The jackpot for Thursday’s Toto draw is up to $10 million after it snowballed from the previous draws with no Group 1 winners. The prize money has been on the rise for the last three weeks as punters try to crack the code to win the big prize.
The winner of the prestigious Singapore Prize will have the chance to create an innovation or solution that will help solve the world’s biggest challenges. This is a major opportunity for the winner to be seen and heard globally. The prize is open to individuals and organisations from around the world, with a particular focus on those who can show the greatest impact. The winner will be awarded a cash prize of S$50,000.
In a nod to the pandemic, the theme of this year’s awards ceremony was resonance – the way in which literature can touch our hearts and minds. Five writers have been shortlisted in two categories and in two languages. This includes Clara Chow, who is vying for the top prize in English fiction and English creative nonfiction, as well as Wang Gungwu in Chinese poetry. This is the first time in the programme’s history that a writer has been shortlisted for two different genres and languages at one event.
The event also honoured those who contributed to the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with special honours for a Dutch microbiologist and his team who developed an early-warning system based on wastewater tests. Prof Gertjan Medema’s research in wastewater-based epidemiology proved that traces of COVID-19 in wastewater can serve as an effective early warning system for outbreaks, even before any cases are reported in the community.
Among those in attendance at the event were singers Bebe Rexha and One Republic, as well as actors Sterling K. Brown and Hannah Waddingham. The event was held on a “green carpet” to highlight the sustainability aspect of the prizes, with William and other presenters wearing 10-year-old dark green blazers from Alexander McQueen.
This year’s WAF Completed Building and WAFX Future Projects shortlist will be revealed on Wednesday 10 July, with all finalists invited to present their projects live at WAF 2024 in Singapore. The judges’ list will include 140 leading architects, designers, journalists and industry experts from across the globe.
WAFX recognises international proposals that embrace cutting-edge design addressing key global issues, from tackling climate change to strengthening communities. The winning projects will receive a catalytic cash prize to scale their solutions. For more information about the judging process, click here.
