New means to communicate population risk assessments among scientists and decision-makers

June 11, 2013 ? Population viability analysis (PVA) is a method used by conservation scientists for a range of purposes -- including advancing conservation theory, planning, policy and management. PVAs are particularly important for assessing the risks of population extinction and for comparing alternative management options to protect species. The fact that so many PVAs are already available, for hundreds of species, offers an exciting opportunity for learning and especially for moving from single-species experience to multi-species knowledge. But this opportunity is often lost in translation: PVAs are usually complex, and many people find them hard to design, apply and communicate. Many PVA descriptions also lack sufficient structure, and are difficult to understand, assess, or even repeat.

In a review now published in the journal Conservation Biology, an international team of 11 researchers have shown that these drawbacks form a true barrier for the use of PVAs as a means of collective learning. As part of the EU project SCALES (http://www.scales-project.net/), Guy Pe'er and colleagues suggest that there is a remedy to this problem: our capacity to learn from PVAs may be greatly improved by applying a common standard for Design, Application and Communication of PVAs -- or, what they called the "DAC-PVA" protocol.

The aim of the DAC-PVA protocol is to enhance communication and repeatability of PVAs, strengthen their credibility and relevance for policy and management. It should further improve the capacity to generalize from PVA findings across studies. The protocol is further accompanied by an interactive website (http://scales.ckff.si/scaletool/dac-pva.php), in order to enhance its usefulness.

Guy Pe'er: "There are many existing guidelines on how to design and implement reliable PVAs. There are also existing communication standards for documenting and communicating ecological models. But somehow, it seems that these two simply didn't manage to meet so far. This is sad because it means that many hundreds of existing PVAs, and many more that are likely to be developed and applied in the future, still do not effectively contribute to collective learning efforts or attempts to move from single-species results to supporting the conservation of biodiversity in its broader sense."

Klaus Henle: "PVAs are used very commonly nowadays. The IUCN suggests PVAs to be conducted for every species where enough data are available, and even offers guidelines on how to apply PVAs. Their use is particularly widespread for birds. We should strive to reach a point where, based on PVA knowledge, we could guess the conservation needs of species also without a PVA, for instance based on traits and ecological requirements. But in the absence of standardized reporting, and a collective effort to learn when such guesses are likely to work or fail, we may never reach this goal."

The idea of the protocol and the website is therefore to create a common template, used by PVA developers, users and readers, that would enhance communication between all of them. Thereby, the authors hope to make PVAs more policy-relevant, and policy-makers more aware of the broad range of potential uses of PVAs for nature conservation.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Pensoft Publishers, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Guy Pe'er, Yiannis G. Matsinos, Karin Johst, Kamila W. Franz, Camille Turlure, Viktoriia Radchuk, Agnieszka H. Malinowska, Janelle M.r. Curtis, Ilona Naujokaitis-Lewis, Brendan A. Wintle, Klaus Henle. A Protocol for Better Design, Application, and Communication of Population Viability Analyses. Conservation Biology, 2013; DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12076

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/KOS1UL_-GA0/130611102202.htm

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Brazil govt to perform crash tests after AP report

SAO PAULO (AP) ? After a decade of spiking fatalities from passenger car wrecks, the Brazilian government said Monday it plans to build its first auto crash test facility in an effort to improve the poor safety record of vehicles built and sold in the world's fourth-largest automobile market.

The decision comes a month after The Associated Press published an investigation that showed many cars built by the world's biggest automakers and sold in Brazil had significantly fewer safeguards than the same or similar models sold in the U.S. and Europe.

The AP found that Brazilians die at four times the rate as Americans in passenger car wrecks and that fatalities rose more than 70 percent in Brazil in the past decade while falling 40 percent in the U.S. Independent tests have been conducted in Germany on Brazil's most popular car models, and the results are bleak. Four of Brazil's five top selling cars failed their crash tests ? the fifth has yet to be tested.

Dr. Dirceu Alves at Abramet, a Brazilian association of doctors who specialize in treating traffic accident victims, said he thinks a crash-test center will improve safety.

"There is no doubt about the importance of this lab. We cannot believe in the quality controls of the automakers alone," he said. "We believe it will be one of the factors in reducing the number of traffic fatalities."

The Brazilian government has recently begun to implement tougher safety standards for its auto industry. But critics have pointed out that without its own crash test center, the government has no means of verifying automaker claims on impact safety.

