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Pascale Harter introduces stories from Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Singapore and Vietnam.

A combination of Brazil's worst drought season ever, a continued race for land and resources, and deliberate arson has made for a record number of forest first in the Amazon region this year. The air is full of smoke, the water has dried from many river courses and huge areas of earth are now parched and burned. Ione Wells reports from the border of Amazonas and Rondonias states in the west of Brazil.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the world鈥檚 most biodiverse countries, but decades of war and deforestation have led to the degradation of its environment too. The Upemba National Park - once the largest nature reserve in Africa - in Haut-Katanga province has lost much of its larger wildlife. Hugh Kinsella Cunningham describes travelling there with a group of scientists trying to see what's survived - and what could be brought back.

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 punishment can also be severe - though there's also a strong focus on recovery. Linda Pressly meets some former users going through compulsory rehab treatment in state-run centres.

And William Lee Adams tells the story of a very personal journey. While filming a travel documentary in Vietnam - the first time he'd been back to the country in 20 years - he also took some time to lay his elder brother's ashes to rest at his family's temple in Ho Chi Minh City.

Image: Aerial view of the fires that hit Brasilia National Park in summer 2024. Photo credit: Jaqueline Lisboa/WWF-Brazil/PA Wire