Syria's business from Reuters on Manic Monday

Here are the stories from Reuters about the hot topic of Syria that I've included in Overnight News Digest on Daily Kos for tonight.

The headline story, taken from International News, is Washington warns Assad over 'undeniable' chemical weapons attack by Lesley Wroughton and Erika Solomon.

WASHINGTON/BEIRUT | Mon Aug 26, 2013 5:57pm EDT - The United States put Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on notice on Monday that it believes he was responsible for using chemical weapons against civilians last week in what Secretary of State John Kerry called a "moral obscenity."

"President (Barack) Obama believes there must be accountability for those who would use the world's most heinous weapons against the world's most vulnerable people," Kerry said in the most forceful U.S. reaction yet to the August 21 attack.

Speaking after U.N. chemical weapons experts came under sniper fire on their way to investigate the scene of the attack, White House spokesman Jay Carney said the use of chemical weapons was undeniable and "there is very little doubt in our mind that the Syrian regime is culpable."

The domestic story is U.S. lawmakers call on Obama to consult them on Syria by Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON | Mon Aug 26, 2013 6:43pm EDT - U.S. lawmakers urged President Barack Obama on Monday to consult them as he decides how to respond to last week's apparent poison gas attack in the Damascus suburbs, with some complaining that they have not been fully informed.

Secretary of State John Kerry issued a tough statement on Monday, saying that the suspected chemical weapons attack was a "moral obscenity" and accused Syria's government of covering it up.

He added that the Obama administration was consulting with allies and members of Congress and would decide soon how to respond.

There is even a Syria angle to a business story: Wall Street ends lower after Kerry blasts Syria on chemical weapons by Angela Moon.

NEW YORK | Mon Aug 26, 2013 5:05pm EDT - U.S. stocks fell in light volume on Monday after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called Syria's use of chemical weapons "undeniable."

In a kneejerk reaction to Kerry's strong words against Syria, major U.S. stock indexes gave up their gains and turned negative in the last hour of trading. Stocks had traded higher for most of the session, as sharply weaker orders for long-lasting manufactured goods eased investors' worries of a cutback in the Federal Reserve's economic stimulus.

"The turnaround (in stocks) is probably a reaction to Secretary of State Kerry's comments. We are seeing signs of escalation here and geopolitical concerns are trumping," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Rockwell Global Capital in New York.

Syria's business, indeed.