In February 2022, at the turn of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, therapist Lydia is trying to divorce her husband. Instead of following her daughter’s advice and fleeing the country, Lydia starts helping strangers, becoming a source of transport.
Pillar of Fire focuses on the History of Zionism, beginning in 1896, in the wake of Theodor Herzl's revival of the concept of Jewish nationalism and continues to follow the Jewish People in the 20th century, the early stages of Zionism, followed by the waves of Aliyah prior to the founding of Israel, the Revival of the Hebrew language, the Ottoman Empire's rule in over the Land of Israel, the British Mandate, Anti-Semitism in Europe, the rise of Nazism and The Holocaust, the history of the Yishuv, the Jewish struggle for independence, and ends in 1948, with the Israeli Declaration of Independence.
Gábor Báthory was the ruler of Principality of Transylvania from 1608 to 1613. The infamous Elisabeth Báthory was his relative. The young Báthory is daring handsome and the idol of women, and triumphantly acquires the throne of Transylvania. The young ruler is the hope of the Transylvanian people, who have long suffered from wars. However, the ambitious Báthory pursues glory. He turns into a deranged tyrant, his best friend, the wise Gábor Bethlen, also becomes his mortal enemy and infuriates the neighboring great powers. Huge armies of the Ottomans, Wallachians, Poles, Hungarians and Cossacks attack Transylvania because of Báthory's adventurism.
Muyun Sheng, born from a spirit mother, is the unfavoured sixth son of the reigning Emperor Ming of Duan. Discovering an ancient painting by chance, he is captivated by the spirit locked inside (Panxi), and together, they promise to search for the most beautiful places on Earth. Muru Hanjiang, friend of Muyun Sheng, is the son of General Muru Shuo, famous for conquering the Eight Tribes of Han Province.
Many years later, the descendant of the Eight Tribes Shuofeng Heye sows discord between the Muyun and Muru families. Only when the friendship and loyalty between these two families is rebuilt will the Duan Dynasty be safe from invasion by the Eight Tribes. This drama tells of the loyalty, friendship, enmity and romance between the young descendants during the twilight years of the Duan Dynasty.
In 1927, as Japan seeks to control the Northeast railway, local Chinese authorities plan to build their own independent railway. The Binzhou Railway Company, led by Cao Dingbang and his son Cao Mofei, faces fierce opposition from Japan as they work to assert control over the project.
East Side follows Momi, an ex-Secret Service agent-turned-fixer who plays by his own rules as he brokers shady property deals between the Arab residents of East Jerusalem, and the powerful Jewish groups trying to take control of the area by whatever means possible. Brooding and well-connected, Momi slips between communities with ease. But behind his cool facade, the deadly consequences of his double-dealing are taking their toll, and at the center of his world is 18-year-old autistic daughter Maya.
Eighty years on from the announcement that brought joy and relief to the nation, join in with moments of remembrance from across the UK to pay tribute to the heroes of the past.
During the Cold War, the superpowers mobilized thousands of spies and spotters to lift the enemy’s secrets. The three-part program The Spying Game takes a close look at this era of rising tensions between East and West.