CNA (Page 77)

SINGAPORE: When Ms Ena Lee, her father and their two child moved into their fresh five-room Hougang even, what was meant to be their place of refuge quickly turned into a problem.

” The children were frequently tired,” they said. At one level, my brother was ill for a continuous two weeks”, she told CNA.

It took three months for them to realize the source of the problem, which was a cancer-causing substance called formaldehyde, after their great move in January of this year.

” My companion came over – she’s really an engineer – when she opened up one of the units, she was like,’ Oh, strong formaldehyde odor!'” recited Ms. Lee, who is in her mid-30s and is the company’s chief operating officer.

This flavor – what some call the “new home smell” – is usually present in wooden furnishings. &nbsp,

However, when one gets closer, they might start feeling stinging in their nose and eyes from what can only be described as a powerful nasty jam taste, which is a sure sign that something is wrong.

Ms. Lee claimed that she reached out to her interior architecture firm after her friend visited because of the unpleasant odor, but they repeatedly told her to “give it some period” and that it would “eventually get away.”

Additionally, she purchased activated charcoal and formaldehyde treatment gels from the e-commerce program Shopee to get rid of the smell.

When the difficulty persisted, she ended up contacting an air quality expert. He quickly discovered that the benzene concentration levels were significantly higher than what is considered safe using a benzene meter.

Workers were dispatched to apply a special solution that helps benzene crumble to the damaged surfaces.

The intensity levels finally dropped into the safe area after almost seven hours of therapy, which cost about S$ 1, 000.

Continue Reading

A coroner’s court found a four-year-old girl dead after being run over by a car while running across the River Valley on Friday ( Jul 12 ), with the coroner instructing parents to always hold their hands as young children cross the road.

American Zara Mei Orlic, the second of three children, was heading apartment with her two-year-old girl and their 32-year-old home companion on Jan 23 when the tragic incident occurred.

The Indonesian girl, who was unnamed, started working for the Orlics in October 2023 and was tasked with housekeeping, cooking, and getting the kids to and from class.

On January 23, the girl drove Zara and her younger girl from their pre-school along River Valley Road to the Orlics ‘ house in Aspen Heights apartment at around 4.20pm.

The girl carried both girls ‘ class bags as they headed home and held onto Zara’s younger sister’s side.

She claimed Zara had been taught how to be protected and that she had no use for any devices.

The girl claimed she frequently held Zara’s side, but that she had no idea why she did not do it that day. She acknowledged that Zara’s businesses had instructed her to hold her hand, particularly when crossing the road.

The group made the decision to cross the road as they made the uphill descent along Institution Hill. &nbsp,

Zara ran across the street to the other side of the first alley after crossing it. She did not observe a car coming from her left, and the girl did not notice a car coming in her path.

A 40-year-old American woman driving a car collided with Zara in the next lane and ran over her knee and head, killing the girl three steps away from Zara.

The girl yelled violently for the car to stop, let go of the younger baby, and then rushed to Zara, who was lying still and bleeding on the side of the road.

THE DRIVER’S PERSPECTIVE

The girl called Zara’s papa, who was working from home, and rushed downward while the vehicle landed and remained at the picture until the police and ambulance arrived.

The pilot, who was not named, was on her way home after fetching her children from class and doing grocery shopping.

Around 5 o’clock in the afternoon when the girl made a right turn onto Institution Hill’s little upslope from River Valley Road, she observed cars parked on the opposite side of the road.

She ran over something she had immediately sensed when she hit it.

She sensed a quiet cry and realized she had slammed into a young child. She soon stopped her vehicle and rushed to Zara, who was being held by a upset, screaming girl.

Prior to the incident, the driver claimed she had not seen everyone crossing the road and would have taken fast safeguards if she had.

The traffic police conducted an investigation to discover that Zara had just appeared in in-vehicle film for one second prior to the incident and that the lady was not moving at a fast speed.

As Zara was merely 100cm high, she was very little to be seen by the driver.
 
Teachers rushed out of the local institution to report a loud scream to the Singapore Civil Defence Force after the receptionist heard it.

Zara was taken to Singapore General Hospital, but her vitals were unknown at the time of her appearance and she was unable to breathe. She was treated and given iv adrenaline after suffering a bone injury and an open wound to her head.

Zara’s parents informed him that she had severe head injuries and was unlikely to survive.

He instructed the medical staff to maintain resuscitating Zara until his family arrived. But, when she got there at 6.20pm, the doctor told them that resuscitation efforts had been fruitless, and Zara was pronounced dead at about 6.45pm that morning.

Bill FROM ZARA’S Dad

Zara’s father claimed he had no idea why the girl had chosen to cross the road that morning. &nbsp,

Zara’s parents claimed that since the road from the cross would guide her to their house, the girl had been instructed to move from the pre-school to the signalized motorist crossing after Institution Hill.

Otherwise, the girl had been following her exact path for some months that day.

The household had no significant issues with the maid, according to Zara’s father, aside from a few small miscommunications standard of employing foreign local helpers.

The girl claimed that she had never intended to harm her businesses ‘ children and had always been concerned for them.

She claimed that Zara’s passing greatly saddens her because she had not anticipated a dreadful event.

This incident, according to coroner Eddy Tham, was a horrible tragic accident that “reminds caregivers of younger children of the importance of street security in that they must always maintain a young child’s hand when crossing the road.”

He claimed that young children are prone to make fast activities and do not have a strong sense of road accidents.

This case also demonstrates that fresh children’s smaller actual bodies and other near objects can obscure them from view.

