Malaysia Cup: LionsXII's double dream in tatters

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http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sport/football-lionsxii-s/792320.html

The LionsXII's bid to win the league and Cup double suffered another blow on Tuesday after they lost 0-1 to Perak.

The defeat left them bottom of Group D with just one point after three games.

The home side took the lead after just eight minutes when the LionsXII defence failed to clear a long-throw, allowing Azlan Ismail to tap in from point-blank range and send the home crowd into a frenzy.

The introduction of Faris Ramli for Syafiq Zainal sparked some life into the LionsXII attack, and the visitors finally registered their first shot on target in the 65th minute.

Despite a late rally, which saw Shahril Ishak, Baihakki Khaizan and Safuwan Baharudin all squander great chances to level the score, the LionsXII were not able to breach the Perak defence and now face an uphill task to qualify for the knockout stages of the Malaysia Cup.

Seattle drivers among worst in America

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NOT actual image

Seattle drivers are bad.

That’s according to Allstate Insurance’s annual ranking of America’s best drivers.

Seattle ranks 160th on this year’s list. Allstate says the average Seattle driver will be in an auto collision once every 7.8 years. That’s 28.8 percent more likely than the national average, based on Seattle's population size.

Not surprisingly, cities with lower populations tended to do better in the rankings. Fort Collins, Colo., tops the list for the best drivers followed by Boise, Idaho and Sioux Falls, SD.

Washington DC ranks at the bottom, with the average driver in a collision once every 4.8 years.

Here are the top 10 and notable Northwest cities. The number in parentheses is their population rank in the survey.

1. Fort Collins, Colo. (161) - 13.9 years between accidents
2. Boise, Idaho (101) – 13.9 years between accidents
3. Sioux Falls, SD (148) – 12.8 years between accidents
4. Brownsville, Texas (131) – 12.7 years between accidents
5. Madison, Wis. (83) – 12.5 years between accidents
6. Reno, Nev. (90) – 12.5 years between accidents
7. Huntsville, Ala. (127) - 12.5 years between accidents
8. Visalia, Calif. (193) – 12.3 years between accidents
9. Montgomery, Ala. (107) – 11.9 years between accidents
10. Eugene, Ore. (153) – 11.9 years between accidents
45. Spokane (105) – 10.3 years between accidents
77. Salem, Ore. (154) – 9.7 years between accidents
82. Vancouver (145) – 9.5 years between accidents
144. Tacoma (110) – 8.1 years between accidents
154. Portland (27) – 7.9 years between accidents
160. Seattle (22) – 7.8 years between accidents

New 3Gen flats for multi-generation families

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http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/new-3gen-flats-for-multi/792042.html

The Housing and Development Board (HDB) will pilot a new type of Three-Generation (3Gen) flats to cater to multi-generation families living under one roof.

Homebuyers will be able to apply for 3Gen flats starting from next month's Build-To-Order (BTO) exercise. For a start, 80 of these flats will be piloted in Yishun.

The flats will feature four bedrooms and three bathrooms, with an internal floor area of about 115 square metres. This is slightly bigger than an existing 5-room flat, which is about 110 square metres in size.

To be eligible for the 3Gen flats, applicants must form a multi-generation family comprising a married or courting couple and their parents.

But there are some restrictions -- subletting of rooms will not be allowed during the five-year minimum occupation period (MOP).

After fulfilling the minimum occupation period, the flats can only be resold in the open market to other eligible multi-generation families.

The National Development Ministry said this is to ensure that the 3Gen flats actually serve their target group.

The last time HDB built such multi-generational flats was in a pilot project back in 1987. These flats were built in three locations -- Yishun, Tampines and Bishan.

The scheme was later stopped because of the lack of demand.

However, some housing analysts expect the take-up rate for the new 3Gen flats to be good. To support even more multi-generation families, the existing Multi-Generation Priority Scheme will also be enhanced.

Under the enhanced scheme, fifteen percent of the supply of studio apartments, 2-room and 3-room flats in a BTO project will be set aside for parents applying for it. The same number will be set aside for their married children.

