.com.

Nar-Anon family group | 7 p.m. Sundays, Recovery Warehouse, 3116 Shetland Lane, unit 34, Myrtle Beach. 233-9017

Hatha Yoga class | 10-11 a.m. Fridays, HealthFinders. $8 per class. 692-4444

Prime of Life Yoga | 11 a.m. to noon Tuesdays, HealthFinders. $8 per class. 692-4444

Heartsaver CPR AED class | 2-5 p.m. Tuesday, HealthFinders. 692-4444 to register.

?Look Good Feel Better? for women in cancer treatment | 2-4 p.m. May 6, Coastal Cancer Center, 8121 Rourk St., Myrtle Beach. 800-227-2345, registration required.

Prepared Childbirth course | 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Grand Strand Regional Medical Center . $50. 692-4444 to register.

Prepared Childbirth course | 7 p.m. May 6, 13, 20, Grand Strand Regional Medical Center. $50. 692-4444 to register.

Infant Care | 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. May 11, HealthFinders. Free. 692-4444 to register.

Breastfeeding | 1:30-3:30 p.m. May 11, HealthFinders. Free. 692-4444 to register.

Support groups

?? Rape Crisis Cente r | Individual counseling, support group, 24-hour hotline for victims of sexual assault. 448-3180 or 448-7273

?? Non-offending parents of child victims of sexual assault | 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays, Conway. Visit www.victimtosurvivor.org or 448-3180.

?? Young stroke survivors between ages 20 to 65 | 11:30 a.m. fourth Friday each month, meeting room, Rotelli?s restaurant, U.S. 501, Conway. 655-2835 or visit www.YoungStroke.org.

?? Mended Hearts | 11:30 a.m. May 13, meeting room behind cafeteria, Grand Strand Regional Medical Center, 809 82nd Parkway, Myrtle Beach. Lunch provided. 685-3378 or rkeilen@mercyhospice.org

?? The La Leche League | 10:30 a.m. Thursday, HealthFinders. 692-4444

?? Prostate | 6 p.m. Wednesday, HealthFinders. 692-4444

LORIS/NORTH MYRTLE BEACH

McLeod Health/Loris/Seacoast sponsors the following events, classes and meetings. The hospital system offers a physician referral line, 716-7527 or online at www.lorishealth.org.

Injury screenings | 8-11 a.m. every Monday, North Myrtle Beach Aquatic and Fitness Center. 360-213-3620 or 281-3737 to schedule an appointment.

Zumba | 6 p.m. Monday and Thursday, 4 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, and 10 a.m. Monday (beginner?s Zumba), Center for Health and Fitness. Free for members; $5 for guest of members; $8 nonmembers. 716-7111

AARP Driver Safety course | 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday, Center for Health & Fitness. $12 for AARP member, $14 for non-member. 390-8326

Al-Anon meeting | 6:30-7:30 p.m. every Tuesday, A.A. Building, Route 17 S., Grissettown, N.C., across from Ocean Ridge. E-mail el-j-em@hotmail.com or just show up at the next meeting.

March for babies walking team | 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Pelican Stadium, 21st Ave. N., Myrtle Beach. 390-8326

Balance screenings | noon to 2 p.m. May 7, Myrtle Beach mall. Registration required, 390-8326.

Blood drive | 12:30-6:30 p.m. May 9, Center for Health & Fitness. Walk-ins welcome. Registration requested, 390-8326.

Community blood bank | 7:30 a.m. to noon, May 11, American Legion Post #503, 10277 Beach Drive (Rt. 179), Calabash, N.C. Refreshments served. To sign up, 910-575-5037.

Lymphedema screenings | 1-3 p.m. May 16, Center for Health & Fitness. Registration required, 390-8326.

The Child Forgotten | 6:30-7:30 p.m. May 23, North Myrtle Beach Aquatic & Fitness Center. Registration requested, 390-8326.

