Having launched in 1968, Singapore Pools’ popular TOTO game is now the third largest lottery operator in Asia with more than 100 million customers. TOTO, which stands for Totalisator and Lotto, is a combination of a traditional 5 out of 49-style totaliser and a system entry option that allows prize amounts to grow. The winner is the player with the winning number and digits drawn from a random selection of numbers.
The winners of this year’s Singapore Prize will be honoured at the National University of Singapore (NUS) on 18 June. This year’s shortlist includes an historical tome about the city-state’s past and a work of fiction that forgoes the notion of history as a record of big movers and shakers. Also on the list is Kamaladevi Aravindan’s novel Sembawang, which follows life in an estate across five decades.
This year’s finalists are a group of people who put their community’s needs before their own, making the world a better place for everyone. They are the kind of people who are needed in any healthy civil society, and whose actions can have profound impacts on our lives. The award seeks to recognise these everyday heroes and inspire more people to emulate their selfless acts.
Despite their diverse backgrounds, the winners are united in their passion for the environment and their desire to improve the quality of our world. They have taken the lead in addressing issues such as the need for more sustainable energy and the challenge of climate change. Their efforts have brought about significant changes in their communities and beyond.
Britain’s Prince William joined celebrities such as actor Donnie Yen and South African actress Nomzano Mbatha to walk the green carpet at the third Earthshot prize ceremony in Singapore on Tuesday (April 16). He said the solutions unveiled by the 15 finalists – from solar-powered dryers to making electric car batteries more environmentally friendly – showed that “hope does remain,” despite the devastating impact of climate change.
The heir to the British throne wore a dark green suit by Alexander McQueen for the event, in line with sustainability themes at the awards. He and other presenters were greeted by a 40m high Rain Vortex waterfall that was illuminated green for the event. The Prince vowed to continue supporting environmental protection and sustainability. He and his royal foundation have donated to Earthshot, the science-based competition launched in 2020 that encourages innovative ideas to tackle global warming. He was speaking after being presented with an Earthshot award, which included a medallion and a cash prize of SGD 300,000. The award ceremony was part of the Singapore International Water Week 2024. The programme gathers leaders and experts to tackle urban water challenges. It is held every two years, with the next one taking place in 2024. It is supported by the government of Singapore and Temasek Foundation.