Ecuador's state of emergency

Pascale Harter introduces insight and analysis from correspondents and reporters in Ecuador, Taiwan, Thailand and Guinea Bissau.

Ecuador was once one of the most peaceful countries in South America; now the violence of drug cartels and prison gangs is raging through its cities. President Daniel Noboa has declared a state of 'internal armed conflict' and sent out tens of thousands of troops to fight crime. Will Grant reports from Guayaquil.

Every election in Taiwan prompts anger in Beijing - and nervousness around the world over how China will react to the victor. From Taipei, Rupert Wingfield Hayes explains how William Lai's win in the most recent contest reflects the mood of the Taiwanese people.

Since the military coup of 2021 in Myanmar, thousands of people have been killed and wounded in the ongoing conflict there. Tens of thousands more have fled their homes and villages after assaults by the army - which has also targeted health workers and hospitals for attack. So many patients now cross the border to seek treatment in Thailand. Rebecca Root visits a clinic near the border which is trying to help.

The hooded vulture is not cute: it's a scruffy scavenger bird that feeds on rotting carcasses. But it's a vital part of many African ecosystems - and can help humans stay healthy, too. Sam Bradpiece learns how Guinea Bissau is bringing the birds back from the brink, despite threats from many quarters.

Producer: Polly Hope
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Production Co-Ordinator: Gemma Ashman

(Image: Ecuadorean police in Guayaquil outside Ecuador's TC television channel. Credit: Stringer/AFP via Getty Images)