Asia Markets: Japan, Hong Kong stocks drop ahead of Fed meet

By V. Phani Kumar, MarketWatch

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) ? Most Asian stocks fell Wednesday as investors awaited the Federal Reserve?s outlook on its bond purchases, with Japanese shares also pressured by a strengthened yen and some downbeat results.

Mainland Chinese equities rose on the back of the property sector amid hopes the government will pursue policies aimed at stable economic growth, while Australian shares gained on expectations of an interest-rate cut.

Japan?s Nikkei Stock Average /quotes/zigman/5986735 JP:NIK -1.45% fell 1.5%, giving back nearly all of the gains recorded in the previous session. South Korea?s Kospi /quotes/zigman/1652118 KR:SEU -0.16% slipped 0.2% and Hong Kong?s Hang Seng Index /quotes/zigman/2622475 HK:HSI -0.32% ?dropped 0.3%.

/quotes/zigman/1859015 SHCOMP 1,993.80, +3.73, +0.19%
/quotes/zigman/5986735 NIK 13,668.32, -201.50, -1.45%
/quotes/zigman/1653884 XJO 5,052.00, +4.80, +0.10%

Year-to-date percentage changes

Shanghai Composite Vs. Nikkei Stock Average and S&P/ASX 200

?While the possibility of the Fed toning down their view on the economy is high, traders are looking closely for any change in language with regards to tapering its bond purchases,? said Chris Weston, chief market strategist at IG Markets.

Dow Jones Industrial Average /quotes/zigman/627449 DJIA -0.0089% ?futures were up 8 points, or 0.1%, at 15,501 ahead of the Fed?s statement later in the day. Markets were also looking ahead to data on the U.S. economic growth in the second-quarter, with estimates compiled by MarketWatch projecting a 1% expansion, slowing from a 1.8% increase in the first quarter.

In Tokyo, a slew of Japanese results announced after the market?s close on Tuesday influenced share movements during the session.

Softbank /quotes/zigman/139194 JP:9984 -0.95% /quotes/zigman/139200/quotes/nls/sftbf SFTBF +3.31% ?fell 1% even as the company more than doubled its quarterly profit.

In other earnings-driven moves, shares of fellow wireless-telecommunications firm KDDI /quotes/zigman/139564 JP:9433 +6.92% /quotes/zigman/527466/quotes/nls/kddiy KDDIY +5.53% spiked 6.9% and Tokyo Electron Ltd. /quotes/zigman/198764 JP:8035 +3.72% /quotes/zigman/529232/quotes/nls/toely TOELY -3.55% ?gained 3.7%, while Japan Tobacco Inc. /quotes/zigman/140130 JP:2914 -0.87% /quotes/zigman/140138/quotes/nls/japaf JAPAF +5.27% ?gave up 0.9% and Fujitsu Ltd. /quotes/zigman/193012 JP:6702 -3.09% /quotes/zigman/192990/quotes/nls/fjtsy FJTSY +6.35% ?fell 3.1%.

Several power utilities tumbled amid concerns over public and political resistance to restarting shuttered nuclear-power plants. Tokyo Electric Power Co. /quotes/zigman/198657 JP:9501 -5.67% ? /quotes/zigman/527598/quotes/nls/tkecy TKECY +3.34% ?slid 5.7%, Chubu Electric Power Co. /quotes/zigman/192257 JP:9502 -4.43% /quotes/zigman/192264/quotes/nls/chuef CHUEF -0.63% lost 4.4%, and Kansai Electric Power Co. /quotes/zigman/194063 JP:9503 -5.06% ? /quotes/zigman/529254/quotes/nls/kaepy KAEPY -6.27% ?surrendered 5.1%.

China, Japan seek to contain island dispute fallout

Japan and China are edging gingerly toward repairing diplomatic relations after Tokyo's highest-ranking career diplomat travels to Beijing on for two days of talks.

