Episode description

Kate Adie introduces stories from Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Singapore, Oman and Vietnam.

The Amazon rain forest in Brazil has suffered its worst fires in two decades, with most started illegally by humans looking to exploit the land for its resources. The world relies on the Amazon to absorb a lot of its carbon, but these fires mean it is now emitting record amounts itself. Ione Wells has been in Brazil’s west.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the world’s most biodiverse countries, though decades of war and deforestation have led to the degradation of the environment. But a group of scientists is trying to revitalise a forgotten reserve in Haut-Katanga province. Hugh Kinsella Cunningham travelled with them to the Upemba National Park.

Singapore has a zero-tolerance policy on illegal drugs, and is one of only a few countries that continues to execute people convicted of drug trafficking. For those caught using illicit narcotics, the punishments can also be severe. Linda Pressly met recovering addicts undergoing compulsory treatment in a state-run rehab centre.

Oman is growing in popularity as a tourist destination, though the oil-rich sultanate is focusing on its ancient heritage, rather than the hi-tech desert cities of its neighbours. This travel boom is also providing opportunities for women entrepreneurs hoping to break cultural barriers, as Sophia Smith Galer discovered in the Salalah region.

And we travel to Vietnam where William Lee Adams embarked on a personal mission while filming a travel documentary - to lay his elder brother's ashes to rest at his family's temple in Ho Chi Minh City.

Series producer: Serena Tarling Production coordinators: Sophie Hill & Katie Morrison Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith