The music grows gradually: first a snare drum-like beat, then a throaty drone layered on top, followed by high-pitched humming. And then the monk begins to chant the heart sutra.

Precious wheat spilled out of disembowelled silos, mixing with soot, debris and cement: Beirut's port blast has gutted Lebanon's largest grain storage and sparked public panic over bread shortages.

Singapore celebrates our 55th National Day on 9 August 2020. This year, we commemorate this occasion against a backdrop of an unprecedented global pandemic and economic crisis.