Toyota Motor Corp. /quotes/zigman/199438 JP:7203 -1.65% ? /quotes/zigman/199376/quotes/nls/tm TM +1.95% ?dropped 1.7% ahead of its own earnings report Friday. A Nikkei newspaper report it plans to manufacture more than 10 million vehicles worldwide this year.

Elsewhere, China?s Shanghai Composite /quotes/zigman/1859015 CN:SHCOMP +0.19% climbed 0.2%, after the powerful politburo of China?s communist party said late Tuesday it would act to maintain steady growth in the second half of 2013.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch economists led by Ting Lu wrote in a note that unlike the previous government, the politburo didn?t vow to control home prices or to cool the property market, saying instead that it seeks to promote a healthy and stable development of the property sector.

?This message could be interpreted that the new leadership has no intention to take further measures to restrict home demand and tighten financing of the property sector,? Merrill Lynch added.

Chinese property and construction-related shares rallied to lead the advance.

Shares of Poly Real Estate Group Co. /quotes/zigman/1873491 CN:600048 +3.24% ?jumped 3.2%, Gemdale Corp. /quotes/zigman/1867160 CN:600383 +3.67% ?added 3.7%, and Anhui Conch Cement Co. /quotes/zigman/1867881 CN:600585 +1.54% ?rose 1.5% in Shanghai. The yuan-denominated A-shares of China Vanke Co. advanced 2.8% in Shenzhen.

In Hong Kong, China Resources Land Ltd. /quotes/zigman/14892 HK:1109 +3.40% /quotes/zigman/14893/quotes/nls/crbjf CRBJF -6.43% ?climbed 3.4%, and Guangzhou R&F Properties Co. /quotes/zigman/36515 HK:2777 +6.73% ? /quotes/zigman/530228/quotes/nls/gzuhy GZUHY -3.41% ?gained 6.7%.

Among other notable movers, shares of Huaneng Power International Inc. /quotes/zigman/12576 HK:902 +1.89% ? /quotes/zigman/141542/quotes/nls/hnp HNP +2.11% ? /quotes/zigman/294238 CN:600011 -1.11% ?rose 1.9% in Hong Kong after the power producer said its half-year profit more than doubled.

China stocks rise on policy hopes, and Australian shares climb on rate-cut expectations. But Japanese equities fall ahead of the Fed?s policy meeting outcome.

China Cosco Holdings Co. /quotes/zigman/34517 HK:1919 -4.48% ? /quotes/zigman/1875620 CN:601919 -0.37% /quotes/zigman/527749/quotes/nls/cicoy CICOY -19.14% ?fell 4.5% in Hong Kong and slipped 0.4% in Shanghai, after the shipping major estimated narrower losses for the first six months of 2013.

Elsewhere, Australia?s S&P/ASX 200 /quotes/zigman/1653884 AU:XJO +0.10% ?rose 0.1% in Sydney after Reserve Bank of Australia Gov. Glenn Stevens Tuesday said current inflation levels wouldn?t rule out further easing. Those remarks helped the index rebound in the previous session to end flat.

Banks and other stocks paying high dividends rose amid rising expectations for a further reduction to interest rates. AMP Capital chief economist Shane Oliver said late Tuesday that the markets had priced in a 91% chance of a rate cut at next week?s RBA meeting, following Gov. Stevens? comments.

Bank of Queensland Ltd. /quotes/zigman/180862 AU:BOQ +0.85% ? /quotes/zigman/530255/quotes/nls/bkqny BKQNY -0.91% ?rose 0.9%, and Australia & New Zealand Banking Group /quotes/zigman/180795 AU:ANZ +0.57% /quotes/zigman/180802/quotes/nls/anzby ANZBY -1.46% ?added 0.6%.