"Until now, when it came to the auto industry there was nothing the government was testing," said a Brazilian government official, who agreed to discuss the situation only if not quoted by name because he wasn't authorized to talk about the crash-test center plans.

The official said the government hopes to have the $50 million crash test center operating by 2017. He noted it was a "politically sensitive" topic in a nation where the auto industry plays a big role in the economy. Brazil's government has repeatedly slashed consumer taxes on cars in recent years in an effort to bolster the nation's economic outlook.

A second official, from the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, which will oversee the building and operation of the crash-test center, also confirmed plans for its construction.

A ministry document indicating plans for the center indicates that it will be built on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro and that automakers could provide part of the funding for its operation and even use the center, which led experts to raise concerns about whether the lab can truly be independent. Further details about the center were not given.

ANFAVEA, Brazil's national association of automakers, said it had no comment about plans for the center. In talking to the AP previously about Brazil's poor safety record, automakers said their cars meet the country's safety laws.

As one example, only next year will Brazil begin requiring frontal air bags and antilock braking systems on all cars ? safety features that have been standard in industrial countries for years.

Brazil, Latin America's biggest economy, will also have new impact regulations, on paper at least. But without a crash-test center, regulators cannot verify automakers' claims about vehicle performance. There are no independent labs in the nation, as there are in Europe, U.S. and other areas.

Auto engineers, some working for big automakers, have said the dangers of Brazilian cars come down to basics: the lack of body reinforcements, lower-quality steel in car bodies, weaker or fewer weld spots to hold the vehicles together and car platforms designed decades before modern safety advances.

Consumer advocates in Brazil have complained about what they say is a double standard in the treatment of carmakers. Manufacturers earn a 10 percent profit on Brazilian-made cars, compared with 3 percent in the U.S. and a global average of 5 percent, according to IHS Automotive, an industry consulting firm.

Despite those profits, cars like the Nissan March compact sold in Brazil received a two-star rating from the Latin New Car Assessment Program, which has carried out crash tests on cars made in Brazil. The version sold for about the same price in Europe, the Micra, scored four stars. Safety experts say that's the difference between dying in or surviving frontal-collision wrecks.

There is cautious hope the planned government crash-test center will begin improving autos, but some experts warned that it isn't a complete solution.

"It's a good thing that there will be an independent crash laboratory, but that doesn't mean that cars will be better or safer," said Alejandro Furas, technical director for the Global NCAP. "A crash laboratory is an incredible tool, but there have to be regulations ? regulations in Brazil are behind."

Most notably, Brazil's auto safety regulation lacks a "conformity of production" clause that requires automobile safety performance be spot checked for the entire time the model is produced. Without that rule, car models in Brazil only have to meet impact regulations once.

Further, Furas said that if automakers helped fund the Brazilian government's facility, then it won't be "really independent at all."

About 40 million Brazilians moved into the middle class during the past decade with more income than ever to buy their first car. But as auto sales boom in Brazil, so have the number of accidents and deaths.

An analysis of Health Ministry data shows that 9,059 car occupants died in vehicle crashes in Brazil in 2010. That same year, 12,435 people in the U.S. were killed in car crashes, although the U.S. passenger car fleet is five times larger than Brazil's. The result: Brazilian automobile crash victims died at four times the rate as those in the U.S.

___

Associated Press writers Marco Sibaja in Brasilia and Jill Langlois in Sao Paulo contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/brazil-govt-perform-crash-tests-ap-report-195543570.html

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Lay day called at Volcom Fiji Pro ? Surfing news | bettor.com

Lay day called at Volcom Fiji Pro ? Surfing news

Volcom Fiji Pro, the fourth of ten stops on the 2013 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Championship Tour, has been called off for today, i.e. Monday, June 10, due to unsatisfactory conditions at the main event venue of Cloudbreak in Tavarua, Fiji.

The event organisers were expecting the swell to have filled in by today, but they were not satisfied with the results of their assessment of the surfing conditions on hand.

As a result, they deemed it fit to call the competition off for the day and wait for the conditions to improve before getting the show back on.

?Unfortunately, conditions didn?t manifest for us today as we would have liked and we?ve called competition off for the afternoon,? Rich Porta, ASP International Head Judge said. ?The swell is meant to fill in overnight and we?ll reconvene tomorrow morning at 6:30am.?

The world?s top surfing talent is currently gathered in Fiji to continue their campaign for the most coveted honours in the sport, the ASP World Title.