Support groups

?? Fibromyalgia and Arthritis | 11 a.m. Wednesday, North Myrtle Beach Aquatic & Fitness Center. 390-8326

?? Ostomy | 2 p.m. Sunday, McLeod Seacoast. 390-8326

?? Multiple Sclerosis | 6 p.m. May 14, Center for Health & Fitness. 390-8326

?? Diabetes | 10-11 a.m. May 31, McLeod Seacoast. 390-8326

Source: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2013/04/28/3460242/upcoming-myrtle-beach-area-health.html

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USC's Barkley, 3 other QBs picked in 4th round

NEW YORK (AP) ? For anyone waiting for the draft of the quarterbacks ? players included ? it came Saturday in the fourth round.

A shopping spree for signal callers opened the final day of the draft with Southern California's Matt Barkley taken by Philadelphia after a trade with Jacksonville.

Yes, it was three rounds later than Barkley hoped for. Same thing for Ryan Nassib of Syracuse, Landry Jones of Oklahoma and Tyler Wilson of Arkansas, the other quarterbacks chosen in Round 4.

"We're going to take the best value on the board," coach Chip Kelly said, adding the Eagles rated Barkley in the top 50. "There's a prime example. The best value on the board by far was Matt. He's an extremely mature young man, intelligent, articulate. He has that 'it' factor."

Perhaps. But he seemed to have a lot more of it last year. Barkley was projected as a first-round selection last year, but opted to return to school. He and the Trojans slumped, Barkley injured his shoulder, and his stock plummeted.

"I try not to get stressed about things I can't control," Barkley said when asked about his drop in the draft. "I'm just glad I know where my home is and I can't wait to hit the playbook."

He will join quarterbacks Michael Vick and Nick Foles in Philadelphia.

The New York Giants, hardly in need of a quarterback with Eli Manning in his prime, still dealt with Arizona to move up for Nassib.

Nassib, from the Philadelphia suburbs, took a call from Giants coach Tom Coughlin, but wasn't sure what Coughlin told him.

"To be honest with you, I blacked out. I didn't get everything," Nassib said. "What I did get from him was that first off I had to cut my ties with the Philadelphia Eagles and switch, which won't be a problem."

Oakland, which acquired Matt Flynn from Seattle in the offseason to be its starter, followed two picks later at No. 112 overall with Wilson. Three spots after that, Pittsburgh grabbed Jones, probably hoping to groom him behind Ben Roethlisberger.

A former quarterback, Denard Robinson of Michigan, is headed to Jacksonville, which had one of the league's worst offenses the last two years. Robinson will be switched to running back or receiver by the Jaguars; he set the NCAA record for career yards rushing (4,495) by a quarterback.

"A lot of people have put me at different positions," he said. "Now it's time to go to work."

South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore, who would have been a high pick if healthy but is coming off a second severe knee injury, went to the 49ers 131st overall. San Francisco can afford to "redshirt" Lattimore because it has a strong stable of runners, including Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter and LaMichael James.

"We really haven't even talked about that, so I don't have any clue," Lattimore said about possibly sitting out 2013 to heal completely. "My main goal right now is to go in there and work hard, go in there and learn the offense, and if I'm ready to play, I'm going to play, and if I'm not, I'm not."

Lattimore, who dislocated his left knee and tore three ligaments last season, said he spoke with Gore during his rehab.

"And now I'm with the 49ers, and it's just a great, great situation for me," Lattimore said.

Three kickers went in the fifth round: punters Jeff Locke of UCLA to Minnesota and Sam Martin of Appalachian State to Seattle, and placekicker Caleb Sturgis of Florida to Miami.

National champion Alabama, which had four players chosen previously ? three in the first round ? had four more go on the final day: linebacker Nico Johnson to Kansas City with the pick after Barkley was taken; guard Barrett Jones, who can play all offensive line positions, to the Rams; and DTs Jesse Williams to Seattle and Quinton Dial to San Francisco.

___

AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi and Sports Writers Tom Canavan and Mark Long contributed to this story.

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uscs-barkley-3-other-qbs-picked-4th-round-173608918.html

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Police ID suspect in Illinois shootout that killed 5

MANCHESTER, Ill. (AP) ? The nephew of a small-town Illinois mayor shot and killed five people, including two boys, before leading police on a chase that ended in an exchange of gunfire that left him dead, authorities said Wednesday.