/quotes/zigman/5986735

JP : Nikkei Idx

Volume: 0.00

July 31, 2013 3:28p

/quotes/zigman/1652118

KR : S. Korea: KRX

Volume: 384.14M

July 31, 2013 6:03p

/quotes/zigman/2622475

HK : HangSeng Ind

Volume: 0.00

July 31, 2013 4:01p

/quotes/zigman/627449

US : DJ-Index

Volume: 117.55M

July 30, 2013 4:32p

/quotes/zigman/139194

JP : Japan: Tokyo

? 6,240.00

-60.00 -0.95%

Volume: 20.31M

July 31, 2013 3:00p

Market Cap

?7492.12 billion

Rev. per Employee

?137.34M

/quotes/zigman/139200/quotes/nls/sftbf

US : U.S.: OTCBB

Volume: 7,864

July 30, 2013 3:27p

/quotes/zigman/139564

JP : Japan: Tokyo

? 5,410.00

+350.00 +6.92%

Volume: 4.76M

July 31, 2013 3:00p

Market Cap

?4529.67 billion

Rev. per Employee

?180.96M

/quotes/zigman/527466/quotes/nls/kddiy

US : U.S.: OTCBB

Volume: 124,846

July 30, 2013 3:59p

/quotes/zigman/198764

JP : Japan: Tokyo

? 4,465.00

+160.00 +3.72%

Volume: 2.66M

July 31, 2013 3:00p

Market Cap

?804.62 billion

Rev. per Employee

?40.76M

/quotes/zigman/529232/quotes/nls/toely

US : U.S.: OTCBB

Volume: 15,409

July 30, 2013 3:48p

/quotes/zigman/140130

JP : Japan: Tokyo

? 3,425.00

-30.00 -0.87%

Volume: 6.58M

July 31, 2013 3:00p

Market Cap

?6810.00 billion

Rev. per Employee

?42.83M

/quotes/zigman/140138/quotes/nls/japaf

US : U.S.: OTCBB

Volume: 5,794

July 30, 2013 3:41p

/quotes/zigman/193012

JP : Japan: Tokyo

Volume: 25.31M

July 31, 2013 3:00p

Market Cap

?776.26 billion

Rev. per Employee

?25.97M

/quotes/zigman/192990/quotes/nls/fjtsy

US : U.S.: OTCBB

Volume: 3,156

July 30, 2013 2:52p

/quotes/zigman/198657

JP : Japan: Tokyo

Volume: 116.76M

July 31, 2013 3:00p

Market Cap

?912.79 billion

Rev. per Employee

?122.57M

/quotes/zigman/527598/quotes/nls/tkecy

US : U.S.: OTCBB

Volume: 2,750

July 30, 2013 3:02p

/quotes/zigman/192257

JP : Japan: Tokyo

? 1,360.00

-63.00 -4.43%

Volume: 1.68M

July 31, 2013 3:00p

Market Cap

?1023.30 billion

Rev. per Employee

?85.88M

/quotes/zigman/192264/quotes/nls/chuef

US : U.S.: OTCBB

Volume: 1,100

May 21, 2013 9:52a

/quotes/zigman/194063

JP : Japan: Tokyo

? 1,200.00

-64.00 -5.06%

Volume: 4.81M

July 31, 2013 3:00p

Market Cap

?1146.19 billion

Rev. per Employee

?85.25M

/quotes/zigman/529254/quotes/nls/kaepy

US : U.S.: OTCBB

Volume: 900.00

July 25, 2013 3:18p

/quotes/zigman/199438

JP : Japan: Tokyo

? 5,970.00

-100.00 -1.65%

Volume: 11.07M

July 31, 2013 3:00p

Market Cap

?20343.19 billion

Rev. per Employee

?66.16M

/quotes/zigman/199376/quotes/nls/tm

US : U.S.: NYSE

Volume: 437,829

July 30, 2013 4:07p

Market Cap

$207.64 billion

Rev. per Employee

$798,550

/quotes/zigman/1859015

CN : China: Shanghai

Volume: 70.16M

July 31, 2013 3:15p

/quotes/zigman/1873491

CN : China: Shanghai

Volume: 105.22M

July 31, 2013 3:05p

Market Cap

?69.17 billion

/quotes/zigman/1867160

CN : China: Shanghai

Volume: 84.60M

July 31, 2013 3:04p

Market Cap

?28.39 billion

/quotes/zigman/1867881

CN : China: Shanghai

Volume: 24.90M

July 31, 2013 3:04p

Market Cap

?80.04 billion

/quotes/zigman/14892

HK : Hong Kong

Volume: 20.85M

July 31, 2013 4:01p

Market Cap

HK$118.33 billion

Rev. per Employee

HK$2.58M

/quotes/zigman/14893/quotes/nls/crbjf

US : U.S.: OTCBB

Volume: 150.00

July 30, 2013 12:05p