So far, the Volcom Fiji Pro has gone through the first-two rounds, as well as the first-three heats of Round 3.

There have already been some pretty huge upsets in the competition so far, with the elimination of Brazil?s Adriano de Souza at the hands of Australia?s Yadin Nicol in Round 2 surely topping the list of upsets.

Young American sensation Kolohe Andino earned himself some massive respect by getting the better of Brazil?s Gabriel Medina in their Round 2 encounter, thus removing the latter from the contention for the event latter.

?11-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater from America and reigning ASP World Champion Joel Parkinson from Australia had skipped their Round 1 heats, but appeared for their respective Round 2 heats, which they comfortably won to make their way through into the third round.

South Africa?s Jordy Smith also gave his fans a bit of a scare after a dismal Round 1 performance, but bounced back strongly in Round 2 to successfully extend his life in the competition.

Hawaii?s John John Florence, however, has been the main highlight of the event so far. Known for his barrel-prowess, the young talent has treated the spectators to a performance that will surely be staying in their memory for a long time. He is one of the three surfers who have already confirmed their place in Round 4, with Smith and Australia?s Taj Burrow being the other two surfers.

When competition resumes, France?s Jeremy Flores will lock horns with Brazil?s Miguel Pupo in the fourth heat of Round 3.

Source: http://blogs.bettor.com/Lay-day-called-at-Volcom-Fiji-Pro-Surfing-news-a216470

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Nearly 20 percent of suicidal youths have guns in their home

Public release date: 6-May-2013
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Contact: Susan Stevens Martin
ssmartin@aap.org
847-434-7131
American Academy of Pediatrics

Researchers say emergency department doctors should screen all pediatric patients for suicide risk

WASHINGTON, DC Nearly one in five children and teens found to be at risk for suicide report that there are guns in their homes, and 15 percent of those at risk for suicide with guns in the home know how to access both the guns and the bullets, according to a study to be presented Monday, May 6, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Washington, DC.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24 years in the United States, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Nearly half of youths who die by suicide use a firearm.

Researchers conducted a study to create a suicide risk screening tool that health care professionals in emergency departments (EDs) could use to figure out which youths need further mental health evaluation to keep them from harming themselves. As part of that study, researchers asked youths about access to guns in or around their home and about gun/bullet storage.

"For more than 1.5 million adolescents, the ED is their primary point of contact with the health care system, which makes the ED an important place for identifying youth at risk for suicide," said Stephen J. Teach, MD, MPH, FAAP, associate chief in the Division of Emergency Medicine at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC, and co-author who will be presenting the study at the PAS meeting.

Many clinicians and parents do not know how to ask youth about suicide, so they require screening tools to assist in detection, added study senior author Lisa M. Horowitz, PhD, MPH, staff scientist/pediatric psychologist at the National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md. "According to our data, when asked their opinion, nearly all of the kids in our study were in favor of suicide screening in the ED. Our study shows that if you ask kids directly about suicide, they will tell you what they are thinking."

Study participants included 524 patients ages 10 to 21 who were seen for medical/surgical or psychiatric complaints at one of three pediatric EDs. They were asked to fill out a 17-item questionnaire that the researchers used to develop the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ), a four-question screening tool that can be used for all pediatric patients visiting the ED. The ASQ has been validated against a longer more in-depth suicide assessment tool.

"While many youths who kill themselves have mental health disorders, up to 40 percent of youths who kill themselves have no known mental illness," said co-author and youth suicide expert Jeffrey A. Bridge, PhD, principal investigator at The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital and associate professor of pediatrics at The Ohio State University. "Therefore, it is important to screen all children and adolescents for suicide, regardless of the reason they are visiting the ED."

Of the patients who completed the screening tools, 151 (29 percent) were found to be at risk for suicide, and 17 percent of them reported guns in or around the home. Of those at risk for suicide and reporting guns in the home, 31 percent knew how to access the guns, 31 percent knew how to access the bullets, and 15 percent knew how to access both the guns and the bullets.

"This study highlights the importance of parents understanding the risks of having guns in their homes," said Dr. Bridge. "Being at risk for suicide and having access to firearms is a volatile mix. These conversations need to take place in the ED with families of children at risk for suicide."

