December 7, 2024 - PBS News Weekend full episode

Hurricane Helene’s path of destruction in the mountains of North Carolina devastated one of the region’s big industries: Christmas tree farming. One family operation overcame obstacles to get its crop to market, including one special tree that ended up in the White House. Ali Rogin reports.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, drunk driving crashes are as much as 40 percent higher between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day than the rest of the year. The legal blood alcohol limit in the U.S. is higher than around the world, and advocates say lowering it would reduce fatal car crashes. John Yang speaks with researcher James Fell to learn more.

In our news wrap Saturday, Hamas released a video of Israeli hostage Matan Zangauker, Syrian opposition fighters reached the suburbs of Damascus, lawmakers in South Korea’s ruling party boycotted a vote in parliament to impeach President Yoon, and veterans and current service members gathered in Hawaii to honor those killed at Pearl Harbor 83 years ago today.

Against the Paris skyline, the Notre Dame Cathedral has risen from the ashes with its official reopening Saturday. Dozens of world leaders, diplomats and celebrities attended the celebration of the monument’s rebirth, including a high-profile return to the global spotlight for President-elect Trump. John Yang speaks with Heather Conley, senior advisor to the German Marshall Fund, for more.