/quotes/zigman/36515

HK : Hong Kong

Volume: 15.89M

July 31, 2013 4:01p

Market Cap

HK$35.90 billion

Rev. per Employee

HK$2.04M

/quotes/zigman/530228/quotes/nls/gzuhy

US : U.S.: OTCBB

Volume: 100.00

July 16, 2013 10:27a

/quotes/zigman/12576

HK : Hong Kong

Volume: 27.80M

July 31, 2013 4:01p

Market Cap

HK$98.45 billion

Rev. per Employee

HK$4.48M

/quotes/zigman/141542/quotes/nls/hnp

US : U.S.: NYSE

Volume: 72,800

July 30, 2013 4:03p

Rev. per Employee

$577,843

/quotes/zigman/294238

CN : China: Shanghai

Volume: 30.38M

July 31, 2013 3:04p

Market Cap

?77.83 billion

Source: http://feeds.marketwatch.com/~r/marketwatch/financial/~3/eYiDZIt-bp0/story.asp

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Higher prices for fruit, veggies ahead as heavy rains cripple crops

By Janet Shamlian, NBC News

Last year, Georgia farmer Duke Lane?s orchards were parched.

But this year, the owner of Lane Southern Orchards in Fort Valley, grower of one of the largest peach crops in the nation, has the opposite problem.

After a summer of nonstop downpours, Lane has lost a full one third of his yield, he said.

"We were picking in water for most of the summer,? Lane said. ?And so that?s a problem for the peaches ? not being picked in the proper time.?

Though the peaches are larger because of the rain ? softball size rather than baseball size ? the numbers are down, and the excessive amount of water make them less sweet and tasty.

And Lane isn't the only farmer suffering, either. Across the Southeast, the ground is too soaked to cut wheat, and cotton and peanut crops are drowning, growers say.

?This is the worst amount of water we?ve had since I?ve been farming,? Larry Redmond, owner of Shiloh Farms in Guyton, Ga., told NBC News.

Indeed in Georgia, rainfall totals are 34 percent higher than normal, and in North and South Carolina they are up 25 percent, and Alabama is 22 percent above normal precipitation. And the outlook doesn?t look any drier.

?The forecast for the Southeast is for a continued, above average wet pattern going in through the fall,? said Greg Forbes, a severe weather expert at The Weather Channel in Atlanta. Meanwhile, the West is in a drought.

The excessive rain in the Southeast means billions of dollars of damaged crops, according to some estimates. Add a drought in the West, and that could mean higher prices at the grocery store for staples such melons, tomatoes and cucumbers.

Heavy rainfall across the southeast United States caused crop output to slow across the region. Ricky Volpe, a research economist for the USDA, warns consumers may see a spike in prices for some fruits and vegetables.

?I would expect to see average prices for fruits and vegetables maybe 10 percent higher this fall than they were in the spring or where they are right now just because there?s going to be less supply available,? predicted Bernard Weinstein, an agricultural economist at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

Although the farms of the Southeast have been hardest hit by the unusually wet summer, Vermont's corn crops are also soaked, and in upstate New York, saturated fields have crippled plows and other workhorses of the farm, endangering the pea crop as well as tomatoes and even hearty pumpkins.