###

To view the abstract, "Access to Firearms among Patients Screening Positive for Suicide Risk in Pediatric Emergency Departments," go to http://www.pas-meeting.org/2013DC/Abstracts/LB%20Pub%20All%202013.pdf

The research was supported by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institutes of Health (Drs. Horowitz & Pao); institutional research funds from the Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital and grant K01 MH-69948 from the National Institute of Mental Health (Dr. Bridge); institutional research funds from the Program for Patient Safety and Quality at Boston Children's Hospital Boston (Dr. Wharff).

The Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) are four individual pediatric organizations that co-sponsor the PAS Annual Meeting the American Pediatric Society, the Society for Pediatric Research, the Academic Pediatric Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Members of these organizations are pediatricians and other health care providers who are practicing in the research, academic and clinical arenas. The four sponsoring organizations are leaders in the advancement of pediatric research and child advocacy within pediatrics, and all share a common mission of fostering the health and well-being of children worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.pas-meeting.org. Follow news of the PAS meeting on Twitter at http://twitter.com/PedAcadSoc.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 6-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Susan Stevens Martin
ssmartin@aap.org
847-434-7131
American Academy of Pediatrics

Researchers say emergency department doctors should screen all pediatric patients for suicide risk

WASHINGTON, DC Nearly one in five children and teens found to be at risk for suicide report that there are guns in their homes, and 15 percent of those at risk for suicide with guns in the home know how to access both the guns and the bullets, according to a study to be presented Monday, May 6, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Washington, DC.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24 years in the United States, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Nearly half of youths who die by suicide use a firearm.

Researchers conducted a study to create a suicide risk screening tool that health care professionals in emergency departments (EDs) could use to figure out which youths need further mental health evaluation to keep them from harming themselves. As part of that study, researchers asked youths about access to guns in or around their home and about gun/bullet storage.

"For more than 1.5 million adolescents, the ED is their primary point of contact with the health care system, which makes the ED an important place for identifying youth at risk for suicide," said Stephen J. Teach, MD, MPH, FAAP, associate chief in the Division of Emergency Medicine at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC, and co-author who will be presenting the study at the PAS meeting.

Many clinicians and parents do not know how to ask youth about suicide, so they require screening tools to assist in detection, added study senior author Lisa M. Horowitz, PhD, MPH, staff scientist/pediatric psychologist at the National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md. "According to our data, when asked their opinion, nearly all of the kids in our study were in favor of suicide screening in the ED. Our study shows that if you ask kids directly about suicide, they will tell you what they are thinking."

Study participants included 524 patients ages 10 to 21 who were seen for medical/surgical or psychiatric complaints at one of three pediatric EDs. They were asked to fill out a 17-item questionnaire that the researchers used to develop the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ), a four-question screening tool that can be used for all pediatric patients visiting the ED. The ASQ has been validated against a longer more in-depth suicide assessment tool.

"While many youths who kill themselves have mental health disorders, up to 40 percent of youths who kill themselves have no known mental illness," said co-author and youth suicide expert Jeffrey A. Bridge, PhD, principal investigator at The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital and associate professor of pediatrics at The Ohio State University. "Therefore, it is important to screen all children and adolescents for suicide, regardless of the reason they are visiting the ED."

Of the patients who completed the screening tools, 151 (29 percent) were found to be at risk for suicide, and 17 percent of them reported guns in or around the home. Of those at risk for suicide and reporting guns in the home, 31 percent knew how to access the guns, 31 percent knew how to access the bullets, and 15 percent knew how to access both the guns and the bullets.

"This study highlights the importance of parents understanding the risks of having guns in their homes," said Dr. Bridge. "Being at risk for suicide and having access to firearms is a volatile mix. These conversations need to take place in the ED with families of children at risk for suicide."

###

To view the abstract, "Access to Firearms among Patients Screening Positive for Suicide Risk in Pediatric Emergency Departments," go to http://www.pas-meeting.org/2013DC/Abstracts/LB%20Pub%20All%202013.pdf

The research was supported by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institutes of Health (Drs. Horowitz & Pao); institutional research funds from the Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital and grant K01 MH-69948 from the National Institute of Mental Health (Dr. Bridge); institutional research funds from the Program for Patient Safety and Quality at Boston Children's Hospital Boston (Dr. Wharff).

The Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) are four individual pediatric organizations that co-sponsor the PAS Annual Meeting the American Pediatric Society, the Society for Pediatric Research, the Academic Pediatric Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Members of these organizations are pediatricians and other health care providers who are practicing in the research, academic and clinical arenas. The four sponsoring organizations are leaders in the advancement of pediatric research and child advocacy within pediatrics, and all share a common mission of fostering the health and well-being of children worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.pas-meeting.org. Follow news of the PAS meeting on Twitter at http://twitter.com/PedAcadSoc.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-05/aaop-n2o042613.php

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Nintendo reportedly offering Wii U game conversion software to smartphone app devs

While we knew Nintendo was happy to hook up its newest consoles with smartphones, we thought that would only extend to social networking and shopping. Nope, it looks like the company is planning to go a step further, with a report from Japan Times suggesting that the games maker is offering high-level conversion software to app developers "so they can produce smartphone games that can be played on Wii U." A weak existing games library has been blamed for Nintendo's recent financial woes and the company is hoping the addition of some popular titles will offer enough of a reason to invest in a dedicated device. We just hope it's able to glean some fresh gaming gems -- the first Angry Birds title launched in 2009.

Filed under: Gaming, Nintendo

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Via: ZDNet

Source: Japan Times

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/06/nintendo-rumor-wii-u-app-devs/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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How To FIle Bankruptcy With No Trouble - Stock Market Finance

Those dealing with personal bankruptcy filing are known to experience feelings of embarrassment, irritation and shame. People sometimes assume incorrectly that they are up against a wall, and there?s no way out. This article will show you some of the best ways to cope with having to file bankruptcy.

Visit web sites and read information to learn as much as possible about the topic of personal bankruptcy. The US Department of Justice and American Bankruptcy Institute are both sites that provide free advice. Knowing is half the battle, after all, and these websites are the first step in learning what you need to know to make your bankruptcy smooth and stress-free.

Be sure you?re doing what?s right before you file for bankruptcy. You have other options available like consumer credit counselling services. Bankruptcy permanently affects your credit, so avoid filing until you have exhausted all of your other options.

Before you decide to file bankruptcy proceedings, determine which assets will be safe. The Bankruptcy Code includes a list of the types of assets that are exempt from the bankruptcy process. You need to compare this list to the assets you own so that you are not surprised when certain assets are seized. If you don?t read it, you could have nasty surprises pop up later due to your prized possessions being seized.

Familiarize yourself with the bankruptcy code before you file. Bankruptcy laws constantly change and it?s crucial you know about them so you the process of filing for bankruptcy goes smoothly. To stay up-to-date on these laws, check out your state?s government website.

Before making your decision to file for bankruptcy, double-check to see if other, less drastic options could make sense. For example, consumer credit counseling programs can help you by renegotiating your debts with your creditors into payments that you can afford. You may have the ability to negotiate much lower payments, just be sure any debt modifications you agree to are written and that you have a copy.

Since the majority of attorneys are willing to provide no-cost initial consultations, it is smart to meet with more than one before you make a selection. Never settle for speaking with a paralegal or an assistant. They are not trained, nor allowed, to pass on legal advice. Seeking out different attorneys is all part of the process until you find someone that you can trust.

Once the initial filing period is over, ensure that you are getting out and enjoying life. Filing for personal bankruptcy can be very stressful for the debtor. This stress could actually cause depression, if you don?t combat it. Bankruptcy is hard to go through, but you must remember that a less stressful, more enjoyable life is waiting on the other side of it.

Before you choose Chapter 7 bankruptcy, think about what effect that is going to have on any co-signers you have, which are usually close relatives and friends. You may have your responsibility for your portion of the loan discharged under Chapter 7. Sadly, this will not be the case for your co debtor. Your creditors may simply turn their attention to your hapless acquaintance.

You can still take out a car loan or mortgage while you are in Chapter 13 bankruptcy. There are extra hoops to jump through. You must meet with a trustee to gain approval for a new loan. Draft a personal budget to show that you will be able to repay your new loan. The odds are also good that you will be asked exactly why you?re purchasing a new item. Make sure you have a good reason.

When you do file for bankruptcy, make sure you know your rights. Certain unscrupulous creditors will try to convince you that certain debts can?t be discharged in bankruptcy. Most loans can be discharged outside of certain things, like child support or loans you are paying back due to student lending. If the debt collector tries to tell you that your debts, which do not fall into those categories, cannot be bankrupted, take a note of it, look up the debt type, and report them to your state?s attorney general office.

This article has, hopefully, taught you that bankruptcy does not mean life is over. It can be difficult in the beginning, but bankruptcy can be effectively managed. Using these tips will allow you to get through this process with ease.

