Why are we seeing more monkeys in HDB estates? Watch this and you’d realise it could be due to you:   👉            

Will we be seeing more mosquitoes and other pests with more frequent and extreme El Nino events?    Here’s what experts have to say:   https://cna.asia/4gYJfCV   🦟 More Pests, Less Wildlife: How Extreme El Niños Shift Singapore's Animal Balance   Short answer: Yes — pests like mosquitoes, cockroaches and human-dependent birds are expected to fare better, while native wildlife struggles, as El Niño events become more frequent and extreme.        📌 The Core Finding   More intense and frequent El Niño events — bringing hotter, drier, more variable weather — act as a filter: species adapted to humans thrive, while those dependent on natural ecosystems face growing stress.        ✅ The Winners: Pests & Human-Adapted Animals   🦟 Mosquitoes — Stronger El Niño = Higher Dengue Risk   - Hotter weather speeds up mosquito life cycles and virus multiplication, boosting populations faster  - A 2025 study of 20+ years of Singapore data confirms dengue risk rises under stronger El Niño conditions  - This year's El Niño (Jun–Oct 2026) overlaps directly with the traditional dengue peak season (May–Oct)  - They breed in human infrastructure — perimeter drains, discarded containers, gully traps — making them nearly impossible to fully eliminate    🪳 Cockroaches   - Species like American and German cockroaches are described as "super adaptable" — heat or drought barely affects them  - Live in rubbish chutes and buildings; rely on human waste — essentially unaffected by extreme weather    🐦 Pigeons, Mynas, Crows   - These "human commensal" birds live off food waste — hawker centres, tray return areas, void decks  - Food sources stay constant regardless of weather — monsoons or drought don't affect their supply  - Population numbers remain stable even during heatwaves        ❌ The Losers: Native & Less Adaptable Wildlife   🐦 Wild Birds   - Prolonged heat lowers breeding success — higher chick mortality, failed broods  - Birds retreat into shade during the day, becoming less visible and less active  - Extreme heat can leave birds grounded and panting — experts advise calling ACRES or NParks if spotted  - Species like bulbuls and flowerpeckers that live in parks/green spaces are affected similarly to true forest birds when weather patterns shift    🐝 Insects & Insect-Eating Animals   - Heat and drying ground drives insects deeper underground or into shelter — making them harder to find  - Caterpillars feed less and grow smaller; some insect populations may decline or shift to nocturnal behaviour  - Knock-on effect: fewer insects → less food for birds, bats, and specialised species like the critically endangered Sunda Pangolin    🐗 Larger Native Wildlife   - Wild boars, macaques, and the Raffles' Banded Langur face heat stress and disrupted food sources        ⚠️ Why More Extreme El Niños Make It Worse   - El Niño itself is a natural cycle — plants and animals have adapted to it over time  - The problem is frequency and intensity: populations may not have time to recover between events, pushing them past their "adaptability envelope"  - Biodiversity loss may appear slow or hidden — an "extinction lag" where effects accumulate over years  - As Assoc Prof Eleanor Slade puts it: "There will always be species that survive … but what communities those are, and whether they're useful communities for us, is another thing."        📊 Summary Table   Group Effect of more extreme El Niños  🦟 Mosquitoes ⬆️ Populations grow faster; higher dengue risk  🪳 Cockroaches ➡️ Unchanged — highly adaptable  🐦 Pigeons, mynas, crows ➡️ Stable — live off human food waste  🐦 Wild/native birds ⬇️ Lower breeding success; heat stress  🐝 Insects ⬇️ Decline or shift behaviour; food web ripple effects  🐗 Native mammals ⬇️ Heat stress; disrupted food sources        Source: CNA — https://cna.asia/4gYJfCV

😷 Covid-19 infections are rising in South Korea, with stores reporting a surge in demand for masks and self-test kits.   https://str.sg/JeVej   😷 Covid-19 Resurgence in South Korea — Full Details   Published: 30 Aug 2026, The Straits Times / The Korea Herald       📈 The Situation   Covid-19 infections are rising again in South Korea, prompting a return to pandemic-era shopping habits. Sales of masks, self-test kits and cold medicines have spiked across all major convenience store chains as people take precautions.   Key Indicators   - Detection rate: Rose to 9.1% during Aug 9–15 — roughly 2.8 times the 3.2% recorded just three weeks earlier - Hospitalisations: Number of Covid-19 patients at general hospitals has been climbing over the same period - Also rising in China: About 522,000 new cases reported in July, including 487 severe cases and 1 death       🛒 Sales Surge by Retailer (Aug 1–26, 2026)   Chain Self-test kits Masks Cold medicine Other  7-Eleven +62% month-on-month +17% +15% Fever/pain relievers +14%  GS25 +30.3% — +10.3% Children/infant masks +341%  CU (Aug 1–23) +45.7% — +12.2% —    📌 Most striking: children & infant masks surged 341% — more than quadrupling — as parents and daycare centres take extra precautions with the new school term underway.       🎯 Why Demand Is Rising   - Schools reopening: More children in group settings → greater concern among parents and educators - Seasonal transition: Experts say the change of seasons typically boosts respiratory illnesses, further lifting demand for protective and medical products - Proximity concerns: Daycare centres are already asking parents to send children with masks following clusters of high fevers and cold-like illness among toddlers   Industry outlook: Demand is expected to remain strong for the near term.       🔮 Official Assessment   South Korea's Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) has noted the upward trend but estimated the peak of this wave would be less than half the size of last year's, and does not view the situation as a major public health threat.        Source: The Straits Times — https://str.sg/JeVej

the flour batter look very thick

long time nv listen to this liao