?I?ve never sold green pumpkins at Halloween,? said Jack Moore, owner of Gro-Moore Farms in Henrietta, N.Y. ?But you never know, might be this year."

The pumpkin-selling season is still months away, but for farmers are hoping last year?s severe drought and this year?s heavy rains are behind them, and that Mother Nature will be kinder to them next year.

?It?s gonna hurt cause you know money that?s made here rolls over to the community about seven times," said Georgia farmer Lane. "That money?s going to be missed.?

Jeff Black of NBC News contributed to this report.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/663306/s/2f5c4910/sc/8/l/0Lusnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A70C30A0C19780A540A0Ehigher0Eprices0Efor0Efruit0Eveggies0Eahead0Eas0Eheavy0Erains0Ecripple0Ecrops0Dlite/story01.htm

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San Francisco Giants visit President Barack Obama at the White House

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- One two-time winner celebrated another on Monday at the White House.

President Barack Obama welcomed the World Series champion San Francisco Giants into his home for the second time in three years, with the players getting a tour before being honored on the South Lawn.

"They're making this a habit," the president said.

The Giants came to the White House with a decidedly different vibe this time around. They were 59-43 and four games ahead in the National League West when they visited in 2011, but they entered the famous gates Monday in last place, 10 games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers.

The slide has the Giants considering trading away marquee pieces before Wednesday's deadline, but for a few minutes Monday, the recent struggles and the looming uncertainty were put on hold. All of the attention was on a man who earned a second term nine days after the Giants earned a second title.

"It's a tremendous honor," catcher Buster Posey said. "I'm very humbled that the president could take a little bit of time out of his busy schedule to invite us here and spend some time with us. We're out here in a beautiful place on a beautiful day and getting to celebrate a great accomplishment."

The Giants were honored in the East Room in 2011, but under clear skies Monday, they paraded down the South Portico of the White House and onto a waiting platform. Hall of Famer Willie Mays was introduced individually, followed by manager Bruce Bochy, team president and CEO Larry Baer and President Obama.

The president made special mention of Mays during his speech, saying "he keeps on looking younger every time I see him." As the Giants toured the White House, with many players tweeting out photos from historic rooms, the president and Mays spent some time together.

"Willie and the president go back a ways," Bochy said. "They had a few things to talk about."

Mays was front and center as President Obama praised the work the Giants do in the community and pointed out the similarities in their postseason runs, citing the pitching, defense and timely hitting that carried the Giants to titles in 2010 and 2012.

The president did, however, notice one significant change this time around.

"Where's Tim?" President Obama said, looking around for right-hander Tim Lincecum, who cut his hair after the title. "There he is. See, you don't even recognize him anymore."

Standing in front of the country's most recognizable house, the Giants presented President Obama with a signed World Series ball and bat.

"You should know that I can't read any of their signatures," President Obama said, drawing laughter. "But it's greatly appreciated."

The visit was a welcome reprieve for a group that gladly traded jerseys for suits on a hot day in the nation's capital. For a moment, the Giants were taken back to their magical 2012 run and allowed to push aside a stretch of 22 losses in 30 games. When Bochy mentioned before the ceremony that the Giants were struggling, the president dispensed a brief motivational message.

"He said, 'You guys are a second-half team. You did it in 2010 and you did it in 2012,'" Baer said. "We liked the enthusiasm."

The message wasn't lost on Posey, who was hopeful that the White House visit would provide a spark for a reeling group that begins a six-game trip Tuesday in Philadelphia.

"It's good to remember that we're a good ball club," Posey said. "Sometimes when you're struggling, it's easy to get down on yourself. Hopefully a trip like this will remind everybody that we're all good players."

As Posey spoke to reporters just outside a White House door, general manager Brian Sabean stood a few feet away, proudly wearing an orange tie as he took in the scene. In his pocket, Sabean carried two phones, a reminder that the ceremony was about to give way to the realities of Wednesday's trade deadline.

