By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) - Twenty-one Asian nations have signed on to a China-driven initiative to create a new development bank for Asia that's aimed at boosting infrastructure investment of all kinds. Beijing sees that as a way to raise its international standing, but Washington opposes the move as an unnecessary and potentially damaging rival to established institutions such as the World Bank.

- WHO'S IN THE GROUP?

Members are overwhelmingly developing nations, with Singapore the only advanced economy. The others range from economic powerhouses India and China to smaller but economically dynamic nations such as Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines and Mongolia. A few are drawn from among the poorest nations including Laos, Cambodia and Oman.

Others taking part are Uzbekistan, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Qatar, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia and Myanmar.

Just as important is who's not in the group: Solid American allies Japan, South Korea and Australia, although they, along with the U.S. may enter at a later date if the venture proves to be a success. Although Singapore is a close U.S. ally, its officials say entering now will give them a chance to make a positive impact on the way the bank plans to do business.

- SO WHAT'S WASHINGTON'S VIEW?

The U.S. is concerned that the new bank will introduce laxer standards for lending when it comes to environmental and labor protection, transparency of the project bidding process, and human rights. Washington worries that could undercut existing institutions like the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the Asian Development Bank that have sought to impose standards to promote good governance, fair labor practices and a clean environment.

Naturally, Washington is also concerned about any move by China to shift attention away from institutions that it and its allies dominate. The world's first and second biggest economies deeply distrust each other and are locked in a ceaseless competition for pre-eminence in Asia, where the U.S. is the dominant military power but China's massive economy carries enormous heft.

- HOW MUCH CAN IT LEND?

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China, 20 other countries initiate new Asian bank

By DAVID A. LIEB and JIM SALTER Associated Press

FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) - Missouri police have been brushing up on constitutional rights and stocking up on riot gear to prepare for a grand jury's decision about whether to charge a white police officer who fatally shot a black 18-year-old in suburban St. Louis.

The preparations are aimed at avoiding a renewed outbreak of violence during the potentially large demonstrations that could follow an announcement of whether Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson will face a criminal trial for the Aug. 9 death of Michael Brown.

Police and protesters have repeatedly clashed since the shooting, which prompted a national conversation about race and police tactics. Images of officers in riot gear and armored vehicles confronting protesters have drawn widespread criticism.

Many protesters want Wilson indicted for murder. Grand jury proceedings are secret, but legal analysts say recently leaked information about Wilson's testimony to investigators may be an attempt to prepare the public for the possibility that he might not be charged.

The decision could be made public within the next month.

In the meantime, law officers have adjusted their tactics to interact more peacefully with protesters while also honing their procedures for quick, widespread arrests. They plan to have a large contingent of officers at the ready, but have been meeting with clergy, community leaders and students in hopes of building relationships that could ease tensions on the streets.

"I know there's a lot of anxiety, there's a lot of fear, anticipation" about that announcement, said Missouri State Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson, who was put in charge of security in Ferguson in the days after Brown was killed and is now part of a coordinated command with local police. But "I have a lot of hope."

Law enforcement officers expect to receive at least a day's notice before a grand jury announcement. That should provide time for them to execute security plans but may also allow demonstrators to prepare.

"The moment I learn that there is, in fact, a non-indictment, then there's going to be an organized protest," said Eric Vickers, a black St. Louis attorney and civil rights activist.

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Police prepare for grand jury decision in Ferguson

LITTLE ROCK A landscape architect and an auto refinish technician who performs shows as Elvis Presley are challenging Arkansas incumbent land commissioner.

Republican John Thurston, 41, of Little Rock has served as state land commissioner since 2011. He was formerly employed as a staff member at Agape Church in Little Rock and a certified religious assistant in the Arkansas prison system. He and his wife, Joanna, have five children.

Democrat Mark Robertson, 60, of Little Rock is the head of MESA Landscape Architects. A landscape architect and land planner, he previously worked as a surveyor for the U.S. Forest Service and in the construction industry. He and his wife, Le Ann, have one child.

Libertarian Elvis D. Presley, 48, of Star City is an auto refinish technician at Camps Custom Paint and an entertainer who performs shows as Elvis Presley. He legally changed his name in 2006. He ran for governor as a Libertarian in 2010. He and his wife, Valerie, have five children.

Candidates were asked three questions and allowed up to 150 words for each answer. Each responded via email.

What in your background qualifies you to be land commissioner?

Presley: I will answer your question with a question. Are there any qualifications for the office? I think if a person can balance a checkbook, then he or she could be qualified in a sense. I do believe that honesty is a start.