Illinois State Police said they believe Rick O. Smith, 43, entered a Manchester home through the back door and shot the victims at close range with a shotgun, leaving two women, one man and the boys dead. Two people were found in a bedroom, two in a second bedroom and the man in the hallway. A sixth victim, a 6-year-old girl, was injured and taken to a Springfield hospital.

"The offender took the 6-year-old out of the residence and put her in the hands of a neighbor," State Police Lt. Col. Todd Kilby said.

Officials have not revealed a motive for the killings. Police said the victims are related. Authorities believe Smith and the victims were acquainted, but they didn't provide details of the relationships.

A bystander called police and told them that Smith fled the home in a white sedan. A car chase ensued, leading authorities to the nearby town of Winchester, where Smith and officers exchanged gunfire. Officers shot Smith, and he later died at a hospital.

Police said they found a rifle, shotgun and large hunting knife in Smith's car.

Coroner officials said they plan autopsies on the victims Thursday morning in Bloomington and identities would be released at that time.

Scott County State's Attorney Michael Hill said Smith, of rural Morgan County, had previous convictions for reckless homicide, drugs and bad checks.

Manchester Mayor Ronald Drake confirmed that Smith was his nephew, saying he hadn't spoken to Smith in two years, but he believed his nephew was unemployed. Drake said the last time Smith contacted him was to borrow tools.

In Manchester, yellow police tape surrounded the small one-story brick home where the victims were found. Manchester is a village of about 300 residents located about 50 miles west of Springfield.

"It's a close-knit community," Drake said. "Everybody talks to everybody. ... We enjoy that goes on (in) town. This is just a tragedy for (the) whole town."

The last homicide in Scott County was 20 years ago, in 1993.

Manchester resident Julie Hardwick, 48, said she lives in the same county housing authority complex as the victims. Authorities told her she couldn't return to her home yet because of the investigation, she said.

"The kids were really nice," Hardwick said of the family. "You couldn't ask for better kids."

The Rev. Robin Lyons of Manchester United Methodist Church, one of two churches in the community said, "this shows tragedy can happen anywhere."

Two area school superintendents said they received calls from county sheriffs before 6 a.m. informing them that five people had been shot to death at a house in Manchester and that a suspect was at large.

Superintendent David Roberts of the Winchester School District and Les Stevens of the North Greene Unit District No. 3 both said they immediately canceled classes when they were told of the shootings and that other school districts did the same.

Roberts said the wounded girl is a student at Winchester Grade School and her teacher was with her at the Springfield hospital.

The school will use its own counselor, nurse and other staff members to help students who need to talk, Roberts said. Other area districts have offered to help too.

Roberts said he also will call on area ministers to be available on campus. "I've found that to be helpful in the past," he said.

___

Associated Press writers Don Babwin and Jason Keyser in Chicago and David Mercer in Champaign, Ill., contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/2-boys-3-adults-shot-death-illinois-town-210821243.html

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iPhone 5 vs. BlackBerry Q10: Which should you buy?

The BlackBerry Q10 represents the return of the original BlackBerry. And unabashedly so. Sure it runs the same BlackBerry 10 operating system as the full touchscreen BlackBerry Z10, but it packs it into the classic, keyboard package every hardcore communicator and enterprise accomplisher knows and loves. But how does it compare to the iPhone 5, and if you're considering both -- which one should you get?

And you know what? For what it is, it's really really good. I've been using BlackBerry 10 on the Z10 for a month or so, and I've been using Kevin Michaluk's BlackBerry Q10 review unit quite a bit this week. And the experience translates pretty well to the smaller 720x720 display on the Q10. The keyboard is everything you'd expect from the people who pretty much perfected it. It's a real BlackBerry in every way that matters.

On the other hand, the OLED display is sub-optimal and a compromise. It's a concession to battery life, which is the entire focus of a workhorse phone like the Q10. Apps are still sparse, and Android emulation is a stop-gap at best.

It's also a brand new OS, so while it has all the basics, and carries over a lot of the smart ideas from the Z10, but it's still first generation and that means it squeaks a little when it turns around too fast. But that's okay. Every modern mobile OS has been there.