It's all but guaranteed that the Giants will not return to the White House next summer, but it might not be long before they see President Obama again. He told Baer that he intends to make a trip to AT&T Park at some point.

"He knows he has a standing invitation," Baer said.

If the president is unable to make it during his second term, he promised to come as the First Fan. Posey, who missed the 2011 visit because of a devastating leg injury, doesn't plan on waiting that long before crossing paths with the president again.

"This is hopefully not a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me," he said, smiling.

Source: http://www.dailydemocrat.com/ci_23758033/san-francisco-giants-visit-president-barack-obama-at?source=rss_viewed

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EU's top diplomat says Egypt's Morsi doing 'well'

Supporters of Egypt's ousted President Mohammed Morsi chant slogans one holding a picture of Morsi with Arabic writing that reads: "Morsi is my president," at Nasr City, where protesters have installed a camp and hold daily rallies, in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, July 29, 2013. Europe's top diplomat urged Egypt's government to reach out to the Muslim Brotherhood as she worked Monday to mediate an end to the country's increasingly bloody crisis, while the mainly Islamist protesters calling for the return of ousted leader Mohammed Morsi massed for more protests. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Supporters of Egypt's ousted President Mohammed Morsi chant slogans one holding a picture of Morsi with Arabic writing that reads: "Morsi is my president," at Nasr City, where protesters have installed a camp and hold daily rallies, in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, July 29, 2013. Europe's top diplomat urged Egypt's government to reach out to the Muslim Brotherhood as she worked Monday to mediate an end to the country's increasingly bloody crisis, while the mainly Islamist protesters calling for the return of ousted leader Mohammed Morsi massed for more protests. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

A picture of Egypt's ousted President Mohammed Morsi is displayed on a makeshift barricade in Nasr City, where protesters have installed a camp and hold daily rallies, in Cairo, Monday, July 29, 2013. Europe's top diplomat urged Egypt's government to reach out to the Muslim Brotherhood as she worked Monday to mediate an end to the country's increasingly bloody crisis, while the mainly Islamist protesters calling for the return of ousted leader Mohammed Morsi massed for more protests. (AP Photo/Manu Brabo)

T-shirts with the face of Egypt's ousted President Mohammed Morsi are displayed for sale at Nasr City, where protesters have installed a camp and hold daily rallies, in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, July 29, 2013. Europe's top diplomat urged Egypt's government to reach out to the Muslim Brotherhood as she worked Monday to mediate an end to the country's increasingly bloody crisis, while the mainly Islamist protesters calling for the return of ousted leader Mohammed Morsi massed for more protests. Arabic on the shirts reads, "Morsi is our president," and "yes to legitimacy." (AP Photo/Manu Brabo)

A supporter of Egypt's ousted President Mohammed Morsi cries during a protest against Egyptian Defense Minister Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi at Nasr City, where protesters have installed a camp and hold daily rallies, in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, July 29, 2013. (AP Photo/Manu Brabo)

Supporters of Egypt's ousted President Mohammed Morsi chant slogans at Nasr City, where protesters have installed a camp and hold daily rallies, in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, July 29, 2013. Europe's top diplomat urged Egypt's government to reach out to the Muslim Brotherhood as she worked Monday to mediate an end to the country's increasingly bloody crisis, while the mainly Islamist protesters calling for the return of ousted leader Mohammed Morsi massed for more protests. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

CAIRO (AP) ? The European Union's top diplomat said Tuesday that deposed Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi is "well" and that the two had a "friendly, open and very frank" discussion about the country's political crisis and the need to move forward.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton's two-hour meeting with Morsi late Monday marked the first contact the ousted Islamist leader has had with the outside world since he was overthrown by a military coup on July 3.

Egypt's army-backed administration originally said they were holding him for his own safety, but last week authorities announced he was being detained pending an investigation. His supporters and family have decried his detention as illegal and call for his release.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Ashton said Morsi "has access to information, in terms of TV and newspapers, so we were able to talk about the situation, and we were able to talk about the need to move forward." She declined to reveal anything further about their conversation.