You?ll master smart penny stocks in no time, as long as you continue to learn about them. If you use the information contained in this article, you?ll find that you are becoming comfortable with smart penny stocks at an amazing pace. You will find success if you take things one day at a time.

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Source: http://www.stockmarketfinances.com/2013/05/06/how-to-file-bankruptcy-with-no-trouble/

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Syria news agency: Israel strikes near Damascus

This photo released on the official Facebook page of Syrian President Bashar Assad, shows Syrian president Bashar Assad, right, surrounded by bodyguards as young people, wave at him during the inauguration ceremony on Saturday of a statue dedicated to "martyrs" from Syrian universities who died in the country's two-year-old uprising and civil war, in Damascus, Syria, Saturday, May. 4, 2013. Assad's second public appearance in a week came as Israeli officials confirmed the country's air force carried out a strike against Syria, saying it targeted a shipment of advanced missiles bound for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. (AP Photo)

This photo released on the official Facebook page of Syrian President Bashar Assad, shows Syrian president Bashar Assad, right, surrounded by bodyguards as young people, wave at him during the inauguration ceremony on Saturday of a statue dedicated to "martyrs" from Syrian universities who died in the country's two-year-old uprising and civil war, in Damascus, Syria, Saturday, May. 4, 2013. Assad's second public appearance in a week came as Israeli officials confirmed the country's air force carried out a strike against Syria, saying it targeted a shipment of advanced missiles bound for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. (AP Photo)

FILE - In this June 3, 2012 file photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian President Bashar Assad delivers a speech at the parliament in Damascus, Syria. Israel launched an airstrike into Syria, apparently targeting a suspected weapons site, U.S. officials said Friday night, May 3, 2013. (AP Photo/SANA, File)

BEIRUT (AP) ? Israeli missiles struck a research center near the Syrian capital Damascus, setting off explosions and causing casualties, Syria's state news agency reported early Sunday, citing initial reports.

If confirmed, it would be the second Israeli strike on targets in Syria in three days, signaling a sharp escalation of Israel's involvement in Syria's bloody civil war.

There was no immediate Israeli comment. However, Israel has said it will not allow sophisticated weapons to flow from Syria to the Lebanese Hezbollah militia, an ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad and a heavily armed foe of the Jewish state.

Two previous Israeli airstrikes, one in January and one on Friday, targeted weapons apparently bound for Hezbollah, Israeli and U.S. officials have said.

The Syrian state news agency SANA reported early Sunday that explosions went off at the Jamraya research center near Damascus, causing casualties. "Initial reports point to these explosions being a result of Israeli missiles that targeted the research center in Jamraya," SANA said.

A Syrian activist group, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, also reported large explosions in the area of Jamraya, a military and scientific research facility northwest of Damascus, about 15 kilometers (10 miles) from the Lebanese border.

An amateur video said to be shot early Sunday in the Damascus area showed a huge ball of fire lighting up the night sky. The video appeared genuine and corresponded to other Associated Press reporting.

Israel's first airstrike in Syria, in January, also struck Jamraya.

At the time, a U.S. official said Israel targeted trucks next to the research center that carried SA-17 anti-aircraft missiles. The strikes hit both the trucks and the research facility, the official said. The Syrian military didn't confirm a hit on a weapons shipment at the time, saying only that Israeli warplanes bombed the research center.

On Saturday, Israeli officials confirmed that a day earlier, Israeli aircraft targeted advanced surface-to-surface missiles in Syria that were apparently bound for Hezbollah.

The missiles were believed to be m600s, a Syrian version of Iran's Fatah 110 missile, an extremely accurate guided missile capable of traveling roughly 300 kilometers (190 miles) with a half-ton warhead, an Israeli official said

The Israeli officials spoke anonymously because they had not been given permission to speak publicly about the matter.

In Washington, a Pentagon spokeswoman said she had no information relating to Sunday's report of a new Israeli airstrike in Syria.

President Barack Obama said Saturday, before the latest incident, that it was up to Israel to confirm or deny any strikes, but that the U.S. coordinates very closely with Israel.

"The Israelis, justifiably, have to guard against the transfer of advanced weaponry to terrorist organizations like Hezbollah," Obama told the Spanish-language TV station Telemundo.

