Published in 1949, '1984' is a cautionary tale by George Orwell that explores the dangers of totalitarianism. The novel is set in a dystopian future where the world is divided into three super-states, with the protagonist Winston Smith living in Oceania, ruled by the mysterious and omnipotent leader Big Brother. Winston works at the Ministry of Truth, where he rewrites historical records to conform to the Party's ever-changing narrative. He begins an illicit love affair with Julia and starts to rebel against the Party, but they are eventually caught and subjected to brutal torture and indoctrination. The novel highlights themes of government surveillance, manipulation of language and history, and the suppression of individual freedom and independent thought.
Next Sunday, December 8, the arched doors of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris will open to the public for the first time since April 2019, when a devastating fire nearly destroyed the great Gothic church. What will they see? Correspondent Bill Whitaker has a first look inside a modern miracle of repair and restoration by workers and artisans who made possible French President Emmanuel Macron’s impossible-sounding pledge to complete the rebirth in five years. As Macron tells Whitaker, “The decision to rebuild Notre Dame was…about our capacity to save, restore, sometimes reinvent what we are by preserving where we come from.”
Located in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay and only accessible by boat, Smith Island, Maryland is a place where time stands still, and its residents speak a unique dialect. Rising sea levels and erosion are changing the landscape and placing residents at risk of becoming some of the country's first climate refugees. Correspondent Jon Wertheim meets these locals to hear how climate change threatens their way of life - and the island itself - but where their perseverance and pride are inspiring a new generation of islanders.
Correspondent Cecilia Vega travels to the UK for an intimate portrait of actor Kate Winslet, Hollywood's most non-Hollywood A-Lister, and discusses her transformative journey to starring in and producing her latest film, “Lee.” Winslet, who has been a vocal advocate against the insults and inequalities facing women in the film industry, relies on this experience for her current role, portraying American photographer Lee Miller, who worked for Vogue as one of the few female war correspondents on the frontline of WWII. As Vega discovers, Winslet and Miller share a resilience and see the world through a similar lens, making her connection more than just a role.
After the dramatic exit of the United States military from Afghanistan in 2021 left the country under Taliban control, U.S. allies found themselves in danger. Correspondent Jon Wertheim reports on the unimaginable story of nearly 400 Afghans who were evacuated under the guise of a wedding party. Wertheim reveals the treacherous, high stakes rescue operation organized by American citizens and led by former Army intelligence officer Jason Kander that concealed men, women, and children in an Afghan wedding palace. This is a double-length segment.
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