” The need to be diligent and to get utmost caution may be over-emphasised”, he said, conveying his sincere apologies to Zara’s home over her sudden loss.

Despite past reports addressing “jaywalking” by the girl, the pathologist made no mention of jaywalking in his results. The judge had previously heard that the girl was “jaywalking,” meaning she was not crossing the correct intersection but was doing so 200 meters away.

The Orlic mother’s attorney, Mr. Alfred Lim, said the family may be considering their lawful options when he was approached by the media following the hearing but that he could not say precisely what at this time.

The lady driver is represented by attorneys from the law office of Damodora Ong. When CNA approached, the attorneys claimed the vehicle had not been indicted.

Continue Reading

There are healthier cooking options that do n’t compromise on texture, despite the common use of deep-fried foods.

Roasting, cooking or even weather cooking can keep the crispiness of bugs without further trans fats, said Asst Prof Puniamoorthy.

In South Korea, there are also delectable dishes that involve boiling, braising, or steaming flies like the beondegi or silk larvae. There are also items that can be made that just use dehydrating to clean insects or by grinding insects into powder to be baked or incorporated into other foods.

Should THE ENVIRONMENT BENEFIT?

Putting nutrition off, choosing insects on the supper table can also benefit the environment.

” I think it’s crucial to emphasize that bugs are a very sustainable food supply. They require less land, water, and pull compared to traditional animal, and most importantly, they have a reduced environmental footprint which does support greener foods methods”, stressed Asst Prof Puniamoorthy.

” Insects present a promising solution for nutritional value and as a society, we may need to adapt and shift” .&nbsp,

According to the World Economic Forum ( WEF), insects are also an overlooked source of protein and a means of combating climate change in 2022. &nbsp,

One of the benefits is that nutritious insects may produce the same amount of “quality protein” as methane-producing animals.

Beef has the highest greenhouse gas emissions on a per kg basis and&nbsp, pork came out tops on a per capita&nbsp, basis, according to a Singapore-centric study commissioned by investment firm Temasek and carried out by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research ( A*STAR ) and Deloitte, and published in 2019. &nbsp,

On the other hand, insects produce significantly less greenhouse gases per kilogram of foods than livestock, such as cattle and pigs.

A animal produces between 10 to 100 times as many greenhouse gases per kg compared with organisms for instance, a 2011 study by the&nbsp, Wageningen University &amp, Research, which specialises in life science and&nbsp, crops, said.

WHY ARE WE EATING BEES?

Bees are well-known for their pollination abilities, so it might sound counterintuitive at first that they can also be consumed as foods. &nbsp,

A study published in the Journal of Apicultural Research in 2016 noted that some cultures, including those in Thailand and Australia, consume honey bee nest, also referred to as caterpillars, as a historical process.

When eaten raw or dried, they are also referred to as being nuts, slightly sour, and have a chewy texture. &nbsp,

Beekeepers frequently remove portions of a bees ‘ drone brood to prevent the development of a dangerous parasitical insect that could damage the honey bee people, according to the research. &nbsp,

” This process makes sweet bird aircraft brood a by-product, producing an abundance of cultivated insects with undeveloped potential,” said Professor Annette Bruun Jensen of the University of Copenhagen and her coworkers.

” The high nutritional value of honey bee pupae and larvae can be compared to beef in terms of the quality and quantity of their proteins.”

The establishment of hives and bee practices may also aid in providing pollination services, the researchers said, promoting natural robustness and agricultural production in an area. &nbsp,

According to SFA guidelines, the Northern honeybees that are available for use in Singapore must be raised in a controlled atmosphere. &nbsp,

These bees will likely be processed completely because they are one of the insects that cannot be imported live, and the National Parks Board ( NPB) has determined that they are an invasive species. &nbsp,

ARE INSECTS REALLY SAFE?

SFA has created an mosquito regulatory framework that provides instructions for businesses that intend to buy, rear, or method insects into foods for human use or animal feed. &nbsp,

Second, the insect species may be assessed to have a history of human use. The final product must also be deemed safe for use after the cultivation and running of insect and mosquito products are also required to be free of contaminants. &nbsp,

The 16 different species of insects that are permitted as food in Singapore may be found in the wild.

The organization claimed the guidelines were created as a result of a” rigorous academic review” that included references from nations and regions that have permitted the consumption of some insects as food. &nbsp,

These include the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Thailand. &nbsp,

Hygiene procedures must also be carefully followed. &nbsp,

Francis Ng, the CEO of House of Seafood, previously explained to CNA that his restaurants were trained to first clear the bugs before toasting them in the pan. This process is subsequently followed by the&nbsp, brushing of each mosquito “piece by part”. &nbsp,

” One may order goods from reputable vendors who supply accurate data and labeling. Buyers should be aware of shelf life and backup items in the appropriate conditions, as recommended by the manufacturers,” advised Asst Prof. Puniamoorthy.

SO WHAT DO THEY TASTE LIKE? &nbsp,

More than 80 % of respondents were reluctant to try insects, according to a recent Instagram poll by CNA. Numerous commenters cited the sick aspect. ” This bugs me. I’ll pass”, said a netizen. &nbsp,

The poll was accompanied by a taste test video, in which property crickets, field crickets, and silkworms were substituted for the cooked anchovy element of a dish of nasi lemak. &nbsp,

What was the common opinion among those who tried the pests? A few “ews”, some “good” and” not too bad” reactions, and one “ashy” – in reference to the crumbly texture. Some also retraced their actions in moments and quarters. &nbsp,

Continue Reading