"I sent him good wishes from people here, and he asked me to pass on wishes back, and of course I've tried to make sure that his family knows that he is well," she said.

Ashton said she was able to see the facilities where Morsi is being held, but that she does not know where he is.

Since the coup, which followed days of mass protests by millions of Egyptians calling for Morsi's ouster, the former president has been detained by the military at an undisclosed location. A group of Egyptian rights activists was allowed access to Morsi this week but he refused to see them.

On Friday, prosecutors said Morsi was facing accusations of conspiring with the Palestinian Hamas group to escape from prison during the 2011 uprising that toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak. Egypt's interim presidency says he "is not a political prisoner" and that the issue is in the hands of the judiciary.

Ashton's trip to Cairo is her second since the military coup, as she tries to help find a way out of an increasingly bloody and complex crisis in Egypt that has killed more than 270 people since Morsi was deposed.

During her visit, she has met with the country's interim leadership, including army chief and Defense Minister Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, as well as representatives of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood in search of a path out of the crisis.

"This great country has to move forward and has to do so in an inclusive way," she said.

She said that has made clear to all sides of the conflict that "there is no place for violence in this and that peaceful demonstration is important." She said authorities also "have a huge responsibly to make sure that happens."

"I also, as I've indicated, have made clear that we're talking with a breadth of people, not because we're coming up with great ideas, but because we want to help facilitate the bringing together of ideas the people here have."

"I am not here to ask people to do things," she added. "I am here to find out where the common ground might be, the confidence-building measures could be, that can help everybody move forward."

There was no immediate sign that either side of Egypt's deep political divide is willing to heed her appeals. The Brotherhood has rejected calls to work with the new leaders, insists that Morsi must be reinstated and has vowed to keep up its nearly daily protests until he is. The group has called for new mass demonstrations later Tuesday.

The government, meanwhile, has made no conciliatory gestures and has forged ahead with a transition plan that provides for parliamentary and presidential elections early next year.

After their talks with Ashton, a delegation of Islamist politicians representing the pro-Morsi camp said the military-backed government must take the first step toward any reconciliation by releasing jailed Brotherhood leaders, ending the crackdown on their protests and stopping media campaigns against Islamists.

"Creating the atmosphere requires those in authority now to send messages of reassurance," Mohammed Mahsoub, of the Islamist Wasat Party, told reporters.

Speaking alongside a Brotherhood official and another Islamist politician, Mahsoub appeared to be sticking by the demand to reinstate Morsi by saying any solution must be on a "constitutional basis."

But a spokesman for military-backed interim President Adly Mansour suggested Monday that there would be no deviation from the transition plan.

When asked about reconciliation initiatives on the table, Ahmed el-Muslemani said: "The ship has sailed and we have no way but to go forward."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-07-30-ML-Egypt/id-9f84bdb866be459f818980ffa6d12c3d

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Walker says his public union philosophy like FDR

MILWAUKEE -

Gov. Scott Walker says Detroit would not be bankrupt and Chicago public schools would be flourishing if those cities were in Wisconsin and operating under the state's public union laws.

Days before he hosts the National Governors Association conference in Wisconsin, Walker previewed his speech to state leaders in an address to a government research conference in Milwaukee Monday.

The Journal Sentinel reported Walker likened his public union philosophy to that of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, saying the former president felt "that there wasn't a need for collective bargaining in the public sector "because the government is the people."

Walker saids if Detroit were in Wisconsin, Detroit wouldn't be declaring bankruptcy. And if Chicago were in Wisconsin, Mayor Rahm Emmanuel would be successful with his school reforms.

Contentious legislation passed in Wisconsin in 2011 repealed collective bargaining for most public employees.

Source: http://www.channel3000.com/news/politics/Walker-says-his-public-union-philosophy-like-FDR/-/4030/21242068/-/4b342k/-/index.html

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