The truth is, the Q10 is a hold-over from a time gone by, and hardware keyboards aren't a growth market anymore. Kids growing up today will be touch-screen native, and the Q10-style BlackBerry will fade as the Z10-style grows to take it's place.

But right now, today, I don't care. Right now, today, it's like watching your favorite hero from the past come out of retirement to kick ass one last time. And it's a hell of a thing to watch.

No one who wants an iPhone will want a Q10, but everyone who wants the BlackBerry will love it.

Go check out CrackBerry's coverage, then come back here and tell me what you think.

• BlackBerry Q10 review

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/qBlp2iKgRsA/story01.htm

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T-Mobile?s BlackBerry Q10 available for preorder beginning April 29th

By Karolos Grohmann DORTMUND, Germany, April 24 (Reuters) - Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho could not understand how his well-drilled side let Robert Lewandowski score four goals in Borussia Dortmund's 4-1 win on Wednesday but vowed that his team could still reach the Champions League final. The nine-times European champions have a huge task on their hands in Tuesday's home second leg after Mourinho acknowledged they had been outplayed in the semi-final first leg in Germany. "I saw a team that was better than the other one, mentally and physically. The better team won today. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/t-mobile-blackberry-q10-available-preorder-beginning-april-222047555.html

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Chemical weapons in Syria? What Obama's high bar for proof could mean.

Three key US allies ? Britain, France, and Israel ? have said Syria has used chemical weapons in its civil war, but the US, wary of intervening in the conflict, is calling the evidence 'inconclusive.'

By Howard LaFranchi,?Staff writer / April 24, 2013

Secretary of State John Kerry gestures during a news conference at the NATO headquarters in Brussels April 23. Kerry said on Tuesday that NATO needed to consider its role in the Syrian crisis, including how practically prepared it was to respond to a potential chemical weapons threat.

Evan Vucci/Reuters

Enlarge

The US reluctance to join with three key allies ? Britain, France, and now Israel ? in concluding that Syria?s Bashar al-Assad has used chemical weapons in his country?s civil war confirms President Obama?s consistent wariness about US intervention in the two-year-old conflict.

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Beyond that point, however, former officials and analysts are split over why Mr. Obama is so cautious about the issue ? he even refused to answer a reporter?s question on the topic Tuesday ? and what the apparently high bar the administration has set for evidence of chemical weapons use means.

?It?s a hard call as to whether the administration is trying to avoid something, or if they just don?t have the evidence,? says Wayne White, a former State Department official with experience in Middle East intelligence.

Obama has said repeatedly since last August that Syria?s use of chemical weapons is a US ?red line? and would be a ?game changer? for the US. But now some critics say the president?s caution suggests a moving or ?fuzzy? red line.

For some, the president is simply being prudent, especially if the evidence presented so far is ?inconclusive,? as a number of senior administration officials, including Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, have said. Obama, they add, wants to avoid a rush to judgment that turns out to be mistaken ? and which could appear to the world like a repeat of the 2003 US decision to invade Iraq over weapons of mass destruction that didn?t exist.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said Tuesday that the US is being ?extremely deliberate? in investigating and evaluating the reports of chemical weapons use. And on Wednesday in Cairo, Secretary Hagel suggested the US would not be rushed to judgment by allies, saying, ?Suspicions are one thing. Evidence is another.? He then added, ?I think we have to be very careful here before we make any conclusions.?

But for others, the reason Obama is setting the bar high ? in a situation where incontrovertible evidence could remain very difficult to come by ? is because he has no desire to ratchet up US involvement in the Syrian conflict unless forced to.

The danger of this approach, critics say, is that it encourages an increasingly desperate President Assad to test the limits of US reluctance ? perhaps even with limited, hard-to-prove use of some chemical weapons.

And even if some isolated use of chemical weapons is proved, some analysts say, Obama is still unlikely to intervene in Syria in a manner that could tip the scales in the conflict.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/7KX3m3_8Gi4/Chemical-weapons-in-Syria-What-Obama-s-high-bar-for-proof-could-mean

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