This month, The Earthshot Prize, Prince William’s ambitious global initiative to protect and restore our planet, will travel to Singapore for its third annual awards ceremony. Prince William will spend four days touring various organizations working on issues like illegal wildlife trade, air pollution, climate change and take part in dragon boat racing as well as trying his luck at scuba diving!

The NUS Singapore History Prize is an biennial award that recognises works that explore Singapore’s rich and diverse history. Thanks to a generous donor, this year’s prize amount has nearly doubled from 2024 – widening access for non-academic audiences as well as encouraging more impactful works and submissions.

This year’s competition attracted 224 entries across 10 categories: English creative non-fiction, essay and memoir; fiction; children’s literature; young adult novel; literary translation; poetry; Chinese traditional forms and Malay traditional forms. S$31,000 was distributed as cash prizes and book vouchers amongst winners, such as Esplanade communications and content head Clarissa Oon for English creative non-fiction, Cultural Medallion recipient KTM Iqbal for Tamil poetry and Dr Sa’eda Buang from Asian Languages and Cultures Academic Group for Malay fiction respectively.

Apart from receiving cash prizes from the Earthshot Prize, some winners also received catalytic grants to scale their environmental solutions. These included an Indian manufacturer of solar-powered dryers and a soil carbon marketplace as well as groups working towards cleaner electric car batteries, Andean forest restoration, deterring illegal fishing practices, and strengthening ocean conservation.

This week saw the kick-off of DP World Tour’s Asian Swing at Porsche Singapore Classic and here’s how prize money was distributed at this event.

Swimming pools in Sydney are one of the most beloved activities, whether for leisure, fitness, or competitive reasons. And no wonder – with so many beautiful suburbs offering their own watering holes and pools that make your heart sing just thinking of them!

“It takes a village to raise a child” rings true when it comes to swimming pools; these community spaces provide so much more than simply an opportunity for swimming. From movie nights, lap swimming sessions, and relaxing to just hanging out and kicking back – swimming pools offer us an escape from daily life while simultaneously creating strong connections with local communities.

Michael Easton from inner Sydney understands this well; he and a friend started visiting suburban pools to swim laps several years ago. Michael finds comfort in water as it comforts both children and adults, dating back to infancy; swimming pools provide more than just a means of staying cool; they’re a hub for socialisation as well. “Swimming pools offer not just cooling solutions; they provide relaxation opportunities with friends or family as well. “

And this is exactly what Sydney’s pools are about – providing a space where all members of the community can come together. “I have visited various pools, each one boasting its own charm. Prince Alfred Park pool stands out as an oasis between Surry Hills and Redfern with buttercup yellow umbrellas dotting the lawns, while its 50m pool always remains at that perfect jumping-right-in temperature.”

Mount Druitt is dedicated to uniting its community through water activities, hosting swim and movie night events as well as draining its pool during winter for trout fishing. “Local pools offer so much,” Easton states, adding that they often become one of the most beautiful spots in their respective suburbs.

While swimming pools may be costly investments, concrete pools offer great flexibility when it comes to design options, finishes and shapes that meet individual preferences or can adapt as your lifestyle shifts. They can even meet future needs as your needs alter over time.

Kylea Tink, an independent MP for North Sydney, would beg to differ. She considers the project’s numerous issues – council infighting, pork barrelling allegations and heritage concerns among them – a significant setback and hopes that in February a bill banning political donations of over $10,000 will be introduced in parliament as this would put a stop to similar projects in future.