Robertson: I have over 35 years of experience working with Arkansas lands and land-based issues across Arkansas as well as globally. I have a real understanding of the communities within our state, and how our land can be used as an asset to help communities, and public education, thrive. As a citizen advocate Ive worked with the state Legislature on issues with significant importance to our local communities, bringing both sides of the aisle together to get things done for Arkansas. This experience will be invaluable in establishing policy to benefit Arkansas.

Thurston: I am the current land commissioner and have served since 2011 with a proven record of honesty, integrity and transparency. I set out four years ago to make this office a leader of ethics and transparency and I have done just that. Aside from my duties in the office I also serve as president of the Western States Land Commissioners Association and have received support from the Arkansas Realtors Political Action Committee.

If you are elected or re-elected, what plans to do you have for the office?

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Q&A: Democrat, Libertarian challenge land commissioner

Deirdre Shesgreen, dshesgreen@usatoday.com 4:13 p.m. EDT October 24, 2014

One of Marek Tyszkiewicz's campaign signs(Photo: Provided )

WASHINGTON Marek Tyszkiewicz always knew he'd face a tough landscape in his bid for Congress, but he didn't think the hurdles would start in his own front yard.

That changed Friday, when the 2nd District candidate got a note from a neighbor demanding he take down his "Tyszkiewicz for Congress" yard sign. Tyszkiewicz, a Democrat, is vying to unseat incumbent GOP Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Columbia-Tusculum.

While his blue-and-white campaign sign might be a staple of American elections, it apparently violates the local housing covenant in Tyszkiewicz's neighborhood Overlook of Ivy Hills, part of Anderson Township.

"Signs are not allowed in our yards except as when used to advertise a home for sale," LeAnn Burke, who lives down the street from Tyszkiewicz, wrote in an email to the House candidate Friday. "Therefore we must ask that you remove any signs from your yard" that do not comply with the rule.

Burke did not immediately respond to voice mail and email messages seeking comment.

But Tyszkiewicz is standing his ground - literally.

"I'm not going to take the sign down," he said. "It's my own name in my own yard."

He said there are democratic principals at stake - not to mention political advantages.

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Anderson man's battle for Congress moves to his yard

The typical American home landscape is 80 percent Asian plants. Most are beautiful, and some provide shade, shelter and maybe a little nectar and pollen. But otherwise, they have little to offer indigenous insects, birds, and other wildlife in the local ecosystem.

Rick Darke and Doug Tallamy, coauthors of "The Living Landscape: Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity in the Home Garden," aren't suggesting we nuke our nonnative crape myrtles (or roses or tulips). Better to add layers of native trees, shrubs, perennials and vines to the mix, "creating landscapes that support life without sacrificing traditional aesthetic values."

Native serviceberry trees are just as pretty as crape myrtle. They also support 124 species of caterpillars, the larvae of butterflies and moths, which birds love.

"So crape myrtle is great," Tallamy says. "Just don't make it the only plant in your yard."

In your newfound native zeal, don't rip up the entire yard all at once. Remove pieces over time, adding diverse plantings as you go.

Buy small plants or grow from seed.

The plants will have plenty of time to root and adapt to weather extremes and soil. "If you're willing to watch plants grow from seed," Tallamy says, "you can have an oak tree for free in not too many years."

Think of all plants as "organic architecture."

Use them "to organize the spaces in your garden," Darke says, "to find refuge, create places to sit, walk, read, play, throw a ball for the dog or the kids."

-- Tribune News Service

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Book helps you invite the natives to your yard

Welsh rugby star, Gareth Thomas, in on the shortlist for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award the richest and longest-running prize for sports writing, it was announced today.

Celebrated sports figures feature highly on the diverse list and include rugby Gareth Thomas the first professional sportsman to come out whilst still playing for his autobiography, Proud; A biography of iconic figure skater JohnCurry, Alone, written by documentary maker Bill Jones.

Both books document personal struggles to keep their sexuality a secret whilst maintaining their public sporting personas.

Joining Thomas and Jones on the prestigious list is a biography of footballing legend Bobby Moore by The Times chief sports correspondent, Matt Dickinson; BobbyMoore: The Man in Full ,explores the dark personal story behind the sporting success of the World Cup captain.

Also in the running for the top prize is Run or Die, the autobiography of Spanish endurance athlete and 2014 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, KilianJornet, which charts his journey from an 18-month-old who regularly hiked in the mountains for five hours at a time to becoming the fastest person to run up and down Mt Kilimanjaro.