In total, about 400 pairs of new flats will be offered under the Multi-Generation Priority Scheme in the September and November BTO exercises.

More housing grants introduced

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http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/more-housing-grants/792054.html

To help middle-income families afford their first home, the Special CPF Housing Grant of up to S$20,000 will be extended to middle-income households with a combined income of up to S$6,500 (up from S$2,250).

This Special CPF Housing Grant scheme will also be extended to four-room flats in non-mature estates. Previously, the grant was only for two- and three-room flats.

Singles will also benefit from the new measures. The current Special CPF Housing Grant income ceiling for singles buying new two-room flats will be raised to S$3,250.

Low-income families will be given help to upgrade through a Step-Up CPF Housing Grant of S$15,000. This will apply to families living in subsidised two-room flats who want to three-room flats in non-mature estates.

These two new initiatives will start from the July 2013 Build-to-Order (BTO) exercise. Those who applied for a new BTO flat in July but have yet to select their new flat, will also benefit.

Even as the government gives out more grants to help Singaporeans own their first home, its underlying principle is prudence. This is to ensure these new policies are sustainable for generations to come.

To ensure financial prudence in the purchase of public-housing, the Mortgage Servicing Ratio (MSR) limit will be reduced from 35 to 30 per cent of the borrower's gross monthly income.

The maximum tenure for HDB housing loans will also be trimmed from 30 to 25 years. In tandem, the Monetary Authority of Singapore will make similar arrangements for the tenure of new housing loans and re-financing facilities granted by financial institutions for the purchase of HDB flats.

Separately, Permanent Residents (PR) who want to buy resale flats will have to wait three years after receiving their PR status. PRs now account for some 20 per cent of the resale market.

Analysts said these measures will help to stabilise the HDB re-sale market in the long run.

Arizona Air National Guard, RSAF dogfight over Idaho skies

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http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/466977/ang-singapore-fighters-dogfight-over-idaho-skies.aspx

F-16 Fighting Falcons returned to Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, recently, and could be seen screaming across the skies above base as red- and blue-force aircraft.

Guardsmen from the 162nd Fighter Wing, Arizona Air National Guard, located at Tucson International Airport, are currently visiting to train Republic of Singapore pilots on air-to-air maneuvers in the F-16.

"We are here training RSAF students because back home it's very hard getting every student the required amount of flying hours so we bring them up here and fly as red-versus-blue air forces.," said Lt. Col. Julian Pacheco, 152nd Fighter Squadron assistant director of operations. "Our mission is to ensure these international students are properly and expertly trained for combat situations in the F-16. Being here gives us the additional sorties needed for their weapons course evaluations."

This is a specifically air-to-air exercise, he continued. Blue force is essentially the good guys and red forces are enemy aircraft. We're flying mornings and afternoons to support both squadrons training necessities.

More than 30 ANG Airmen and five aircraft are here supporting the students as they earn their qualifications.

"These students are involved in a five-month course and are currently finishing up the air-to-air phase of their training," said Pacheco. "They are close to finishing up the weapons-expert portion of their certification.

"it's their own countrymen they are training and fighting against, who fly a completely different aircraft. Strike Eagles are different in that they have two engines as well as two vertical fins but more importantly they give our students the opportunity to see multiple airframes out in the airspace."

Nissan to have self-driving car on market in 2020

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http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/lifestyle/nissan-to-have-self/792484.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

"Productive" use of time

Motorists could go hands-free, leaving their cars' computer brains fully in charge, as early as 2020, when Nissan says it plans to have a self-driving vehicle ready for the market.

The Japanese automaker said on Tuesday that its "revolutionary" self-drive technology could be ready by then, and that it is already building a synthetic cityscape of real roads and buildings for testing the vehicles.

Nissan, which broke ground in 2010 with the introduction of its Leaf fully electric small car, said it is aiming to build a self-driving car that can be sold at "realistic prices."

Autonomous Drive would enhance safety and accident avoidance, and allow drivers who spend hundreds of hours commuting every year to make more productive use of their time.

It will also give the elderly and disabled much more freedom and mobility, the company said.

Nissan next year will complete the construction of a proving ground for self-driving cars in Japan.