Israel has said it wants to stay out of the brutal Syria war, but could inadvertently be drawn in as it tries to bolster its deterrence and prevent sophisticated weapons from reaching Hezbollah.

Since the conflict in Syria erupted more than two years ago, fighting has repeatedly spilled into Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan and the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights.

Renewed concern about a wider conflagration come as Washington considers how to respond to indications that the Syrian regime may have used chemical weapons in its civil war.

Obama has described the use of such weapons as a "red line," and the administration is weighing its options ? including possible military action.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, has drawn his own red line, saying repeatedly that the Jewish state would be prepared to take military action to prevent Hezbollah from obtaining new weapons that could upset the balance of power.

Israel believes Hezbollah has restocked its arsenal with tens of thousands of rockets and missiles since a 2006 war between the two ended in a stalemate.

Israel is concerned that Hezbollah will take advantage of the chaos in Syria to smuggle advanced weapons into Lebanon.

These include anti-aircraft missiles, which could hamper Israel's ability to operate in Lebanese skies, and advanced Yakhont missiles that are used to attack naval ships from the coast.

In recent days, there were signs of mounting tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.

In a warning to Israel earlier this week, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said his militia "is ready and has its hand on the trigger" in the event of an Israeli attack on any targets in Lebanon.

The Israeli military, meanwhile, called up several thousand reservists earlier this week for what it called a "surprise" military exercise on its border with Lebanon.

Details about Friday's strike remained sketchy.

The U.S. officials said the airstrike apparently hit a warehouse, but gave no other details.

Israeli officials did not say where in Syria the Israeli aircraft struck or whether they fired from Lebanese, Syrian or Israeli airspace.

Israel possesses bombs that can travel a long distance before striking their target. The use of such weapons could allow Israel to carry out the attack without entering Syrian skies, which would risk coming under fire from the regime's advanced, Russian-made anti-aircraft defenses.

The Syrian government said it had no information on an Israeli attack, while Hezbollah and the Israeli military spokesman's office declined comment.

Amos Gilad, an Israeli defense official, would not confirm or deny the airstrike, but played down cross-border tensions.

Hezbollah has not obtained any of Syria's large chemical weapons arsenal and is not interested in such weapons, Gilad said. Instead, the militia is "enthusiastic about other weapons systems and rockets that reach here (Israel)," he said Saturday in a speech in southern Israel.

Assad "is not provoking Israel and the incidents along the border (between Syria and the Israeli-controlled Golan) are coincidental," Gilad said.

With Israel apparently enforcing its red lines, much now depends on the response from Hezbollah and Syria, analysts said.

Israeli officials have long feared that Assad may try to draw Israel into the civil war in hopes of diverting attention and perhaps rallying Arab support behind him.

But retaliation for Israeli airstrikes would come at a high price, said Moshe Maoz, an Israeli expert on Syria.

"Bashar has his own problems and he knows that conflict with Israel would cause the collapse of his regime," Maoz said. "He could have done that long ago, but he knows he will fall if Israel gets involved."

Hezbollah, which is fighting alongside Assad's troops, appears to have linked its fate to the survival of the Syrian regime. Nasrallah, the Hezbollah chief, said this week that Syria's allies "will not allow Syria to fall into the hands of America or Israel."

On the other hand, Hezbollah could endanger its position as Lebanon's main political and military force if it confronts Israel, and it's not clear if the militia is willing to take that risk.

The U.S. concerns have focused on Syria's chemical weapons.

Obama has said the use of chemical weapons would have "enormous consequences," but has also said he needs more definitive proof before making a decision about how to respond.

Obama said Friday that he didn't foresee a scenario in which the U.S. would send troops to Syria. Instead, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has said Washington is reviewing its opposition to arming the opposition.

The U.S. so far has balked at sending weapons to the rebels, fearing the arms could end up in the hands of al-Qaida-linked groups or other extremists in the opposition ranks.

Secretary of State John Kerry, meanwhile, is heading to Moscow next week to try to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to support, or at least not veto, a fresh effort to impose U.N. penalties on Syria if Assad doesn't begin political transition talks with the opposition.

Russia, alongside China, has blocked U.S.-led efforts three times at the United Nations to pressure Assad into stepping down.

___

Federman reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Ian Deitch in Jerusalem, Bassem Mroue in Beirut, and Bradley S. Klapper and Josh Lederman in Washington contributed reporting.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-05-04-ML-Israel-Syria/id-11fe95b09a124b568b895d8e2238cbb0

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