A slew of prizes are up for grabs at this year’s Singapore Grand Prix. In addition to a chance to win two tickets to the race, which takes place on April 28 and 29, there’s a bucket-list sweepstakes for a once-in-a-lifetime experience that includes a flight to Singapore, the first-ever F1 track tour, dinner with a Formula 1 champion and a photo shoot with your car featured in an official Formula 1 magazine.
A solar-powered dryer, a soil carbon marketplace and groups that restore Andean forests and deter illegal fishing were among the 2023 winners of The Earthshot Prize, which honors innovators who are tackling climate change. Britain’s Prince William, who founded the award program in 2020, praised all of the finalists and said that they proved “that hope is alive.”
The inaugural winner of the $30,000 Dr Alan Chan Spirit of Singapore Book Prize was announced on Thursday. The award was established through a $1 million donation from Confucian scholar Alan Chan and is designed to promote the writing of books that champion mindsets and values important to Singapore’s identity as a multicultural society. They include equality, religious harmony, meritocracy, pragmatism and resilience.
At a glitzy ceremony at the theater in state-owned Mediacorp Campus, Prince William wore an old dark green blazer from Alexander McQueen as he and other presenters walked a “green carpet” to show their support for sustainability. The event was co-hosted by American actor Sterling K. Brown and Australian actress Hannah Waddingham, who sported a dark green dress by McCartney. Musical performers included the bands One Republic and Bastille, and singer Bebe Rexha.
Singapore’s government has set a target of reducing its carbon intensity by 36 per cent by 2030 and is promoting the development of renewable energy sources. The city-state is also encouraging more people to switch to electric scooters and bicycles, which emit fewer pollutants than cars. The country’s National Environment Agency (NEPA) will also work with companies to encourage them to use less-polluting vehicles and equipment.
STORY OF THE DAY
A housing complex that integrates community space and more than 100 apartments for seniors has beaten out flashier rivals to become World Building of the Year at the annual World Architecture Festival. Designed by Singaporean architects and engineers, Kampung Admiralty beat hundreds of projects from around the world to earn the top accolade. It is the third time a project based in Singapore has won the honour, with The Interlace and a post-earthquake rebuilding project claiming the title in previous years.
Singapore has introduced a new law to curb the proliferation of fake news online, which it says is fuelling social discord and distorting public opinion. The Digital Economy Act will penalise people who publish or distribute fake content and require them to register their name and address. It will also introduce a mandatory disclosure of the source of content in advertisements. In addition, the Ministry of Communications and Information will launch a fund to help journalists and others produce more fact-checked content.