Australian author Anna Krien also makes the list with Night Games: Sex, Power and Sport, which takes the high-profile rape trial of a young Australian Rules player as the starting point for a wider examination of the darker recesses of sport.

The shortlist is completed by two histories of sport Played in London and Floodlights and Touchlines. The former, by journalist Simon Inglis has already changed the landscape of London, as his research for the book has been credited with the Grade II listing of five sporting buildings. The latter, by sports journalist and university lecturer Rob Steen, explores spectator sports intrinsic place in culture via a thematic history of professional sport.

Both Inglis and Steen as well as Jones have previously been shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book ofthe Year Award.

The seven titles in the running to be crowned the winner of the 26,000 prize are as follows (alphabetically by author surname): Bobby Moore: The Man in Full by Matt Dickinson (Yellow Jersey Press)

Played in London: Charting the Heritage of a City at Play by Simon Inglis(English Heritage)

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Welsh rugby star shortlisted for William Hill Sports Book of the Year

New Choice - Interior Designer and Decorator in Kolkata
New Choice is the definitive resource for interior designers, architects and other design pros, featuring groundbreaking projects, innovative new products, r...

By: Addsbridge Organization

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New Choice - Interior Designer and Decorator in Kolkata - Video

Photos courtesy of Wyckoff Police Department

Suspects videotaped at the scene of the most recent burglary in Wyckoff.

Wyckoff - In the wake of a fourth home burglary since Oct. 13, Police Chief Benjamin Fox issued an advisory Friday, Oct. 24, urging residents to be "the eyes and ears" of the community to assist law enforcement in preventing crime.

Fox said in a press release that two males in masks concealing their faces were captured on video walking to the front door of a home on Bridle Path at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, and kicking open the door.

Once inside, Fox reported, the alarm system and siren speakers as well as wiring were torn from the walls. The master bedroom, he said, was ransacked.

The homeowner, who returned two hours later, reported that jewelry had been taken.

Detective Sgt. Michael Musto, Sgt. Jack McEwan and Patrolman Mark Tagliareni investigated.

Three other homes were burglarized between Oct. 13 and Oct. 15.

"We are now approaching the holiday season when homes tend to be unoccupied more often and there are early hours of darkness - both of which lead to increased instances of burglaries," Fox said.

Residents should not feel they are immune because their homes are equipped with alarm systems and cameras.

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Fourth Wyckoff home burglarized in 10 days

Fly away home: This bird was an Etsy find.

THE HOME

A three-bedroom house set back from a main road in Queanbeyan, with a large converted factory out the back.

WHO LIVES HERE

Home sweet home: There is large painting by Queanbeyan artist Claire Primrose behind the sofa. Curtis double-glazed the windows. Photo: Rohan Thomson

Glass artists Matthew Curtis and Harriet Schwarzrock, who run a glass art studio in the backyard, and their two sons, Oscar, 14 and Hugo, 11, two large dogs, a cat and a pet snake.

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WHAT WE DID

We bought the property 11 years ago without seeing the whole thing, the place was far worse than anticipated one of the back rooms looked as though it had been a drug den.

Eclectic mix: Their house is filled with art, family clutter and interesting beachside finds. Photo: Rohan Thomson

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Home of glass artists Matthew Curtis and Harriet Schwarzrock

CTV Winnipeg Published Friday, October 24, 2014 7:15AM CST Last Updated Friday, October 24, 2014 7:16AM CST

If your house is forty to fifty years old, you might want to take a closer look at what's coming out of your electrical panel.

Winnipeg homeowner, Bev Masters, said shes had five fixtures melt on her over the past few years. Simple tasks like flicking a switch or pulling out a plug make her cringe.

Masters believes the problem is the aluminum wiring running through her home, so shes going to pay nearly $15,000 to switch it.

Masterss home is one of thousands in Winnipeg built in the fifties and sixties, when electricians chose aluminum wiring over copper to save money.

Fire investigator Ken Swan said he sees about two to three fires a year that can readily be identified as aluminum wire fires.

Swan said the material of the wire isnt the issue. Unmaintained points of connection and the use of unrated fixtures create what he calls cold flow.

"It tends to pull away from a tightened connection making a very loose, bad connection that is going to inherently arch and spark and create heat," said Swan.

Electrician Chuck Lewis said he's completely rewired four houses this year, some at the request of the insurance provider to eliminate risk.

"If that risk is aluminum wire, they take it away, now they've got a safe investment," said Lewis.

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Aluminum electrical wire in homes linked to fires